The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle - March 17th, 2022

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Funding to bring resources to SJ, Blythe, and the Coachella Valley | Page B1

Weather: 81o/45o |

Volume IV |

Issue XI

REAL ESTATE | Page C2

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Thursday, March 17 - 23, 2022

B POLITICS

Effort to end COVID emergency defeated

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www.HSJChronicle.com |

B OPINION

Does the Idea of Defunding the Police Seems Egregious?

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WORLD | Page D1

| $2.00 (Tax Incl.)

D WORLD NEWS

North Korean missile exploded in air in failed launch

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SAN JACINTO, CA.

HEMET, CA.

Body, Mind & Spirit Celebrated at Soboba

SOBOBA BAND OF LUISEÑO INDIANS | CONTRIBUTED

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KING FOR A DAY: Preston Christianson (in the green cap & gown) had an entire high school graduation ceremony performed in the family home. | Photos by Rusty Strait for the Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

King for a Day RUSTY STRAIT | SENIOR REPORTER

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Preston Christianson.

with a rare form of cancer called Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor (DSRCT). This cancer is so rare that only 200 cases a year come to light. To date, he has received 54 rounds of different IV Chemotherapies and 45 sessions

See KING on page A4

FAIR: Anthony Hurtado shares some Luiseño language words related to health and wellness at his aunt’s Body, Mind & Spirit Wellness Fair at the Soboba Sports Complex, March 13. | Photo courtesy of the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians. “I was hurt, and I was also grieving for all the people we had lost, and I didn’t want my children to go through that and lose me, too. I went to Soboba Indian Health, got placed in a 5-day detox in the desert and I never looked back. I have been drug-free for 18-1/2 years.” The mother of four has three grandchildren and said it took her awhile to put her life back together, but she did, and now wants to help others know where to find the resources they might need to start over or get on a healthy path. Hurtado also likes helping small businesses promote their products

See SOBOBA on page A4

Wayne Cortez, a peer support specialist with Riverside-San Bernardino County Indian Health Inc., shares prayer ties he makes and gives away to help people banish negative thoughts and feelings through its use.

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA

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

ou may not know him, but you are about to hear his story. His name is Preston Christianson. He will be 17 in July (if he lives). This past Saturday, he arose from his sickbed and was surrounded by family, classmates, members of the Hemet Police and Fire Departments; he had an entire high school graduation ceremony performed in the family home. The event was introduced by Council Member Karlee Meyer (all council members were invited). The ceremony was officiated by a member of the Hemet Unified School Board and Tahquitz High School. Why is this such an important event? It is important because Preston has been afflicted with a rare form of cancer and may not live to attend with his graduating class this year. Preston was diagnosed on Christmas Day 2015, at age 10,

of radiation in his abdominal area, where the bulk of his tumors reside. His bone cancer is in his wing and clavicle bones, forehead, spine and lungs. He was subjected to one clinical trial in New York at MSKCC in 2017 and another clinical trial in New York in September 2021, but the cancer was so widely spread throughout his body, the doctors told his parents that he had only weeks or possibly months to live. His cancer-riddled body has endured nine surgeries and the cancer returned six times. He is no quitter, and he has fought this menace tooth and toenail, like all those other beautiful children fighting this horrible disease. It is terminal and non-curable. When he returned from New York this past September, he was on maintenance chemo and his mother was advised in January of this year that it had stopped

elli Hurtado of “Let’s Get Moving Mondays” hosted a Body, Mind & Spirit Wellness Fair at the Soboba Sports Complex on March 13. About 30 vendors, located inside and outside the gymnasium, shared health-related information and items with hundreds of guests who attended throughout the six-hour event. This is the second fair Hurtado has hosted and said the purpose of the events is to get people out and for them to learn about ways they can promote strong mental, physical and spiritual health in their own lives and with their families. Amid upbeat music played by DJ Mike Nevarez, Hurtado checked in with each vendor. “I want to bring different things to the people and let them know there is help out there if they need it,” Hurtado said. “Just being outside is healing. My goal for today is for everyone to relax, laugh and have a good time.” She feels it’s important to give young people productive things to do to keep them away from drugs and alcohol and her personal experience with addiction has made her want to help others avoid it. “When my older children were little, I was on drugs really bad. My dad finally had enough and told me not to come home and that I couldn’t see my kids anymore. That was my wake-up call,” Hurtado said.

First 2022 Riverside County Educators of the Year named in surprise visits HEYSOCAL | CONTRIBUTED

Grandfathers for golf kids chipping lesson. | Courtesy Photo of Grandfathers For Golf.

HEMET, CA.

Grandfathers for Golf Memorial Tournament RUSTY STRAIT | SENIOR REPORTER

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randfathers for golf was started in 1999 by Marty Finn, a sportswriter for the Hemet News, a grandfather himself, who enlisted the assistance of other grandfathers.

With one putting green, they taught a few youngsters the game of golf. Since then, the program has expanded to hundreds of kids learning golf every year. The purpose of teaching and sharing the game with kids whose fami-

See GOLF on page C4

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community liaison who works to combat chronic student absences, and an alternative school principal working with students on probation, were surprised with the news on Thursday, March 3, that they had been named the first 2022 Riverside County Educators of the Year by Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez. Attended by colleagues, board members, family members and school/district employees, the surprise visits highlighted Elia Sanchez from the Corona-Norco Unified School District as the Classified Employee of the Year, and Jannette Price from the Riverside County Office of Educa-

tion as the Principal of the Year. Five additional surprise visits are planned throughout March. “Our first two 2022 Riverside County Educators of the Year are great examples of innovative educators who are giving their best every day to serve students who face significant barriers in their educational journeys,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez. “Students that might otherwise be labeled as ‘at-risk’ youth are now considered ‘at-promise’ scholars because of the dedication and commitment of educators like Elia Sanchez and Jannette Price.” Elia Sanchez has worked in public education for 25 years — including the last seven years as a

See EDUCATORS on page C4


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