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A Measusre To Look For On Upcoming Ballot | B1
Weather: 99o/61o | Volume IV | Issue XXXIV
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Ragdolls the Ultimate Tribute to Aerosmith | Page C1
Thursday, September 29 - October 5, 2022
A FAITH
CLERGY CORNER Scrap the Trap
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HEALTH | Page D1
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D HEALTH
B POLITICS
Maybe Hemet has the Wrong Form of Government
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Biden’s strategy to end hunger in US See more on page D1
HOUSING IN CALIFORNIA
California governor signs laws to boost housing production ADAM BEAN | AP NEWS
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hey’ve become a familiar sight along the wide commercial corridors of America — empty buildings once filled by big retailers who have closed their doors, in part because many of their customers shop online. Now, two new laws in California would let developers build housing on that land and largely prevent revenue-hungry local governments from stopping them. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two laws Wednesday that would open up much of the state’s
commercial land for residential development. It’s a long-sought victory for affordable housing advocates, who say such sites are ready-made for apartments because they are often near populated areas and come with ample parking. “This is a moment on a journey to reconcile the original sin of the state of California, and that’s the issue of housing and affordability,” Newsom said in San Francisco before signing the bills into law. “We need to all be a little bit more accountable to this crisis of affordability.” Local government officials
say the laws undermine their authority and upend years of careful planning that reflect community preferences. But there’s also a financial consequence, they say, because stores generate more property taxes for local governments than homes do. “It’s a concern when state law is going to override these local decisions, particularly when these local decisions are made in a public process with the community as part of a larger housing plan,” said Jason Rhine, assistant director of legislative affairs for the League of California Cities.
EMPTY: T wo new laws in California will let developers bypass local governments to build housing on commercial land. Gov. Gavin Newsom on, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, signed a pair of laws aimed at increasing housing production in California. | Courtesy Photo of Rich Pedroncelli California, the nation’s most populous state with just over 39 million residents, has a housing shortage that has driven up home prices and contributed
to a homelessness crisis. State officials say California needs to build about 310,000 new
See LAWS on page C4
HEMET, CA
Fairview Fire Victims File Suit Against Southern California Edison, Alleging ‘Aging Infrastructure’ Caused Deadly Blaze JOHN FENOGLIO | CONTRIBUTED
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hree families impacted by the Fairview Fire, which destroyed homes and killed two people on the outskirts of Hemet earlier this month, have filed a lawsuit against Southern California Edison alleging the utility is responsible for the deadly wildfire. Their attorney, Alex Robertson IV, said that within hours of the fire starting, Southern California Edison “filed what we call an electrical safety incident report – an ESIR – with the California public utility commission as they’re required to do by law.” Robertson highlighted one 12 kilovolt distribution circuit, which showed activity close in time to the reported start of the fire. “It means that their computer
data indicated that there was an electrical fault most likely due to an arcing event on their powerlines,” Robertson said. “And that’s how most of these wildfires start. During a wind event, the lines will either sway and come into contact, which we call line slap, then you have an electrical arcing event where you get showers of molten aluminum from the powerlines fall into the brush below and start the fire.” Robertson’s claims align with what evacuee Movalee Carberry told KTLA earlier this month. “We had a power surge,” she told KTLA. “I was in the house. The lights went out a couple seconds, then came back on. We all looked at each other and said that was a power surge. We go outside a little bit later and my daughter-in-law says we’ve got fire. We look and it’s coming out of Avery Canyon in this di-
rection. And we had those high Santa Ana winds.” The fire scorched 28,000 acres, destroyed 22 structures, and two people died in a vehicle while trying to escape the fire. Maria Velasco, a plaintiff in the case, told KTLA on Sept. 6 that she feared for her animals as the fire neared. “I feel so stressful, so stressful because all my horses are in there,” she said. They ended up losing three quarter horse mares, five dogs and two litters of puppies, and much of their property was destroyed. Robertson offered one solution to avoid another fire like this: burying power lines underground. “What we’re seeing time and time again in these fires is that it’s aging infrastructure that has not been maintained and
FIRE: A charred motorcycle stands in a structure destroyed by the Fairview fire near Hemet. | Courtesy Photo of Luis Sinco
replaced,” Robertson said. However, he’s not optimistic about the utility companies
making such a move.
See FIRE on page A4
RECOGNITION
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
San Jacinto Valley Students Honored in September
Riverside County’s COVID Hospitalizations Fall to 70
DIANE A. RHODES | CONTRIBUTED
NEWSLA | 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, Sept. 15. 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 as well as community and school district dignitaries. September’s students of the month from Hemet Unified School District schools are Alyssa Gandara, Xavier Gonzales, Stephanie Martinez Anaya, Owen Newborn and Kylie Wallace. San Jacinto Unified honorees for Sep
See HONOR on page D4
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he number of people hospitalized with a coronavirus infection in Riverside County has fallen by another 20 people to 70, according to the latest state figures. Of those patients hospitalized as of Saturday, 11 were being treated in intensive care, down from 13 the previous day. The total number of COVID-positive patients fell below 100 last week for the first time in three months, according to the Riverside University Health System. COVID-19 hospitalizations countywide were at 118 a week ago. One month ago, 133 people were hospitalized throughout the county with a COVID infection, 27 of whom were ICU patients.
COVID: Los Angeles County could soon graduate into the "low'' category for COVID-19 cases. | Courtesy Photo of Halfpoint on Shutterstock The last time the COVID hospitalization count numbered less than 100 was in mid-June. According to RUHS estimates, among those hospitalized with a COVID diagnosis in August, 40% were fully vaccinated with a SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic. Data showed that the same percentage of vaccinated people died
See COVID on page A4
The JYNNEOS vaccine is currently the only vaccine that is licensed by the Food and Frug Administration (FDA) to prevent monkeypox in people 18 years of age and older.