Senator Seyarto introduces crime victims’ rights bill package

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Valley News/Courtesy photo

SACRAMENTO – Senator Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta) has introduced his 2023 Crime Victims’ Rights bill package to provide survivors with support and resources to recover.

The first bill, SB 86, would build on Marsy’s Law, passed by voters in 2008, that ensures that victims of crime have equal rights on the same level as those accused and convicted of crimes.

SB 86 would expand the resources available to crime victims by mandating a website where they can easily access information about their constitutional rights and connect to an attorney who can guide them through the complex legal process involved in criminal cases.

“While California has some of the broadest crime victims’ rights in the United States, without guidance, many victims struggle to understand these rights and the complicated legal process which they often face alone,” said Senator Seyarto. “This bill will make the information easier to access, providing clarity and relief to those dealing with trauma.”

A second bill, SB 221, will grant a tax credit to those who provide housing at below-market rates to nonprofits that assist survivors of domestic violence.

According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, between 22 and 57 percent of women and children are homeless due to domestic violence. On average, women wait more than ten years to access stable housing, and while the California Office of Emergency Services Domestic Violence Assistance Program provided over 600,000 nights in shelters in 2019-20, nearly 28,000 requests for shelters

“With nonprofits struggling to provide housing for domestic violence survivors, creating an incentive structure for these partnerships will help close the gap,” said Senator Seyarto. “Our state’s high cost rental markets are a barrier to getting survivors into secure housing, and this bill will be an important piece of starting to rectify that.”

For information on resources, notification of an appeal, or notification on a case the Attorney General’s Office is prosecuting, the California Victims’ Service Unit can be contacted at (877) 433-9069 or by email at VictimServices@ doj.ca.gov

The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 at 800799-7233. For more information,

COURTS & CRIMES

Wildomar man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, domestic violence

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News

Service

Special to Valley News

A man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and domestic violence in Wildomar, authorities said.

Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s Lake Elsinore station responded to a domestic violence call in the 33000 block of Mountain View Avenue on

Thursday Feb. 2, and identified the suspect as Juan Carlos Perez, 30, of Wildomar.

Authorities allege Perez strangled the victim and used a firearm during the altercation. The victim sustained moderate injuries and was treated at the scene by medical personnel, according to the sheriff’s department.

Perez was arrested Friday, Feb. 3 after authorities served a search warrant at his residence and allegedly found evidence related to the crime including a firearm which was seized.

Perez was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, domestic violence and various other felony charges, the sheriff’s department reported.

Anyone with additional information about the alleged crimes is encouraged to contact Deputy Sanchez at 951-245-3300.

Driver killed, passengers injured in headon collision between car, bus

City News Service

Special to the Valley News

A 28-year-old motorist was killed and multiple people were injured in a head-on collision between a Riverside Transit Agency bus and sports car in Menifee Tuesday, Jan. 31, authorities said.

Mauricio Mendez of Chino was fatally injured at about 3:15 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection of Ethanac and Matthews roads, according to the Menifee Police Department.

Lt. Denise Keith said Mendez was at the wheel of a Ford Mustang going west on Matthews Road, where witnesses observed him weaving in and out of traffic lanes as he approached the intersection, apparently to go around slower vehicles.

Keith said an RTA bus loaded with an unconfirmed number of passengers was going eastbound on Matthews Road when the Mustang appeared directly in front of it. The bus driver was unable to maneuver out of the Mustang’s path, and the two vehicles impacted, police said.

Mendez was pronounced dead at the scene by Riverside County Fire Department paramedics 15 minutes later. He was the only one in the car.

“Multiple passengers on the RTA bus suffered minor to moderate injuries,” Keith said. The victims were treated at the scene, with some taken to a regional trauma center for further evaluation and treatment.

“The Menifee Police Department sends our condolences to the family of the deceased and a quick recovery to the injured RTA passengers,” Keith said.

The crash remains under investigation.

Anyone with information about the accident was asked to contact the police department’s Traffic Bureau at 951-723-1690.

Why should you read your Bible?

The American Bible Society, 26 million Americans stopped reading their Bibles last year, which is terrible, because it also means that 26 million Americans stopped reaping the benefits of God’s word in their life.

Don’t let that be you. Instead, here are three powerful reasons you should be reading your Bible. It’s given to us by God, not by man.

Zachary Elliott Special to the Valley News

Imagine you were standing in front of God, and he asked, “Hey, did you get a chance to read my book?” What would you say?

“Cough, cough, well, I was really busy watching ‘The Bachelor,’ ‘ESPN’ and ‘The Office.’”

According to research by

I guess it’s easy for some to have a carefree attitude toward the scriptures. That’s because they forget who wrote it. We must remember that “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work,” in 2 Timothy

3:16-17.

Christians don’t believe that some of the Bible is God’s inspired word. We believe it is all inspired by God.

“Above all, you must understand t hat no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit,” in 2 Peter 1:19-21.

The Scriptures point us to Jesus.

The Bible is not a book just for book’s sake. It’s not some piece of fiction we toss out when we are done. It takes us somewhere – to Jesus.

Jesus said, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal visit thehotline.org.

Senator Kelly Seyarto, R-Murrieta, represents California’s 32nd Senate District, which includes the cities and communities of Aguanga, Anza, Borrego Springs, Canyon Lake, Cathedral City, Chino Hills, Corona, Desert Edge, Desert Hot Springs, El Sobrante, French Valley, Good Hope, Hemet, Homeland, Idyllwild, Julian, La Cresta, Lake Elsinore, Lake Mathews, Lakeland Village, Menifee, Mead Valley, Meadowbrook, Murrieta, Norco, Palm Springs, Sage, Sky Valley, Riverside, Temecula, Temescal Valley, Thousand Palms, Valle Vista, Whitewater, Wildomar, Winchester, Woodcrest, and Yorba Linda.

Woman charged with shooting man during dispute in Menifee

City News Service

Special to the Valley News

A 46-year-old woman accused of shooting an acquaintance during a domestic dispute at her Menifee home was charged Wednesday, Feb. 1, with attempted murder and other offenses.

Jobana Secilia Machuca was arrested Friday, Jan. 27, following a Menifee Police Department investigation at her residence in the 29000 block of Farbo Court, near Pelion Road.

Along with attempted murder, Machuca is charged with assault with a semiautomatic firearm resulting in great bodily injury and a sentence-enhancing allegation of using a gun in the commission of a felony.

She pleaded not guilty during an arraignment Wednesday afternoon before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Elaine Kiefer, who scheduled a felony settlement conference for Feb. 9, at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.

The defendant is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning. According to Menifee police Lt. Paul Barbieri, about 6:20 p.m. Friday, Machuca and the victim, identified only as an adult male acquaintance, were involved in an unspecified squabble that culminated in the defendant grabbing a handgun and allegedly leveling it at him.

Barbieri alleged that Machuca fired a single shot that struck the man in the “left side of his upper torso.” life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life,” in John 5:39-40.

Witnesses called 911, and officers and paramedics reached the location within a few minutes. According to the lieutenant, Machuca was immediately taken into custody without incident, and the victim was transported to a regional trauma center for treatment of the wound, from which he’s still recovering.

Machuca has no documented previous felony convictions in Riverside County.

When you read your Bible, and I hope you do, think of it like God’s giant arrow pointing us to his son Jesus, and ultimately to himself.

God tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth,” in John 1:1, 14.

It changes you from the inside out.

It must start in your heart if you’re going to experience a good, positive change in your life. And that’s exactly where God’s word begins its work.

God uses his word to penetrate the deep areas of our life and heart and remove what doesn’t belong there. The Bible says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any doubleedged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart,” in Hebrews 4:12.

God doesn’t like sharing your heart. Especially with your sin and destructive behavior, and thoughts. That’s why we need his word. It removes the junk that never belonged there.

Zachary Elliott is the lead pastor of Fusion Christian Church in Temecula. For more information, visit http://www. fusionchristianchurch.com, http:// www.encouragementtoday.tv or find them on Instagram.