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LOCAL NEWS
Thursday, February 16 - Wednesday, February 22, 2023
HEMET, CA
NEWS BRIEFS
Hemet City council ponders conservatism
HEMET, CA
ALGAE STOP FISHING AND KAYAKING AT LAKE HEMET A 53-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of shooting at cars near two Southern California highways over the weekend, authorities said. Sheriff 's deputies responded Saturday following reports that a man was pointing a handgun at pedestrians and firing at vehicles near the intersection of Interstate 5 and State Route 119 in Kern County. The suspect was taken into custody without
incident, according to a statement from the Kern County Sheriff ’s Office. Officials did not immediately identify a possible motive. One person received a minor, unspecified injury and did not seek medical attention, the statement said. The suspect, who was not named, also shot into an unoccupied vehicle, officials said. AP Briefs
SAN JACINTO, CA
WOMAN REPORTED MISSING IN RIVERSIDE FOUND An 82-year-old woman who was reported missing after she was last seen in Riverside has been found. Nilda Santiago was last seen at 9 a.m. Monday in Moreno Valley, said the California Highway Patrol, which issued a four-county Silver Alert on behalf of the Riverside County Sheriff ’s Department. The CHP reported San-
tiago was found just before 2:30 a.m. Tuesday. There were no other details. The Silver Alert was established by the CHP to issue and coordinate alerts involving the unexplained or suspicious disappearance of elderly, developmentally disabled or cognitively impaired individuals. Riverside Sheriff
Riverside Sheriff. | Photo Courtesy of Sundry Photography on Shutterstock
RUSTY STRAIT | SENIOR REPORTER
F
or the first time in a long time, the Hemet City Council began to tighten the city belts on unnecessary spending, but first the preliminaries. The invocation was followed by the pledge of allegiance offered by Mayor Males. The City Attorney then reported that there was nothing to say from the closed session. Then came various public comments, none of which were earth-shattering, although one lady praised the council to the point of almost awarding them sainthood, for which the council thanked her for the compliments. There was only one proclamation, proclaiming February Black History Month. At the time, there was no one to accept the citation, but SSgt Williams from American Legion Post 53 in Hemet graciously accepted the citation following glowing remarks by Mayor Joe Males as to Williams accomplishments during his many years in the Army, including his numerous feats on the battlefield and many medals. It brought grateful applause from everyone in the room. Then the acceptance of the Hemet Warrant Registers dated December 29, 2022, in the amount of $1,379,944.39 and January 12, 2023, for $1,514,714.21. The payroll periods of December 12, 2022 - December 25, 2022, for $864,947.80 and December 26, 2022 - January 8, 2023, for $833,156,97. The investment Report for December 2022 was also received and filed without dissent. The Consent Calen-
SIX MONTHS AFTER DISAPPEARANCE POLICE CONTINUE TO SEARCH FOR HEMET MOTHER and someone is keeping it a secret. “She’s my first born, she was my easiest and best kid,” said Billie Rico, Danielle’s mother. Billie wants the public to know about her daughter. “She’s had the biggest smile on her face, she was always happy she could make you laugh for hours,” Billie said. “She was hilarious.” The Citizen
dar as follows was received and accepted 5-0. 1. The Regular City Council Meeting Minutes of January 24, 2023. 2. Waived further reading and adopted Ordinance 2007, an Ordinance of the City Council of Hemet, California, Amending Section 82-172 of the Hemet Municipal Code Related to Undergrounding of Utilities. 3. Adopted a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California, Adopting and promulgating the Conflict of Interest Code and Designated Officials and Employees of the City Required to File a Statement of Economic Interest and Rescinding Resolution No. 2020-074. 4. Adopted a Resolution accepting the 2022 JAG Grant, when awarded, in the amount of $28,679; authorized approval of the MOU Agreement regarding the Fiscal Agent (FA) with Riverside County; authorizing the City Manager to execute the MOU Agreement; and authorized the Finance Department to increase the operating budget to allocate and appropriate the grant funds for $25,811 (grant amount less the 10% paid to the Fiscal Agent). 5. Adopted a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California, approving the Termination of the Agreement with CSG Consultants. 6. Adopted a Resolution of the City Council of Hemet, California, Approving the Termination of the Agreement with 4Leaf, Inc. 7. Adopted a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California, Approving the Second Amendment to the Agreement for Services between the City
of Hemet and HR Green Pacific, Inc. for a contract amount not to exceed a total of $265,000 and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute the Agreement for a one-year term with month to month extensions. 8. Adopted a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California, Approving the Lease Agreement by and between the City of Hemet and Amerco Real Estate Company, DBA: U-HAUL Center Hemet, CA (Tenant) for the property located at 250 Meier Street, Hemet, CA 92544, the Tenant' ‘s commercial rental business, for the parking of U-Haul trucks and trailers in the vacant parcel adjacent to the U-Haul property (east side). 9. Adopted a Resolution of Intention of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California, to establish City of Hemet Community Facilities District No. 202301 (Morgan Crossing) and to authorize the Levy of a Special Tax within the City of Hemet Community Facilities District No. 202301 (Morgan Crossing). 10. A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California, approving an agreement with eCivis for Year Two ($53,800.00) and Year three (53,800.00) of a Grant Management software for $107,600.00, authorizing the City Manager to execute the agreement and related documents, and authorizing the Finance Director to record a supplemental appropriation in the American Rescue Plan, Fund 270 was continued by a 5-0 vote to a date uncertain. 11. Passed 3-2 A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California, award-
ing Granite Construction a Construction Agreement for $3,032303 and Waiving any Minor Bid Irregularities, and authorizing the City Manager to approve additional construction expenditures not to exceed 10% of the Contract Amount of $313,230, expenditures not to exceed 10% of the Contract amount of $303,230, and awarding Willdan Engineering a Construction Management and Inspection Agreement for $211,113.60, and authorizing the City Manager to Execute all Contract Documents, and Directing the Finance Director to Re-Appropriate $1,581,646.60 of ARPA Funds from CIP 5743, and authorizing the City Clerk to Record the Notice of Completion Upon acceptance of the work by the City Engineer all for the Hemet Valley Bikeway Project, CIP 5696, Federal Aid Project No ATPSBL-5186(018). There was much debate and discussion on this item. Although the council seemed to believe we need more street repairs before the city takes off on a ride over the city' extended bike lanes of the future, the majority felt that turning down the grant would set the city up to be snubbed by grants in the future. However, they finally voted 3-2 to pass the resolution with Mayor Males and Councilwoman Meyer dissenting. Ultimately, they were caught between a rock and a hard place and chose to sneak through a crack to pass it. You never know how the Hemet City Council will vote on anything, but I think I saw a tendency toward being more conservative with the city's treasury. Just sayin' rustystrait@gmail.com
Riverside County’s COVID Hospitalizations Holding Steady CNS | CONTRIBUTED
HEMET, CA
Six months is how long a Riverside County mother of two has been missing. Now her family members believe she is the victim of foul play and they also believe she is not alive. For the past six months family members have been putting up flyers all over Hemet hoping to find Danielle Rico alive. But her mother believes something happened to her
www.HSJChronicle.com
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he number of COVID-positive patients in Riverside County hospitals is holding steady, rising by just one to 103, according to the latest state figures. Of those patients hospitalized as of Saturday, 17 were being treated in intensive care, also up one from the previous day. Overall last week the number of patients hospitalized with a coronavirus infection fell by 13%, according to the Riverside University Health System. Some of the patients were hospitalized for other reasons and learned they had COVID after a mandated test. One month ago, 200
people were hospitalized throughout the county with a COVID infection, 25 of whom were ICU patients. According to the RUHS, the total number of deaths from likely virus- related complications over the past 35 months stands at 6,813. The previous week’s figure was 6,789. RUHS figures showed that, among those who died while hospitalized with a COVID diagnosis in December, 42% had received the full SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic. In November, 37% of those who died while hospitalized with an infection had received the complete injection regimen, while in October, it was 36%. The total number of fatalities in December was 57. In November, the figure was 41, and in October, 14, ac-
Some of the patients were hospitalized for other reasons and learned they had COVID after a mandated test.. | Courtesy Photo of City News Service
cording to the RUHS. The deaths weren’t classified as stemming directly from an infection, co-morbidities, or possible adverse reactions to the shots. The majority of people who die with COVID-19 are elderly or have an underlying
health condition such as diabetes, heart disease or hypertension. Health officials said the aggregate number of COVID cases recorded since the public health documentation period began in March 2020 is 730,745.
• Rusty Strait Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians Susan Beckett Jesus Reyes Madison Aument Jeanne Phillips Muhammad Naeem Ashley Ludwig Dan Walters Josh DuBose Shelby Nelson Thomas Buckley
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Publication Number 192 Periodical Postage Paid permit number 24640 at Hemet CA 92543. February 16, 2023
