Temecula announces reopening of the Harveston boat rentals, B-3
A-1
Birmingham Stallions complete historic UFL Dynasty with contributions from Temecula’s Lorenzo Burns, 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 June 28 – July 4, 2024
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Volume 24, Issue 26
Old Town Music Festival fi lls Murrieta’s Recalled Temecula school trustee Town Square Park Amphitheater with to be replaced in November election country stars
Local News
Julie Reeder Publisher
Dr. Joseph Komrosky, an Army veteran and tenured college professor, was recalled from his position as Temecula Valley Unified School District trustee after a contentious special election. Komrosky, who ran and won on a pro-parent agenda, caught the ire of local political action committee (PAC) One Temecula Valley who gathered the signatures to move forward with the recall and worked a grass roots campaign door to door. The recall decision now leaves four of the five Temecula school board seats up for election in the November election. see page A-7
Business Great Oak Press has a great story to tell Diane A. Rhodes Special to Valley News
Great Oak Press was founded in 2014 by the Pechanga Band of Indians. As a publisher of scholarly and academic books, it is dedicated to working with leading experts, as well as up-and-coming experts in a variety of fields, ranging from the arts to the sciences and from history to languages. see page B-7
INDEX
Coffey Anderson was a crowd favorite once again at the Old Town Music Festival at Town Square Park in Murrieta on Sunday, June 23. See story and more photos on page B-1. Valley News/David Canales photo
Children’s expansion to the Murrieta City Library moves closer to reality: Budget approved Tony Ault Staf f Writer
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A rendering shows the design of the 4,500-square-foot children’s wing to the Murrieta Public Library. Ultimately the council chose a slightly larger 4,700-square-foot space. Valley News/Courtesy photo
The Murrieta community effort to expand Murrieta Public Library with the children’s library expansion moved a step closer June 18 with the Murrieta City Council approving its design and budget of $7.2 million to be used by 2026. The council, with Council Member Lisa DeForest on an excused leave, following a lengthy discussion, approved the library’s expansion with a 4-0 vote and with praise to the city staff and the Murrieta Library Foundation for their diligent work to come up with the feasible plan. The city staff presented the council with three possible design options that would allow the city see MURRIETA, page A-2
Murrieta city manager announces her retirement
MURRIETA – After seven years as Murrieta’s city manager and over 25 years in local government, Kim Summers announced her retirement at the end of the year. She has dedicated herself to a life of public service, coming to Murrieta as the assistant city manager in 2014 and being appointed by the city council to city manager in 2017. She served as deputy city manager and public information officer in the city of Hesperia from 1999-2014. Summers is proud of the accomplishments that the city has achieved during her tenure, which include successfully passing a onecent sales tax measure, Measure T, ushering the Triangle project to submittal and grading, assisting in the development of the Murrieta Hot Springs Resort, recruiting a Costco, car dealerships, a Trader Joe’s and countless economic development initiatives. It has all been accomplished while the city
has maintained the Murrieta Police Department’s Safest City status, achieving national accreditation for the Murrieta Fire & Rescue, restructuring the city’s finances to meet the highest reporting standards while preparing it for economic downturns and, in particular, meeting the city council’s goal of a 30% operating reserve in all departments, navigating an international pandemic and striving to create a positive organizational culture based on the city’s values to provide the level of service the community deserves. “Being a city manager is a challenging but rewarding vocation, and I have been blessed to serve in two great cities, working with amazing people, but all things must end,” Summers said. “It has been a great honor to lead this organization, assemble the finest executive team anywhere and see SUMMERS, page A-6
Kim Summers is retiring as city manager of Murrieta.
Valley News/Courtesy photo