Phase 2 of Murrieta Creek Project begins, A-7
VALLEY
‘Snow’ falls at Great Oak High School, B-11
‘Night of Champions’ boxing hits Pechanga, B-1
A
Section
NEWS
December 19 – 25, 2014
Health
Food pantries still in need this holiday season
www.myvalleynews.com
Volume 14, Issue 51
‘Temecula on Ice’ ready for skaters!
Kim Harris Staff Writer As the holiday season kicks into high gear there is still a need for those who are less fortunate, according to Joyce Cummings with the Lighthouse Food Pantry who said having food pantries in the community is imperative as the number of those who struggle to make ends meet continues to grow. see page B-12
Hard News
Suspects identified in Murrieta morning burglary Daniel Lane Multimedia Journalist A Murrieta neighborhood was locked down Thursday, Dec. 11 while police searched for burglary suspects. see page A-2
“Temecula on Ice” is open every day including Christmas and New Year’s Day. Sessions are 10 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. with a teen and young adult session on Friday and Saturday nights, 10 - 11:30 p.m. Shane Gibson photos
see SKATING, page A-12
Local
Looking to volunteer? It’s easier than you think
Salvation Army Major sets new bell ringing record JP Raineri Multimedia Editor Salvation Army Major Marcelino “Butch” Soriano loves kettle season. Each of the last three years, he’s participated in the national World Record Bell Ringing Competition, achieving a new record last year. Soriano agreed to stop ringing his bell at about 105 hours. There was no official national competition this year, but Soriano refused to lay down his bell. He attempted – and achieved – his goal to set a new world record for the longest continuous hand bell-ringing by an individual when he reached 150 hours. Soriano began at 4:00 a.m. Monday, December 8 and finished Sunday, December 14 not long after 10:00 a.m at Murrieta’s Wal-Mart store at 41200 Murrieta Hot Springs Road. He said he set out to accomplish the new record in the hopes of raising awareness for The Salvation
Kim Harris Staff Writer Volunteering is something that is available to everyone within the community, yet only a handful of Temecula Valley residents choose to volunteer. Whether it is a lack of information on where to volunteer or simply not knowing where to start, The Valley News has gathered information about volunteering in the local community that is designed to make it easier for those who would like to volunteer but aren’t sure how to begin the process.
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID FALLBROOK, CA PERMIT #499
see page A-8
Salvation Army Major Marcelino “Butch” Soriano sets new bell ringing record.
Courtesy photo
see RINGING, page A-7
Holiday Magic program delights kids and adults in Murrieta VALLEY NEWS
Kim Harris Staff Writer Murrieta’s Holiday Magic program continues to delight children and adults alike this holiday season. From the city’s annual Festival of Trees and Push Cart Parade to Letters from Santa, residents are taking advantage of everything the program offers not only to celebrate the season, but to support those in need as well. The city’s Santa Stop events, which finished up earlier this week, has brought in a plethora of non-perishable food items and new, unwrapped toys that will be distributed to needy families by Temecula Valley People Helping People (TVPHP), according to recreation director Laura Frasso. “I think the program has a dual goal,” said Frasso. “Obviously it’s to bring Santa around for the kids so they don’t have to wait in long lines at the mall, but it is also to kick off our toy and food drive that we do in the month of December so we pick up new, unwrapped toys and non perishable goods from all of our stops.” Also called Santa Sightings or Santa Runs, the city’s program
has been in existence for over two decades. “This is our 21st year bringing Santa through the community and when we first started I don’t think we ever thought we would still be doing it for a population of over 100,000 people,” said Frasso. “I think it brings so much joy to kids in the community that they would never let us stop doing it. I think it brings each individual community together and that makes the entire city of Murrieta come together as a whole.” White stars painted on the ground mark the location of the Santa Stops throughout the community. This year the stops were held on Dec. 8 – 11 and then again this week on Dec. 15 – 17. “We do four nights the first week and three nights the second week and we have three routes a night,” Frasso said. “A lot of people don’t get the white stars painted on the ground in their neighborhood. They are purely just for Santa Stops. If you are ever driving through Murrieta and see those stars on the ground, they were put down just so people
see MAGIC, page A-9
Taylor and Kylie Dowden pose for a quick photo with Santa as he made his rounds through Murrieta on Tuesday, Dec. 9. Each December Santa makes his way through all of the city’s neighborhoods to greet the children and collect food and new, unwrapped toys for those in need. While Santa stops are now over this year, non-perishable food items and toys are being accepted at various locations throughout the city until Dec. 22. Kim Harris photo