Temecula Valley News

Page 1

Temecula tree lighting ceremony rings in the season, A-13

VALLEY

HS Football: Broncos take top honors for All-Southwestern League team, B-10

A

Section

NEWS

December 18 – 24, 2015

Local

Local woman selected for Rose Parade

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID FALLBROOK, CA PERMIT #499

w ww.myvalleynews.com

Volume 15, Issue 51

Holidays come to life at Menifee Christmas Tree lighting event

Taryn Murphy Valley News Intern Denyse Wilson, a Temecula resident has been selected as one of 30 participants to ride in the 2016 Tournament of Roses Parade’s “Union of Hearts” float, a tribute to the 30-year collaboration between Union Bank and the American Heart Association. see page A-3

Local

IACHR reviewing local’s complaint against Mexico Julie Reeder Publisher A petition and complaint have been filed with the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights against the country of Mexico and several entities including the Office of the President, the House of Representatives and the Senate on behalf of Carlos A. Bazan-Canabal, his partners and company, Valley News learned. see page A-9

Pets

Sanctuary offers horses a happy home

The oak tree centered at the future site of the Menifee Town Center stands fully lit and decorated during the Dec. 12 Menifee Christmas Tree Shane Gibson photo Lighting event. See more photos on page A-6!

Ron Bradley charts path as area’s government godfather, creates legacy Tim O’Leary Staff Writer

Kim Harris Managing Editor As the sun slowly creeps over the horizon on a chilly Saturday morning, Pattie Roberts slips on her boots and shrugs her way into a jacket to ward off the chill. She makes her way out the door and heads across the yard where she is greeted by the soft nickering of horses. see page B-1

Home & Garden

Gingerbread House party, fun for the entire family Ashley Ludwig Staff Writer

City managers share a moment on the steps of the Temecula City Hall from left: Temecula City Manager Aaron Adams, former Temecula City Manager Ron Bradley, Hemet Interim City Manager Gary Thornhill and Lake Elsinore City Manager Grant Yates. Shane Gibson photo

With the wacky Southern California weather unable to decide if it’s warm or cold outside, one can find it difficult to hang onto the spirit of the season. In order to truly get that holiday cheer started, how about hosting a gathering of friends, children, and family in one of our favorite traditions, building gingerbread houses! see page B-4

Entertainment

Murrieta holiday fun continues with contest Kim Harris Managing Editor Just over two dozen homes in Murrieta are included in this year’s annual Home Holiday Decorating Contest, each decked out in its holiday finery, complete with flashing lights, holiday music and manger scenes. see page A-13

A cadre of Southern California government leaders can ascribe many of their accomplishments to their MBA degrees – masters in Bradley administration. For decades, Ron Bradley has quietly forged his credentials in recognizing workers’ raw skills and molding subordinates into top tier professionals. Fruits of those efforts are currently on display in Temecula, Lake Elsinore, Hemet and an array of other government, business and military posts. Many of Bradley’s acolytes and admirers reach for the word “legacy” to characterize his impact on scores of careers and public agencies. In his style, Bradley modestly shifts the focus to the cadre of workers who have shared his orbit in Temecula and many other cities over the years. “I never thought about it as a legacy,” Bradley said in a recent

see BRADLEY, page A-8

Books and Cookies with Santa encourages reading at Temecula Elementary School Taryn Murphy Valley News Intern What’s better than a visit from Santa Claus at Christmastime? A visit with Santa Claus and books, said teachers and administrators at Temecula Elementary School. On Friday, Dec. 11, Temecula Elementary School launched its first annual “Books and Cookies with Santa,” a literacy event sponsored by PTA-Title One. The event tied together two sweet treats – holiday story time with Santa and cookies for all, with Christmas themed crafts also provided. Starting at 6 p.m., 200 children huddled around teachers in multiple rooms and listened to holiday-themed books as parents and family members looked on with smiles on their faces. After story time, the children put their creative gears to work and decorated colorful crafts, such as gingerbread puppets.

Taryn Murphy photo

Making crafts and enjoying cookies were just one facet of the first annual Books and Cookies with Santa at Temecula Elementary School.

In one room, Mary Jimenez, a Title One teacher read “The Gingerbread Man” in an animated voice as her students listened attentively and chanted to the parts they knew. “We decided to throw this event because at Temecula Elementary School we are really trying to enhance literacy and learning,” Jimenez explained. “Our goal is to have children who are ready and prepared to move on to the next level. That’s our whole purpose, keeping it fun but also keeping it relating to something academic.” This is the school’s first time hosting the event, but there are already hopes that it will occur again next year. The children lined up eagerly after craft time to take pictures with Santa. Afterwards, they decorated homemade sugar cookies made by a mother at the school. Their bellies

see COOKIES, page A-4


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.