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M O N D AY, J U LY 24- J U LY 30, 2023
V I S I T R I V E R S I D E I N D E P E N D E N T. C O M
Firefighters achieve nearly complete containment of 8,200-acre Rabbit Fire By City News Service
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State to buy updated textbooks for Temecula Valley elementary students amid feud with school board By Joe Taglieri
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A Riverside County firefighter battles one of four brush fires that occurred last week.
he Temecula Valley School Board’s second rejection of LGBTQ+ content in elementary school curriculum prompted Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday to announce that the state plans to procure more timely textbooks for the school district’s elementary students. Citing noncompliance with state law for continuing to use textbooks published in 2006, California officials are “entering into a contract to secure textbooks to ensure students in the district begin the school year with access to up-to-date books and materials. ... Elementary students in Temecula are slated to begin the school year on August 14, 2023, without proper instructional materials ... because of the school board’s 3-2 majority’s repeated decision to reject an updated curriculum.” On May 16 the board voted to reject a proposed curriculum and textbook for its kindergarten through fifth-grade social studies program. A majority of board members — Board President Joseph Komrosky, Jennifer Wiersma and Danny Gonzalez — concluded that it contained “morally objectionable material.” Board members Steven Schwartz and Allison Barclay voted against rejecting the updated curriculum. Prior to the vote Komrosky noted his opposition to the curriculum’s inclusion of information on Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to a California political office who reportedly had a sexual relationship with a teen when he was in his 30s.
| Photo courtesy of the Riverside County Fire Department/Twitter
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ontainment of the Rabbit Fire in Lakeview was at 95% Friday, the Riverside County Fire Department reported. The update to the containment figure was announced at 7 a.m. Friday and was the first since 7 p.m. Thursday when it was increased from 85% to 90%. Firefighters faced excessive heat and low relative humidity Friday, along with steep rugged terrain as they worked to strengthen containment lines and provide suppression repairs when necessary, according to the department. Firefighters will continue to patrol overnight and extinguish interior fires within the burned area, a department official said. Full containment was expected Sunday, two days later than previously expected, according to the department. All evacuation warnings
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were lifted as of noon Wednesday. The fire has burned 8,283 acres, a figure that has not changed since the night of July 17 when it was updated from 7,950 acres. The fire broke out around 3:30 p.m. July 14 northeast of Gilman Springs Road and Jack Rabbit Trail. Officials said 152 structures were threatened, but no structures have been destroyed or damaged. A total of 184 fire engines, 20 water tenders, seven helicopters and 30 hand crews were involved in the firefighting effort, numbering 1,578 total personnel, according to Cal Fire Riverside. Additional air tankers were flying in from throughout the state. One civilian was injured. There were no details on who was injured or how serious the injury was. The cause of the fire was under investigation. The Rabbit Fire was the
largest of four brush fires that broke out July 14 and 15 across Riverside County. The Reche and Highland fires were fully contained by Tuesday. Containment of Gavilan Fire increases to 90% For the county’s fourth large blaze, containment of the Gavilan Fire in the Gavilan Hills area near Perris was at 90% Friday, the Riverside County Fire Department reported. The update to the containment figure was announced at 6:37 p.m. Thursday and was the first since 7:13 p.m. Wednesday when it increased from 70% to 75%. The fire was reported around 3:30 p.m. July 15 near the intersection of Gavilan and Idaleona roads, according to the fire department. It has burned 338 acres. All road closures have been lifted. The cause of the fire was
under investigation. Brush fire scorches halfacre along Highway 74 in Homeland A brush fire that erupted Thursday adjacent to Highway 74 in Homeland blackened roughly a half-acre before it was stopped. The noninjury blaze was reported about 4:50 p.m. on the north side of the highway at Calvert Avenue, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. The agency said that multiple engine crews were sent to the location and encountered flames moving to the east at a moderate rate through medium brush. Firefighters quickly encircled the blaze, stopping its forward rate of spread just after 5 p.m. and completely containing it a short time later, according to reports from the scene. There was no word on what might have triggered the brusher.
Man admits shooting at off-duty police officer near Lake Elsinore By City News Service
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37-year-old man who shot at an off-duty police officer during an act of road rage on the Ortega (74) Highway near Lake Elsinore pleaded guilty Thursday to felony charges. Keith Frederick Prante of Mission Viejo admitted shooting at an occupied vehicle and unlawfully carrying a firearm under a plea agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. In exchange for his admissions, prosecutors agreed to drop an assault charge against Prante. Superior Court Judge John Monterosso scheduled a sentencing hearing for Oct. 16 at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta and permitted the defendant to remain free on a $135,000 bond. There was no indication of what sentence the District Attorney’s Office is seeking. According to California Highway Patrol Officer Mike Lassig, shortly before 8 p.m. on Feb. 20, 2021, the victim, identified as See Shooting Page 28