Knee Deep in the Hoopla, A-3
HS Football: League match-ups kickoff in Week 6, D-1
VALLEY
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NEWS
October 16 – 22, 2015
www.myvalleynews.com
Local
Silver Buckle Ranch Classic held last weekend
Volume 15, Issue 42
Hundreds come to Lake Elsinore Relay For Life to support fight against cancer
Taryn Murphy Intern On Saturday evening, Oct. 10, Green Acres Interactive Therapy (GAIT) hosted the Silver Buckle Ranch Classic, a fundraiser which drew over 50 attendees from Temecula Valley and beyond. Green Acres offers therapeutic horseback riding and animal interaction. The GAIT program has been offering this exclusive form of therapy to disabled children for the past 10 years. see page A-9
Local
Neighborhood approves of speed bumps Tony Ault Writer Murrieta traffic surveys in the Rancho California Golf Club communities showed a majority of residents approved of a series of speed bumps placed there in March, prompting the City Council to approve a new speed bump ordinance at its Oct. 6 meeting.
Lake Elsinore Relay For Life Participants cirlce the track at Canyon Lake Middle School on Saturday, Oct. 10. The 24-hour event featured a luminaria ceremony, a survivor lap and guest speakers. Michael Loeschnig photo
Michael Loeschnig Writer
see page A-7
The City of Lake Elsinore hosted its annual American Cancer Society Relay For Life event on Sat., Oct. 10 at Canyon Lake Middle School, celebrating the lives of over 50 cancer survivors, some of whom have
Entertainment
Murrieta Rod Run speeds into town
been cancer free for over 20 years. Relay For Life began in the mid-1980s, when Dr. Gordy Klatt, a colorectal surgeon from Tacoma, Washington, decided that he was going to raise funds for his local American Cancer Society office. In May 1985, Dr. Klatt ran and walked for 24 hours straight on the track
at Baker Stadium at University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. Hundreds of his friends turned out to support him and, over the course of 24 hours and 83 miles, Dr. Klatt raised $27,000. Following Dr. Klatt’s success, the first team relay took place in 1986 and to this day, more than 4 million people in over 20 countries
participate in the event in order to raise funds and awareness to save lives from cancer. Saturday’s event was welcomed by Wildomar Mayor Ben Benoit and Mayor Pro tem Bridgette Moore who attended the event and
see RELAY, page A-8
Wildomar State of the City looks to the future
Tony Ault Writer
Kim Harris Managing Editor
Murrieta’s historic downtown is preparing for the annual Murrieta Rod Run this weekend, Oct. 16-17 with hundreds of registered classic car owners expected to show off their restored and custom vehicles. One of the city’s biggest annual events, the Rod Run is expected to draw thousands of visitors to Murrieta’s Old Town along Washington Avenue.
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see page B-4
Wildomar Mayor Ben Beniot outlines plans for the city’s growth during the 2015 Wildomar State of the City Address held at City Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 7. Kim Harris photo
Wildomar Mayor Ben Benoit spoke to a packed house at City Hall during his 2015 State of the City address. Benoit held the crowd’s attention for just over 30 minutes as he presented the address which focused on the city’s past, present and future. Benoit said that if there was any one thing to take away from the meeting it’s that the city is fiscally sound. “What I really want you to come away with is that we are stable in Wildomar,” he said. “We are going to move forward. Yeah, the state has been holding onto our $2 million, but we are stable.” The city currently operates on a $9 million general fund that is mostly provided by sales tax, property tax, licensing, fines and forfeitures. “For the most part it is sales an
see WILDOMAR, page A-6
Harry Ramos ousted as Murrieta’s Mayor by City Council vote 4-0 Tony Ault Writer
Kim Harris photo
Harry Ramos, Murrieta’s former mayor addresses the crowd at the city’s annual Memorial Day Observance Ceremony in May of this year.
Murrieta City Council voted to remove Mayor Harry Ramos from his position after a city investigation determined there might have been cause to believe that Ramos did engage in misconduct. The special Council meeting called at 1 p.m. Oct. 7 lasted less than 45 minutes with Ramos electing to leave the Council Chambers before the results of the private detective’s council-ordered investigation was to be discussed. Mayor Pro Tem Randon Lane took over the Mayor’s seat and joined in the discussion. After a public hearing with five residents
appearing and a short discussion the Council voted 4-0 to remove Ramos from his seat and prohibit him from representing the city on any commissions, be given no committee assignments, and prohibit him from representing any city business. Councilman Rick Gibbs made the motion seconded by Councilman Alan Long. Once Ramos left the council chamber Lane became acting Mayor and presided over the rest of the meeting. Now that Ramos has been removed from his position as mayor, Lane will succeed Ramos him in the position. In a letter to the media last Friday
see RAMOS, page A-4