Temecula fifth-grader shines ‘Bright’ at Track and Field Junior Olympics, B-1
Art aficionados immerse themselves in ‘Art off the Walls’, C-1
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Serving Temecula , Murrieta , L ake E lsinore , M enifee , Wildomar , H emet, San Jacinto and the surrounding communities August 18 – 24, 2017
Local Hemet crime reporting reward program explained Tony Ault TAULT@REEDERMEDIA.COM
Hemet’s acting City Manager and Police Chief Dave Brown brought Lt. Eddie Pust to the Aug. 8, city council meeting to explain the different methods of how residents can collect up to $10,000 in rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those committing serious felonies.
www.myvalleynews.com
Volume 17, Issue 33
‘Something wicked this way comes’ with Shakespeare in the Vines’ ‘Macbeth’
see page A-3
Local Injured therapy horse struggling to survive after dog attack Tony Ault TAULT@REEDERMEDIA.COM
There are many appeals for help through social media with those suffering from illness, injury, homelessness and financial injustice, but it is rare when an appeal goes out for an injured therapy horse mauled by a dog whose life now hangs in the balance. see page A-7
Entertainment Country Music legend Clay Walker on love, life and fame
John Leon and Rebecca Reber perform as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth during a scene at Shakespeare in the Vines’ “Macbeth,” Aug. 10. See more photos on page C-7. Shane Gibson photo
Hemet City Manager Meyerhoff resigns Tony Ault TAULT@REEDERMEDIA.COM
Kim Harris VALLEYEDITOR@REEDERMEDIA.COM
Multi-platinum country artist Clay Walker, who took time to speak with Valley News on love, life and what it’s like to be famous, will perform at Galway Downs Aug. 27. see page C-2
Blotter Police searching for man in connection with Menifee murders Jacob Preal JPREAL@REEDERMEDIA.COM
MENIFEE – Riverside police are searching for a suspect involved in the murder of two Menifee residents. see page D-6
INDEX Local ................................A-1 Sports ..............................B-1 Health .............................. B-4 Education.........................B-5 Business ...........................B-6 Entertainment.................C-1 Calendar of Events..........C-4 Dining ..............................C-5 Wine Country .................C-6 Real Estate ......................D-1 Home & Garden..............D-1 Pets...................................D-5 Business Directory..........D-5 Opinion ...........................D-6 Blotter...............................D-6 Classifieds........................D-7 Faith.................................D-7
Hemet City Manager Alex Meyerhoff resigned his post, Aug. 8, after a closed session city council meeting. He served 20 months as city manager. Tony Ault photo
It was announced that after less than two years on the job, Alex Meyerhoff resigned his position as the Hemet city manager following a Hemet City Council closed session meeting Aug. 8. Hemet City Attorney Eric Vail made the announcement as the city council came out of the closed-door session and said that the Hemet police chief will be acting city manager until a replacement can be hired. It is the second time Chief David Brown has sat on the dais as the city’s acting city manager. The first was March 15 after Wally Hill was fired. Meyerhoff’s letter was accepted by members of the city council with Mayor Pro Tem Michael Perciful, who was in San Francisco, sitting
in on the closed session through computer instant messaging. For weeks, the city council has been sitting in closed sessions, discussing Meyerhoff’s performance review. It was apparent during the regular council meetings there were differences of opinion between him and councilmembers Karlee Meyer and Perciful. Vail, in announcing Meyerhoff’s letter of resignation, said “the parties recognized that it was time for an amicable separation that is mutually desirable and over time have developed significant differences of opinion concerning management directions of the city and these differences have become reconcilable. The council has accepted Alex Meyerhoff’s resignation.” Meyerhoff will be on
see RESIGNATION, page A-3
Murrieta Citizen’s Fire Academy fans the flames for students Will Fritz VALLEYSTAFF@REEDERMEDIA.COM
How many firefighters does it take to put out an ordinary kitchen fire? Murrieta Fire Chief Scott Ferguson said, “15-16 firefighters.” And how many firefighters are on duty in the city of Murrieta at any given time? “Just 16 firefighters,” he said. Participants in the Murrieta Fire and Rescue Department Citizen’s Fire Academy will learn this tidbit of information and much more during the eight-week citizens’ course, which kicked off Wednesday, Aug. 9. They will learn about everything from history of the fire department, which was founded in 1947, well before the city incorporated in 1991, to actual fire department procedures, Murrieta Fire Department management analyst Dawn Morrison said Wednesday. “They get to hear a little bit about the sexy stuff, the things that you see and you feel and you experience, all
the way down to the reality, which is much of what we do is business,” Ferguson said. The academy consists of eight three-hour long classes, broken up into a lecture component and an interactive component in which citizens will be able to get out in the field wearing actual fire department gear. The academy also includes food for participants. “We try to nourish their minds and Members of the 2016 Murrieta Citizen’s Fire Academy learn about ladder truck safety. Joe Fanasalle photo their bodies,” Morrison said. And there’s a lot of information ‘em with information, get ‘em out bunker gear before going through a to pack into eight weeks. and let ‘em try it on.” course set up behind the fire station. “It’s a short academy,” Ferguson For the first class, participants are Participants are divided into said. “We say that we kind of cater asked to go through the back of the see ACADEMY, page A-6 to the ADHD, right, short, quick, hit classroom to find adequate-fitting