Valley News - January 27, 2023

Regional News

Sheri seeking what drove ‘mad man’ from Hemet to shoot up dance hall

Amy Taxin, Stefanie Dazio, Terry Tang and Brian Melley Associated Press

MONTEREY PARK (AP)

— Investigators searching for a motive Monday, Jan. 23 in the worst mass shooting in Los Angeles County history said the gunman was previously arrested for illegally possessing a firearm, had a rifle at home, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and appeared to be manufacturing gun silencers.

see page D-6

Local

Aircraft goes down in Hemet residential area, one dead

City News Service

Special to Valley News

A small aircraft crashed in a residential area in the Hemet area Sunday, Jan. 22, killing the lone occupant aboard, authorities said.

see page A-6

Slain California deputy honored with 50-mile procession

Valley News/Andrez Imaging

The man suspected in Calhoun’s killing remained hospitalized in critical condition after a gunbattle see CALHOUN, page A-6

Menifee Council adopts General Plan and zoning amendments for business parks in the city’s Southern Economic Development Corridor

Tony Ault Staff Writer

Following a Public Hearing at its Jan. 18 meeting, the Menifee City Council adopted a General Plan Amendment and Zone Change that will allow business parks with limited warehouses in a portion of its Southern Economic Development Corridor.

The expanded and updated Land Use Designation involves approximately 300 acres of undeveloped land south from Garbani Road to Scott Road in the southern portion of the city. The changes followed lengthy discussions and public hearings dating back to May 2021 when there were some objections by local residents to the location and size of any warehouses in the

see MENIFEE, page A-2

Valley Community Pantry thanks donors that help serve the less fortunate

In its 65-year existence feeding and helping local residents with utility and rental assistance, Valley Community Pantry has heavily relied on donors to provide for those in need. The board of directors decided it was about time to host a reception to thank those who have helped the food bank supply items to those in need.

see PANTRY, page A-4

Paige Stowe, center, was recognized by the Menifee City Council as the 2022 Citizen of the Year. Valley News/Courtesy photo

Murrieta City Council approves a Mental Health Advisory Subcommittee to look into the Mental Health Crisis in the community and region

Tony Ault Staff Writer

The Murrieta City Council, putting aside any doubts there was a “mental health crisis” in not only the city, but regionally, approved the formation of an ad hoc committee to explore ways to bring it to the attention of Riverside County and the state at their Tuesday, Jan. 17, meeting.

In previous meetings, the resolution to form a Mental Health Advisory Subcommittee made by former Council member Lori Stone, who is now mayor pro tem, and former Mayor Jonathon Ingram, who has termed out, ran into some questions that resulted in the request being tabled for further discussion.

In the Tuesday night meeting, Stone made the request again with new Council member Jon Levell to hear from citizens, a psychotherapist, a physician, community leaders and people who were experiencing difficulties obtaining needed mental health care from the county. They appeared and spoke in favor of forming the subcommittee.

Levell provided the council and those in attendance slides of a city in Kansas with a population of over 150,000 that had, with a similar committee, secured much better mental health care facilities and care for those suffering a mental health crisis and homelessness.

It was first proposed that the subcommittee, if formed, would meet at least once a month to discuss the local mental health problems and propose remedies for it to the council. The committee would include some city officials, representatives from the local hospitals and mental health treatment officials. It was noted that the forming of such an ad hoc subcommittee would be of little cost or time for city employees, but it would bring great benefits.

Mayor Lisa DeForest and Council member Cindy Warren agreed that there was a mental health crisis in the city, but they suggested it was a crisis for the entire region, not only Murrieta, and it needed wider attention. DeForest also said she was still concerned about the time it would take city officials to attend and participate in the meetings when they are already pressed

Murrieta site officially added to PSEC system

Joe Naiman

Writer

The Public Safety Enterprise Communications simulcast cell site on Pabesu Road in Murrieta is now officially part of the PSEC system. The Riverside County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 Tuesday, Jan, 10, to accept the addition of the PSEC site and to direct the clerk of the board of supervisors to record a notice of completion. The supervisors’ action also approves the notice of completion for project tasks funded by the city of Murrieta.

The Public Safety Enterprise Communications radio system began operating in January 2014. The county Sheriff’s Department and various fire departments were the original partners, and other cities subsequently joined the PSEC system. The county’s information technology department and PSEC user groups evaluated radio coverage performance across southwestern Riverside County and identified coverage deficiencies within Murrieta. The Pabesu Road location was identified as one which will enhance coverage significantly. In June 2021, the county board of supervisors approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the county and the city to add the site and approved a change order to the county’s contract with Motorola Solutions Inc. to add the six-channel site. The contract with Motorola included the design, staging, shipment and installation of the site equip-

ment including backup generators, fuel tanks and radio towers. The sheriff’s department also issued a purchase order to Diversified Communications Services to move the equipment to the site.

In February 2022, the county supervisors approved a lease agreement with the Daniel and Joan Hollingsworth Trust for the site in the 26500 block of Pabesu Road. The lease is for a 10-year term and includes two options to extend the lease for five additional years.

The county will lease 312 square feet of the Hollingsworth property for the PSEC radio site. The rent amount for the construction period will be $1,000 per month. During the first year of service the rent will be $2,500 per month, which equates to $30,000 for the year. The rent will increase to $3,000 per month, or $36,000 per year, for the second year of service and an escalator clause will increase the rent by 3% annually following the second year of service. The county will be responsible for payment of electricity costs.

The total cost of the project was estimated at $659,763, which included a $38,045 contingency. The city of Murrieta provided 80% of the funding while the PSEC budget funded the other 20%. The project was completed in November 2022 and the actual cost was $658,346 which consisted of $620,301 paid to Motorola and $38,045 for Diversified Communications Services.

Joe Naiman can be reached by email at jnaiman@reedermedia. com.

for time in their jobs.

A regional crisis

Stone said it was indeed a regional crisis and said a number of other surrounding area city council members told her they were also interested in forming such a committee on a regional basis.

After further discussion, the council unanimously approved setting up a Mental Health Advisory Subcommittee under the Homeless Resources Committee, which is called the Responsible Compassion Program, to bring together ideas of how to solve the local and regional mental health crisis. The subcommittee would report back to the council their findings and any possible solutions to the problem. The meetings would be held once every other month.

Fire truck purchase

In other business, the council approved a request by the Murrieta Fire & Rescue to purchase a Tiller Truck, with a 100-foot ladder and associated safety equipment from Pierce Manufacturing for $2,115,433 that would be built and delivered in approximately three years.

mainly agricultural area of the city. With some amendments to the proposal, the city determined the General Plan would still allow the limited zone change, with some restrictions on the size and types of business parks that could be established. The business park area would restrict certain types of manufacturing firms to move in, including those that would manufacture drugs, make explosives or other items dangerous to surrounding residents.

The amended proposals reached the Menifee Planning Commission and gained its approval in November 2022 and were sent on to the council for their consideration.

In the evening’s Public Hearing portion, a landowner and developer said they favored the expansion noting that some 50 acres of the land would be used to house local small businesses and entrepreneurs with the remaining portion bringing in a perhaps larger retail firm that could sell sporting goods, guns and ammo like Bass Pro Shops that would be most likely welcomed by the city. Other large stores, like Walmart, have already purchased land in the Southern Economic Development Core and still are to be built as the city expands.

There were no objections, written or given, to the project during the public hearing. The council adopted the General Plan amendment and Final Environmental Impact Report and Housing Element update EIR and directed staff to file a Notice of Determination and introduce an ordinance approving the zone change.

Moratorium tabled

Prior to the Public Hearing on the General Plan Land Use amendment, the council decided to continue another public hearing on the first reading of an ordinance to amend a Public Street Excavation Moratorium until its Feb. 15 regular meeting. Committee and commission appointments were brought to the council with Councilmembers Dean Deines, Lesa Sobek and Mayor Pro Tem Bob Karwin reappointing their

Fire Chief Bernard Molloy explained the cost of the truck would be paid with $1,750,000 in reserve funds from Measure T Fire Fleet Replacement Reserve and the remaining $665,000 come from the next three years of reserve funds. He said any other engine or equipment costs were still available in the budget.

The council in its approving the purchase humorously argued who would be the first to drive the rear driving seat of the new truck, but all praised the department purchase that would enhance the city’s continuing high level of emergency services, rated third highest in the state.

A total of 10 consent items were approved without discussion.

Explore Murrieta success

Patrick Ellis, president of Explore Murrieta, gave a presentation of what the organization has done to bring more people and businesses to the city to improve its image locally, regionally and nationally. He said there were millions of hits on their Explore Murrieta websites and social media outlets that helped bring in more than $500,000 in hotel and motel

districts’ appointees while District 2 Councilmember Ricky Estrada appointed Joe Long to the Planning Commission, William Payne to the Parks, Recreation and Trails Commission, L. Peterson to the Quality of Life Measure DD Oversight Committee and Debbie Manion to the Senior Advisory Committee.

Mayor Bill Zimmerman appointed Ben Diederich to the Planning Commission to fill a vacancy and kept the rest of his advisory appointments.

Veterans events studied

The request by Deines to form a Veterans Recognition Events and Advisory Committee was tabled for future study with an event to recognize Vietnam and Korean War coming on Veterans Day and a Welcome Home Veterans Day Celebration already planned.

An updated Legislative Platform and Legislative Policy was reaffirmed that keeps the council informed of current legislation that could either help or hinder the city in its decision making.

A lengthy review of the Menifee City Council Code of Ethics made by City Attorney Jeff Melching was made with the Menifee City Council moving to add new policies and procedures for the use of social media at the meeting.

The addition of a Social Media Code of Ethics to the Council’s Procedures and Policies was suggested by Melching. The growth of social media affecting public opinion in government is becoming more of an issue and should be recognized by the Council, he contended.

The Council moved to establish a social media policy and it was approved by a 4 to 1 majority vote. Councilmember Estrada cast the only nay vote. Estrada said he definitely agreed there should be a code of ethics for all members of the Council, but more discussion should take place on a separate social media policy as it is relative to part of the already existing Procedures and Policies. He said he saw it as “redundant” to the Council rules already in place.

Karwin, an attorney himself, said so much is constantly changing in social media that a separate council social media policy and procedure needs to be established so that it can be changed as the use of social media evolves in the realm of free speech rights. Melching suggested that any separate social media code of ethics could be referenced back to the already written Council Code of Ethics.

TOT collections to the city. He indicated that next year Explore Murrieta should even bring more interest to the city with the advent of the opening of the Murrieta Hot Springs Resort and increasing Wine Country tourism.

“This will play a huge part next year (in Explore Murrieta),” Ellis said.

Reality Rally change

In the public comment portion of the meeting, Gillian Larson, executive director and president of the Reality Rally board that supports Michelle’s Place Cancer Resource Center to help those suffering from cancer to the podium, thanked Murrieta City officials for supporting the organization in past rallies. She said Reality Rally would not take place next year, as she was going to be traveling with her husband, who recently retired.

The Boy Scouts of Murrieta’s Troop 384 were introduced to the council to their delight.

Tony Ault can be reached by email at tault@reedermedia.com.

The staff and city attorney were charged to create a City Council social media policy to be followed. The Council gave its approval to making several minor administrative changes to the council procedures and policies including the use of city cell phones and their own public cell phones. The Council’s policies and procedures are different for those of the city departments and must follow Robert’s Rules of Order, as all government agencies are required to do, including California’s Brown Act, established to protect the public’s interest.

Bushfire Kitchen, a Menifee restaurant, was named the Business of the Month for their efforts “above and beyond” the everyday business in helping the community nonprofits and other events over the past eight years.

Citizen of the Year

Liberty High School freshman Paige Stowe, once recognized as a Citizen of the Month, was chosen as the 2022 Citizen of the Year by the Council who awarded her many certificates of recognition from state, county and local officials. Chosen for her selfless volunteerism, Paige’s principal said she is an outstanding student who is always helpful to her classmates and many community organizations.

In a report by the Community Services Department, the new Carea-Van service in the senior community made 166 trips helping seniors reach their doctors’ appointments, shopping and special events in its first month. The department is holding more transportation workshops to aid the seniors and handicapped residents in the city to find out their greatest needs. The Menifee Park Rangers made about 400 visits to the city parks and in that time only had to write one citation.

Higher gas bills?

A representative from SoCal Gas appeared in the non-agendized comment period to warn residents who just received very high gas bills this past month that they have not seen the worst.

“Wait and see how they are really up next month,” he said. He explained that the rise in prices are approved by the state and are a reflection of cold temperatures and bad weather this past winter in the nation and the worldwide situation. He said the world price of natural gas has risen from just over a dollar a gallon last year to today’s $6.05 a gallon and is still rising.

Tony Ault can be reached at tault@reedermedia.com.

MENIFEE from page A-1

Preliminary budget goals for Wildomar in fiscal year 2024-2025 suggested for the Wildomar City Council

Tony Ault Staff Writer

The Wildomar City Council met Wednesday, Jan. 18, and heard a report by Adam Jantz, senior administrative analyst, who provided a Proposed Preliminary Goals for the city in 2024-2025 that included a survey of the residents’ desires.

Jantz explained the goals would be further examined and prioritized by the staff before being presented later to the Council. Currently, the staff has begun work on the 2023-2024 fiscal year budget due for approval by the Council on or before June 30.

Jantz said the staff has reached out to a number of residents for their ideas of what the future goals for the city might look like in those years. He said the majority of the responses pointed to improving the roads in the city, followed by public safety improvements. Some of the public priorities suggested the city road improvements might include spending budget money on roads that include pavement management, capital infrastructure projects, road and traffic safety and traffic enforcement.

Lineberger said the evening’s theme of “Donors are the Past, Present and Future of VCP Cares” was the best way to show gratitude for continued support as well as reminding everyone that the generosity cannot stop with current donors. He said some of the local middle and high schools have held food drives, which has been a tremendous help and teaches young people the importance of kindness to others. But because many of the pantry’s current donors are 60 and older, he said there is a gap of about two generations that are not of the same mindset as those on each end of the current donor pool.

He admits to not knowing what the solution is for this problem that will be faced by all nonprofits in a few more years as older donors move away and pass on. He hopes to find a way that all local churches can band together to support area nonprofits by asking their congregations to contribute to a second tithing. He said if it even helps VCP and other groups get volunteers or word-of-mouth exposure, it will be a godsend.

“Money is tight but if we have faith, God blesses and gives back so they too can get blessed,” Lineberger said. “Maybe each month all the area’s churches could choose to

In improving public safety, the responding residents said the city needs to add another traffic enforcement officer, an accident investigation deputy, a community services officer, increase public education and engagement and provide new construction inspections within two days.

Those goals were generally agreed with by the Council but City Manager Daniel York warned that in the near future, “We are definitely facing headwinds in the nation’s status. We are projecting this in the past year. We are pulling back in the departments…and we have been very, very careful with our spending this past year and we have actually built a reserve.” He pointed out the city has invested over $20 million to address long term investments down the road.

“We are definitely in a healthy state, but we want to maintain this.”

He saw the goals as lofty, but he called on the Council to prioritize them for the staff in the future and they will determine what is the most feasible. “It’s lofty, but it needs to be realistic,” York concluded.

share what a particular nonprofit does to help the community and members can decide if and how they want to donate to each one.”

About 50 of the 250 invitees that were able to attend the event at the donated space of Golden Era Golf Course’s banquet room were treated to a catered dinner by Hemet’s family-owned La Fogata Mexican Restaurant.

From individuals who drop off canned goods to local business partnerships, Lineberger is grateful for any and all assistance. Introducing Dondi Silvas, president of the Soboba Foundation, he said, “We refer to them as the Soboba Family, not the Soboba Foundation. They have been helping us out for more than 10 years.” Valley Community Pantry has been able to grow over the years through grant funding from many sources and support from businesses and other local nonprofits, including the Soboba Foundation.

“It’s unfortunate that the number of those in need continues to increase but we are thankful that our donors have stepped up to help us try and meet the demands,” Lineberger said.

Donors have different reasons for contributing. Some are former volunteers who saw the community’s needs firsthand and how VCP was there to serve them.

Earlier in the evening, Jason Farag, Public Works Department engineer, gave an update on the current city road projects. He began by saying many, if not most, of the road projects were delayed and some still are because of the recent heavy rains in California.

Delayed road projects

“There has been none or little progress because of the rain in Bundy Canyon,” Farag said. He said the installed traffic signals at Monte Vista and Sellers roads are not ready to be energized by Southern California Edison, but the final surface paving was delayed on Bundy Canyon.

Cherry Street and Canyon Ranch Road will be closed until sometime next month, but alternate access routes are open and available for the work in that community. The final paving on Palomar and Clinton Keith in the city is underway and should also be completed in February.

Beazer Homes area utility pole relocations have been delayed by the rains near Grand Avenue and some other work in the community, with scheduling still undetermined. But most model homes

Another said that in his job as a firefighter, he was in and out of thousands of homes and saw how many struggled for basic necessities. One mentioned that rather than giving handouts directly to the homeless, it is better to donate to VCP and share their location with those in need.

Gregg Hillis said he got involved partly to honor his father Rev. Roger Hillis, who helped start the original Community Pantry in 1965. When Gregg returned to the San Jacinto Valley in 1979, he got involved because he knew how absolutely necessary it was, having grown up around it.

An active board of directors and about 30 volunteers in any given month help the pantry fulfill its mission of “giving hope, helping families and blessing lives.” Current board members are President Tim Taggett Jr., Vice President Liz Dubruille, Treasurer/ CFO Michelle Seman, Secretary Jan Manietta, Glen Brock, Dan Cortese, Kathy Jensen-Robinson, Tamara Martin McMahon and George Schaefer.

Cortese joined the board about four years ago with hopes of engaging donors and volunteers of all ages through use of social media postings and his marketing skills. He had heard about the pantry and its good work from fellow Rotary Club member and Hemet Police Department Captain Glen Brock. Cortese said the service organization already had a good partnership with VCP and he was interested in improving their visibility in the community.

“I’m driven by the ability to help,” Cortese said. “If there is some way I can enhance what’s going on or if I can influence others, I’m happy to help get the word out.”

Although the friendly cartoonish grocery bag mascots of “Sunny & Share” were created before his time, Cortese uses many different ways to let the public know how they can get involved. Lineberger said the popular mascots were adopted about five years ago in a campaign that enlisted the community’s help in voting on the best character renditions and names to use.

To be able to receive any assistance from VCP, individuals need to apply in person. Operations Manager Lindy Boland is the person who works directly with clients to get them certified. Food is always available but rental and utility assistance funds do not always exist to meet the demands of nearly 100 requests per month.

are done.

The Baxter Village community has seen Wildomar Trail work delayed by the rain and flooding as well. KB Home Verano models are open but other street work is delayed by the flooding at Monte Vista Road.

New street signs

The Council discussed the branding of the city on all of their street signs and on traffic signal mast arms. Some of the signs are fading and need to be replaced.

The newer design favored by the Council was keeping the Edwardian letter W or script W in a circle the same, but eliminating the more complicated color brand. They determined the current individual Wildomar Trails signs with a western theme will basically remain the same. Most of the older street signs will be replaced with the newer brands in time.

A termination of the city’s agreement with Western Community Energy to initially lower the cost of electricity bills for most residents was made at the meeting after the council learned WCE became bankrupt. The WCE said it could purchase

power from Southern California Edison and be able to send it to residential homes at a lower wholesale cost, if enough cities and their residents joined in. Many neighboring cities joined with the customers benefiting for a time until WCE went bankrupt.

The Council learned those customers that joined the WCE will now have to return to SCE at a reconnection cost. The city considered helping to pay those costs, but learned it could not and unfortunately, the cost would have to be borne by those residents returning to SCE.

The city also learned that it would not have to share the WCE’s bankruptcy costs under the initial agreement.

Mayor Joseph Morabito recalled that when the WCE proposal was first made to Wildomar residents he was not in favor of it, and read a statement about his view that was critical of it when it was made in 2018. He said then he was concerned about any reconnection fees it might cost residents if they dropped out of the WCE.

Tony Ault can be reached at tault@reedermedia.com.

Much depends on whether grants or other funding sources come through. Lineberger said Boland’s role is not one he could do as it can tax the emotions when those seeking rental assistance have to be turned away.

“To see our seniors struggle in this country is sickening and to see our veterans suffer is also a crime,” Lineberger said. “There is nothing harder than to have to tell these wonderful people no when they come in seeking our help.”

Boland began as a volunteer at the nonprofit more than five years ago. Being forced onto public assistance to support her four children after her husband was incarcerated, she was required to do community service in exchange for financial assistance. It wasn’t long before she was hired.

“I was really good with the clients,” Boland said. “I guess I know that everybody needs help at

one time or another; some are just one paycheck away from being in a situation where they need us.”

The biggest change she has seen in the past five years has been the increase in requests from senior citizens on a fixed income. Every January, all clients must be recertified regardless of how long they have been with the program, which has kept Boland and others very busy since the start of the year.

She said certified families receive food once a month while seniors can pick up food twice a month. She said everyone receives meat, produce, deli, dairy and bread. The most sought-after items are cereal, canned tuna, canned beans and boxed macaroni and cheese. However, all unexpired food is welcome. Boland said quite a few clients return as volunteers, some of them having been served as children and remembering how much it meant to their family’s survival.

Volunteers are always accepted to work during the hours of Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to noon. Food donations are also accepted during those hours at 191 S. Columbia St. in Hemet, behind Trinity Lutheran Church. Monetary donations can be made at the website or by mail to Valley Community Pantry, P.O. Box 763, Hemet, CA 92546.

For more information, www. VCPcares.org or 951-929-1101 Jim Lineberger can be reached directly at 951-816-5443 or director@vcpcares.org

PANTRY from page A-1

Valley Community Pantry in Hemet has been serving the local community for 65 years. Valley News/Courtesy photo

Valley Community Pantry Executive Director/CEO Jim Lineberger shares stories of hope, gratitude and blessings with guests at the nonprofit’s donor appreciation event on Jan. 20. Valley News/Diane A. Rhodes photo

VCP serves thousands of clients each month with much-needed food items and utility bill and rent assistance when it can. Valley News/Courtesy photo

Valley Community Pantry mascots encourage others to be sunny and share. Valley News/Courtesy photo

Ken’s Corner

We have been hard at work brainstorming ideas and formulating what new ADDITIONAL marketing avenues we will be implementing for this year. All of this in addition to what we currently do and also what Compass includes for your benefit. We love this question: What sets you apart from other realtors? Give us an opportunity and we will gladly show you! Your satisfaction is our number one goal.

AT YOUR SERVICE! – Ken

Sycamore Ranch

SOLD

Spectacular “Classic California” estate above lovely Fallbrook. Sunsets here are amazing as are the inspiring western-facing panoramic views. Completely private and gated with a jaw-dropping resort-style pool and spa, this property is surrounded by other high-end estates. Five acres of useable land with several building sites for possible guesthouse, pool house or ADU’s. Income-producing blood orange, lime and avo trees. Built by custom builder Michael Pierce, beams & high ceilings throughout.

Sold for $1,590,000

Sharon’s Corner

3120 Knottwood Way, Fallbrook

Welcome to this beautiful single-story home in the highly desired neighborhood of Sycamore Ranch! Offering stunning views of surrounding hills and avocado groves. Home to the Golf Club of CA. Recently remodeled kitchen w/walk-in pantry, Spacious center island, Quartz counters, Glass tile back splash, Light Gray Cabinets w/stainless appliances opens to Family room with cozy fireplace. Master Bedroom features retreat with built-ins and Plantation shutters. Private, serene backyard with Koi pond and water feature. New Roof, Fresh new exterior paint, Whole house water filtration system. Tesla Solar Electric net metering. Circular Drive w/RV Parking. Attached 3-stall garage, Plus 2 1/2-stall det. garage w/workshop. 1.05 acre usable lot permitted for ADU!

Sold for $1,210,000

We have added some amazing new team members to serve you in 2023, and we will be rolling out the red carpet on our listings with brand new marketing strategies that will help YOU win in this changing market!

If you want to succeed when buying, let us help you get the best outcome and start living in your new home in 2023! We are here to make it happen for you!

– Sharon

is an absolute dream to work with!! As first time home buyers, she really went above and beyond to make sure we understood and were comfortable every step of the way. There were multiple offers on our home, but Darlene fought to make sure ours was the one that was accepted!” - Kristen and Gracie L.

Fallbr k Music Society

Next concert: John Novacek

February 19 @ 2:00 pm FREE CONCERT!

Grammy-nominated pianist, John Novacek regularly tours the Americas, Europe and Asia, and we are delighted to welcome him back to Fallbrook!

3993 Peony Dr, Fallbrook

Congressman Ruiz visits Hemet to discuss major $1.2 million water main replacement project in city

Tony Ault Staff Writer

Hemet’s planned Water Main Replacement Project was discussed by Congressman Raul Ruiz with Hemet Mayor Joe Males, City Manager Mark Prestwich and Chief of Police Eddie Pust, at the Park Hill tank site Wednesday, Jan. 18.

The project will replace the existing water transmission line, experiencing failures due to deterring pipe material. Upgrading the transition line is critical to strengthening the city’s capability

to deliver safe, potable and reliable water from the water tanks to the distribution system, according to engineers.

Ruiz and the Hemet officials learned the project will ensure continuity of water services for 30,000 Hemet residents and aid fire prevention for the community.

Congressman Ruiz secured $1.2 million for the Hemet project in the government funding package for this year. This was part of the $21 million regional investment he secured.

“This is good news for our local economy and communities. With

the $21 million in federal funding that I secured, local families from Hemet to Coachella to Blythe will see critical projects move forward that will drive economic development and strengthen our infrastructure,” Ruiz said. “I look forward to President Biden quickly signing this legislation into law to deliver these bold investments to our region.”

Public Works Director Noah Rau said, “The Hemet Public Works Department has identified over $100 million of capital improvement projects through 2027. Thanks to Congressman Ruiz’s

leadership and advocacy, water delivery to over 30,000 Hemet customers will remain uninterrupted.

“Our ultimate goal has been met here, and that is regional partnership for the betterment of Riverside County communities. The City of Hemet is incredibly grateful for the representation Congressman Ruiz is providing for us at the Capitol, and we remain committed to working with his office to bring the concerns of Hemet constituents to Congress.”

Tony Ault can be reached at tault@reedermedia.com.

Aircraft goes down in Hemet residential area, one dead

A small aircraft crashed in a residential area in the Hemet area Sunday, Jan. 22, killing the lone

occupant aboard, authorities said. Firefighters responded to multiple reports of an aircraft emergency in the 36600 block of Judy Lane at about 10:50 a.m. Sunday, according to the Riverside County

Fire Department.

Upon arrival, they located a small ultralight plane down in the residential area. The male victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

“The incident appears to be an

accident as there were no signs of foul play,” Sgt. Wenndy BritoGonzalez of the Riverside County Sheriff’sDepartment said. No further information was immediately available.

CALHOUN from page A-1

that wounded another deputy. Calhoun’s casket was draped in an American flag and enlarged photos of him in uniform were featured on the stage of the packed auditorium where a memorial was held.

Family, friends, and colleagues from the Riverside Sheriff’s Department and the San Diego Police Department, where Calhoun began his law enforcement career, remembered him as someone who loved his family and serving his community.

Danny Young, a retired lieutenant from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department and a Calhoun family friend, said he knew Calhoun since he was 10.

“What he’s been most consistently in his life has been his willingness to serve. … He willingly went out daily to serve mankind,” Young said, the Press Enterprise reported. “He put service above self as the motto reads on the side of his patrol car.”

Former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal, who is a reserve police officer in South Florida, offered condolences in a short recorded video played on the screen before a montage of photos from Calhoun’s life and career.

The nonprofit Tunnel of Towers Foundation, which provides homes for the families of first responders and veteran families, gave Calhoun’s widow, Vanessa, who is pregnant with their third child, a mortgage-free home.

Hemet Officials meet with Congressman Raul Ruiz at the Park Hill Water tank to discuss the city water main replacement project, Jan. 18.

Valley News/Courtesy photos

Congressman Raul Ruiz (center) speaks with Hemet City officials about the upcoming water main replacement project.

Menifee showcases local flavors during annual Restaurant Week

MENIFEE – Menifee’s annual Restaurant Week is taking place through Friday, Jan. 27, to showcase local restaurants and highlight their best cuisine and featured dishes. January, historically known for an industry slow-down, was dubbed by California as the official “Restaurant Month.” Many cities across the state adopt different programs and events putting their own unique spin on supporting local restaurants. Both residents and visitors are encouraged to enjoy Menifee’s growing variety of homegrown flavors and local favorites while supporting their favorite eateries and discovering new ones throughout the week. With Menifee’s culinary scene growing each year, there is plenty to explore when it comes to excep-

tional flavors in the city. Menifee is home to award-winning chefs Rosie O’Conner at Provecho Grill and Dylan Soro/Mario Amaral at Savage Chief Bar & Grill. The city has also seen new budding culinary experiences thrive including Tacos & Tequila Cantina & Bar, Michi Tacos, Mama’s Kitchen and Melody Thai Cuisine. Foodies in Menifee can enjoy a wide array of international cuisines including Korean, Thai, Chinese, Mexican, Mediterranean and Italian.

“We are ecstatic to provide opportunities that encourage residents and visitors to eat locally and support our local restaurants from fast casual to boutique sitdown concepts,” Gina Gonzalez, Economic Development Director of Menifee, said. “Interactive pro-

Joe Naiman

Writer Riverside County selected InSite Landscape Architecture to design the Winchester Hills sports park.

A 5-0 Riverside County Board of Supervisors vote Tuesday, Jan. 10, approved a professional services agreement between the county and In-Site Landscape Architecture for design plan services. The San Diego company will be paid $515,300. The supervisors also authorized the county’s purchasing agent to sign amendments modifying the scope of services which are within the intent of the agreement and to sign amendments to the compensation provisions which do not cumulatively exceed $50,000. The county board of supervisors adopted the Winchester Hills Specific Plan in 1997. The

Winchester Hills Specific Plan provides residential, commercial and recreational land uses on more than 2,200 acres. A regional sports park was part of the plan with contributions for the sports park being included as conditions of approval for specific developments. In July 2020, the county supervisors approved an implementation agreement between the county and 14 development entities along with the escrow instructions to transfer 34 acres to the county for the sports park, and the supervisors also made findings that previously-approved environmental documents addressed the impact of the sports park so no additional environmental review was required.

The regional sports park will serve 4,592 units within or adjacent to the specific plan area. The amenities will include four baseball or softball diamonds, two

Valley News/Adobe Stock photo grams like restaurant Week assist both the businesses we are helping to grow, but also highlight the exciting opportunities for culinary entrepreneurs here in Menifee.”

For more information on Restaurant Week, visit http://www.

MenifeeRestaurantWeek.com or email EconDev@cityofmenifee.us

Follow along on Menifee’s social media platforms throughout the week for featured “Best Dishes.”

Have a unique eatery and entertainment experience you’d

like to bring to Menifee? Visit http://www.menifeebusiness.com/ menugrant for more information on start-up grant funding opportunities available ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 through the city’s M.E.N.U. Grant program.

In-Site Landscape Architecture to design Winchester Hills sports park

adult soccer fields, four youth soccer fields, four basketball courts, two tennis courts, two volleyball courts, a warm-up turf area, a play area for preschool-age children, a play area for elementary school age children, a picnic area and trails.

In October 2020, the county supervisors voted 5-0 to approve an agreement with the ValleyWide Recreation and Park District covering the design, construction and operation of the sports park. The county will be responsible for the design and construction of the sports park and will fund the design and construction through financial contributions collected from property owners, and after each phase is constructed the county will turn over operations and maintenance of that phase to the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District. The agreement states that detailed park construc-

tion plans for the regional sports park must be approved by both the county and the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District by the issuance of the 100th building permit for Planning Area Group 1 and by the issuance of the 200th building permit for the other four planning area groups. The minimum additional acreage which must be constructed and fully acceptable for the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District to operate is 8.2 acres before issuance of the 401st building permit for Planning Area Group 1, 13 acres by the 800th building permit in Planning Area Group 2, 4.6 acres by the 575th building permit for Planning Area Group 3, 8.9 acres before the 750th building permit for Planning Area Group 4 is issued and 4.2 acres by the 575th building permit for Planning Area Group 5.

In June 2022, county staff issued

a request for qualifications for the final design of the sports park which will utilize the approved conceptual plan as a guide. Five proposals were received by the July 12 deadline, and the proposals were evaluated based on their scope of work, experience and the cost proposed to provide services.

In-Site Landscape Architecture was recommended as the preferred design firm. In-Site Landscape Architecture has extensive experience designing sports parks within the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District boundary. The company will develop the final design and construction documents for the sports park, and that is expected to be followed by county board of supervisors approval to advertise a construction contract for bid.

Joe Naiman can be reached by email at jnaiman@reedermedia. com.

Ramona play President’s Gala celebrates 100 years of national success

Tony Ault Staff Writer

It was a special treat for guests at the 100th anniversary celebration of Ramona, California’s Official Outdoor, with 21 former Ramona and Alessandro actors appearing onstage Jan. 21 at the Hemet Public Library’s banquet room.

Following many awards and certificates from local, state and federal officials to the Ramona Bowl Amphitheatre Board on their 100th year of the outdoor play and the presentation of the past and present lead actors, guests were treated to music from the Arias Troubadours. The Arias family musicians have played at every Ramona play since

it was scripted by playwright Garnet Holme in 1923. Their performance was followed with more entertainment from Kayla Contreras and Eli Santana, this year’s Ramona and Alessandro, and others from former plays. Other Ramonas and see GALA, page B-3

Twenty-one of the past Ramonas and Alessandros starring in the Ramona Outdoor Pageant shown here on stage, celebrate the play’s 100th Anniversary President’s Gala held Jan. 21 at the Hemet Public Library. Valley News/Tony Ault photos

The Arias Troubadours family, seen almost every year in the Ramona play since it began 100 years ago, entertained the crowd at the President’s Gala.

This year’s Ramona, played by Kayla Contreras, and Alessandro, played by Eli Santana, converse with guests at the Ramona 100th Anniversary President’s Gala Jan. 21. The two actors have appeared in past Ramona productions.

Lori VanArsdale, past president of the Ramona Bowl Amphitheatre, welcomes several guests at the Ramona Pageant 100th Anniversary President’s dinner held at the Hemet Public Library.

Hemet Council Member Karlee Meyer speaks with reserve Riverside County Sheriff’s deputy Leonard Purvis at the President’s Gala celebrating a century of Ramona.

An attendee at the Ramona 100th Anniversary President’s Gala held at Hemet Public Library looks over a timeline of the creation of the Ramona pageant.

Movie review: ‘A Man Called Otto’

Bob Garver

Special to the Valley News

“A Man Called Otto” has not been a well-marketed film. The strategy of the film’s advertising seems to be: “You know how Tom Hanks usually plays likable/ heroic characters to go along with his reputation for being a nice guy in real life? Come to this movie to get the opposite of that. See his versatility as he complains in a phony-sounding growly voice for 90% of the movie, followed by a heartwarming turnaround so sweet that most of the audience will be making the universal sign for gagging. It’ll be unpleasant until it isn’t.”

First of all, it’s not like Tom Hanks has never gone grouchy before. I can watch everything from “A League of Their Own” to the recent “News of the World” to frankly most of “Toy Story” to see Hanks be grumpy without the movie needing to use it as a selling point. Second, if the film needs to draw that much attention to its unpleasantness, I don’t want to see it. I didn’t want to see “A Man Called Otto,” and would not have gone to see it had it not earned enough money to warrant a review. Fortunately the film worked better in one large dose than it did in several smaller ones.

Yes, Hanks’ Otto Anderson spends most of the first act complaining. He complains that rope at the hardware store is sold by the yard and not by the foot. He complains that his neighbors don’t obey simple parking and driving rules in his housing complex. He complains about a stray cat that won’t leave him alone. He complains about his job forcing him to retire. He complains about a real estate company trying to force everyone out of their homes. He complains that America is dying. He’s planning to beat it to the punch, hence the need for the five feet of rope…

Otto’s plans keep getting interrupted, usually by neighbors who need him for something. He’s handy with tools and usually willing to do a favor if it means there will be order in the world. The film never delves deeply into his mental health, though he is definitely suffering from depression following the passing of his wife and probably has OCD or something close to it. It does dwell on his physical health – namely a heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. I’ve heard the term before, and I had to grit my teeth every time it came up because I knew that its definition would eventually be treated as a punchline. I was right, and it was just as painful as

I imagined.

The ads do get the bare bones of the story and tone right, but what they don’t show is that the movie is very good at showing “why” Otto acts this way. Sometimes his complaints are completely justified, like when he gets into a fight with an antagonistic clown. Otto keeps his temper in check longer than I would have. Sometimes they’re understandable because of things that have happened in Otto’s past. For these scenes, the film brings in Hanks’ son Truman to play a younger version of Otto. These flashbacks may interrupt the flow of the present-day story, but the movie wouldn’t work without them.

“A Man Called Otto” ultimately works because the character is more fleshed-out than the advertising makes it seem. It shouldn’t be surprising given that the role attracted an actor the caliber of Hanks, but things weren’t looking promising at first. As for the character’s grating voice and mannerisms, they’re initially jarring, but you’ll barely notice them after a while. Broad characters like Otto thrive better in two-hour movies where audiences can warm up to them than in spaced-out trailers and commercials where they can be jarring every time. Just like Otto himself, the performance and the

movie require some patience, but they shouldn’t be written off.

Grade: B-

“A Man Called Otto” is rated PG-13 for mature thematic mate-

rial involving suicide attempts and language. Its running time is 126 minutes.

Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@ nyu.edu.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

To submit an upcoming communi t y event, email it to valleyeditor@reedermedia.com, put “attention events” in the subject line.

CHILDREN’S EVENTS

Jan. 28 – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Menifee Union School District

Resource and Enrollment Fair for grades TK-8 at the District Education Center, 29775 Haun Road, Menifee. Join us for food, fun and a fantastic way to celebrate your child’s educational journey!

You can come to complete the enrollment process, meet some of our staff and education partners, and learn about all the resources available to make sure your child is successful in school.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Jan. 26 – 3:30-7 p.m. The All Chamber Mega Mixer will be held at the Storm Stadium, 500 Diamond Drive, in Lake Elsinore. The networking extravaganza is powered by local chambers. Come mix, mingle and connect. For more information, visit www.MurrietaChamber.org.

Jan. 28 – 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Shop Temecula Farmers Market at Old Town Front Street and 6th Street in Temecula year round every Saturday for local produce and vendors.

Jan. 29 – 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Historical Society will be running the train and stagecoach every Sunday (weather permitting) at Vail Ranch, 32127 Temecula Parkway, Temecula.

Jan. 29 – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Check out the Monthly Makers Markets at the Outlets, 17600 Collier Ave, in Lake Elsinore for food, fun, music and vibes. Child gift tickets are available.

Jan. 29-March 3 – 2-4 p.m. Dorland Arts Colony “Harmony 2023” artwork show of Dorland Artists at the Dorland Community Arts Center, Highway 79 in Temecula. Artwork for sale. Call 951-302-3837 or see www. dorlandartscolony.org for more information.

Jan. 27-28 – 5-10 p.m. Help build a playground at Community First Church of God, 31371 CA-74, in Homeland with approximately 150 volunteers from Community First Church of God, Smile Generation and KABOOM! Work is available for volunteers of all levels of skill. Contact church at 951-926-1345.

Jan. 28 – 8 a.m. to noon The City of Murrieta is hosting a free drop-off event in partnership with Waste Management. The community is invited to get rid of extra bulky items and/or papers for shredding at Murrieta City Hall, 1 Town Square Road. Acceptable items are washers, dryers, electronic equipment, microwaves, air conditioners, computers, refrigerators, freezers, chairs, couches,

tables, box springs, mattresses, barbecues, patio furniture, bundled branches and bagged green waste. Papers for shredding can have staples in them. No paints or other hazardous items accepted.

Feb. 4 – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Taste of Soul & Black Business Expo in the Southern Inland Empire at the Murrieta Community Center, 41810 Juniper St. Murrieta. Follow Sankofa Forever One.

Feb. 4 – Noon-4 p.m. Nomad

Neighbors Love Local Market at Vail Ranch HQ, 32115 Temecula Parkway, Temecula. Local shopping, good vibes, family fun, live music, good grub & delicious drinks. With 25+ local small businesses. Information by email at events@vailhq.com.

Feb. 11 – 8 a.m. Menifee bulky item community collection event at Mt. San Jacinto College. Free.

Accepted items: Appliances (refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers), limit 3 per vehicle. Air conditioners, barbecue grills, bundled branches, bagged green waste. Also on Saturday Apr. 22 at Kabian Park. 8 a.m. Proof of residency is required. If you are unable to attend this event, you can schedule up to four free bulky item curb pick-up each year by calling Waste Management at 800423-9986.

Feb. 18-19 – 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. 2023 Eastvale Lantern Festival. Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit in Eastvale with food, shopping, and cultural performances. Held at 7447 Scholar Way in Eastvale.

ONGOING – The City of Menifee offers in-city or out-of-city special event vendor applications online or at Menifee City Hall to apply for signature and other special events. Contact Menifee City Hall, 29844 Haun Road, 951-6726777, or online at businesslicensing@cityofmenifee.us

ONGOING – Riverside Transportation Commission is offering Park and Ride lots to connect with carpools, vanpools and transit systems in Beaumont at 600 E. Sixth Street, in San Jacinto at 501 S. San Jacinto Avenue and in Temecula at Grace Presbyterian Church, 31143 Nicolas Road, open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. but not on weekends.

ONGOING – Sun City Civic Association Monthly Square Dance sessions are held Sundays from 1:30-5 p.m. at 26850 Sun City Boulevard, in Sun City.

ONGOING – If you know a homebound older adult, resources in Menifee are available, including grab-and-go, cooked and frozen food for pickup. Courtesy Pantry items and meals delivered with no contact. Three days of emergency food can be delivered immediately or restaurant meal delivery for those who don’t qualify for food assistance programs. Call 800510-2020 for help.

ONGOING – The Riverside

County COVID-19 Business Assistance Grant Program is accepting online applications for business grants up to $10,000 at www.rivercobizhelp.org that can be used for employee retention, working capital, personal protective equipment purchases, rent or mortgage payments and paying vendor notices. Eligible businesses, including nonprofits, must be in Riverside County, with a minimum of one but less than 50 employees and operating for at least one year since March 1. For more information, call Riverside County Business and Community Services at 951-955-0493.

ONGOING – 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Temecula Winchester Swap Meet continues, 33280 Newport Road in Winchester. Saturdays and Sundays only. The small local swap meet is only 50 cents for entry, and anyone under age 10 is free admission. No dogs allowed.

ONGOING – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Every Sunday, Murrieta Village Walk Farmers Market is at Village Walk Place in Murrieta. The Sunday morning farmers market at Village Walk Plaza is a place to buy fruits and veggies, gourmet food and crafts. Come to the center in the northwest corner of Kalmia/ Cal Oaks at the Interstate 215 exit in Murrieta.

ONGOING – Temecula’s Farmers Markets are offered in Old Town Temecula Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon, 4100 Main Street in Temecula; at Promenade Temecula, 40640 Winchester Road, outside JCPenney every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and at Vail Headquarters, 32115 Temecula Parkway, every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. In compliance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Riverside County Public Health orders, the farmers markets will be restricted to agriculture products only. Follow the Old Town Temecula Farmers Market on Facebook to stay updated. No pets are allowed.

WORKSHOPS, MEETINGS, NOTICES

Jan. 26 – 4:30-6 p.m. Attend Mighty Me for Adults 18+ Performing arts and dance every Thursday for adults with mental and physical disabilities. The program is free and is designed for all abilities and capabilities. It is located at the Menifee Community Services Department, 29995 Evans Road, in Menifee.

Jan. 26 – 5:30-6:30 p.m. Empowering Conversations with Anne & Jodi to build community with other women seeking connection, purpose and friendship. Hera Hub, 41765 Rider Way Temecula.

Jan. 27 – 6-10 p.m. Starlight Bazaar Opening Night at Vail Ranch HQ, 32115 Temecula Parkway, Temecula Vendors, DJ, en-

tertainment. Free. Email for more information, events@vailhq.com.

Jan. 27 – Menifee Restaurant Week that began Jan. 23 showcasing local restaurants as part of “Restaurant Month.” Support the local participating restaurants and enjoy their specialties. See www. MenifeeRestaurantWeek.com for more information.

Feb. 7 – 1 p.m. A Conversation about Racial Healing with speaker Richard D. Gordon, Poet, Author, and Playwright. Join us for our Member’s Meeting Tuesday, Feb. 7 at the Lake Elsinore History Museum Cultural Building, 183 North Main Street, Lake Elsinore. Use the Heald Street entrance on the right side of the building. Visit our website www.lakeelsinorehistoricalsociety.org for more information.

Feb. 15 – 8-10 p.m. Menifee Business Assistance Program and consultation on free Zoom Webinar on-site training. Webinar Zoom Meeting ID: 811 6549 2354. Register at www.cityofmenifee. us/sb1383.

April 4 – Save the date. Miller Jones Menifee Memorial Park and Mortuary, in partnership with the city of Menifee and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1956, will bring the replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall to the city Tuesday, April 4, under escort and parade. Volunteers may be needed; contact Miller Jones Mortuary or cbollinger@cityofmenifee.us

ONGOING – Want to help deployed American troops remotely? Help shop for most needed items without leaving your home! This is an easy way to help support deployed men and women by purchasing items remotely and having them delivered to MilVet at designated drop-off locations for packing. All items on the list are special requests from deployed military men and women. MilVet is a nonprofit organization that holds monthly packaging events at different community locations in the area. For drop-off and packaging locations, visit www.milvet. org/military-care-packages.

ONGOING – Multiple Sclerosis Support Group Meeting meets the third Monday of each month at the Mary Phillips Senior Center, 41845 6th Street, in Temecula from 10 a.m. to noon. For more information, email gaugustin206@ gmail.com or join the meeting.

ONGOING– Sons of Norway/ Scandinavia meets at noon the first Saturday of every month, September to June, at the Heritage Mobile Park Clubhouse, 31130 S. General Kearny Road, in Temecula. A potluck lunch is followed by a cultural program and short business meeting. Please come and enjoy company with fellow Scandinavians. Call 951-309-1597 or 951-8491690 for more information.

ONGOING – Noon to 1

p.m. Attend Murrieta Wildomar

Chamber of Commerce’s weekly business briefing via Zoom or watch live on Facebook every Wednesday. Registration required at https://bit.ly/MWCBizBriefing

The chamber business briefing is an opportunity to hear from city, county and business leaders about current and relevant business information.

ONGOING – Menifee Community Services offers online driver’s education courses for a $21.95 fee. The course includes animated driving scenarios, instructional videos, sample test, licensed instructor available to answer questions, DMV approved certificate of completion with all lectures and exams completed from home. Designed for students and does not include behind-the-wheel instruction or a California driver’s permit. Contact 951-723-3880 or visit the city of Menifee to register at www. city of menifee.us.

ONGOING – 10 to 11:30 a.m. Michelle’s Place Cancer Resource Center and The Elizabeth Hospice host a virtual support meeting for caregivers every second and fourth week of the month via Zoom. Get helpful tips and learn from others who are also dealing with similar challenges. For more information and to register, contact The Elizabeth Hospice Grief Support Services at 833-349-2054.

ONGOING – Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous, a free 12step recovery program for anyone suffering from food obsession, overeating, undereating or bulimia, has meetings throughout the U.S. and the world. Contact 781932-6300, or for local meetings, call 925-321-0170 or visit www. foodaddicts.org.

ONGOING – The Murrieta Garden Club meets each month at the Murrieta Community Center, 41810 Juniper St. Anyone who likes to garden or is interested in plants is welcome. Membership is $10 per year. Find more information about the monthly event or project on Facebook.

ONGOING – Temecula Valley Rose Society meets each month. For more information and new meeting dates and places, visit www.temeculavalleyrosesociety. org

ONGOING – Menifee Toastmasters meets every Thursday at noon for one hour at a designated place to have fun, enhance speaking capabilities, gain self-confidence and improve social skills. For new dates, call 760-807-1323 or visit www.MenifeeToastmasters.org for more information.

ONGOING – Homeless veterans can receive free help by dialing 877-424-3838 for 24/7 access to the VA’s services for homeless, atrisk veterans. Chat is confidential for veterans and friends. See www. va.gov/homeless.

Valley News/Courtesy photo

Pala Casino Spa Resort to present Spyro Gyra & Peter White Feb. 17

PALA – Pala Casino Spa Resort will present Spyro Gyra and world-renowned prolific acoustic guitarist Peter White Friday, Feb. 17, performing live indoors at the Events Center. The show will start at 8 p.m., and general admission tickets are $45. The show is one of a lineup of headliner and tribute concerts that will be held at the Events Center and Starlight Theater.

Spyro Gyra has long been known to its peers in the contemporary jazz world as a “well-oiled road machine” due to its relentless schedule of 48 years of performing. To date, they have logged more than 10,000 shows on six continents and released 35 albums, garnering platinum and gold records along the way. Spyro Gyra rose from humble beginnings in Buffalo, New York, in 1974 to their current international prominence in the jazz world. Every year,

they continue to exhibit how to remain among a relative handful of artists who could say that they have worked constantly in their 50-year career in the year 2024. Their energy and joy in concert match their unmatched musicality.

Over the years, Peter White has maintained a reputation as one of the most versatile and prolific acoustic guitarists on the contemporary jazz landscape. Armed with an unparalleled combination of lyricism and energy, he combines elements of jazz, pop and classical guitar to create a sound that is singular and at the same time accessible to a broad audience. In a career that spans nearly four decades, over a dozen solo recordings and countless performances, White insisted that it’s the faces in the crowd and the fans that keep the experience fresh.

“I’ll play a live show, and someone will come to me afterward and

say, ‘Oh, I loved this CD,’ or ‘This song helped me through a bad time,’” he said. “Or I get emails from people saying, ‘Oh, I love the way you covered one of my favorite songs on your record back in 1994.’ The idea that someone can write me an email and tell me about something I did on a record that was released fifteen years ago – you can’t buy that. That’s priceless. That’s what keeps me going – the idea that people out there really care about what I do, the idea that I’ve made a difference for someone.”

Tickets are on sale now, with no service charge, at the Pala Box Office, http://www.palacasino.com and 877-946-7252). Tickets are also available at http://www.etix. com and 800-514-3849. Must be 21 or older to attend.

Submitted by Pala Casino Spa Resort.

Learn to make long lasting paper flowers at the Temecula Public Library

TEMECULA – Celebrate Valentine’s Day at the library and join the fun during the teen program, Forever Flowers, Monday, Feb. 13, from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Ronald H. Roberts Temecula Public Library, 30600 Pauba Road.

Participants will use paper to create flowers that will never wilt and die. Keep them for yourself or give them away to that special someone.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Temecula

GALA from page B-1

Alessandros dating back to Dynell

Leigh and Tom Lancaster in 1982 were invited on stage. Those who previously starred in the title role were Kathi Anderson, Patti Berman, Cesaria Hernandez, Nancy Julian, Morgan Lester, Debradawn Shockey, Monica Reichl, Terry Ott, Sharon Torres (Swenson) and Jehnean Washington. Alessandros were Frank Ferro, Brent Howard, Duane Minard, Brian Smith, Crist Thomas and Vince Whipple.

The gala, presided by Ramona Past President Lori Van Arsdale, brought forth the rich history of the Ramona Outdoor Play that began with the first play 100 years ago. She explained that a donor, during the COVID epidemic, helped improve the amphitheater’s grounds and gift shop. A large walled fresco by famed California watercolorist Milford Zornes, showcasing scenes of the Ramona play, was uncovered and restored inside the museum and proclaimed a “National Treasure.” It can now be seen by all visitors. Even more improvements to the seating in the amphitheater were promised in the future. VanArsdale invited everyone to come to the produc-

Libraries, this program is for grades 7-12 and is limited to 25 participants. Advanced registration begins two weeks before scheduled programs and events. Register at the library reception desk or by calling 951-693-8900.

For a full list of programs and offerings at the Ronald H. Roberts Temecula Public Library, visit http://TemeculaCA.gov/Library and follow @TemeculaLibrary on social media for updates.

Submitted by city of Temecula.

tion’s 100th season and enjoy the many events leading up to it in the spring.

Shockey, the 2008 Ramona, is in charge of the special events leading up to the performances on April 22, 23, 29 and 30 and May 6 and 7 at the Ramona Bowl Amphitheater, 27400 Ramona Bowl Road in Hemet. She thanked all those attending with most being volunteers or past cast members of Ramona.

The gala, upstairs at the Hemet Public Library, provided the nearly 200 in attendance with a catered prime rib, salmon or chicken dinner and desserts. A silent auction, with gifts provided by local businesses and Ramona play supporters, helped raise funds for the nonprofit.

Sponsoring the gala were Bill Shinkle, City of Hemet, Tranquil Heart Winery, Bharati Patel, Quality Inn, Russ Brown, Joe and Shirley Grindstaff, Linda Krupa with table flowers by Anthony Villarreal.

For tickets and more information about the Ramona Outdoor Play, www.RamonaBowl.com , 951-658-3111 or Ramona@Ramonabowl.com

‘Sonja Henie: Queen of the Ice!’ documentary to play for Sons of Norway Vinland Lodge

TEMECULA – The public is invited to view “Sonja Henie: Queen of the Ice,” a documentary filmed about Olympic ice skater Sonja Henie, Saturday, Feb. 4, for Sons of Norway Vinland lodge at Heritage Mobile Park clubhouse, 31130 S. General Kearny Road, in Temecula.

The daughter of a fur wholesaler, Henie received her first pair of ice skates when she

was six. Eight years later, she was the Norwegian skating champion. And at 15, she won the gold medal in skating at the 1928 Olympics. She held the record for youngest Olympic skating champion for 70 years. For more information, call 949-661-6089. Submitted by Sons of Norway Vinland Lodge.

Spyro Gyra and Peter White will be performing live at Pala Casino Spa Resort Feb. 17. Valley News/Courtesy photo

A framed “Ramona through the Decades” depicts its creation from the novel written by Helen Hunt Jackson to the Ramona play.

Silent auction gift baskets and an original painting are up for bids at the President’s Gala that will help the nonprofit Ramona Bowl Amphitheatre present the outdoor play in the spring.

Duane Minard presents the opening prayer in his Native American language for the Ramona 100th Anniversary President’s Gala dinner in Hemet Jan. 21.

Valley News/Tony Ault photos

State egg supplies limited by avian flu, cage-free rule

Ching Lee Ag Alert

Even with eggs in short supply nationwide and prices climbing to new heights, it has not been enough to keep a 100-year-old egg farm from going out of business.

John Lewis Jr., president of Farmer John Egg Farm in Bakersfield, confirmed that the family operation will close its doors by the end of the month. The move comes as commercial poultry farms across the country have been pummeled by avian influenza, which has led to bird losses topping 57 million and shoppers facing sticker shock on eggs.

But Lewis said the family isn’t calling it quits because of impacts from avian influenza. He said they’re pulling out because they can’t afford the cost of going cage-free, now required by state law. Retrofitting the farm, he said, would cost $4 million to $5 million, and “we didn’t have the money.

“They’re telling me to clear out my desk,” Lewis said. “I’m very disappointed because I have a lot of employees. They’re working to the end, and then I guess unemployment and looking for a new job.”

At 75, Lewis has been in the egg business for 50 years and would “still rather be a farmer…rather be out there in the chicken coop.”

The farm once maintained 300,000 egg layers but stopped production last year when Proposition 12, the cage-free mandate, went into effect. Its facilities have since sat idle as the farm changed its business from producing eggs to strictly selling eggs from other farms.

As a distributor, Lewis said he has been short on eggs “all the time,” as avian influenza ravaged U.S. egg farms, leaving him unable to get the egg sizes he wants and enough eggs to supply his customers. As the shortage got worse, he said he was paying $6 a dozen and selling them for $7, which “doesn’t cover the margin.” He said he expects California will remain short on eggs until all major U.S. egg farms go cage-free and can sell their eggs in the state.

“It takes a lot of money to convert to cage free – millions and millions of dollars – and it cannot be done overnight,” he said.

Debbie Murdock, who heads the Pacific Egg and Poultry Association, said even without avian influenza, the Golden State already doesn’t produce enough eggs to feed its population and relies on out-of-state eggs to fill the gap. No commercial egg-laying hens in California so far have been af-

fected by avian influenza.

Murdock noted all proteins have increased in price due to infrastructure issues. Now add to that the rising cost of fuel, packaging materials, chicken feed, labor and other inflationary pressures.

“(It’s) the perfect storm,” she said. “To top it off, people eat a lot of eggs, a great protein.”

Though avian influenza is a main reason for the recent egg shortage, Marty Zaritsky, a San Bernardino egg farmer and supplier, said some production issues can be traced to the start of the pandemic in 2020. When egg sales to restaurants and other food services dried up, hatcheries and farms reduced production. Those numbers remain below pre-COVID levels, he said. Then came avian influenza and producers losing their flocks.

In short supply

“I work with producers all over the country, and a lot of them have not been repopulated,” he said, adding he thinks eggs will remain in short supply into the summer or beyond if another bout of avian influenza pops up this spring.

But he noted wholesale egg prices have already come down from their peaks during the holidays, when demand is usually highest. He said he expects shoppers will begin to see lower prices within the next two to three weeks.

On the production side, Zaritsky said all his barns are filled and producing at capacity. He said there’s a limit to the number of birds he can house due to state law.

Proposition 2, which passed in 2008, mandated more room for hens to extend their wings, stand up, lie down and turn around. Proposition 12, which voters approved in 2018, phased out caged housing systems altogether.

Out-of-state restriction

Proposition 12 also requires producers from other states to not use cages if they want to sell their eggs in California. Since its passage, eight other states have enacted laws that ban cages for egg-laying hens, including Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Michigan, Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Because of the state law, San Diego County egg farmer Frank Hilliker said he’s producing about half the eggs he used to. He’s also at full capacity, though he’s using only three of his five barns. The other two still need to be rebuilt to be compliant. He estimated it will cost about $700,000 to $800,000 and said, “I just don’t have that right now.”

In addition to producing fewer eggs, Hilliker said supply-chain problems and inflation have driven his production costs higher. His

EMWD approves land exchange with Forestar development

Naiman

Joe

Writer

The Eastern Municipal Water District approved a land exchange with Forestar Real Estate Group for property near Eastern’s Winchester Lift Station Facility.

The EMWD board voted 4-0 Jan. 18, with Randy Record absent, to approve the exchange and escrow process in which Eastern will give Forestar approximately 0.07 acres which will be dedicated for the widening of Olive Avenue and Forestar will give Eastern approximately 0.15 acres of a parcel adjacent to the lift station. The board action also declared the 0.07-acre portion of the EMWD parcel to be surplus.

The Forestar project in the vicinity of the lift station is the 221-unit La Ventana development. The conditions of approval

included widening a portion of Olive Avenue, and that widened area will be dedicated to the County of Riverside for public right-of-way. The widening will impact the Winchester Lift Station Facility.

Forestar proposed exchanging a portion of its land adjacent to the lift station in exchange for the required road area. The EMWD parcel at the northeast corner of Olive Avenue and La Ventana Road totals approximately 0.91 acres, so Eastern will retain the remaining 0.84 acres while conveying the 0.07-acre area. The Forestar property to be transferred to Eastern abuts most of the existing eastern Winchester Lift Station site property line and is approximately 0.15 acres.

The exchange will increase the EMWD property to 0.99 acres. Forestar will also undertake site

improvements which will reconfigure the site entrances. The current EMWD access is from Olive Avenue. After the reconfiguration, ingress and egress will occur at a new street within the development, which will also isolate EMWD crews from the expected increased traffic on Olive Avenue. The new primary access location will provide EMWD staff with safe access while a secondary access will be on Olive Avenue. Forestar will pay for all aspects of the construction to meet EMWD standards including demolishing the existing perimeter block wall, building a new perimeter block wall, and installing gates.

Forestar will also be financially responsible for escrow, title fees, the survey and all other ancillary costs of the property exchange.

feed bill, for example, is now more than double. As a supplier, Hilliker said he hasn’t had problems sourcing eggs from other farms, but he’s paying a much higher price and is passing those increased costs to his customers.

“It hurts disadvantaged communities the most because they are the largest eaters of eggs, and the reason why: It’s the most inexpensive source of protein,” he said.

For Sonoma County egg farmer Tiffany Holbrook, who raises her chickens on pasture, production this time of year already is slower because hens “naturally take a break laying eggs during the winter.”

Higher feed costs

Unlike farms with indoor flocks that are exposed to special lighting to help production, she has to carry more hens if she wants to keep her production up. But with the higher cost of feed, she said she downsized her flock last fall, phasing out her older birds in October rather than waiting until this spring.

Holbrook sells most of her eggs directly to consumers from her farm and to restaurants. With the nationwide egg shortage and surge in prices, she said she has been fielding a high volume of calls and emails from people asking, “What’s going on?” In addition

to the impacts of avian influenza, Holbrook pointed out that some California producers continue to struggle to obtain feed due to the drought.

“If you can’t feed your chickens enough, they don’t lay eggs,” she said. “They need those calories so they can survive, but their production’s going to drop.”

A business boon

The egg shortage has proved a boon for her business. Whereas she used to sell out multiple days a week, she’s now selling out every day. But she acknowledged concerns about avian influenza remain high because her birds are outdoors on pasture, where they can come into contact with wild birds that might carry the virus. Though she practices “strict biosecurity year-round,” she said, “I’m always kind of paranoid,” noting many wild birds use her pasture and the farm’s seasonal pond.

“It’s nerve-wracking,” Holbrook said. “We do what we can. We chase the birds off when we can, but for the most part, we just have to hope we get lucky.”

Ching Lee is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. She may be contacted at clee@cfbf.com

Permission to use this article was granted by the California Farm Bureau Federation.

Hazen & Sawyer to evaluate Elsinore Groundwater Basin emerging constituents

Joe Naiman Writer

The Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District will be using Hazen & Sawyer to evaluate emerging constituents in the Elsinore Groundwater Basin.

The district approved the contract with Hazen & Sawyer at the Thursday, Jan. 12, EVMWD board meeting. Jack Ferguson was appointed to fill a board vacancy earlier that day and abstained from the vote due to his lack of familiarity with the action item, but the other four board members approved the professional services agreement which will pay Hazen & Sawyer $565,134. The board action authorized a total expenditure of $582,454 which will also cover $14,494 for staff time and $2,826 for overhead.

The Elsinore Groundwater Basin includes the Terra Cotta Well, the Machado Street Well, the Joy Street Well, the Summerly Well, the Diamond Well, the Corydon Street Well and the Cereal 1, Cereal 3 and Cereal 4 wells along with the Back Basin Groundwater Treatment Plant. The raw water quality at different locations within the Elsinore Groundwater Basin varies significantly and contains contaminants such as arsenic, vanadium, nitrate and per and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The presence of those contaminants makes groundwater treatment and operations complex.

Current operational strategies such as local treatment and blending have been effective, but recent and

anticipated regulations will create operational challenges.

The goal of the Elsinore Groundwater Basin emerging constituent st udy is to evaluate treatment strategies which will mitigate the district’s compliance obstacles due to emerging constituents. Hazen & Sawyer, which is headquartered in New York but has a regional headquarters in Los Angeles and offices in Irvine and San Diego, will assess the existing water distribution system network and water demands, the sources of supply and their locations, and water quality. The study will focus on groundwater treatment and blending options, possibly including a combination of treatment and blending, for the wells within the Elsinore Groundwater Basin to maintain compliance with current and anticipated regulations. Based on a preliminary screening evaluation, a short list of feasible and practical options will be developed and that will be followed by a detailed evaluation of the two most feasible options to recommend proposed future projects.

EVMWD staff issued a request for proposals to conduct groundwater treatment option studies Aug. 15. Four consultants provided proposals by the Oct. 5 deadline. A review panel evaluated the proposals based on firm qualifications, experience and project understanding. Hazen & Sawyer was recommended as the preferred consultant.

Joe Naiman can be reached by email at jnaiman@reedermedia. com.

Valley Bews/Courtesy photo

EMWD adopts MND for Quail Valley Tank III Project

Joe Naiman Writer

The Eastern Municipal Water District adopted an environmental Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Quail Valley Tank III Project.

A 4-0 EMWD board vote Jan.

18, with Randy Record absent, adopted the Mitigated Negative Declaration. The board action also adopted a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for the project.

The Quail Valley Tank III Project will construct a 1.63 million gallon welded steel potable water storage tank off South Canyon Drive within the Menifee city limits. The tank will have an internal

diameter of 101 feet and will be 40 feet high. A detention basin will be located at South Canyon Drive as will an access road. The project will also install 1,105 linear feet of 18-inch diameter pipeline within the access road and South Canyon Drive. The tank is intended to address a storage capacity deficit in the EMWD potable water system. Pulte Home Company LLC, rather than Eastern, will finance the construction of the Quail Valley Tank III facilities.

EMWD completed the environmental Initial Study for the construction, use and operation of the project facilities, and a Mitigated Negative Declaration along with a Mitigation Monitor-

ing and Reporting Program was prepared. The draft documentation was released for a 30-day public review period on Sept. 19. Four comment letters were received by the Oct. 20 deadline, and responses were incorporated into the final MND and MMRP. Mitigation measures were identified to reduce potentially significant impacts to less-than-significant levels for biological resources, cultural and Tribal resources, geology and soils, hazards and hazardous materials, and noise. No specific Indian tribe has been designated to perform the Tribal monitoring, although the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians is expected to handle the monitoring tasks.

Flood control district solicits bids for Bautista Creek Channel Basin sediment removal

Joe Naiman Writer

The Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District approved the advertisement for bid of a contract to remove sediment along the Bautista Creek Channel Basin.

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors, whose board members comprise the board of the Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, voted 5-0 Tuesday, Jan. 10, to authorize the clerk of the board of supervisors to advertise the project for construction contract bids. The action also approved the Bautista Creek Channel Basin – Sediment Removal, Stage 90 Project and authorized Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation

District staff and contractors to proceed with the project, approved the plans and specifications and the contract documents for the project, set a Feb. 14 bid opening date and found the emergency maintenance project to be categorically exempt from California Environmental Quality Act review.

The sediment removal area is south of Florida Avenue, east of Fairview Avenue and north of Bautista Canyon Road in the Valle Vista community. The project will excavate and remove accumulated sediment to the original grades of the existing basin, which will restore the basin’s capacity and function. The basin is currently at 25% remaining capacity and is thus in need of immediate maintenance to prevent damage to downstream levees, farms, businesses and

residences.

The maintenance work will be limited to restoring the facility to its original design capacity and will not result in an expansion of the existing use beyond design lines and grades. The impacts on local residents and businesses are considered minimal although residents and businesses could experience general construction noise or dust from heavy equipment.

The engineer’s estimate for the project is $2,715,000. Once the bids are reviewed flood control district staff will return to the board for approval to award the contract to the low responsive and responsible bidder.

Joe Naiman can be reached by email at jnaiman@reedermedia. com.

CLAYTON, Mo. – Californians are deficient in vitamin C, according to a comprehensive study carried out by drug and medication information site, DrugGenius. com. They analyzed Google search trends data over 2022 to identify which supplements people have searched for the most over the year, which revealed some interesting results.

Overall, the most popular supplements to be searched for by Californians was vitamin C, with 32% searching for it, along with vitamin D at 28%. It was followed by vitamin A at 15%.

Vitamin C is thought to be beneficial for the flu and other infections because of its role in supporting the immune system. The immune system is the body’s defense system against pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria, that can cause infections. Vitamin C is essential for the proper function of several components of the immune system, including white blood cells, which are responsible for fighting off infections.

Forty-three states searched for vitamin D the most. Supplements for vitamin D became more popular over the pandemic – when people were confined to their homes throughout lockdowns, people were getting less sunlight as a result and therefore began lacking in vitamin D. Known as the “sunshine vitamin,” it is also found in oily fish, egg yolks, cheese and beef liver. It’s a fat-soluble vitamin which helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus, two elements which are essential for building bones. Studies have also found that Vitamin D is effective in reducing cancer cell growth and helps control infection as well as inflammation in the body. A lack of vitamin D can result in fatigue, bone pain, muscle weakness, muscle aches or muscle cramps. DrugGenius.com has created a research page at https://druggenius.com/health/vitamin-deficiency-in-america/ with in-depth insights of the study.

Submitted by DrugGenius.com.

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INFOGRAPHIC: Key Revelations of the ‘Twitter Files’

reveal how

number of accounts

Petr Svab

The Epoch Times

Documents revealed by Twitter’s new owner, tech billionaire Elon Musk, show the social media company has been intertwined with a government–private censorship apparatus.

Twitter suppressed or removed content on various subjects, including irregularities in the 2020 elections, mail-in voting issues, and various aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company was under government pressure to purge such content and its purveyors from the platform, though most of the time it was cooperating with the censorship requests willingly, the documents indicate.

Musk took over Twitter in October, taking the company private. He then fired around half of the staff and much of the upper management, vowing to take Twitter in a new direction. The “#TwitterFiles” releases have been part of his promised focus on transparency for the company.

He allowed several independent journalists to submit search

queries that were then used by Twitter staff to search through the company’s internal documents, sometimes under the condition that the resulting stories would be first published on the platform itself.

Infographic can be downloaded at full size via a web link found at myvalleynews.com/blog/2023/01/22/infographic-key-revelations-of-the-twitter-files/ is that if exposure, e.g., misinformation directly causes harm, we should use remediations that reduce exposure, and limiting the spread/virality of content is a good way to do that (by just reducing prevalence overall),” said Yoel Roth, then Twitter’s head of trust and safety, which governs content policy, in a 2021 internal message published by Weiss.

The two journalists primarily responsible for the releases have been journalists Matt Taibbi, a former contributing editor for Rolling Stone magazine, and Bari Weiss, a former editor at both The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Both are liberals who have expressed disillusionment with the more extreme currents of progressivism and neoliberalism.

Others involved in the releases have been independent journalists Lee Fang and David Zweig, former New York Times reporter Alex Berenson, and author and environmentalist Michael Shellenberger.

The journalists have only released a fraction of the documents they reviewed. They’ve also redacted the names of employees involved, aside from some highlevel executives.

The documents show that the FBI and other state, local, and federal agencies have been scru-

tinizing the political speech of Americans on a significant scale, and trying to get lawful speech suppressed or removed online. Many conservative and traditionally liberal commentators have deemed that a violation of the First Amendment. Twitter, a major hub of political speech, has been among the main targets of censorship. Many news stories have broken on Twitter in recent years, and a significant portion of the nation’s political debate takes place on the platform, as it allows an efficient way for direct and public interaction between users, from the most prominent to the least.

Twitter resisted some censorship requests, but there was little sign the company did so as a matter of principle. Rather, executives sometimes couldn’t find a policy they could use as a justification. Prior Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey was under pressure from his lieutenants to expand the policies to allow more thorough censorship, the documents show.

“The hypothesis underlying much of what we’ve implemented

“We got Jack on board with implementing this for civic integrity in the near term, but we’re going to need to make a more robust case to get this into our repertoire of policy remediations—especially for other policy domains.”

In many cases, Twitter leaders de facto allowed the government to silence its critics on the platform.

Many censorship requests came in with an imperious attitude, particularly those from the Biden White House, but also some from the office of Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who at the time headed the powerful House Intelligence Committee.

Around November 2020, Schiff’s office sent a list of demands to Twitter, including for the removal of “any and all content” about the committee’s staff and the suspension of “many” accounts, including that of Paul Sperry, a journalist with RealClearInvestigations.

Schiff’s office accused Sperry of harassment and promoting “false QAnon conspiracies.”

Sperry rejected the allegation, asking Schiff to show evidence for his claims, and announced that he was considering legal action.

Schiff’s demands were apparently a response to Sperry’s articles that speculated on the identity of the White House whistleblower that alleged a “quid pro quo” between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Sperry reported, using anonymous sources, that the whistleblower was likely then-CIA analyst Eric Ciaramella, who was overheard talking in the White House with Sean Misko, a holdover staffer from the Obama administration. Misko later joined Schiff’s committee.

Twitter rejected Schiff’s demands, save for reviewing “again” Sperry’s account activity. Sperry’s account was suspended months later. Taibbi said he wasn’t able to find out why.

Under Pressure

The many censorship requests Twitter received via the FBI were phrased as merely bringing information to its attention, leaving it up to the company to decide what to do with them. But Twitter executives clearly felt compelled to accommodate these requests, even in cases where they internally struggled to justify doing so, the documents show.

The government pressure took several forms. The FBI would follow up on its requests, and if they weren’t fulfilled, Twitter had to explain itself to the bureau. If Twitter’s position on an issue differed from the one expected by the government, company executives

would be questioned and made aware that the bureau, and even the broader intelligence community, wasn’t happy. That would send the executives into triage mode, rushing to salvage the relationship, which they apparently considered essential.

Corporate media served as another pressure point. If Twitter wouldn’t do what it was told fast enough, the media would be provided with information portraying Twitter as ignoring some problem of paramount importance, such as possible foreign influence operations on its platform.

One censorship request, for instance, targeted an account allegedly run by Russian intelligence, though Twitter wasn’t given any evidence of it.

“Due to a lack of technical evidence on our end, I’ve generally left it be, waiting for more evidence,” said one Twitter executive, who Taibbi says previously worked for the CIA.

“Our window on that is closing, given that government partners are becoming more aggressive on attribution and reporting on it.”

The internal email suggests that Twitter, despite having no concrete evidence to back it, wouldn’t dare to disobey the request because of the media fallout of the government publicly labeling the account as being run by Russian intelligence. Congress was perhaps the heaviest sword of Damocles hanging over Twitter’s head. Lawmakers could not only spur negative media coverage, but also tie up the company in hearings and investigations, or even introduce legislation that could hurt Twitter’s bottom line.

For instance, just as Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) was pushing Twitter to produce more evidence of Russian influence operations on its platform in 2017, he also teamed up with Sens. Amy Klobuchar (DMinn.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) to propose a bill that would have required extensive disclosures of online political advertising.

In the meantime, Twitter managers were convinced that lawmakers were leaking information that Twitter had provided to them and seeding negative news stories, even as the company was trying to placate them with increasingly stringent actions toward actual and alleged Russia-linked accounts.

Even though the FBI was officially only alerting Twitter to the activities of malign foreign actors, many of the censorship requests were simply lists of accounts with little to no evidence of malign foreign links. At times, Twitter tried to ask for more information, noting that it couldn’t find any evidence on its end, but often it simply complied. It was impossible for Twitter to do its due diligence on each request—there were simply too many, according to Taibbi.

Read the full report online at myvalleynews.com/ blog/2023/01/22/infographic-keyrevelations-of-the-twitter-files/

Files

the government pressured the social media giant into censoring a large

Valley News/The Epoch Times image

board approves State Revolving Fund application for Canyon Lake treatment plant

Joe Naiman Writer

The Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District will be seeking a State Revolving Fund loan from the State Water Resources Control Board for the first phase of improvements at the district’s Canyon Lake Water Treatment Plant.

The EVMWD board voted 4-0 Thursday, Jan. 12, to adopt a resolution authorizing district general manager Greg Thomas to file a financial assistance application with the SWRCB and to execute the necessary documents for the loan. Jack Ferguson, who was appointed to fill a board vacancy earlier that day, abstained due to his lack of previous information.

The Canyon Lake Water Treatment Plant is a conventional water facility which uses mixed media filtration. The plant has a rated ca-

Visit Temecula Valley, the region’s official destination tourism and marketing organization, announced its 2023 Board of Directors on Jan. 17, which includes newly appointed and reappointed leaders who will help guide the organization through the year ahead.

Led by newly elected Chairman of the Board Michael Feeley, Executive Director of the Pechanga Development Corporation, the Board is composed of community leaders with a passion for Temecula Valley and a wealth of experience in local tourism and hospitality.

Executive Committee Members and Officers for 2023 are Michael Feeley of Pechanga Development Corporation, Chairman; Jessica

City News Service Special to the Valley News

With gains throughout the regional economy, Riverside County’s unemployment rate ended 2022 below 4%, according to figures released by the California Employment Development Department.

The jobless rate in December, based on preliminary EDD estimates, was 3.7%, compared to 4.2% in November

According to figures, the December rate was more than one percentage point lower than the year-ago level, when countywide unemployment stood at 4.9%, as the statewide COVID-driven public health restrictions came to an end.

pacity of 9 million gallons per day although the ultraviolet treatment plant is rated at 7 million gallons per day and operational constraints limit average current production to between 3 million gallons per day and 5 million gallons per day.

In January 2017, the EVMWD board approved a consultant contract with Kennedy/Jenks Consultants to prepare a facilities master plan for the Canyon Lake Water Treatment Plant. The plan recommended phased improvements based on the condition assessment, and the capacity was to be increased to 7 million gallons per day for the near term and 9 million gallons per day for the mediumterm and long-term phases.

Testing in late 2019 for per and polyfluoroalkyl substances contaminants found elevated levels of PFAS in the Canyon Lake Reservoir. PFAS substances include

Hinton of Barefoot Vacation Rentals, Secretary; John Kelliher, Grapeline Wine Tours, 1st Vice Chair; Curt Kucera of Refuge Brewery, 2nd Vice Chair; Cherise Manning of Grape Escape Balloon Adventure, Treasurer; Ken Westmyer of Quality Inn, 2nd Vice Chair, TID; and Bill Wilson of Wilson Creek Winery, Past Chairman.

The new board members are Steve Diaz of Hilton Garden Inn, Samantha Doffo of Doffo Winery, Kristen Frame of Embassy Suites and Robert Kellerhouse of Galway Downs.

Continuing board members are Melody Brunsting of Melody’s Adworks, Krista Chaich of Temecula Valley Winegrowers As -

perfluorooctane sulfanic acid and perfluorooctanic acid. The state notification levels for PFAS contaminants are 6.5 parts per trillion for PFOS and 5.1 ppt for PFOA. The state response level, which requires a drinking water source to be shut down or that extensive notification be issued, is 40 parts per trillion for PFOS and 10 parts per trillion for PFOA. The Canyon Lake Reservoir was shut down in November 2019 after averaging 15 parts per trillion for PFOS and 22 parts per trillion for PFOA. The reservoir closure requires the district to purchase imported water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California at MWD rates.

The contaminant discovery necessitates additional treatment methods to reduce the levels to below the regulatory requirements.

In February 2021, the state’s Divi-

sion of Drinking Water announced its intent to establish notification levels for cranobacterial toxins, and the Canyon Lake Water Treatment Plant pilot testing will also include those contaminants. The Phase 1 improvements for the Canyon Lake Water Treatment Plant were paused until a feasibility study for PFAS treatment could be completed.

In March 2021, the EVMWD board approved a $3,578,526 design contract with Kennedy/Jenks Consultants for the first phase of treatment improvements at the Canyon Lake Water Treatment Plant. The treatment system will address taste and odor as well as PFAS contamination. A hybrid system which will utilize granular activated carbon treatment followed by ion exchange vessels has been recommended. Pilot testing, which will last for about nine

months, will determine the feasibility of treatment technologies.

The State Water Resources Control Board has a State Revolving Fund program which provides 20-year loans with interest rates between 1.5% and 3%. The district is seeking a $41.5 million loan. The current SRF loan interest rate is 1.9 percent, so repayment over 20 years would create annual debt service of approximately $2,513,577. Because Federal or state grants may also cover treatment for emergency contaminants some principal forgiveness might occur and the actual annual repayments as well as the actual interest rate will be determined upon approval of the loan.

Joe Naiman can be reached by email at jnaiman@reedermedia. com.

sociation, Kurt Helm of South Coast Winery Resort & Spa, Chris Johnson of Home2Suites, Jeffrey Kurtz of Promenade Temecula, Spencer Szczygiel of Temecula Valley Winery Management and Ken Smith of Galway Downs.

“I’m truly honored to take on the role of Board Chairman and look forward to tapping into the vast knowledge and experience of our board members as we inspire the world to visit Temecula Valley,” Feeley said.

About Visit Temecula Valley

Visit Temecula Valley is the region’s official tourism marketing organization and resource for visitors. For more information, www. visittemeculavalley.com

An estimated 42,900 county residents were recorded as out of work in December, and 1,130,500 were employed, according to EDD.

Coachella had the highest unemployment rate countywide last month at 8.5%, followed by Cherry Valley at 6.9%, Mecca at 5.9%, Rancho Mirage at 5.6% and Hemet at 5.5%.

The combined unemployment rate for Riverside and San Bernardino counties in December was 3.6%, down from 4.2% in November, according to figures.

Bi-county data indicated payrolls expanded by the widest margin in trade, transportation and utilities, which added 2,200 positions last month, the lion’s share of which was in warehousing.

Additional gains were documented in the construction, health services, professional business services and public sectors, which altogether grew by 3,100 jobs.

Miscellaneous unclassified industries also posted payroll growth of 300, the EDD said.

T he mining and information technology sectors were unchanged.

Officials said payrolls declined in the agricultural, financial services, hospitality and manufacturing sectors, which shed an aggregate 2,600 positions. Data indicated the statewide non-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in December was also 3.7%.

Tunnel to Towers promises a mortgage-free home to family of slain Riverside County Sheriff ’s deputy

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation is announced it will provide a mortgage-free home to the family of Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputy Darnell Calhoun. Deputy Calhoun was shot and killed in the line of duty on Friday, January 13. The 30-year-old was husband and father of two boys with a third child on the way.

“Deputy Calhoun answered a

call for help and it cost him his life. He left behind a wife and two boys, and a third child he will never get to meet,” Frank Siller, Chairman and CEO of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, said. He added, “Darnell and his wife were high school sweethearts who were saving money to purchase a home of their own. I am honored to provide them a forever home, which

will be a permanent tribute to her husband’s service and sacrifice.”

The Tunnel to Towers Fallen First Responder Program pays off the mortgage or provides a mortgage-free home for the families of law enforcement officers and firefighters who are killed in the line of duty and leave behind young children. Join us on our mission to pro-

vide mortgage-free homes to these heroes by donating $11 per month at T2T.org.

About the Tunnel to Towers Foundation

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation is dedicated to honoring the sacrifice of FDNY Firefighter Stephen Siller, who laid down his life to save others on September 11, 2001. For more than 20 years,

the Foundation has supported our nation’s first responders, veterans, and their families by providing these heroes and the families they leave behind with mortgage-free homes.

For more about the Tunnel to Towers Foundation and its commitment to “DO GOOD,” please visit T2T.org.

Review of all things Real Estate: Avoid capital gains tax on your investment property sale

real estate held for investment for other investment real estate and incur no immediate tax liability. Under Section 1031, if you exchange business or investment property solely for a business or investment property of a like-kind, no gain or loss is recognized until the newly acquired property is sold.

IRS Code Section 1031 will not allow the avoidance of capital gains taxes in all cases. The exchange of U.S. real estate for real estate in another country will not qualify for tax-deferred exchange status. Trades involving property used for personal purposes, exchanging a personal residence for a rental property, will not receive tax-deferred treatment.

The IRS Code Section 1031 exchange allows an investor to trade

Finally, if an exchange is made

between related parties and either party subsequently disposes of the exchanged property within a twoyear period, the exchanged property will become subject to tax. For tax reporting purposes, the basis of the old property is carried over to the new property. This is important to understand because the taxes due are not forgiven, they are simply postponed until the sale of the new property.

A tax-deferred exchange is also possible if you are selling your investment property at a loss. You must determine if the loss is a “tax loss” or just a personal loss. To qualify as a tax loss, your adjusted basis in the property must be more than the selling price of the property. Your adjusted basis

takes into consideration any prior depreciation deductions you have taken.

Let’s assume you bought a rental property for $400,000 and over the past 10 years, you have depreciated $100,000 on the building. Your current adjusted basis is $300,000. If you sell your rental property for $350,000, it may seem like a loss, but it’s a $50,000 gain for tax purposes.

The gain is considered an unrecaptured gain and it is taxed at a rate of 25%. However, you could purchase a “like-kind” property in order to avoid paying taxes immediately on your $50,000 gain.

Alternatively, let’s assume that you are selling the same home for $250,000. This is a $50,000

tax loss, in addition to a personal loss. Is there still a benefit to a “like-kind” exchange? If you purchase a “like-kind” property for $250,000, your basis in that second property will immediately be $300,000 (your adjusted basis in the first property). This would benefit you when it comes time to sell the second property, because the basis you are taking depreciation deductions from is higher.

For a fully tax-deferred Section 1031 exchange transaction to occur, certain conditions must be met:

Properties are like-kind if they are of the same nature or character, even if they differ in grade or quality.

Exchanged property must be held for productive business or investment use and traded for the same use. For example, an exchanged property must not be primarily held for resale.

The new property to be received in exchange for an existing property must be identified in writing to the seller, within 45 days of the first transfer.

Fantastic Mediterranean

The like-kind property must be received by one of these two dates (whichever comes sooner): within the 180-day period following the property transfer, or by the tax return due date (including extensions) for the year in which the property is transferred.

To be completely tax-deferred, the exchange must be solely an exchange of like-kind property. In a perfect world, finding a property with the same trade value is ideal for the Section 1031 exchange. However, it’s difficult to find an equal exchange and, in many cases, one party ends up kicking in some extra cash to make the deal fair. This additional property or cash received is known as “boot,” and this gain is taxed up to the amount of the boot received.

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When there are mortgages on both properties, the mortgages are netted. The party giving up the larger mortgage and receiving the smaller mortgage treats the excess as boot.

The increased number of real estate sales has allowed many people to receive favorable tax treatment from the federal government. As a result, a tremendous amount of tax revenue has been lost and Congress frequently reviews the tax code to eliminate 1031 Exchanges. But for now, Section 1031 exchanges for real property remain. (Beginning in 2018, they were eliminated for other types of property, such as collectibles, aircraft, franchise rights, and heavy equipment.)

As always, discuss your plans with a tax professional if you have a rental property you are planning to sell to learn which rules apply to your situation.

Bob Hillery CR Properties

January 27 – February 2, 2023

Tigers roar as they are celebrated in San Jacinto

Diane A. Rhodes Special to Valley News

It is hard to find something new happening at a school that is more than 100 years old but the Tigers football team at San Jacinto High School did it when they recently clinched the first-ever CIF Southern Section Division 6 title and the CIF State Division 3-AA Regional title. To celebrate this historic accomplishment, a parade and rally was held on Jan. 20 to celebrate the players, coaches, staff and supporters from the entire season.

Starting at the parking lot adjacent to the football stadium, the parade wended through the city in a one-block square route that was lined with many fans and well-wishers. Two flat-bed trucks carried the football players while they hoisted the trophies overhead for spectators to see. At the conclusion of the 30-minute procession, guests gathered at the school’s quad area for grilled hot dogs and chips provided by the San Jacinto Lions Club. This was followed by a ceremony where Head Football Coach Aric Galliano was presented with a few gifts and it was announced that he has been named Riverside County Coach of the Year.

Humbled to be honored, Galliano thanked assistant coaches John Norman Jr, Jeremiah Budnovich, Ryan Cogdill, Sean Wilson, Kevin Guilford, Rich Lunsford, Lowell Thomas and Anthony Fernandez. Besides the big wins, he said the highlight was “having my wife and kids, my family, and my coaches’ families present for the record-setting season.”

His wife, Amanda Galliano, began working at San Jacinto High School in 2011 and became its Athletic Director six years ago. Her role encompasses all sports on campus where she oversees clearance of athletes to include physical packets, academic and CIF eligibility, coordinating of practice schedules, supervision of events, scheduling of games, buses and officials and more. She is also the first point of contact with athletes when there are questions or concerns. She and Aric have four children, a 10-yearold son and a set of 7-year-old triplets.

The players were applauded for their amazing work on and off the field. They included team members Dereun Dortch and Dillon Gresham who were named Division 6 Offense MVPs and

Andre Taylor who was named D6 Defense MVP.

SJUSD Superintendent David Pyle said, “We are beyond proud. To hear the stories not only of the final scores but hearing about the boys being gentlemen on the field, shaking other players’ hands, helping them up when they were down, shows we’re raising good kids here in San Jacinto.”

Soboba Foundation President Dondi Silvas, SJHS class of 1988, said she was very honored to have been on the journey with the team, attending their games and going to Sacramento with her mother, Yvonne Silvas, to cheer them on.

Dondi’s late father, Charles “B-Bop” Silvas Sr., coached football and other sports at San Jacinto High School for 17 years. She told the team that she knows he’s very proud of them and that she really appreciated how they handled themselves. “I hear there’s a lot of colleges looking at you and that’s the next step so enjoy this time and we wish you luck in all your endeavors,” she said.

San Jacinto City Manager Robert Johnson said, “This is what building community is all about. What we’re trying to do is connect the community to City Hall but what you’ve done is connect yourselves to the entire community. It’s phenomenal what you’ve done this year. We are so proud. That’s something that helps us put San Jacinto on the map. We know we’ve got good schools, we know we have a good college and we know we’re getting new retailers, but now we also have championship football.”

Johnson explained that the celebratory event was also a team effort. He said he was approached by City Councilmember Phil Ayala about doing something special, like a parade, so the Tigers could be recognized by the entire community for such an outstanding season. Along with City Councilmembers Brian Hawkins and Phil Ayala, Johnson presented Coach Galliano with a commemorative crystal football trophy to share with the team.

Craig Shultz congratulated the team on behalf of Valley-Wide Recreation & Park District, which is known for creating a community of athletes in the San Jacinto Valley. “As proud as we are about you winning, we are even more proud to hear about all the class and goodwill that the players showed, because that’s what

Members of the San Jacinto High School football team pose for a group photo after a celebratory parade and rally on Jan. 20. Valley News/Carrie

Members of the champion San Jacinto High School Tiger football team enjoy a celebration parade in their honor, Jan. 20. Valley News/Carrie Best photo

A young parade goer waves her pom poms as the San Jacinto High School Tiger Football Celebration Parade passes by. Valley News/Diane A. Rhodes photo

Championship football team members ride through the streets of San Jacinto during a parade in their honor. Valley News/Diane A. Rhodes photo

see TIGERS, page C-4

Valley News/Diane A. Rhodes photo roar!

Once local athlete heads to Florida for final soccer camp before U-17 World Cup Qualifying

JP Raineri Sports Editor

Former Menifee resident, Ezekiel “Zeke” Soto was recently called up to the United States Under-17 Men’s National Team for a nine-day domestic training camp, which took place from Jan. 5-13 in Fort Lauderdale.

The 16-year-old was called up by U-17 MNT Head Coach Gonzalo Segares as part of a 23-player roster of the top U-17 American

players from around the world.

The January camp represents the final gathering before Segares names his final roster for the 2023 CONCACAF U-17 Championship, taking place Feb. 11-26 in Guatemala. The tournament’s four semi finalists will qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Peru 2023. Seventeen clubs are represented on the roster, led by three players from the San Jose Earthquakes. Three players are based abroad in Germany (two)

Ezekiel Soto, a former Menifee resident, was recently called up to the United States Under-17 Men’s National Team for a nine-day domestic training camp in Fort Lauderdale.

Santa Rosa Academy girls fall to Nuview Bridge in soccer

and Spain. The roster comes from 10 states, including nine from California. Soto is a forward, currently rostered for Houston Dynamo FC, and is now living in Texas with his family. Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2006, are ageeligible for the 2023 Concacaf U-17 Championship, which is set for Feb. 11-22.

JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia. com

JP Raineri

Sports Editor

The Santa Rosa Academy girls’ varsity soccer team lost their first home conference game of the season Friday, Jan. 13, to Nuview

Bridge by a score of 2-0. Prior to that matchup, the Rangers and Knights were both undefeated in the South Valley League with Santa Rosa donning a 6-0-1 record and Nuview Bridge sporting a 5-01 record. With the win, the Knights

took sole possession of first place with a 6-0-1 record.

One week remains in the regular season as Santa Rosa hopes that any one of their final three league counterparts in Desert Christian, Cal. Military Institute or San

Jacinto Valley Academy can knock Nuview Bridge back into a tie for the top. Current standings in the SVL look like this: Nuview Bridge (6-0-1), Santa Rosa Academy (61-1), San Jacinto Valley Academy (3-3-2), Desert Christian Academy

(3-3-2), Temecula Prep (2-4-1), California Military Institute (14-1), Rancho Christian (0-5), Hamilton (0-6).

JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia. com

Temecula FC to participate in the Southwest Region for the 2023 season

“Everyone involved with Temecula FC is very excited about being accepted into NISA Nation,” Temecula FC Brandon Jantz told the media. “Our ambition as a club is to be fully professional and NISA Nation gets us one level away! This is a great opportunity to showcase our players and coaching staff on the national stage. We will all be working around the clock to represent the Temecula Valley well on and off the pitch.”

NISA Nation announced last week that Temecula FC club soccer will participate in the Southwest Region for the 2023 season.

JP Raineri

Sports Editor

A previous member of the NPSL (2014-2019), Temecula FC participated in qualifying for the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and continues as a reserve team in the Southwest Premier League. The club, which is currently managed by Ignacio Gachuzo, also operates a youth academy.

League – to a spot on the NISA professional level. Activated in fall 2021, NISA Nation will maintain the highest standards and require the same level of professionalism within the front office and on the pitch expected of NISA professional clubs. Keeping in the spirit of independence, particular requirements and competition format will be determined with direct input from the participating clubs. NISA Nation also includes NISA Network, the home for all things NISA, independent clubs, and the open system.

professional status. Formed in 2013, Temecula FC is the longest continually operating men’s amateur club in Riverside County and have been four-time Riverside County Cup Champions.  New Subscriber  Renewal Name: Address: City:_______________________ State:________ Zip: ________ Phone: _____________________________________________ Email: ______________________________________________

NISA Nation bridges success on the amateur affiliate level –including the eastern Premier Soccer League, Southwest Premier Soccer League, Cascadia Soccer League and the Mountain Premier

Learn more about NISA Nation at www.NISANation. com or follow on Twitter @ TheNISANation and on Instagram @NISANationSoccer. More information about the upcoming season for Temecula FC can be found online at www.temeculafc. com.

for the 2023 season. NISA Nation is a component of the National Independent Soccer Association, which is a full-year league providing amateur independent clubs a groundbreaking path to Valley News/Courtesy photo Mail this completed form and payment to: Valley News, 111 W. Alvarado St, Fallbrook, CA 92028 Or Call 951-763-5510 to Subscribe by Phone OR SUBSCRIBE ONLINE AT WWW.MYVALLEYNEWS.COM/SUBSCRIBE

JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia. com

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Receive Valley News mailed to you every week plus full access to all online content at myvalleynews.com *Subscription will continue to renew until cancelled by customer. Renewals will not be charged until the last paid subscription period expires. This agreement remains until cancelled by Village News, Inc.

Valley News/Courtesy photo

Santa Rosa Academy soccer player Katharine Lovell (4) strikes the ball in a home match against Nuview Bridge Friday, Jan. 13.

Santa Rosa Academy’s Sarah Stack (17) attempts to score in a conference game against Nuview Bridge Friday, Jan. 13.

Valley News/Action Captures Media Group

Paloma Valley boys’ basketball pick up first league win, defeat winless Vista del Lago

JP Raineri

Sports Editor

MENIFEE – The Paloma Valley varsity boys’ basketball team picked up their first league win of the season when they beat Vista del Lago in a recent home conference game by a score of 77-49. Moreno Valley controls the Sunbelt League standings with their 4-0 record, followed by Temescal Canyon (4-1), Valley View (2-3), Heritage (2-30, Orange Vista (1-4), Paloma Valley (1-4) and Hemet (1-4). In their next two games, the Wildcats fell to the Heritage Patriots 65-62 and Canyon Springs 52-34. The two losses have Paloma Valley at 6-13 overall, with four games to go in the regular season. With the defeat, Vista del Lago moved to 0-18 on the year.

JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia. com

San Jacinto Valley falls to undefeated Santa Rosa boys’ basketball

JP Raineri Sports Editor

MENIFEE - The Santa Rosa Academy Rangers varsity basketball team is on a roll after a recent home conference game against San Jacinto Valley Academy. The Rangers won by a score of 79-32, keeping their perfect league season intact.

Sophomore Chris Jones led Santa Rosa on the court with 15 points while seniors Daniel Flores and Justin York both chipped in with 11 apiece. Senior Alan Terakubo was the leading scorer for the Wolves with 12 points. There are still four games left

to be played in the regular season, one of which is very crucial to their hopes of a league title. That game will take place this week against second place Desert Christian Academy (7-1).

Current standings in the SVL look like this: Santa Rosa Academy (8-0), Desert Christian Academy (7-1), Temecula Prep (6-3), California Military Institute (4-4), Saint Jeanne de Lestonnac Catholic School (2-7), Nuview Bridge (1-6), San Jacinto Valley Academy (0-7).

JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia. com

Boze plays volleyball at University of Jamestown

JAMESTOWN, N.D. – Joshua Boze of Murrieta will play with the University of Jamestown men’s volleyball team this spring. The team’s first game is at home Friday, Jan. 27, against Kansas Wesleyan University.

Boze is in his fourth year with the team, wears jersey No. 20 and plays middle blocker for the Jimmies.

For more information, visit https://www.jimmiepride.com/ sport/0/38.

The University of Jamestown was established in 1883 and is ranked as a top tier regional school in US News and World Report and a top Midwestern school in The Princeton Review. The school features development of the whole person through its distinctive

“Journey to Success” experience. Submitted by University of Jamestown.

University

starts

Paloma Valley’s Donovan Larry (11) drives to the basket for the shot. Valley News/Action Captures Media Group

Paloma Valley player Nathan Torres (13) elevates for a shot against Vista del Lago Thursday, Jan. 12.

Paloma Valley player Richard (Richie) Silva (10) goes up for the shot against Vista del Lago Thursday, Jan. 12.

Santa Rosa Academy player Dylan Sapong (4) makes the layup.

Santa Rosa Academy’s Anthony Garlington (23) elevates over a San Jacinto Valley Academy defender for the shot. Valley News/Action Captures Media Group

Santa Rosa Academy player Joshua Grace (11) handles the basketball against San Jacinto Valley Academy Friday, Jan. 13.

Valley News/Courtesy photo

The

of Jamestown men’s volleyball team

its season Friday, Jan. 27 with a game against Kansas Wesleyan University.

Valley-Wide is all about – good sportsmanship.”

San Jacinto Education Foundation President Jerry Peebles told the players, “There have been 888 games played at the high school and this is the greatest season in the history of San Jacinto; I congratulate you for it.”

Assistant Principal Bill Powell served as the Tigers’ football coach for 20 years, 17 of them as Head Coach. He said it is very special to see the team go this far. He was able to attend their final game and said it was a great experience.

“This is a special group of kids who showed their mettle on several occasions in close games,” he said. “A very mature group who exhibited great poise. They were great representatives of our school.”

Powell said Coach Galliano and his staff should be commended for their tireless work this season with an outstanding group of young men. He noted that Galliano was also named Inland Empire Sports Network Coach of the Year, Inland Sports Coach of the Year, CIF Division 6 Coach of the Year and Mountain Pass Coach of the Year.

“He did a great job of pushing all the right buttons to keep the team focused on the task at hand. He works extremely hard and really cares about these kids,” Powell said. “This was a very selfless group of kids who cared about each other and not about their own accomplishments. I was appreciative of the opportunity to be around them as much as I was.”

Coach Galliano has been at San Jacinto High for 10 years as a teacher and coach. He coached under Powell for two years before taking over in 2015. He’s been head coach for eight seasons. In prior years under his leadership, the team reached the finals in 2018 and in 2019 they made it to the semifinals.

“This season the kids all believed in our vision and expectations we put forth at the start of summer football,” he said. “We were stronger on offense; we led the state No. 38 nationally in scoring with 701 total points scored.”

At the rally he said he was humbled to be there “to continue the legacy that Coach Powell put forth and to have the honor to take over for him and lead this program and be able to do what we were able to do this year. I couldn’t have done it without him and his support, as well as our administration and the stability of our coaching staff.”

San Jacinto High School

Principal Kristi Coulter, who emceed the rally, addressed the 60+ players in her closing remarks. “When you become champions, you become leaders on campus and people are watching you. I want to commend you guys for being the gentlemen you are,” she said.

After the team’s championship win at their home stadium on Dec. 2, they traveled to Sacramento to face Grant High School on their turf Dec. 10. It was a community effort to help the team make the successful trip up north and Coach Galliano said the district did a phenomenal job coordinating everything.

Amanda Galliano said, “The best part of the season, on a professional note, was seeing the overall growth of the team and coaches. I think what we forget sometimes is it’s not always easy winning games, especially by large margins. In fact, it is often harder to remain focused and keep the work ethic and intensity at the level it is required to be at to continue to prepare for the more difficult postseason games.”

This year’s Tigers played 16 football games, which is one less than what an NFL team would play in a regular season. Amanda said, “I have the unique perspective to see just how much our student athletes, their families, our coaching staff and their families have sacrificed to do what they did this year. Along with that, the San Jacinto Unified School District, Soboba Foundation, alumni and community support was like no other and I am extremely proud to have been a part of the experience as their current Athletic Director.”

CIF made contributions as well as the Soboba Foundation and Hemet Sportsman’s Club. Families pitched in for snacks and drinks for players for the final game.

“When we first found out the team was going to State, I reached out to other members of the Foundation to see what we could do to help. I’m happy we were able to contribute,” Dondi Silvas said.

Pyle said the district was able to use some discretionary funds to help pay expenses for the trip. “The Soboba Foundation’s generous donation made a huge difference. We wouldn’t have been able to do things at the same level we did without the support of Soboba,” he said.

The San Jacinto Tiger Varsity Football fall roster, which includes 28 seniors, alphabetically: Marty Acebedo, Ahlijah Afemata, Luis Aguilar, Victor Alvarez, Elijah Arrellano, Ervin Barnes, Jayden Brown, Jeremiah Brown, Malachi Brown, Denton Capell, Dejon Carter, Jayden Cruz, Josue Cubarrubias, Erik Cuevas, Dereun Dortch, PJ Enosa, David Enriquez, Ryan Esqueda-Long, James Felio, Noah Frazier, Jason Geffrard, Erik Gonzalez, Sean Gordon, Tashawn Greene, Dillon Gresham, Hayden Grigsby, Ryan Guilford, Jonathon Hollins, Vincent Holmes, Bryan Jackson, Angel Jones, Deyton Kersey, Kiu (Q) Kupu, Solomon Kupu, Daylen Love, Noe Mares, Ralphy Martinez, Kartell MatuuMalepeai, London Miguel, David Myers, Jayden Nelson, Nehemiah Norwood, Troy Oloa, Pule Onosa, Ramiro Orozco, Joshua Orta,

Roger Ortero, Dylan Prieto, Jomini Ransom, Andrew Rocha, Austin Rosales, Martin Sanchez, Malakhy Siitia, Ryan Sims, Aiden Stinnett, Christopher Tautolo, Andre Taylor, Diego Teo, Julian Thomas, James Tolliver, Tevita Tukunga, Josiah Vaifanua, James Walker, Hajani Washington, Sebastion Wood, Enoch Woods, Andrew Zepeda and Nathan Zunner.

For more information, www. nfhsnetwork.com/schools/sanjacinto-high-school-san-jacintoca/football or #fearthepaw.

San Jacinto High School cheerleaders and mascot wave during the Tiger Football Celebration Parade as they toss t-shirts to spectators along the route. Valley News/Carrie Best photo

San Jacinto Unified School District board members and administrators join with community members to cheer the San Jacinto High School championship football team from the parade route. Valley News/Diane A. Rhodes photo

San Jacinto High School senior, and safety, Ryan Guilford shows one of the trophies his football team earned this season. Valley News/Diane A. Rhodes photo

The Tigers football team sit in the middle section of seats at a rally celebrating their championship season. Valley News/Carrie Best photo

Head Coach Aric Galliano shares his appreciation for his coaching staff, family, players, community and administrative support during the team’s championship season. Valley News/Carrie Best photo

Local middle schoolers explore STEM opportunities

SAN JACNTO – Mt. San Jacinto College welcomed more than 400 eighth-graders from Banning and Beaumont middle schools to the San Jacinto Campus Thursday, Jan. 12, for an early introduction to STEM careers. The youths learned from women in the science, technology, engineering and math fields at a STEM conference hosted by the local branch of the American Association of University Women.

For more than two decades, AAUW San Gorgonio Pass Group of the Redlands Branch hosted the conference to actively and strategically engage, influence and motivate eighth grade girls to succeed in school and pursue careers in STEM fields.

The day-long event kicked off with a keynote address from motivational speaker Amber Jazairi, who encouraged participants to set goals and find ways and work hard to achieve them.

“Your mind will propel you in any direction you choose and it’s all your choice,” Jazairi said.

AAUW gathered professional

women from various science, technology, engineering and math fields to participate by sharing their experiences and the opportunities available to girls interested in STEM careers. Among these is a veterinarian who demonstrated the process of how to treat a lame horse, using math to calculate the correct dosage of medicine for the animal based on its weight.

Participants attended sessions and enjoyed exploring different career paths and areas of study in the STEM fields, giving them a chance to explore careers they may not be familiar with. The conference also instills confidence in students through activities, networking and collaboration amongst their peers and other local students.

MSJC’s STEM pathway is designed to create opportunities for students to become more informed about science-related careers. Programs help students succeed and prepare them for transfer and careers in STEM fields of study.

Submitted by American Association of University Women.

Mt. San Jacinto College kicks off spring semester with more students

SAN JACINTO – Mt. San Jacinto College welcomed more than 15,000 new and returning students as the spring 2023 semester began this week. Reporting an enrollment of 15,055 students as of Jan. 19, MSJC’s enrollment tops the spring 2022 headcount of 13,412 students.

Jeremy Brown, D.M.A., vice president of instruction, said he was pleased to see the increase in enrollments.

“It’s great to see students returning to MSJC,” Brown said. “The increase in enrollments over last spring is a testament to the hard work our teams have done to deliver classes in modalities, locations and times that best met the students’ needs and preferences. Seeing students on campus again is definitely a welcome sight after the past couple of years. We look forward to supporting all of our students in their coursework, to graduation and onward to pursue their transfer and career goals.”

MSJC offers courses in various formats, face-to-face, online and hybrid, with a goal of supporting every student. College representatives are on campus the first week of the term at welcome booths assisting new and returning students by answering questions and providing guidance and directions to navigate campus.

“Excitement” is a common

theme amongst students, according to the college.

First time college student

Elizabeth Cazares stopped by the welcome booth on the San Jacinto Campus. She is enrolled in an English as a Second Language course through the adult education program.

“Today is my first day, and I’m really excited to be here on campus,” Cazares said.

On the Menifee Valley Campus, Charles Weaver, computer science student, said, “I‘m excited to start my very first semester at MSJC

and am hoping to get involved with the Student Government Association this spring.”

MSJC student Joshua Lake took the time to meet with representatives on the Temecula Valley Campus. He said he wanted “to learn more about all the different employment programs MSJC has to offer.”

It’s not too late to enroll, classes in many subjects and formats are available. Visit http://MSJC.edu for more information.

Submitted by Mt. San Jacinto College.

Mediacom announces extended deadline for World Class Scholarship Applications

MENIFEE – Mediacom Communications is extending the application deadline for its scholarship program, Mediacom World Class Scholars. In its 22nd consecutive year, the program will award $1,000 World Class Scholarships to 60 high school seniors planning to obtain further education.

Scholarship applications must be submitted by Tuesday, Feb. 28. The deadline was extended from an earlier date and high school seniors are encouraged to apply. Mediacom’s World Class Scholarship applications are available at http://

Three locals among Omicron Delta Kappa new members

mediacomworldclass.com.

Applicants do not have to be Mediacom customers but must live in areas where Mediacom’s fiber-rich broadband network delivers gigabit-speed internet service. Recipients will be selected from the 22 states where Mediacom’s residential customers reside. A complete list of communities in Mediacom service areas is included with the online application.

Inquiries may be sent to scholarship@ mediacomcc.com

Submitted by Mediacom Communications.

LEXINGTON, Va. – Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society, welcomed 646 new initiates from 23 universities during December 2022.

New initiates include Arizona State University students Cynthia Brewer of Murrieta, Roxanne Briskey of Winchester and Jasmine Metz of Sun City.

Students initiated into the society must be sophomores, juniors, seniors or graduate/ professional students in the top 35% of their class, demonstrate leadership experience in at least one of the five pillars and embrace the ODK ideals. Fewer than 5% of students on a campus are invited to join each year.

Omicron Delta Kappa Society, the National

Leadership Honor Society, was founded in Lexington, Virginia, Dec. 3, 1914. A group of 15 students and faculty members established the society to recognize and encourage leadership at the collegiate level. The founders established the ODK Idea-the concept that individuals representing all phases of collegiate life should collaborate with faculty and others to support the campus and community. ODK’s mission is to honor and develop leaders; encourage collaboration among students, faculty, staff and alumni and promote ODK’s leadership values of collaboration, inclusivity, integrity, scholarship and service on college and university campuses throughout North America.

Submitted by Omicron Delta Kappa.

Keynote speaker Amber Jazairi shares with the middle school girls how important it is to empower one another and lift each other up, especially other women during the annual American Association of University Women STEM conference at Mt. San Jacinto College’s San Jacinto Campus Thursday, Jan. 12.

Valley News/Courtesy photos

Rahmata Dia, an eighth-grader from the San Gorgonio Pass, smiles during a break in the American Association of University Women STEM conference.

Keyli Higuera-Hernandez, a San Gorgonio Pass area eighth-grader, said her favorite part of the American Association of University Women STEM conference was learning about renewable energy because she hopes to “make a difference in pollution in order to help animals.” The event for eighth-graders was held at Mt. San Jacinto College’s San Jacinto Campus.

Mt. San Jacinto College student Charles Weaver, right, shakes hands with faculty member Patrick Kenyon who welcomed students on the first day of the Spring 2023 semester at the Menifee Valley Campus. Weaver is studying computer science. Valley News/Courtesy photos

Mt. San Jacinto College student Joshua Lake, left, discusses various opportunities at the Temecula Valley Campus with Kevin Baker, right, MSJC’s director of Student Life & Development.

Elizabeth Cazares, left, a first-time college student, receives help from Mt. San Jacinto College employee Soraya Ledesma, right, on the first day of the Spring 2023 at the San Jacinto Campus.

Nutrition at the root of a healthy digestive system

Shelby Ramsey Special to the Valley News

People may ask themselves: “Is there anything I can do to strengthen or protect my gastrointestinal tract?”

Whatever the reason may be – to fend off viruses, wake up feeling better with more vigor, simply to build up the immune system or just “because.”

Dr. Jacqueline Wolf, associate professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a gastroenterologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, said, “I actually think the best thing people can do is have good nutrition.”

A plethora of information can be found offering “the right eating plan / lifestyle,” including what to eat more of and what to omit immediately. Some of these diets include: “Should you eat red meat? Should you stay away from red meat? Should you be a vegan (plant-based diet)?” she said.

“There are a lot of studies out there,” Wolf said.

She said, “the Mediterranean diet is a good diet,” adding that fish is good to incorporate but to be mindful of the amount of mercury. As fish feed in streams and oceans, they take up a toxic form of methyl mercury.

When it came to plant-based diets, she said, “A big issue (is) you need to be able to get enough protein, and that is a big issue in plant-based diets.”

Another thing to be very mindful of is reducing sugar

and carbohydrates.

Food was one important element of a healthy digestive system. Wolf said that exercise is the second important element.

“Exercise has also been shown to help metabolism,” she said. It “strengthens your health and your body.”

Depending on limitations, a few potential exercises to aid with balance are: heel-to-toe standing or walking, a standing march for 20 seconds, short walks with alternate knee lifts with each step or shifting your weight from left side to right side.

But Wolf offered some words of caution: One should ease into exercise slowly to avoid injury, warm up properly and, of course, take into consideration any and all limitations when it comes to exercise when living with chronic illness or disease. Always consult a physician before beginning any exercise practice. It’s common to see both extremes when it comes to exercise, and it’s up to each person to find what works, what doesn’t and what is appropriate.

In addition to healthy eating patterns and exercise, there can be a benefit in taking certain vitamins, she said.

“Vitamin D has, in some studies, shown to be preventative for colon cancer,” Wolf said.

While studies have only been conducted when looking at severe deficiencies, Vitamin D is known to have beneficial properties for bone health, Wolf said.

“People should be sure and get

all their nutrition in their foods –calcium and the B vitamins,” too, she said.

Another consideration can be taking probiotics.

Probiotics can be helpful in inflammatory bowel disease.

“What I tell people is use a probiotic; use it for a month,” Wolf said. “If it doesn’t help, you’re wasting your money – try another one.”

Some brands she mentioned included Align, Visbiome and Pb8.

“Probiotics can aid digestion and help maintain gut health,” Wolf said. “Since the mid-1990s, clinical studies suggest that probiotic therapy can help treat several gastrointestinal ills, delay the development of allergies in children, and treat and prevent vaginal and urinary infections in women.”

Other benefits of probiotics may include: enhancing digestive function, improving gut integrity, improving nutritional absorption, reducing bloating/gas and aiding in decreasing systemic inflammation.

A healthy lifestyle can be likened to a delicate balancing act. In this case, it involves carefully choosing foods, disease prevention, management of chronic conditions and stretching/moving the body to feel its best inside and out.

For more information, visit https:// www.health.harvard.edu/ vitamins-and-supplements/healthbenefits-of-taking-probiotics.

Dr. Jacqueline Wolf is on the editorial board of Harvard Health Publications and a contributor to the Discovery Channel program

5 tips to keep healthy weight loss resolutions

committed to the goal. Other times, the resolution itself is the issue. It may be too broad or unrealistic, or there might not be a solid plan for achieving it.

Here are five goal-setting ideas that I share with my patients, family and friends to help them achieve healthy changes.

Focus on one goal at a time.

If you’ve decided to record the food you eat and start a daily exercise routine, consider focusing on your food journal first and then begin upping your exercise routine.

Set realistic and measurable resolutions and decide how you’ll measure success.

Dr. Frederick Kuo is the chief medical officer of employers and individuals in California for UnitedHealthcare of California.

Valley News/Courtesy photo

Dr. Frederick Kuo

Special to Valley News

Despite the annual chatter about New Year’s resolutions, many people give up by February and only a few people stay the course for a whole year. But still millions of Americans hold the course and continue to set goals with high hopes of a better year ahead.

Why is that? Sometimes it’s because we’re not really

Use specific times and numbers to avoid vagueness. Instead of a resolution to “have a less stressful morning routine,” make it your goal to get out of bed by 6:45 a.m. each day. Instead of pledging to “move more,” resolve to add a brisk, 30-minute walk to your daily routine.

Make your goals enjoyable.

Set resolutions you want to accomplish, not ones you think you should reach, and come up with ways to enjoy the time you’ve committed to them. For example, if your measurable goal is to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables every day, consider enrolling in a virtual cooking class that features

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interesting ways to add produce to dishes.

Plan for challenges and how you’ll overcome them.

Brainstorm a list of things that could get in the way of accomplishing your goals and come up with solutions ahead of time. For instance, what will you do if the weather is bad? How can you add purposeful movement around your home or apartment?

Stay accountable and get support from people around you. Strong social support may improve your motivation, mental health and behavior. Surround yourself with positive people and advocate for what you need to reach your goal. Consider asking a family member or friend to work with you on a common goal or join a group that will help you stay accountable.

Go deeper. If you decide your resolution will be to lose weight, here are suggestions to help work on these areas of focus.

Track your food and drinks. Research has shown people who track their food lose more weight. A food diary may help keep you accountable and reveal things you might not even notice about your eating and drinking habits.

Eat quality food. Fill your plates with fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins, such as turkey and fish. If that will mean big changes to how you currently eat, consider making a series of healthier food and drink swaps over time.

Get moving. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention people who lose weight and keep it off routinely

with chronic illnesses or food allergies. Learn more at http:// www.Foodicinehealth.org.

Shelby Ramsey is the author of the blog, http://thehonestmigraine. com , which features interviews with patients and medical experts.

Good nutrition can strengthen the health of the gastrointestinal tract. Valley News/Courtesy photo “Mystery Diagnosis.” She works with Foodicine Health, a nonprofit organization focused on public education and advocacy regarding the importance of “Special Diets” that are prescribed for individuals

do moderately intense physical activity. The American College of Sports Medicine suggested a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderately intense activity to maintain weight loss. Every adult should perform activities that maintain or increase muscular strength and endurance for a minimum of two days per week.

One last thing: Don’t limit yourself to setting resolutions once a year. Revisit your goals all year to help stay on track and refocus your efforts. Use these tips to set yourself up for success, no matter when you’re looking for ways to live healthier.

Dr. Frederick Kuo is the chief medical officer of employers and individuals in California for UnitedHealthcare of California.

The new Southwest Healthcare officially launches

RIVERSIDE COUNTY – The Southern California subsidiaries of Universal Health Services announced Monday, Jan. 16, the launch of a newly created regional brand, Southwest Healthcare. Together as a network of care, Southwest Healthcare will build upon an impressive roster of pointof-care team members, providers, locations and resources to offer patients improved access and choice for quality health care.

Southwest Healthcare is comprised of Corona Regional Medical Center; Corona, Palmdale Regional Medical Center; Palmdale, Southwest Healthcare Rancho Springs Hospital; Murrieta, Southwest Healthcare

on teamwork, with the rows of dots in a circle representing how all the various parts of Southwest Healthcare operate together in harmony, while highlighting how the network will connect people to needed health care services.

Inland Valley Hospital; Wildomar, Temecula Valley Hospital; Temecula, four locations of Riverside Medical Clinic Patient

Valley News/Courtesy photo

Services; Riverside, Temecula Valley Day Surgery and Murrieta. The majority is owned by an affiliate and two locations of A+ Urgent Care Centers; Menifee and Murrieta.

“This unification positions us as a robust care delivery network in our communities while establishing a strong brand that people will soon come to know and trust as a significant healthcare leader here in Southern California,” Brad Neet, group vice president for Universal Health Services, said. “We want to enable the communities we serve to associate the services offered at our various locations and see us today – and with further growth in the future –as an esteemed, affiliated network of care.”

Submitted by Universal Health Services.

FBI searched Biden home, found more items marked classified

Zeke Miller, Michael Alsamo and Colleen Long Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI searched President Joe Biden’s home in Wilmington, Delaware, on Friday and located additional documents with classified markings and also took possession of some of his handwritten notes, the president’s lawyer said Saturday.

The president voluntarily allowed the FBI into his home, but the lack of a search warrant did not dim the extraordinary nature of the search. It compounded the embarrassment to Biden that started with the disclosure Jan. 12 that the president’s attorneys had found a “small number” of classified records at a former office at the Penn Biden Center in Washington shortly before the midterm elections. Since then, attorneys found six classified documents in Biden’s Wilmington home library from his time as vice president.

Though Biden has maintained “ there’s no there there,” the discoveries have become a political liability as he prepares to launch a reelection bid, and they undercut his efforts to portray an image of propriety to the American public after demonizing his predecessor, Donald Trump, who, as president had the power to declassify documents.

During Friday’s search, which lasted nearly 13 hours, the FBI

took six items that contained documents with classified markings, said Bob Bauer, the president’s personal lawyer. The items spanned Biden’s time in the Senate and the vice presidency, while the notes dated to his time as vice president, he said. The level of classification, and whether the documents removed by the FBI remained classified, was not immediately clear as the Justice Department reviews the records.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Fitzpatrick confirmed Saturday that the FBI had executed “a planned, consensual search” of the president’s residence in Wilmington.

The president and first lady Jill Biden were not at the home when it was searched. They were spending the weekend at their home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

Speaking to reporters during a trip to California on Thursday, Biden said he was “fully cooperating and looking forward to getting this resolved quickly.

“We found a handful of documents were filed in the wrong place,” Biden said. “We immediately turned them over to the Archives and the Justice Department.”

It remained to be seen whether additional searches by federal officials of other locations might be conducted. Biden’s personal attorneys previously conducted a search of the Rehoboth Beach residence and said they did not find any official documents or

classified records.

The Biden investigation has also complicated the Justice Department’s probe into Trump’s retention of classified documents and official records after he left office. The Justice Department says Trump took hundreds of records marked classified with him upon leaving the White House in early 2021 and resisted months of requests to return them to the government, and that it had to obtain a search warrant to retrieve them.

Kash Patel, former chief of staff to the Acting United States Secretary of Defense under President Donald Trump, has been granted immunity in the Mir-a-Lago case and is considered crucial to answering the question of whether or not Trump declassified any of the documents he took with him to his Florida estate. Patel says he heard Trump verbally order the government documents declassified. Patel, in a recent opinion piece for Creator’s Syndicate, writes, “By going along with the overheated Trump document scandal, Biden got himself a political issue that no doubt helped in the midterm elections. He’s now paying the price. Biden should certainly not have had classified materials in his garage or at his think tank. Waiting to disclose that fact until after the midterm elections and even after the important followon Georgia Senate election was possibly the biggest abuse of

all. Like Trump, though, Biden’s actual possession of the documents is more of an administrative slap on the wrist violation and less of a national scandal. Hillary Clinton’s violation, involving classified materials placed on unclassified computers tied to the public internet, was much more egregious than anything Trump or Biden have been accused of, and even then, there was no criminal sanction. Yet Biden played along with the unfair treatment of Trump. After pretending the Trump scandal was more than it was, Biden and his allies are now hamstrung coming out and explaining this reality. ‘What goes around comes around’ will be fun for Biden’s opponents, but none of this is good for America, and it’s certainly not good for the office of the president.”

Bauer said the FBI requested that the White House not comment on the search before it was conducted, and that Biden’s personal and White House attorneys were present. The FBI, he added, “had full access to the President’s home, including personally handwritten notes, files, papers, binders, memorabilia, to-do lists, schedules, and reminders going back decades.”

The Justice Department, he added, “took possession of materials it deemed within the scope of its inquiry, including six items consisting of documents with classification markings and surrounding materials, some of

which were from the President’s service in the Senate and some of which were from his tenure as Vice President.”

Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed former Maryland U.S. Attorney Robert Hur as a special counsel to investigate any potential wrongdoing surrounding the Biden documents. Hur is set to take over from the Trump-appointed Illinois U.S. Attorney John Lausch in overseeing the probe.

Biden has made a point of cooperating with the DOJ probe at every turn, and Friday’s search was voluntary, though questions about his transparency with the public remain.

For a crime to have been committed, a person would have to “knowingly remove” the documents without authority and intend to keep them at an “unauthorized location.” Biden has said he was “surprised” that classified documents were uncovered at the Penn Biden Center.

Generally, classified documents are to be declassified after a maximum of 25 years. But some records are of such value they remain classified for far longer, though specific exceptions must be granted. Biden served in the Senate from 1973 to 2009. Seung Min Kim in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, contributed to this report.

Here’s how long it will take to replenish U.S. weapons stocks sent to Ukraine

Micaela Burrow, Reporter

The Daily Caller

The U.S. will not be able to restock inventories of critical munitions sent to Ukraine for years, even as some stockpiles have become nearly depleted, the Center for Strategic and International Studies found.

The U.S. has provided 1.1 million rounds of 155mm ammunition to Ukraine as of Thursday, Jan. 19, according to the Pentagon.

“Fortunately, in this year’s NDAA, the Armed Services Committees included critical audit provisions for this funding, including one that will provide quarterly reports on the production of the US munitions industrial base,” Wisconsin Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Even at emergency production rates, it will take several years before the U.S. is able to restock supplies of critical munitions sent to Ukraine, according to a recent analysis conducted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington, D.C. based think tank.

The U.S. has sent millions of rounds of ammunition of various kinds to Ukraine, according to a Thursday fact sheet from the Department of Defense (DOD), which has resulted in severe deficits in some cases. Only one of the six weapons where stockpiles have fallen dangerously low is projected to reach normal levels within five years, assuming no further deliveries to Ukraine, leaving the U.S. scrambling for alternatives, Mark Cancian, a former artillery officer and Pentagon acquisition official, found in a report published in CSIS.

“Longer term, there will be some competition between Taiwan’s needs and rebuilding US stockpiles,” Cancian told the Daily Caller News Foundation, as the U.S. pledges to help the island fend off Chinese aggression. “That’s why increased munitions production is so important.”

“Most inventories, though not all, will take many years to replace. For most items, there are workarounds, but there may be a crisis brewing over artillery

ammunition,” Cancian wrote.

For example, the U.S. has provided 1.1 million rounds of 155mm ammunition, a widelyused explosive shell, to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the fact sheet shows.

At the regular production rate of 93,000 rounds annually, the industrial base would never be able to replenish 155mm projectiles because of the number consumed in standard military training and maintenance operations, the CSIS report said. The base can surge to a rate of 240,000 rounds each year, but even then it would take five years before inventories of 155mm would be fully rebuilt.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pledged in May that DOD will not allow domestic inventories of “critical” munitions to fall below minimum levels needed for national security, according to Defense News. Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh repeated that promise on Thursday.

Army acquisition czar Doug Bush said in September the service planned to triple 155mm production over the next “couple” of years with support from Congress, Task and Purpose reported. The Army held an “Industry Day” on Tuesday to provide arms manufacturing companies with an overview of the army’s requirements for accelerating production of 155mm projectiles and the need to expand production capacity, a notice shows.

The U.S. has pulled hundreds of thousands of the 155mm shells from stockpiles operated by U.S. military units in Israel and routed them to Ukraine. Additional equipment of an unspecified nature may be transferred out of U.S. forces in Korea, Reuters reported Thursday.

“The Ukrainians will never run out of ammunition,” Cancian told the Daily Caller News Foundation. Supply for lighter weapons, like rifles and machine guns, could continue indefinitely, but “artillery ammunition,” the foundation of ground warfare, “has been the most difficult,” he added.

To make up for shortages, the U.S. has begun substituting some weapons that may be slightly less appropriate to the type of warfare

Ukraine is conducting and buying artillery from other countries, Cancian explained to the DCNF. GPS-guided 155 mm munitions are also at risk, according to the analysis. Recent production rates of 1,000 per year mean it could take seven years to refill U.S. inventories, or four years at an accelerated production rate.

At the recent rate of production, it will take eight years to replenish U.S. stocks of Javelins; surge production rates could shorten the timeline to five and one-half years, according to the CSIS analysis. Javelin stocks have become so strained that DOD suspended further deliveries to Ukraine to avoid undercutting plans for dealing with possible conflicts elsewhere.

Stinger missiles could take even longer, up to 18 years, corresponding with decreasing demand within DOD for the munition.

Cancian predicted the inventory of High Mobility Artillery Rockets System (HIMARS) could be restocked within three years. However, part of the reason for the more comfortable production margin is that the U.S. has donated so few — just 20 as of Jan. 6 — relative to Ukraine’s needs, Cancian wrote.

Thursday’s defense package did not include any additional HIMARS, Stingers or Javelins, according to a release.

Meanwhile, Ukraine is firing artillery at a rate of roughly 90,000 rounds per month, officials told The New York Times in November. Russia’s industrial base, while dwarfed by that of the collective West, has already shifted to wartime footing, The Wall Street Journal reported. NATO SecretaryGeneral Jens Stoltenberg warned that “we should not underestimate Russia” as Moscow works to build up its own munitions stores and appears to be planning a mass mobilization.

Congress granted DOD the authority to streamline the purchasing process by allowing the Pentagon to make contracts that extend for multiple years and eliminating some restrictions in the defense bill for 2023, the National Defense Authorization

Act (NDAA).

“Fortunately, in this year’s NDAA, the Armed Services Committees included critical audit provisions for this funding, including one that will provide quarterly reports on the production of the US munitions industrial base,” Wisconsin Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher told the DCNF.

A trilateral inspector general (IG) body, composed of the IGs from DOD, the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, released a full strategy to monitor the United States’ Ukraine response, including how it balances between supporting Ukraine and maintaining supplies for its own needs, on Wednesday.

What the IGs cannot evaluate, however, is the way Ukraine determines worthwhile targets

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and positions weapons to launch, Cancian told the DCNF. The more ammunition Ukrainian forces have access to at any one time, the more fires they can launch at targets that become “progressively lower priority.”

DOD did not respond to the DCNF’s request for comment. All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@ dailycallernewsfoundation.org

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Potholes pop up on Anza’s roads, what you should know

Potholes are a recurring issue at the junction of Wilson Valley Road and State Highway 371 in

Staff Writer

With the rains come the potholes. It seems that roadways are fast becoming minefields of

Snow

Diane Sieker

Staff Writer

chains

From people that live in the mountain communities to motorists planning to drive to higher elevations to play in the snow, all California motorists need to know the rules about snow chains.

Snow chains or cables add valuable traction when traversing through snowy and icy roadways. They are usually purchased to match the automobile’s tire size and come in either linked chain or steel cable designs.

California Vehicle Code Section 605 defines tire traction devices as “devices or mechanisms having a composition and design capable of improving vehicle traction, braking and cornering ability upon snow or ice-covered surfaces. Tire traction devices shall be constructed and assembled to provide sufficient structural integrity and to prevent accidental detachment from vehicles.”

During the winter months, drivers may encounter traction chain controls in the mountain areas within California. When chain controls are established, signs are posted along the road indicating the type of requirement. There are three levels of chain requirements in the state, as defined by Caltrans.

Chains are required on all vehicles except passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks under 6,000 pounds gross weight and equipped with snow tires on at least two drive wheels.

tire-gripping, suspension-crushing pits for many vehicles. What are these hazards and what can motorists do about them?

Potholes in wintertime are not just a northern climate

phenomenon. Holes in asphalt and concrete can and do form in warmer climates. Rainwater and run-off drain into small cracks that form in the road from normal wear and tear and wash out the

layers of stone, dirt or gravel that support the pavement. Over time, an air gap can form within the sub-base of the asphalt pavement and the top layer will begin to sag, according to road engineers.

Anza

From that point, it will collapse and crumble, which results in a pothole. In the higher elevations where temperatures can dip below

are important for winter mountain travel

Chains must be carried by vehicles using snow tires. All vehicles towing trailers must have chains on one drive axle. Trailers with brakes must have chains on at least one axle.

Also, chains or traction devices are required on all vehicles except four wheel/all wheel drive vehicles with snow-tread tires on all four wheels. Four wheel/all wheel drive vehicles must carry traction devices in chain control areas. Chains or traction devices are required on all vehicles, with no exceptions. R-1 and R-2 are the most common requirements. Roadways will most likely be closed before an R-3 condition is imposed.

Motorists must follow the directions on the signs posted for chain controls or any instructions given by Caltrans or California Highway Patrol personnel at chain control checkpoints. Caltrans reserves the right to prevent any vehicle from entering a chain control area when it is determined the vehicle will experience difficulty in safely traveling the area. Whenever chains are required, the speed limit automatically changes to 25-30 miles per hour.

If you must travel, chain up and drive slowly and cautiously. Rear wheel drive vehicles chain up on the rear driving wheels. Front wheel drive vehicles install chains on the front driving wheels. All wheel drive vehicles install chains on front driving/steering wheels see CHAINS, page D-3

Diane Sieker

Aguanga.

Valley Outlook/Diane Sieker photo

If you have an upcoming community event, email it to valleyeditor@reedermedia.com put “attention events” in the subject line. Readers should call ahead on some listed events for the latest updates.

Regular Happenings

ONGOING – Anza Electric Cooperative and F.I.N.D. Food Bank offers a free mobile food pantry the second Saturday of every month at the AEC office, 58470 Highway 371, from 10:3011:30 a.m. All are welcome. CalFresh application assistance and free community health services are also available. Bring your own reusable bags to take food home. Volunteers welcome. For more information, contact the AEC office at 951-763-4333.

Hamilton High School – Find out what is happening using

Hamilton’s online calendar at http://www.hamiltonbobcats.net/ apps/events/calendar/

Hamilton Museum – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Open Wednesdays and Saturdays at 39991 Contreras Road in Anza. For more information, call 951-763-1350 or visit http:// www.hamiltonmuseum.org. Find them on Facebook at “HamiltonMuseum-and-Ranch-Foundation.”

Backcountry Horsemen

Redshank Riders – Meeting monthly on the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. Locations change, so please contact Mike by email at stumblinl55@gmail.com or by calling (951) 760-9255.

Health, exercise, resources and recovery meetings Fit after 50 – 10:30-11:30 a.m. Tuesday and Friday mornings at Anza Community Hall. Free. Wear comfortable clothes and supportive shoes. Call or text instructor Teresa Hoehn, at 951-751-1462 for more information.

Narcotics Anonymous

Meeting – 6 p.m. Every Tuesday at Shepherd Of The Valley Church, 56095 Pena Road, in Anza. Open participation.

Veterans’ Gathering Mondays

9-11 a.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 39075 Contreras Road, in Anza. Men and women veterans come to share and help each other deal with posttraumatic stress disorder and other difficulties. Call John Sheehan at 951-923-6153. If you need an advocate to help with VA benefits, call Ronnie Imel at 951-659-9884.

The Most Excellent Way –Christ-centered recovery program for all kinds of addiction meets Fridays from 7-8:30 p.m. and Tuesdays from 8-10 a.m. Program is court approved; child care is provided. Transportation help is available. The group meets at 58050 Highway 371; the cross street is Kirby Road in Anza.

AA Men’s Meeting – 7 p.m. Meetings take place Thursdays at 39551 Kirby Road in Anza, south of Highway 371.

Alcoholics Anonymous – 8 p.m.

Wednesday evenings at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 56095 Pena Road in Anza. For more information, call 951-7634226.

Bereaved Parents of the USA

– The Aguanga-Anza Chapter of BPUSA will hold its meetings at 6 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 49109 Lakeshore Blvd. in Aguanga. For more information, contact chapter leader Linda Hardee at 951-5512826. Free Mobile Health Clinic Open every third Wednesday of the month from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. No appointment is needed. Uninsured may only be seen in the Anza Community Hall’s parking lot or inside the hall.

Medication Assistance and Treatment for Opioid Dependence – Get treatment for heroin addiction. Transportation to the clinic is provided. For more information, contact Borrego Health’s Anza Community Health Center, 58581 Route 371, in Anza. For more information, call 951763-4759.

Food ministries

F.U.N. Group weekly food ministry – Deliveries arrive noon

Thursdays at the Anza Community Hall. To order a paid box and help feed those who can’t afford to pay, drop off payment and cash donations by Thursday at 1:30 p.m., to ERA Excel Realty, 56070 Highway 371, in Anza. Pay inside or drop off during the day in the red box outside. To drop it off, put name and request on an envelope with payment inside. A $30 box has about $100 worth of food and feeds six people. Half boxes are available for $15. Food is delivered once a week to those who cannot find a ride. For more information, call Bill Donahue at 951-288-0903.

Living Hope Christian Fellowship Community Dinner

1 p.m. Dinners are held the last Sunday of the month at the Anza Community Hall. All are welcome. Donations of time, money, etc. are always welcome. Food for the Faithful – 8 a.m. The food bank hands out food the last Friday of the month until the food is gone. The clothes closet will be open too. Emergency food handed out as needed at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. FFF is a non-denominational nonprofit. All in need are welcome; call Esther Barragan at 951-763-5636.

Bible Studies

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Anza Sunday Sacrament is held 10 a.m.; Sunday School is 11 a.m. Priesthood/Relief Society meets noon; Wednesday Boy Scouts gathers 6 p.m. and Youth Night is 7 p.m. For more information, call Ruiz at 951-445-7180 or Nathan at 760-399-0727. The Wednesday Genealogy/Family History Class, 5-8 p.m., is open to the public at 39075 Contreras Road in Anza.

Native Lighthouse Fellowship

10 a.m. The group meets the first Saturday of the month, and breakfast is served. All are welcome to fellowship together at the “Tribal Hall” below the casino in Anza. For more information, call Nella Heredia at 951-763-0856.

Living Hope Bible Study

8-10 a.m. Tuesdays at Living Hope Christian Fellowship, 58050 Highway 371, in Anza. All are welcome. For more information, call Pastor Kevin at 951-763-1111.

Anza RV Clubhouse – 7 p.m., the second Wednesday of the Month, Pastor Kevin officiates at 41560 Terwilliger Road in Anza.

Monthly Christian Men’s Breakfast – 9 a.m. Breakfast takes place the fourth Saturday of each month and rotates to different locations. Contact Jeff Crawley at 951-763-1257 for more information.

Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church – 10 a.m. Weekly Wednesday Bible study takes place at 56095 Pena Road in Anza. Call 951-763-4226 for more information.

Valley Gospel Chapel – 7 a.m. Saturday Men’s Study meets weekly with breakfast usually served at 43275 Chapman Road in the Terwilliger area of Anza. For more information, call 951763-4622.

Anza First Southern Baptist Church - Begin your week with Sunday School for all ages at 9 a.m., followed by Sunday morning worship at 10:30 a.m. On Sunday

nights, the church has prayer on the 1st and 4th Sundays from 6-7 p.m. and Bible study on the 2nd and 3rd Sundays from 6-8 p.m. On Monday evenings, from 6-8 p.m., the youth group (6th to 12th grade) meets for games and Bible study.

Anza Baptist Church also offers Men’s and Women’s Ministries, a Homeschool Support Group, Summer Vacation Bible School, and Senior’s Ministry. The church office is open Wednesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The church is located at 39200 Rolling Hills Road in Anza. For more information, contact the church at 951-763-4937 or visit www. anzabaptistchurch.com

Clubs High Country Recreation

Second Monday of the month attend committee meetings at ERA Excel Realty in Anza. For more information, call Albert Rodriguez at 951-492-1624 or Robyn Garrison at 805-312-0369.

HCR Bingo fundraisers –

6:30-9:30 p.m. second and fourth Fridays at Anza Community Hall.

Anza Valley VFW Post 1873

Capt. John Francis Drivick III Post, the Ladies’ and Men’s Auxiliaries are located at 59011 Bailey Road in Anza. Mail P.O. Box 390433. Request monthly newsletter and or weekly menu by email at vfw1873anzaca@ gmail.com. For more information, call 951-763-4439 or visit http:// vfw1873.org

High Country 4-H Club – 6:30 p.m. Meetings are on the third Wednesday of the month, except February, at Anza Community Hall. 4-H Club is for youth 5 to 19 years old offering a variety of projects. High Country 4-H Club is open to children living in the Anza, Aguanga and surrounding areas. For more information, call Allison Renck at 951-663-5452.

Anza Valley Artists Meetings – 1 p.m. Meetings are the third Saturday of each month at various locations. Share art, ideas and participate in shows. Guest speakers are always needed. For more information, call president Rosie Grindle at 951-928-1248. Find helpful art tips at http://www. facebook.com/AnzaValleyArtists/

Anza Quilter’s Club – 9:30 a.m. to noon. Meets the first and third Tuesday of each month at the Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 56095 Pena Road, in Anza.

Anza Valley Lions Club – The Anza Valley Lions Club has been reinstated and is open to all men and women who want to work together for the betterment of the community. The group is working on securing a new venue for meetings. Meetings and events are posted on the Anza Lions Club of Anza Valley Facebook page at https://www.facebook. com/LionsofAnzaValley. For more information, email president Greg Sandling at President.AnzaLions@ gmail.com or Chris Skinner at Secretary.AnzaLions@gmail.com

Boy Scouts Troop 319 – Cub Scouts meet 6 p.m. every Tuesday, and Boy Scouts meet 7 p.m. every Wednesday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Contreras Road, south of state Route 371, in Anza. For more information, call Richard Hotchkiss at 951-551-3154.

Boys Scouts Troop 371 – Boy Scouts meet at Lake Riverside Estates. For more information, call Ginny Kinser at 909-702-7902.

Civil Air Patrol – Squadron 59 is looking for new members of all ages. For more information, call squadron commander Maj. Dennis Sheehan from the Anza area at 951-403-4940. To learn more and see the club’s meeting schedule, visit http://www.squadron59.org

Fire Explorer Program – 6 p.m. The program meets every second, third and fourth Tuesday of the month at Fire Station 29 on state Route 371 in Anza. Call 951763-5611 for information.

Redshank Riders – 7 p.m. Backcountry horsemen meet at the Little Red Schoolhouse in Anza, the second Thursday of each month. Visit http://www. redshankriders.com or call Carol Schmuhl for membership information at 951-663-6763.

Anza Thimble Club – The club meets the first Thursday of the month at Valley Gospel Chapel, 43275 Chapman Road in Anza. The social hour is 11:30 a.m., and lunch is served at noon. Contact Carol Wright at 951-763-2884 for more information.

Organizations

Terwilliger Community Association – 6 p.m. Second Monday of the month at VFW Post 1873, 59011 Bailey Road, in Anza. Potluck dinner open to all. For more information, call Tonie Ford at 951-763-4560.

From the Heart Christian Women’s Ministries – Noon. Monthly luncheon and guest speaker are held the second Saturday of each month. The $5 charge covers lunch at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 56095 Pena Road, in Anza. From the Heart helps the area’s neediest children and invites all women and men to join in their mission. Donate or help with the rummage sales twice a year to raise funds for the cause or other events. For more information, call president Christi James at 951-595-2400.

Anza Community Hall – 7 p.m. General membership meetings are held the fourth Thursday of the month. Memberships cost $20 per person or $35 per business, and both get one vote. No government funds are allocated for the Hall, which pays its bills through memberships and swap meets. Voting members receive discounts off hall rentals, swap meet booths and save on propane gas from Ferrellgas. Mail membership to: Anza Community Building Inc. at P.O. Box 390091, Anza, CA 92539. The hall is located at 56630 Highway 371 in Anza. Swap meet held each Saturday of the month, weather permitting, early morning to 1 p.m. Vendors wanted. For more information, call 951-282-4267.

Anza Civic Improvement League – 9 a.m. meets the first Saturday of each month at the Little Red Schoolhouse. The league maintains Minor Park and Little Red School House, which are both available to rent for events. No government funds are allowed; the membership pays the bills –$10 a person, $18 family or $35 business membership. For more information, visit http://www. anzacivic.org

Afternoon lunch with GeriLyn at Big Red’s BBQ

Diane

Sieker Staff Writer

Big Red’s BBQ, the hottest new pop-up eatery in Anza, has taken smokey Southern staples to a new level.

“I saw the advertisement for Big Red’s today on social media and decided to give it a go,” local Realtor and balloon artist GeriLyn B. Mellin said. “I was very pleasantly greeted, and placed my order with proprietors Dylan Evans and Perla Hodder.”

With a talent for the barbecue arts, Evans provides tender and seasoned pulled pork and brisket, sure to please most discriminating Anza palates.

“When I opened my boxes everything looked and smelled great, but when I tasted it, that was

even better,” Mellin said. “Good portions of good food. I got the pulled pork sandwich with apple slaw on the side and a side of beef brisket. All three were above my highest expectations. Apple slaw was a new taste for me but I was surprised at how much I liked it. The pulled pork sandwich was absolutely perfect. The brisket was just as nicely seasoned and smoked as the pork.”

Big Red’s BBQ has been setting up at the Cali Produce Market parking lot in recent weeks, and many times selling out of their fine fare.

Their menu includes plates of ⅓ pound of brisket or pulled pork with two sides and two rolls for $15 or two-thirds pound of brisket or pulled pork with two sides and two rolls for $20;

GeriLyn B. Mellin enjoys a pulled pork sandwich with all the fixings at Big Red’s BBQ in Anza.

brisket sandwich, $10 or pulled pork sandwich, $8; sides of green apple slaw, smoked beans with bacon or Dolly’s potato salad at $2 for small, $4 for medium or $6 for large.

Meat by the pound can also be purchased with brisket, lean or point if preferred at $24 per pound and pulled pork at $16 per pound.

“Big Red’s BBQ is a pop-up that does catering as well,” Mellin added. “If you would like to have a nice lunch or dinner I would highly recommend them.”

Big Red’s BBQ can be reached by calling 434-989-1874 or by email at BigRed@Brbbq.llc

Diane Sieker can be reached by email at dsieker@reedermedia. com

Free spinning and weaving class offered at Hamilton Museum

The Hamilton Museum in Anza announced a free spinning and weaving class to be held on four consecutive Wednesdays beginning next month. Interested persons can join David Juhasz for a series of no-charge classes to learn the basics of these home arts Feb. 8, 15, 22 and March 1, beginning at 11 a.m. He will use a step-by-step process to teach the techniques of each craft, with the main focus on the fundamentals of using a spinning wheel.

Classes are open to young teens and adults. Not just for beginners, the class also welcomes those who already spin and weave, according to the museum.

Located between Coachella Valley and the coastal communities of Southern California, the Hamilton Museum is a one-of-akind facility that gives a visitor an idea of the unique western lifestyle that prevailed in the local mountain communities until recent years.

Through old photos, documents, artifacts and a restored homestead house, visitors explore the past, learning how the Cahuilla people and early settlers lived before the arrival of paved roads, electricity and telephones in the 1950s. Hamilton Museum and Ranch Foundation, a California nonprofit corporation was formed in the Spring of 2002 and has rapidly become an important asset to Anza.

or rear wheels. Four wheel drive vehicles with 4x4 engaged, drivers chain up the front steering wheels or the rear wheels.

Additionally, from Nov. 1 to April 1, all vehicles are required to carry tire chains or cables when they enter a chain control area, even if it isn’t snowing.

Drivers can be fined and be in big trouble for damages if involved in an accident where chains may have prevented an out-of-control situation. If you get stuck and need to be towed, you will also incur that cost, which may be substantial.

At the end of the chain control area, motorists must find a safe area to get off the road and remove their traction control devices.

On the busier highways, chain installers or chain monkeys are certified people that will charge a fee to install and remove chains for you. Charges vary, and cash is

The Hamilton Museum will be holding a free spinning and weaving class in February.

The museum is open for visitors on Wednesday and Saturday from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. There is no charge to visit but annual memberships or donations are encouraged. Ample

king with these services. Caltrans issues chain installers specific permits, and they even have to pass a test that involves untangling a set of chains and installing them on a vehicle in less than five minutes. Chain monkeys can be identified by a badge that they are required to wear. If you use these services, note the badge number and get a receipt. Chain installers are not permitted to sell or rent chains.

Control areas can change rapidly because of changing weather and road conditions. The Caltrans Highway Information Network allows drivers to check road conditions often. Motorists may telephone 800-427-7623 for up-to-the-minute information in California and Western Nevada. The network is updated as conditions change, and is voice-activated for safety and convenience. For up-to-date road conditions and closures, you can also follow CaltransHQ on

parking is available. For further information on the classes,content and availability, contact David Juhasz at desert60@ hotmail.com

Twitter or Facebook or check road conditions on their website or their app for your smartphone.

Most car rental companies will not supply chains, and many even forbid their use. If chains are installed, the renter may be responsible for damages to the vehicle as a result. Check with your rental company before taking any chances.

Many auto parts or big box stores will not accept returns on snow chains for any reason. Walmart is a prime example; they have signs posted advising of their strict no-return policy. However aggravating, the purpose of chains is to keep people and property safe. It is best to know the ins and out of these seasonal traction devices to avoid a slippery disaster.

Diane Sieker can be reached by email at dsieker@reedermedia. com

The Hamilton Museum and Ranch Foundation is located at 39991 Contreras Rd. in Anza. Visit them at www. hamiltonmuseum.org/site/main

Valley News/Adobe Stock photo

or www.facebook.com/profile. php?id=100089590387522. Diane Sieker can be reached by email at dsieker@reedermedia. com

Anza Valley Outlook/Courtesy photo

Diane Sieker

Staff Writer

CHAINS from page D-1

HOLES from page D-1

freezing in the colder months, rain and snow get into road surface cracks. The water freezes and expands, pushing the asphalt and making cracks bigger, causing even more potholes. Potholes and poorly repaired potholes are some of the most aggravating conditions motorists encounter on Anza Valley roadways.

Caltrans advises do your best to avoid hitting potholes and possibly causing damage to your automobile. If a collision is imminent, slow down, then coast into and out of the obstacle. If you apply your brakes while the car is in the pothole, it may cause more damage to your vehicle than if you simply coast through. Coasting reduces the speed at impact and allows the car’s suspension to travel its full range to absorb the shock of that impact.

The State of California may pay

for damages and advises motorists that if they hit a pothole and suffer injuries or damages to their vehicle, they must first find out who owns the stretch of roadway and what part of the government collects the claims. The California Department of Transportation can reimburse damages caused on freeways and state highways, such as State Highway 371. The agency will pay up to $10,000 in repairs. Other roads are maintained by county and city governments.

However, not all jurisdictions provide compensation for drivers whose cars are damaged by potholes.

Caltrans owns or controls

350,000 acres of Right of Way and maintains 15,133 centerline miles of highway and 13,063 state highway bridges. The Department also inspects over 12,200 local bridges and manages more than 50,000 miles of California’s highway and freeway lanes.

Can you make an insurance claim if your vehicle sustains damage from a pothole encounter?

According to Progressive.com , yes, but only if you carry optional collision coverage. This can cover you if you hit an obstacle such as a guard rail, telephone pole or pothole. Although potholes usually cause only minor damage to a tire or wheel, hitting one can harm a vehicle’s alignment, steering system or suspension. However, it’s only worth filing a claim for pothole damage if the repair costs are higher than your deductible. Typically, deductible amounts can range anywhere from $100 to $2,000 depending on your insurer.

Additionally, Progressive says that if you suspect there’s significant damage to your vehicle, have it inspected by a licensed mechanic. Once you’ve received an estimate for repairs, you can determine whether it’s worth filing a claim.

Your automobile insurance should cover pothole damage regardless of how deep the pothole was, assuming you have collision coverage and the repair costs exceed your deductible.

Progressive also advises drivers to take photos of the pothole, the surrounding area and the vehicle as documentation immediately after the incident. Note the location of the pothole, as well as the time of day and the weather conditions. It’s also a good idea to contact the local non-emergency police line to report the incident and have a police report filled out. The more documentation you have, the better when filing a claim.

However, in many instances, it doesn’t make sense to file a claim, says Progressive. Since hitting a pothole is considered a singlevehicle accident, your insurer will usually find you at fault for the incident unless there’s evidence that another vehicle caused you

COURTS & CRIMES

Menifee mother charged with fleeing with children into Mexico

City News Service

Special to Valley News

A 41-year-old Menifee woman accused of fleeing with her two children during a child custody exchange and leading law enforcement officers on a pursuit into Mexico, where she eluded capture for one night, was charged on Thursday, Jan. 19 with two counts of child concealing and other offenses.

Katheryn Rose Broersma was arrested by federal authorities Sunday, Jan. 15 at the San Ysidro border crossing in San Diego County.

Along with the child concealing counts, Broersma is charged with two counts of child endangerment and a misdemeanor count of violating a court order.

Broersma was slated to make her initial court appearance at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta Thursday, Jan. 19.

She was being held in lieu

of $35,000 bail at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside. However, prosecutors are seeking to increase the bond requirement to $100,000.

According to Menifee police

Capt. Heriberto Gutierrez, about 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, Broersma met with relatives of her former partner, whose identity was not disclosed, in the 29000 block of Antelope Road, near Wendover Road, to return her 6- and 8-yearold children to their father.

Gutierrez said that after the children were situated in the relatives’ vehicle, Broersma jumped behind the wheel and sped away, prompting immediate calls to 911.

“Family members were able to track the suspect via her cell phone, and she was located in the area of the Interstate 215/60 freeway (interchange),” the captain said. He said sheriff’s deputies signaled the defendant to pull over, but she refused, “and a vehicle pursuit ensued.”

“The vehicle traveled into the San Diego area, where officers from the Escondido Police Department took over the pursuit,” Gutierrez said. “The suspect was able to evade officers when she crossed the border and entered into Mexico.”

No effort was made to track the vehicle in Tijuana.

Gutierrez said U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents were alerted to the alleged parental abduction and advised that Broersma might attempt to reenter the country, which she did the following morning.

The captain said agents stopped the vehicle at the border crossing about 8 a.m. and took the defendant into custody without incident. The children, who were uninjured, were returned to their father the same day.

Broersma has no documented prior felony or misdemeanor convictions in Riverside County.

Felon accused of murdering cellmate at Murrieta jail due in court Jan. 26

City News Service

Special to Valley News

A multi-convicted felon accused of fatally beating a fellow inmate at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta is due back in court

Thursday, Jan. 26.

Micky Rodney Payne, 33, of Perris allegedly killed 24-year-old Mark Anthony Spratt of Fontana on Jan. 12.

Payne pleaded not guilty to murder and battery on a custodial officer during an arraignment

Wednesday, Jan. 18, at the Southwest Justice Center.

Riverside County Superior Court Judge Elaine Kiefer scheduled a status conference for Jan. 26, in part to confirm whether a preliminary hearing slated for Jan. 31 should go forward or be reset.

Payne remains held without bail at the Murrieta jail.

According to sheriff’s Sgt. Ed Baeza, about 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 12, correctional deputies were alerted to a “disturbance” in one of the cells and went to investigate, at which point they discovered Spratt “unresponsive with several injuries.”

Court records indicate that the defendant became physical with correctional officers when they entered his cell, but no specific details were provided.

Baeza said that first aid was rendered at the scene, and Spratt was taken to a regional trauma center, where he died.

Central Homicide Unit detectives were summoned to question the victim’s cellmate, Payne, culminating in his formal arrest inside the correctional

facility, according to the sergeant. A possible motive and further information regarding what might have transpired in the jail cell were not disclosed.

According to court records, Payne has prior convictions for battery on a public safety official, resisting arrest, attempting to take a peace officer’s firearm, assault with a deadly weapon, spousal abuse and false imprisonment. He had been booked into the southwest county detention facility on Dec. 30 for alleged probation violations.

Jail records indicated that Spratt was arrested in Jurupa Valley on Jan. 10 on suspicion of identity theft and forgery. It was unclear whether prosecutors intended to file charges against him. He was being held on $10,000 bail at the time of the attack.

to hit the pothole. Although your insurance provider will cover the damage if you have collision coverage, you may see an increase in your insurance rates at renewal time.

Be ever-vigilant in your errand runs and weekly commutes. Wrangling potholes shouldn’t ruin your day or night.

To submit a request for road repairs within the Riverside County Maintained Road System you may call 951-955-6899 to submit your request by phone to report potholes, downed street signs and traffic signal outages. Report potholes or rough pavement on state highways and freeways by using the form on the California Department of Transportation website at https:// csr.dot.ca.gov/.

Diane Sieker can be reached by email at dsieker@reedermedia. com

Two men arrested on suspicion of selling narcotics in Lake Elsinore

City News Service

Special to Valley News

Two suspects were arrested on suspicion of possessing narcotics and firearms, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department announced.

Deputies responded to the 31500 block of Canyon Estates Drive in Lake Elsinore on Jan. 17 around 12:30 p.m. to a call about a fight.

When they arrived, deputies found that the people involved in the fight were still at the location.

The two involved were identified as Brandon Lee, 34, of Gardena and Jonathan Mangrum, 31, of

Lake Elsinore.

While deputies spoke with both Mangrum and Lee, they saw large amounts of narcotics inside the room, which led to a search warrant.

Deputies found several loaded firearms and additional items associated with the sales of narcotics.

Both Lee and Mangrum were arrested on suspicion of possessing narcotics for sales and possession of loaded firearms. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Deputy Howe or Deputy Stacey at 951-245-3300.

Authorities arrest 18-yearold on suspicion of attempted murder

City News Service Special to Valley News

An 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department announced Saturday, Jan. 21.

The incident happened on Nov. 24, 2022 in the 32600 block of Mission Trail in Lake Elsinore.

Deputies responded to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon, and upon arrival discovered several

individuals suffering from nonlife-threatening gunshot wounds. The suspect was identified as 18-year-old Miguel Lopez Flores of Quail Valley, and he was arrested Friday, Jan. 20 without incident, according to the sheriff’s department. Anyone with additional information on the incident is encouraged to contact Deputy Crivello or Deputy Frey at the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s station at 951-245-3300.

Firefighters battle attic fire in new construction area in Menifee

City News Service Special to Valley News

Firefighters battled a fire on Jan. 21 in the attic of a one-story residence in Menifee, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department announced. The fire was reported around

11:10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 21 in the new construction area of Douglas Crest Circle and Evergreen Crest Circle. It was unknown if there were any injuries.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

Critical Race Theory, Part 4 - What’s the big deal?

Nevertheless, people are divided and reduced to categories of “Blackness” and “Whiteness.”

After being judged primarily by their skin color, there are positive traits connected to Blackness or people of color and negative traits attributed to Whiteness. Black people are associated with being oppressed and White people are oppressors.

Parents are fighting against it when they find that their children are learning these systematic racist ideologies in school.

racial and sexual identities, then rank themselves according to their “power and privilege.” They separated the eight-yearold children into oppressors and oppressed.

In previous pieces in this series, as well as other editorials over the past year, we’ve learned that with Critical Race Theory race is primary, rather than individuality, even though some proponents believe race does not biologically exist (like gender). Race is just a social construct, but how we identify with race is what shapes our lives, and yet “Whiteness” equals “racist.”

The new form of racial segregation is often into “racial affinity groups” or “racial caucuses.” The assumption is that Whites must “do the work” to address their “internalized racial superiority” and racial minorities must be protected from invasive “Whiteness.”

Next comes intersectionality. If you don’t know what that is, it is easily found online.

An elementary school in Cupertino, California forced third-graders to deconstruct their

Concerning the California Reparations Task Force proposal

So, a San Francisco reparations panel pitches $5 million – each – to Black residents. This offer totally blows out the recent California Reparations Task Force proposal for reparations of $223,000 per recipient according to their recent report.

Adding insult to injury is the contradiction that California has always been a free state since statehood.

If such reparations are actually made, then send the bill to one major remaining guilty party responsible for slavery, Jim Crow discrimination and the KKK terrorism inflicted upon freed slaves and their descendants.

Of course it would be the Democratic Party, whose sordid

history is consistently wrong on race.

This San Francisco panel must stipulate that all reparation funds will be collected from the bank accounts of the Democratic Party, all Democrat subsidiaries and all leadership and members. These monies could then be disbursed to eligible recipients.

Anything else would be a whitewash, and another exercise in Democrat gaslighting of Americans to forget the Democratic Party’s racist history.

Let the Democrats and their ilk be hoisted with their own petard.

Rick Reiss Temecula resident

Senator Kelly Seyarto introduces bill package combating fentanyl

provides local health and public safety agencies with real-time pattern identification information, giving them an opportunity to track trends in overdose drug usage and focus their resources on intervention and education in impacted areas,” Seyarto said.

While proponents of CRT may claim it is not being taught in any K-12 schools, the examples from parents and school employees abound. We’ve reported that while many states are rejecting or outlawing CRT in schools and government, California is aggressively passing curriculums and laws forcing students to learn CRT before graduating high school. Proponents want to make it law.

CRT also addresses the funding of schools and the claim that “White” schools receive $23 billion dollars more than “Black” schools overall. This may be true but it’s likely not because of racism, but because those schools are in states or areas where the property taxes or other funding is lower. While that should be looked at, funding is not always

an indicator of success. One way to break those children out of the failing educational rut is to support charter schools and private schools that outperform their state counterparts and require less funding. They are met with powerful resistance from the unions. Those children are forced to go to neighborhood schools that are failing them. It’s not racism, it’s power structures who want authoritarian-type control. To teach CRT is especially grievous when the schools have a large percentage of students who aren’t proficient in the core subjects. It makes me wonder if CRT is something that administrators want to focus on instead of their students’ core proficiencies because critical race theory rejects proficiencies as being based on racism. That could just be used as another excuse for schools who are failing. It makes it much more dangerous to teach children who the schools are failing to be angry and believe they are victims and whatever troubles

they are having are someone else’s fault and then the White children are taught to feel shame and guilt based on their skin color. There’s just nothing redeemable about this theory except that it does get people to do a deeper dive in their thinking to make sure they aren’t being or thinking racist in any way.

Our goal needs to be diversity without division.

We must prioritize excellence and proficiency in math, science, reading and writing, culture, art and technology. We need to teach children how to think, not what to think. We need to focus on the individual. Assess their skills and build on those. My favorite tool is the Gallup Strengths Assessment. Each person has an amazing combination of skills that they need help and encouragement to unlock and develop in addition to the basics. Let’s develop strong courageous, confident, and talented individuals who love their country and all races of people equally.

Kind words for staff photographer

Senator Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta) has introduced his public safety bill package for the 2023 legislative year, focusing on combating fentanyl abuse in our communities. SB 19 would establish the California AntiFentanyl Abuse Task Force to increase public education and mobilize state and local resources to evaluate the best practices for combating fentanyl. “Californians are falling victim to drug dealers who prey on the potency and availability of illicit fentanyl,” Seyarto said. “We need to give local agencies the tools they need to keep our communities safe and hold criminals accountable. This task force will identify the resources necessary to respond and bring this epidemic under control.”

SB 67 would enroll California’s departments and agencies who are on the frontlines of the opioid epidemic into the free universal information sharing program known as ODMAP to track and effectively address live patterns of overdoses. Currently, over 3,000 local, state, and federal agencies across the country participate in this program.

“This data sharing application

“By expanding this resource to all of California, we can enhance community response and work together against the fentanyl epidemic.” Seyarto is also proud to co-author SB 44 (Umberg): Alexandra’s Law, a bipartisan bill that would require a court to issue an advisory to individuals convicted of selling or distributing controlled substances, including fentanyl, warning them of potential future criminal liability if another person dies as a result of those actions. In 2020 alone, California experienced nearly 4,000 deaths related to fentanyl overdose, and in 2021, fentanyl overdose became recognized as the leading cause of death of Americans aged 18 to 45. Seyarto is a retired firefighter/ paramedic who served numerous Southern California communities during a career that spanned 35 years. He retired at the rank of Battalion Chief from the Los Angeles County Fire Department in 2015.

Senator Kelly Seyarto, R-Murrieta, represents California’s 32nd Senate District, which includes the cities and communities of Aguanga, Anza, Borrego Springs, Canyon Lake, Chino Hills, Corona, El Sobrante, French Valley, Homeland, Idyllwild, Julian, La Cresta, Lake Elsinore, Lake Mathews, Lakeland Village, Menifee, Murrieta, Norco, Sage, Riverside, Temecula, Temescal Valley, Wildomar, Winchester, Woodcrest, and Yorba Linda.

Julie Reeder Publisher

Valley News staff photographer Shane Gibson received a hand-written thank you note from a Temecula couple happy to see their grandson’s photograph in the newspaper.

Valley News file photo

Highway Update

RCTC warns of weekend closures on the westbound 91 in Corona

Tony Ault Staff Writer

Riverside County Transportation Commission warned commuters and weekend travelers they should plan ahead for a full closure of westbound 91 in Corona the weekend of Jan. 27-30.

Motorists should steer clear of westbound 91 in Corona or be prepared for heavy traffic delays, due to the closure of all lanes on westbound 91 from Interstate 15 to Lincoln Avenue from 10 p.m. Friday to Monday, January 30 at 5 a.m.

The full closure is needed for crews to perform work on two adjacent projects led by the RCTC, the 15/91 Express Lanes Connector and the 91 Refresh Project. Work is being combined into one weekend closure for both projects to reduce the impact to drivers, residents and businesses.

The weekend work will have crews removing the overhead

support structures placed a year ago above the 91 to build the connector.

At the same time, the 91 Refresh crews will continue repaving lanes on westbound 91, an area with a long history of roadway settlement between I-15 and Lincoln Avenue.

All westbound 91 lanes in this area will be closed including the westbound 91 Express Lanes in Riverside County. The westbound 91 Main Street on-ramp and off-ramp, the westbound 91 Lincoln Avenue off-ramp, and the westbound 91 connectors from Interstate 15 will also be closed. To reduce time stuck in traffic, drivers should steer clear of the closure area and use westbound Route 60 to southbound Route 71 or 57 as alternate routes. Travelers also are advised to use Metrolink passenger rail as a travel alternative. Visit metrolinktrains.com for schedules, fares and other information.

Menifee

Menifee announced a new SoCal Gas Company project will close

Matthews Road at Menifee Road for gas line improvements. Matthews Road will be closed during daytime hours. Work is expected to continue for approximately two weeks. Traffic control will be in place during active construction.

At Murrieta Road and Newport Road, Eastern Municipal Water District is nearing completion of the construction work. Intermittent traffic control may still be in place as the project completion progresses. Please visit www. emwd.org/MurrietaRoad for additional updates on this project.

Traffic Signal Improvement work continues for Garbani Road and Menifee Road. Temporary traffic control is expected to remain in place as necessary through February.

McCall Square traffic signal work continues on the signal and median at McCall Boulevard and Ranch Road as part of the McCall Square project. The construction schedule for this project has been

extended and is now expected to continue through April. Traffic control will remain in place for the duration of the project.

The City continues removing and replacing ADA ramps throughout the Lazy Creek neighborhood. Traffic control will be in place at various locations as necessary.

SoCal Gas Company will also continue the installation of new pipeline infrastructure in the vicinity of Evans Road and Lazy Creek. Lane closures will remain in place for the next several months to support the project.

For questions on the project/ construction updates listed, please contact Philip Southard, Public Information and Legislative Affairs Officer, at 951-746-0654 or psouthard@cityofmenifee.us

Wildomar In Wildomar, final surface paving has been delayed by rain on Bundy Canyon, but should soon resume. The city reported that Cherry Street and Canyon Ranch Road will be

closed until sometime next month, but alternate access routes are open and available for the work in that community.

The final paving on Palomar and Clinton Keith in the city is underway and should also be completed in February.

Caltrans

The California Department of Transportation continues work to rehabilitate 59 miles of lanes, ramps, and drainage systems on Interstate 15 in San Bernardino County. The project spans from Oak Hill Road in Hesperia to just south of Bear Valley Road in Victorville, weather permitting. There may be a traffic switch on this portion of the freeway and motorists should use caution and slow down in this area. There could be possible connector closures at the NB I-15 to NB US 395 during some operations.

Tony Ault can be reached at tault@reederemedia.com

Sheriff seeking what drove ‘mad man’ from Hemet to shoot up dance hall

Amy Taxin, Stefanie Dazio, Terry Tang and Brian Melley

Associated Press

MONTEREY PARK (AP)

— Investigators searching for a motive Monday, Jan. 23 in the worst mass shooting in Los Angeles County history said the gunman was previously arrested for illegally possessing a firearm, had a rifle at home, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and appeared to be manufacturing gun silencers.

Huu Can Tran lived in The Lakes at Hemet West, a gated community off a busy road with a view of snow-covered mountains. The development has a par-3 golf course, shuffleboard court and a dance floor. Properties listed for sale ranged from $45,000 to $222,000.

A neighbor, Pat Roth, told KNBC-TV that Tran said he was a ballroom dance instructor in the past and would sometimes show up to dances at the senior community.

“Didn’t seem like he’d harm a fly, you know. He wasn’t a big guy,” Roth said. “He’d pet your dog when you walked by.”

Hemet police had no records of any incidents involving Tran in the community or calls for service at his home, Reyes said.

Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna said investigators had not yet established why 72-yearold Tran gunned down patrons Saturday night at a ballroom dance hall in Monterey Park, where tens of thousands attended Lunar New Year festivities earlier that evening. Tran later killed himself as police closed in on him.

“What drove a mad man to do this? We don’t know, but we intend to find out,” Luna said.

A man who said he had been a longtime friend of Tran told The Associated Press that the gunman once frequented the dance hall and another that he also targeted and griped about the way he thought

people treated him there.

Tran fired 42 rounds at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio, killing 11 people and wounding nine. He then drove to another nearby dance hall where an employee wrestled a modified 9 mm submachine gun-style semi-automatic weapon away from him, Luna said.

Gov. Gavin Newsom met Monday with Brandon Tsay, who works part-time at the dance club founded by his grandparents, and said he was a true hero.

“This remarkable young man who without any hesitation, though with moments of fear, took it upon himself to save countless lives,” Newsom said. “Who knows how many lives he saved.”

Tsay said he was proud of his actions but did not want to discuss them so the focus would stay on the victims.

“Some of these people I know personally,” Tsay said outside his family’s home. They come to our studio. It’s a tight knit community and I hope they can heal from this tragic event”

Tran fatally shot himself Sunday as officers surrounded the van he was inside. A handgun was recovered from the van, which matched descriptions of the vehicle he used to get away from the dance studio.

Sheriff’s deputies from Los Angeles County searched Tran’s home in a gated senior community in the town of Hemet, a little over an hour’s drive from the site of the massacre. Luna said his officers found a .308-caliber rifle, an unknown amount of bullets and evidence he was making homemade firearm suppressors that muffle the sound of the weapons.

Tran had visited Hemet police twice this month to report he was the victim of fraud, theft and poisoning by family members a decade or two ago in the LA area, Hemet police spokesperson Alan Reyes told The Associated Press. Tran said he would return to the station with documentation but never did.

The death toll rose to 11 Monday after health officials announced that one of the 10 people wounded had died, officials said.

My Nhan, 65, Lilian Li, 63, and Xiujuan Yu, 57, were identified by the Los Angeles coroner’s office as three of the six women killed. Two other women were in their 60s, and one was in her 70s. Valentino Alvero, 68, was the only man identified. Three men in their 70s and one in his 60s were also killed.

Nhan’s family said in a statement that she was a loving person whose kindness was contagious, and loved to dance.

“Unfairly, Saturday was her last dance,” the family said. “We are starting the Lunar New Year broken. We never imagined her life would end so suddenly.”

Authorities have shared little about Tran, who owned a trucking company in Monterey Park from 2002 to 2004, according to California business records.

He was once arrested for unlawful possession of a firearm in 1990 and had a limited criminal history, Luna said. The sheriff could not immediately say if a gun arrest at a time when firearms laws were different would have barred him from owning weapons.

Tran’s ex-wife told CNN they married soon after they met at Star Ballroom, where he offered her free lessons. She said he would become upset if she missed a step dancing, but was never violent toward her.

They divorced five years later, citing irreconcilable differences, Los Angeles Superior Court records show. The couple did not have children, said they had no community property and neither side had to pay alimony.

While she is named in court papers, she asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the case.

His ex-wife’s story was echoed by a friend who told AP that Tran offered to teach new women at both clubs how to dance for free so that he would have a partner.

But Tran was perpetually distrustful and paranoid and would regularly complain that people at the clubs didn’t like him, according to the former friend who requested anonymity to speak about Tran because he wanted to avoid the media spotlight.

“He always cast a dubious eye toward everything. He just didn’t trust people at all,” the friend said. “He always complained to me that the instructors ... kept distance from him, and according to what he said, many people spoke evil of him.”

Tran eventually moved from the San Gabriel Valley, a melting pot for Asian immigrants, and settled in Hemet, a retiree community 75 miles (120 kilometers) east of Los Angeles in Riverside County.

The shootings during Lunar New Year celebrations sent a wave of fear through Asian American communities, dealing another blow to a community that has been the target of high-profile violence in recent years and cast a shadow over festivities nationwide.

The massacre was the nation’s fifth mass killing this month and the deadliest attack since May 24, when 21 people were killed in

an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

Tran is the second-oldest mass killer in the U.S. over the last nearly 20 years according to a database compiled by The Associated Press, USA Today and Northeastern University.

The only older mass killer was a 73-year-old who murdered five people in Yuma County Arizona in 2011 before killing himself. The database tracks every mass killing, defined as four dead not including the offender, committed in the U.S. since 2006.

About 20 minutes after the first attack in Monterey Park, Tran entered the Lai Lai Ballroom in the nearby city of Alhambra.

Tsay, who was in the lobby, told ABC’s “Good Morning America” that he thought he was going to die.

“Something came over me. I realized I needed to get the weapon away from him, I needed to take this weapon, disarm him or else everybody would have died,” Tsay said. “When I got the courage, I lunged at him with both my hands, grabbed the weapon and we had a struggle.”

Once Tsay seized the gun, he pointed it at the man and shouted: “Get the hell out of here, I’ll shoot, get away, go!”

The assailant paused, but then headed back to his van, and Tsay called the police, the gun still in his hand.

“He saw that he had an opportunity,” said his father, Tom Tsay, co-owner of the studio. “The person was cocking his gun. And he saw the opportunity and he just jumped.”

Taxin reported from Hemet, Dazio reported from Alhambra and Melley reported from Los Angeles.

Associated Press journalists Alanna Durkin Richer in Boston, Christopher Weber, John Antczak and Robert Jablon in Los Angeles, and Julie Watson in San Diego contributed to this report.

EVMWD approves design contract for Highway 74 sewer extension

Joe Naiman Writer

The Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District board approved a design contract for the Highway 74/Ethanac Sewer Extension Project.

The board’s 4-0 vote Thursday, Jan. 12, with an abstention from Jack Ferguson, who was appointed to fill a vacant seat earlier in the day and didn’t desire to vote on an item about which he had no familiarity, approved a $1,635,345 professional services agreement with Kennedy/Jenks Consultants for the design of the sewer extension. The board action also approved total expenditures of $2,054,251 which will fund $410,729 of staff time expenses and $8,177 for overhead in addition to the contract amount.

The Highway 74/Ethanac Sewer Extension Project will construct 12,500 feet of 15-inch diameter

sewer main from Wasson Canyon Road to the district’s service area boundary at Ethanac Road. The estimated cost range is $10 million to $13 million.

During various Riverside County Board of Supervisors meetings in 2022, the Highway 74 Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District Public Financing Authority was established. The Highway 74 Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District will extend along state Route 74 from Conrad Avenue to Seventh Street and encompasses approximately 941 acres and 475 current parcels. An enhanced infrastructure financing district is a state-approved bond issuance mechanism for local governments. On Oct. 25, the county supervisors approved the infrastructure financing plan for the district. The $90,072,627 of EIFD infrastructure costs consist of $40,084,289 for roadway safety and transit improvements,

$17,815,239 for sewer improvements, $13,361,430 for fire station facilities, $8,907,620 for flood control facilities, $5,450,239 for community center improvements and $4,453,810 for area beautification and signage.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 included $350 billion of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds allocations for eligible state, territorial, tribal and local governments. The funding addresses the public health emergency and economic impacts of the coronavirus epidemic and can be utilized for four eligible categories: mitigation of negative economic impacts, premium pay for eligible workers performing essential work, provision of government services lost revenue would have eliminated and necessary infrastructure investments including water, sewer and broadband. In October 2021, the county board

of supervisors approved the allocation of $65,000,000 of ARPA funds for infrastructure projects in Riverside County.

In February 2022, the county board of supervisors increased the infrastructure allocation to $82 million which provides for $15 million per supervisorial district and $7 million for the Broadband Affordability Program.

On Dec. 6, the county supervisors approved an infrastructure funding agreement between the county and the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District which will provide up to $10,034,839 of ARPA funding for the Highway 74/ Ethanac Sewer Extension Project, the Grand Avenue Lakeland Village Community Center Sewer Extension Project and the Lakeland Village 8-inch Water Line Extension – Ranspot and Peeler Project. The Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District will administer, construct and maintain

the projects.

ARPA funding will provide $8,000,000 of the Highway 74/ Ethanac Sewer Extension Project $10,000,000 cost estimate. The funding agreement also includes a provision that if construction bids for the Highway 74/Ethanac Sewer Extension Project exceed the estimates additional ARPA funding of up to 80% of the increased cost, although not to exceed $834,839, would be allocated.

Because APRA funding is being used the project must be completed by Dec. 31, 2026. Kennedy/Jenks, which is based in San Francisco and has offices in San Diego and Murrieta, already has Eastern Municipal Water District sewer design contracts for Eastern’s Northern Wine Country Sewer Rancho California Road Phase II and Southern Wine Country Sewer De Portola Road/Anza see SEWER, page D-7

Huu Can Tran Valley News/Courtesy photo