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My husband and I have resided in the Temescal Valley for more than 18 years. We purchased our home "brand new" and chose to live here because we could afford it and because it wasn't the city of Corona. We commuted to our Orange County jobs for 15 years. The commute wasn't all that bad because each day we returned home to our wonderful rural neighborhood. Corona never controlled its growth. Why must we suffer because the city ran out of "developable land." Shame on you Corona. Let the Temescal Valley alone.

SEC targets Trilogy golf course owner

World Capital Market Inc., the company that owns Glen Ivy Golf Club — the golf course at Trilogy, has been charged by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission of operating a worldwide pyramid scheme.

In a March 28 statement, the SEC reported that the company’s assets have been frozen, a temporary receiver has been appointed and that a court hearing is scheduled April 10.

The SEC alleges, “that three entities collectively operating under the business names WCM and WCM777 are posing as multi-level marketing companies in the business of selling third-party cloud computing services, which can include website hosting, data storage, and software support. The entities are based in California and Hong Kong and controlled by “Phil” Ming Xu, who is a resident of Temple City, California.”

The SEC’s complaint, filed in federal court in Los Angeles, alleges, “WCM and WCM777 have raised more than $65 million since March 2013 by falsely promising tens of thousands of investors that the return on investment in the cloud services venture would be 100 percent or more in 100 days. Investors were told they would receive ‘points’ for making investments or enrolling other investors. The points would be convertible into equity in initial public offerings of high-tech companies their money would help launch. However, rather than building out cloud services or incubating high-tech companies, Xu and the WCM entities used investor funds to make Ponzi payments of purported investment  returns to some investors.  They also spent investor money to purchase golf courses and other U.S.-based properties among other unauthorized expenditures.” (Read the entire SEC report HERE)

World Capital Market Inc. purchased the Trilogy course last August for a reported $6.5 million.  A month later the company bought Links at Summerly, the only golf course in Lake Elsinoire, at an undisclosed price.

The charges by the SEC against World Capital Market Inc. should allay the months-long speculation that WCM was negotiating to purchase Glen Ivy Hot Springs owned by Emissaries of Divine Light, a global spiritual network. Emissaries owns the property, and the retreat and conference center, as well as the spa. The organization announced last year that it was moving its California operation to Colorado. (Read the announcement HERE)

As of today, Glen Ivy Golf Club remains open. This report will be updated as new developments occur.

 

Google recognizes Temescal Valley

We received an email from a Montecito Ranch resident who doesn’t want to be identified, and he shared very good news with us.

He complained to Google after using its mapping program and couldn’t get our area identified as Temescal Valley. Google must have checked out his complaint with the US Postal Service because here’s Google’s reply to him:

“Thank you for reporting this problem. We’ve reviewed your problem and you were right! The default view in Google Maps has already been updated to reflect your suggested change, as shown below.

:92883 is now known as Temescal Valley, Ca.

Depending on the nature of the problem you reported, it may take some time for the update to appear on other products and services such as driving directions, Google Maps for Mobile, and Google Earth. If you see an issue with the way we fixed your problem, please feel free to send us another note.
Thanks for helping us to improve Google Maps!

Wow — this is great news! We told the resident we warned by USPS that until larger companies — such as Google, updated address and mailing lists with the post office, that the Temescal Valley designation may not be immediately recognized by those companies even though the postal service recognizes it.

It appears we each need to reach out and target a company. I sent an email to Facebook today. Let’s see how long it takes to show where we live as Temescal Valley and not Corona.

If you’ve had success getting your address changed and the Valley identity recognized, please share it with us.

Town hall provided lots of info

Photo by Kristen Huyck

Photo by Kristen Huyck

About 120 residents turned out for the March 12 town hall meeting sponsored by  county 1st District Supervisor Kevin Jeffries and the Temescal Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC). The event is held each year to update residents about what’s happening in the Valley and to explain county services available to them.

Below are key points discussed at the meeting by each county department representative and how to reach that person if you have a question. We’ve also included links to the department websites.

KEVIN JEFFRIES
Riverside County Supervisor, District 1
http://www.rivcodistrict1.org/opencms/
district1@rcbos.org
(951) 955-1010

Welcomed the audience and gave a quick review of his 15 months in office. He addressed future development in the Valley with the two questions he asks developers. 1. Is it compatible? 2. When are you going to present it to the MAC?

MICHELLE MARTINEZ BARRERA
Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
http://riverside.asrclkrec.com/
martineb@asrclkrec.com
(951) 955-6200

This office is responsible for all property value assessments and is the keeper of all types of  vital records — marriage, birth and death certificates. It also issues fictitious business name affidavits.

You can look up property values in your neighborhood by visiting the property sales viewer on the website and typing in an address. Here’s the link to that tool: http://www.asrclkrec.com/Assessor/AssessorServices/PropertyInformationCenter.aspx

DON KENT
Treasurer-Tax Collector
http://www.countytreasurer.org/
ttc@co.riverside.ca.us
(951) 955-3900

This department collects all county taxes. Each year it mails 960,000 tax bills and receives 300,000 phone calls. The treasurer also is responsible for investments in the Treasurer’s Pool Investment Fund. Our fund totals $5.4 billion and has a triple-A rating. Remember the Orange County bankruptcy? Non-performing Investments in its fund eventually caused the bankruptcy.

CAPT. SHELLY KENNEDY-SMITH
Riverside County Sheriff
http://www.riversidesheriff.org/press/
(951) 245-3300

LT. ZACH HALL
zhall@riversidesheriff.org
(951) 245-3329

Capt. Kennedy-Smith announced she had been with the Lake Elsinore station for about two years and had enjoyed working with Valley residents, but is joining the executive team for Sheriff Stan Sniff and will be leaving the local station. She said her replacement will be Capt. Leonard (Lennie) Hollingsworth and that Lt. Zach Hall will continue in his role as our community liaison. She said crime statistics just released for 2013 showed a decrease in Part I crimes — homicides, robberies, assaults, etc. She also noted the department continues to hire new deputies to reach the goal of 1.2 deputies per 1,000 people.

CHIEF TONY MECHAM
Riverside County Fire/ CalFire
http://www.rvcfire.org/Pages/default.aspx
Tony.Mecham@fire.ca.gov
(951) 340-1816

Photo by Glen Nelson

Photo by Glen Nelson

Div. Chief Mecham apologized for County Fire Chief John Hawkins, who was ill and couldn’t attend the town hall. In the past and with his obvious love for what he does, Chief Hawkins has always been a “tough act to follow.”

Mecham explained that CalFire is the agency that serves as the Riverside County Fire Department. It employs about 2,000 people — 1,200 from state, 250 from county, 250-300 volunteers and an inmate crew of 300.

He said he is extremely concerned that the drought poses a serious threat this fire season and that 95 percent of the vegetation in our hills is dead. He also noted that the department is working on fuel modification for Sycamore Creek and Trilogy, and an evacuation plan for Dawson Canyon.

The department’s five-year plan calls for the reopening of Station 15 and moving it somewhere south of Weirick road. He said this could happen in two to five years.

JUAN PEREZ
Transportation Land Management Agency
http://www.rctlma.org/
JCPEREZ@rctlma.org
(951) 955-4608

The department is responsible for building, safety, roads and code enforcement, as well as transportation and land management. Currently, the environmental impact report is being prepared for the Cajalco Expressway widening project which will run from Temescal Canyon Road to Interstate 215. According to the county website, “project approval is anticipated by early to mid-2017. Construction would be scheduled to start following project approval, subject to securing funding.”

Perez urged Temescal Valley residents to attend MAC meetings. He said it was a MAC request that brought about the barriers on the 15 freeway along Knabe Road. The barriers reduce freeway glare for motorists on Knabe and offer some protection from freeway accidents that could impact homes and drivers on Knabe.

BRITT STARKWEATHER
Code Enforcement
http://www.rctlma.org/ce/default.aspx
bstarkwe@rctlma.org
(951) 776-3239

Starkweather said the department handles all types of enforcement issues including graffiti, illegal dumping and weed abatement. The Valley is served by the office at 17650 Cajalco Road — phone: 951-776-3233. He said once an enforcement complaint is filed, it takes the department 15 to 30 days to respond, unless it’s an emergency or public safety issue. “And we will cite,” Starkweather said. Violators will pay fines between $100 to $500 depending on how quickly the violation is remedied.

DOTTIE MERKI
Environmental Health
http://www.rivcoeh.org/opencms/index.html
DEllisme@rivcocha.org
(951) 358-5172

This department deals with issues such as hazardous materials, trash and sewage complaints, swimming pool inspections, vector control, standing water, and permanent year-round permitting for food trucks.

ART TINOCO
Registrar of Voters
http://www.election.co.riverside.ca.us/
ATinoco@co.riverside.ca.us
(951) 486-7310

The registrar’s office is responsible for voter regiastration and administering public elections. It also handles maps, precincts, polling places and petition signature verification, as well as recruiting and training election officers. Tinoco said that in even years the department oversees seven to 10 elections, but in odd years there could be anywhere from four to seven elections. He said the office currently is gearing up for the June 3 primary and recruiting the 3,000 volunteers needed on election day.

Photo by Glen Nelson

Photo by Glen Nelson

ANNE MAYER
Riverside County Transportation
Commission
http://www.rctc.org/
(951) 787-7141

The commission is comprised of 34 members from each of the county’s cities and all five county supervisors, and administers the transportation funds.

Mayer said motorists should start noticing work on State Route 91 through Corona as the $1.3 billion widening project gets under way. The widening will add two lanes in each direction, plus an additional lane. She said by this summer the restriping of the westbound lane at the 91/15 interchange should be complete, easing the merging problems experienced at main street. The entire project should be finished in 2017 and will roll into the 15 freeway widening which will add two toll lanes from Cajalco road to State Route 60. She said the EIR for that project is being prepared now and people should check the public notices for the comment period.

RENEE DAR-KHAN
Office of Aging
http://www.rcaging.org/
rdarkhan@co.riverside.ca.us
(951) 867-3800

This department is dedicated to providing an enhanced quality of life for the county’s elderly and keeping people independent. Most of the programs offered are free of charge and the department deals with an annual 40,000-call volume. Services offered include support, nutrition, transportation, case management and employment. Support is also available for care givers and family members. The information call center phone number is 1-800-510-2020.

GRANT GAUTSCHE
Veteran Services
http://veteranservices.co.riverside.ca.us/opencms/
GAUTSCHE@co.riverside.ca.us
(951) 276-3060

This department was formed in 1930 and has generated $18 million for veteran services. Popular programs include VA home loans, education, rehabilitation, life insurance and burial. Gautsche said he likes to think of the department as a “one stop for veterans’ needs.”

LISA BRANDL
Economic Development Agency
http://www.rivcoeda.org/
LBrandl@rivcoeda.org
(951) 955-1309

This department with its 20 divisions has a huge task — improve the economy of Riverside County. A few of those divisions are workforce development, housing authority, library system, aviation, real estate service, and foreign trade.

Brandl said the Western County Bookmobile is at Deleo Park from 9 to 11 a.m. on Tuesdays. She said with a county library card people can download language courses and books, as well as check out books online.

Exhibitors at the town hall included:

Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez
http://arc.asm.ca.gov/member/AD67/
(951) 894-1232
Contact: Deni Horne
denise.horne@asm.ca.gov

 

   

California Highway Patrol
 (951) 637-8000

 El Cerrito Library
http://rivlib.info/el-cerrito-library/
(951) 270-5012
Contact: Nancy Reiter
ncreiter@hotmail.com

Lee Lake Water District
https://www.llwd.org/index.cfm
(951) 277-1414

Riverside County Flood Control
http://www.floodcontrol.co.riverside.ca.us/
(951) 955-1200             

Riverside County Office of Emergency Services
http://www.rvcfire.org/ourDepartment/OES/Pages/default.aspx
Contact: Sandy Isom
(951) 955-5661

Riverside County Park and Open-Space District
http://www.rivcoparks.org/
(951) 955-4310

Riverside County Waste Management
http://www.rivcowm.org/opencms/
(951) 486-3200

Southern California Edison
https://www.sce.com/
(800) 655-4555
Contact: Louis Davis
louis.davis@sce.com
(951) 928-8308

Southern California Gas Company
(800) 427-2200
Contact: Lea Petersen
LPetersen@SempraUtilities.com

Waste Management Inc.
Landfill: (951) 277-1740
Contact: Miriam Cardenas
mcarden4@wm.com
Hauling: (951) 280-5400

We are Temescal Valley
www.WeAreTV.org
WeAreTV.org@gmail.com

91 Project
http://www.sr91project.info/
(877) 770-9191
Contact: Eliza Echevarria
eechevarria@rctc.org

PHOTOS: Wet, wild and welcomed

Here are a few photos we shot Saturday on a Temescal Valley tour to assess storm damage. Thankfully, we found the Valley pretty much intact, if not a little wetter than usual. Did you take photos? You can share them here. Email pictures to WeAreTV.org@gmail.com. There’s no need to include your name unless you don’t mind us using it, but a description of the photo and the location would be helpful.

Temescal Valley, 92883 now in system

Zip codeBy TRACY DAVIS
Identity Committee Chairwoman

Hey, we are already in the United States Postal Service system as Temescal Valley, 92883! I just tried this tip I heard about from Jannlee!

Go to the USPS website under Zip Code lookup…. If you add your own address with Temescal Valley, CA and “Presto Chango” 92883 magically appears!!!

Try it out. https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction!input.action?mode=0&refresh=true

Thanks to Jannlee and my committee for your work on completing this Identity task!

:)  Tracy

Personal safety discussed at workshop

Last month Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez sponsored a Women’s Safety and Self Defense workshop for her constituents. A Karate master provided instruction on self defense, while Lt. Zachary Hall, with the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station, gave a presentation on personal Safety.

The workshop was attended by Spanish Hills resident Barbara Paul, who wants to share key points discussed at the workshop. Here are a few points Barbara is passing on:

  • A healthy level of paranoia is beneficial.
  • Before getting into your car, look under the car, and in the back seat.
  • If you’re riding a bike, consider riding against traffic — You may risk getting a ticket, but you’ll improve your awareness of “traffic” around you.

Barbara also was able to obtain Lt. Hall’s presentation. Lots of good stuff and you can view it HERE.

Freeway monuments to ID the Valley

This is a digital rendering of the Temescal Valley monument.

This is a digital rendering of the Temescal Valley monument.

County representatives told a group of about 50 people at the Feb. 12 Temescal Valley Municipal Advisory Council meeting that freeway monuments identifying Temescal Valley should be erected in July.

Vince Coffeen and Vince Yzaguirre, with the county’s Economic Development Agency, showed photos of the two 14-foot by 24-foot signs to be constructed of concrete and metal, and will feature the Temescal Valley logo and mountains that will be back-lighted at night.

The signs will be placed at the north and south entrances to the Valley adjacent to the Interstate 15 — just north of Weirick Road for the southbound monument and just north of Indian Truck Trail for the northbound monument. While Indian Truck Trail is north of the Valley’s southern boundary at about Lake Street, Coffeen explained finding suitable property was challenging.

How monument will be lighted at night.

How monument will be lighted at night.

The monuments have been discussed for several years and were first suggested in the county’s Temescal Valley Design Guidelines approved by the MAC and Board of Supervisors in 2007.
(See the Design Guidelines HERE)

The cost of each monument is $250,000 and will be paid for by the Temescal Community Fund. The fund was established years ago  by former 1st District county Supervisor Bob Buster.

It was created through litigation between the county and Synagro, a Temescal Valley business that manufactured fertilizer made from human waste. According to Sandy Isom,  who at that time was a field representative for the supervisor, it was decided that during Synagro’s five-year phase out the company would pay the county for response to complaints of odor pollution.  Additionally, Synagro paid the county for each ton of human sludge it received. The supervisor set up the Temescal Community Fund account with the Environmental Health Department which was collecting the money, thus assuring the funds would be designated to the community and not be rolled into the county general fund.

The focus of the MAC meeting was on Valley identity with the news of the monuments’ July placement and an announcement later in the meeting of the United States Postal Service recognition of a “Temescal Valley” designation within the 92883 ZIP code. (Read related story HERE.)

 

USPS makes ‘TV’ official address

Local residents soon will be able to use Temescal Valley as their mailing address instead of the Corona designation.

The Temescal Valley Identity Committee has been working with the United States Postal Service to make “Temescal Valley” a recognized location within the 92883 ZIP code.

The new designation was announced in an email to the Identity Committee from Romina Allen, Address Management Systems manager at the USPS regional office in Santa Ana. Allen wrote, “Effective March 1, 2014, the residents of Temescal  Valley will be able to use “Temescal Valley” as an accepted last line for Zip Code 92883. Please remind the residents that they must continue to use 92883 as  their Zip Code. ”

According to Tracy Davis, committee chairman, “It’s always been ridiculous that our mailing address was Corona. People buy homes in the Valley and think they are living in Corona. There are Realtors who don’t know that this is unincorporated Riverside County.”

Once the announcement was shared on Temescal Valley social media pages, posters wondered if the Temescal Valley designation would impact home values. US Census Bureau QuickFacts list the median value of owner-occupied housing units in Temescal Valley at $418,400 and in Corona at $341,600. (See Valley census data HERE. See Corona census data HERE.)

Davis said that after the city’s unsuccessful attempt to annex a portion of the Valley, the Identity Committee was formed with the goal of “shoring up our identity.” The official designation by the USPS “is a major step toward making that goal a reality,” Davis said.

Committee members will be reaching out to residents and businesses to use the new Temescal Valley designation in correspondence and advertising material.

Q&As

Q. Why weren’t we given our own ZIP code?

A. The Identity Committee did seek a separate ZIP code designation for Temescal Valley. In early communication with USPS manager Allen, she stated, ” I regret to inform you that our
policy does not allow for our office to consider requests for ZIP Codes based
solely on establishing community identity. The assignment of delivery ZIP Codes
is an internal process of the USPS for the enhanced efficiency of the processing
and delivery of mail.” Additionally, it’s costly for the USPS to establish a new ZIP code.

Q. Do I have to use Temescal Valley as my mailing address?

A. No, you can continue to use Corona. People living in Trilogy who use Glen Ivy, which is a recognized postal designation, also can continue to do so.

Q. Do I have to submit a change of address card to the post office?

A. No, the change for USPS automatically goes into effect March 1. Whether you bank or pay bills online or by check, your mailing address can easily be changed by looking for change of address information.

 

Public Safety group gives update

Rob Mucha

Rob Mucha

BY ROB MUCHA
Public Safety Chairman

Hello, I’m Rob Mucha and I want to give you an update on the Temescal Valley Public Safety Committee.

We have a strong team working toward the overall goals of monitoring and improving service levels, and increasing community information, participation, and preparedness related to sheriff, fire, and code enforcement.

I’m pleased to report that we have good relationships with sheriff and fire staff in our area, and have made incremental progress toward some of our more specific goals of increasing sheriff patrols in the Valley, increasing neighborhood watch participation, researching other possible improvements, such as the establishment of a new citizen patrol group, and increased CERT participation in our area.

We are always looking for new ideas and people who want to help toward specific goals. Please contact me if you have ideas or want to learn more about the committee: Robmucha@aol.com.

Identity Committee meets monthly

Tracy Davis
Tracy Davis

BY TRACY DAVIS
Identity Committee Chairwoman

Spending all of 2013 outdoors around Temescal Valley at opposition letter signings, I became more aware and proud of my surroundings. Compared to a city the size of Corona, we are a small unincorporated community with a rich heritage. We have the Temescal Valley Faire hosted by Temescal Heritage Foundation, special community events planned by for us by Riverside County Economic Development Agency, and several local businesses that I feel we all must support. 

After we fended off Corona’s annexation bid, the small group that led the opposition decided to stay involved with the community. We have formed committees to work more closely with county officials to solve problems in the Valley. We want to improve our lifestyle and our county services. 

Why do we need an Identity committee? Lessons were learned in fighting annexation. It was amazing. Many of the people we spoke to erroneously believed if they had a Corona address they lived in Corona. Their children go to the Corona/Norco Schools, but not those of our southern Temescal Valley neighbors like Horsethief Canyon Ranch, which attend Lake Elsinore schools and also have a Corona address. 

Local Realtors and Wildrose Ranch residents Glen and Kelly Nelson have included the Temescal Valley identity in their marketing materials.

Local Realtors and Wildrose Ranch residents Glen and Kelly Nelson have included the Temescal Valley identity in their marketing materials.

Helping our residents understand where they live and where to find their local services is our main goal. One solution to this goal is outreach to our local Realtors through an informational flier about the Valley’s history and county resources which they can distribute when selling homes in Temescal Valley. We’re putting the flier together now. Additionally, we’re asking Realtors to stop marketing us as Corona. 

We’re working on getting Temescal Valley monuments placed adjacent to the I-15 at our northern and southern entrances to the Valley. This will be a big step in shoring up our visual identity. 

Our final solution is working with the United States Postal Service to get an actual postal designation for Temescal Valley. 

Have an idea that can help our identity crisis? We meet the first Thursday of every month at 6 p.m. at Senor Tom’s restaurant at Tom’s Farms. If you can make the meeting, feel free to contact me at tracycyto@yahoo.com. If you can’t make the meeting and have some ideas, please drop me an e-mail and I’ll share them with the committee. We look forward to seeing you.