Redlands Symphony to perform in Fallbrook, B-6
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Southwestern League baseball teams clash through second week of conference action, C-1
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SERVING TEMECULA , MURRIETA , L AKE E LSINOR E , M ENIFEE , WILDOMAR , H EMET, SAN JACINTO AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES April 5 – 11, 2024
VISI T myvalleynews.com
Volume 24, Issue 14
Santa Rosa Plateau Vernal Pools PETA sets sights on ‘Illegal are full following winter storms Roadside Zoo’
Local News
and its owner
Kim Harris Special to Valley News
People for Ethical Treatment of Animals targeted a social media influencer who has faced numerous charges in Florida for violations of that state’s fish and wildlife laws and who has opened an exotic animal zoo near Temecula Valley Wine Country called “The Wyld Jungle.” see page A-4
Health Cancer Help Desk provides answers to those who need it most
Diane A. Rhodes Special to Valley News
Rebecca Driscoll has co-founded a nonprofit to benefit those affected by cancer regardless of where they live. The virtual Cancer Help Desk utilizes oncology nurses and PhD scientists to help patients and caregivers explore treatment options, especially those who have been told there are no more options. The Cancer Help Desk serves anyone dealing with a cancer diagnosis who is in need to learn of treatment options that might be best for their unique situation. see page B-3
Regional News
Hikers walk along the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve’s vernal pool trail as the largest of the park’s 13 vernal pools is seen in the distance. The vernal pool at Santa Rosa Plateau is a protected ecological site where water settles after rain brings water to the area. Valley News/Shane Gibson photo Kim Harris Special to Valley News While the chilly winter rains can be a source of complaint and dreary to most, visitors to the Santa Rosa
Plateau Ecological Reserve are for a treat when they take the Vernal Pool Trail to the boardwalk where they can observe lush greenery and full vernal pools to the popular park located just outside of Murrieta
city limits. The plateau, at an average elevation of 2,000 feet, is home to six distinct habitats including ancient oak woodlands, rare bunchgrass prairie and chaparral, but it’s the
endangered vernal pool wetlands that draw many visitors this time of year. While the pools are at capacity see POOLS, page A-5
Temecula Council says ‘no’ to ad hoc committee on development user fees
$1.1 billion Split decision leads to secondary motion to refer item to the current fiscal to help repair subcommittee and improve Kim Harris state highway Special to Valley News projects, many in Temecula City Council, under the request of council member JesRiverside County sica Alexander, during its Tuesday,
Tony Ault Staf f Writer
The California Transportation Commission (CTC) on March 26 announced they have allocated $1.1 billion for projects that will repair and improve the state’s transportation infrastructure. The funding includes more than $300 million for projects across California that will make the system more climate resilient while investing in bike and pedestrian pathways and increasing natural disaster preparedness. see page C-5
INDEX Anza Valley Outlook ......... D-1
Business ............................B-7 Business Directory .............B-7 Calendar of Events .............B-4
Classifieds .........................C-6 Education ..........................B-1 Entertainment ...................B-5 Health ...............................B-3 Home & Garden ................B-8 Legal Notices .................... D-6
Local ................................A-1 National News ...................C-6 Regional News ...................C-5 Sports ................................C-1
March 26 meeting, considered the possibility of creating an ad hoc committee to explore several issues related to the user fee schedule it had approved earlier this year. User fees are fees imposed on private development related to services provided by the city. These fees include a wide range of almost 900 planning and development charges. The request came about following the March 12 City Council meeting when resident Bob Quaid, a retired CPA and consultant that has experience with local agencies and user fee studies, addressed the council. During public comments he expressed concerns about user fees approved by the council during its Feb. 27 meeting. Quaid said that the public had been overcharged for certain fees over the last 20 years “anywhere from a few pennies all the way up to
Temecula City Council speaks on the importance of creating an ad hoc committee to explore several issues related to the user fee schedule it had approved earlier this year. Valley News/Julie Reeder photo $112,000 for a certain parking structure,” during the March 12 meeting and pointed out the overcharges were in violation of state law. He
called for the council to direct staff to “remediate this violation,” and refund the overages to the public. During the more than one-hour
long discussion March 26, Alexander asked council to support the see TEMECULA, page A-2
MVUSD votes to keep transgender policy in place
Kim Harris Special to Valley News
The Murrieta Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees voted to keep a policy allowing teachers to notify parents if their children identify as transgender in place despite a request from Superintendent Ward Andrus to rescind what many view to be a controversial policy.
The policy which requires parents or guardians to be notified if their student asks to identify as a gender other than the biological sex or gender listed on the student’s birth certificate, or any other official records was adopted in August 2023. The school board, in a split decision, voted 3-2 Thursday night, March 28, to keep the policy, which was proposed by board President Paul Diffley and trustee Nick Par-
due, in place. The policy states that any member of a school’s staff “shall notify the parent(s)/guardian(s), in writing, within three days from the date any District employee, administrator, or certificated staff, becomes aware that a student is: a. Requesting to be identified or treated, as a gender (as defined in Education Code Section 210.7) other than the student’s biological sex or gender listed on
the student’s birth certificate or any other official records.” The policy includes requests by students to use a name that “differs from their legal name (other than a commonly recognized diminutive of the child’s legal name) or to use pronouns that do not align with the student’s biological sex or gender listed on the student’s birth certifisee POLICY, page A-4