Valley News, April 22, 2022

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Autism Acceptance Marketplace at Soboba welcomes families for a fun day out, B-5

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Spring signing day ceremonies take place for local high school student athletes, C-1

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Valley News • www.myvalleynews.com • April 22, 2022

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SERVING TEMECULA , MURRIETA , L AKE E LSINOR E , M ENIFEE , WILDOMAR , H EMET, SAN JACINTO April 22 – 28, 2022

Local Temecula allocates close to $1M to trail extension

VISI T

T HE NEW

AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES

myvalleynews.com

Volume 22, Issue 16

Worshipers recognize the crucifixion of Jesus with Good Friday Crosswalk

Michelle Gerst SPECIAL TO VALLEY NEWS

The Santa Gertrudis Creek Pedestrian-Bicycle Trail Extension and Interconnect Project currently under construction, needs an additional $885,000 to complete. see page A-2

Business Faris given EMWD contract for building rehabilitation and retrofit Joe Naiman WRITER

Faris Construction Company was awarded the Eastern Municipal Water District contract for the rehabilitation and retrofit of EMWD’s Temecula Valley Regional Water Reclamation Facility building. see page B-7

Worshipers gather at the Temeku Cinema parking lot for the 35th annual Good Friday Crosswalk hosted by Student Venture, April 15. The Good Friday Crosswalk in Temecula makes its return after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. See more photos on page A-8. Valley News/Shane Gibson photo

Homelessness, drime and fentanyl focus of Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Legislative Summit Kim Harris MANAGING EDITOR

Education Fire Explorer program gives ‘kickstart’ to careers Rick Monroe SPECIAL TO VALLEY NEWS

Know someone who wants to become a firefighter? The best option for young people 15 to 21 is the North County Fire Protection District’s Fire Explorer Post, a program with a record of success, according to Zach Cain. see page C-4

INDEX Anza Valley Outlook ... AVO-1 Business ............................B-6 Business Directory.............B-7 Calendar of Events ............B-2 Classifieds ........................ C-8 Courts & Crimes .............. C-8 Education .......................... C-4 Entertainment ...................B-1 Faith ............................. AVO-6 Health ...............................B-5 Home & Garden ............... C-5 Local ................................ A-1 National News ................... C-7 Opinion ........................ AVO-5 Regional News .................. C-6 Sports ................................ C-1

Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin speaks at the 2022 Legislative Summit “Enforcing the Law in a Polarizing Society” hosted by the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce at South Coast Winery Resort & Spa, April 12. Valley News/Shane Gibson photo

Editor’s note; In light of the importance of the information covered during the Tuesday, April 12, Legislative Summit, and the impact on the Valley News coverage area, we will do a two-part series on the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce sponsored event. In part one, Valley News shares the information relayed to those in attendance by Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin. Up next week, Sheriff Chad Bianco and Murrieta Police Chief Tony Conrad. Enforcing the law in a polarizing society was the subject of the Tuesday, April 12, Legislative Summit presented by the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce. Moderated by former Murrieta City Councilman Gene Wunderlich, speakers Sheriff Chad

Bianco, Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin and Murrieta Chief of Police Tony Conrad spoke about homelessness and the challenges the state faces due to the ongoing problem. The three also addressed the fentanyl epidemic and the unique challenges they face enforcing the law following the passage of such legislation as Prop 47 and AB 109 by California voters. Hestrin took to the podium to discuss three important issues currently facing Riverside County, the state of California and the nation: the fentanyl crisis, homelessness and increasing crime. Fentanyl crisis According to Hestrin, the fentanyl crisis that is sweeping across the country is killing people in record numbers. “Our county has not been see SUMMIT, page A-7

Graffiti spoils only free-standing synagogue in the Valley Kim Harris MANAGING EDITOR

Just a few weeks before Congregation B’nai Chaim was about to host Passover Seder, synagogue officials reported graffiti on the building to the police. The immediate reaction, according to Irv Michlin, a member of the congregation and vice president of Holocaust Remembrance Foundation of the Valley, was that the graffiti was an anti-Semitic act. “As it turns out, the likely guilty party was a bad actor, defacing property,” Michlin said. The graffiti along the top of the side of the building was first reported to Tracy Nusbaum, the president of Congregation B’nai Chaim, Sunday, April 3. “I received a call, and the synagogue received several calls that the building had been vandalized with thick red paint on three major areas of the synagogue building and storage unit,” Nusbaum said. At the time Congregation B’nai Chaim was preparing to celebrate

its Passover Seder in person, the first since COVID-19 lockdowns began, Nusbaum said. “The thick paint used to vandalize the building could not be washed off or even sand blasted,” Nusbaum said. The location of the graffiti on the siding on the roof was high, so Nusbaum and Michlin knew it would take more work than the small congregation could handle in a timely manner. “Many offered to help but we asked if the city had any resources because we are a small community,” Nusbaum said. “Keeping our doors open since the pandemic has been challenging like other houses of worship around us.” It isn’t the first time the synagogue has faced difficulties. In the last two years, the synagogue had six windows broken by people throwing rocks, two were thrown while the congregation was holding a Saturday Shabbat worship service. see GRAFFITI, page A-8

Graffiti found on Congregation B’nai Chaim earlier this month raised concerns of anti-Semitism. It was later confirmed that the graffiti was not antisemitic, just the work of a gang member claiming the space as his own. Congregation B’nai Chaim is the only standing synagogue in southwest Riverside County. Valley News/Courtesy photo


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