The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle - April 7th, 2022

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POLITICS: California labor law: how to sue employers | Page B1

Weather: 93o/60o | Volume IV | Issue XIV

A FAITH

Clergy Corner:

Cardiac Christians

See more on page A4

C

REAL ESTATE | Page C2

Thursday, April 7 - 13, 2022

B POLITICS

Acting Governor Kounalakis Signs Legislation

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SAN JACINTO, CA.

San Jacinto Valley high school students honored in March

DIANE A. RHODES | CONTRIBUTED

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he Hemet/San Jacinto Student of the Month program held its most recent recognition event at the Maze Stone restaurant at Soboba Springs Golf Course, March 24. Seven local high school seniors were recognized and honored for their character, love of learning and commitment to academics in addition to their involvement in school and community activities and their ability to overcome difficult life challenges. And they do this all in a setting that honors God, America, family, community and free enterprise. Students are nominated by teachers or other school personnel for making a difference in their homes, schools and communities. Program founder and event facilitator Karena Zermeno also represents one of the sponsors, Altura Credit Union. Backpacks filled with gifts, a Student of the Month award, certificates of recognition and much more were donated by the program’s sponsors to the award recipients. Each student was invited to the podium to share their personal story, past challenges and future goals with a room full of supporters that included principals, teachers, peers, family members and community and school district dignitaries. March’s students of the month from Hemet Unified School District schools are Priscila Aguilar, Caiden Bonney, Halley Jade Pareja, Katelyn Sonnier and Jamie Urtiz. San Jacinto Unified honorees for March are Raider Nunez and Soleil Sandoval.

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

HEMET UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Priscila Aguilar from West Valley High School has had French as an elective with teacher Sarah Chapman all four years and will be taking her International Baccalaureate exam in French this year. Chapman said she was pleased to nominate her student to honor her character. Priscila has taken almost every AP and IB class offered at her school and has been active in ASB and tennis. Her goal is to major in microbiology, immunology and molecular

Recipients of the Hemet/San Jacinto Student of the Month award for March are, from left, Katelyn Sonnier, Soleil Sandoval, Raider Nunez, Halley Jade Pareja, Priscila Aguilar, Jamie Urtiz and Caiden Bonney. | D.L. Starkey photo.

genetics at UCLA. “Never lose sight of your dreams; everything will become possible with determination,” Priscila said. Western Center Academy’s Caiden Bonney lives in Menifee and has been a student at Hemet’s WCA since seventh grade. His teacher, Logan Wolny, said he is an outstanding student who is supportive of everyone and is always doing things for the betterment of the school, staff and fellow students. Caiden said, “Five years ago, my entire family’s life changed forever.” His mother was struck by a truck as she walked home from her daughter’s school. She was in a coma and on a ventilator and required full-time care for more than a year. She had multiple skull fractures and brain bleeds and resultant seizures. His father’s job as a firefighter meant much of the household responsibilities fell on Caiden. But he didn’t let that stand in the way of his academics or his pursuit of activities outside of school, such as teaching martial arts to young children. “I learned so many life lessons during that time,” Caiden said. “You have to treasure every moment you have in this world with the people you love. You have to work hard no matter what challenges you might face.” He has taken inspiration from his mother’s road to recovery and plans to take that to college where he will major in engineering. “I am

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very lucky to have someone set such an amazing example for me to follow. Life can change in an instant so don’t let one day pass you by,” Caiden said. Halley Jade Pareja is Tahquitz High School’s choice for March. In her spare time, she practices musical instruments and paints commissioned portraits for people. She is her school’s drum major and is part of the JrROTC program where she initiated a “Coats for Kids” coat drive for needy students. She was nominated by her math teacher, Jeff Prickett. “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% of how you respond and react to it,” he said. “All the students here today have learned that lesson.” Halley Jade said, “I lived my whole life in an unsupportive and lonesome home, always being put down, neglected and only receiving acceptance through my own academic performance. My father left the country. I’d completely given up on school, my friends and myself at this point, eventually leading to my own hospitalization.” That experience gave her the opportunity to realize her life didn’t need to be like it was and she started getting involved in school. To ensure inclusion and unification within her school, she became a mental health peer guide. She plans to attend college for music and jazz

See HONORED on page C4

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EDUCATION | Page D1

| $2.00 (Tax Incl.)

D EDUCATION

Soboba Delegation Support California Indian Act

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HEMET, CA.

Courage Beyond Courage RUSTY STRAIT | SENIOR REPORTER

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ou know him. His name is Preston Christianson. He is 16. May reach it to 17 in July. He is terminally ill with a rare form of cancer. The medics sent him home to pass away with his family, and there is nothing else they could do for him. We recently did a story on his in-home graduation from Tahquitz High School because he may not live until this summer's graduation date. I recently sat down with him in a one-on-one conversation. He is an astonishing young man with more courage than anyone I have ever met. Here is how it went. Q. "Being fully aware that you are terminal and have pretty much a general for your departure from planet earth, how do you feel? I know how your family and friends feel, but has anyone ever asked how you feel?" A. "No. I've been waiting for that question for some time. Thank you for asking. I have been dealing with this cancer since I was very young when first diagnosed. I kind of had to get into the mindset of it. So I already knew it is not if, but when, I die - much sooner than later - there are only two things you can do, really. I can accept it and try to live the best life I can with the time you have left, or I can mope about and be angry at the world for no reason. I try to accept the technology and maybe something will happen to help me beat the odds. Not likely. To me, it is all so simple." Q. "I understand they don't do much research on youth cancer." A. "Not really. For children and teenagers, it is only 4% of the investment towards research. The other 96% goes to adults and infants. Patients like myself are caught in the middle. I often wonder how they concluded to focus more on adults, even though they have already lived more of a life. It is like, "What!' We are the next generation into the future. Why are they not concentrating more on the fu-

Rusty Strait (L) and Preston Christianson (R). | Courtesy Photo of Rusty Strait.

ture than the past? Why isn't there a better balance? I have a very rare type of cancer and they don't focus as much on that as they do the more common types. When people think of cancer, they almost immediately bring up breast cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer. The more common cancers, if you will. There is nothing I can do about it, so I don't let it stress me out." Q. "How do you feel about the hereafter?" A. "That kind of worries me, if anything does. You don't know what and what not to believe. Also, whenever you're gone, what happens? I guess I'm going to find out soon what it is all about. You're not going to be dealing with family or the world anymore. I wonder what kind of new movies or transportation will develop that I could be missing if cancer didn't end my life so soon. Of course, you think about it. Adios. Goodbye. That part bothers me the most. I'd like to live to see something really cool." Q. "For instance, do you ever think you might be worried that after you are gone there will be something memorable with your family. Do you ever think you might be worried that after you are gone there will be something memorable that you will miss, with your family, for instance?"

See STRAIT on page A4

SAN JACINTO, CA.

San Jacinto City Council Goes Off Base RUSTY STRAIT | SENIOR REPORTER

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he San Jacinto City Council meetings usually flow like velvet to a conclusion. On Tuesday night, they bogged down in one place. I’ll explain later. The council came out of closed session and went into the usual intro: Roll call, invocation and pledge of allegiance. Then came presentations and Recognition's: 1. National Donation Life Month Proclamation. 2. Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) Presentation. Where they got somewhat bogged down was with Mayor and Council Member Reports. Far too much time was spent on the shootings in Sacramento and personal matters. For instance, one council member spoke of his birthday celebration in Mexico and went on and on about how the Cartels are running the country. These di-

atribes took almost 48 minutes and had nothing whatsoever to do with San Jacinto. Seems like politicos sometimes just like the sound of their own voices. Finally, they got down to business. CONSENT CALENDAR: Passed 5-0, as follows: 1. Waived full reading of Ordinance(s) and Reading by Title Only. 2. Approved the minutes of the March 15, 2022, Regular City Council Meeting. 3. Approved the minutes of the amended version of the March 1, 2022, Regular City Council Meeting. 4. A Resolution of the City Council of the City of San Jacinto, California establishing a two fiscal year annual Rate for County Service Area 152-San Jacinto to palatially fund the City’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit

5. Received and filed Treasurers’ Report for the month ending February 28, 2022. 6. Adopt Resolution No. 3911, maintaining the County Service Area 152 assessment within the City of San Jacinto at the annual rate of $10. Per Benefit Assessment Unit (BAU) for the fiscal year 20222023 and 2023-2024, and therefore funding the City’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit requirements. Next came the Public Hearing re: Annexation of Territory into Community: 7. Agreed 5-0 as follows: Annexation of Territory into Community Facilities District 2003-1 (C.fD. 2003-1), Authorizing the Levy of Special Taxes, Submitting the Levy of Special Tax to the qualified Electors, Declaring the Results of the Election, and Authorizing the Levy of Special Taxes for Annexation No. 62. a. Hold the Public Hearing relat-

ed to the Annexation of Territory into C.D. 2003-1. b. Adopt Resolution 3906, authorizing the annexation of territory to C.D. 2003-1 and the levy of a Special Tax, and submitting the levy of Special Tax to the Qualified electors. c. Call upon the City Clerk to conduct the Special Annexation Landowner Election. d. Adopt Resolution 3907, declaring the results of a Special Annexation Landowner Election and directing the recording of an amended Note of Special Tax Lien. e. Introduce Ordinance 22-02 for a first reading and levying a Special Tax within C.D. 2020-1, including Annexation No. 6 for a first reading. ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN JACINTO AUTHORIZING THE LEVY OF SPECIAL TAXES IN A COMMUNITY FACILITIES

See CITY COUNCIL on page A2


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