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Regal to close six theaters in Southern California | Page A2
Weather: 62/36o | Volume V | Issue IV
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California housing shortage triggers cycle of despair | Page C3
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Thursday, January 26 - February 1, 2023
A FAITH
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Play and Theatre Dirty Blonde Review
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D TECHNOLOGY
C VALLEY BEAT
CLERGY CORNER The Cover Up
TECHNOLOGY | Page D1
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Back-to-Back Mass Shootings that Left 18 Dead REUTERS | CONTRIBUTED
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deadly rampage by a 67-year-old suspect in Northern California was likely an act of workplace violence, authorities said on Tuesday, offering fresh details about the second in back-to-back mass shootings that killed 18 people and horrified the nation. In two separate shootings within three days, 11 people were killed at a Los Angeles-area dance hall and seven others were murdered at two farms in the seaside town of Half Moon Bay near San Francisco. Authorities said they still were trying to determine motives for both shootings. Preliminary evidence indicated that the massacre in Half Moon Bay was a case of workplace violence and that the gunman had used a legally-owned weapon. In the Southern California shootings, officials have declined to make any statement regarding a possible motive.
The suspects in both attacks are men of retirement age, much older than typical perpetrators of deadly mass shootings that have become routine in the United States. On Monday, a gunman in Half Moon Bay opened fire on employees at Mountain Mushroom Farm, where he had previously worked, and Concord Farms, about a mile away. The suspect, 67-year-old Chunli Zhao, was taken into custody later after he was found sitting in his vehicle, parked outside a sheriff ’s station. Authorities said they believe he had come to surrender. He killed seven and wounded one, and all of his victims were Hispanic and Asian Americans, San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus told reporters on Tuesday. “All of the evidence we have points to this being the instance of workplace violence,” Corpus said. Zhao had threatened a co-worker in the past, according to court records obtained by the San Fran-
cisco Chronicle. In 2013, a roommate and colleague at a San Jose restaurant sought and secured a restraining order after telling a judge that Zhao had assaulted him and made death threats, the newspaper reported on Tuesday. The court order is no longer in effect. San Mateo County jail listed pending charges against Zhao as deliberate and premeditated murder, attempted murder in the first degree, and discharging a firearm with enhancement for “most violent felonies.” Zhao was expected to be formally charged on Wednesday and was due to make his first appearance in court at the Hall of Justice in Redwood City at 1:30 pm on Wednesday. In a statement on Tuesday, President Joe Biden renewed his call for Congress to ban assault weapons. “Even as we await further details on these shootings, we know the scourge of gun violence across America requires stronger action,”
SHOOTINGS: A candlelight vigil for victims of the mass shooting in Monterey Park | Courtesy Photo of REUTERS/David Swanson
he said. News of the Half Moon Bay shooting broke as detectives were still investigating the Saturday night shooting at Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park, just east of downtown Los Angeles,
which occurred in the midst of the predominantly Asian American city’s Lunar New Year celebrations. Authorities identified the gunman as Huu Can Tran, 72, and said
See SHOOTINGS on page D4
Beading is taught to teens at Soboba SOBOBA BAND OF LUISEÑO INDIANS | CONTRIBUTED
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oboba Tribal T.A.N.F. offers regular cultural and educational workshops for youths that are part of their programs. Tribal members from the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians, Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians and the Cahuilla Band of Indians meet regularly to participate in sessions that introduce them to something new or help them learn more about it. On Jan. 21, about 20 teens met at Soboba’s multipurpose room to be taught how to bead a hand lanyard, which can be used as a keychain. Teachers Kathy and Lexi Lopez facilitated the fourhour workshop that included a lunch break of grilled hamburgers and hot dogs. Kathy and her daughter Lexi have had their own beading business for several years and Kathy said they were asked to teach the workshop because of a strong interest in having the
Instructor Kathy Lopez explains threading techniques to Christopher Lagunas during a recent beading workshop. | Courtesy Photos of Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians
teens learn the skill. She said it was also because TANF’s Regional Prevention Manager Harold Arres is a friend and regular customer of Lopez Beading and thought it would be good for young people to learn how to create their own items. Many youths were beading for the first time, but some were using knowledge from a past ornament beading workshop and incorporating their skills in making something
There was a strong turnout for a recent beading workshop, offered through Soboba Tribal TANF.
new. The art of beading takes patience, focus and time. By the end of the workshop, many were only half done with their lanyards so a part two is expected to be scheduled to complete their projects. Each beader was given the creative freedom to choose their own colors and make their own design which produced one-ofa-kind and very personal lanyards. Roslyn Valenzuella, 15, was beading for the first time
while her friend Suun Nelson, 14 had beaded an ornament during the holidays. “Getting started is the hardest part,” Suun said. Her comment was echoed by many others. Sisters Ariana Rosas, 16 and Aleksia Rosas, 13 thought keeping each row straight was difficult as well. They came from Riverside to participate in the workshop. Aleksia chose to use her mother’s favorite colors so she could present the lanyard as
Kimani Sanchez, 14, uses a full-size lanyard sample to copy as she learns how to bead for the first time.
a gift. “I’ve done earrings before, but I’ve always wanted to know how
See BEADING on page A4
January's natural gas bill will Prestiwch named Hemet more than double for many City Manager TAYLOR HILLO | CONTRIBUTOR
MONSERRAT SOLIS | CONTRIBUTOR
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atural gas prices are going to be shockingly high for January, according to the Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas). The utility sent out warning emails to their customers that read, "There's no easy way to put it, January bills are going to be higher than usual". They attribute the historic prices to a culmination of things: widespread below-average temperatures, high consumption, reduced natural gas flows, and pipeline constraints. Higher prices are anticipated during winter months, but the culmination of outside factors has created a record-breaking price hike this year. Usually ranging from $5-$6/dekatherm, then growing to $8/dekatherm last year and now this year, prices soared as high as $50/dekatherm. To give you some perspective,
H PAIN IS REAL:
Kay Kearney holds her SoCalGas bill tracker update that projects her next bill to be near $370, as she stands in the kitchen of her home in Garden Grove on Friday, January 20, 2023. Kearney’s SoCalGas bill last year for the same period of time and approximate same gas usage was $144. | Courtesy Photo of Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG
if your bill was around $65 last winter, you can expect something closer to $160 this year. Similarly, if your peak bill was around $130 last year, it could jump closer to $315 this year. "I'm not happy about it, We
See GAS on page A4
emet has a new city manager. Mark Prestwich was appointed by a unanimous vote during a special Hemet City Council meeting Friday, Jan. 13. “We are happy we have a new city manager,” Mayor Joe Males said by phone Monday, Jan. 16. “We hope to change the face of the city for good.” Prestwich will start his new role Feb. 21. He’ll earn $273,000 a year, City Attorney Steven Pacifico Graham said during the meeting. He will be the 14th person to serve as Hemet’s city manager since 2000. According to Prestwich’s LinkedIn page, he has worked in several California cities. Prestwich served as a city manager for Palos Verdes Estates for a year, St. Helena for nearly five years and Nevada City for three and assistant to the city
manager in Sacramento for eight years and Napa for almost seven years. He attended Hemet High School, according to LinkedIn. The previous city manager, Christopher Lopez, resigned in June after a series of evaluations by the council in closed session between April and June. Lopez’s June resignation letter gave no clue as to why he departed the city. Former mayor — now the mayor pro tem — Malcom Lilienthal said in June that he couldn’t discuss Lopez’s departure because it involved a “personnel matter.” Since then, Hemet Police Chief Eddie Pust has served as acting city manager. Males said he’ll be happy to see Pust return to his normal duties, allowing him “to give 100% for his police force.” “I’m just excited to bring someone who has ties to the community,” Lilienthal said, “I think that’s a really positive thing, that he grew up here.”
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