Knee Deep in the Hoopla, A-3
VALLEY
Linfield’s Taylor Bush among several area players drafted by MLB, C-4
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Section
NEWS
June 19 – 25, 2015
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Local
Kids have a seat at the table thanks to LEUSD and USDA lunch program
Bright futures unfold with high school graduations, D-1
Volume 15, Issue 25
Murrieta helicopter pilot praised, honored at unprecedented Storm Stadium funeral
Kim Harris Managing Editor Lake Elsinore children ages 2-18, along with other children in Lake Elsinore Unified School District are being invited to participate in a free lunch program funded by the United States Department of Agriculture. see page A-4
Business
American Spine and Pain Med Group offers pain relief procedures Ashley Ludwig Staff Writer Khuram A. Sial, M.D., founder of American Spine and Pain Med Group of Murrieta, has spent his career focused on minimally invasive therapies and when necessary, surgeries, to reduce pain. A San Diego native, he graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biochemistry from the University of California, Riverside for his undergraduate work. see page B-3
Sports
Candaele honored while Norman ran loose in New York JP Raineri Sports Editor A little bit of luck and a lot of talent will go a long way in the sports world, and veteran Vista Murrieta football and track and field coach, Coley Candaele, will be the first to tell you all about it firsthand. see page C-6
Shane Gibson photo
USMC pallbearers carry USMC Sgt. Eric Seaman’s casket during a funeral service held at The Diamond in Lake Elsinore on June 12.
Tim O’Leary Staff Writer An unprecedented funeral service at Lake Elsinore’s Storm Stadium capped a days-long process of honoring a Murrieta Marine who died while rescuing earthquake victims in Nepal. The June 12 service, which attracted more than 1,000 people, came precisely one month after
VALLEY NEWS
Powers, the fallen soldier’s commanding officer, said during his remarks at the service. “Eric may be gone, but he will never, ever be forgotten.” The ballpark setting did not lessen the somber tone of Seaman’s passing, which occurred along with the deaths of five other Marines, two Nepalese soldiers and five civilians. Seaman, 30, was a crew chief
aboard a UH-1 Huey that was part of Marine Light Helicopter Squadron 469. He had just finished a stint in Afghanistan, and was looking forward to a homecoming with his wife, Samantha, and their two young children. He was a 2003 graduate of Elsinore High School. The service was believed to be the first of its kind to be held at the
see PILOT, page A-7
Industry leaders cite Wounded warrior renewed gains following gifted with new home in nation’s ‘Great Recession’ Temecula by HFOT Tim O’Leary Staff Writer The Temecula area is continuing to gain its financial footing in the aftermath of the “Great Recession,” industry leaders agreed last week at a regional economic forum. That continuing economic improvement, the speakers and panelists agreed, signals solid gains over last year and a major improvement over the past six years.
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the death of Sgt. Eric M. Seaman. It was preceded and followed by a string of motorcades that covered 150 miles before and after the service and attracted hundreds of onlookers and scores of motorcycles and other vehicles. A repeated theme of the funeral and the events leading to it centered on service and sacrifice. “Let us remember how this hero lived,” Marine Lt. Col. Edward
“I’m feeling pretty optimistic about this right now. We’re seeing new projects and new people out there.” Gary London “I really feel like this will be a long period of economic strength,” said Gary London, one of the event’s two keynote speakers. The region, state and nation are in the midst of a “long, slow recovery” that is just now being felt in several segments of the economy, said London, whose company analyzes trends and advises developers, investors, lenders and public agencies. “We were down so deep for so long,” he told audience members at the $40-per-person breakfast event. London said weak economies across the globe are fueling invest-
ment in American companies and industries. He predicted a resurgence of new housing development over the next few years. “I’m feeling pretty optimistic about this right now,” said London, who described himself as a dirtkicking economist. “We’re seeing new projects and new people out there.” A report from a retail expert was equally upbeat. “The perception of the market is really good right now,” said Lisa Hill-McCay, a vice president of Buxton, a customer analytics firm that boasts more than 3,000 clients in the retail, restaurant, health care, private equity and public sectors. “From a retailer perspective, it’s very positive now,” said HillMcKay, who was the other keynote speaker. The June 10 forum, which was held at South Coast Winery, attracted about 200 participants. It was sponsored by the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce and its theme was “Continuing Prosperity.” Buxton was hired by Temecula in March to do a $40,000 retail recruitment report. A goal of that “custom, targeted retail assessment” will be to attract retailers who have not yet opened stores in the city, according to a Temecula staff report prepared at that time. The company has not yet finished its work, but many of those targets were identified in advance of Temecula’s appearance at a retail industry conference last month,
see LEADERS, page A-3
Army Specialist Geoffrey Quevedo, severely wounded in Afghanistan, thanks Homes for Our Troops and its supporters for their new mortgage-free Temecula home in a special ceremony on Sunday, June 14. Tony Ault photos
Tony Ault Writer Severely wounded Army Specialist Geoffrey Quevedo found it easier to both smile and cry on Sunday, June 14 as he accepted the keys to his new La Paz Road mortgage-free home. It was a long hard way from November 30, 2011 when Quevedo and his Army partner tripped an Improvised Explosive Device on a mission in Kandahar Providence, Afghanistan. It tore off their limbs and other body parts. Sunday he and his new wife of six months, Sammy Quevedo, took a far better step by entering their large handicapable home presented to them by Homes for Our Troops at 44311 La Paz Rd.
The home on a 2 ½-acre lot, chosen by Quevedo, boosts of 40 major adaptations such as widened doorways for wheelchair access, a roll-in shower, and kitchen amenities that include pull-down shelving and lowered countertops. All costs for the home will be covered by Homes for Our Troops and its network of donors, supporters and corporate partners. A special ceremony preceded the Quevedos receiving the keys bringing both smiles and tears from the young wounded soldier. The onlookers included other wounded warriors; veterans; Senator Jeff Stone; Temecula City Councilwoman Maryann Edwards; Bill Ivey, executive director of HFOT;
see WARRIOR, page A-6