‘Igloo’ house lights up Murrieta neighborhood, B-1
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Linfield’s Ava Shaffer gets CIF-SS girls’ flag football First Team nod, C-1
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$2.00 Peace and Joy this Holiday Season from Valley News
SERVING TEMECULA , MURRIETA , L AKE E LSINOR E , M ENIFEE , WILDOMAR , H EMET, SAN JACINTO AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES December 20 – 26, 2024
Local News GoFundMe page set up for Hemet Public Works employee recently killed in a DUI accident
VISI T myvalleynews.com
Volume 24, Issue 51
Old Town Temecula welcomes seasonal ice rink
Tony Ault Staf f Writer A GoFundMe page is set up for the family of a Hemet Public Works employee killed by a drunk driver on Thursday, Dec. 5 while he was working at Acacia Avenue just west of Kirby Street. see page A-8
Home & Garden Holiday plants help make your Yule cool but they can have a dark side CALIFORNIA - Festive plants add to the magic of the holiday season. The bright, cheery colors of poinsettias and the delightful scents of Christmas trees tempt us to bring them into our homes for display and decorations. We often use them as gifts and some, such as mistletoe, play a part in holiday traditions. But, underneath the sparkle and shine, California Poison Control System (CPCS) advises that some holiday plants have a dark side. see page B-4
Business Home Depot opens new store in Murrieta MURRIETA – The Home Depot announces the grand opening of its new location in Murrieta, located at 27738 Clinton Keith Road. Store Manager Mario Pineda and his team welcomed the local community with a celebration featuring food trucks, prizes, giveaways, and more on Thursday, Dec. 12. see page B-6
INDEX Anza Valley Outlook ......... D-1 Business ............................B-6 Business Directory .............B-6 Calendar of Events .............B-2 Classifieds .........................C-6 Education ..........................C-4 Entertainment ...................B-1 Faith..................................B-7 Health ...............................B-5 Home & Garden ................B-4 Legal Notices .................... D-6 Local ................................A-1 National News ...................C-6 Opinion.............................B-7 Regional News ...................C-5 Sports ................................C-1
Figure skaters Amelia Law (left), 11, and Nina Cizmar, 10, perform during an exhibition at the Temecula On Ice grand opening. The rink is open daily, rain or shine, through Jan. 5, 2025, and will be open for special holiday hours, including Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. See more photos on page A-4. Valley News/Shane Gibson photo
Temecula City Council selects Brenden Marines’ life-saving tourniquet Kalfus as 2025 Mayor and Jessica training proves critical Alexander as 2025 Mayor Pro Tem TEMECULA – On Tuesday, December 10, during the final Temecula City Council meeting of the year, 2024 Mayor Pro Tem Brenden Kalfus was appointed unanimously by the City Council to serve as Mayor of Temecula for 2025. Temecula’s incoming Mayor Brenden Kalfus was first elected to serve on the City Council in 2022. As a Firefighter and Arson Investigator, Kalfus states, “It is an honor and a privilege to be the Mayor of the City I grew up in. Having lived in Temecula for over 33 years, I’ve seen the growth and change Temecula has gone through. I understand what makes our City special, and I also understand the challenges we face as a community. This year, as your Mayor, I will continue to keep public safety, our City’s infrastructure, and community engagement my
Brenden Kalfus will serve as 2025 Temecula Mayor. Valley News/Courtesy photo top priorities.” Mayor Pro Tem Brenden Kalfus is notably the first Council Member to have been raised in see TEMECULA, page A-2
Marine Corps Sgt Colton Pavlica and his Marine mates pose with him and Chief McReynolds after Sgt. Pavlica received his standing ovation. Valley News/Courtesy photo Julie Reeder Publisher Marine Corps Sgt. Colton Pavlica, a Las Vegas native and rifleman with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division,
was honored by the North County Fire Protection District on Dec. 11 for his decisive and life-saving actions following a motorcycle versus vehicle collision last month. see MARINES, page A-6