The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle - February 11th, 2021

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Valley Beat: Milano’s Pizza celebrates 30 years serving the Hemet community | Page C1

Weather: 72o/46o | Volume III | Issue VI

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Thursday, February 11 - 17, 2021

B POLITICS

Real Estate| Page C2

www.HSJChronicle.com |

D BUSINESS

Dems propose $1,400 payments as part of Biden virus relief

Business | Page D1

| $2.00 (Tax Incl.)

D OPINION

Congress Bows to the Pen and the Phone

Tesla buys $1.5B in Bitcoin, will accept as payment soon

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D

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HEMET CITY COUNCIL

Capital Improvements Program High on the Discussion Agenda ANN SMITH | CONTRIBUTOR

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID HEMET, CA PERMIT NO. 69 92543-9998

MARIANNE DEROUIN | Photo by Ann Smith.

ASSISTANCE CENTER: Isrreal Zagarnaga is the Victims Services Coordinator and Investigator at the Soboba Department of Public Safety new Victims Assistance Center, which opened in January. | Photo courtesy of the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians.

SAN JACINTO, CA

Soboba Opens Victims Assistance Center SOBOBA BAND OF LUISEÑO INDIANS | CONTRIBUTED

BLACK HISTORY MONTH: Presentation with DeniAntoinette Mazingo, Dennis Fletcher, Tricia Morris | Photo by Ann Smith.

of Living Way Church. Mayer Karlee Meyer presented the month of February as Black History Month, handing out a certificate to DeniAntoinette Mazingo, homeless advocate Dennis Fletcher and Tricia Morris. Along with this recognition was a special presentation in recognition of Hemet’s first African American city council member, Malcolm Lilienthal. This recognition was greeted with the applause of those in attendance. The council received and unanimously approved the warrant register. Having read through this cumbersome list of accounting activities, it did not appear to have any questionable items. Finance Director Lorena Rocha is always available to answer any questions or explain anything that seems confusing or out of place. For the first time in several months, newly installed City Treasurer Sue Savage gave a brief presentation stating the Hemet’s Investment portfolio is in excellent shape. She cited the fact that Hemet is fortunate to be earning the interest on the investment it does, as the current interest rate across the board is 0 percent! If we are foolish enough to move

an investment, we will lose any interest we are earning. Ms. Savage gave some definitions as they pertain to the treasury. As is always the case with council meetings, there is a consent calendar. This represents multiple items that can be handled with just one vote. The few items appearing on the consent calendar had been previously discussed and were what could be categorized as “boilerplate” items. The city found it necessary to renumber some of its previously approved resolutions as the numbers were out of sequence with other resolution numbers. It would have created future confusion to have out of sequence resolution numbers when doing reference work. Second, on the list was the need to move some previously budgeted money around so that the appropriate account could increase its budget. This is not unusual and does not involve “sleight of hand.” Often there are items requiring discussion before specific action can be taken, such as a yes or no vote. There has been a Corona Virus Emergency Decla-

See CITY COUNCIL on page A3

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oboba’s Department of Public Safety works hard to provide needed services for all residents of the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians Reservation and surrounding areas. Always looking for ways to continue its important

work, Director of Public Safety Brian Herritt recently applied for and received a grant to open a Victims Assistance Center near the DPS offices. “One of our long-term goals was to create a program that linked our DPS and Family Services togeth-

See SOBOBA on page A3

RIVERSIDE, CA

La Sierra University plans fall campus re-opening, spring online LASIERRA.EDU | CONTRIBUTED

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a Sierra University’s leadership recently announced to students and employees its plans to re-open the campus for fall quarter 2021-22 while keeping operations online through the end of the current school year. The university’s Emergency Management Team, which last year created and approved the university’s COVID-19 response and re-opening plan, voted on Jan. 19, in light of the national coronavirus vaccine rollout, a return of in-person, onsite operations this September for the next school year. The university moved its operations online on March 16, 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic descended upon the nation. Respective county and state orders last year shuttered on-campus

LAB: Biology students Kaitlyn Mamora, background, and Caitlyn Pang participate in a SEA-GENES virology lab on campus during fall quarter 2020. | Photo by Natan Vigna

functions for higher education institutions with following state directives for closures based on the pandemic’s prevalence by county.

See RE-OPENING on page C4

EMWD Begins Work on Sky Canyon Sewer Project EMWD.ORG | CONTRIBUTED

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astern Municipal Water District (EMWD) will begin work in the coming weeks on a new large-diameter sewer line in the French Valley area. The Sky Canyon Sewer Project will involve the installation of 6,700 feet of 36-inch sewer line, with the majority of the pipeline alignment on Sky Canyon Drive north of

MOMENTS IN TIME

ll council members were physically present with Councilman Joe Males working remotely. The invocation was given by 2 presenters with Councilman Lilienthal leading the Pledge of Allegiance. Preceding the regular public City Council meeting was the closed session with the city’s newest attorney. As is often the case, there was no action on existing or anticipated litigation. As for public comments, there was one by local activist Marianne Derouin describing this past Saturday’s gathering of many locals to participate in a cleanup identified as the Tahquitz Cleanup. A special effort was made to “meet and greet’ residents in the area, talking to them about their needs and concerns. She was pleased with the outcome of their first get together and asked for more volunteers. “There’s a new crew in town” Derouin stated, identifying itself as “I Love Hemet.” In a later report, Councilman Joe Males explained that the Community Outreach Committee also gathered to do their part in reclaiming a cleaner and more organized Hemet. He cited the cooperation of multiple churches. His group met in the area of Palm and Lathan, in the vicinity

Murrieta Hot Springs Road. The sewer line will connect to existing infrastructure near Hunter Road and Winchester Road. The new sewer line will accommodate the current and anticipated growth in the French Valley area. A significant portion of the newly constructed line will parallel the existing sewer line along Sky Canyon Drive. During construction, EMWD

On Feb. 11, 1937

After a six-week sit-down strike by General Motors autoworkers in Flint, Michigan, GM president Alfred P. Sloan signs the first union contract in the history of the American auto industry.

On Feb. 12, 1912

Hsian-T'ung, the last emperor of China, is forced to abdicate. A provisional government was established, ending 267 years of Manchu rule in China and 2,000 years of imperial rule. The emperor was only 6 years old.

On Feb. 13, 1920 The League of Nations, the international or-

ganization formed at the peace conference at Versailles in the wake of World War I, recognizes the perpetual neutrality of Switzerland.

On Feb. 14, 278 A.D.

Valentine, a holy priest in Rome, is executed. Ruler Claudius the Cruel was having difficultly getting soldiers to join his military because of their strong attachment to their wives, and had banned marriages. Valentine continued to perform marriages in secret and was beheaded for it.

96ELEPHANTS.ORG

On Feb. 15, 1965

In accordance with a formal proclamation by Queen Elizabeth II of England, a new Canadian national flag is raised in Ottawa, the capital of

96 ELEPHANTS ARE KILLED IN AFRICA EVERY DAY CALIFORNIA, IT’s TIME

asks the community to please be aware of traffic control measures that will be in place to help ensure the safety of motorists and construction crews. One lane of Sky Canyon Drive will be closed during construction, but access to businesses will remain open. This work is anticipated to be completed in Fall 2022. “This project will help us reliably meet the wastewater needs of

TAKE A STAND

homes and businesses throughout French Valley today and tomorrow,” EMWD Board President Phil Paule said. “EMWD appreciates the community’s patience and adherence to traffic control measures while we work to safely complete this project.” For more information, please contact EMWD Public Affairs Officer Alma Ramirez at 951-928-3777, ext. 4370, or ramireal@emwd.org.

Canada. The search for a new national flag began in 1925.

On Feb. 16, 1984 Bill Johnson becomes the first American man to win an Olympic gold medal in downhill skiing, a sport long dominated by European athletes. Johnson quickly became a national hero, but never again competed in the Olympics.

On Feb. 17, 1972

The 15,007,034th Volkswagen Beetle rolls off the assembly line, breaking a four-decade record held by the Ford Motor Company's iconic Model T. The VW Beetle dates back to 1930s Germany.


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