Classes take place on Wednesday nights. Open enrollment continues through Sept. 28.
Classes take place on Wednesday nights. Open enrollment continues through Sept. 28.
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Canyon Lake Twirlers square dance class begins
Classes take place on Wednesday nights. Open enrollment continues through Sept. 28.
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Davis Wojcik Duarte: Legal Expertise Fits Your Needs
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This Menifee resident doesn't give a hoot about us
Sylvia Castillo came across this burrowing owl as she walked on the trail alongside Paloma wash, near Haun Road and Holland Road. These creatures are actually fairly common in Menifee. They live underground in burrows usually dug by ground squirrels or prairie dogs.
Sylvia is eligible for the Photo of the Month award in our Menifee in Pictures contest.
"Menifee in Pictures" is a regular feature on Menifee 24/7. Readers are invited to contribute photos for publication. Email your photos as a .jpg file to menifee247info@gmail.com and selected photos will be published, along with your name as the photographer. Please include your full name on the submission and any explanation about where and when the photo was taken. If your photo is selected from among those published as the photo of the month, you will win a gift certificate from Merna's Cafe, where great American and Mediterranean food is served in the Sun City community in Menifee.
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City Council members confirm anger over $12,400 check, yet ask residents to keep civic issues in perspective
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| Menifee Mayor Scott Mann (left) and city manager Rob Johnson were the principals in a disputed check for $12,400. Menifee 24/7 photos: Kristen Spoon |
Two members of the Menifee City Council today told Menifee 24/7 that while they were strongly opposed to a City check written to fund a three-week seminar for Mayor Scott Mann, they are asking residents to keep this issue separate from the proposed 1 percent sales tax measure on the November ballot.
City officials are concerned about public reaction to the news reported here Thursday that city manager Rob Johnson was asked by Mayor Scott Mann and agreed to write a $12,400 check to fund a three-week training seminar for Mann at Harvard in July.
Reader comments on the Menifee 24/7 Facebook page in response to the article included, "Well, that didn't take long for the corruption to start in being a city" and "Vote no on the tax hike. As our city grows larger, more officials will take advantage of the budget."
The check was eventually voided and no City funds were used to pay for Mann's trip -- but only after the discovery of the proposed expense by other city council members who objected. Yet even while they admit being among those whose objections killed the proposed expense, council members Lesa Sobek and Matt Liesemeyer said today they have another message for residents: That those accusing the City of misuse of funds should not use this situation as basis for a decision to vote no on Measure DD -- which they believe is vital to Menifee's continued operation as an incorporated city.
"Menifee's revenue and budget challenges date back several years, to when Governor Brown took Vehicle License Fees (VLF) from our City budget to the tune of over $4 million annually," Liesemeyer (left) said in a statement released to Menifee 24/7."This has created a heightened awareness for me related to our expenditures and budgetary items. When I learned of the $12,400 payment issued by the city manager on behalf of Mayor Scott Mann, I confronted the city manager and the check was ultimately cancelled. "Although this check may have been within the signing authority of the city manager, I was shocked to learn of this expenditure given our current budget situation, and the check was cancelled. As a result of the events, at a subsequent Council meeting I made a request of city attorney to create a policy for more transparency as it relates to expenditures by council members.
"While I believe that this isolated incident reveals a needed policy change, it is certainly not a factor in the necessity to float a sales tax measure for vote by our constituents this November. The measure was necessitated by the aforementioned VLF being taken by Governor Brown and the rising costs of public safety, both of which are outside the city's control."
The City Council met in closed session before Wednesday night's meeting and took the unusual step of going back into closed session after the public meeting. One of the items of discussion, as listed on the agenda, was a performance evaluation of Johnson, the city manager. That action is being taken as the result of a council decision during its Aug. 3 meeting.
Liesemeyer made the motion, which was seconded by council member Greg August and approved. Liesemeyer said today he could not discuss details surrounding the performance review because it is a personnel matter.
August did not return a phone call requesting comment on the voided check situation. Reached by phone, council member John Denver declined to comment.
A City of Menifee accounts payable document shows a check requisition dated April 18 in the amount of $12,400 for "state and local government program." An image of the check shows it was dated April 29. The word "void" is written across it. That voided check was not listed on the warrant registry made available to the public.
Asked in an email to confirm that he had been given the check and how long he held onto it before returning it, Mann did not respond.
Sobek (right) said she was very concerned about the expenditure request and confirmed that city staff and council have agreed to work on a policy covering such situations. At the same time, she stressed the importance of the sales tax initiative to fund city services and urges residents to vote for it. She issued the following statement to Menifee 24/7, addressing the residents of Menifee:
In reading the Menifee 24/7 article last night, I felt a need to clarify some things.
My constituents elected me to represent their interests and be a faithful steward in the city of Menifee, to watch over the city budget and to be transparent in dealing with issues of city government. I took an oath of office to do those very things. Once I found out about the mayor's request, I started doing some investigating.
Even though the city manager acted within the parameters of his job, no laws were broken and the check was returned, I do feel that this decision should have come before the City Council. Since then, we as a council are in the process in establishing policy to ensure this type of action cannot happen again.
I don't want our community to misunderstand other important issues here. The citizens need to understand what our state governor has done to us in the city of Menifee. In 2011, he took away our Vehicle License Fee, which equals $50 per capita. Menifee has lost $21,358,500. I don't know about you, but I still have to pay my vehicle license fees each year and my city doesn't receive its fair share back. Look at what surrounding cities have received since 2011:
Murrieta -- almost $33 million
Temecula -- $31 million-plus
Hemet -- $28 million-plus
Lake Elsinore -- nearly $17 million
Canyon Lake -- $3 million-plus
Perris -- $21 million
For the past three years, Senate bills have gone before our governor to sign that reinstates our VLF and he has vetoed them. Right now SB 817, which would reinstate our VLF fees, is sitting on his desk, awaiting his signature. Have you sent your message to the governor's office asking him to sign SB 817?
City expenses have been reduced by $4.7 million in fiscal year 2015-16 and $2.3 million in FY 2016-17. Public safety is currently 66 percent of the city general fund budget. Crime has increased all over the state because of AB109 and Prop 47 (the governor's early release bill). In Menifee, crime has increased 13 percent. We can't and haven't been able to afford to hire new officers.
I receive regular complaints from our citizens about the increased transients, Scott Road traffic, police response time, lack of road maintenance, mailbox theft, slow city response to issues and more. Captain (Brandon) Ford, our police chief, has said, "We are doing the best we can with the resources we have." Our City Hall is getting by with limited and overworked staff, which affects all of our city services.
There is nowhere else to cut. For our FY 2016-17 budget, we had reach into our reserves for $2.4 million to balance the budget. This just isn't doable for the long term.
I consider myself a fiscal conservative. I have lived by the following philosophy: "Use it up, make it do or do without." I do believe in allowing our citizens to make their own decisions and vote accordingly. But I also understand what our state has done to our community and the financial hardship our governor has put us in.
We are a great city. I've lived here for 27 years and have enjoyed the quality of life in Menifee. I've also learned that to have a quality city, you need to make public safety a number 1 priority. It's a trickle down effect. A quality city has a strong high-pressure police department and good fire department. Then you have builders who will build quality homes and home values stay strong. Your schools are great and quality businesses want to come.
Maybe this analogy will help: You own your home and have lost 15 percent of your income. You're just getting by, making your house payment each month, and you've had to borrow from Peter to pay Paul for all your other bills. You've cut groceries, kids' piano lessons, your credit cards are at their limits, etc. You get the idea. Do you let the house go back to the bank or do you get a part-time job? What do you do?
This is where we are as a city. I hope this has helped explain a little of the big picture of what the city of Menifee is facing. I believe in letting you have a choice. I encourage you to study the facts and let your voice be heard on Nov. 8.
Lesa Sobek
Menifee councilwoman, District 3
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Heritage strikes early, often in 45-13 win at Cathedral City
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| Heritage running back Khalil Jones follows the blocking of Javier Luna (22) during Friday night's game. Photo by Amber Garcia |
Photos and content provided by Amber Garcia
Sherod White ran for 200 yards, quarterback Devan Freedland passed for 125 yards and Khalil Jones ran for 67 yards to lead the Heritage High School football team to a 45-13 win at Cathedral City Friday night.
Heritage improved its record to 3-0 with a balanced offense that was so dominating, reserves played most of the second half. The Patriots scored early in the game on a 78-yard run by White, made it 14-0 on a 12-yard run by Javier Luna and never looked back.
Freedland added to the lead by hooking up with James Phillips on a 26-yard pass play and a 21-0 lead in the second quarter. Two more touchdowns -- one by Jayden Dawson after a fumble recovery -- and a 31-yard field goal by Luna gave Heritage a 38-0 halftime lead.
The Patriots gave up two touchdowns in the second half but added a touchdown on a run by Jones.
Next Friday, Heritage plays Redlands East Valley at Citrus Valley High School.
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| Patriots quarterback Devan Freedland calls out signals before taking the snap. Photos by Amber Garcia |
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| Senior Jacob Garcia helps anchor the offensive line for Heritage. |
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| Javier Luna takes the ball from quarterback Devan Freedland to start a running play. |
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| Sherod White, who rushed for 200 yards, finds some running room. |
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Paloma Valley defense steps up in victory over King
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| Paloma Valley defensive backs Phillip Mills (11) and Andre Kirkpatrick take down a King receiver Friday night. Photo by Kristi Jo Aguirre. |
By Daniel Millhouse
The Paloma Valley High School defense stepped up and won a game of flag football against King High of Riverside Friday night, 27-13.
No, they didn’t play the non-contact version of the sport. There were 26 total penalties between the two teams.
Despite being penalized 15 times for 137 yards, the Wildcats of Paloma Valley stepped up in the second half to shut out the Wolves. What made this feat even more impressive was the fact that they lost three defensive starters to injury in the first half:; Steven Bradshaw, Phil Mills, and Lanell Harrell.
"When Steve, Phil, and Lanell went down, I just had to pick the team back up," said Paloma Valley linebacker Dylan Rodriguez. "I know everyone’s heads went down when they went out, but we had to keep it going. We had to play for them."
King’s defense didn’t let up, either. Feeding off the energy of their home crowd, the Wolves held the Wildcats scoreless for their first two possessions.
The Wolves then put up the first points of the game when quarterback Maximillian Ochoa hit receiver Jaylen Moore for a 9-yard touchdown pass with 4:24 left in the first quarter. The score remained 6-0 after kicker Nathan Kolonics missed the point-after attempt.
Paloma Valley was caught off guard when King kicked on onside kick and recovered the ball on its own 48-yard line. Even with the good field position, the Wildcats clamped down on the Wolves.
Neither team would score until there was 7:24 left in the second quarter. Chance Nolan hit Seth Carvalho for a short pass. Carvalho then broke free from would-be tacklers, scoring a 46-yard touchdown to give his team a 7-6 lead.
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| Blake Moore works his way through a crowd to gain yardage Friday night. Photo by Kristi Jo Aguirre |
On the following kickoff, King’s Ryan Munoz returned the ball to the Wolves’ own 40-yard line before he was stripped of the ball. Junior Amir Hasin smothered the ball, giving the Wildcats possession.
Clearly motivated by the play of the special teams, the offense scored within a minute when Nolan hit Blake Moore for an 8-yard touchdown pass, giving the Wildcats a 14-6 lead.
It didn’t take long for the Wildcats (3-0) to find themselves with the ball again after their defense once again stopped the Wolves' running game.
Paloma Valley’s offense struck again quickly, taking only a little over two minutes to push the ball downfield before Nolan found a wide-open Jayden Lundy in the end zone for a 31-yard touchdown pass. After a missed point-after attempt by Rafa Mendez ricocheted off the right upright, the Wildcats found themselves up, 20-6.
Undeterred with only 2:49 left in the half, the Wolves gradually chipped away at the Wildcats’ defense. As the clock read 0:00, Ochoa found an open Pablo Gomez in the end zone. This kept King High within one score going into halftime, 20-13.
Little did anyone in attendance know that this would be the last time King would score.
The defense of Paloma Valley would take no prisoners in the second half. Led by Rodriguez and the secondary play of Andre Kirkpatrick and Nick Naranjo, the Wildcats overcame their team’s 11 second-half penalties to silence the Wolves' home crowd.
The Wildcats quickly stopped the Wolves on their first possession of the half.
The offense didn’t waste time putting points on the board. After Nolan hit Lundy for a 45-yard pass that took Paloma Valley to King’s 22-yard line, Corey Maddox evaded King’s defense and ran the ball into the end zone on the very next play. This gave Paloma Valley a 27-13 lead with 9 minutes left in the third quarter.
King entered desperation mode, forgoing the concept of punting in favor of going for it on fourth down. On fourth down and 22 on Paloma Valley’s 32-yard line, King rolled the dice, but came up empty when the pocket collapsed around the quarterback and Damian Torres and Maleek Baranauskas slammed into him the sack.
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| Andre Kirkpatrick moves ahead with the ball for Paloma Valley during Friday's win. Photo by Kristi Jo Aguirre |
Before Paloma Valley could enjoy the moment, the referees tossed their flags onto the field, giving King a little hope. The Wolves would retain possession and would go for it again with the ball now on the 24-yard line, but still fourth down with 14 yards to go.
Ochoa then tried to hit one of his receivers in the end zone, but Kirkpatrick knocked it down, giving the ball back to Paloma Valley.
"The coach was always telling us in these weeks that defense needs to step up because there is going to be one day when there’s going to be a team that will shut down our offense like they did tonight," Kirkpatrick said after the game. "He told us to get ready because the defense needs to step up. We took that to heart."
Still only up by two touchdowns, the Wildcats’ defense had to step when King’s defensive back, Joshua Fisher, intercepted Nolan twice during Paloma Valley’s next two possessions.
King found themselves again in another fourth-down dilemma, but with only 7 minutes left in the game on Paloma Valley’s 31-yard line and 3 yards to go for the first down, they decided to go for it. Their running game was once again stopped by Torres, who met King’s running back at the line of scrimmage.
On King’s next possession, this time with only 1:25 left in the game, King was forced to go for it again on fourth down. With the ball on their own 42-yard line and 4 yards to go for the first down, Ochoa overthrew a covered Chris Venable, putting the nail in the Wolves’ coffin.
Hasin led Paloma Valley with 7 tackles, followed by the 6 tackles each made by Torres and Rodriguez. As a whole, the defense only allowed the Wolves to rush for 51 yards on 32 rushing attempts.
"We had some injuries," Paloma Valley head coach Bert Esposito said. "Three or four of our starters came out, other guys stepped in. Our D-line played really well and held them. They couldn’t rush the ball."
On the offensive side of the ball, Maddox ran for 86 yards on 16 attempts and a touchdown while also catching 3 passes for 56 yards. Lundy had 92 yards receiving on 5 receptions, including 1 touchdown. Nolan completed 21 passes out of 34 attempts for 313 yards and 3 touchdown passes.
"Our offense struggled tonight. Just too many penalties and mistakes. Stuff that we never do," Esposito said, summing up how his team played. "We didn’t practice really well this week. It was a direct reflection of how we played tonight, but we’re happy with the win, no doubt."
Next week, Paloma Valley will be on the road again to face the Panthers of Corona High School (2-1).
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| Wildcats quarterback Chance Nolan tries to avoid a group of King defenders. Photo by Kristi Jo Aguirre |
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Scott Mann promises continued progress as mayor
Paid political advertisement:
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Scott Mann promises to "Keep Menifee Moving" when he is re-elected in November. Read more about him here.![]()
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Scott Mann promises to "Keep Menifee Moving" when he is re-elected in November. Read more about him here.
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City of Menifee to recognize Constitution Week
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| Menifee 24/7 photo: Kristen Spoon |
Members of the Menifee City Council last week presented a proclamation to Patricia Rainier and Thenell Hanggi of the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution recognizing Sept. 17-23 as Constitution Week. This year marks the 229th anniversary of the drafting of the U.S. Constitution.
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Solve Menifee Maze 94, win a gift card to Pitstop Pub
Here's the first piece of the puzzle in Menifee Maze 94, which is a picture of a scene in Menifee. Each day we will reveal another square until someone guesses the correct location. The first person to do so will win a gift card to Pitstop Pub Bar and Grill, which offers great food, drink and entertainment at its location at 26900 Newport Road.
To enter your guess, email menifee247info@gmail.com. Good luck!
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E-Z Jumpers has the kids entertainment you're looking for
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Menifee Soap Box Derby returns to town Sept. 17
It's that time again -- the Menifee Soap Box Derby returns this Saturday, Sept. 17.
The fifth annual event, sponored by the City of Menifee and Valley-Wide Recreation & Park District, runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. downhill on Menifee Road from Craig Avenue to Holland Road. Drivers young and old have been building race cars to compete in this event, which is always popular with the spectators.
Drivers come from surrounding areas as well to participate in one of five age and design categories. There will be food and merchandise vendors.
For more information, call 951-487-9234 or 951-672-6744. Menifee Road will be closed to traffic during the event. Spectators must park on nearby side streets.
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Santa Rosa Academy Freedom Run set for Sept. 17
Activities will include a series of runs, food vendors, games and a health expo.
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Another beautiful sunset over The Lakes in Menifee
Thanks to Kayleigh Daly for sending us this beautiful sunset photo from The Lakes community. Kayleigh is now eligible for the Photo of the Month award.
"Menifee in Pictures" is a regular feature on Menifee 24/7. Readers are invited to contribute photos for publication. Email your photos as a .jpg file to menifee247info@gmail.com and selected photos will be published, along with your name as the photographer. Please include your full name on the submission and any explanation about where and when the photo was taken. If your photo is selected from among those published as the photo of the month, you will win a gift certificate from Merna's Cafe, where great American and Mediterranean food is served in the Sun City community in Menifee.
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Try Menifee Bicycles for all your biking needs
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Menifee Maze 94: We have a winner!
Call it a lucky guess, shot in the dark or whatever, but for one of the few times since we've had the Menifee Maze game, someone correctly guessed after just one square was revealed.
Actually, a few people guessed correctly, but Tim Cabral was the first to guess that Menifee Maze 94 is a photo taken in Spirit Park on Newport Road. The photo was taken in the garden section toward the back of the park. That's what we were looking for specifically, but because it would be misleading to tell Tim and the others the location is not Spirit Park, we have declared him the winner.
We remind players to be as specific as possible with their guess.
Tim wins a gift card from Pitstop Pub Sports Bar & Grill. Another maze will start soon.
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Boys & Girls Club presents Robochallenge event
Students can develop their technical and problem solving skills in this fun program scheduled for the next several Monday nights at the Boys & Girls Club. For information, call 951-246-8845.
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European Wax Center: Experts in skin care
In addition to professional waxing services, European Wax Center sells a complete line of skin care products to keep your skin healthy year-round.
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Family History Fair set for Saturday at LDS church
Learn about the many tools available to you for researching your family history by attending the Family Discovery Day & Fair this Saturday, Sept. 17.
The event will be held at the Menifee Stake Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 29725 Bradley Road in Menifee. Admission is free and the public is welcome.
In addition to displays and genealogical information on display, there will be a variety of classes including instruction on how to begin your research, how to navigate ancestry websites, advice on what DNA tests are best, how to restore old photographs, and more. Keynote speaker, professional genealogist Linda Serna, will address attendees from 9-10 a.m. in the chapel.
For information, call 951-672-0162.
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Police recover vehicle, motorhome stolen from Menifee
The Sheriff's Department was called when the homeowner returned after a two-week absence to a residence in the 27000 block of Holland Road and reported that the residence had been burglarized and many items stolen. Investigators developed several leads and responded to a residence in the 39000 block of Oak Cliff Drive in Temecula. Arriving officers observed 32-year-old Melissa Christine Ortner attempting to sell some of the stolen property.
Detectives located the victim's personal vehicle parked nearby and apprehended 36-year-old Raymond Anthony Molina, who was hiding in the neighborhood after fleeing the stolen vehicle. Further investigation led officers to a parking lot in the southern part of the city, where the stolen motorhome was parked.
The stolen watercraft and trailer were later located in the city of Lake Elsinore.
Ortner and Molina were booked for burglary and possession of stolen property. Anyone with additional information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Deputy Manny Campos at the Perris Police Department by calling 951-210-1000, or by email at PerrisStation@RiversideSheriff.org
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