Temecula teachers protest recent contract offers, A-3
Growing herbs in the garden, B-10
Tips for selling your house quickly, A-8
VALLEY
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID FALLBROOK, CA PERMIT #499
NEWS
June 6 – 12, 2014
A
Section
www.myvalleynews.com
Volume 14, Issue 23
Fire preparedness key to protecting lives, property Kim Harris Special to the Valley News
Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival guests get a sky high view above Lake Skinner and the festival grounds on Friday May 30, 2014.
Shane Gibson photo
Lake Skinner hosts 31st annual Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival
Alex Groves Staff Writer
Colorful balloons lit up the night sky over Lake Skinner as individuals from all over Riverside County and elsewhere enjoyed some of the Temecula Valley’s finest vintages. The park surrounding the lake hosted the 31st Annual Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival; the event saw more than 40,000 people who were interested in enjoying wine, food and live entertainment from May 30-June 1. Dozens of different food vendors set up shop over the three day
weekend and offered up a number the unusual with items like fried of different culinary options. There alligator on a stick. In addition to its food offerings, were traditional fair food staples the event had a like funnel cake, number of winpolish sausage, “I think as Wine ery and brewery carne asada fries Country starts to booths to visit. and fry bread. Some wineries However, the expand, you’re going were completely food options to see this thing just new to the event didn’t just stop while others were there; several start to take off.” familiar with it. booths offered a – Matt Russell The recently trip to the Mediopened Lorenzi terranean with traditional Greek foods like spana- Estates Winery was serving up its kopita and gyros while others first year vintages of white and red appealed to attendants’ interest in wine. They were offering tastes of
their Estate Riesling and Ranch Red. Brenda Lorenzi, owner of the new winery, described the Riesling as a dessert wine with a mild sweetness that was easy on the palate. She said the Ranch Red was not a traditional dry red wine and that it was actually best served chilled. Lorenzi said that as a first timer of the event, she was excited by how smoothly everything was going. “So far it’s been fun,” she said.
see FESTIVAL, page A-4
WWII veteran recalls D-Day fighting on 70th anniversary of invasion
A trip to the beach is an enjoyable way to spend a day. With warm waves lapping at your feet and a good book to enjoy, hours relaxing at the seaside tend to pass by quite quickly. While such days are often comfortable and relaxing, if you aren’t careful, you may be putting yourself at risk of sunburn and sun poisoning.
Kim Harris Special to the Valley News Bear in Mind: The Story of the California Grizzly, a new exhibit that has opened at the Temecula Valley Museum, is exploring the relationship that Californians have had with the grizzly over the years, according to museum manager Tracy Frick. “It’s really a very interesting exhibit,” said Frick. see page A-10 Wildomar resident Denver Sayre, 96, recalled his war experiences with the help of his wife Arvetta Sayre, 83. The couple has been married for 41 years. Laura Rathbun photo
Program aims to curb DUI-related accidents Dozens of area residents came to Shamrock Irish Pub in Murrieta not long after 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 22 to celebrate and enjoy free food as they supported the efforts of a local nonprofit to curtail the number of drunken drivers on the roadway. The restaurant was serving up free appetizers and drinks to individuals who agreed to be the driver for people they were with as part of a designated driver program.
Health Sun poisoning, sunburns linked to accelerated skin aging
Entertainment New exhibit tells story of California icon
On the 70th anniversary of D-Day, there’s a local veteran that Temecula Valley residents can thank for bravely serving in the invasion that helped Allied forces win World War II. Denver Sayre of Wildomar is 96 and has failing memory, but he can still recall parts of the June 6, 1944 invasion on the beaches of Normandy, France. “We landed on Utah Beach and then worked our way in from there,” he said. He was a forward observer in the Army’s 4th Infantry Division. His job was scouting for Germans with two other soldiers and directing artillery fire at them. “I’d give them locations where they (Germans) were,” he said. Sayre would climb hills and when he located Germans, he’d relay their positions by radio to
Alex Groves Staff Writer
see FIRE, page A-7
see page B-8
Laura Rathbun Special to the Valley News
see VETERAN, page A-6
Residents of Temecula and the surrounding communities felt the effects of wildfires that swept through San Diego County recently when smoke settled into the area prompting officials to issue an air quality warning due to unhealthful conditions. The warning, issued shortly before 11 a.m. on Friday, May 16 by South Coast Air Quality Management District, stated that smoke from the fires created unhealthful conditions, especially for people medically compromised. Residents of the area were told to avoid any vigorous outdoor or indoor exertion, to keep windows and doors closed and to run air conditioning if it was available. The fires were just the beginning of what CAL FIRE officials are referring to as an extremely active fire season. “Fire Season really never ended last year in many parts of California,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, CAL
The program was created by Tiffany’s Gift, an organization that provides local children with scholarships. The organization also seeks to inform members of the public of the dangers of driving any vehicle or vessel while under the influence of alcohol. Murrieta residents Debbie and Mike Breslin started the nonprofit in memory of their daughter Tiffany, who sustained a major brain injury when she was struck by a boat while sitting on the Breslin family sea-doo on a portion of the Colorado River. She died shortly
thereafter. Breslin said she was motivated to advocate for drug and alcohol awareness not long after starting the organization, and that she felt it was particularly important to talk to high school-aged adolescents because of the prevalence of substance abuse among their age group. “I think a lot of drinking and stuff like that starts with younger kids in high school and junior high,” Breslin said. “There’s a lot
see DUI, page A-6
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