Temecula Valley News, March 19, 2021

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JDS Creative Academy celebrates women’s ‘Spirit of Innovation’ and encourages awareness, B-4

Great Oak tops all at SW League crosscountry finals, C-1

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SERVING TEMECULA , MURRIETA , L AKE E LSINOR E , M ENIFEE , WILDOMAR , H EMET, SAN JACINTO March 19 – 25, 2021

Local COVID-19 hospitalizations reach new lows

VISI T

T HE NEW

AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES

myvalleynews.com

Volume 21, Issue 12

Hemet fire Chief Scott Brown announces retirement

Will Fritz ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Coronavirus hospitalizations in the Temecula and Hemet valleys now stand at their lowest points in months, according to the latest data released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. see page A-2

Local Riverside County eyes coronavirus red tier movement next week City News Service SPECIAL TO VALLEY NEWS

Indoor dining should soon return to Riverside County, with health officials confirming Sunday, March 14, they will permit restaurants to again welcome customers into their dining rooms at limited capacity if the county moves into the less-restrictive tier of the state’s reopening plan by midweek as expected. see page A-4

Local Temecula 13-yearold is a winning playwright through Playwrights Project

Hemet fire Chief Scott Brown, seen speaking to a crowd in 2019, retires from service, Friday, March 12.

Tony Ault STAFF WRITER

Hemet’s fire Chief Scott Brown, after serving the city for the past six years, announced his retire-

ment Wednesday, March 10, according to Hemet officials. “After much deliberation and discussions with my family, I have decided to retire from the fire service in order to spend more

time with my family and to pursue other interests,” Brown said in a news release. “I am very proud of the men and women of the Hemet Fire Department who have worked tirelessly to help us raise the level

Declan Kallberg, 13, from Temecula recently won the 36th annual festival of Plays by Young Writers through Playwrights Project for his play “Dub Thee Fear.” Kallberg’s play was one of five to win out of 243 submissions by students statewide.

Anza Valley Outlook ......AVO-1 Business ............................... C-6 Business Directory............... C-8 Calendar of Events .............. B-7 Classifieds ............................ C-3 Education ............................ B-1 Entertainment ..................... B-4 Faith ..................................... C-8 Health .................................. C-5 Home & Garden .................. B-6 Local .................................... A-1 National News ..................... C-7 Opinion................................. C-3 Pets ..................................... C-4 Regional News ..................... C-7 Sports ................................... C-1 Wine & Dine ........................ B-3

see BROWN, page A-2

District will start with TK-K students April 5, move to reopen for other grade levels throughout April Will Fritz ASSOCIATE EDITOR

INDEX

of professionalism and operational readiness of the department. “Together, with the support of the community, we have achieved

Lake Elsinore elementary schools to begin reopening next month

Lexington Howe STAFF WRITER

see page A-5

Valley News/Shane Gibson photo

Lake Elsinore Unified School District is preparing for students to return to in-person instruction in April. Valley News/Shane Gibson file photo

With Riverside County on the verge of moving into the secondhighest “red” tier of the state’s coronavirus reopening framework, the Lake Elsinore Unified School District Thursday, March 11, approved an updated reopening calendar that calls for elementary schools to be open for part-time, in-person learning next month. Anticipating approval of the

district’s COVID Safety Plan by the Riverside County and state of California departments of public health, LEUSD’s board voted Friday, March 12, to approve a plan that will begin in-person instruction for TK-K students April 5 – the Monday after spring break – to be followed by first and second grades April 12; third and fourth grades April 19, and fifth and sixth grades April 26. see SCHOOL, page A-5

Lake Elsinore looks to amend added dwelling units code, continues hold on new cannabis business applications Lexington Howe STAFF WRITER

The Lake Elsinore City Council looked at amendments to Title 17 of the Lake Elsinore Municipal Code related to accessory dwelling units at the meeting Tuesday, March 9. Justin Kirk, assistant community development director of Lake Elsinore, came forward and gave a presentation on the topic on behalf of the staff. “The update to our municipal code is related to several pieces of state legislation that were adopted throughout the year of 2020 and 2021,” Kirk said. “These actions limit the abilities of local jurisdictions to regulate specific aspects of accessory dwelling units related to size, quantity, setbacks and parking. see ELSINORE, page A- 6

Lake Elsinore City Council passes a motion to extend the moratorium on applications submitted for Valley News/Courtesy photo cannabis related land uses.


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