Valley players help BYU to Poinsettia Bowl victory, B-1
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Serving Temecula , Murrieta , L ake E lsinore , M enifee , Wildomar , H emet, San Jacinto and the surrounding communities January 6 – 12, 2017
Local
New traffic safety laws take effect in 2017
www.myvalleynews.com
Volume 17, Issue 1
Lake Elsinore’s unexpected Christmas gift overflows
SACRAMENTO – The new year brings a handful of new traffic safety laws for California. These changes to current law, or additional laws, were passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. As part of the continued mission of saving lives, the California Highway Patrol is seeking to educate the public on some of the new rules of the road taking effect January 2017. see page A-4
Local
Judicial Officer and Attorney of the Year named Paul Bandong PBANDONG@REEDERMEDIA.COM
RIVERSIDE – The Southwest Riverside County Bar Association has just named the 2016 Judicial Officer of the Year and the 2016 Attorney of the Year. see page A-6
Canyon Lake Dam spilled over on Christmas Eve for the first time since 2011 bringing a much needed flow of water to the lake.
Sports
Chargers fire Mark McCoy JP Raineri SPORTS@REEDERMEDIA.COM
SAN DIEGO – It has been a whirlwind of a season for the San Diego Chargers who finished 5-11 this season, following a 4-12 mark last year. Less than two hours after the team wrapped up its 2016-17 National Football League season with a 37-27 home loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Chargers fired head coach Mike McCoy. see page B-2
Health
Learn to protect yourself and loved ones from heart disease Dr. Terry A. Rondberg SPECIAL TO VALLEY NEWS
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in the U.S., taking the lives of over 600,000 people each year – that’s one of every four deaths. Yet, according to conservative estimates by the American Heart Association, 80 percent of heart disease and stroke can be prevented.
Stephanie Lai VALLEYSTAFF@REEDERMEDIA.COM
With the onset of heavy rains throughout the region, Lake Elsinore is feeling the effects of the recent rainfall. Good news for the City of Elsinore and Elsinore Val-
ley Municipal Water District. Measuring 45.5 inches of recorded rainfall Dec. 19, the region has seen an increase to 56 inches within a matter of eight days. As a result, Canyon Lake Dam spilled over for the first time since 2011 bringing a new supply of freshwa-
ter to the lake. “Lake Elsinore is currently at its lowest recorded level since 1993 and part of that is due to the drought and because of the drought, Canyon Lake has not overflowed in five years,” Lake Elsinore Senior Management Analyst Nicole Daily
Courtesy photo
said. In the past years such a large overflow has been absent, and the new trend of rain is promising to the city as the overflow is predicted to continue streaming. “The lake has risen a foot and we
see RAIN, page A-2
The dreams of a revitalized historic Downtown Hemet being fulfilled Tony Ault TAULT@REEDERMEDIA.COM
The dream of revitalizing downtown Hemet into the hub of Valley activity as it was in the late 1800s and early 1900s is becoming more of a reality today as foot traffic is continuing to increase on Harvard Street and Florida Avenue. Spurring on the increased foot traffic is the expansion of the popular Downtown Deli, the Diamond Valley Arts Council studio and stage and other businesses beginning to prosper up in the area. Behind much of the impetus of change in downtown Hemet is an active Hemet City economic development staff, the Hemet/San Jacinto Chamber of Commerce, young entrepreneur Steve Covington and downtown commercial landowner Simon Chu. Earlier this past holiday week Covington, who owns the rapidly expanding Downtown Deli and Coffee Company, revealed that he
see DOWNTOWN, page A-4
Many of the buildings shown here on Florida Avenue in historic downtown Hemet that were built in the late 1800s and early 1900s will soon have new facades with the sidewalks designed like those in the early period of the city according to city planners and commercial developers. Tony Ault photo
see page B-4
Business
Countywide jobless rate continues to fall RIVERSIDE – Spurred by growth throughout the regional economy, the unemployment rate in Riverside County dropped below 6 percent last month, state officials reported. The jobless rate in November, based on preliminary estimates, was 5.7 percent, compared to 6.3 percent in October, according to the California Employment Development Department. see page B-7
Murrieta City Council approves Adobe Springs Specific Plan for 283 homes and business park Tony Ault TAULT@REEDERMEDIA.COM
After nearly three years of planning and intensive study, the Murrieta City Council approved the 122-acre Adobe Springs residential and business development specific plan located along the west side of Winchester Road between Via Mira Mora and Porth Road across from French Valley Airport. The project had “the most constraints than any other,” according to several of the Murrieta Councilmembers, including sensitive Indian cultural sites, open space
and environmental issues, public and private parking needs and numerous other requirements. Yet with the council, the Murrieta City Planning staff, the developer Murrieta KLC Holdings, LLC, the Pechanga Indian Tribal Council and the Western Regional Riverside Regional Conservation Authority (RCA) working together in its planning the project will become a reality with construction expected to begin in summer 2018. The project will include a planned 283 single family detached
see MURRIETA, page A-6
This vacant land along Winchester Road across from the French Valley Airport is the future site of the 122-acre Adobe Springs residential and business development recently approved by that city’s council. Christian Harris Photo