Menifee’s mayor Bill Zimmerman, to encourage health care professionals to continue their exodus to the city, recently invited those from the medical field to attend the second Healthcare Idea Exchange Summit.
A total of 14 people were arrested for allegedly soliciting prostitution, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department announced Saturday, Dec. 10.
Police Chief Edward Varso, soon to leave the Menifee police department, will be handing over his leadership position to Capt. Chris Karrer, with the confidence earned by his skills helping to form the city’s first police department two years ago.
Varso, serving only six months as chief of the Menifee Police Department said he feels comfortable leaving early as he is confident in Menifee Police Department’s strong internal leadership to carry on operations. Varso’s decision to leave his post early to return to his post in Escondido, even though he makes his home in Menifee, is more than just financial as reported, according to others.
Those reasons stem from an appeal from his former department,
for this site that is now in escrow.
The Murrieta City Council struck a transient tax incentive pact with a proposed hotel and agreed with a billboard firm to relocate its signs in the city during its regular meeting, Dec. 6.
The full five member council met and called a public hearing to discuss a Transient Occupancy Tax Revenue Sharing Agreement with 3 Thrones Hospitality. The firm is planning to build a six-story, 131-room hotel. The developer has completed a pre-application process with the City of Murrieta
The Makena Medical Site where the hospital would be located is approved in the General Plan.
The hotel, still in its planning stages, will cater to many medical personnel staying to work in the hospitals as well as regular visitors to the community. This fits in
with the city council’s goal to one day become a medical core for the region.
Hotels that rent temporary rooms are subject to city transient occupancy taxes that help cover the added public service costs needed
page A-6
Police Capt. Karrer taking over as interim police chief upon former chief’s early voluntary separationValley News/Courtesy photos Tony Ault Staff Writer
Menifee City Council continued its discussion on a street excavation moratorium that would better ensure that new and resurfaced roadways would be protected from trenching after their repair or installation for certain periods of time.
The discussion at the regular meeting on Dec. 7 followed after Public Works Director Nick Fidler brought the request for an amended street excavation moratorium to the council. Menifee, in recent years, because of its tremendous growth, has needed major infrastructure additions by utility companies putting in pipelines and sewers. Those projects often have to dig up portions of established or newer roadways causing traffic tie-ups and other problems.
The Menifee Public Works Department sought the approval of the council to have those utilities hold off trenching the newer streets for five years and
the slurry sealed or resurfaced streets for three years until there is an emergency or other serious issue. Those issues would allow exemptions determined by the Public Works Department.
The Public Works Department staff reported they have been in discussions with SoCal Gas, EMWD and SCE officials on the moratorium concept and have done so on a monthly basis. A spokesman for SoCal Gas appeared during the Public Hearing saying his firm objected to the amendment and sought further discussions with the city.
The amendment also would require any utility or developer that makes a trench in the street, either vertically or horizontally, to repave it 25 feet on each lane so there would be no bumps for vehicles crossing the covered trench.
Following the presentation, Councilmember Bob Karwin questioned the word “moratorium” in the change, as it was not a total stop to any utility work in the streets in the 3 or 5 years because of the exemptions. He
said the utility or developer also has many ways to get a waiver on the project as listed including any emergency repairs.
Councilmember Matt Liesemeyer questioned the fees for any repairs made after completion of a road project that were vague and are already defined in the utility or business contracts in the event repairs had to be made on the streets. He said he was not in favor of the fees. “I don’t see the purpose,” he said.
The SoCal Gas spokesman said any needed repairs after the initial work would still be done by the company.
Fidler said the staff would take the council’s questions under consideration before presenting it back to the council in January. He noted in making the request, “We want to make sure we are ensuring our investment.”
Councilmember Lesa Sobek said she too was concerned as the city has invested over $125 million in the city’s infrastructure, including the streets, in recent years.
Fidler, following the discus -
sion, said he and his staff would be meeting with the utility companies again in the coming week to further discuss the issues before it is brought back to the council. He agreed, “We must plan together,” citing the need for utilities to work with the city on its many planned infrastructure projects to save each other extra costs and time in the future.
The council approved a number of new vehicle and equipment purchases in the consent calendar items, including a Ford F-150 ($41,000), an excavator from Quinn Caterpillar ($78,627) and a Lighttower from Multiquip ($11,223). Liesemeyer questioned the need for the purchase of the excavator, which was answered by Fidler who said it would reduce the costs of street and other repairs with the city doing its own work instead of contracting it out as it is now.
Liesemeyer, on another consent calendar item, was assured that the purchases of updated software and a training package ($138,310 and $37,700) would be the most
up-to-date and needed by the city by the technical advisor.
The council named Charmaine Summers Citizen of the Month, recognizing her help in the Sun City Women’s Club, local fundraisers and dance programs and other community events.
Pastor Ryan Sharp of Menifee’s Impact Church gave the council words of inspiration and pointed out it was the anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 where many soldiers and sailors lost their lives defending our nation. He said the heroics of all servicemen attempting to reduce the threat on that infamous attack that took us into World War II should be remembered.
City Manager Armando Villa concluded the meeting telling the council and those attending he learned that the City of Menifee has been named the 7th largest “Boom Town” in America, bringing applause.
Tony Ault can be reached at tault@reedermedia.com.
The Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District approved a change order to the contract for the Horsethief Canyon Water Reclamation Facility.
The EVMWD board voted 4-0 Nov. 22, with the Nov. 20 death of Phil Williams creating a vacant seat, to approve the change order with CDM Constructors Inc. The change order adds $605,901 to the contract and the board action also authorized an additional $3,030 for overhead to create total additional authorized expenditures of $608,931.
The expansion of the Horsethief Canyon Water Reclamation Facility in Lake Elsinore will increase the average daily capacity from 0.5 million gallons per day to 0.8 mgd. Additional flows are expected from planned development in the area, and the housing developers are helping to fund approximately 65% of the project costs. The en-
vironmental Mitigated Negative Declaration was approved in 2018, and in 2021 the EVMWD board awarded a design-build contract to CDM Constructors, which is based in Rancho Cucamonga.
As the design progressed, certain project enhancements and additions were proposed. The enhancements are intended to provide a more efficient and functional facility which can be better operated and maintained by EVMWD staff. The change order covers additional design services, materials and construction costs.
The change order for the portable odor meter will replace the installed instrumentation to monitor odors at the odor treatment facility with the district’s standardized portable odor meter tool. That is more common for odor facilities rather than having constant monitoring and also allows the portable meter tool to be used around the plant and at the fenceline or other nearby facilities to investigate odor concerns.
A spare input/output device will provide additional wiring at strategic locations for installation of future instruments which may be desired for additional or new monitoring of water quality or other parameters.
An auto dialer replacement is also part of the change order. The Horsethief Canyon Water Reclamation Facility currently uses an older auto dialer as a backup to the supervisory data control and acquisition system for alerting operators to an alarm. The current auto dialer is antiquated and has a limited number of alarms used for call out, so it will be replaced with a software system which can call out for any number of alarms and to multiple numbers to improve alarm notification, especially for after hours and when the facility is unmanned.
The generator docking station added in the change order will allow a portable generator to be connected to the plant in case the installed generator has problems
or fails to work during a power outage.
The remote reset for motor control center motors is another part of the change order. That will install a software-based reset on all motors connected to the motor control center, which will allow operators to restart a motor from the remote SCADA locations rather than having to travel to the plant to push a reset button manually. That will save significant staff time in resetting motors and will allow the plant to recover from a motor failure sooner.
The change order also includes additional level instruments on the truck loadout and readout board.
A dewatering building includes a truck loadout bay to drop dewatered solids into an open truck trailer. Although the facility has a scale to monitor the size of the load, level instruments would provide level measurement of the biosolids in the trailer and a large readout board would indicate the level and weight. That will allow EVMWD staff to adjust the loading location and evenly distribute the load without needing to climb into the trailer. The readout will provide for easy monitoring of
the load weight and level from anywhere in the building.
A membrane bioreactor tank bridge crane was also added to the project. The initial plan was for a crane rental to be brought in to lift out membranes as needed, but the final facility layout and concerns about access to a properly-rated rental crane in an emergency make an installed crane more desirable. A bridge crane will be installed above the tanks, and the crane can pick up the membrane cassettes and place them on the ground or on a flatbed truck for inspection, cleaning, replacement and other activities.
Another change will replace an old chlorine analyzer with a new one.
The change order increases the contract amount from $31,569,500 to $32,175,401. EVMWD staff provided the updated cost allocation to the four developers involved in helping to fund the Horsethief Canyon Water Reclamation Facility.
The additional scope of work does not alter the construction schedule. The contract still has a completion date of Dec. 11, 2023.
will be leaving the Menifee police force in good standing as well.
who reportedly have not been able to find a suitable replacement since he left. Menifee City Manager Armando Villa said, “Obviously it was a business decision on his part.” But, he explained, “What’s happening around California right now is a lot of cities are struggling to hire police chiefs…so there is a shortage of talent out there. While a lot of cities are growing their own, promoting their captains to the position.” He indicated that with Varso leaving, he appointed Karrer because of his knowledge of the culture within the police department. He was the best fit.
In Menifee, the city managers, like Villa, are empowered by the city councils to appoint the city’s chief of police. In Varso’s case, he said he had a contract, but it had a clause that allowed him to leave in good stead, without a severance package. Varso, appointed as a department head, like the other department heads in the city, is on what is called an “Evergreen” contract that is for one year. In that time they can, with good reason, leave early as Varso is, and if they choose to stay they can renew their contract. Varso used his post as a “voluntary separation,” but without seeking a regular 3-month severance package.
The City of Escondido did offer Varso an 18% raise and he will still receive his full 5% retirement investment with the city since he served in Escondido for 20 years. The return to Escondido gives him a better guaranteed retirement. He
Karrer was very pleased at his appointment by Villa to replace Varso as an Interim Police Chief with the possibility that after a 90-day probationary period he can be tapped as the permanent police chief. Villa said in Karrer’s probationary time he will have an opportunity to show the council and community that “he has what it takes,” to become the city’s new police chief.
Karrer has served with the Menifee Police Department since its inception. He is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and has over 20 years of local law enforcement experience overseeing numerous divisions including patrol, traffic, investigations, operations and support services.
Following the appointment by Villa, Karrer said, “It has been an honor serving Menifee along with the exceptional men and women of the Menifee Police Department who selflessly put their lives on the line every day to protect our community. I look forward to building upon our success and continuing to grow the department with talented officers and support staff.”
Varso’s last day with Menifee will be Saturday, Dec. 17.
“During his short time here in Menifee, Chief Varso made a strong positive impact on his officers and our community,” Villa said. “We thank him for his service and know the department will be in good hands under the direction of Captain Karrer.”
The City of Temecula Community Services Department announced the winners of the 29th Annual Santa’s Electric Light Parade, thanking all who showed their holiday spirit and community pride while spreading light and cheer. There were many unique and creative parade entries making it difficult to select winners in each specific category.
Award Categories & Winners:
• Animals: Temecula Valley Dachshund Club
• Autos: Inland Jeep Freeks
• Autos (Commercial): Rancho Water
• Bands (High School): Temecula Valley High School Golden Valley Regiment
• Bands (Middle School): Thompson Middle School Band & Color Guard
• Equestrian: Temecula Cowgirls Parade & Drill Team
• Floats: Temecula Ballet Folklorico
• Floats (Commercial): Lake Elsinore Storm
• Marchers: Puahis Polynesian Dance Co
• Religious: Calvary Baptist Church
• Specialty: Warm Springs Middle School
• Overall Parade Winner: LitRiderz
To view photos of the entries from the parade, please visit
RIVERSIDE – Riverside University Health System-Public Health is launching Blue Zones Activate, a comprehensive policy-based initiative that uses an evidence-based approach to make healthy choices easier in all the places people spend the most time.
Spearheaded by RUHS-PH, the effort begins with an in-depth readiness and feasibility assessment of several communities in Riverside County that will help determine how to make them healthier places to live, work, grow up and grow older.
“Our mission is to improve the health and lives of everyone in Riverside County, and we are committed to reducing the
well-being gaps that currently exist,” Kim Saruwatari, director of public health at RUHS-PH, said.
“We’re excited to partner with Blue Zones, a proven innovator in community well-being improvement, to make Riverside County a healthier, happier place where everyone can thrive.”
Blue Zones employs a proven solution in collaboration with communities to help people live better and longer. Research shows where people live has a bigger influence on their health than their genetics. Blue Zones tackles this “ZIP code effect” using scientifically proven lessons of longevity, health and happiness gleaned from 20 years of research to boost the
well-being of entire cities, towns, counties and regions.
The Blue Zones approach focuses on the single largest determinant of health: the place people live. Instead of focusing on individual behavior change, Blue Zones helps communities make permanent and semi-permanent changes to policies, systems, streets, surroundings and social networks so it’s easier for residents to eat wisely, move naturally and connect more with others as they advance throughout their day.
“We are excited to work with Blue Zones and other community leaders and partners to help improve the health of our entire re-
gion. This work will bring together many different organizations in a shared vision toward improving quality of life and well-being for everyone in Riverside County,” Dr. Geoffrey Leung, county public health officer at RUHS-PH, said.
“Riverside County is blessed with leaders that want to build a community where everyone has access to a healthy, happy life,” Ben Leedle, Blue Zones CEO and Co-founder of Blue Zones Project, said.
The Blue Zones team will connect with Riverside County leaders and organizations to begin im mediate work assessing the strengths, needs and challenges
that residents are facing today. The work will survey countywide policy with a detailed focus on the cities of Banning, Coachella, Riverside and the unincorporated communities of French Valley and Mead Valley.
Blue Zones will create a transformation plan that, once implemented, can drive widespread improvements in well-being, reductions in health care costs and improve economic vitality in the region. For more information, visit http://bluezones.com/activateriverside-county.
Submitted by Riverside University Health System-Public Health.
The See’s Candies shop in Hemet opened for business on Dec. 9, 1982. A steady stream of customers has kept the business going strong and on Saturday, Dec. 3, it celebrated its 40th anniversary. As a thank you to loyal sweet-toothed regulars, the shop offered special promotions, games and giveaways.
“We are so excited to be celebrating 40 years in the community,” President and CEO Pat Egan said. “In 2020, the shop went through a minor refresh which included the installation of a new candy counter, upgrade to LED lighting, interior paint and even new graphics and signage. This new refresh provided the shop with an updated look and an even better shopping experience for our customers.”
Rosie Tipton has worked at the Hemet shop for 20 years and has been its manager for the past three years. She started her career with See’s as a seasonal employee in West Covina. There are currently two full time employees, two part time employees and nine seasonal employees for the Christmas holiday at the Hemet location.
Egan said that no matter the season or occasion, all shops have the perfect gift and that they always look forward to bringing joy to their customers throughout the year.
“I like to say that Christmas is our Super Bowl; it’s our busiest time of year, and we always look forward to serving our customers. However, Valentine’s Day and Easter are also big seasons for us,” he said.
When deciding where to open a See’s Candies shop, Egan said customers guide the company’s most important decisions.
“When we select a shop, we expect it to be there permanently,” he said. “See’s makes decisions with decades, not years, in mind. We look for shopping locations that are most convenient for our customers and with neighboring retailers that match our customers’ shopping habits.”
Egan said they also test customer demand by opening temporary shops ahead of Christmas or Valentine’s Day and said that one thing they have found is that everyone gets so excited when there is a new See’s in town, even if they already have one in their city.
Tipton, of Homeland, said there are many things she loves about working at See’s but enjoys most her connections with the customers. She said over the years the biggest changes she has seen are customers being more knowledgeable about the products.
“We also have a much larger variety of non-chocolate items, as well as sugar-free,” she said. “As far as operations, the biggest change has most definitely been the advances in technology.”
Tipton said the most popular candy choices at the Hemet shop are the Bordeaux, which is a brown sugar buttercream and Pecan Buds, which are chocolate-covered pecans and caramel. She said the Nuts & Chews variety box is very popular, especially during the holidays, and she always orders extra.
She finds it hard to narrow down her favorite candy choice but said, “If I had to choose just one, most definitely Marzipan, honey almond paste covered in dark chocolate.”
The first shop, selling Mary See’s delicious confections made from her own original recipes, opened in Pasadena in 1921. Its motto of “Quality without Compromise” has been the mission of all outlets that have opened since then. There are currently 240 shops across America. See’s full-service online shop opened in 1995, which allowed customers to shop from around the world. Egan said a See’s App was launched last year, allowing customers to quickly and conveniently order their candy.
“However, I like to think we are trailblazers in the space for deliveries,” Egan said. “In 1928, we started our motorcycle delivery
service in L.A. where our Harley, that we still have today, would make candy deliveries. So, way before Uber Eats and Postmates! And, in our second year in business (1922) we started our mail order business that has led to our
very popular catalogs, which we still send every year in the hundreds of thousands.”
The Hemet shop, at 3333 W. Florida Ave., will have extended holiday hours. It will be open Dec. 16 and 17, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Dec. 18,
10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Dec. 19 through 23, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. and Christmas Eve from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
For more information, 951-9293330 or www.sees.com.
The Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation
The Riverside County Board of
Supervisors, whose board members comprise the board of the Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, voted 5-0 Nov. 29 to approve the agreement with Hollaway Environmental and Communications Services Inc., which is headquartered in Houston. Hollaway will be
paid up to $200,000 for the company’s services, and the contract is through Sept. 30, 2026.
The Murrieta Creek Flood Control, Environmental Restoration, and Recreation Project includes four phases. The first phase will provide channel improvements and environmental restoration in Temecula from the Front Street/ Highway 79 South junction upstream to First Street. The second phase, which is also in Temecula, will provide channel improvements and environmental restoration between First Street and Winchester Road. Phase 3 will construct the detention basin, provide environmental restoration and build a sports park between Winchester Road and Elm Street in Murrieta. Phase 4, which is entirely within Murrieta, will provide channel improvements and environmental restoration from the
detention basin upstream to Tenaja Road and Vineyard Parkway.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers collaborated with the county on an Environmental Impact Statement for Federal compliance and an Environmental Impact Review for California Environmental Quality Act compliance. The Army Corps of Engineers prepared the EIS and EIR which covers the entire project and the Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District board certified that combined environmental document in January 2003.
A supplemental environmental document certified in August 2014 authorized the district to proceed with the project.
The flood control district and the Army Corps of Engineers are currently collaborating to develop an economic re-evaluation report through an economic
update process and a general re-evaluation report which will be a post-authorization decision document. Hollaway will provide economic technical assistance to support the development of those two documents. The consultant agreement stipulates the terms and conditions by which Hollaway will provide the technical assistance. The economic analysis, which will be detailed in the reports, will support future requests for Federal funding.
In August 2022 the flood control district issued a request for qualifications for technical assistance. Hollaway was the only firm to respond, but a selection committee of flood control district employees reviewed the proposal and the firm’s qualifications and determined Hollaway to be qualified to perform the tasks.
Christmas is just around the corner..and we are on the corner!! Come in and see us at COMPASS Fallbrook located at 100 Main! The store is full of wonderful gift ideas for any home. Have a cup of coffee on us, and we can talk about your Real Estate strategy for next year as well! No pressure, just friendly, professional honest information from your local hometown real estate experts! AT YOUR SERVICE! – Ken
The Fallbrook downtown shops are STOCKED and ready for you to come SHOP and find that perfect gift! Come join us downtown on MAIN AVENUEand say HELLO!
SHARON’S ON MAIN is offering a “FRIENDS and FAMILY” 15% OFF to anyone who clips this “SHARON’S CORNER” and brings it in! Can’t wait to see you! Happy Holidays!
OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY, DEC. 17TH • 11AM-1:30PM
FALLBROOK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Stop by the chamber and donate to one of these nonprofits: Empowering Latino Futures, Good Dog! Service Canines, Neighborhood Healthcare and REINS. Cash or checks made payable to the charity of your choice.
Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce www.fallbrookchamberofcommerce.org
Following the passing of Division 4 board of director Phil Williams, Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District voted 4-0 to fill the vacancy by appointment, as required by state law, at the Dec. 8 board meeting.
The area represented by the Division 4 director includes parts of Corona and western Lake Elsinore, as well as the unincorporated communities of Horsethief Canyon and Alberhill. EVMWD is now accepting applications from interested candidates.
To be eligible, candidates must live within the boundaries of Division 4 and be registered to vote. A map of Division 4 is available at www.evmwd.com/board-ofdirectors/division-boundary-maps or by calling EVMWD at 951-6743146 to confirm residency within Division 4.
Key dates are as follows:
• Thursday, Dec. 29 at 5 p.m. is the deadline for candidates to submit a letter of interest.
• Eligible candidates will be scheduled for an interview to present their qualifications at the regularly scheduled Board of Directors meeting on Jan. 12, 2023, at 4 p.m. The Board may elect to schedule additional meetings and interviews if necessary.
• The Board intends to appoint the new Director no later than Friday, Jan. 20, 2023.
Letters of interest and applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022. Letters of interest may be submitted via email to Terese@
for those temporarily visiting in the community. While the transient taxes are nominal in most cases, the city still adds the revenue to its annual budget.
A Pro Forma conducted by the 3 Thrones developer has forecasted the hotel’s gross revenues of approximately $70 million will be generated in the first 10 years of operation. In addition, it is estimated that there would be $6,958,661 in TOT revenues payable to the City of Murrieta in the same 10-year span, according to a city report.
However, as an incentive, the new hotel owners are seeking a 50/50 split with Murrieta city on the collected transient taxes once the hotel is open, until they reach $1 million. The overall total benefit seen for the hotel in the city is seen at close to $14 million a year with the visitor stays. It was noted that the 50/50 split agreement will begin only after the project is approved by all other city agencies, constructed and open.
The council quickly agreed to the transient tax agreement, seeing its benefit not only to the city but to the hospitals in the community and noting it provides an incentive for others in the medical profession to settle or visit in the city.
In public comment, Patrick Ellis from the Murrieta/Wildomar Chamber of Commerce and Explore Murrieta, said the business community is in total agreement with the 3 Thrones Hospitality request. “This has been a desperate need for our community…We are completely in support of this project,” Ellis said.
“This is a pearl that is sorely needed, especially in that (medical) corridor,” Mayor Jonathon Ingram said.
The council, in another Public Hearing, voiced their favor of Lamar Central Outdoor LLC’s request to remove their current seven static billboards located along Interstate 215 in the city and replace them with four digital (lighted) billboards. This would fall under the
The
effort of the city to take out the older billboards in order to improve the beauty of the community. Currently there are 11 billboards in the city, only one is on city property.
Lamar proposed to relocate the billboard on city property and three other billboards on private property. The sign company said they would make a one-time payment of $250,000 for each sign when they all become operational, bringing the city a total of $1 million. They would also pay the city an annual fee equal to 25% of the gross advertising generated by the signs after that. The payments will be documented in a lease agreement for the city property, and in development agreements with the private properties. Lamar, as an added incentive in the proposal, said they would erect a digitally lighted informational monument in front of the city hall for residents to see. Earlier, Lamar fulfilled a promise not to place any adult or illegal drug advertising on the billboards and will continue to keep that promise.
The lease and development agreements will be brought to the city council for consideration at a future meeting. The relocation of the old city billboard will not require a lease or development agreement as the relocation was approved in a 1997 relocation agreement, the report said. The report also found the relocation of the signs would be exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act.
Ingram said the proposed relocation of the signs and removing others was a cumulation of eight years of work by the city and billboard owners. Following a favorable discussion the council approved the agreement.
The city then approved the establishment of a 2.9 % credit card processing fee to cover their costs. That fee has, until now, been paid by the city to the credit card companies for the service. E-check or debit cards used would not be charged a fee.
The city finally adopted the
for the November 2024 general election.
For more information, contact EVMWD’s district secretary at 951-674-3146 or visit www. evmwd.com/boardvacancy.
Submitted by EVMWD
2023-2024 Fire Code with several amendments bringing the city’s own fire codes that only adds to and does not delete any of the state’s fire codes. The city allows rural driveways to allow for a 75,000-pound fire vehicle with any approved support material that doesn’t require cement. Pool owners can use other effective methods to protect their pool from drowning other than a fence, and safety measures in buildings up to five stories.
The consent calendar included 12 other items that were approved by the council.
Finance manager Jennifer Terry and finance director Javier Carcamo provided the council the annual fiscal year financial operating activities in an annual report on the city’s operating activities. They totaled $164 million in revenues and $129.8 million in expenditures for all funds resulting in an operating surplus of approximately $34.1 million. Total actual revenue outperformed the amended budget by $316,232 while expenditures were under budget by $18.2 million primarily due to budget amendments approved throughout the year. Overall, budgetary savings and actual revenues exceeded actual expenditures, resulting in positive operating results.
It was explained that the overall financial operating balances were higher than anticipated due to a combination of improved revenues and budgetary savings. Several contributors factored into ending the year on a positive note: higher than anticipated sales tax, property tax and transient occupancy tax, as well as other revenue sources; a combination of savings from vacant positions and planned savings from frozen positions, and budgetary savings under general operations.
The unspent monies will be carried over into the 2023-2024 budget that will first be reviewed in February of next year.
Tony Ault can be reached at tault@reedermedia.com.
lowing the paving or sealing.
Griffith Company will be rehabilitating the pavement at Hemet
The Riverside County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 Nov. 29 to approve a $3,726,965 contract with Griffith Company, whose headquarters office is in Santa Fe Springs. The action also approved an addendum to the plans and specifications, approved a work order agreement for construction management services with C&S Engineers Inc., delegated change order authority for the construction contract to the assistant county executive officer for the Transportation Land Management Agency, and approved a total project budget of $3,990,550 which includes $263,585 for construction administration services.
The construction project will rehabilitate the aging pavement at Hemet Ryan Airport’s Taxiway B, hangar taxilanes, and east/west apron. The pavement in those areas is currently experiencing weathering and cracking. A portion of the pavement will be reconstructed while the rehabilitation in other areas will consist of overlay, crack sealing or surface area seal coat. No grading of shoulder areas or improvements outside of the existing pavement limits is anticipated. All markings will be restored fol-
The March 22 Board of Supervisors meeting included approval of the project plans and specifications and also authorized county staff to advertise the project for bid. During the advertisement period, one addendum was issued. Two contractors submitted bids. Griffith Company was the low bidder at $3,726,964.75 while All American Asphalt, which is based in Corona, submitted a bid for $3,786,506.25.
C&S Engineers Inc., which has an office in San Diego, will provide construction management services including project management, engineering design and overall construction administration. The management will include observation to become generally familiar with the progress and quality of the contractor’s work to determine if the work is proceeding in general conformity with the contract documents.
The Federal Aviation Administration has an Airport Improvement Program which provides grants covering up to 90% of a project’s total cost, and the State Division of Aeronautics has a California Aid to Airports Program which offers grants of up to 5% of the cost. Those programs will cover 95% of the Hemet Ryan Airport pavement rehabilitation expenses while the county’s Special Aviation Budget Fund will provide the remaining 5% of the money.
The Old Town Temecula Police Station is under expansion and soon will be the new home of the Old Town Metro Team. The10 deputy Metro Team, currently based out of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Southwest Station, is scheduled to relocate into the renovated Old Town site in early 2023.
Temecula’s Chief of Police, Riverside County Sheriff’s Captain Chris Durham remarked, “Businesses, residents and visitors to Temecula’s Old Town will notice an increased presence of deputies and an accelerated response rate to calls.” Additional features of the renovation include deputy workstations for report writing, Sergeant’s office, on-site evidence processing, and locker rooms, allowing deputies to start and end their day in Old Town. Durham continued, “This expansion located right here in Old Town will allow our deputies to serve the community faster and more efficiently.”
Temecula SAFE is the 2022
theme of outgoing Mayor Dr. Matt Rahn. Mayor Rahn shared, “It is with great pride that I complete my year as your Mayor with this important project. It has been an honor to serve the City of Temecula with steadfast focus on Public Safety as my first priority.”
The Old Town Temecula Police Station is conveniently located adjacent to Temecula City Hall. Open to the public Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., residents can file a police report, pick up a copy of a police report, obtain a release for stored vehicles, have Fix-It tickets signed and request additional police department information. The station also provides “Livescan” and hard card fingerprint services to the public by appointment.
The City of Temecula and the Old Town Metro Team is inviting the public for a ribbon cutting celebration at the newly expanded Old Town Police Station in early 2023. Details will be forthcoming.
Three U.S. Post Offices in Riverside County, including one in Temecula, will be open Sunday to accommodate the upswing in shipments and deliveries ahead of Christmas.
“We’re beginning to see a surge in customers shipping their Christmas packages,” USPS spokeswoman Mayra Elena-Hernandez said. “We’re holiday ready. We want to ensure that our customers are, too.”
The Arlington Post Office at 10275 Hole Ave. in Riverside, the Corporate Post Office at 79-125 Corporate Center Drive in La Quinta and the Main Post Office at 30777 Rancho California Road in Temecula will all be in operation on Sunday, Dec. 18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The offices are generally always open on weekdays and Saturdays. USPS locations in San Bernardino and San Diego counties will also hold Sunday hours on Dec. 18, officials said.
“We hope these extended hours will make it easier for our customers to ship out their packages to their friends and family across the nation,” Elena-Hernandez said. “These extended hours, along with the hiring of 28,000 seasonal employees nationwide, the installation of new equipment at select locations and the redesign of our transportation network, are special measures that we’ve taken in order to ensure that we’re providing peak customer service during our busiest time of the year.”
More information is available at https://about.usps.com/holidaynews.
Miller Equipment Company will construct a new well pad for the Rancho California Water District.
A 7-0 RCWD board vote Dec. 7 awarded Miller Equipment Company Inc., a $510,640 contract for the work. The board action also approved a professional services contract with Geoscience Support Services Inc., for construction support and on-site hydrogeologic inspection services related to the well.
The well pad will accommodate the future Well No. 172 at the wa-
ter district’s Upper Valle de Los Caballos recharge and recovery facility in the 42100 block of Winchester Road. Well No. 172 is the first in a series of four new production wells planned as part of the district’s UVDC Optimization Program. The anticipated annual groundwater production from Well No. 172 is 1,200 acre-feet. The four planned wells also include Monitoring Well No. 512. RCWD staff originally advertised the construction of the well pad and the drilling and construction of Well No. 172 and Monitoring Well No. 512 as a single bid package. Only one bid was received, and the bid amount significantly
exceeded the project budget. The bid was rejected and the plans and specifications were revised to create a more competitive bidding environment. The revised bid packages have two phases of bidding and construction. Phase 1 will construct the well pad while Phase 2 will be for the drilling and construction of Well No. 172 which will be constructed after the completion of the well pad. RCWD staff advertised the well pad construction contract for bid Oct. 24.
The deadline for receipt of bids was Nov. 22. Three companies responded. Miller Equipment Company, which is based in Lan-
caster, submitted a $510,640 bid. The other two bids both exceeded $1,000,000.
Due to the significant difference in the bid amounts, RWCD staff analyzed the bid for potential errors or omissions, contacted Miller Equipment’s references to ensure reputable work history, and discussed the merit of the bid with the contractor. The validity of the bid was confirmed.
Geoscience, which is based in Claremont, conducted groundwater modeling and preliminary design activity and thus is the hydrogeologist of record. A sole source contract for construction support was deemed appropri-
ate, and Geoscience was asked to prepare a scope of work and fee proposal. The $156,280 fee was approved as part of the Dec. 7 board action. The Geoscience contract is for construction support and on-site hydrogeological inspection services for the well pad, the drilling and construction of Well No. 172, and the drilling and construction of Monitoring Well No. 512. The Geoscience scope of work includes preparing Drinking Water Source Assessment Program documents for the state Department of Public Health.
The Eastern Municipal Water District approved a sole-source contract for automatic self-cleaning strainer filters for the Hemet Water Filtration Plant.
The EMWD board’s 5-0 vote Dec. 7 awarded Boll Filter Corporation the contract to provide the filters. The filters are being pre-purchased due to an expected arrival period six months after the order is placed, and the actual replacement of the filters will occur next year.
The Hemet Water Filtration Plant in the 1200 block of North Kirby Street utilizes ultrafiltration
membrane technology to treat unfiltered raw water from the State Water Project which brings water from Oroville to Lake Skinner. Automatic self-cleaning strainer filters are part of the pre-treatment process; the filters screen the raw water to protect the downstream processes and membranes from abrasion by removing particulates. The filters the district uses are manufactured by Boll Filter Corporation, which is in the Detroit suburb of Novi. The existing Hemet Water Filtration Plant filters were installed in 2005 and are approaching the end of their useful life. Increased maintenance has been needed on the existing filters, which has increased the
frequency of when the filtration plant has been down for repairs, and recent leaks have been found and were determined to be caused by inner coating failure which led to corrosion of the carbon steel filter housing.
The existing filters will be replaced with new stainless steel filters manufactured by Boll which are constructed with more resilient and durable materials to prevent future corrosion. The sole-source contract was justified because redesigning the surrounding mechanical and electrical infrastructure would be required if an alternative filter was procured. The new filters will be original equipment manufacturer replacements
and will continue to be supported by the manufacturer.
Two filters will be required for the replacement. Boll Filter provided a preliminary unit cost estimate of $91,995 per filter. The filter construction actually takes place in Kerpen, Germany. The estimated lead time for the filters is up to 26 weeks so pre-purchasing the filters will allow the district to meet the target project completion schedule. EVMD staff will finalize the negotiations, technical specifications, terms and conditions, and filter pricing.
The advertisement for the bid of the construction portion is expected to take place later this month. A contract award is expected dur-
tection would utilize Synthetic Aperture Radar data collected by NASA satellites along with complex algorithms and machine learning to detect and geographically locate underground pipeline leaks, including those with no visible evidence above ground. Once the technology is implemented, RCWD staff expects to find and
repair more leaks than would be possible using traditional leak detection methods, which would reduce system water loss and improve the overall efficiency with which RCWD staff locates and repairs leaks.
The grant would be through the Bureau of Reclamation’s Water Conservation Field Services Pro-
ing February 2023. The filters are anticipated to arrive in May 2023. The construction is expected to be complete in July 2023.
The board’s Dec. 7 action also authorized a budget of $230,000 to cover expenses through the bid phase. That amount consists of $183,990 for the purchase of the filters, $9,500 for engineering branch labor, $7,500 for preparation of the final plans and specifications, $5,500 for pre-procurement expenses, and $23,510 for contingency. The construction phase budget will be determined after the plans and specifications are finalized.
gram. The resolution acknowledges the district’s ability to meet cost-matching require ments for the grant program and approves the execution of a grant agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation if a grant is awarded. The district staff time will involve locating and repairing system leaks.
To submit an upcoming community event, email it to valleyeditor@reedermedia.com, put “attention events” in the subject line.
CHILDREN’S EVENTS
Dec. 17-18 – 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Santa’s coming to Old Town Temecula at Pennypickle’s Workshop and Temecula Children’s Museum at 42081 Main St., Temecula. Join Santa for a photo and treat.
Dec. 18 – 1:30-2:30 p.m. Run, Jump, Throw Track and Field event for kids and teens at Murrieta Mesa High School for ages 5-13 by Before the Transition Inc., 24801 Monroe Ave., Murrieta.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Dec. 16 – 1-3 p.m. Friday Flick for 55 and older at Kay Ceniceros Center, 29995 Evans Road, Menifee. Free.
Dec. 16 – 5 p.m. Temecula on Ice is now open on Main Street in Old Town Temecula. See @ TemeculaParksAndRec on social media, and by visiting TemeculaCA.gov/TCSD.
Dec. 17 – 3-8 p.m., 6th annual Ramble On Classic Car Show Holiday Edition at Vail HQ, 32115 Temecula Parkway, Temecula with pre-1975 Hot Rods, Lowriders and Customs. Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus will be in the house for the little ones, festive lights, decorations, giveaways, DJs and vendors. Family friendly.
Dec. 17 – 9 a.m. Breakfast with Santa at Lake Elsinore Fire Station 97, 41725 Rosetta Canyon Drive, Lake Elsinore. Join Santa for a delicious breakfast, crafts and a free take home photo with local firemen and Santa! Register online at https://secure.rec1.com/ CA/lake-elsinore/catalog?filter=c 2VhcmNoPTIyOTMzNzg= Dec. 31 – 6 p.m. -12 a.m. New Year’s Eve Grape Drop at the Temecula Civic Center, 41000 Main St.
ONGOING – The city of Menifee offers in-city or out-of-city special event vendor applications online or at Menifee City Hall to apply for signature and other special events. Contact Menifee City Hall, 29844 Haun Road, 951-6726777, or online at businesslicensing@cityofmenifee.us.
ONGOING – Riverside Transportation Commission is offering Park and Ride Lots to connect with carpools, vanpools and transit systems in Beaumont at 600 E. Sixth
Street, in San Jacinto at 501 S. San Jacinto Avenue and in Temecula at Grace Presbyterian Church, 31143 Nicolas Road, open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. but not on weekends.
ONGOING – Sun City Civic Association Monthly Square Dance sessions are held Sundays from 1:30-5 p.m. at 26850 Sun City Boulevard, Sun City.
ONGOING – If you know a homebound older adult, resources in Menifee are available, including grab-and-go, cooked and frozen food for pickup. Courtesy Pantry items and meals delivered with no contact. Three days of emergency food can be delivered immediately or restaurant meal delivery for those who don’t qualify for food assistance programs. Call 800510-2020 for help.
ONGOING – The Riverside County COVID-19 Business Assistance Grant Program is accepting online applications for business grants up to $10,000 at www.rivercobizhelp.org that can be used for employee retention, working capital, personal protective equipment purchases, rent or mortgage payments and paying vendor notices. Eligible businesses, including nonprofits, must be in Riverside County, with a minimum of one but less than 50 employees and operating for at least one year since March 1. For more information, call Riverside County Business and Community Services at 951-955-0493.
ONGOING – 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Temecula Winchester Swap Meet continues, 33280 Newport Road in Winchester, Saturdays and Sundays only. The small local swap meet is only 50 cents for entry, and anyone under age 10 is free admission. No dogs allowed.
ONGOING – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Every Sunday, Murrieta Village Walk Farmers Market is at Village Walk Place in Murrieta. The Sunday morning farmers market at Village Walk Plaza is a place to buy fruits and veggies, gourmet food and crafts. Come to the center in the northwest corner of Kalmia/ Cal Oaks at the Interstate 215 exit in Murrieta.
ONGOING – Temecula’s Farmers Markets are offered in Old Town Temecula Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon, 4100 Main Street in Temecula; at Promenade Temecula, 40640 Winchester Road, outside JCPenney every
Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and at Vail Headquarters, 32115 Temecula Parkway, every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. In compliance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Riverside County Public Health orders, the farmers markets will be restricted to agriculture products only. Follow the Old Town Temecula Farmers Market on Facebook to stay updated. No pets are allowed.
Dec. 16-23 Santa’s Wine Country Workshop with a carriage ride and a visit to Santa and up to six guests. Family event. $75 arrangements at www.temeculacarriageco. com/Santasworkshop.html.
Dec. 16 STAT Horse Sanctuary in Menifee announced that for a $500 donation to help save horses, donors can receive a state of the art piece of Pro-Forma exercise equipment like a rowing machine, treadmill or stationary bicycle valued at $999. For information or donations to STAT, contact STAT Horse Sanctuary, Pattie Roberts at 951-733-3000 or www.STATHorseSanctuary.org.
Dec. 16 Business hours – MilVet Holiday for Heroes Toy Drive. MilVet is seeking families to adopt a military veteran or his/her family for the holiday season by dropping off toys for their children at Which Wich Sandwiches in Murrieta, at the Wildomar Library and/or Prestige Nutrition by Dec. 18. For details contact www.milvet.org/ santa or to sponsor at milvet.org/ donate/p/santasponsor. Gifts will be distributed at special events for the families.
Dec. 16-17 The Living Nativity presented by Calvary Sunrise and Lily Kelly Ministries. A free event. Performances feature live animals and church members in costume acting out the very first Christmas. Join us at the home of Lily Kelly Ministries, at 24935 Washington Avenue Murrieta. Performances at 6, 6:45, 7:30 p.m. Arrive early to allow time for parking and seating. For further information, please visit www.calvarysunrise.org. Dec. 17 – 6-11 p.m. Ladies Night Out at Harveston with elaborate events by Fe Fe at 29005 Harveston Lake House, Temecula. $5 and up.
Dec. 25 – 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. MSJC will join with the Tem-
ecula Sunrise, Temecula Noon, Temecula New Gens and Old Town Temecula Rotary clubs to host the 28th Annual Community Christmas Dinner. The free holiday dinner will offer ham, turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetables and dessert Everyone is welcome and no reservations are needed. At its Temecula Valley campus. For more information, contact Mark Sitar at 909-3763639.
ONGOING - Want to help deployed American troops remotely? Help shop for most needed items without leaving your home! This is an easy way to help support deployed men and women by purchasing items remotely and having them delivered to MilVet at designated drop-off locations for packing. All items on the list are special requests from deployed military men and women. MilVet is a nonprofit organization that holds monthly packaging events at different community locations in the area.. For drop-off locations and packaging locations visit www.milvet.org/militarycare-packages.
ONGOING – Multiple Sclerosis Support Group Meeting meets the third Monday of each month at the Mary Phillips Senior Center, 41845 6th Street, in Temecula from 10 a.m. to noon. For more information, email gaugustin206@ gmail.com or join the meeting.
ONGOING– Sons of Norway/ Scandinavia meets at noon the first Saturday of every month, September to June, at the Heritage Mobile Park Clubhouse, 31130 S. General Kearny Road., in Temecula. A potluck lunch is followed by a cultural program and short business meeting. Please come and enjoy company with fellow Scandinavians. Call 951-3091597 or 951-849-1690 for more information.
ONGOING – Noon to 1 p.m. Attend Murrieta Wildomar Chamber of Commerce’s weekly business briefing via Zoom or watch live on Facebook every Wednesday. Registration required at https://bit.ly/MWCBizBriefing
The chamber business briefing is an opportunity to hear from city, county and business leaders about current and relevant business information.
ONGOING – Menifee Community Services offers online driver’s education courses for a $21.95
fee. The course includes animated driving scenarios, instructional videos, sample test, licensed instructor available to answer questions, DMV approved certificate of completion with all lectures and exams completed from home. Designed for students and does not include behind-the-wheel instruction or a California driver’s permit. Contact 951-723-3880 or visit the city of Menifee to register at www. city of menifee.us.
ONGOING – 10 to 11:30 a.m. Michelle’s Place Cancer Resource Center and The Elizabeth Hospice host a virtual support meeting for caregivers every second and fourth week of the month via Zoom. Get helpful tips and learn from others who are also dealing with similar challenges. For more information and to register, contact The Elizabeth Hospice Grief Support Services at 833-349-2054.
ONGOING – Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous, a free 12step recovery program for anyone suffering from food obsession, overeating, undereating or bulimia, has meetings throughout the U.S. and the world. Contact 781932-6300, or for local meetings, call 925-321-0170 or visit www. foodaddicts.org.
ONGOING – The Murrieta Garden Club meets each month at the Murrieta Community Center, 41810 Juniper St. Anyone who likes to garden or is interested in plants is welcome. Membership is $10 per year. Find more information about the monthly event or project on Facebook.
ONGOING – Temecula Valley Rose Society meets each month. For more information and new meeting dates and places, visit www.temeculavalleyrosesociety. org
ONGOING – Menifee Toastmasters meets every Thursday at noon for one hour at a designated place to have fun, enhance speaking capabilities, gain self-confidence and improve social skills. For new dates, call 760-807-1323 or visit www.MenifeeToastmasters.org for more information.
ONGOING – Homeless veterans can receive free help by dialing -877-4AID-VET (1-877424-3838) for 24/7 access VA’s services for homeless at-risk Veterans.. Chat is confidential for veterans and friends. See www/va/ gov/homeless.
JDS Studios is grateful to have experienced another eventful and successful year, full of opportunities providing the community with creative and digital art experiences. In 2022, JDS Studios strived to give back to the community through its five entities: JDS Creative Academy, Spirit of Innovation, DigiFest Temecula®, JDS Actors Studio, and JDS Video & Media Productions. Co-founders Scott and Diane Strand are always seeking ways to promote growth, inclusion, and accessibility and this past year has been filled with just that.
JDS Creative Academy (JDSCA) kicked off 2022 as Positiv. TV’s nonprofit of the month for January, an opportunity where the #JDSFamily shared their message with the network’s viewers. JDSCA is excited to be asked back to collaborate with them this December and throughout 2023make sure to keep a lookout for a familiar face!
In March, JDSCA welcomed the Temecula Valley Chamber (TVCC) and its members to the Studio for the March evening mixer, and the following month JDSCA was honored with winning the TVCC Emerald Nonprofit of the Year Award, which brought buzz and excitement to staff, job training participants, and creative arts students! It was an award-winning year for JDSCA as they also won two Anthem Awards: a bronze Anthem award for “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” and a silver Anthem Award for “Best Local En-
gagement” which recognized the JDSCA job training participants’ hard work on SOI Update - their weekly local news program.
While being recognized for hard work and dedication is an honor, the #JDSFamily also has a passion for giving back. One of their largest donations of 2022 was their Art in a Box donation to Michelle’s Place, a local nonprofit that serves as a free cancer resource center for the community. Diane was inspired to put together this thoughtfully curated art curriculum with supplies for Michelle’s Place when Kim Gerrish mentioned that offering art classes was becoming an unobtainable expense for the organization.
As an advocate for the arts, Diane knew that if anyone could help them, it was JDSCA. This is just the beginning for JDSCA, as the Arts Across California campaign is set to launch in 2023.
JDSCA also had a successful year of creative classes and events during the spring and fall. The spring showcase was a hit with its production of West Side Story, which showcased the dedication and talent of musical theater and fashion/backstage design students. This month, the community can enjoy the winter showcase performance on December 17 and 18. Fall classes also held their 7th annual Haunted Studio fundraiser,
presented by the design, build and haunt class, which raised over $4,500.00 in scholarship funds.
DigiFest Temecula celebrated its 6th annual event, bringing in digital work from around the world along with renowned Emmywinning presenters and speakers.
Submissions for DigiFest 2023 are open now, so get your digital entries ready and plan to attend the 7th annual event on April 21, 22, and 23, 2023.
Spirit of Innovation, the magazine-style news show brought to you by JDSCA, had a great year of sharing Riverside County’s goodto-know and need-to-know news. In June, the Spirit of Innovation
team sent host, Mia Digenan, off with good wishes due to her Achilles heel injury, which provided an opportunity to highlight community stakeholders as guest hosts. JDS Actors Studio and JDS Productions, also kicked off the year with the exciting news, with a nomination for Bronze business of the year by the TVCC. This fall, JDS Actors Studio launched some new acting careers with their industry showcase, not only was the showcase a success, but JDSCA connected five participants from the job training program with an agent who specializes in representing adults with developmental disabilities. Scott and Diane Strand’s personal highlight was the release of their highly anticipated published book, “Show Business,” Breaking into the Industry as an Actor, which quickly became a #1 best-seller in the performing arts industry. Be on the lookout for their next book on entrepreneurship coming in 2023. The little actors acting class is back for ages 4-6 on Mondays beginning January 9 from 4-5 p.m.
Going into the new year, the community can expect another year dedicated to creating pathways in the visual, performing, and digital arts. JDSCA spring classes kick off Monday, January 23, 2023. Actors Studio classes resume Thursday, Jan. 5. Be sure to keep up with the #JDSFamily, on JDSCA.org and JDSActorsStudio. com. or, call the studio at (951) 296-6715.
Submitted by JDS StudiosSanta took a little time out from preparing the millions of gifts for little children to make a visit to Motte Historical Museum and Romola Farms in Menifee’s Romoland Saturday, Dec. 10 to the delight of dozens of children.
Not only did the children have a chance to tell Santa if they have been nice and ask for their favorite present but they had a chance to see the many historic vintage cars the Motte family has used or collected, during their many years as farmers in the community, long before it became a city.
“We like to do this every year,” Motte Historical Museum man-
ager Maria Mathey said. “It is the Motte family giving back to the community.” On hand to greet visiting families were Charles Motte and his wife, dressed in their colorful Christmas clothes. The tour of the museum was free that day where one of the finest collections of antique and classic cars was on display. Some of the cars, including an old Romoland school bus, were on display and brought wide-eyed reactions from the children visiting.
The Motte Historical Museum, Romola Farms and Car Collection are on display all year for visitors to enjoy. It is located at 23380 CA74 (Florida Ave.) in Romoland, now part of Menifee.
Bob Garver Special to Valley News
“Violent Night” doesn’t have it in itself to be the best naughty Christmas movie ever made, so it tries to compensate by being every naughty Christmas movie ever made. Drunken, bitter Santa (played here by David Harbour)? That’s been done before, let’s say most notably by 2003’s “Bad Santa.” Murderous thieves taking hostages at Christmastime? 1988’s “Die Hard” and its many knockoffs. Kids setting bonebreaking makeshift booby traps for bad guys? 1990’s “Home Alone” (which yes, counts as a naughty Christmas movie, even if it was ostensibly for kids). Family hammering out drama during a hostage situation? 1994’s very funny Denis Leary comedy “The Ref.” Beverly D’Angelo? 1989’s “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” Even the whole idea of Santa Claus as an R-rated action movie hero was done better in 2020’s “Fatman.”
“Violent Night” doesn’t pretend that it doesn’t owe much to its predecessors (it even checks “Home Alone” by name), but it wants you to believe that it’s somehow more than the sum of its parts. It isn’t, though there are some laughs to be had along the way.
Harbour’s Santa falls asleep from whisky and cookies while visiting the mansion of the wealthy
Lightstone family. He awakens to learn that all the family’s servants and security have been killed and the family itself has been taken hostage by a team led by Mr. Scrooge (John Leguizamo), who is there to steal $300 million from matriarch Gertrude (D’Angelo). Worse, his reindeer have flown off, leaving him unable to make a getaway, and the bad guys are going from room to room, looking for expendables to eliminate. He tries to escape anyway, but then notices that youngest granddaughter Trudy (Leah Brady) is on the Nice list. She might be one of the nicest kids in the world. Santa’s got his tellall list, a sack of unending gifts, a history as a bloodthirsty Viking, and a few other goodies thanks to Christmas magic. He decides to stay and save the Lightstones’ lives as a Christmas present.
This sure as sugar cookies means violence toward the Naughty villains. Every Christmasthemed weapon imaginable is in play here: from icicles to tree ornaments to sharpened candy canes to snowblowers. And it’s not just Santa doing the killing, the Lightstone family members find it within themselves to fight back, even sweet little Trudy. The villains in this movie turn out to be infuriatingly easy opponents. They’re efficient gun-toting killing machines for about two minutes and for the rest of the movie they
make those classic villain mistakes of talking too much and getting into fights where they forfeit the element of surprise. At least the villains in “Home Alone” were consistently inept, these guys are stupid when they’re supposed to be smart, which makes their stupidity all the more glaring.
That’s not to say there isn’t a charm to “Violent Night.” David Harbour is great in the role of Santa, with some memorably funny lines and readings. D’Angelo is gloriously profane at times, Leguizamo sinks his teeth into the silliness, and Brady is naturally worth protecting. The action is funny and creative in small doses, but the movie gets greedy and goes on too long. It would have done well to stay in the Lightstone house instead of climaxing a snowmobile’s drive away at a location that hasn’t been established. There’s a lot of filler here, like Santa reckoning with his past, including the dissolution of his marriage. Mrs. Claus isn’t a character here, so that whole tangent is sadly pointless. That said, I’d be happy to see a sequel where we meet Mrs. Claus and get more of Harbour’s Santa. I wouldn’t mind spending more time with this character as long as the movie around him is tighter. I could see “Violent Night” doing well enough to spawn a franchise that becomes an annual tradition, even if the film misses the mark
This holiday season, the Temecula Valley Museum has a fun line-up of activities for the whole family to enjoy that will enrich the winter with arts, culture and entertainment. Come one, come all, embarking on a magical journey highlighting all the cultures celebrated in Temecula throughout 2022.
The Temecula Valley Museum is excited to bring the Cultural Connections Exhibit. It will feature art from a cultural exchange between young artists from Temecula and senior artists from Temecula’s Sister City: Daisen, Japan. The artwork includes two different traditional Japanese art forms: Etegami (simple hand-painted draw-
ings accompanied by a few words, done on postcards) and Chigiri-e (pictures created from hand-torn Japanese paper called washi).
New Community Art Mural
The Temecula Valley Museum will display the new Community Art Mural. This mural will feature a representation of all the countries celebrated at this year’s Second Saturday Cultural Celebrations at the Temecula Valley Museum. The mural was outlined by Tony Moramarco of Bigfoot Art Classes and was painted by the public at Art Off The Walls in November and on weekends at Sam Hicks Monument Park during museum hours.
For more information, please visit TemeculaValleyMuseum.org, or call 951-694-6450.
erences.
Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley’s Christmas Tree Lane spectacular is officially up at the Promenade Temecula. Twenty-one professionally decorated trees line the courtyard just outside the downstairs, indoor JCPenney entrance.
This annual event helps to raise money to support Habitat’s various programs and projects. Visitors can purchase tickets for the opportunity to win a themed tree, making this event inclusive for just about anyone to participate.
As the opportunity for affordable homeownership continues to decline, Habitat works to provide solutions to support homeownership in southwest Riverside County. Christmas Tree Lane creates a unique opportunity to support Habitat, with a raffle opportunity drawing and more.
“Christmas Tree Lane truly highlights the splendor of the holiday season while bringing the community together to help make a difference,” Tammy Marine, Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley CEO, said. “Affordable homeownership is in crisis. We work year-round to cre-
ate solutions and opportunities for homeownership, financial literacy, aging-in-place and more. This event is just one of the many ways that we are able to raise money to support these causes.”
Serving a population of over 600,000 people, the local Habitat organization is dependent on the generosity of the community in the giving of their time and resources. In addition to events, such as Christmas Tree Lane, throughout the year, Habitat has two ReStores and one Design Center in southwest Riverside County.
While the stores are retail storefronts, they also serve as a program, providing jobs, a place to repurpose gently used items and reduce items that would otherwise end up in our local landfills. The Design Center provides a resource for holiday shopping, while the ReStores serve as low-cost home improvement solutions.
This year, 25 local businesses have sponsored professionally decorated Christmas trees and a playhouse. The community is invited to enjoy
the splendor of these trees and participate in the raffle and participate in being a solution to affordable housing in the Temecula Valley.
Children visiting the event can drop off their letter to Santa in the North Pole mailbox, just inside the display of trees.
The final event drawings will take place on Friday, Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. in person at Promenade Temecula and virtually on Facebook Live. A live performance from special guest Joanna Pearl, will open the evening’s festivities.
Ticket purchasers may win a decorated tree in one of 22 separate raffles, but ticket sales serve an even greater purpose. All proceeds from the raffle support Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley programs; the trees offer hope to the families that benefit from Habitat’s resources.
The Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley Christmas Tree Lane event will remain open until Dec. 16 for raffle ticket sales. There is no charge to enter either exhibit. Tickets can also be purchased at HabitatIV.org/ Christmas
Many of us will be hanging
Christmas decorations this week.
Let’s start this from the outside and work our way in.
One of the most common causes of holiday-time house fires results from these bulbs being too close to gutters filled with dried out leaves. Make sure that the strings of lights you are using outside have built-in fuses on the lines.
Check the actual plug. Make sure you are using lights designated for outdoor use only.
Use Christmas lights and electric equipment that has been tested and verified by a reliable testing laboratory. If you have a string of lights with a blown bulb, be sure to replace it with a bulb of the exact same wattage.
Never tap into your home’s
feeder line to power your outdoor Christmas lights or hang decorations on the line.
Avoid using nails, tacks or metal staples to secure your outdoor Christmas lights. Use insulated hooks. Be sure your lights are strung tightly to avoid damage from the wind.
Use only outdoor rated extension cords. Connect no more than three strings of lights to a single extension cord. All plugs should be plugged into a GFCI protected outlet when used outside.
Watch for overhead wires when using a ladder. When climbing a ladder, always use caution, preferably having someone secure the ladder for you. Do not place the ladder in damp or muddy areas. Make sure you have a safe and solid foundation before climbing. For additional safety tips contact your local fire department.
The Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved a funding agreement for the Anza/De Portola Road multi-use trail project.
The supervisors’ 5-0 vote Nov. 29 approves the agreement between the county and Temecula Valley Rural Lifestyles Inc. The county will fund $136,650 for the trail and Temecula Valley Rural Lifestyles will install approximately 14,000 feet of fencing between Shiraz Way and State Route 79 South.
A November 2020 Board of Supervisors meeting called for the creation of an Unincorporated Communities Initiative to improve the infrastructure and services provided to residents of unincorporated communities with an emphasis on disadvantaged unincorporated communities. The program is funded through the Unincorporated Communities Fund which is allocated during the annual budget process.
A team of county Executive Office
staff and department heads held 15 community meetings and conducted online surveys before presenting a needs assessment to the Board of Supervisors in May 2021. The Fiscal Year 2022-2023 budget includes $10,000,000 for the Unincorporated Communities Fund to be divided evenly between each of the five supervisorial districts. The funding for the trail fencing is from the Third District budget.
Temecula Valley Rural Lifestyles Inc., is a local nonprofit organization which works with disabled individuals and utilizes the equestrian lifestyle as a form of therapy. The organization plans to enhance approximately 7,140 feet of multi-use trail in Temecula Valley Wine Country. The improvements are intended to increase safety along the trail for all users, including the equestrian community, and will educate the community on the importance of having safe outdoor recreational areas such as trails which promote a healthy lifestyle.
The Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District approved a cooperative agreement with the City of Menifee to design and develop a segment of Salt Creek Trail.
The Riverside County Board of Supervisors members are also the board of the Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District, and the county supervisors voted 5-0 November 29 to approve the agreement which outlines the responsibilities of the district and the city. The agreement includes a $100,000 contribution by the park district.
Salt Creek Trail covers 16 miles and is a multi-purpose regional trail. A Class I bicycle path (separate from any areas accessible to motor vehicles) is part of the trail. Salt Creek Trail includes portions in the cities of Menifee and Hemet as well as unincorporated Riverside
County. The Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District is responsible for operating the trail.
The 5.2 miles of the trail within the Menifee city limits consist of 4.3 miles along the north side of the Salt Creek flood control channel from Goetz Road to Antelope Road and 0.9 miles in the vicinity of the Salt Creek drainage course along the north side of Domenigoni Parkway from Sanderson Avenue to Searl Parkway. The improvements include a hard surface Class I bicycle path adjacent to a soft surface walking path. A portion of the trail within the City of Menifee will utilize the Salt Creek crossing under Interstate 215 north of Newport Road and west of Antelope Road, and the plan is to continue parallel to and west of Antelope Road between Salt Creek and Aldergate Drive.
The park district and the city desire to analyze a connecting segment extension from the cur-
rently built trail known as the Oasis Segment. That trail extension within city limits would connect the regional trail from the previouslybuilt segment to Aldergate Park behind the WellQuest and Oasis developments.
Menifee will prepare the plans and specifications for the design of the trail alignment through the city, and the park district will reimburse the estimated price up to $100,000. Developer impact fees will fund that district expense. The city will be the lead agency for the environmental documentation and for all permits or other approvals needed. The city will coordinate the analysis of existing easements and will determine the need for additional easements or revisions to existing easements needed to complete the trail segment, and the city will also hire a design consultant to prepare plans to be submitted to the park district for final approval. The city will also be responsible for supervision and inspection services of the design.
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For a limited time, readers of this paper will receive a special discount on a full chimney cleaning and safety inspection package with special attention given to chimney water intrusion points in preparation for the wet & rainy season.
Menifee’s mayor Bill Zimmerman, to encourage health care professionals to continue their exodus to the city, recently invited those from the medical field to attend the second Healthcare Idea Exchange Summit.
The summit attracted more than 40 guests to the Fairfield Inn and Suites for a luncheon and up to date presentation on the efforts and successes of Menifee to grow its medical resources. Gina Gonzales, Menifee Economic Development director provided the health care professionals attending a slide presentation of Menifee’s recent efforts and facilities to enhance the health of the community and surrounding region. It was the second summit welcoming those in the area’s medical fields to Menifee to see what is offered. Their ideas were solicited.
Guest speaker Dr. Loren D. Tan, the Loma Linda University School of Medicine Chief led a discussion with the visiting healthcare professionals citing the importance of furthering the medical profession with advanced and preparatory education in the field that is growing in demand.
Gonzales, in her presentation showed the visitors Menifee’s
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy that included attracting, advanced manufacturing, digital dental leaders, datatronics, healthcare / life sciences and enlarging the Rancho Family Medical Group, VNEX Physical Therapy, A+ Urgent Care, Menifee Valley Cardiology and technology oriented services.
She said that Menifee, recently called the Nation’s 7th largest “boomtown”, was in need of all types of medical services with its growing population.
Menifee to show its support to the medical profession was the first city in Southwest Riverside County to complete a plan to enhance and support career pathways within the city’s targeted industries including health care, information technology and advanced manufacturing.
In those medical career pathways, Gonzales explained it begins with students learning about the basic medical skills at Liberty High School, Santa Rosa Academy and an adult high school at Mt. San Jacinto College Menifee campus. It continues with middle skill development with AA, an AS certification at MSJC, Riverside College and Cal State University San Marcos. Finally high skill medical education is at Loma Linda University Medical School,
At their annual conference in Napa, California’s leading advocacy group for public hospital systems recognized Riverside University Health System for improving patient access during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems and the California Health Care Safety Net Institute named RUHS as one of six Quality Lead-
ers Award recipients in the state for implementing performance improvements in its Community Health Centers.
In April 2020, as the pandemic was in full swing, RUHS clinics began working in partnership with Inland Empire Health Plan to standardize internal processes in RUHS’s 13 CHCs across Riverside County, which provide care to nearly 78,000 residents.
Prior to standardization, each CHC conducted their morning meetings (called “huddles”) using their own unique processes, causing staff who floated between clinics to learn each clinic’s methods. Standardizing these processes among all 13 CHCs increased productivity from 1.6 patients per hour to 2.3 patients per hour, equaling an additional 10,000 unique patients seen per year without the need to hire additional providers.
Cecilia Curiel, manager at RUHS’s Riverside Neighborhood Clinic, says that not only has this process standardized morning huddles; it has also transformed staff members’ entire approach to their jobs.
“There was a learning curve for all of us, but now we all work as a team to review each aspect of our job and look for areas of improvement,” Curiel said.
Dr. Mahbuba Khan, medical director of RUHS’s CHCs, oversaw the performance improvement implementation. She said that this process also improved communication between managers and their team members, allowing frontline workers to come to the table and take part in creating solutions. The results speak for themselves.
“Such a great improvement in so little time is almost unprecedented. And this process isn’t just about
numbers. These numbers represent people’s lives,” Khan said.
To learn more about RUHS’s award-winning project, visit https://youtu.be/8j4gJgJLTCk.
About Riverside University Health System
Riverside University Health System includes a 439-bed Medical Center with Level 1 Trauma Center, a 77-bed inpatient psychiatric treatment facility, a Medical Surgical Center, 13 Community Health Centers and several pri-
mary and specialty clinics as well as the departments of Public Health and Behavioral Health with services provided throughout Riverside County. With more than 8,000 staff members and over 125 years of experience serving Riverside County communities, RUHS continues its commitment to and legacy of delivering exceptional, compassionate care with a focus on community wellness and medical education. Visit ruhealth.org to learn more.
MilVet, a nonprofit organization specializing in sending care packages to deployed U.S. military troops, honored their many volunteers and a special Gold Star mother of a Marine who died in Afghanistan last year in a Dec. 7th event.
The special event, culminating with a monthly deployed troop care packaging night, was held at the Wildomar Community Room at 34864 Monte Vista Drive in Wildomar with nearly 100 attending.
Honored that evening was Shana Chappell, the Gold Star mother of Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui. On Aug. 26. 2021, he was one of 13 Marines killed, as well as many civilians killed or injured, when a terrorist set off a bomb at
the Kabul Airport. Chappell was accompanied to the event by active Marines Max Herrera Garcia and Todeo Guerrero from the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, I Marine Expeditionary Force from Camp Pendleton (1-1), who were at the airport helping Afghans trying to escape the Taliban rebels that day and knew Marine Cpl. Nikoui.
She was given a special plaque in her and her son’s honor by Raven Hilden who helped write the book “A Veteran’s Story-Courage and Honor” a soft cover bestseller.
Chappell and the active Marines took part in the care package wrapping that will be sent overseas to deployed soldiers. More than 100 packed care boxes are filled each month by community volunteers. Many of the active volunteers were honored as well by certificates
The Rancho California Water District was a finalist for this year’s Huell Howser Excellence in Communications Award.
The annual award honors exceptional communications and outreach programs developed and implemented by water agencies and is presented at the Association of California Water Agencies fall conference. Rancho Water was nominated for its “Journey of Water” video series which educates district customers about where their water originates and notes the reasons for infrastructure projects and associated rate changes. This year’s ACWA fall conference took place Nov. 29 through Dec. 1 in Indian Wells. The award winner was announced Nov. 30.
“It’s such an honor to be nominated. It’s a really prestigious award,” RCWD public information officer Kimy Wall said.
The Rancho California Water District was one of five water agencies in the state to receive Excellence in Communications Award finalist status. “It’s pretty cool,” Wall said.
Wall had been with the North County Transit District in San Diego County before joining the RCWD staff in February 2021. The Rancho California Water District currently has 155 employees and approximately 45,000 accounts which provide water to approximately 150,000 residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural users.
Rancho Water is a retail agency which receives Metropolitan Water District of Southern California supplies from both the Eastern Municipal Water District and the Western Municipal Water District. MWD obtains its water from the Colorado River Aqueduct which transports water from Parker to Lake Mathews, the State Water Project which brings water from Oroville to Lake Skinner, water banking agreements, local supply and other sources. In spring 2021,
Rancho Water began work on the “Journey of Water” series. “It helps people to understand how we’re getting water from those areas,” Wall said. “This was a way to go way back with a video series to show where our water comes from.”
The “Journey of Water” series implementation began in January. “It really helps to get people’s buyin,” Wall said.
In November 1996, the state’s voters passed Proposition 218, which requires a public vote on benefit assessments. Prop. 218 exempts water and sewer rate increases if a cost of service study shows a relationship between the rates and the agency’s cost to provide water or sewer service. A rate setting policy can be in effect for up to five years and must include a rate design and public review. A successful public outreach campaign explaining water purchase and infrastructure costs often leads to public support for rate increases, and prior to holding a Prop. 218 hearing in spring 2021, RCWD staff prepared a notice which explained the situation as well as the proposed higher rates. “We actually had a fairly easy time,” Wall said.
In addition to explaining why water rates may be required to be increased, the “Journey of Water” series also explains why drought situations may warrant a reduction in consumer usage. “We’re asking people to help,” Wall said.
The Kings River Conservation District was given the Huell Howser Excellence in Communications Award for that district’s Bottled Water Delivery Program campaign to improve the quality of life for rural residents with nitrate contamination above safe drinking water standards. The Fresno-based Kings River Conservation District utilized water quality and demographic data to identify nitrate-impacted residents and provided outreach through direct mailers, electronic mail see AWARD, page B-8
Coming up with a down payment can feel like quite a hurdle. For millennials, who are currently the largest cohort of homebuyers, getting help with the down payment is fairly common – roughly 29% of younger millennials receive gift money from a loved one.
Are you considering using gift funds during your home buying journey? It’s important to understand the rules surrounding this strategy when applying for a mortgage.
Q: How much can you get?
A: It depends on your mortgage program: With FHA loans, for example, the entire down payment can be funded via gift money. Conventional loans will only allow it if you put down 20% or more.
Q: Who can offer gift money?
A: Again, it depends on the loan type. A conventional loan only allows for family gifts, while others may let you use gift money from friends, employers, down payment assistance programs and more.
Q: How should it be documented?
giver which states that you, the recipient, do not need to repay the funds. If you do repay the money later, it could be considered mortgage fraud.
You may also need a copy of the check or wire transfer from the gift-giver, your deposit slip and the withdrawal slip showing them taking the funds from their bank account. You might be asked to share a copy of your bank statement showing when and how much was deposited, too.
A conventional home loan only allows for family gifts, while others may let home buyers use gift money from friends, employers, down payment assistance programs and more. Valley News/Metro Creative photo
messages, canvassing, workshops, Webinars, social and traditional media channels and paid digital communications. The finalists also included the Calabasas-based Las Virgenes Municipal Water District for its drought emergency strategic messaging campaign to achieve support from customers in reducing water use to ensure a 35% reduction compared to 2020, the Turlock Irrigation District for its Water and Power podcast which provides insight into the district’s operations and happenings, and the
Santa Clara Valley Water District for its purified water and conservation media campaign to encourage residents and businesses to reduce water use by 15% compared to 2019.
“It was really great meeting the other agencies and hearing about their campaigns,” Wall said.
Huell Howser hosted the Public Broadcasting Service’s “California Gold” series and first became acquainted with California water issues during his series when he was invited to visit the California River Aqueduct tunnel through Mt. San Jacinto while the aqueduct
Here’s what you need to know:
was closed for maintenance. He partnered with ACWA for a PBS series on California water which presented various water issues of the state in a non-political style intended to entertain as well as educate Californians. Howser passed away in January 2013. The award had been called the Huell Howser Best in Blue Award before the award name was changed to the Huell Howser Excellence in Communications Award.
“It’s really nice that they do this,” Wall said.
A: If you’re using gift money for your down payment, your lender will require a letter from the gift-
Do you need help finding a home – and a trusted lender? Reach out to Jane Kepley with CR Properties at 760-622-0204 or kepleyrealestate@att.net
Offered at $359,000
USA Baseball announced earlier this week that Temecula’s own Kelsie Whitmore was named Sportswoman of the Year.
Whitmore made her seventh career appearance for the Women’s National Team this past summer and played a vital role in helping the stars and stripes clinch their friendship series against Canada in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Whitmore started all five games. two on the mound, one as the designated hitter, and two in the outfield, and tallied at least one hit in four games. In the series opener, Whitmore was lights out as she was a double short of the cycle, going 3-for-3 with four RBIs, while pitching 4.2 innings of shutout ball. She led all players in the series with seven runs, eight hits, 10 RBIs, and a 1.000 slugging percentage.
If you have been following her story, along with her accomplishments with Team USA and in college at Cal State Fullerton, Whitmore made history this past spring by becoming the first female to play baseball in a league affiliated with Major League Baseball. She made her professional debut with the Staten Island FerryHawks on April 21, making 39 appearances in her rookie season in the Atlantic League.
The complete list of the 2022 USA Baseball organizational award winners is as follows:
Richard W. “Dick” Case Award: Bryce Eldridge, 18U National Team
Rod Dedeaux Coach of the Year: Denny Hocking, 18U National Team
Sportswoman of the Year: Kelsie Whitmore, Women’s National Team
International Performance of the Year: Christian Rodriguez, 18U National Team Team of the Year: 12U National Team
College Coach of the Year: Mike Bianco, Collegiate National Team Developmental Coach of the Year: Drew Briese, 15U National Team
Volunteer Coach of the Year: André Butler Coach Educator of the Year: Bill Krejci
“Doc” Councilman Science Award: Adam Moseley, 18U National Team Service Provider of the Year: Daisy Nelson Whitmore says she will continue training during this off season to get prepared for next season and will continuing to strive to get to the next level in this game.
“My same goal hasn’t stopped,” Whitmore says about playing professional baseball at an even higher level. “I have been using this time during the off-season
to focus a lot on myself as both a player and person.”
On the diamond, USA Baseball is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and the reigning World Baseball Classic champion, and its national teams have won 62 gold medals in international competition. Off the field, the organization is dedicated to the proliferation and health of the sport through the creation and management of numerous development initiatives including
For
JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia. com
It has been almost eight years since Coley Candaele resigned as the head coach of the Vista Murrieta football program. A lot has happened since then. Not just for Candaele or the Broncos, but for the world. In an announcement made last week, Candaele has decided to return for a second stint leading the Vista Murrieta football program.
Candaele started the program in 2003 and amassed a remarkable record of 132 wins and 25 losses, all done over 13 seasons. The Broncos won nine Southwestern League titles and reached the CIF Southern Section finals seven consecutive years (2009-2015) with him in control. Vista Murrieta also claimed the CIF-SS Inland Division championship in 2011 with an impressive 35-28 win over Centennial.
Before moving to Murrieta with wife Karen and daughters, Peyton and Devyn, Candaele carved out an incredible resume while coaching at his alma mater, Carpinteria. The year prior to moving, he coached the football team to a 14-0 record and CIF championship. During his
2020, a pandemic season followed; Newbury Park remained one of the top teams in the nation, which was also a year that saw Soles resign and change schools.
third year as the head coach. It was also the eighth podium appearance for Great Oak, with San Clemente and Crescenta Valley each making their first.
JP Raineri Sports EditorPORTLAND, Ore. – Nike Cross Nationals is the ultimate cross country experience. On Saturday, Dec. 3, individual and club qualifiers from eight regional championships competed to be crowned national champion, at the 17th annual NXN. In the mix was the Great Oak boys’ team, who finished in sixth place.
The Nike Cross Nationals is comprised of eight Regional Qualifying meets and the National Finals in Portland. The Nationals course at Glendoveer Golf Course offers athletes a premium, challenging championship venue for putting it all on the line. Fields of 22 seven-person clubs and an additional 45 individuals, male
and female, will lay it all on the line in the quest for the sport’s biggest prize, the coveted Winged Goddess of Victory statue.
Great Oak is no stranger to being on the national stage. Under former coach Doug Soles, the Wolfpack’s winning tradition started in 2010, when the girls won their first state championship. From there on out, the program began to dominate, especially when the boys began their streak of success in 2014. That is when they won the first of six consecutive state titles, as well as a national championship that they earned at the Nike Cross Nationals in 2015.
In 2019, Great Oak finished as national runners-up to Newbury Park by four points at the NXN meet, which began a somewhat changing of the guard. Then, in
The same outcome would happen last year between the two powerhouse programs with the Wolfpack biting at Newbury Park’s heels to maintain their status as Division 1 runners-up at the state meet. Unfortunately, there would be no head-to-head competition at the State Finals this year as the two cross country powers went back into separate divisions. Great Oak stayed in Division 1, while Newbury Park remained dominant in Division 2. When Soles left, Tammy Draughon took over, and has not let the program down. It was just three weeks ago that the Great Oak boys missed out on a CIF Southern Section title to San Clemente, then turned things around to win their seventh boys CIF State Title and 15th overall in program history the following weekend. The win marked the first in this decade and first under Draughon, now in her
Great Oak stayed confident entering this past Saturday’s race but could not place better than sixth. Newbury Park was the top team with Portland, Herriman (Soles’ new school), Southern Oregon and American Fork coming in before the crew from Temecula. San Clemente placed seventh.
Runners representing the Wolfpack were: Mark Cortes (55th - 15:51.3), Nathan Lennox-Diaz (69th - 15:59.3), Gabriel Rodriguez (77th - 16:00.9), Ramses Cortes (79th - 16:02.1), Austin Elkins (90th - 16:06.8), Cameron Keeny (111th - 16:20.3) and Nick Gaffney (192nd - 17:23.5).
A live webcast feed of the event, as well as results and info, can be found online at www. nikecrossnationals.com.
JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia. com
JP Raineri Sports Editor
The Paloma Valley Wildcats continued to dominate their preseason wrestling start to the 2022-23 campaign with a compelling 63-16 victory over Servite in a nonleague dual-meet match Tuesday, Dec. 6. Paloma Valley (4-0) won 11 of 14 matches, with nine of the wins coming from pins. While Servite (1-2) grabbed the early lead with Robert Alanis scoring an 18-5 major decision in the opening 160-pound match, but the Wildcats turned the tables in 10 of the next 11 matches to take complete control of the night.
Paloma Valley has never won a CIF Southern Section championship in a male sport, and while they are in a tough CIF division in both duals and individuals, the message so far
from page C-1
time in coaching track and field at Carpinteria, their squads earned two CIF Division 4 team titles.
When Candaele resigned at Vista Murrieta, following the 2015 season, he was also the school’s athletic director and had daughters making their own way through middle and high school sports. To say there was a lot on his plate is an understatement. Candaele stepped down from being the athletic director at the end of the 2017-2018 school year but has been coaching the cross country and track and field squads ever since. He also was an assistant football coach for four years.
Last month, when Eric Peterson, who was an assistant during Candaele’s first coaching stint, resigned, “things just kind of fell into place,” he said.
Vista Murrieta, who won four Southwestern League titles, including three straight from 20182020, under Peterson’s guidance, went 5-6 this past season. Despite coming in under .500, the Broncos finished fifth in the newly formed Big West Conference, which includes teams in the Big VIII and Southwestern leagues, and they also made the playoffs.
As for Coley, and his time as the head cross country and track and field coach, the Vista Murrieta boys have earned two California State Meet team titles to go along with five CIF-Southern Section Division 1 team titles. Where does his reputation for success stem from? Going back to the late-1980s to first experience the younger, high
school version of Candaele would help shed some light on the subject. Not only did he quarterback his high school football team to three
106 lb. – Darius Corcuera wins by fall; 113 lb. – Uriel Cruz wins by forfeit; 120 lb. – Syruss Flores wins by fall; 126 lb. – Justin Brown wins by fall; 132 lb. –Jake Barnes wins by fall; 138 lb. – Cristian Mier won by fall; 145 lb. – Jacob Rivera lost by fall; 152 lb. – Elijah Benavidez wins by fall; 160 lb. – Aiden Platte lost by major decision; 170 lb. – Javon Major wins by fall; 182 lb. – Daniel Diaz won in OT by decision; 195 lb. – Ben Sohrab won by decision; 220 lb. – Simon Flores won by decision; 285 lb. – Chris Flores lost by fall.
Follow the Paloma Valley wrestling program online via social media at https://www. facebook.com/PalomaWrestling.
JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia. com
in state history.
Between the two ‘distance’ events, Candaele captured six Division 4 titles, won three times at the Southern Section’s Masters Meet and set new Division 4 records in both. He finished third in the 1600 meters at the CIF-State Championships as a sophomore and came back to take second a year later. As a senior in 1990, he once again finished in the top three, but this time, a strong move with 250 meters to go along with a 56-second last lap propelled Candaele to a 4:06.26 clocking and the CIF-State title.
Candaele informed the runners on his cross country teams before the announcement was made to the public about switching back to football, and says he hopes to bring the football program back to its championship-level days.
“We are excited for Coley to return to the program that he started,” Vista Murrieta athletic director Carl Galloway said. “His outstanding character, dedication to helping students reach their full potential and long record of success in preparing athletes to compete at the next level make him the ideal leader to continue to move our program forward.”
Candaele’s return marks the second founding football coach from a former Southwestern League school to return to their original program. Scott Strosnider came back to Great Oak this past season and led the Wolfpack to a share of the Big West Conference’s Lower Division title.
JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia.com
When the talks about forming a superpower football conference with the Big VIII League and Southwestern League began nearly four years ago, people got excited. The new football-only conference split the schools into two separate leagues based on competitive equity, the recent league results and CalPreps.com power ratings.
The upper half include Centennial, Norco, and Roosevelt of the Big VIII League and Chaparral, Murrieta Valley, and Vista Murrieta of the Southwestern League. The lower half of the conference was comprised of Corona, King, and Santiago from the Big VIII League and Great Oak, Murrieta Mesa, and Temecula Valley from the Southwestern League.
The upper tier of the Big West Conference created quite the buzz this season at it brought together several of the Inland area’s most successful football programs. Officials at the CIF Southern Section offices said it could be one of the top public-school leagues in the state and one of the best in the nation. The average CalPreps.com rating of the schools in the upper half of the conference was a 52.6 in 2021, which would have placed first in the nation among public schools and second overall behind only the Trinity League (77.3).
The six programs in the lower half of the conference had an average CalPreps.com rating of 12.8 in 2021, which was boosted strongly by Temecula Valley’s 26.2 rating. The ratings of the other five schools ranged between 2.8 and 16.6, heavily behind the 32.2-orhigher ratings of the six schools in the upper half of the conference. Of the six former Southwestern league teams, five made it to the playoffs.
Nest season could tell a different tale, but in the meantime, it’s time to recognize the top student athletes from the 2022 football season that were selected to the Big West AllLeague teams.
For these newly formed divisions, the inaugural year is showcasing First Team selections only, with Player of the Year nods, MVP’s, a Coach of the year (Upper Division only) and some honorable mentions (Lower Division only) made by Temecula Valley. Apparently, the Lower Division also couldn’t decide on just one MVP selection, so they dished out three, as well as two Defensive Player’s of the Year, and two Defensive Linemen of the Year. The following list is only showing local players from teams inside the Valley News sports coverage area.
Big West Upper Division Special Teams Player of the Year - Tiger Bachmeier, Murrieta Valley (12)
On top of his 1525 receiving yards, and 15 touchdown catches, Bachmeier had 659 return yards on special teams with three touchdown returns.
Coach of the Year - Andrew Ramer, Chaparral Ramer and his Chaparral Pumas took second place in league this year and made it to the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Division 3 playoffs.
Caron Tyler, Chaparral (12)
Stacy Dobbins, Chaparral (11)
Devyne Pearson, Chaparral (12)
Izaiah Souriolle, Chaparral (12)
Jacob Alvarez, Chaparral (10)
Bear Bachmeier, Murrieta Valley (10)
Asa Chatman, Murrieta Valley (11)
Brandon Gilbert, Murrieta Valley (10)
Jason Steele, Murrieta Valley (12)
Grant Wayne, Vista Murrieta (12)
Akili Smith Jr., Vista Murrieta (10)
Brody Guinn, Vista Murrieta (11)
Defense
Raymond Valencia, Chaparral (12)
Aiden Alefosio, Chaparral (11)
Blake Lowe, Chaparral (11)
Luke Riestra, Norco (12)
Chase Miller, Norco (12)
Clayton Zentner, Norco (12)
Darius Holmes, Vista Murrieta (12)
Big West South (Lower)
Division
Most Valuable Players
Remington Churchward, Great Oak (12)
Craig “CJ” Moran, Murrieta Mesa (11)
Jaden Eddy, Temecula Valley (11)
Offensive Player of the Year
Ian Montoya, Murrieta Mesa (12)
Defensive Player of the Year
Trevor Schuck, Great Oak (12)
Jake Sinz, Temecula Valley (12)
Offensive Linemen of the Year
Jack Trimble, Great Oak (12)
Defensive Linemen of the Year
Michael Hickey, Murrieta Mesa (12)
Noy Ron, Temecula Valley (12)
Special Teams Player of the Year
Mason Krause, Temecula Valley (12)
Offense
Cade Bryant, Great Oak (12)
Rob Russ, Great Oak (12)
Isaiah Lopez, Great Oak (12)
Nicholas Pogue, Great Oak (12)
James Trevino, Great Oak (11)
Cole Vasquez, Great Oak (11)
Julian Silva, Murrieta Mesa (11)
AJ Reid, Murrieta Mesa (12)
Victor Aranda, Murrieta Mesa (12)
Jeffrey Engelstad, Murrieta Mesa (12)
Aubrey Olson, Murrieta Mesa (11)
Mekhi Carson, Murrieta Mesa (12)
Ryan Sanchez, Temecula Valley (12)
Gavin Wellonen, Temecula Valley (12)
Trip Dickerson, Temecula Valley (11)
Dominic Paris, Temecula Valley (12)
Honorable Mention
Temecula Valley: Logan Prestifilipo (12)
Sean McCullough (9)
Bryce DeWald (12)
Zane Anthony (12)
Jesse Powless (10)
Bryson Beaver (9)
Bruce Sage (11)
Tyler Caldwell (9)
Defense
Ryder Chapin, Great Oak (12)
Cole Walker, Great Oak (11)
Ryder Smith, Great Oak (9)
Troy Bean, Great Oak (12)
Ethan Spence, Great Oak (12)
Brandon Thai, Great Oak (11)
Lance Vitte, Murrieta Mesa (11)
Luke Van Den Berg, Murrieta Mesa (11)
Ifeyani Onye, Murrieta Mesa (11)
Chiko Orji, Murrieta Mesa (11)
Blake Carter, Temecula Valley (12)
Lucas Valencia, Temecula Valley (12)
Jake Bester, Temecula Valley (11)
Jaylen McPherson, Temecula Valley (12)
Honorable Mention
Temecula Valley: Lucas Lenhart (12)
Jayden Davis (12)
Chase Roberts (11)
John Early (12)
Blake Nichols (12)
Andrew Sellas (12)
Caden Rose (11)
JP
Raineri Sports EditorThe Southern Section offices of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) recently announced the names for the top student athletes that made the AllCIF teams for the sport of girls’ volleyball. As selected by the Girls’ Volleyball Coaches’ Selection Committee and presented by the LA84 Foundation, this list represents those females that were awarded the honor of being a First Team selection from this past season.
On top of the list of local selections, Vista Murrieta’s Claire Little received Player of the Year honors in Division 2, while her head coach, Ed Taitano, received the Coach of the Year award in that same division. Little, a 6-foot-3 senior outside hitter, who has been committed to BYU since her eighth-grade year, was chosen for the highest of accolades due to helping the Broncos win their fourth straight Southwestern League title, as well as a CIF State Championship in Division 2.
As a freshman in 2019, Little established herself as one of the
most promising outside hitters in the nation by helping Vista Murrieta secure a CIF State Division I championship. The coronavirus pandemic wiped out the following year’s campaign, but the past two season’s Little has been solid as a rock for her team. She finished her 3 years at Vista Murrieta with 1,438 career kills which is 475 shy of the area career record. Junior Libero, and teammate, Miliani Villareal, was also noted as a top standout, garnering a First Team accolade. Villareal ended the season with 482 digs, 448 service receptions,
and 43 aces.
Taitano has been at the helm for Vista Murrieta the past five years and aside from his first season (second place with an 8-2 record), and the pandemic ruined year, he has helped lead his team to four consecutive SWL titles, four postseason appearances, two State Championships, and an 8936 overall record.
Rancho Christian, who were the Sunbelt League Champions this past season, had two selections in Division 6. Savannah Thomas and Mariah Hughes both helped their Eagles advance to the CIF Southern Section semifinals, where they lost to Arrowhead Christian, and also helped them advance to the CIF State SoCal Regional playoffs, but they fell to Exeter in their first-round Division 3 matchup.
When Doris Conner applied for a QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship she didn’t know where it would take her or even if she would be accepted. The nonprofit program connects the nation’s most exceptional high school seniors from lowincome backgrounds with full four-year scholarships to 48 of the nation’s leading institutions of higher education. Only about one-third of this year’s more than 17,900 applicants were selected as finalists and only 10% were accepted as Match Scholarship recipients.
Conner was notified on Dec. 1 that she is one of 20 students that was matched with Washington and Lee University in Virginia. She said the financial aid package depends on the school a student is matched with but generally includes housing, meals, tuition, personal expenses, travel expenses, books and supply fees. The aid package varies for each person’s circumstances and will be adjusted depending on future increases in tuition and other expenses. Conner learned her package is estimated to be more than $81,000.
“I believe my persistence allowed me to match with Washington and Lee,” she said. “I had an expected family contribution of zero and my essays displayed how persistent I was in pursuing my goals.”
Since she was a child, Conner dreamed of one day working with marine life and helping to rehabilitate them. She plans to major in marine biology.
“I wasn’t able to visit the beach often growing up but each time we did I was immediately fascinated with what is inside the ocean. I specifically wanted to look at being a rehabilitator because of the ongoing climate crisis,” the 17-year-old Hemet High School senior said. “I like taking care of others, including animals, and this would help benefit our oceans.”
Born in Riverside, Conner has attended Hemet Unified schools since kindergarten at Valle Vista Elementary. Despite her strong academic abilities, she currently has a 4.58 weighted GPA, the reality of attending college was a lofty goal due to the financial and other struggles Conner’s family has endured throughout her life.
“My living situation was difficult, and it was surreal growing up,” she recalled. “I believed it was how normal people lived. It turns
out it was not. I grew up mainly eating ramen and cheap foods and having to receive help from food pantries to have enough to eat. In my previous home, we had cockroaches, and an occasional scorpion or trail of ants. We didn’t have a car when I was in my early years of elementary school, which made traveling even to the grocery store somewhat difficult.”
Add to that the fact that some family members have health issues that limit their ability to contribute to the household income. Conner has been working at McDonald’s restaurant approximately 15 hours a week to provide funds to make up any gaps in the rent.
“My family has been low-income for as long as I can remember,” she said. “Thankfully, our situation has slowly been improving recently but what I grew up with when it was particularly hard sticks with me. I believe my family is stable currently, despite one of my brothers struggling to find enough hours.”
In one of her QuestBridge application essays, Conner spoke on a community’s quality, what she cherished about that quality and how she would bring it to her future college campus.
“I spoke about how my coworkers support one another; the ones I’ve grown to know, even indirectly, are going through hardships, too. We have all come from different backgrounds and circumstances. However, the ones I mainly work with have shown me so much compassion, it warms my heart,” she said. “I used to dread coming into work in the beginning but my coworkers have made me look forward to working, despite the circumstances that led me to needing a job.”
Aside from school and work outside the home, Conner cleans, cooks and tries to take up household responsibilities to support her family. She supports them by helping around the house and buying food or anything else that may be needed.
“I have several siblings; I am the youngest in the family,” she said. “I do not know the details of my father’s disability; I just know of the pain he is often in and has been in since I was little.”
She would like to have gotten more involved with extracurricular activities but due to her home circumstances she didn’t pursue any. During COVID-19 and beyond, she continued to be safe regarding exposure to any illnesses because of the risk they posed to
her chronically ill family members.
“If I’m honest, the only way I keep up with my grades is by turning in every single assignment no matter the day. I’ve stayed up well past midnight, especially over the past three years, to keep up with my classes. I face procrastination, but I manage my time and typically schedule time for myself to complete assignments in order to get enough sleep,” Conner explained.
She has completed eight Advanced Placement classes since her freshman year and received five 5s, the highest score possible, and three 4s. She is taking seven AP classes this year. The Hemet/ San Jacinto Student of the Month Program recognized her as Hemet High School’s choice for October.
“Ever since the fifth grade at Valle Vista Elementary School, in Mrs. Mason’s class, I’ve been telling Doris that she could be valedictorian and get a full scholarship. She doubted herself, but I never did, not for a moment,” her mother Darlene Conner said.
“On the day of the QuestBridge announcement, when confetti exploded across the computer screen, I screamed and cried.”
Mrs. Conner said her daughter couldn’t believe she got it but that she had no doubts. She has always told Conner to never stop believing in herself because she is capable of doing anything she sets her mind to.
“I’m so proud of her, words cannot express,” her mother said. “There’s no greater joy than seeing your children’s dreams come true.”
Doris Conner admits she does have some concerns about attending college on the other side of the country, being worried that a member of her family might become very ill and she will not be able to be there for them. She also worries that they will take on too much once she’s gone and unable to help out, thereby risking their health just to maintain the house.
“I hope that if it comes down to it, with my financial aid and working a part-time job, I’ll be able to travel home in any serious scenario,” Conner said. “My mother has degenerative disc disease. I believe she is the main reason why I believed that I could end the poverty cycle, but now she struggles with health issues, too. Without her sticking by me and trying her hardest to provide for me, I would have never gotten to the point of where I am today. It is one of my biggest worries that she will harm herself due to her
condition and will not be able to walk in the future.”
While Conner had applied to several University of California and California State University sites that would be closer to home, the QuestBridge match scholarship was awarded prior to any other colleges notifying her of acceptance. She was required to withdraw her applications to all other institutions once she accepted the QuestBridge scholarship.
Conner said she initially heard about the QuestBridge program by a Hemet High teacher in her sophomore year, during the COVID-19 online learning period.
The teacher motivated her to keep tabs on QuestBridge and its required submission guidelines.
“In my junior year, my AVID teacher supported me in my effort to fill out the initial College Prep Scholar QuestBridge application and the same teacher supported me this year for the National College Match,” she said. “Essentially, you must fill out an extensive application. It requires a main essay and free response questions that are based on a prompt regarding your experiences. It has an income section, family section, academics and more. You must submit two recommendation letters as well as a school report/ counselor recommendation.”
After accepting her enrollment, Conner learned about a “RISE” program that will allow her and one
of her parents to tour the campus, all expenses paid. The QuestBridge Scholars Network, which provides ongoing support and resources through nationwide opportunities and campus communities, is also offered to matriculating students.
“I strongly believe that people in my position, when given the opportunity to succeed, can fight to get out of poverty and improve their life,” she said. “Financial aid is out there, and I hope that more people in similar situations will fight for a better future, too.”
QuestBridge exists not just to help low-income students achieve higher education degrees. By recruiting, developing and motivating students beginning in high school and through college to their early career, the Palo Alto-based organization aims to help talented, low-income students attend the nation’s best colleges and to support them to achieve success in their respective careers and communities.
“These bright and motivated students have a determination to succeed that will help them thrive well beyond their college years, and we’re excited to see where their dreams take them next,” Ana Rowena Mallari, co-founder and CEO of QuestBridge, said. For more information, www. questbridge.org.
Indians Special to the Valley News
Noli Indian School, on the Soboba Indian Reservation, serves grades 6-12. Administrators and staff feel it’s never too early to educate young students about their options for colleges and/or career opportunities. It may help them define a clear path of study to pursue based on requirements for employment or enrollment.
Also invited to the career and college day on Nov. 28 were students from Sherman Indian High School in Riverside. About 10 colleges were represented and a dozen or so businesses that ran the gamut from healthcare careers to entrepreneurship opportunities.
Each student was given a list of participants and was able to choose six that fit their interests and spend 12 minutes with each one. Groups of five students rotated through the tables that
were set up at the Soboba Sports Complex to listen to presentations and ask questions they had about a particular career or college.
Delta Airlines offered information on aviation careers and Old Traditions Tattoo Parlor artists explained how they do what they do. Robert Young with Inland Memorial Harford Chapel shared insight on the funeral home business and fielded a lot of questions.
A variety of careers could be learned about through several Soboba entities. Michael West and Jacob Briones from the Soboba Fire Department explained how their jobs are about much more than fighting fires. Medical aid calls constitute a majority of the department’s duties, and each member has to be fully trained. It is recommended that potential fire department personnel go to EMT school to learn what they will need to know.
When asked how often they are
called out, Briones said a busy day is usually about 15 calls, but the norm is about 5 to 6 per day. He told the students about the recently formed Explorers program that gives young people a firsthand look at what the different jobs entail and teaches them the proper use of the various equipment that needs to be used.
“Fire service is para-military, meaning there is a lot of structure behind it,” Briones said.
There were also recruiters from the Army and Navy at the fair to answer questions from those that are already thinking about enlisting right out of high school.
Craig Young has worked at
Soboba’s IT Department as the Tribe’s Senior Graphic Designer for more than 12 years. He creates all print work that is put out on behalf of the Tribe as well as helping Tribal members with side work they may want.
“I’m not an artist, I’m a graphic designer,” he tells students who ask about his job. “I can’t put a pen to paper, but I can create anything with a computer.”
He recalled working with a young man during the Soboba Tribal TANF summer program in 2013 who was a great sketch artist. Young said he taught Christian Rivera how to create digital art and ended up using
one of his creations on a program for Soboba’s annual Intertribal Powwow and giving him artist credit on it. Young said he always likes to encourage students to find jobs in fields they already have a passion for.
The Soboba Casino Resort had three of its marketing department employees on hand to discuss what they do on a daily basis. Wade Abbas is a graphic designer who helps with the promotional materials put out by the casino. He said most students are curious as to what type of education is needed for this position. He always tells
NOLI from page C-4 them that a career in marketing takes people from all over that have completed different journeys. There is no one clear-cut way to get to the end.
Corryn Salgado-Flores is a content creator specialist and enjoys working with a team of about 20 employees who are involved with player development, rewards and other programs to
keep the excitement alive at the casino. Nathan Miranda started out as a Tribal member intern learning about many different positions at SCR. He settled on marketing because he has a passion for art, graphic design and photography.
“Seeing my designs being displayed around the casino gives me a good feeling,” Miranda said.
Soboba Tribal Family Services talked to students about all the different job opportunities
within the field of social work. Team members from the nearby Riverside-San Bernardino County Indian Health Inc. Soboba Indian Health Clinic spoke about potential careers in the dental field.
Rynda Drennan is an RN Recruiter from San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital in Banning. She offered details on various nursing careers and provided students with a career plan of study to help them begin to achieve
Realtor Martin Cueva served double duty, educating students on a career in real estate as well as letting them know what they should look for when purchasing property. He said that being a realtor takes a combination of many different skills.
Jorge Esqueda brought a hands-on display that helped explain the types of things an electrician might be tasked with. He shared the fact there are many apprenticeship training centers throughout Southern California to help prepare them for electrical workforce jobs.
Lisa Castilone, Community Development & Tribal Program Manager with GRID Alternatives Inland Empire, shared some highlights from GRID’s Solar Futures and Women in Solar programs, past programming at Noli and all the fantastic job opportunities in renewable energy.
“I explained to them that the skills they learn in this profession are something they can take anywhere; it’s not just a local job, it can be global,” she said.
Robert J. Levi II is a Tribal Elder/Culture Bearer in Residence at California State University, San Bernardino. He was hired in February of 2021 and was able to share how his job enables him to assist American Indian students with their transition to college.
“CSUSB realized the need for an elder to help retain American Indian students,” Levi said. “I showed an interest in
the opportunity, and CSUSB Administration saw me as a person who can help them better serve the AI student body. So, to a degree my work does involve maintaining AI students to finish their degrees.”
As a San Diego State University graduate and citizen of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, Levi is in an ideal position to address issues and concerns AI students may have about their education at this level.
“My involvement with our AI students is one of being their ‘strict’ uncle; making sure they are studying, asking about their grades and just being there for them,” he said. “I am part of a support team to make them less anxious and/ or alienated at CSUSB. I am also the Staff Advisor for our CSUSB American Indian Student Organization.”
Levi works alongside First People’s Center Director Carlos Gonzales, VP of Student Affairs Dr. Molly Springer and the Office of Student Engagement to assist, in any way, the American Indian students.
He said during the career and college fair, most students who visited his table wanted to know about financial aid, campus life, living in the dorms, classes and what CSUSB has to offer American Indian students. He was able to share with them that most of the current AI students at the university are majoring in U.S. History, anthropology, nursing, psychology and political science.
Menifee residents and motorists may have noticed that a new pipeline structure is being installed by the SoCal Gas Company in the vicinity of Evans Road and Lazy Creek. As a result, lane closures are expected to occur for the next several months to support the project.
The many continuing highway projects taking place in the city have caught the attention of the Menifee City Council leading to a discussion at the Dec. 7 council meeting about the possibility of implementing a public street excavation moratorium for all newly reconstructed and resurfaced streets. While the moratorium was discussed, there was no action taken by the council, but the discussion will be continued until Jan. 18 of next year.
The discussion comes in light of many street repair, replacement and enhancement projects taking place currently in the city, often disrupting the traffic flow. The following is an update on those projects.
Menifee Daytime work continues for sidewalk repairs and leak repairs on the new water lines on Murrieta and Newport roads. Traffic control will be in place as needed. Visit www.emwd.org/MurrietaRoad for additional updates on this project.
Traffic signal improvements continue to take place at Garbani and Menifee roads, McCall Blvd. and Ranch Road with construction expected to continue through December. Other traffic signal improvements have been completed in the city.
The Sumac Ridge Utility Work continues on Scott Road between Menifee and Briggs roads with
some traffic impacts. But the work on Scott and Lindenberger roads has been completed and all traffic lanes are open. No additional traffic impacts are expected from this project.
Another new pedestrian improvement project is taking place at Lazy Creek and Sun City Blvd. with the city currently replacing Americans with Disabilities Act ramps in the neighborhood.
Ramp replacement work is expected to begin along Sun City Boulevard. Traffic control will be in place at various locations as necessary.
The California Department of Transportation continues work on a $5.5 million project to construct and upgrade curb ramps to ADA standards and modify signal and lighting systems on State Route 111 in Palm Springs, weather
Residents hoping to avoid crowded emergency rooms are being urged to be tested, then treated for COVID-19, at clinics located throughout Riverside County.
The clinics are offered by Riverside University Health System-Public Health, in partnership with OptumServe.
“We continue to see significant impacts to our hospital emergency departments with individuals seeking COVID-19 testing and/
or COVID-19 therapeutics. We have an opportunity to remind the community that there are additional resources to assist with accessing COVID-19 testing and medications,” Misty Plumley, program chief for Immunizations and Emergency Response, said.
The one-stop shop allows patients to be tested for COVID-19, have a telehealth communication with a doctor and receive an oral antiviral treatment, all during the same visit. Riverside County, like
other regions throughout the state, has seen a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases over the past several weeks. The clinics are free and health insurance is not required to be seen and treated.
Patients may simply walk in or make an appointment online at https://lhi.care/covidtesting.
Sites are available throughout Riverside County and can be found at www.ruhealth.org/ public-health/covid-19-treatmentoptions.
permitting. The crews continue work at various locations on SR111 from Lawrence Crossley Road to West Gateway Drive with some lane closures expected until 1 p.m. Dec. 17.
Caltrans is continuing work on the $4 million safety project to construct a median concrete barrier and rumble strips on State Route 79 near San Jacinto, weather permitting. Because of this, crews will be closing one lane in both directions for temporary striping and k-rail placement from Gilman Springs Road to the Ramona Expressway. The temporary striping will be put in place to shift all traffic lanes outward and enable crews to install the k-rail in the median. Expect delays. CHP will be on site to assist with traffic safety. Once the k-rail is in place, the normal construction hours will be Mondays through Fridays from 4 p.m. to 6 a.m.
The Riverside County Transportation Commission is continuing its work to improve the area’s Metrolink passenger rail in the county, including the Perris Metrolink, but the trains are still running. That construction is expected to continue through December.
The 91 Refresh Project, a partnership between RCTC and Caltrans will repave lanes and repair sound walls and concrete barriers along the outer portions of eastbound and westbound 91 in Corona. Work will occur mainly between the Lincoln Ave. interchange and Interstate 15, an area with a long history of roadway settlement. To register for construction updates, text 91REFRESH to 77222 or visit rctc.org/91refresh.
Tony Ault can be reached at tault@reedermedia.com
The November 29 meeting of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors included the allocation of Community Improvement Designation funds for several Valley organizations.
bicycle portion, and a 150-meter swim segment. The 36th annual Tinsel Triathlon on December 11 utilized the CID grant for some of the event expenses.
The Rotary Club of Murrieta has an annual Murrieta Field of Honor event which acknowledges and thanks veterans in the Murrieta area. The 14th annual Field of Honor took place last month, and the CID funding will help cover some of the Rotary chapter’s expenses.
SACRAMENTO - In his first act after taking the oath of office, Senator Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta), representing California’s 32nd district, introduced legislation to combat California’s growing fentanyl epidemic.
SB 19 would establish the California Anti-Fentanyl Abuse Task Force to increase public education and mobilize state and local resources to evaluate the best practices for combatting fentanyl abuse. In 2020 alone, California experienced close to 4,000 deaths related to fentanyl overdose, and in 2021, fentanyl overdose became recognized as the leading cause of death of Americans aged 18 to 45.
“Californians are falling victim to drug dealers who prey on the potency and availability of illicit fentanyl,” said Senator Seyarto. “We need to work together to pass legislation to give local agencies the tools they need to keep our communities safe and hold criminals accountable. This task force will identify the resources necessary to respond and bring this
epidemic under control.”
In addition to working toward improving public safety, Senator Seyarto will focus his efforts on issues important to his district. These include taxpayer protections, Veteran benefits, victims’ rights, government transparency, water, fire management and prevention measures, and economic growth.
“With inflation and taxation, California is facing an economic crisis like no other,” Seyarto said.
“We need to take a comprehensive and sensible look at reducing the cost of living and improving quality of life to ensure all Californians and businesses can afford to stay in our beautiful state.”
Senator Kelly Seyarto is a native Californian who served and protected his community for 35 years as a firefighter/paramedic in Southern California. He retired in 2015 at the rank of Battalion Chief.
Kelly was first elected to the Murrieta City Council in 1997 and served through 2006. Choosing to spend more time with his family, he declined to run for reelection
in 2006 but returned to serve the City of Murrieta again in 2016. He served as Mayor four times.
In 2020, he began his two-year service in the State Assembly representing Southwest Riverside County before being elected to the State Senate this November.
Kelly lives in Murrieta with his wife Denise of 35 years, and they have three daughters.
The supervisors’ 5-0 vote approved funding of $5,000 for the Spero Vineyards viticulture vocational training program, $3,000 for the Assistance League of Temecula Valley, $3,000 for the Rotary Club of Hemet, $3,000 for the Rotary Club of Murrieta, $3,000 for Trauma Intervention Programs of Southwest Riverside County, $2,000 for the Lamas Housing Project, $2,000 for the Temecula Sunrise Rotary Foundation, $1,500 for the Hemet/San Jacinto Valley Chamber of Commerce, $1,000 for Community Outreach Ministry, $1,000 for the Menifee Chamber of Commerce, and $500 for the City of San Jacinto.
Community Improvement Designation grants can be allocated to nonprofit organizations, public agencies, county departments, or other organizations with programs which serve the social needs of the county’s population. Each county supervisor recommends the allocation of CID funding from his or her district budget, although a majority of the Board of Supervisors is needed to approve that recommendation. Supervisor Chuck Washington recommended the District 3 allocations.
The Spero Vineyards Viticulture Vocational Training program is dedicated to providing opportunities for young adults with developmental disabilities. The program is a publicprivate partnership between project organizers Mark and Eva Woodsmall and the City of Temecula Global Citizens Initiative. Currently 1,380 vines are under cultivation and there are plans to expand the vineyard by an additional 2,000 vines. The CID money will help support education and job training opportunities for young adults with disabilities.
The Assistance League of Temecula Valley is based in Temecula. Its activities include “Operation School Bell” which provides new school-appropriate clothing for economically disadvantaged children from kindergarten through 12th grade, and the CID funding will be used for that project.
The Rotary Club of Hemet has a Tinsel Triathlon which is a major fundraiser for programs and services the chapter provides. The December triathlon consists of a 5,000-meter run, a 12-mile
Trauma Intervention Programs of Southwest Riverside County is based in Murrieta. The CID award will be utilized to recruit additional Trauma Intervention Program volunteers who provide emotional assistance to survivors of tragedy.
The Lamas Housing Project is in Hemet. The CID money will help support the Dia de los Muertos community event which raises funds for the housing navigation program provided at the Valley Restart Shelter.
The Temecula Sunrise Rotary Foundation will use the grant for the annual Community Christmas Dinner on December 25 which is free to the public. The meals are fully cooked and the foundation also delivers meals to homebound senior citizens on Christmas Day. In 2021 approximately 800 meals were served including more than 300 delivered to seniors. This year’s Community Christmas Dinner will be the 28th annual one, and it is open to anyone in the community.
The Hemet/San Jacinto Valley Chamber of Commerce actually received two separate $750 grants. One will support the 2022 State of the City Address which allows communication directly to the residents of Hemet about current and future initiatives within the city, and the other will provide funding for the Together Stronger Mayor’s Ball hosted by the mayors of the cities of Hemet and San Jacinto which benefits the Trauma Intervention Program.
Community Outreach Ministry is headquartered in Wildomar. The CID grant will be used for the organization’s Angel Tree Christmas event which provides a holiday celebration with food and gifts for youth who wouldn’t otherwise wouldn’t be able to celebrate.
The Menifee Chamber of Commerce funding will support the 2022 State of the City Address which will allow direct communication to the residents of Menifee about current and future initiatives within the city. The money for the City of San Jacinto will support the 2022 State of the City Address in that city.
of these avenues.”
The case is Religious Sisters of Mercy v. Becerra, case No. 211890. Xavier Becerra is the HHS secretary.
Other Case Besides the Religious Sisters of Mercy v. Becerra, Becket also represents plaintiffs in a separate but related case initially filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
Sexuality of the American College of Pediatricians.
“It is a jamming tactic that combines both anti-religious allusions (‘conversion,’ implicitly forced) along with intimidation against therapists who allow patient-directed investigation of possible change.”
already at-risk sexual minority youth to experimental and unproven hormonal and surgical gender-affirming therapy (GAT), which permanently and prematurely medicalizes children for a condition that overwhelmingly resolves by adulthood,” he said.
The Epoch TimesA federal appeals court has permanently blocked the Biden administration’s bid to force doctors and insurers to perform or pay for gender-transition procedures even if they object on grounds of conscience and medical judgment, with the court basing its decision on constitutional protections of religious freedom.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit issued a unanimous ruling on Dec. 9 blocking the controversial U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) transgender mandate.
Issued in 2016, the mandate interpreted the Affordable Care Act in a way that required doctors to perform gendertransition procedures on any patient, including children, even if the doctor was convinced the procedure could harm the patient.
Controversial Mandate
The mandate also required the vast majority of private insurance companies and many employers to cover the costs of gender-transition therapy or face penalties.
The HHS’s own panel of medical experts acknowledged that gender-transition procedures can be harmful and in many cases not medically justified, with HHS determining that Medicare and Medicaid shouldn’t be forced to cover such procedures.
Research has shown that gender-transition procedures carry significant risk for children, including loss of bone density, heart disease, and cancer.
‘Do
Religious organizations and states sued to block the mandate, with the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and the North Dakota Attorney General’s office representing some of the groups.
“The federal government has no business forcing doctors to violate their consciences or perform controversial procedures that could permanently harm their patients,” Luke Goodrich, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, said in a statement.
“This is a common-sense ruling that protects patients, aligns with best medical practice, and ensures doctors can follow their Hippocratic Oath to ‘do no harm.’”
Becket filed the lawsuit in 2016 on behalf of a coalition of Catholic hospitals, a Catholic university, and Catholic nuns who run health clinics for the poor.
A federal district court blocked the mandate from taking effect, leading the Biden administration to appeal the case to the 8th Circuit, which in its Dec. 8 ruling concluded that the lower court “correctly held that ‘intrusion upon the Catholic Plaintiff’s exercise of religion’” justified a permanent injunction.
The Biden administration has 90 days to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court or 45 days to ask the 8th Circuit court to rehear the case.
There was no immediate reaction from the White House to the ruling.
Goodrich said in a call with reporters that he doubts the “Biden administration will pursue either
In that case, known as Franciscan Alliance v. Becerra, the Texas court issued a preliminary ruling in December 2016 that the mandate was a likely violation of religious freedom but stopped short of issuing an order that would’ve blocked the policy from being applied.
After an appeal by the challengers seeking a permanent injunction to block the mandate, the court agreed in 2021 to grant permanent relief to doctors and hospitals.
The Biden administration appealed but lost.
On Aug. 26, 2022, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court’s decision and issued a permanent injunction that allows doctors and hospitals to decide whether to carry out gender-transition procedures based on their conscience and medical judgment.
“The government’s attempt to force doctors to go against their consciences was bad for patients, bad for doctors, and bad for religious liberty,” Goodrich said in a statement.
The Biden administration has made transgender issues a key policy pillar, advocating strongly on behalf of people seeking gender-transition procedures and therapies and opposing policies such as so-called conversion therapy, as it’s dubbed by critics, and “change-allowing therapy,” as it’s often referred to by advocates.
This type of therapy is basically counseling that helps people who want to change their sexual orientation or who want to detransition after earlier changing their gender identity or expression.
“The phrase ‘Conversion therapy’ is provocative, pejorative, and ill-defined,” wrote André Van Mol, a board-certified family physician and co-chair of the Committee on Adolescent
In a 10-page executive order issued on June 15, President Joe Biden pledged to defend the LGBT community from various forms of discrimination and expressed opposition to “conversion therapy.”
The order, which was accompanied by a seven-page explanation, describes conversion therapy as “efforts to suppress or change an individual’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.”
In the order, Biden called for an administration-wide push to eliminate the use of such therapy across the nation, describing the practice as “harmful” and “discredited” and that it “can cause significant harm, including higher suicide rates.”
Twenty states and more than 100 municipalities have banned “conversion therapy” for minors.
The American Psychological Association, in a report released in 2009, stated that therapies used to try to change sexual orientation can be harmful and that most don’t succeed.
But some in the medical community have criticized the reliance on the American Psychological Association’s report in attacks on change-allowing therapy.
“The habitually misquoted American Psychological Association’s Task Force’s 2009 report (on page 43) stated specifically that modern changeallowing therapy ‘since 1978’ was ‘nonaversive,’ meaning free of infliction of pain or shame,” Van Mol wrote in an email to The Epoch Times.
Van Mol said the report explicitly states on pages 43 and 82 that research meeting scientific standards didn’t allow attributing harm or help, inefficacy or efficacy, to change-allowing therapy.
“Banning counseling choice for gender dysphoria condemns
Van Mol said GAT hasn’t been proven safe and effective. It doesn’t reduce suicides and isn’t the international standard of care for gender dysphoric minors.
‘State-Sanctioned Viewpoint Discrimination’
Elizabeth Woning is a co-founder of the Changed Movement, an international network of people who no longer identify as LGBT.
“So-called conversion therapy is a pejorative phrase that is being used to promote state-sanctioned viewpoint discrimination. LGBTQ-identifying people deserve the right to follow their conscience, even when it means receiving support to diminish unwanted sexual feelings,” Woning told The Epoch Times in an earlier interview.
“Such bans dramatically oversimplify the lived experience of anyone who identifies as LGBTQ. They offer only one route for people to follow, no matter their faith or conscience.”
Nevada therapist Robert Vazzo told The Epoch Times that he’s opposed to the Biden administration’s pushback against “conversion therapy,” a concept he said isn’t clearly defined and so opens the door to government overreach and abuse.
“Don’t ban anything that is poorly defined and can lead to a witch hunt among therapists whose worldview regarding homosexuality is different from the mainstream,” he said.
Vazzo said the courts have consistently affirmed a therapist’s right to give his or her opinion during a session as part of free speech.
Steven Kovac contributed to this report.
Tom Ozimek is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times. He has a broad background in journalism, deposit insurance, marketing and communications, and adult education.
West Valley was the Mountain Pass League Champions behind senior outside hitter, Haily Goldbach, who was also named the school’s Player of the Year. Goldbach helped her team make it through the CIF-SS Division 7 playoffs, before falling to Pacifica in the quarterfinals. She was also awarded the Hemet Valley Female Fall Athlete of the Year by the Hemet Sportsman’s Club.
The local girls’ volleyball players included on the CIF Southern Section list were announced as follows:
Division 2
Player of the Year: Claire Little, Vista Murrieta (12) - OH
Coach of the Year: Ed Taitano, Vista Murrieta Aubrey Beaver, Temecula Valley (12) OH
Miliani Villareal, Vista Murrieta (11) L
Division 6
(6) Mariah Hughes, Rancho Christian (12) - OH
(2) Savannah Thomas, Rancho Christian (10) - OH
Division 7
(11) Haily Goldbach, West Valley (12) - OH
(17) Saniya McWright, San Jacinto (12) - OH Division 8
(12) Sidney Gray, Temecula Prep (12) - MB
(3) Kailah McKenzie, Orange Vista (12) - MB
A complete list of selections from the entire state can be found online at http://www.cifss.org.
JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia. com
Menifee Police Department did not make any arrests while conducting a DUI enforcement patrol on Friday, Dec. 2. However, several drivers were stopped and screened for possible impairment and 7 citations were written for various vehicle code violations.
Friday, Dec. 9, Menifee
Police again conducted a DUI enforcement patrol where they did not arrest any driver on suspicion of DUI. However, a driver was stopped for a vehicle code violation and initially appeared to be a DUI driver. The driver was found to be a felon in possession of a firearm (ghost gun) along with narcotics and drug paraphernalia. The driver’s passenger was also arrested for an outstanding felony warrant. Not a DUI, but officers removed a dangerous person and illegal firearm from the streets of Menifee. Additionally, two drivers were cited for vehicle code violations.
The residents of Menifee can rest assured the Menifee Police Department is committed to keeping our streets safe from dangerous drivers and conducting patrols such as this shows the commitment to public safety.
“Driving under the influence is dangerous, illegal and puts every person driving on the roads at
risk. Drivers need to understand the dangers of driving impaired,” Sergeant Matthew Bloch said. “We are out there and will not hesitate to stop drivers who drive impaired.”
Drivers charged with DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license.
Menifee Police Department reminds the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Some prescription medications or over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving. Always follow directions for use and read warning labels about driving or” operating heavy machinery,” which includes driving a car. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.
Menifee Police Department will be holding a series of DUI enforcement patrols throughout the year to keep our roadways safe.
Funding for this DUI Patrol was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Submitted by the Menifee Police Department
One person was killed and another seriously injured in a rollover crash involving an SUV south of Hemet.
The fatality occurred about 3:50 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9, near the intersection of Minto Way and Sage Road, according to the
California Highway Patrol.
The agency said a Lincoln Navigator was traveling at an unknown speed when the driver evidently lost control, causing the SUV to overturn alongside Minto.
Riverside County Fire Department engine crews reached the location just after 4 p.m. and discovered the two victims trapped inside the vehicle.
Firefighters extricated the parties. 59-year-old Hemet resident Steven Kniffen was pronounced dead at the scene. The other victim was taken to a regional trauma center for treatment of major injuries.
No lane closures were required as a result of the crash, which was under investigation.
A fire that erupted Friday, Dec. 9 in a double-wide mobile home in Lakeland Village caused extensive damage, displacing four people, none of whom were injured.
The blaze was reported about 12:10 p.m. in the 17200 block of Akley Street, near Gillette Street, just west of Lake Elsinore,
according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
According to the agency, multiple engine crews were sent to the location and encountered flames inside the mobile home, which the occupants had safely evacuated.
Firefighters knocked down the blaze within 20 minutes. No neighboring properties were impacted.
The structure was left uninhabitable, displacing three adults and a child, according to the fire department.
Red Cross personnel were requested to assist the victims with finding temporary alternate lodgings.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.
A total of 14 people were arrested for allegedly soliciting prostitution, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department announced Saturday, Dec. 10.
Members of the department's Southwest Station Community Outreach Resources Engagement Special Enforcement Team and Metro Team, in partnership with the Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force and the Gang Task Force Region Four, conducted a sting Thursday
to reduce the demand for sex trafficking in Temecula, officials said.
Law enforcement personnel placed decoy advertisements on popular classified websites commonly used for solicitation of online prostitution and communicated with prospective customers. After allegedly reaching an agreement for paid sexual acts, the suspects were arrested upon their arrival at the meeting location, the sheriff's department reported.
During the operation, authorities contacted a woman who is believed
to be a victim of human trafficking and was possibly being forced to engage in prostitution against her will. The identity of the victim was not released, but sheriff's officials said she was referred to victim services.
The ages of those arrested ranged from 20 to 54 years old.
Authorities said one in six endangered reported runaways are likely victims of sex tracking, and encouraged the public to report human trafficking activity to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 888373- 7888.
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From
end of the meeting.
The
During
A sunny, crisp morning greeted contestants at the Lake Riverside Estates Gymkhana Saturday, Dec. 3. The event was held at the LRE Equestrian Center arena in the gated community and attended by both residents and their guests.
Organized by LRE residents Michelle Robinson and Mike Watson, the event was staffed by volunteers. Tacos served by Christina Soriano, and chili and other goodies offered by vendors such as Shire Farms. DJ Jon Fierro rocked the arena with tunes
and provided a PA system for announcements.
The gymkhana attracted equestrians from all over the valley, vying for the best times for their events. Activities included barrel racing, speed barrels and single stake.
Longtime LRE resident Rosie Grindle sponsored the trophies.
Children were led on horses and ponies while more experienced equestrians galloped through the contests. The play day was a success with a large number of people and animals attending.
The event winners are posted as follows:
Barrel Racing
Makiya Walters - 21.782
Chris Yazzie-Watson - 21.890
Kailen MacIver - 22.257
Kai Yazzie-Watson - 23.150
Luke Anderson - 28.571
Kailani Mativa - 29.099
Laya MacIver - 32.644
Michelle Robinson - 33.128
Susan Madrid - 34.205
Caleb Anderson- 36.764
Rachel Madrid - 38.547
Heidi Jarrett - 42.625
Darlene Harman - 43.518
Kiana Mativa - 47.243
Josanna Jarrett - 55.026 see GYMKHANA, page D-3
displayed.
The
see QUILTS, page D-4
If you have an upcoming community event, email it to valleyeditor@reedermedia.com put “attention events” in the subject line. Readers should call ahead on some listed events for the latest updates.
ONGOING – Anza Electric Cooperative and F.I.N.D. Food Bank offers a free mobile food pantry the second Saturday of every month at the AEC office, 58470 Highway 371, from 10:30-11:30 a.m. All are welcome. Cal-Fresh application assistance and free community health services are also available. Bring your own reusable bags to take food home. Volunteers welcome. For more information, contact the AEC office at 951-7634333.
Hamilton High School – Find out what is happening using Hamilton’s online calendar at http://www.hamiltonbobcats.net/
apps/events/calendar/
Hamilton Museum – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Open Wednesdays and Saturdays at 39991 Contreras Road in Anza. For more information, call 951-763-1350 or visit http://www. hamiltonmuseum.org. Find them on Facebook at “Hamilton-Museumand-Ranch-Foundation.”
Backcountry Horsemen Redshank Riders – Meeting monthly on the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. Locations change, so please contact Mike by email at stumblinl55@gmail.com or by calling (951) 760-9255.
Health, exercise, resources and recovery meetings
Fit after 50 – 10:30-11:30 a.m. Tuesday and Friday mornings at Anza Community Hall. Free. Wear comfortable clothes and supportive shoes. Call or text instructor Teresa Hoehn, at 951-751-1462 for more information.
Narcotics Anonymous Meeting – 6 p.m. Every Tuesday at Shepherd Of The Valley Church, 56095 Pena Road, in Anza. Open participation.
Veterans’ Gathering Mondays 9-11 a.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 39075 Contreras Road, in Anza. Men and women veterans come to share and help each other deal with posttraumatic stress disorder and other difficulties. Call John Sheehan at 951-923-6153. If you need an advocate to help with VA benefits, call Ronnie Imel at 951-659-9884.
pay, drop off payment and cash donations by Thursday at 1:30 p.m., to ERA Excel Realty, 56070 Highway 371, in Anza. Pay inside or drop off during the day in the red box outside. To drop it off, put name and request on an envelope with payment inside. A $30 box has about $100 worth of food and feeds six people. Half boxes are available for $15. Food is delivered once a week to those who cannot find a ride. For more information, call Bill Donahue at 951-288-0903.
Living Hope Christian Fellowship Community Dinner 1 p.m. Dinners are held the last Sunday of the month at the Anza Community Hall. All are welcome. Donations of time, money, etc. are always welcome.
Food for the Faithful – 8 a.m. The food bank hands out food the last Friday of the month until the food is gone. The clothes closet will be open too. Emergency food handed out as needed at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. FFF is a non-denominational nonprofit. All in need are welcome; call Esther Barragan at 951-763-5636.
Editorial STEPHANIE PARK, Copy Editor
J.P.
ANZA VALLEY OUTLOOK MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. BOX 391353, Anza, CA 92539 PHONE: (760) 723-7319 PHONE: (951) 763-5510 FAX: (760) 723-9606
The Most Excellent Way –Christ-centered recovery program for all kinds of addiction meets Fridays from 7-8:30 p.m. and Tuesdays from 8-10 a.m. Program is court approved; child care is provided. Transportation help is available. The group meets at 58050 Highway 371; the cross street is Kirby Road in Anza.
AA Men’s Meeting – 7 p.m. Meetings take place Thursdays at 39551 Kirby Road in Anza, south of Highway 371.
Alcoholics Anonymous – 8 p.m. Wednesday evenings at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 56095 Pena Road in Anza. For more information, call 951-763-4226.
Bereaved Parents of the USA – The Aguanga-Anza Chapter of BPUSA will hold its meetings at 6 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 49109 Lakeshore Blvd. in Aguanga. For more information, contact chapter leader Linda Hardee at 951-5512826.
Free Mobile Health Clinic Open every third Wednesday of the month from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. No appointment is needed. Uninsured may only be seen in the Anza Community Hall’s parking lot or inside the hall.
Medication Assistance and Treatment for Opioid Dependence – Get treatment for heroin addiction. Transportation to the clinic is provided. For more information, contact Borrego Health’s Anza Community Health Center, 58581 Route 371, in Anza. For more information, call 951-763-4759.
Food ministries F.U.N. Group weekly food ministry – Deliveries arrive noon Thursdays at the Anza Community Hall. To order a paid box and help feed those who can’t afford to
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Anza Sunday Sacrament is held 10 a.m.; Sunday School is 11 a.m. Priesthood/Relief Society meets noon; Wednesday Boy Scouts gathers 6 p.m. and Youth Night is 7 p.m. For more information, call Ruiz at 951-4457180 or Nathan at 760-399-0727.
The Wednesday Genealogy/Family History Class, 5-8 p.m., is open to the public at 39075 Contreras Road in Anza.
Native Lighthouse Fellowship 10 a.m. The group meets the first Saturday of the month, and breakfast is served. All are welcome to fellowship together at the “Tribal Hall” below the casino in Anza. For more information, call Nella Heredia at 951-763-0856.
Living Hope Bible Study 8-10 a.m. Tuesdays at Living Hope Christian Fellowship, 58050 Highway 371, in Anza. All are welcome. For more information, call Pastor Kevin at 951-763-1111.
Anza RV Clubhouse – 7 p.m., the second Wednesday of the Month, Pastor Kevin officiates at 41560 Terwilliger Road in Anza.
Monthly Christian Men’s Breakfast – 9 a.m. Breakfast takes place the fourth Saturday of each month and rotates to different locations. Contact Jeff Crawley at 951-763-1257 for more information.
Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church – 10 a.m. Weekly Wednesday Bible study takes place at 56095 Pena Road in Anza. Call 951-763-4226 for more information.
Valley Gospel Chapel – 7 a.m. Saturday Men’s Study meets weekly with breakfast usually served at 43275 Chapman Road in the Terwilliger area of Anza. For more information, call 951-7634622.
Anza First Southern Baptist Church - Begin your week with Sunday School for all ages at 9 a.m., followed by Sunday morning worship at 10:30 a.m. On Sunday nights, the church has prayer on the 1st and 4th Sundays from 6-7 p.m. and Bible study on the 2nd
and 3rd Sundays from 6-8 p.m. On Monday evenings, from 6-8 p.m., the youth group (6th to 12th grade) meets for games and Bible study. Anza Baptist Church also offers Men’s and Women’s Ministries, a Homeschool Support Group, Summer Vacation Bible School, and Senior’s Ministry. The church office is open Wednesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The church is located at 39200 Rolling Hills Road in Anza. For more information, contact the church at 951-763-4937 or visit www. anzabaptistchurch.com
Clubs
High Country Recreation Second Monday of the month attend committee meetings at ERA Excel Realty in Anza. For more information, call Albert Rodriguez at 951-492-1624 or Robyn Garrison at 805-312-0369.
HCR Bingo fundraisers – 6:309:30 p.m. second and fourth Fridays at Anza Community Hall.
Anza Valley VFW Post 1873 Capt. John Francis Drivick III Post, the Ladies’ and Men’s Auxiliaries are located at 59011 Bailey Road in Anza. Mail P.O. Box 390433.
Request monthly newsletter and or weekly menu by email at vfw1873anzaca@gmail.com . For more information, call 951-7634439 or visit http://vfw1873.org
High Country 4-H Club – 6:30 p.m. Meetings are on the third Wednesday of the month, except February, at Anza Community Hall. 4-H Club is for youth 5 to 19 years old offering a variety of projects. High Country 4-H Club is open to children living in the Anza, Aguanga and surrounding areas. For more information, call Allison Renck at 951-663-5452.
Anza Valley Artists Meetings – 1 p.m. Meetings are the third Saturday of each month at various locations. Share art, ideas and participate in shows. Guest speakers are always needed. For more information, call president Rosie Grindle at 951-928-1248. Find helpful art tips at http://www. facebook.com/AnzaValleyArtists/ Anza Quilter’s Club – 9:30 a.m. to noon. Meets the first and third Tuesday of each month at the Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 56095 Pena Road, in Anza.
Anza Valley Lions Club –The Anza Valley Lions Club has been reinstated and is open to all men and women who want to work together for the betterment of the community. The group is working on securing a new venue for meetings. Meetings and events are posted on the Anza Lions Club of Anza Valley Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ LionsofAnzaValley. For more information, email president Greg Sandling at President.AnzaLions@ gmail.com or Chris Skinner at Secretary.AnzaLions@gmail.com
Boy Scouts Troop 319 – Cub Scouts meet 6 p.m. every Tuesday, and Boy Scouts meet 7 p.m. every Wednesday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Contreras Road, south of state Route 371, in Anza. For more information, call Richard Hotchkiss at 951-551-3154.
Boys Scouts Troop 371 – Boy Scouts meet at Lake Riverside Estates. For more information, call
Ginny Kinser at 909-702-7902. Civil Air Patrol – Squadron 59 is looking for new members of all ages. For more information, call squadron commander Maj. Dennis Sheehan from the Anza area at 951403-4940. To learn more and see the club’s meeting schedule, visit http:// www.squadron59.org
Fire Explorer Program – 6 p.m. The program meets every second, third and fourth Tuesday of the month at Fire Station 29 on state Route 371 in Anza. Call 951-7635611 for information.
Redshank Riders – 7 p.m. Backcountry horsemen meet at the Little Red Schoolhouse in Anza, the second Thursday of each month. Visit http://www.redshankriders. com or call Carol Schmuhl for membership information at 951663-6763.
Anza Thimble Club – The club meets the first Thursday of the month at Valley Gospel Chapel, 43275 Chapman Road in Anza. The social hour is 11:30 a.m., and lunch is served at noon. Contact Carol Wright at 951-763-2884 for more information.
Organizations Terwilliger Community Association – 6 p.m. Second Monday of the month at VFW Post 1873, 59011 Bailey Road, in Anza. Potluck dinner open to all. For more information, call Tonie Ford at 951763-4560.
From the Heart Christian Women’s Ministries – Noon. Monthly luncheon and guest speaker are held the second Saturday of each month. The $5 charge covers lunch at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 56095 Pena Road, in Anza. From the Heart helps the area’s neediest children and invites all women and men to join in their mission. Donate or help with the rummage sales twice a year to raise funds for the cause or other events. For more information, call president Christi James at 951595-2400.
Anza Community Hall – 7 p.m. General membership meetings are held the fourth Thursday of the month. Memberships cost $20 per person or $35 per business, and both get one vote. No government funds are allocated for the Hall, which pays its bills through memberships and swap meets. Voting members receive discounts off hall rentals, swap meet booths and save on propane gas from Ferrellgas. Mail membership to: Anza Community Building Inc. at P.O. Box 390091, Anza, CA 92539. The hall is located at 56630 Highway 371 in Anza. Swap meet held each Saturday of the month, weather permitting, early morning to 1 p.m. Vendors wanted. For more information, call 951-282-4267.
Anza Civic Improvement League – 9 a.m. meets the first Saturday of each month at the Little Red Schoolhouse. The league maintains Minor Park and Little Red School House, which are both available to rent for events. No government funds are allowed; the membership pays the bills – $10 a person, $18 family or $35 business membership. For more information, visit http://www.anzacivic.org
10. As Santa and Mrs. Claus sat peacefully, ready to greet the children, the Grinch burst through the doors and crept eerily among the excited kids, searching for Christmas items to steal, to everyone’s surprise.
Arranged by Hamilton school staff, the famous Christmas characters made lasting impressions on the students, creating a fun break from their lessons that day.
To learn more about Hamilton Elementary School, visit them on the web at https://hamiltonel.hemetusd. org/ or on Facebook at https:// www.facebook.com/profile. php?id=100063772231206.
Diane Sieker can be reached by email at dsieker@reedermedia. com
A pony awaits its rider at the Lake Riverside Estates Gymkhana Saturday, Dec. 3.
GYMKHANA
Kailani Mativa - 27.423 Susan Madrid - 22.743 Darlene Harman - 25.850 Heidi Jarrett - 28.862
Kai Yazzie-Watson - 10.521
Kailen MacIver - 10.870
Laci Robison - 11.736
Kailani Mativa - 12.357
Luke Anderson - 13.062
Mark Pankau and his mount enjoy each other’s company at the Lake Riverside Estates Gymkhana Saturday, Dec. 3.
Cohen Anderson - 36.081
Mark Pankau - 31.042
Julia Norton - 40.472
Chloe Robison - 43.591
Lead Line Barrels
Quinn Robison - 1:19.101
Cohen Anderson - 53.601
Natalie Robison - 53.159
Casey Anderson - 1:23.154
Lead Line Speed Barrels
Quinn Robison - 47.242
Cohen Anderson - 38.716
Natalie Robison - 36.872
Casey Anderson - 47.246
Leas Line Single Stake
Quinn Robison - 41.864
Natalie Robison - 29.011 Casey Anderson - 50.918
“Mark Watson and I put these events on monthly for LRE residents and their guests,” said organizer Michelle Robinson. “We try our best to provide a fun event for the community. Next year will probably begin in April or May depending on the weather, the third Saturday of every month. We are looking forward to 2023.”
Diane Sieker can be reached by email at dsieker@reedermedia. com
Chris Yazzie-Watson - 12.206
Kailen MacIver - 12.941 Luke Anderson - 13.836
Kai Yazzie-Watson - 14.637
Laci Robison - 16.617
Laya MacIver - 18.213
Robin Santillan - 20.048 Rachel Madrid - 22.172
Josanna Jarrett - 30.063 Kiana Mativa - 30.102 Mark Pankau - 30.389 Lisa - 30.605 Michelle Robinson - 30.913
Julia Norton - 41.460
Makiya Walters - 57.181
Chloe Robison - 1:07.971
Kara White - 1:37.924
Single Stake
Robin Santillan - 13.288
Chris Yazzie-Watson - 13.806
Laya MacIver - 14.920
Rachel Madrid - 16.473
Stephen Jarrett - 18.025
Michelle Robinson - 18.781
Caleb Anderson - 20.153
Kiana Mativa - 20.701
Heidi Jarrett - 21.061
Diane Sieker Staff Writer
Cristina Thudium has a known talent for capturing beautiful images of nature within the gates of Lake Riverside Estates in Aguanga. Using her iPhone’s camera, she makes it a point to record these images to share with those in the community.
Many of the photos are taken
during her daily walks with good friend Marta Spencer. From pictures of spectacular sunsets and clouds to snow-capped local mountains, her talent is inspirational.
Longtime LRE resident Thudium shares her photos on social media for all to appreciate. Diane Sieker can be reached by email at dsieker@reedermedia.
com
passion for quilting. Traditionally, they painstakingly create a large quilt annually to raffle off in order to raise funds for community nonprofit organizations.
“We have one fundraiser a year, our Opportunity Quilt, which we raffled off today. The winner of the quilt was Lake Riverside Estates resident Ann Phelps,” said club organizer Pat Sprint.
The Anza Quilters Club was created by quilter Virgina “Rusty” Hedrick in 2001.
“We are a group of women who have come together for a common cause - quilting - and of course the sharing of different skills,” said Sprint. “To belong to our group, you do not have to be a quilter. We have women here who knit, crochet, dye their own materials and do other crafts.”
The goals of the group are listed as creating good friendships and fellowship through the common interest of quilting; the sharing of ideas, donations to community projects and those in need and to further interest in the art of quilting.
Membership is open to everyone. Dues of $5 per person are paid monthly at the club meeting. Some of these funds are distributed to the church to pay for use of the facility and others deposited into the club’s account to cover costs
and donations.
Monthly activities include Block of the Month, Fabric Exchange, Half-yard Fabric Challenge, Christmas Block Exchange, Round-Robin Project, Show and Tell and many other interesting undertakings.
Club projects include the creating and raffling off the Opportunity Quilt annually, and voluntary projects such as lap quilts, pillow cases, baby beanies and other items destined for the community and other organizations.
The Anza Community Hall, Anza Scholarship Fund, Anza Civic Improvement League, Hamilton Museum, From the Heart Christian Women’s Ministries, KOYT 97.1 FM Community Radio, High Country Recreation and Kids of Anza have all been recipients of the club’s efforts. The ladies also make and donate patriotic quilts to the local Veterans of Foreign Wars to honor Anza’s local veterans. The quilters have also made children’s quilts for the Ronald McDonald
house at the Loma Linda Hospital.
“We also made and donated a quilt for the ACIL to raffle off to raise money for a new roof for the Little Red Schoolhouse. We are making another quilt for them as well,” added Sprint.
Additionally, the group is holding sewing classes for both adults and children this year.
The Anza Quilters Club meets at the Shepherd of the Valley Church in Anza on the first Tuesday of the month from 9:30 a. m. until 2 p.m.. A monthly project is planned for the meetings and attendees are encouraged to bring lunch and supplies.
For more information, please contact Pat Sprint at jpsprint@ gmail.com or Ellen Elmore at luvtoquilt2@gmail.com
The Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church is located at 56095 Pena Rd. in Anza.
Diane Sieker can be reached by email at dsieker@reedermedia. com
From talking to parents and different people, I think we can agree that transparency is important. Obviously, people don’t want backroom deals going on, but it’s not against the Brown act to talk to another board member about items that need to be discussed, as long as you don’t bring in a third person.
Be aware of fear mongering as a way to control. Question
what you are told, especially if it involves trying to scare you somehow. Be a bit skeptical. Don’t be afraid that people won’t like you.
Voters who put in conservative school board trustees just want their children to continue getting a good education, free from the sexualization of everything, including children and the introduction of inappropriate ideologies that they are too young to have to figure out.
Remember board members
that you are the employer and it is your right and responsibility to understand everything that has gone on prior and is currently happening, especially with financial agreements costing the district hundreds of thousands of dollars.
And while the president of the board adds items to the board agenda, it is imperative that your items are added and the voters in your district are represented. If you cannot get items on the board agenda every month, then your
voters are disenfranchised and not being represented.
I would invite you to contact the paper and alert us if these things are happening so that we can follow up on it. There were a lot of changes this election and a lot of new board members and hope springs eternal but don’t be afraid to contact us if you need some support.
It’s our job. Thank you for your commitment to our community.
SACRAMENTO — On Monday, Dec. 5, Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D - Woodland Hills), Chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Working Group, introduced legislation to impose new excise taxes on the sale of guns and ammunition in the State of California. The proceeds from these taxes would be directed toward efforts to better protect Californians from mass shootings and gun violence, including new school safety measures as well as violence intervention and prevention programs.
The bill, formerly known as Assembly Bill (AB) 28, was introduced on the first day of the 2023-2024 legislative session as part of a trio of gun violence prevention bills authored by Assemblymember Gabriel and other members of the Legislative Working Group. Two additional
measures, AB 29 and AB 36 would strengthen California’s gun laws to better address incidents of gun violence related to mental health and domestic violence.
AB 29 will enable California residents to voluntarily add their own name to the California “Do Not Sell List” for firearms, which prohibits named individuals from purchasing firearms in the State of California. This proposed law is intended to help prevent both mass shootings and gun suicides, particularly those involving individuals struggling with mental health disorders.
AB 36 will address the often deadly intersection of domestic violence and gun violence by prohibiting individuals subject to domestic violence protective orders from purchasing or possessing firearms for three years after the expiration of that
protective order. Over half of all intimate partner homicides are committed with guns. Indeed, when an abusive partner has access to a gun, a domestic violence victim is five times more likely to be killed.
“Californians are counting on us to do everything possible to keep them safe from mass shootings and gun violence,” said Assemblymember Gabriel. “Taxing guns and ammunition sales will enable us to fund more school safety measures and expand proven violence prevention programs. We can and must do more to protect our kids and our communities.”
“We know strong gun safety laws save lives,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action and California resident. “These smart gun safety bills will continue California’s legacy
into the hot tub and saw him under the churning bubbles of the foamy water.
I knew immediately that my son had no way of saving himself. He couldn’t swim yet, and the water was well over his head. I did the only thing a father could and should do. I jumped in to rescue him.
because your clothes are wet. But more importantly, I don’t want you to forget the true meaning of Christmas.
Christmas is about the Savior being born… for you.
of fighting gun violence and will provide residents throughout our state with peace of mind. Our grassroots army of volunteers thanks Assemblymember Gabriel for listening to advocates and constituents, and we look forward to continuing working together to strengthen California’s gun laws to end gun violence.”
“This is a time of crisis and challenges—with surging gun sales and violence nationwide— and also opportunity and progress as California leaders continue to lead the way on gun safety reform that is driven by evidence and real impact,” said Ari Freilich, State Policy Director for Giffords. “Assemblymember Gabriel has been a consistently strong champion working to make California safer for all who call it home. We look forward to continuing to work with him to
strengthen California’s investment in violence prevention programs, strengthen protections for survivors of domestic violence, and get California back on the path of expanded safety and opportunity for all.”
2022 is likely to be the secondhighest year for mass shootings in the United States on record, with at least 607 mass shootings occurring through November 22. The surge in gun violence comes as firearm purchases rose to record levels in 2020 and 2021, with more than 43 million guns estimated to have been purchased. At the same time, the rate of gun deaths has hit the highest level since 1995, with more than 45,000 fatalities each year.
Submitted by Jesse Gabriel (D - Woodland Hills)
Elliott Special to Valley NewsWhen my oldest son was about five years old, he jumped into our uncle’s hot tub while my back was turned at a family party. When I turned around, he was nowhere to be found. So, I quickly scanned the backyard and looked down
The whole scene happened in a matter of moments. But those were precious moments. If I hadn’t been there and noticed his desperate need for help and then moved into action, the outcome would have been catastrophic. (And our Christmas party would have drastically lost its fun factor.)
Now I’m not trying to make myself the hero of my own story. But I am trying to make a point.
This Christmas, chances are high that you’re going to attend some sort of party or event. If you do, I hope you don’t have to leave
When you could not save yourself, Jesus, your savior, came. This is precisely what the angels told the shepherds that first Christmas night when Jesus was born.
The Bible says, “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a
baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’” Luke 2:8-12
Do you know what a savior is? A savior is one who delivers and rescues. That’s what Jesus came to do for you. He came to save you from your sins.
The shepherds weren’t the only ones to be told that Christmas would bring us a savior. As Joseph considered breaking off the wedding to Mary “an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream.
‘Joseph, son of David,’ the angel said, ‘do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’” (Matthew 1:20-21)
This is the Christmas gift that keeps giving all year long. Jesus, your savior, has come to save you from your sins. God showed his great love for you by sending
Christ to die for you while you were still a sinner and unable to save yourself. (Romans 5:8 paraphrased)
If you’re going to keep Christ in your Christmas this year, don’t forget it. And remember, “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17)
Now maybe you don’t feel very rescued at the moment. The hurt, pain, guilt and shame are too overwhelming. If that’s you, take a moment to call out to Jesus, your rescuer. Ask for his strength, healing and forgiveness. Only He can pull you out of the darkness and into the light this Christmas.
Zachary Elliott is the lead pastor of Fusion Christian Church in Temecula. For more information, visit www.fusionchristianchurch. com, www.encouragementtoday.tv or find them on Instagram.
