Pechanga donates to ABC7 Spark of Love, Toys for Tots and the Debbie Chisholm Memorial Foundation, B-6
SJHS student athletes sign National Letters of Intent, C-1
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SERVING TEMECULA , MURRIETA , L AKE E LSINOR E , M ENIFEE , WILDOMAR , H EMET, SAN JACINTO December 25 – 31, 2020
Local Worst COVID-19 week on record for southwest Riverside County
VISI T
T HE NEW
AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES
myvalleynews.com
Volume 20, Issue 52
Family receives trailer for Christmas thanks to lending firm, community
Jeff Pack STAFF WRITER
In the weeklong tracking of COVID-19 pandemic data, Riverside County set records across the board, but none of them were positive when it came to the spread of the virus, with new cases, deaths and hospitalizations continuing to climb. see page A-2
Local Pearl Harbor survivor John Ballard celebrates his 100th birthday Tony Ault STAFF WRITER
John Ballard, a Pearl Harbor survivor and a Navy medic, turned 100 years old recently. The retired Navy chief petty officer can be found walking around with aid of his walker with his wife Gloria greeting his many friends and fellow veterans at the Village Retirement Home in Hemet.
Natalie Lucio, left, hugs Ashley Rassmussen after receiving a furnished trailer to house her and her two grandchildren. Rassmussen, Modern Lending of Temecula and other community members donated time and money to help provide shelter for the family.
see page A-4
Valley News/Shane Gibson photo
Jeff Pack STAFF WRITER
INDEX Anza Valley Outlook ......AVO-1
The folks at Modern Lending in Temecula didn’t know how far the spirit of giving during the holiday season would take them when they
put out a social media post looking to help some families this year. They do now. The firm, along with several volunteers and community members, handed the keys to a trailer to a family that had fallen on hard
times and were living in a difficult situation Sunday, Dec. 13, in Lake Elsinore. But that’s not all. “Together the community raised over $40,000 for the family,” Michelle Runnells, marketing
director of Modern Lending, said. “This was raised through the Lake Elsinore Moose Lodge fundraiser and the community on Facebook through GoFundMe. The funds see TRAILER, page A-3
Business ............................... B-7 Business Directory............... C-8 Classifieds ............................ C-7 Education ............................ C-4
Magee to serve as Lake Elsinore mayor in 2021 Sheridan elected mayor pro tem
Entertainment ..................... B-1
Will Fritz ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Health .................................. B-5 Home & Garden .................. B-6
Lake Elsinore will have a new mayor and mayor pro tem for 2021. As is typical of most cities in southwest Riverside County, all of which are general law cities – that is, cities that do not have a city charter and function under state law with a five-member city council – Lake Elsinore rotates its mayor and mayor pro tem seats on an annual basis. Outgoing Mayor Brian Tisdale offered some thoughts before the council voted at its Dec. 8 meeting to make council members Bob Magee and Tim Sheridan the mayor and mayor pro tem.
Local .................................... A-1 National News ...................... C-7 Opinion................................. C-3 Pets ..................................... C-6 Regional News ..................... C-6
VALLEY NEWS
Wine & Dine ........................ B-4
Council member Bob Magee is Lake Elsinore’s new mayor for 2021.
Valley News/Courtesy photo
see MAYOR, page A-4
Murrieta City Council celebrates all those coming and going into the new year
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Lexington Howe STAFF WRITER
The Murrieta City Council selected a new mayor and mayor pro tem and swore in two new council members at the city council meeting Tuesday, Dec. 15. Murrieta’s current city council included Mayor Scott Vinton, Mayor Pro Tem Christi White, Councilmember Jonathan Ingram, Councilmember Lisa DeForest and Councilmember Lori Stone. The council said their goodbyes to outgoing Mayor Gene Wunderlich. Police Chief Sean Hadden and City Clerk Stephanie Smith retired and were recognized during the meeting as well. see MURRIETA, page A-6
The Dec. 15 Murrieta City Council meeting recognizes retiring members and those starting their new positions. Valley News/Courtesy photo