San Jacinto Valley students receive Student of the Year honors, B-1
A-1
Hamilton High School graduates Class of 2023, D-1
A
Valley News • www.myvalleynews.com • June 9, 2023
Section
> edwardjones.com | Member SIPC
Take advantage of our Money Market Savings to fight inflation!
See my ad on page A-3.
Your Best Source for Local News & Advertising
$1.00
Bank-issued, FDIC-insured CD
4-month
5.6 % APY*
Nima Helmi
Financial Advisor 27555 Ynez Rd Ste 204 Temecula, CA 92591 951-972-3071 *See ad for complete details and disclaimer information.
SERVING TEMECULA , MURRIETA , L AKE E LSINOR E , M ENIFEE , WILDOMAR , H EMET, SAN JACINTO AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES June 9 – 15, 2023
VISI T myvalleynews.com
Volume 23, Issue 23
Storm rookie Ethan Salas making Felon who killed girlfriend, waves at just 17 years old fled to Las
Courts & Crimes
Vegas with son sentenced Cit y News Service Special to Valley News
A convicted felon who fatally shot his girlfriend and then fled to Las Vegas with his and the victim’s 2-year-old son was sentenced on June 2 to 113 years to life in state prison. see page A-6
Business Local chamber among seven to receive 2023 Advocacy Champion Award The Murrieta/Wildomar Chamber of Commerce is one of seven chambers of commerce to receive the 2023 Advocacy Champion Award from the California Chamber of Commerce. see page B-7
Local California insurance market rattled by withdrawal of major companies
Ethan Salas, pictured here supporting his Storm teammates while in the dugout, officially made it to the big leagues Tuesday, May 29 at age 16. He turned 17 on June 1. See story on page C-2. Valley News/David Canales photo
Young man’s body found LAFCO votes to table FPUD/RMWD in DeLuz detachment
Michael R. Blood Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two insurance industry giants have pulled back from California’s home insurance marketplace, saying that increasing wildfire risk and soaring construction costs have prompted them to stop writing new policies in the nation’s most populous state. see page A-5
INDEX Anza Valley Outlook ......... D-1 Business ............................B-7 Business Directory .............B-7
A news station interviews FPUD’s General Manager Jack Bebee about the LAFCO vote on the detachment. Valley News/Stephani Baxter photo
Calendar of Events .............B-4 Classifieds .........................C-6 Courts & Crimes ...............A-6 Faith................................. D-5 Food ..................................B-5 Education ..........................B-1 Entertainment ...................B-3 Faith................................. D-5 Health ..............................C-4 Home & Garden ................B-5 Local ................................A-1 National News ...................C-6 Opinion............................ D-5 Real Estate ........................B-8 Regional News ...................C-5 Sports ................................C-1
San Diego Sheriff’s deputy returns from where the body was found in DeLuz on June 3, 2023. Valley News/Courtesy photo Valley News Staff
This weekend a local veteran in his twenties was found deceased in DeLuz. From all reports, it appears that he took his own life. The Valley News, as a matter of policy, typically doesn’t do news stories on suicides out of respect for the families who are in crisis. However, because this man was a veteran, it is part of a larger issue in our community and our country. For any military or family of the military that is in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, or knows a military service member who is, the Military Crisis Line (MCL) is a toll-free, confidential resource, with
support 24/7, that connects Service members, including members of the National Guard and Reserve, and their family members with qualified, caring responders. The MCL is staffed by responders who understand the challenges that Service members and their loved ones face. To reach someone to talk to: Call: dial 988 then Press 1. Chat: www.MilitaryCrisisLine. net Text: 838255 The Department of Defense (DOD) released the 2021 DOD Annual Report on Suicide in the see SUICIDE, page A-3
Valley News Staf f
After enduring skyrocketing water cost increases over the past decade from the San Diego County Water Authority, Fallbrook and Rainbow are seeking to part ways with the Authority and begin purchasing their water from the Eastern Municipal Water District. The switch is expected to save Fallbrook and Rainbow ratepayers approximately $7.6 million a year, according to an independent analysis conducted for LAFCO. Just before 4 p.m. on June 5, the San Diego County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) voted 5 to 3 to table the vote on the Fallbrook Public Utility District(FPUD)/Rainbow Mu-
nicipal Water District (RMWD) detachment from San Diego Water Authority until their Aug. 7, 2023 meeting. County Supervisor and LAFCO Director Jim Desmond made a motion for an “option 2” for detachment. Director Willis seconded the motion and then Director Jo Mackenzie asked for a 5-minute break. Upon returning, Director Joel Anderson motioned for the vote to be tabled for 60 days. The vote to table the motion passed. During the discussion, the topic of possibly raising the exit fee for FPUD and RMWD was brought up. FPUD General Manager Jack Bebee has stated see WATER, page A-5