Lake Elsinore Garden Harvests A Community Connection

The Rosetta Canyon Community Garden offers seven by three foot plots for individuals and organizations to grow items for themselves or others. The fenced-in garden area is approximately 3,380-square feet, consisting of 16 raised beds. The area is accessible for members year-round, seven days a week from sunrise to sunset.

Linda Perez, who is the administrative assistant to Lake Elsinore’s Community Services Director, was officially chosen to be in charge of Community Garden duties in March. She oversees the upkeep and maintenance and is the point of contact for plot members regarding any concerns or questions they may have.

During the summer months, she watched gardeners growing kale, herbs, peppers, tomatoes and squash.

“From what I’m learning, there are a lot of different factors that go into what or how many things can successfully grow together but I currently have a plot member that has about 16 different herbs and vegetables in her garden,” Perez said. “I don’t have much of a green thumb but seeing everything that’s been growing in the garden has given me the motivation to possibly start a garden myself.”

She said that weather conditions such as wind and heat can do serious damage to the plot structures and soil but that the Public Works department does an amazing job of quickly and efficiently making any necessary repairs.

by Diane A. Rhodes

Gardeners do not have to be Lake Elsinore residents to become plot holders, but many are. Nikishia Garrett has lived in the city for the past seven years and joined the Rosetta Canyon Community Garden in July. She said she decided to become a part of it because her two boxer dogs loved to get into the vegetables and herbs at her home garden.

“I saw an opportunity for my herbal apothecary to have a safe place to start,” she said. “My goal is to grow herbs used for teas and herbal remedies. This will be beneficial for the health of my family and my community. I have found that herbs can assist with healing from the inside out.”

Garrett is currently growing herbs and a few vegetables.

“I actually do have a green thumb; my mother and father are both gardeners,” she said. “I am currently planning on

Raised garden bed plots are available for a fee of $30 the first year and $20 each renewal year. [Top] Lake Elsinore resident Nikishia Garrett tends to a garden plot at the Rosetta Canyon Community Garden located at the Rosetta Canyon Sports Park in Lake Elsinore.

Shane Gibson photos

becoming a master gardener and my husband and I are working on becoming a micro farm. We currently have planted a small orchard in our backyard.”

She said her overall experience at the community garden has been very positive, having already learned so much about proper food to plant, based on the local area. In the future, she would like to see a small greenhouse for starter plants.

“That way, when we have the chance to teach the kids in the neighborhood or become an education center, the garden will have all the tools it needs,” Garrett said. “This way we can make sure that the next generation of agriculturists will have a great start.”

Plans are already underway to teach young children about gardening. Perez has reached out to nearby Earl Warren Elementary School about possibly managing a “KinderGarden” plot which will be donated by the city of Lake Elsinore.

Perez said other requests she has received is to add shade over the seating areas and to set up an event for gardeners to get to know each other. A request for a compost bin has recently been fulfilled.

“Composting is the natural process of recycling organic matter, such as leaves and food scraps, into a valuable fertilizer that can enrich soil and plants,” she said. “There are lots of good reasons to compost. It saves money, saves resources, can help to improve the soil and can reduce our impact on the environment.”

Lake Elsinore Mayor Timothy Sheridan talks with Nikishia Garrett about her garden plot at the Rosetta Canyon Community Garden.

The original garden began as a 3/4-acre plot in Rosetta Canyon Park. It was started by Sylvia Monaco in honor of a family member who passed away. She received the assistance of some local residents who wanted to create a location to grow organic vegetables, herbs and more to offer to food banks and those in need in the community. Unfortunately, it did not have the raised beds, irrigation and other necessities for a successful garden.

“In March 2018, the city opened the renovated Rosetta Community Garden that was relocated next to the tennis courts and included fencing, water, raised beds and tools for plot holders to use,” Lake Elsinore’s Director of Community Services, Johnathan O. Skinner, said.

Lake Elsinore special events manager Jovanny Huerta (left) records Mayor Timothy Sheridan as they produce the city’s weekly Monday Minute video highlighting the Rosetta Canyon Community Garden.

He said the purpose of the community garden is to give residents a location to express themselves and use their “green thumbs” in a secure location.

The cost is $30 per plot for the first year with an annual renewal fee of $20 per plot. Fees charged to plot holders help offset general garden facility costs such as water, maintenance and repairs. Donations of gardening equipment, such as hoses, hand shovels, wheelbarrows and mulch, are always welcomed and appreciated. These types of items are kept in a shed that all gardeners can access.

The Rosetta Canyon Community Garden is at 39423 Ardenwood Way in Lake Elsinore. For more information and an application, www.lake-elsinore.org/ RCCommunityGarden or 951-674-3124, ext. 268.

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Annette Brown VISIT TEMECULA VALLEY Visit Temecula Valley announced its tourism impact report results for 2021 during the annual State of Tourism event held at Wilson Creek Winery Thursday,

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Food pantry in Temecula feeds and fuels healthy living for many Tropical rain helps re ghters battle Fairview Fire

Tony Ault

STAFF WRITER The Santa Rosa Plateau Nature Education Foundation Board of Directors met with Foundation members June 29 to reelect the new board and approve the nearly $500,000 nonprofi t agency’s anticipated 2022-2023 fiscal year budget.

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Home & Garden EVMWD approves low-income rate volume allowance

INDEX

Anza Valley Outlook .....AVO-1

Business .............................B-6

Business Directory .............B-7

Calendar of Events ............B-2

Classifi eds ..........................C-8

Courts & Crimes ................C-8

Education ...........................C-4 Entertainment ....................B-1 Health ................................B-5 Home & Garden ................C-5 Local ..................................A-1 National News ....................C-7 Opinion ...............................B-8 Regional News ....................C-6 Sports ..................................C-1

see page C-5

Tony Ault STAFF WRITER Outgoing Menifee Police Chief Patrick Walsh presented incoming Chief Edward Varso III his badge following a formal swearing in of the new city police chief Thursday, June 29, in the Menifee City Council Chambers.The ceremony was capped with Varso’s daughter Paisley, pinning the chief’s badge on her father, who will take over the 3-yearold Menifee Municipal police force this month. Former Chief Walsh announced his retirement following more than 30 years of law enforcement experience and initially starting Menifee’s first police force. A force that has won the entire community’s greatest respect for the outstanding community services and law enforcement they perform.City Manager Armando Villa and Assistant City Manager Rochelle Clayton both said Varso was selected as the best candidate Edward Varso III sworn as Menifee’s newest police chief Retiring Menifee Police Chief gives his farewell address while the city’s new police chief Edward Varso III and Walsh’s wife Catherine look on at the swearing in ceremony, Thursday, June 29. Valley News/Tony Ault photo PERRIS – Eastern Municipal Water District celebrated the opening of its new groundwater desalination facility Thursday, June 23. The new facility will provide additional local water supply reliability to its service area for future generations.The Perris II Desalination Facility is EMWD’s third groundwater desalter and will provide enough water for more than 15,000 households each year through its reverse osmosis treatment process. The facility is in Menifee, adjacent to the existing Menifee I and Perris I desalters.“This is a historic day for EMWD and for the residents we serve,” EMWD Board President Phil Paule said. “As we continue to face water supply challenges throughout California, this facility EMWD dedicates 3rd desalination facility The Perris II Desalination Facility in Menifee will provide additional local water supply reliability to its service area for future generations. Valley News/Courtesy photo will further ensure that our area is prepared to meet the needs of our customers through investments in local water supply sources.” Portions of EMWD’s service area contain groundwater that is too high in salt levels to otherwise use. EMWD’s groundwater desalination program provides the ability to use that groundwater by treating it using reverse osmosis, which removes the salts from the water supply and then delivers a clean and safe water supply source at the end of the process. The Perris II Desalter will treat approximately 5.4 million gallons of water per day. EMWD’s groundwater desalination program will collectively treat approximately 14 million gallons per

Members of the Temecula GLITZ Cheer squad march along Front Street in Old Town during the 4th of July Parade. See more photos on page A-8. Valley News/Shane Gibson photo see page A-4 Local Firefighters battle the Fairview Fire as it burns and attempts to jump Bautista Road southeast of Hemet, Sept. 7. Valley News/Shane Gibson photo

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WRITER The Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District off ers a rate assistance program for qualifying lowincome households which includes a limit on the monthly volume of water eligible for the assistance. see page A-8 Temecula commemorates the 21st anniversary of 9/11 see VARSO, page A-6Entertainment see page B-3 see EMWD, page A-7 INDEX

Anza Valley Outlook .........D-1 Business ............................B-6 Business Directory .............B-7 Calendar of Events .............B-2 Classi eds .........................B-8 Courts & Crimes ...............C-8 Education ..........................C-5 Entertainment ...................B-1 Health ..............................C-4 Home & Garden ................B-5 Local ................................A-1 National News ...................C-7 Opinion............................D-6 Real Estate ........................B-8 Regional News ...................C-6 Sports ................................C-1

Cal Fire engineer and honor guard member Jason McMillan salutes as he helps present the colors at the Temecula 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony. See more photos on page A-8.

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Diane A. Rhodes Special to Valley News When many people wouldn’t or couldn’t travel beyond their front doors during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Teri Sue Parker reached out to countless people in her community to secure donations and supply healthy foods to those who needed it.

NCFP District captain explains importance of evacuation orders

Ava Sarnowski Intern Writer In light of the recent evacuations due to the ongoing Fairview Fire, Captain John Choi of the North County Fire Protection District spoke about the importance of evacuation orders and how folks can remain prepared. Valley StaffA tropical storm helped firefighters establish containment lines around more than half of the deadly Fairview Fire southeast of see FIRE, page A-6

Haunted Studio fundraiser creeps back into JDS Creative Academy

Yanessa Hernandez JDS Creative Academy Fall is in the air and the spooky season is creeping around the corner, which can only mean one thing: It’s time for the Haunted Studio to return to JDS Creative Academy. The JDS Creative Academy Haunted Studio, an annual fundraiser hosted by the #JDSFamily, turns the entire studio into a full-scale haunted house and pairs tricks with treats at their bake sale.

Historic, critically endangered horses safe in De Luz

Joe Naiman Writer Sandia Creek Ranch rescued seven Spanish Barb horses. The rescuers learned they may be preSpanish Barbs, called Berbers, that are considered critically endangered by the Equus Survival Trust. The horses, native to Spain, were often interbred, and the quest for a “pure Spanish horse” now centers on the highly bred horses the Spanish explorers took to the Western Hemisphere and the descendants of those Spanish horses who ended up in the wild. Seven of these critically endangered horses see HORSES, page A-3 Monarch’s Wind, a Barb stallion, sports his new fly mask while enjoying a treat. Valley News/Julie Reeder photo

Hemet, but full containment was not expected until the weekend, authorities said Tuesday, Sept. 13. The fi re was 62% contained as of 7 a.m. after burning 28,307 acres, causing two deaths, seriously burning a woman, and destroying at least 21 structures. The resources used to fight the Fairview Fire included 1181 firefighters, 197 engine companies, 7 helicopters, 4 air tankers, 119 overhead personnel, 24 fi re crews, law enforcement, 17 water tenders, utility companies, and the Red Cross, according to Riverside County Fire. Subscribe online at

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