Learn how to use your brain energy so you can work better and think faster, part two, B-5
Cougar Vineyard & Winery offers great options for holiday gift giving, C-6
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Serving Temecula , Murrieta , L ake E lsinore , M enifee , Wildomar , H emet, San Jacinto and the surrounding communities November 24 – 30, 2017
Local Murrieta economy stable as growth continues Tony Ault TAULT@REEDERMEDIA.COM
Murrieta continues to show growth in housing, drops in the crime rate, expanded health care and rising business license applications, according to experts at the Murrieta Chamber of Commerce Economic Outlook breakfast.
www.myvalleynews.com
Volume 17, Issue 47
Law enforcement, fire personnel participate in active shooter training at Pechanga Resort & Casino
see page A-4
Local Planning Commission green lights ‘Altair’ project Alex Groves AGROVES@REEDERMEDIA.COM
The Temecula Planning Commission voted 5-0 to recommend approval of a densely-packed housing development for the foothills west of Old Town following a fourhour meeting Wednesday, Nov. 15. see page A-6
Faith Join B’nai Chaim for Hanukkah celebrations Kim Harris VALLEYEDITOR@REEDERMEDIA.COM
Every year Congregation B’nai Chaim of Murrieta celebrates Hanukkah, but this year will be extra special according to spokesman Irv Michlin. see page B-3
Business Total Wine & More opens first Temecula store
Shane Gibson photo
Pechanga Tribal Rangers participate in a mock active shooter drill at Pechanga Resort & Casino’s Career Center building, Nov. 15.
Alex Groves AGROVES@REEDERMEDIA.COM
Sheriff’s deputies, firefighters and emergency medical technicians flooded a Pechanga Resort
& Casino parking lot as dozens of people – many seen complaining of injuries – were rushed out of the nearby employment training building. Several onlookers watched calmly from a nearby
parking garage. The surreal scene was part of a planned active shooter training exercise Wednesday night, Nov. 15, which included members of the Riverside County Sheriff’s
Roughly 200 people gathered at the Old Town Temecula Community Theater Nov. 13 for a panel on homelessness that included city officials, law enforcement officers and religious leaders. The event, moderated by Rancho Community Church pastor Scott Treadway, gave officials a chance to talk about the homeless situation in Southwest Riverside County and what they were doing to try to help. The event also gave the audience, mostly members of the faith-based community, the opportunity to be volunteer case managers, volunteer mentors or volunteer service providers to a homeless person.
Entertainment Lake Elsinore Winterfest set to make holidays bright Kim Harris VALLEYEDITOR@REEDERMEDIA.COM
INDEX Local ...................................... A-1 Sports .....................................B-1 Faith........................................B-3 Education................................B-4 Health......................................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 Business Directory................ D-2 Opinion ................................. D-6 Blotter..................................... D-6 Classifieds.............................. D-7
see TRAINING, page B-3
Alex Groves AGROVES@REEDERMEDIA.COM
see page B-6
see page C-2
Department, Riverside County Fire Department, the FBI and Pechanga Tribal Rangers, among other agencies.
Community forum looks at comprehensive approach to homelessness
TEMECULA – Total Wine & More, America’s largest independent retailer of fine wine, beer and spirits, is expanding its presence in Southern California with its first store in Southwest Riverside County.
Lake Elsinore is pulling out all of the stops to make this year’s Winterfest, a holiday gathering to remember.
Shane Gibson photo
A new organization to play a role Brad Fieldhouse, founder of nonprofit City Net, talked about his organization’s role in helping the homeless. Homeless outreach liaison for the city of Temecula, Robin Gilliland, discusses various tactics the city of Temecula uses to handle homelessness in the community during a panel discussion, Nov. 13.
see FORUM, page A-3
Menifee announces hiring of new city manager Alex Groves AGROVES@REEDERMEDIA.COM
The city of Menifee announced Thursday, Nov. 16, that it will be bringing on a new city manager in December. The Menifee City Council unanimously selected Armando G. Villa to fill that role starting Dec. 18. Villa will be replacing interim City Manager Ronald Bradley, according to a city news release. Villa currently works as city manager for the city of Calexico and has been in that position for nearly three years.
He has also held positions with Imperial County, the city of Temecula and the city of Lake Elsinore. Villa started his career in the public sector in 1991 and has more than 25 years of government management, administration, economic development and land use experience. He is a credentialed government manager, an active member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and is certified by the Academy of Board Certified Environmental Professionals. Villa holds a master’s degree in public administration from
California State University, San Bernardino and a bachelor’s degree in urban and regional planning from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. He is married and has two children who are attending college. Menifee Mayor Neil Winter praised Villa’s experience and said Villa was the right candidate for the city from among a pool of 46 qualified applicants from across the country. “Mr. Villa was the right person to work with the council to continue
see MENIFEE, page A-4
Armando G. Villa will be Menifee’s next city manager, officials announced Thursday, Nov. 16. Courtesy photo