March 2017

Serving Southwest Riverside County Since 1989 

VOLUME 28, NUMBER 3 

MARCH 2017 

And... 

Wellness in the 

Workplace 

Unique Estate Planning 

EDC State of the 

Region Conference 

7 Signs of 

Sugar Overload 

page 21 

TVCC Announces 

‘2017’ Board of 

directors 

page 4 

How to Keep 

Customers 

Coming 

Back 

by Ted Saul 

Nominations for 

Senator Stone’s 

Veteran’s Service 

Awards 

Now Being Accepted 

Nominations are now 

being accepted from 

individuals and groups 

for the 2017 Veterans 

Service Awards presented 

by State Senator 

Jeff Stone (R-Riverside 

County). 

Companies are constantly reviewing their product lines to keep customers coming back. 

Since excellent and quality driven customer service delivery is a key success factor businesses need 

to be examining these processes as well. 

SEE PAGE 22 

The awards are given annually to 10 military 

veterans from the 28th Senate District who have gone 

above and beyond the call of duty to help their fellow 

veterans and members of the community. 

Senator Stone will present the awards at separate 

ceremonies held in Southwest Riverside County and the 

Coachella Valley in late May. 

“We owe our veterans a debt that can never be 

repaid,” said Senator Stone. 

SEE PAGE 28 

10 Ways to Increase Your Business 

With the Temecula Valley Chamber of 

Commerce (TVCC) 

“The Temecula Chamber helped my business 

from my very first visit. I attended the 

Open House and just so happened to sit 

next to a local solar company [the perfect 

connection for my business]. I met with 

their project manager and we are now in 

the process of working together to offer 

all their solar customers my services.” 

- Adam Fuller, Premier Solar Cleaning 

1. THE POWER OF NETWORKING - The 

variety and scope of the Temecula Chamber 

activities is unlimited! 

When one business thrives, the 

business community as 

a whole succeeds 

SEE PAGE 29 

Think Twice before Getting 

Caught up in the Latest 

Email Phishing Scam 

by Stefani Laszko 

Recently, the 

IRS issued an urgent 

alert regarding 

a new email phishing 

scam involving 

W-2s. 

According to 

Forbes online, this 

scam has already 

claimed 29,000 victims 

across multiples 

sectors. This particular scam is even more evolved; 

phishing coupled with executive fraud and wire transfers. 

SEE PAGE 28 

COMMUNITY 

LEGAL 

FINANCIAL 

Temecula Valley Hospital 

Appoints Donald Hitzeman 

to Governing Board 

page10 

The Law Office of Jack 

D. Brown, APC Merges 

with Shoup Legal 

page 14 

Is Your Small Business 

Struggling Financially? 

page 26 

page 19 page 19 page 19

www.TheValleyBusinessJournal.com 

THE VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL 

2 March 2017

March 2017 



3


4 www.TheValleyBusinessJournal.com 


Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce Announces ‘2017 Board of Directors’ 

The Temecula Valley Chamber of 

Commerce is pleased to announce the 

2017 Board of Directors lead by newly 

elected Chairman of the Board, Brian 

Connors of Southwest Healthcare 

System. “We are excited to start 2017 

off with such an amazing group of individuals 

on our board. The businesses 

of our chamber will be well represented 

from small to large companies including 

manufacturing, retail, commercial, 

finance, education, healthcare, hospitality 

and more,” says Connors. The 

Board members began their terms at 

the Board Meeting held on Thursday, 

January 26, 2017. 

2017 Executive Board of 

Directors: 

Chairman of the Board – Brian Connors, 

Southwest Healthcare System 

1st Vice Chairman of the Board – 

Kim Kelliher, Grapeline Wine Tours 

2nd Vice Chairman of the Board – Tony 

Berardino, Cornerstone E&S Insurance 

Services 

Treasurer – Paul Nolta, Inland Empire 

Small Business Development Center 

Secretary – Janet Scott, CNN Mortgage 

Past Chairman of the Board – 

Jerry Konchar, Pechanga Development 

Corporation 

President/CEO – Alice Sullivan, Temecula 

Valley Chamber of Commerce 

2017 Board of Directors: 

Peter Baker - Loma Linda University 

Medical Center Murrieta 

David Beshay - Beshay Enterprises 

Tom DeMott - Temecula Creek Inn 

Soledad Escobedo - Pacific Western Bank 

Kimberly Freize-Uhler - | 

Clear Blue Promotions 

Tammy Marine - Habitat for Humanity 

Inland Valley 

Lori Marruffo - Virtual Outsourcing 

Solutions 

Michael Noon - Prudhomme Associates 

CPA’s 

Esther Phahla - Esther N. Phahla, CPA, 

APC 

Jeff Powell - Abbott 

Robert Rosenstein - The Law Offices of 

Rosenstein & Associates 

Al Rubio - DCH Auto Group Temecula 

Donna San Miguel - California State 

University San Marcos 

Jackie Steed - Reliable Realty 

Linda Wunderlich - The Valley Business 

Journal 

A special thank you the outgoing Board 

Members for your dedication and service: 

Jeff Kurtz - Promenade Mall Temecula 

LouEllen Ficke - Commerce Bank of 

Temecula Valley 

Jann Gentry - Gentry Studios 

Dawn Knight - Loma Linda University 

Medical Center Murrieta 

Crystal Magon - South Coast Winery 

Resort & Spa 

The Temecula Valley Chamber of 

Commerce is a member-based, non-profit 

organization serving over 1,000 businesses 

in the community. Since 1966, the 

mission of the Temecula Valley Chamber 

of Commerce is to promote positive 

economic growth while protecting the 

environment for all businesses and by 

doing so, support the programs which 

preserve and improve the quality of life 

for the entire community. 

To learn more or join the Temecula 

Valley Chamber of Commerce, please 

visit www.temecula.org or call (951) 

676-5090.




5





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thevalleybusinessjournal 

For questions, comments, or story ideas, please 

e-mail publishertvbj@verizon.net or 

call (951) 461-0400. 

EDITOR/PUBLISHER/CEO 

Linda Wunderlich 

Email: publishertvbj@verizon.net 

ADVERTISING SALES INFORMATION 

(951) 461-0400 

CREATIVE DIRECTOR 

Helen M. Ryan 

www.HelenMRyan.com 

VP OF DISTRIBUTION 

Dane Wunderlich 

STAFF WRITERS/ 

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 

Gene Wunderlich 

Ted Saul 

Helen M. Ryan 

Stefani Laszko 

Nicole Albrecht 

Julie Ngo 

Tracey Papke 

Craig Davis 

Vickie Becker 

Tom Plant 

Esther Phahla 

Dr. Dennis Petersen 

Steve Amante 

Jack Brown 

Dr. Derek Albrecht 

Monique deGroot 

Mort Grabel 

Robert Rosenstein 

Steven Brunette 

John Messina 

Andrea Shoop 

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS 

Cy Rathbun 

Todd Montgomery 

Kip A. Cothran 

Tom Plant 

Pat Benter 

Criteria for Submitting Articles: 

1. Since the publication of articles is an added 

public relations feature for our advertisers, 

their articles will be given first priority. Other 

articles will be published on a space available 

basis. 

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photo of the writer is appropriate. 

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publisher. 

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6. Article and advertising deadlines are the 15th 

of each month for the next issue. 

The Valley Business Journal is a California Corporation. 

All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form, in whole or 

in part, without the written permission of the Publisher 

is prohibited. The publication is published monthly. The 

opinions and views expressed in these pages are those 

of the writer or person interviewed and not necessarily 

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Journal hereby expressly limits its liability resulting 

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running of a corrected advertisement or editorial 

correction notice.




7




In this issue 

How to Keep Customers Coming Back 1 

10 Ways to Increase Your Business 1 

Veteran’s Service Awards 1 

The Latest Email Phishing Scam 1 

Community and Business News 4-10 

Print Delivers Your Message 11 

Spring Cleaning is No Fun 11 

10 Things You May Want to Do After an Auto Collision 13 

Unique Estate Planning Situations: A Quick Overviewr 14 

Dual Agency Transactions Can Increase Risks for Sellers 15 

Innovations in Training and Through Education 16 

APU Faculty and Financial Aid Counselors Speaking 17 

Teachers are Heroes Award 17 

Business Seminars and Workshops 18 

New Scientific Breakthrough: Strength, Balance & Bone Density 19 

The Amazing Benefits of Facials 19 

Healthy People in Healthy Communities Conference 20 

Build Bone Density: Science and Our Clients Prove it Everyday! 20 

7 Signs of Sugar Overload 21 

What is a Skilled Nursing Facility? 22 

Wellness in the Workplace, a Massage Revolution 23 

Financial News 25 

Is Your Small Business Struggling Financially? 26 

Increasing Optimism...Tempered by Reality 27 

Arts & Entertainment 30-31 

March ‘17




9 

UHS Recognized Again by Fortune Magazine 

UHS owns 4 of our regional hospitals, 

Corona Regional, Inland Valley 

Medical Center, Rancho Springs and 

Temecula Valley Hospital. They also own 

Palmdale Regional. 

I want to share news that reflects well 

on our company and the work that you 

do. We have just been informed that Fortune 

Magazine will once again include 

UHS among its “World’s Most Admired 

Companies” in next month’s issue. 

Let me offer some perspective about 

why this is significant. This is not simply 

a view of our company based on what a 

few editors and reporters think. Instead, 

surveys are sent to more than 15,000 

senior executives, outside corporate 

directors and industry analysts who are 

asked to rank companies based on nine 

attributes. Overall corporate reputation 

is an average of the attribute scores. In 

the category of “Health Care: Medical 

Facilities,” we ranked in first place for 

Innovation, Financial Soundness and 

Michelle’s Place Partners with IEHP for Patient 

Navigation Services 

Michelle’s Place is pleased to announce 

the recent partnership with Inland 

Empire Health Plan (IEHP) to further 

provide support for patient navigation 

services to individuals impacted by breast 

cancer over the next three years. 

Since its inception in 

1990, patient navigation 

has evolved as a strategy 

to improve outcome in 

vulnerable populations 

by eliminating barriers 

to timely diagnosis and 

treatment of cancer and 

other chronic diseases. 

The health care industry 

and community-based organizations 

are initiating 

patient navigation programs 

- to help patients, on 

a personal level, navigate 

their diagnosis for the best 

possible outcome. 

Michelle’s Place is a full-service 

breast cancer resource center providing 

free resources to women and families 

impacted by breast cancer, including 

patient navigation services. The need 

for navigation services has far exceeded 

expectations when the program was first 

implemented at Michelle’s Place over a 

decade ago. Now with the support from 

the largest healthcare provider in the 

Inland Empire (IEHP), Michelle’s Place 

can provide further assistance to individuals 

to help remove the obstacles patients 

can encounter in accessing or receiving 

breast cancer treatment. 

“Michelle’s Place is thrilled to 

have joined IEHP to provide patient 

navigation services to women and their 

families in the Inland Empire,” said Kim 

Global Competitiveness, and second 

overall among all companies in the 

category. 

Thirty-eight years ago, my hope was 

to build a company that would make a 

difference in the lives of the people we 

serve. It is very gratifying that once again 

this year UHS has been recognized by 

Fortune as a “World’s Most Admired 

Company.” This is just one recent metric 

that recognizes UHS as a leader, and 

there are many others. I view this recognition 

as a reflection on you and the 

other dedicated people throughout our 

company who make it their mission every 

day to put patients first while delivering 

high quality healthcare. These are the two 

cornerstones of UHS, but these cornerstones 

are made real by the dedication of 

our 77,000 coworkers. 

Thank you for the work that you do 

that has resulted in this exceptional recognition. 

Alan B. Miller 

Goodnough, Executive Director of Michelle’s 

Place. “IEHP’s commitment to 

their members and care and concern for 

their well-being demonstrates the kind of 

organization that Michelle’s Place wants 

to partner with. We look forward to 

working with their team.“ 

Michelle’s Place and 

IEHP are committed to providing 

patient navigation 

positions to help patients 

traverse the often-confusing 

medical system and 

overwhelming diagnosis. 

Navigation programs have 

proven to increase patient 

participation in cancer 

screening and adherence 

to diagnostic follow-up 

care after the detection of 

an abnormality, therefore 

improving the quality of 

health care among patients 

served. 

IEHP, Inland Empire Health Plan, is 

a not-for-profit Medi-Cal and Medicare 

health plan located in Rancho Cucamonga, 

California. With a network of over 

5,000 providers and more than 1,800 

employees, IEHP serves nearly 1.25 

million residents in Riverside and San 

Bernardino counties who are enrolled 

in Medi-Cal or Cal MediConnect Plan 

(Medicare). Through a dynamic partnership 

with providers, award-winning 

service and innovative products, IEHP 

is fully committed to providing members 

with quality, accessible and wellness 

based healthcare services. www.iehp.org. 

For more information about Michelle’s 

Place visit www.michellesplace. 

org. 

Splash into Spring with Us! 

Ever wonder where the water goes 

after you wash your hands or flush the 

toilet? Find out on a behind-the-scenes 

tour of EVMWD’s sewage treatment 

plant at the upcoming Splash into 

Spring Community Water Festival! 

The annual event on March 25th 

will have numerous family friendly 

activities, including conservation 

demonstrations, water-smart landscape 

ideas, irrigation information, hands-on 

displays of trucks and equipment, giveaways, 

refreshments and a visit from 

Elsinore Eddie! 

Visitors can learn about water industry 

jobs from EVMWD staff demonstrations 

and interactive displays. Some 

of the activities include fixing a leaky 

water main, performing a valve exercise, 

cleaning up a polluted watershed 

and exploring pipes with robotics and 

video cameras. A crowd favorite is 

the sewer treatment plant tour, where 

visitors see first-hand how waste water 

becomes recycled water, which is used 

for irrigation. 

EVMWD maintains more than 700 

miles of pipes that take water to and 

from the plant, which treats more than 

5.5 million gallons of sewer water per 

day. That’s more than eight times as 

much water as you would find in one 

Olympic size swimming pool! 

evmwd.com/splash 

Elsinore Eddie will be joined by 

Thunder Dog, mascot for the Lake Elsinore 

Storm Baseball, and Bessie the 

Bass, who represents the Lake Elsinore 

and San Jacinto Watersheds Authority. 

Other highlights: 

What: Free family water conservation 

event with tours, truck and 

equipment displays, landscape ideas, 

children’s activities and giveaways 

When: March 25, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

Where: EVMWD Headquarters, 

31315 Chaney St., Lake Elsinore 

Information: 951-674-3146 or 

evmwd.com/splash 

• Tours of EVMWD’s water-efficient 

gardens 

• Free hose nozzles or shower heads 

for EVMWD customers 

• Expert advice from Master Gardeners, 

local nurseries, irrigation 

specialists and home improvement 

stores 

• Lake Elsinore Sherriff and American 

Medical Response emergency 

vehicles for children to explore 

• Visits from Discovery Cube and 

Diamond Valley Lake officials 

• Free refreshments 

The best things your business can do are: 

1. Appreciate your employees. They make your 

dream possible. 

2. Support local charities. They need your help, your 

time, and your knowledge.




“ “We are pleased to welcome Donald 

Hitzeman to the Governing Board. 

He brings a wealth of knowledge 

and experience that will be a great 

addition to the wonderful leadership 

we currently have in place,” said 

Darlene Wetton, Chief Executive 

Officer, Temecula Valley Hospital. 

Temecula Valley Hospital Appoints 

Donald Hitzeman to Governing Board 

Donald W. Hitzeman, President and 

Founder, Hitzeman & Evenson, APC, has 

been named to the Governing Board of 

Temecula Valley Hospital. As a board 

member, Hitzeman will help oversee the 

safety and quality of services provided 

to patients at Temecula Valley Hospital 

while also representing the hospital within 

the community. 

Donald Hitzeman has been licensed 

to practice law in California for over 30 

years. He is also admitted to practice in 

the United States District Court of the 

Central and Southern Districts of California, 

the United States Court of Appeals 

for the Armed Forces, the United States 

Army Court of Military Review, the United 

States Court of Appeals for the Ninth 

Circuit and the United States Tax Court. 

He is a graduate of Gonzaga University 

and graduated cum laude from Whittier 

College School of Law. 

Hitzeman previously served over 

eight years as an officer and attorney in 

the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s 

Corps, practicing criminal law at the trial 

and appellate levels. During that time, he 

tried over fifty jury and bench trials in 

military courts-martial. He also drafted 

and filed briefs before the military appellate 

courts and the United States Supreme 

Court, as well as argued cases before the 

military appellate courts. 

Mr. Hitzeman currently applies his 

vast litigation experience to employment 

law and transactional matters, helping 

clients navigate day-to-day operational 

business decisions, including contract 

development and fulfillment, employee 

discipline and termination, human 

resources documentation, and policy 

planning and enforcement. He has been 

an instructor and lecturer locally and 

nationally on such subjects as California 

Workers’ Compensation Law, employment 

discrimination, leave policies, 

criminal trial advocacy and methods in 

child abuse prosecution. 

“We are pleased to welcome Donald 

Hitzeman to the Governing Board. 

He brings a wealth of knowledge and 

experience that will be a great addition 

to the wonderful leadership we currently 

have in place,” said Darlene Wetton, 

Chief Executive Officer, Temecula Valley 

Hospital. 

Temecula Valley Hospital, located 

at 31700 Temecula Parkway brings 

advanced technology, innovative programs 

and patient-centered, family 

sensitive care to area residents. The 

hospital features 140 private patient 

rooms, 24 hours a day emergency care, 

advanced cardiac and stroke care, orthopedics, 

general medical care and 

surgical specialties. For more information 

on Temecula Valley Hospital, visit 

www.temeculavalleyhospital.com.


Print Delivers Your Message 

MARKETING 

by Tracey Papke 

In today’s world of digital marketing, 

print advertising is a tangible way to get 

your message through. Print advertising 

is effective, provides a high return on 

your investment and is the method that 

consumers actually prefer. 

Printing is highly effective in getting 

your message through. In the digital 

world, emails can be blocked by spam 

filters or simply deleted without ever 

even being read. According to the USPS 

Household Diary Study of 2009, 79% of 

households read or scan the mail they 

receive. Printing literally puts your message 

right at their fingertips! 

Print advertising provides a high return 

on your investment (ROI). A Direct 

Marketing Association study showed that 

direct mail advertising gives businesses 

an average of 13 to 1 on their investment. 

That’s huge! Print advertising drives 



both new and repeat business. Studies 

from the DMA/Pitney Bowes Direct 

Mail Survey in 2008 showed that 39% 

of customers tried a business for the first 

time, and 70% of customer renewed their 

relationship, because of a direct mail 

promotion. 

Printing is the preferred method for 

guiding consumers with their shopping 

decisions. A whopping 69% of shoppers 

rely on weekly newspapers and 67% on 

direct mail for sales and product information. 

Surprisingly, these numbers are 

even higher among the younger, more 

digitally savvy, shoppers, according to 

Neilsen’s “The Evolution of Circulars: 

From Print to Digital,” Q4, 2011. 

At the end of the day, digital marketing 

and social media works best when 

the message gets through to the intended 

market. Printing is a proven way to 

insure that this happens. Partner with 

a professional printer to develop a plan 

that supports your digital efforts today! 

Tracey Papke is the owner of Potamus 

Press, a commercial print shop that 

specializes in offset and digital printing. 

For more information please visit www. 

potamuspress.com or call (951)693-2136 

connect: www.potamuspress.com 

11 

Spring Cleaning….. 

It’s Not Fun, But it Has to Be Done! 

INSURANCE 

by 

Craig Davis 

I wrote an article for The Valley 

Business Journal a year ago this month 

titled ‘The Importance of Reviewing 

Your Insurance’ and it basically stated the 

obvious, as your life changes, so should 

your policies. A change in marital status, 

birth of a child, new job or the purchase 

of a home are just a few examples of life 

events that may create overlaps or gaps 

in your coverage. You’re likely preparing 

to do a little Spring Cleaning around 

your home, let’s not forget to review your 

policies and Protect your Assets! 

Let me tell a quick story. My agency 

offers FFR’s (Farmers Friendly Reviews) 

each year, and obviously there are customers 

that choose not take advantage 

of that service. I had one particular family 

that has been my customer for over 

ten years and have their Home & Auto 

Insurance with me. They have a young 

family and my staff had brought up Life 

Insurance with them on a few occasions 

over the years. I received a phone call 

from Mrs. Customer this past September 

and she wanted to get a life policy on her 

and her husband. Evidently she had a 

major heart attack a few months earlier 

and was now ready for that policy. This 

couple is very active and in extremely 

good shape. We did write a policy on 

her husband, but she’ll now have to wait 

a couple years before she’s eligible for a 

policy and will likely have to deal with 

a surcharge at that time. 

For the most part, insurance is not a 

tangible product and quite frankly can be 

boring. In most cases you need to experience 

a loss in order to fully appreciate the 

company you’re with and the coverage 

that your advisor recommended for you. 

Of course, that assumes that you took 

the time to sit down with your agent/ 

broker and you were advised correctly. 

I understand the lack of excitement, as 

I’ve been in the insurance industry for 

twenty-nine years. 

With that said, the lack of excitement 

does not lesson the importance of having 

proper coverage and doing your due 

diligence to make sure that your family 

and/or business is protected properly. 

Honestly, once you’re involved in a major 

claim, you’ll be happy that you took 

the time to sit down and review your 

policies. Consider it your Insurance 

Spring Cleaning…..It’s not Fun, but it 

has to be done! 

Craig Davis is an agent for Farmers 

Insurance and the owner of Craig Davis 

Family Insurance located at 27645 Jefferson, 

Suite 113, in Temecula. He may 

be reached at (951) 699-1776. cdavis@ 

farmersagent.com 

connect: cdavis@farmersagent.com




WPC Announces 

Jan Smith AS 

March’s Guest 

Speaker 

Women’s Peer Connection’s guest 

speaker for March will be Jan Smith, 

owner and found of Inland Management 

Group will be the Women’s Peer Connection 

speaker. 

Different generations have differences 

in communication, motivation, 

perspective and expectations. In business 

and in life, the key to getting along 

with different generations is to be able 

to effectively address and take advantage 

of the strengths of each generation. 

The March meeting will take place 

on Thursday, March 9th at Claim Jumper 

Restaurant on the corner of Rancho 

California and Ynez. Registration 

begins at 11:15am. Members are $20, 

guests are $25. 

Economic Development Coalition 

Announces First State of the Region 

Conference 

The Economic Development Coalition 

of southwest California will hold 

its first State of the Region Valley of 

Innovation on April 27, 2017. The EDC’s 

interests cover the cities of Temecula, 

Murrieta, Wildomar, Lake Elsinore, Menifee 

and the county of Riverside. 

This important business and industry 

conference will be held at the Diamond 

Club at Lake Elsinore’s Storm Stadium. 

This year the EDC will introduce the 

completely re-branded “Valley of Innovation” 

and discuss the advancements the 

region has made in business partnerships, 

the communities, culture, commerce and 

in making it easier for businesses to locate 

in here. 

The 2017 State of The Region: Valley 

of Innovation Conference is being held on 

April 27, 2017 at The Diamond Club of 

the Storm Stadium. 

The event will feature a presentation 

from the EDC’s Executive Director Doug 

McAllister addressing the question of how 

to maximize opportunities and meet the 

challenges of a region that is expected 

to add 4 million people over the next 10 

years. This highly anticipated event brings 

together state and local elected officials, 

CEOs, business and civic leaders, transportation 

and environmental stakeholders, 

local government staff and others. 

The event will feature the 2017 Innovation 

Awards, which will recognize 

exemplary businesses in the region. To attend 

the region’s most important business 

leadership conference and awards event, 

register today at www.edcswca.com. 

Please see the website also to nominate a 

business for one of the Innovation Awards 

About the EDC: The mission of the Economic 

Development Coalition of the Valley 

of Innovation in Southwest Riverside 

County, California is to enhance business 

retention and development by promoting 

economic growth and positive business 

environment that enables the sustained 

economic success of the region. Southwest 

California companies and government 

partners rely on the EDC to take a leadership 

role in economic development, 

with the primary focus on creating a rich, 

sustainable economy that provides highwage 

jobs.www.edcswca.com - 43200 

Business Park Dr., Temecula, CA 92593 

| 951.694.9800 

Balloon & Wine Festival Wins CalFest 

Awards 

The Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine 

Festival gained two more first place Celebration 

Awards for the 2016 event at the 

California/Nevada Festivals and Events 

Association (CalFest) Convention January 

20, 2017. The first place awards were 

for “Best Digital Marketing Campaign” 

and “Best Press Kit.” 

Celebration Awards are given each 

year to events for outstanding accomplishments 

in a variety of areas. Over 

200 members belong to the organization 

including cities, chambers of commerce 

and fairs. Collectively the organization 

represents more than 4,000 

events in California and Nevada. 

Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine 

Festival competes against events 

like the Gilroy Garlic Festival 

and the Sausalito Art Festival. 

Andrea Jacobson, the Festival’s 

executive director, presented 

a workshop on Event 

Websites during the Calfest 

convention. Utilizing her experience 

in the design process of 

the new 2016 Festival website 

and citing website trends, she outlined 

specific needs for an effective 

and user-friendly event website. The 

Festival’s new website won a Silver 

Pinnacle award at the International 

Festivals and Events Association 

(IFEA) annual awards luncheon. 

Melody’s Ad Works, Inc. created 

the winning press kit and digital 

marketing campaign. Established 

in 1989, the firm has been promoting 

the Festival since 2001. The Festival’s 

press kit also earned a 2016 Gold Pinnacle 

Award from the IFEA, and a Polaris 

Award from the Public Relations Society 

of America. 

A year-long production, the 2017 

Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival 

is June 2-4, at Lake Skinner. For more 

information, visit www.tvbwf.com. 

connect: www.tvbwf.com




13 

10 Things You May Want to Do After an 

Auto Collision 

6. EXCHANGE INFORMATION. Typically, 

the investigating police officer 

obtains this information. However, if 

the police do not arrive after your telephone 

call, you should try to obtain 

the names, addresses and telephone 

numbers of all persons involved in 

the accident, drivers and passengers 

alike. You should also try to obtain 

information about the other party’s 

insurance by asking to see the insurby 

Mort Grabel 

If involved in a collision, there are 

specific actions to take to protect your interests. 

The following information while 

not complete are the top ten suggestions: 

1. STOP. Never drive away from the 

scene of a collision, even a minor one. 

Always investigate, obtain names, 

take pictures, etc [see below]. 

2. PROTECT THE SCENE OF THE 

ACCIDENT. You may prevent further 

accidents with flares or keeping your 

flashers on. 

3. CALL THE POLICE. Even if there 

are no serious injuries, call the police. 

You may need a police report to file a 

claim with your insurance company. 

The vehicles involved in the accident 

should not be moved, unless they 

interfere with traffic. 

4. MAKE AN ACCURATE RECORD. 

When the police arrive, be sure to tell 

the investigating officer(s) exactly 

what happened. If you do not know 

certain facts, be sure to reply accordingly. 

Do not speculate, exaggerate 

or misstate facts. If you are asked if 

you are injured and not sure, say you 

are not sure, because pain and injuries 

from collisions often develop hours 

and days later. Do not feel self-conscious 

to request an ambulance if you 

feel the need; do not “tough it out”. 

Never ever argue with a police officer, 

even if you believe they are wrong; it 

will never help your case. 

5. TAKE PICTURES. Try to have a 

camera in your vehicle, or a cell 

phone equipped with a camera. Take 

pictures of the vehicles. If you have 

visible injuries, take photos. If you 

cannot take pictures at the scene of 

the collision, take them as soon as 

possible even if at home. ** [Here is a 

true account], my office was retained 

to represent a client who was injured 

in a collision [not his fault]. After the 

client reached a medical plateau, settlement 

negotiations began with the 

insurance company. The client said 

he forgot to tell us his son had taken 

pictures in the ER with glass shards in 

his arm; even though we asked before 

if there were any pictures. When the 

pictures were presented as part of our 

settlement demand, the final offer was 

more than triple from before. 

ance cards. If there are witnesses, 

try to get information from them so 

they can be contacted in the future. 

If police do arrive, the investigating 

officer will provide all drivers with 

a police report number to obtain the 

police report. 

7. REPORT THE ACCIDENT. Notify 

your insurance company as soon 

as possible. Many policies require 

immediate reporting and full cooperation. 

Find out if you have medical 

benefits as part of your insurance 

coverage also known as “med-pay”. 

8. SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION. As 

previously mentioned, often, injuries 

are not immediately apparent. 

Many of our clients report feeling 

the most pain a day or two after the 

collision. Therefore, you should seek 

medical attention or see your family 

physician. Even in accidents involving 

minor impact, you can sustain a 

serious and permanent injury to your 

spine. If you lost consciousness or 

were dazed even for a short period of 

time following the collision, you may 

have suffered a concussion or closed 

head injury. 

9. KEEP A FILE. Keep all your accident-related 

documents and information 

together; including claim 

number, claim adjuster’s name, 

names/phone numbers of all contacts, 

receipts for rental car and all expenses 

incurred as a result of the accident. 

10. PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS. Perhaps 

the most important thing you should 

do after an accident is to consult your 

attorney. Your attorney can protect 

your rights and make sure valuable 

evidence is not destroyed. Often, 

insurance companies want to take 

statements immediately after an accident. 

It is important that you receive 

legal advice before providing any 

statements. Your attorney can advise 

you on issues including getting medical 

treatment on a lien and/or if you 

have med-pay. 

Please note by reading the information 

above & herein, no attorney-client 

relationship has been created. Moreover, 

the information provided herein is not to 

be relied upon as legal advice for your 

specific legal needs. Should you have 

legal questions feel free to contact The 

Law Offices Morton J. Grabel in Temecula 

at (951) 695- 7700. Mort, originally 

from Philadelphia PA, attended an ABA 

Law School, has an MBA, a Real Estate 

Broker’s License, a California Nursing 

Home Administrator’s License and is a 

member in good standing of various local 

Chambers of Commerce.




Unique Estate Planning Situations: 

A Quick Overview 

by Andrea Shoup 

It seems that a lot of estate planning 

articles or strategies are focused 

on traditional family situations, such 

as a husband and wife, creating an estate 

plan to take care of the surviving 

spouse and children. 

However, in the modern age, there 

are many non-traditional families, that 

require special planning and expertise 

to carry out your wishes. 

This is a quick overview of some 

unique situations that you may face in 

your own family planning for the future: 

Gifts to Grandchildren without 

Living Parents - If you have grandchildren 

who have lost both of their 

parents, there are some specific rules 

for including them in your estate plan. 

If they are minors, they will likely need 

a legal guardian appointed by the court 

to manage any inherited assets. 

Unmarried Partners with No 

Children - It is common for some 

couples or domestic partners in California 

not to marry, and in many cases 

not have children together. Although 

there are no natural heirs, an estate 

plan is still necessary to ensure that 

you can direct where your assets go 

when you die. 

You can make gifts to your partner, 

relatives or friends with a will or 

trust, giving you the choice of distribution 

and avoiding intestate laws that 

might not take care of your partner. 

Gifts to Children during a Second 

Marriage - There are complex 

laws dealing with stepchildren and 

divorce, so it is essential to have an 

estate plan that takes care of children 

from a previous marriage, as well as 

new children and stepchildren. Without 

proper planning, current laws 

may give unfair distribution to family 

members. 

Family Businesses with Relatives 

as Owners or Employees 

- There are many families that have 

businesses where the spouses, children 

or other relatives may be employees or 

part-owners. This situation requires 

astute financial, legal and estate planning 

to arrive at a succession plan 

when the primary owners or founder 

dies. 

If any of these situations apply to 

you, then the advice and services of an 

estate planning attorney can give you 

the solutions and planning strategies 

that you need. Don’t put off making 

an estate plan if you have relatives or 

partners that you want to care for in 

the future. Please call attorney Andrea 

Shoup at 951-445-4114 to discuss 

your needs. 

If you have questions about estate 

planning and distribution of assets to 

your family members, please contact 

Attorney Andrea Shoup at 951-445- 

4114. 

However, in the modern age, 

there are many non-traditional 

families, that require special 

planning and expertise to carry 

out your wishes 

The Law Office of Jack D. Brown, APC 

Merges with Shoup Legal 

The Law Office of Jack D. Brown, 

APC has merged with the law firm of 

Shoup Legal, A Professional Law Corporation. 

Their offices are located at 29995 

Technology Drive, Suite 101, Murrieta, 

California. 

Jack D. Brown has been in practice 

for over 40 years, with his primary 

practice focus in general business and 

transactional matters, probate, wills, 

trusts, estate planning and corporations, 

LLCs and partnerships. Mr. Brown has 

had offices in the Temecula and Murrieta 

area since 2001. 

Andrea Shoup has been in practice 

for over 10 years and focuses primarily in 

estate planning, trust administration, probate, 

and business succession planning. 

“Ms. Shoup and Shoup Legal share 

the same values we do. We conducted an 

extensive search within our region looking 

for an opportunity like this. Shoup 

Legal exceeded our hopes for a firm 

we can combine with and continue the 

tradition we have for excellent service, 

and an environment that our clients and 

associates want to be part of,” he added. 

Shoup Legal, A Professional Law 

Corporation can be reached at (951) 

445-4114.


LEGAL 

by 

by Mary Gram 

Steve Fillingim 



Dual Agency Transactions Can Increase Risks 

for Sellers who Face Severe Consequences if 

they need to Cancel a Sale 

A dual agency relationship exists 

one broker handles both sides of a 

transaction, even if two different agents 

working in the office represent the buyer 

and the seller respectively. Although it 

is generally discouraged, dual agency is 

legal in California residential real estate 

transactions if fully disclosed in writing 

to both parties. However, because the 

buyer’s interest in paying the lowest price 

necessarily conflicts with the seller’s interest 

in getting the highest price for the 

property, it is virtually impossible for a 

dual agent to fairly represent the interests 

of both parties. 

The problems associated with dual 

agency are usually considered to negatively 

impact buyers more than sellers. 

Since the seller has elected to list the 

property with the broker, they likely have 

a pre-existing relationship in which the 

seller will tend to be favored. In addition, 

they both share an interest in getting the 

highest price for the property (which 

results in the highest commission for the 

broker). 

However, circumstances can change, 

and on occasion a buyer or seller may 

need to cancel a transaction. If buyers 

need to back out of a deal, the consequence 

they usually face is the loss of 

their “liquidated damages” deposit, 

typically a small percentage of the sales 

price. In contrast, sellers can be forced 

to sell their homes against their will (in 

a lawsuit seeking specific performance 

of the purchase contract) if the sellers 

need to back out of a transaction. Thus, 

sellers should be just as wary as buyers 

of entering into transactions that involve 

dual agency relationships. In my legal 

practice, I have personally encountered 

cases in which the buyers used the threat 

of the forced sale to demand huge monetary 

settlements from sellers in exchange 

for agreeing to allow them to remain in 

their home, while the dual agents also 

demanded that sellers pay the full commission 

for the cancelled sale. 

In one particularly painful case, the 

Seller, a widower with two young daughters 

listed his $3.5 million home for sale 

with the Listing Agent who worked for 

Uptown Broker. Seller began his search 

for a new residence to purchase in the 

area. Selling Agent, who also worked 

for Uptown Broker, brought an offer that 

was substantially below the listing price, 

which Listing Agent convinced the Seller 

to accept. Within a very short time, Seller 

realized he would not be able to afford 

the type of house he needed in the same 

area, and his daughters became distraught 

when he told them they may have to 

move away from their friends and attend 

different schools. He realized he had 

made a terrible mistake, and advised his 

Listing Agent, in confidence, that he had 

changed his mind and told her why. He 

instructed her to provide written notice to 

the Buyers to perform all contingencies 

within 48 hours, a fairly routine document, 

but also a pre-condition necessary 

to allow Seller to cancel the sale. 

In retrospect, it was obvious that 

Listing Agent had immediately advised 

Selling Agent that Seller was going to 

cancel the sale the moment the 48-hour 

deadline elapsed. A flurry of activity 

ensued. Selling Agent obtained a report 

on the physical condition of the property 

identifying numerous alleged deficiencies 

in the property, and faxed it directly 

to Seller noting “you will now have to 

disclose all this to anyone else you try 

to sell the property to.” As soon as the 

48 hours elapsed and all contingencies 

had not been removed, Seller instructed 

his Listing Agent via email (as she was 

suddenly unavailable via cellphone) to 

take all necessary actions to cancel the 

sale immediately. 

However, Listing Agent claimed that 

the email was not read until several hours 

later, during which time Selling Agent’s 

clients succeeded in removing the remaining 

contingencies. Thus, although 

he had been in escrow less than a month, 

Seller ultimately agreed to pay hundreds 

of thousands of dollars to the Buyers and 

pay the full commission to Uptown Broker 

(approximately $180,000 on the $3 

million cancelled sale). The risk of being 

forced from his home was more than he 

could bear to face, and the Listing and 

Selling Agent (and the Broker) knew it. 

This situation is not the norm. Most 

real estate agents are honest, diligent and 

do their best to protect their client’s interests. 

However, in my opinion, entering 

into a dual agency transaction increases 

the likelihood of collusion by the agents 

in order to push deals through, or to the 

exchange of confidential information 

(even accidentally or subconsciously) 

that has the same effect. In my experience, 

I find that Brokers often downplay 

the very serious risks of the dual agency 

relationship to Buyers and Sellers when 

presenting the written disclosure form for 

their signature. 

If you are comfortable with your 

broker promising to do the best for both 

you and your opponent, then go ahead 

and enter into a dual agency transaction. 

If, however, you want your broker to 

have only your best interests in mind 

and do their best to fight for what you 

want against all comers, then make sure 

the listing agreement or buyer’s agent 

agreement you sign specifies that you 

will not accept any dual agency relationships 

in your transaction. Never forget 

dual agency is not a mere formality, it is 

a choice for you to make which can have 

very serious consequences. 

Mary E. Gram, Esq. is a Senior Counsel 

with Messina & Hankin LLP in the 

Temecula Valley office. She has more 

than 20 years of experience in litigating 

a broad range of business related cases 

and appeals. 

Your Local Chambers 

Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce 

www.temecula.org 

Murrieta Chamber of Commerce 

www.murrietachamber.org 

Menifee Valley Chamber of Commerce 

www.menifeevalleychamber.com 

Lake Elsinore Valley Chamber 

www.lakeelsinorechamber.com 

Hemet/San Jacinto Valley 

Chamber of Commerce 

www.hsjvc.com 

See how the chambers can help your business. 

15




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Innovations in Training and Education for the 

Biomedical Products Industry Workforce 

Over the last five years there has 

been a stunning acceleration of innovation 

in biotechnology: 

• CRISPR (Clustered regularly interspaced 

short palindromic repeats) 

and its refinements will lead to 

precision gene editing that will improve 

food crop yields and provide 

cures to cancer. 

• Lightning-fast gene sequencing will 

allow the early detection of cancer 

from a simple blood test. 

• High-speed bulk data transfer allows 

the entire genomes of millions 

of people to be compared online to 

search for cures to both common 

and rare diseases. 

• Neuromorphic chips will accelerate 

the dawn of artificial intelligence, 

and smart prostheses will allow 

para- and quadriplegic patients to 

move, the deaf to hear and the blind 

to see. 

• Discovery of synergies in applications 

that blur the boundaries of 

traditional science, technology, engineering 

and mathematics (STEM) 

disciplines will continue to fuel the 

exponential growth of innovation. 

The 2016 BIO/Teconomy Report 

identified a 6.6% job growth rate with 

a 16.7% wage increase in the Drugs and 

Pharmaceuticals industry sector of California 

from 2012-2014. Likewise, in 

the Research, Testing and Medical Laboratories 

bioscience industry sector, a 

2.3% increase in jobs was accompanied 

by a 17.6% increase in wages. Similar 

trends exist in the bioscience-related 

distribution sector, and this growth 

trend was sustained through 2016. 

In short, this data means that companies 

in the California bioscience 

industry sectors are expanding and 

aggressively competing for skilled talent. 

But exactly what type of employee 

should companies be seeking to hire? 

Of course it’s hugely important that 

employees of the biomedical products 

sectors be well-trained technically, and, 

in the past, employers generally hired 

primarily according to an applicant’s 

technical skillset. With high loss rates 

of new hires during initial training periods, 

however, companies have realized 

that technical depth rarely equates to 

long-term productivity, employment 

longevity and career success. Instead, 

positive career success depends heavily 

on a combination of technical expertise 

with a strong work ethic, an ability to 

work in multidisciplinary teams, and 

solid written and oral communication 

skills. To accomplish this type of 

training, industry has partnered with 

academic institutions. This arrangement 

provides strong benefits to all 

participants. 

The Master of Science in Biotechnology 

Studies at Azusa Pacific 

University, launching in fall, 2017 

and currently accepting applications 

at www.apu.edu/biotech is an example 

of this type of degree program that is 

designed to accommodate working professionals. 

In general, the paradigm of 

applied training partnerships between 

companies and academic institutions is 

a practical model for providing welltrained 

workers for continued expansion 

of the bioscience industry sectors 

through the 21st century. 

“Innovations in Training and Education 

for the Biomedical Products 

Industry Workforce” 

Dr. Dyer will speak at APU Murrieta 

Campus’s first Speakers Series 

event: 

Tuesday, April 4, 2017 from 6 – 

8pm -Azusa Pacific University Murrieta 

Regional Campus located at 40508 

Murrieta Hot Springs Road in Murrieta. 

Dinner provided. Adults only. 

David Dyer, Ph.D., David Dyer, 

Ph.D., Executive Director, MS Biotechnology 

Program, Azusa Pacific 

University. 

RSVP: Gloria Wolnick at 

(951) 304-3400 or murrieta@apu. 

edu 

Shop and dine local. 

Support our 

small businesses.




17 

Azusa Pacific University Faculty and 

Financial Aid Counselors Speaking at March 

23rd School of Education Information Meeting 

The School of Education at Azusa 

Pacific University equips teachers and 

counselors for excellence and leadership 

in educational settings. 

The APU Murrieta Campus is hosting 

a free Graduate & Credential Information 

Meeting on Thursday, March 

23rd from 5:45 pm – 7:30 pm at 40508 

Murrieta Hot Springs Road (to the right 

of Sam’s Club). A light dinner will be 

served. 

This information meeting will cover 

key topics including: program information, 

admissions requirements, navigating 

the application process, financial aid 

opportunities, and important dates and 

deadlines. This meeting is also a great 

opportunity for prospective students to 

speak with APU School of Education 

faculty and/or advisors. 

Graduate Student Financial Aid Services 

and Graduate Loan/Grant Advising 

is also available on this day. An appointment 

must be scheduled in advance, call 

(951) 304-3400. 

The APU Murrieta Campus offers a 

variety of graduate degrees and teaching 

credentials. Among these are Kindergarten 

through 12th Grade combined teaching 

credentials and master’s degrees plus 

the Masters in Educational & Clinical 

Counseling. Additionally, APU offers 

online degrees in Educational Leadership 

including PASC Tier 1 & CASC Tier 2 

Credentialing programs. 

APU’s School of Education has 

earned these notable accreditations: 

WASC (Western Association of Schools 

and Colleges), CTC (Commission on 

Teacher Credentialing), CAEP (Council 

for the Accreditation of Educator 

Preparation, a national accreditor), and 

the NASP (The National Association of 

School Psychologists). 

APU is a leading Christian university 

and continues to be recognized annually 

among the nation’s best colleges by U.S. 

News & World Report and The Princeton 

Review. The APU Murrieta Regional 

Center is proud to be a part of Southwest 

Riverside County for over 30 years. 

The March 23rd information meeting 

is for adults and their guests (age 18+). 

To RSVP for the event go to: https:// 

apueducation-mar2017.eventbrite.com 

or murrieta@apu.edu. If you have questions 

or would like to RSVP by phone 

please call (951) 304-3400. To learn 

more about APU and these programs visit 

www.apu.edu/murrieta 

MARCH 23 

5:45pm 

40508 Murrieta Hot Springs Rd. 

connect: www.apu.edu/murrieta 

Menifee Teacher, Anthony Bissot , Surprised with Teachers are Heroes Award 

Anthony Bissot, 6th grade teacher 

at Bell Mountain Middle School 

in Menifee, received a nice surprise 

when he was named the December/ 

January Teachers are Heroes recipient. 

On Tuesday, January 24, 2017, Azusa 

Pacific University and KATY 101.3, 

The Mix, made a special visit to Bell 

Mountain Middle School and presented 

Mr. Bissot with the Teacher Are 

Heroes award as well as prizes from 

KATY’s The Mix Prize Closet. The 

Bell Mountain Middle School Principal, 

Ernesto Lizarraga, and Bissot’s 

students were part of the celebration. 

The awards presentation concluded 

with a popcorn party. 

Mr. Bissot was nominated by one 

of his students, Matthew Beckman. 

Matthew said about him, “Mr Bissot 

has helped me in math class and with 

bullying and other issues. Even though 

I hate math, Mr Bissot is my favorite 

teacher ever. He cares about me and 

my feelings, and he is my hero.” Bissot 

has been teaching math for 10 years in 

the Menifee Union School District. He 

takes pride in teaching and making improvements 

in the learning process and 

teaches using a 21st century approach 

to facilitating learning. He incorporates 

Science, Technology, Engineering, 

and Mathematics in the lessons that he 

facilitates. 

His wife, Alma, is also a teacher 

for the Menifee Union School District. 

Mr. and Mrs. Bissot are Azusa Pacific 

University alumni. 

The Teachers are Heroes program 

will run through April 2017. Teachers 

may be nominated by students, parents, 

and even other school administrators. 

All selected teachers and their classes 

will attend a private celebration at the 

end of the year at the Lake Elsinore 

Storm Stadium. For more information 

go to www.1013themix.com, keyword: 

Teachers or go to http://www.apu.edu/ 

murrieta/teachers/. 

Back row from left to right: Karan McGlynn, 

Ernesto Lizarraga, Anthony Bissot, Matthew Beckman, 

Rachel Jacobs and Dr. Kathleen Bautista with 

Mr. Bissot’s students




Business Seminars and Workshops 

The City of Temecula’s Temecula Valley 

Entrepreneurs Exchange (TVE2) is pleased 

to announce the following events scheduled 

for March 2017. Additional event information 

and registration details can be found at the 

TVE2 website events calendar. 

http://temeculaca.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=31#next- 

ToCurrentMonth 

March 8th: TVE2 Pitch Practice. 11:30am - 1:00pm. 

This is the perfect lunch networking event! Hear what your fellow entrepreneurs 

are doing. Engage with great innovators and resources. Sign up to practice your 

pitch in a fun and friendly environment. Entrepreneurs that pitch will receive 

feedback from a panel of experts. If you would like to pitch please email Cheryl 

Kitzerow at cheryl.kitzerow@tve2.org to sign up and receive more info. No 

cost to attend. To register to attend please visit https://goo.gl/VPWcm1 

March 16th: QuickBooks 101 for Beginners. 9:00am - 12:00pm. 

Learn how to be more efficient and simplify your bookkeeping using Quick- 

Books Accounting Software. This seminar will demonstrate functions useful 

for daily operations in your small business. Topics include: Setting up Your 

System, Navigating QuickBooks Software, Organizing the Chart of Accounts, 

Computerized Balance & Income Sheets, Accounts Payable/Receivable and 

Daily Operations such as Payment of Invoices & Creation of Customer Invoices. 

No cost to attend please register at https://goo.gl/voLcSN. 

March 28th: Basic Sales and Use Tax - Tips from CA Board of Equalization. 

9:30am - 11:30 am. 

Gain an understanding of use tax, taxable and non-taxable labor, sales to government, 

as well as foreign and interstate taxability. Learn if you need a seller’s 

permit and how to use a resale certificate. Get enlightened about online services 

now available including registration, free industry tax guides, and publications 

related to your business. Then get step-by-step instruction on filing a sales and 

use tax return electronically with the Board of Equalization. Learn how to 

figure district tax and when it’s applicable to your sales. Discover the benefits 

of becoming an eClient. You’ll be able to file and pay completely on-line! No 

cost to attend register at https://goo.gl/3qGsto. 

Murrieta School of Business – March & April Classes 

March 8th - 9:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m. - Active Shooter Survival Training with 

Michael Julian, Featured Security Expert. Assess, Leave, Impede, Violence, 

Expose =ALIVE 

This ALIVE Active Shooter Survival Training is for every person - every business! 

This workshop taught by MPS Security involves interactive learning and 

educates how to identify, mitigate and increase your chance of surviving an 

active shooting event. You can’t always stop bad things from happening, but 

you can be prepared if they do. Workshops led by CEO/President of NBI/MPS 

Security, Michael Julian named “Featured Security Expert” by ABC7. Please 

call the chamber to register 951-677-7916. 

March 14th - 9:00 a.m – 10:30 a.m. - Cyber Security presented by Daniel 

Brincat, Cyber Security and Info Technology Specialist 

Our lives are under the constant influence of online communication. We are 

connected by our phones, our laptops, our desktops and our tablets. How secure 

are you when it comes to hackers and viruses? 

Find out what to look for, how to protect yourself and the risks. 

April 11th – 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. - Constant Contact presented by Israel 

Serna, Regional Development Director, Constant Contact - Email Marketing 

and Best Practices for your Business with Constant Contact 

Classes are at the Murrieta Chamber Office, 25125 Madison Ave. Suite 

108 in Murrieta. 

All Classes are typically from 9:00am-10:30am. Free for Murrieta Chamber 

Members and $25 for non-members.



Health 


19 

A New Scientific Breakthrough for Strength, Balance and Bone Density 

Deteriorating bone density can be 

significantly reversed with ten-minute 

weekly osteogenic loading sessions 

which provide measurable results in 

building bone density. 

Improving vitality and strength after 

the age of 30 is almost unheard of. At best, 

we can hope to slow the inevitable loss 

of musculoskeletal atrophy that comes 

with aging through rigorous exercise and 

a healthy diet. What if, however, science 

had provided a way to completely reverse 

bone loss, increase strength, and improve 

balance and agility well after the age of 

30? What if this technology could benefit 

all ages in ways never thought possible? 

What if this were possible with only 7 to 

10 minutes of sweat-free effort per week? 

Would you want to know about it? 

We can’t think of many that wouldn’t 

want to, including us. The exciting news 

is that this is not just a scientific theory, 

it’s not just some interesting piece of 

research that we hope makes its way into 

the mainstream someday, its actually here 

now. In fact, it has caught the attention 

of world-famous speaker and philanthropist, 

Tony Robbins. He has personally 

experienced this system and says at the 

age of 57, he’s in the best shape of his 

life after using it. 

You’re probably asking, “What is 

it?” Well, recent research shows that 

standard exercise isn’t nearly as effective 

as had been traditionally believed 

at developing muscles and bones. A 

peer-reviewed study in 2012 found that 

for a person to increase bone density 

faster than they are losing it requires high 

levels of osteogenic loading, which is 

resistance of at least 4.2 times one’s body 

weight. This research sent shock waves, 

because it has been believed for over a 

century that simply increasing weight on 

the skeletal system would increase bone 

strength. For those concerned about osteoporosis, 

they likely have heard that they 

need to do strength training of some sort. 

Did you ever think you would have to 

experience 4.2 times your body weight?! 

When done properly, it also turns 

out that osteogenic loading also triggers 

a qualitatively different kind of muscle 

development than conventional exercise. 

Myofibrils are proteins within muscle 

cells that are responsible for contracting 

muscles. Only structural fatigue of 

muscle cells through high-resistance 

loading stimulates increased density of 

myofibrils, thereby strengthening the 

structure of muscle cells. 

Think about the musculoskeletal system 

like this: The muscles are the horsepower 

and the bones are the chassis that 

support them. Both need to get stronger 

together and high-levels of osteogenic 

loading can deliver in a big way. 

Based on this research, Dr. John 

Jaquish in 2011 designed devices that 

could create the ideal set of triggers to 

achieve these results. His patented machines 

provide brief osteogenic events 

that together take less than 10 minutes a 

week, yet are powerful enough to stimulate 

new bone and muscle tissue growth. 

Osteogenic loading, when done properly, 

can improve bone density, muscle 

strength and balance in staggering ways. 

What’s more surprising is that it works 

for people of all ages. 

In 2012, wellness company OsteoStrong 

began offering Dr. Jaquish’s 

patented osteogenic loading system in 

centers across the United States. Since 

then, they have helped pioneer the development 

of the next generation of now patent-pending 

osteogenic loading devices 

that they call, Spectrum. There’s nothing 

else like it in the world, and can only be 

found at OsteoStrong centers. To date 

thousands of people have 

experienced the benefits. 

A ten-minute sweat-free 

session in four different 

positions — loading 

the chest, leg/hips, core 

and spine - triggers an 

adaptive flexing response 

in bones and connective 

muscles. This is done in 

safe positions self-imposed 

for maximum impact. 

The system is used 

by people of all ages and 

improves overall strength, 

balance and posture, without 

leaving people feeling 

fatigued or sore. 

Tony Robbins Partners 

with OsteoStrong 

- Entrepreneur, author 

and self-help guru Tony 

Robbins is also known for 

his dedication to fitness. 

Tony has been a long-time 

user of osteogenic loading, 

and is now a partner with 

OsteoStrong. In addition to making a 

commitment to Tony Robbins has taken 

a big interest in OsteoStrong and is 

convinced it will become a global phenomenon. 

He believes that nothing else 

in the world can so effectively develop 

strength of the bones and muscles with 

such minimal effort. Athletes, weekend 

warriors, and those well into their senior 

years are all benefiting greatly from the 

OsteoStrong system. In addition to help 

grow the brand, he has contracted to open 

three OsteoStrong facilities of his own. 

The first OsteoStrong center in 

southern California was opened in 

Murrieta and additional Osteostrong 

franchises will be opening throughout 

southern California. You can call them 

Tony Robbins Partners with OsteoStrong 

- Entrepreneur, author and self-help guru 

Tony Robbins is also known for his dedication 

to fitness. 

at 951-461-9584 to schedule your first free 

session, which includes a complimentary 

HydroMassage. For those looking to prevent 

fractures and increase bone density, 

OsteoStrong may be the answer. You can 

learn more about OsteoStrong and franchise 

opportunities, view members’ testimonials 

and schedule your complimentary 

session at www.osteostrongmurrieta.com. 

Contact: Gale Jungemann-Schulz, 

galejs@osteostrong.me, Murrieta, CA - 

(951) 461-9584 

The Amazing Benefits of Facials 

Healthy 

Living 

by 

Tina Monique M. Gottlieb, deGroot D.C. 

If you’ve ever had a facial you know 

that not only are they incredibly relaxing, 

but when received often they can take 

years off of your appearance. Not many 

people understand how beneficial a good 

professional facial can be. Generally, facials 

are booked when someone starts to 

notice skin issues like dry skin, age spots, 

fine lines and wrinkles, and acne. What 

most people don’t realize is that many of 

those skin issues could have easily been 

prevented by receiving frequent facials. 

Here are some reasons you should book 

a facial: 

1. A good facial massage increases circulation 

and promotes collagen production 

to prevent premature aging. 

2. Facials cleanse pores on a deeper level. 

With proper exfoliation your skin 

is smoother, you unclog pores, and 

you allow for better penetration of 

products. Also, estheticians perform 

extractions correctly which aids in 

stopping acne formation and keeping 

skin clear. Do not attempt to extract on 

your own because you risk damaging 

skin which could result in scarring and 

infection. 

3. Facials brighten skin and reduce the 

appearance of age spots. Age spots 

and dullness significantly age our 

complexion. Treatments like Vitamin 

C and Glycolic help to brighten and 

lighten which gives you that “glow”. 

4. Best of all, facials help you to relax! 

They feel great and help you to unwind 

and reduce stress. A quality facial will 

include a nice face, neck, and shoulder 

massage. So not only do you get the 

skin benefits of a facial, you also get 

the healing benefits of massage. 

Ultimately, facials slow the aging 

process. I like to think that having a 

monthly facial membership is similar 

to having a gym membership. We use 

our gym membership to take care of our 

bodies and look better so consider caring 

for your skin the same way! 

Monthly facials and proper skin care 

are essential to a youthful appearance. 

Investing in your health is important so 

don’t forget that includes your skin too! 

Monique deGroot is the owner of Murrieta 

Day Spa which is located at 41885 

Ivy St. in Murrieta.




Loma Linda University School of 

Public Health is hosting the Healthy 

People in Healthy Communities 

Conference, an annual event now in 

its 44th year. The conference will be 

held on March 2 and 3 at the Drayson 

Center, and will present its First Annual 

Symposium on Blue Zone Science 

and Health. 

The concept of blue zone areas is 

used to identify a demographic and/or 

geographic area of the world where 

people live measurably longer lives. 

Dan Buettner, founder of the 

Blue Zones® Project and National 

Geographic Fellow, will be on hand to 

offer the keynote address on day one 

and participate in several informative 

sessions. 

Also, for the first time, research 

teams from the five demographically 

and epidemiologically confirmed blue 

zone regions (the Italian island of Sardinia; 

Okinawa, Japan; Costa Rica’s 

isolated Nicoya Peninsula; Ikaria, 

an isolated Greek island; and Loma 

Linda, California), will congregate 

under the same roof, to share their research 

findings and draw present day 

application for modern communities. 

Michel Poulan, PhD, Sardinia blue 

zone area, AKEA study; Christodoublous 

Stafanidis, MD, Ikaria blue zone 

area; IKARIA study, Makoto Suzuki 

MD, PhD Okinawa blue zone area, 

Okinawa Cenenarion Study; Luis 

Rosero-Bixby, Nicoya blue zone area; 

Estudio de Longevidad y Envejecimiento 

Saludable, and Gary Fraser, 

Loma Linda, California blue zone 

area, Adventist Health Study, will 

each present research findings from 

their respective areas. 

The Symposium on Blue Zone 

Science and Health underscores Loma 

Linda University Health’s legacy 

of promoting health, longevity and 

wholeness, while creating a platform 

for exploring the role of blue zone 

areas as a paradigm for public health 

practice. 

Loma Linda University 

School of Public Health 

presents Healthy People 

in Healthy Communities 

Conference March 2 - 3 

First Annual Symposium on Blue Zone Science and Health 

offers insight and data into health, longevity and wholeness 

The event takes place when 

alumni from Loma Linda University’s 

eight professional schools, LLU-La 

Sierra graduates, and all current and 

former Medical Center and University 

staff members, come together for a 

weekend of celebration, fellowship 

and continuing education opportunities 

March 2 – 6, on the Loma Linda 

University Health campus during its 

‘One Homecoming’ event. The ‘One 

Homecoming’ weekend will include 

many activities which will bring the 

groups together for joint activities and 

receptions. 

It is highly recommended that 

you pre-register to attend the Healthy 

People in Healthy Communities Conference. 

Space is limited and this conference 

is expected to sell-out quickly 

due to the topic being covered. You can 

register at: http://publichealth.llu.edu/ 

continuing-professional-education/ 

healthy-people-healthy-communities/ 

registration 

Content courtesy of Blue Zones, 

LLC. Used by Permission. Blue 

Zones® is a registered trademark of 

Blue Zones, LLC. 

About Loma Linda University Health 

- Loma Linda University Health includes 

Loma Linda University’s eight 

schools, Loma Linda University Medical 

Center’s six hospitals and over 

900 faculty physicians located in the 

Inland Empire of Southern California. 

Established in 1905, Loma Linda 

University Health is a global leader in 

education, research and clinical care. 

It offers over 100 academic programs 

and provides quality health care to 

40,000 inpatients and 1.5 million 

outpatients each year. A Seventh-day 

Adventist organization, Loma Linda 

University Health is a faith-based 

health system with a mission “to continue 

the teaching and healing ministry 

of Jesus Christ.” 

“ 

The concept of blue zone areas is used to identify a demographic 

and/or geographic area of the world where people live measurably 

longer lives 

Healthy 

Living 

by by 

Tina Dr. Derek M. Gottlieb, Albrecht, D.C. D.C. 

You Can Build Bone Density: Science and 

Our Clients Prove it Everyday! 

We often hear that time seems to fly 

by quicker as we age, and personally 

speaking, it couldn’t be more true. 

I can’t believe it has been two and 

a half years since OsteoStrong Murrieta 

opened its doors. Our mission was to 

save people, without the use of drugs, 

from the devastating effects of low bone 

density, also known as osteoporosis. 

It appears that our mission is finally 

getting some traction, so to speak. With 

literally hundreds of members utilizing 

our patented BioDensity protocol, we 

have routinely been able to demonstrate 

marked improvements in bone density, 

all without the use of any bone altering 

medications. 

I am excited to say that we even 

seeing members who have returned 

their bone density back to within normal 

levels, as demonstrated with a central 

Dexa Scan. 

That being said, even with all the 

research and evidence for utilizing osteogenic 

loading (OsteoStrong protocol) as 

the premier method for reversing osteoporosis, 

at times I continue to hear bits 

of misinformation, which I would like to 

briefly address. 

First, osteoporosis in not a “normal” 

state of aging which one must accept and 

live with permanently. It is a state of 

deconditioning which can be effectively 

stopped and/or reversed. 

Second, it is not an issue that just 

happens to “other people, and not me”. 

Low bone density is so prevalent that 3 

out of 5 women will suffer from it and 

50% of women will suffer some form 

of osteoporotic related fracture at some 

point in their life. And remember, hip 

fractures arising from osteoporosis have 

nearly a 25% mortality rate within one 

year. 

The next misconception is important 

to take note off. Drinking milk, eating 

yogurt or taking calcium supplements 

does not build bone density. Without the 

proper stimulus to trigger bone growth, 

nothing happens. 

The true equation goes as follows: 

Adequate force (compression) on bone 

+ proper mineral intake = bone growth. 

Think of it this way; taking extra protein 

powder does not make your muscles 

grow. Only resistance to the muscle 

combined with adequate protein intake 

will do the trick. 

And speaking of resistance training, 

I must lay this one myth to rest. Nothing 

against weight training or going to 

the gym, which I believe would benefit 

almost everyone, but many personal 

trainers and health club sales people will 

tell you that working out with weights is 

an effective means of gaining bone density. 

The vast amount of research on the 

subject would prove otherwise. Yes, high 

impact activities and heavy resistance 

training may slow down your bone loss, 

but are ineffective at stopping and even 

reversing osteopenia or osteoporosis. 

The current research states that an 

axial force of at least 4.02 multiples 

of your bodyweight is necessary for 

proper osteoblast stimulation (aka- bone 

growth). 

This is the primary reason why osteogenic 

loading under the supervision of 

a trained technician at our OsteoStrong 

location is the safest, most efficient and 

cost effective means of attaining the 

strongest bones possible, all without the 

side effects of drugs and medications. 

Throw in the added side benefits of 

improved balance, decreased joint and 

back pain along with marked increases in 

muscular strength, and you have a natural 

alternative method of improving your 

health and life. And please don’t think 

for a second that OsteoStrong is only for 

weak boned and those slightly advanced 

in years. There are massive benefits to 

those still in their formative bone building 

years (under 22 that is). So please 

give us a call or stop by and experience 

what OsteoStrong can do for you. Yours 

in Better Health, Dr. Derek K. Albrecht 

Dr. Derek K. Albrecht D.C. is a partner 

at OsteoStrong in Murrieta as well as 

continuing in his private practice. For 

more information, call (951) 461-9584. 

First, osteoporosis in 

not a “normal” state 

of aging which one 

must accept and live 

with permanently. 

It is a state of 

deconditioning which 

can be effectively 

stopped and/or 

reversed. 

connect: www.osteostrongmurrieta.com




7 Signs of 

Sugar 

Overload 

21 

The holidays have come and gone, 

but many of us are stuck in a terrible 

eating pattern. It’s normal to indulge in 

a bit more sugar in December, but then 

we forget to go back to our regular, 

healthier habits once all of the celebrations 

are over! 

You might already be nodding your 

head, because you’re aware of your 

“guilty” status. Or, you might have 

slipped into poor habits without even 

realizing it. If any of the following signs 

apply to you, you’re eating too much 

sugar lately. 

You feel tired often. A diet loaded 

with simple carbohydrates will skyrocket 

your blood sugar levels, followed 

shortly after by a crash. This leaves you 

feeling tired, and often grumpy. You 

probably can’t concentrate well, either. 

You’re craving sugar. That same 

blood sugar roller coaster leaves you 

craving even more sugar. Once you kick 

the habit, sugar cravings usually subside 

within a few weeks. 

Everything tastes more bitter. 

When you eat too much sugar, you’re 

training your taste buds to prefer sweetness. 

After a while, healthy, low-sugar 

foods taste more bitter than they really 

are, making you less likely to enjoy 

healthy fare like salads. 

Your “guilt” is written all over 

your face. A diet heavy in sugar causes 

hormonal imbalances and weakens your 

immune system, leaving you prone to 

acne breakouts. 

You’ve been sick lately. Speaking 

of that weakened immune system, have 

you been extra susceptible to illness 

recently? Blame the sugar. 

Your dentist is perturbed with 

you (or happy, considering the size 

of your last bill!) A diet heavy in sugar 

is going to cause problems like cavities 

and inflamed gums. You have to fix 

the damage now, but in the future a 

low-sugar diet can prevent these problems 

from happening again. 

You’ve gained weight. This is 

probably the most obvious sign of all. 

Your pants are tight, and the bathroom 

scale is giving you a number you don’t 

like. Sugar is one of the biggest culprits 

in weight problems. 

If any of these symptoms sound 

familiar, you know what you need to do. 

Cut back on the sugar, and fill your plate 

with wholesome fruits, veggies, lean 

protein sources, and whole grains. In a 

few weeks you’ll feel better, and your 

taste buds will acclimate and appreciate 

a healthy diet once again. 

Steve Amante is the owner of Amante & 

Associates Insurance Solutions, Inc. He 

can be reached at 951-676-8800 - www. 

amanteandassociates.com. 

A diet loaded 

with simple 

carbohydrates will 

skyrocket your blood 

sugar levels, followed 

shortly after by a 

crash. This leaves 

you feeling tired, 

and often grumpy. 

Healthy 

Living 

by presented by 

Tina Steve M. Amante Gottlieb, D.C. 

connect: www.amanteandassociates.com




What is a Skilled Nursing Facility? 

Healthy 

Living 

by 

Tina Dennis M. Petersen, Gottlieb, D.O. D.C. 

A skilled nursing facility is a type of 

convalescent home that provides continuous 

care to its residents. 

Skilled nursing facilities can provide 

a wide variety of support for patients, 

including wound care, diabetes management, 

medication monitoring, and more. 

In addition, some nursing home facilities 

offer specialized care for Alzheimer’s 

patients or others with dementia. 

People who cannot perform their own 

activities of daily living are typically the 

ones who are placed in a skilled nursing 

facility, which provides 24-hour care by 

nurses and aides, and also have medical 

doctors who make rounds or are on-call 

service for routine and emergency care. 

Not all residents of skilled nursing 

facilities are elderly. Young adults who 

have mental or physical disabilities, and 

are unable to live on their own, are often 

admitted to these types of home care 

facilities. 

According to the National Institutes 

of Health, some nursing homes are set up 

like a hospital where the staff provides 

medical care, as well as physical, speech 

and occupational therapy with nurses’ 

station on each floor or unit. However, 

other nursing homes try to be more like 

home and have a more open atmosphere 

with open kitchens and allow couples to 

live together. 

All centers have the goal to help individuals 

meet their daily physical, social, 

medical, and psychological needs and to 

return home whenever possible. 

Dr. Dennis Petersen graduated from 

Western University of Health Sciences 

in 1985 and completed his internship at 

Sun Coast Osteopathic Hospital, 1983- 

1984, and have been practicing Family 

Medicine in Temecula since 1989. For 

questions on this article or to make an 

appointment, call (951) 506-3112. 

How to Keep Customers 

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 

The ease of getting assistance before 

or after a sale will often drive the 

buying patterns for customers. Consider 

looking at these areas. 

The Customer Buying Experience 

- How soon and enthusiastically 

are customer’s greeted upon entering 

the store? Sales and service employees 

should be present and visible to provide 

assistance with finding the right product 

and answering questions. Make sure 

employees are well trained in product 

lines and if necessary know where to 

look for answers. Make check-out 

as quick as possible and provided by 

friendly personnel. Let them know 

that they may be the last impression the 

customer will have of your business. 

Accessibility to Customer Service 

Assistance – If a problem does 

arise with a purchase, be sure your 

customer service department is easy to 

engage. If a customer calls by phone, 

directions for routing to the right department 

through the phone system 

should be clear. For those returning to 

the store, signage needs to direct customers 

to the correct location to handle 

the issue. Don’t leave them guessing 

if they should proceed to a cashier or 

if there is a returns desk. 

Service Policies – To set proper expectations, 

clearly document and display 

the company return and exchange policy. 

Is a receipt required? Is there an expiration 

of when a product can be returned? 

If possible printing this information on 

the receipt is a good practice. An excellent 

warranty and service department 

will complete the total customer experience 

with your business. 

Customer Service Representatives 

- Train and coach employees 

on customer service regularly as they 

are your ambassador to the customer. 

When working issues, encourage team 

members to repeat the problem back 

to the customer demonstrating they 

are being understood. Additionally 

teach employees how to empathize 

and actively listen. For example, it 

can be obvious when a script is read 

over the phone leaving the caller with 

the feeling that they are just another 

number. When situations do get out 

of control, make sure that escalation 

procedures are clear. 

Remember that the goal of any 

customer service department is to turn 

a negative situation into a win-win 

experience for both the company and 

customer. 

Ted Saul is a business coach that assists 

with Business Plans and Project 

Management. He holds a master certificate 

in project management and has 

earned his MBA from Regis University. 

Ted can be reached on LinkedIn, 

TedS787 on Twitter or emailing Ted@ 

tsaul.com. 

“ 

Let them know that they may be 

the last impression the customer 

will have of your business




23 

Wellness in the Workplace, a Massage Revolution! 

by Andy Betts 

How do you say thank you to your 

hard working employees and staff…Pizza 

Friday’s? Coffee shop gift cards? Happy 

hour? Or maybe you don’t say much at 

all…. did you ever consider the gift of 

massage in the workplace? Event Massage 

Services provides licensed massage therapists 

to arrive at your workplace prepared 

and ready to administer fully clothed chair 

massage in our ergonomically correct 

massage chairs. 

Chair massage is a great way of 

showing your appreciation to the people 

who mean the most to you at work, day 

in and day out, you can incorporate it into 

your employee wellness program to create 

wellness in the workplace!! All you have 

to do is create a sign-up sheet and give one 

copy to the lucky recipients and one copy 

to the therapist/s, that’s your only job and 

you become the hero! 

When your workforce understands 

that they are appreciated in this way, 

it has been proven to create employee 

retention as they realize that they’re not 

just a number at your company. Aside 

from employee retention the benefits are 

plentiful including, but not limited to, 

better attitudes, relaxed muscles, increased 

circulation, clarity of mind, improved 

morale, improved results, fewer sick days, 

“ 

Chair massage is a 

great way of showing your 

appreciation to the people 

who mean the most to you 

at work, day in and day out 

increased range of motion, and the list 

goes on and on. 

Event Massage Services was created 

in 2001 by English native Andy Betts, 

a massage therapist himself who had a 

vision of bringing massage to the masses. 

There was a need in the progressive 

market that wasn’t being met in regards to 

wellness in the workplace and the companies 

in the know started to call. 

Large corporations such as Sprint, 

Chase, Sony, Marriot Hotels, Ernst 

&Young, numerous law firms, real estate 

offices and so on requested chair massage 

for their employees as an employee appreciation 

perk along with smaller employers 

with a workforce of as little as five people. 

Google was one of the innovative 

companies to incorporate the benefits of 

massage as part of their everyday culture 

for their employees, and many companies 

paid attention to their results. Once a week, 

once every two weeks or once a month are 

the frequencies requested depending on 

each individual company’s budget. 

Similar organizations utilized the 

service and paid for EMS to be at their 

conventions, trade shows and conferences 

as a traffic builder for their exhibitors and 

a unique sponsorship opportunity for VIP 

areas and recharge stations. Attendees 

get tired of candy, trinkets and useless 

giveaways at these events so when they 

see free massages being given away a 

line forms at the booth and the salespeople 

have a captive audience to scan 

their badges, strut their stuff and obtain 

business. How can Event Massage Services 

serve you at your workplace or your 

convention? Let them make you the star 

of the show! 

Please contact Andy Betts for any Inquiries 

regarding Event Massage Services 

at (949) 510 2396, abetts@eventmassageservices.com 

and check out their 

website www.eventmassageservices.com 

for more info. 

connect: www.eventmassageservices.com 

Loma Linda University Health Research to 

take Center Stage at ‘One Homecoming’ 

March 2-6 

The fourth floor of the LLU Centennial 

Complex will showcase the 2017 

Homecoming Research Exhibition 

On March 2-6, 2017, the fourth floor 

of the Loma Linda University (LLU) 

Centennial Complex will transform to 

showcase the latest research being conducted 

across campus as alumni from 

Loma Linda University’s eight professional 

schools, LLU-La Sierra graduates, and 

current and former Medical Center and 

University staff members come together 

as “One Loma Linda.” 

The 2017 Homecoming Research 

Exhibition will showcase poster presentations 

of research being conducted by each 

of the eight LLU schools. Posters from 

all schools will be on display Thursday, 

March 2 (8:00 AM – 4:00 PM) and Friday, 

March 3 (8:00 AM – 2:30 PM). 

The LLU School of Medicine/Alumni 

Postgraduate Convention (APC) poster 

presentations will be displayed Sunday, 

March 5 (9:00 AM – 4:00 PM) and Monday, 

March 6 (10:00 AM – 3:30 PM). 

The Adventist Health Study, International 

Heart Institute, LLU Cancer Center, 

Institute for Community Partnerships, 

orthotics and prosthetics, Global Health 

Institute, and Center for Spiritual Life and 

Wholeness will also have displays during 

four days of the exhibition. 

Scheduled theater presentations of 

specific research projects will take place 

on Thursday and Friday, March 2 and 3 

between 12:00 noon and 2:00 pm. 

An area of the exhibition hall will 

be dedicated to Loma Linda University 

Health’s History of Research, and a special 

exhibit will showcase Loma Linda 

University’s first discoveries and inventions. 

The display will include research-related 

items such as equipment, tools, 

pictures, devices and artifacts created at 

Loma Linda University. 

The 2017 Homecoming Research 

Exhibition is open to the public and admission 

is free. The Loma Linda University 

Centennial Complex is located at 24760 

Stewart Street, Loma Linda. Alumni are 

encouraged to register for Loma Linda 

University Health’s ‘One Homecoming’ 

weekend at http://www.cvent.com/d/ 

pvqfl9. 

To register for offerings by a specific 

school, please see the “School Affiliation” 

tab on the registration page and select the 

name of the respective school. If not an 

alumnus, and you want to see all event 

offerings, go directly to the “Register for 

all Offerings” button. 

About Loma Linda University 

Health - Loma Linda University Health 

includes Loma Linda University’s eight 

schools, Loma Linda University Medical 

Center’s six affiliated hospitals and more 

than 900 faculty physicians located in the 

Inland Empire of Southern California. Established 

in 1905, Loma Linda University 

Health is a global leader in education, 

research and clinical care. It offers over 

100 academic programs and provides 

quality health care to 40,000 inpatients 

and 1.5 million outpatients each year. 

A Seventh-day Adventist organization, 

Loma Linda University Health is a faithbased 

health system with a mission “to 

continue the teaching and healing ministry 

of Jesus Christ.” 

Water, Flood, Fire, Smoke, Mold Damage? 

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2017 Tax Year Changes 

MONEY 

presented by 

Nicole M Albrecht 

EA, CTC 

2017 starts with one set of tax 

rules… But we expect there will 

be major changes with President 

Trump in office. For now, we’ll note 

major changes in place for 2017 to 

look out for. 

Business Taxes: 

The standard mileage rate for business 

driving has changed in 2017, it falls 

to 53 ½¢ a mile, a 0.5¢ drop. Traveling 

for medical purposes and job-related 

moves the rate decreases to 17¢ a mile. 

For the charitable driving the rate remains 

at 14¢ a mile. 

Two business tax breaks first apply 

on 2016 returns: Small start-up businesses 

can opt to claim $250,000 of R&D 

costs to offset payroll taxes instead of 

their regular income tax ability. The next 

tax break is businesses that hire the longterm 

unemployed get a tax credit. The 

work opportunity tax credit is expanded 

to cover employers that have hired people 

that have been unemployed for 27 weeks 

or more and had received unemployment 

benefits. 

Individual Returns: 

The 2017 standard deductions have 

raised. Married couples get $12,700, 

plus $1,250 for each spouse age 65 or 

older. Singles are able to claim $6,350 or 

$7,900 if 65 or older. Head of Household 

get $9,350, plus $1,550 once they are 65 

years old. 

High-incomers lose the ability to 

itemize deductions starting at a higher 

level in 2017. Their write-offs are 

slashed by 3% of the excess of AGI over 

$261,500 for singles, $287,650 for head 

of household and $313,800 for married. 

But the reduction can’t rise above 80% 

of itemizations. 

Personal exemptions are to stay at 

$4,050 for filers and their dependents in 

2017. However, this tax break is not to 

be included for upper-incomers. 

Minimum Tax: 

Alternative Minimum Tax exemptions 

go up for 2017. They raise to 

$84,500 for couples and $54,300 for both 

singles and heads of household. 

Social Security: 

The base for Social Security wages 

increases in 2017 to $127,200, up $8,700 

from 2016’s cap. But the Social Security 

tax rate on employers and employees 

remains at 6.2%. Social Security recipients 

will see an insignificant 0.3% hike 

in their benefits in 2017. People who are 

turning 66 years old in 2017 don’t lose 

any benefits if they earn $44,880 or less 

before they reach that age. There is no 

earnings cap once a beneficiary turns 66. 

The earnings amount needed to qualify 

for a quarter of coverage climbs to $1,300 

a quarter. 

Health Care: 

The income levels to qualify for the 

health premium credit in 2017 go up. It 

is available for filers with their household 

income ranging from 100% to 400% of 

the federal poverty level or for singles 

their income ranging from $11,880 to 

$47,520 and $24,300 to $97,200 for a 

family of four. 

Medicals: 

For annual cap on deductions contributions 

to HSAs rises to $3,400 in 2017 

but for self-only coverage. The top for 

account owners with family coverage remains 

at $6,750. Individuals that are born 

before 1963 can contribute an additional 

$1,000. Minimum policy deductibles 

stay at $2,600 for families and $1,300 

for singles. 

Starting with 2017 returns filed in 

2018, the threshold for deducting medical 

expenses on Schedule A will be raised to 

10% of AGI for taxpayers who are age 

65 or older. 

Estate and Gift Tax: 

For 2017 the estate and gift tax exemption 

increases to $5,490,000. The gift 

tax exclusion stays the same, $14,000 per 

recipient. For farm or business realty, up 

to $1,120,000, can receive discount estate 

tax valuation. 

Savings Plan: 

Most key dollar ceilings for retirement 

plans are not changing in 2017. 

People that are born before 1968 can put 

$6,000 more into their 401(k). For the 

defined contributions plans the pay-in 

limit goes up to $54,000. Contributions 

for retirement plan can be based on up to 

$270,000 of salary. 

The limits for pay-in for IRAs and 

Roth IRAs in 2017 are staying constant 

at $5,500, plus $1,000 as an additional 

catch-up contribution for taxpayers age 

50 and up. In 2017, deductions phaseout’s 

for IRAs start at higher levels, from 

$99,000 to $119,000 of AGI for couples 

and from $62,000 to $72,000 for singles. 

Expired Breaks: 

Among the bundle of individual and 

business tax breaks that have expired 

January 1st: Having up to $2 million of 

foreign debt on primary residence. 

• Getting the credit for installing 

energy-efficient windows and exterior 

doors in a home. The credit of 30% for 

geothermal heat pumps, wind turbines 

and fuel cell property. 

• Being able to write-off private 

mortgage insurance premiums. 

• Getting a credit for two-wheeled 

electric vehicles and biodiesel or alternative 

fuels. 

There is no assurance that lawmakers 

will continue these provisions in 2017. 

As always, we will be here to keep you 

up to date on all the changes that occur. 

Nicole Albrecht EA, CTC Financial 

Accounting Services, 41769 Enterprise 

Circle North, Suite 209 in Temecula. 

Phone (951) 719-1515 - Fax (951) 719- 

1518 - www.taxmanfred.com. 

connect: wwww.taxmanfred.com




Jacob Bennett tapped for Chief Risk Officer 

at NMA 

National Merchants Association, a 

global merchant advocacy group and a 

leader in merchant services named Jacob 

Bennett as Chief Risk Officer. Bennett 

has previously served in the role of Vice 

President of Risk and Underwriting since 

joining NMA in 2014. 

In his new role, Bennett is responsible 

for leading the risk and underwriting 

departments which make crucial credit 

decisions on high-risk and high-volume 

accounts as well as developing and maintaining 

internal policies for mitigating risk. 

“I am honored by the faith in me shown by 

Heather Petersen and Brian Randolph,” 

Bennett said. “It is a privilege to work for 

National Merchants Association and I am 

appreciative of the support and guidance 

the company has afforded me thus far in 

my career. “We have made some incredible 

advances in the risk and underwriting 

departments during the last few years and I 

am confident that we will continue our high 

level of execution and continue to develop 

and innovate on behalf of our partners.” 

Bennett will also oversee NMA’s new 

Chargeback Control Platform (CCP). This 

groundbreaking platform automatically 

intercepts inbound disputes before they 

become chargebacks, and is integrated 

with LimeLight CRM, NMI gateway and 

others. Because it is integrated at the processor 

level, CCP can conduct real-time 

refunds — protecting the end customers 

while helping to mitigate chargebacks for 

merchants. 

Bennett will also continue to oversee 

NMA’s proprietary merchant account optimization 

processes. With a firm grip on 

risk management, NMA can accurately and 

fairly adjust merchant rates, optimizing the 

viability of its merchants. Jacob Bennett 

brings more than 10 years of payments 

industry experience since graduating with 

a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics 

from the University of California, Irvine. 

He is a regular speaker at payments industry 

conferences and trade shows both in 

North America and abroad. He is a member 

of the Merchant Acquirers’ Committee, 

the International Association of Financial 

Crimes Investigators (IAFCI), the Electronic 

Transactions Association (ETA) 

Professional Development Committee and 

is an ETA Certified Payments Professional. 

Visit www.NationalMerchants.com or call 

866-509-7199. 

Brian Randolph Named Chief Operating 

Officer at NMA 

National Merchants Association, 

a global merchant advocacy group and 

a leader in merchant services, today 

announced that Brian Randolph would 

assume the position of Chief Operating 

Officer. Randolph has served in the role 

of Chief Technology Officer and Partner 

since joining NMA in 2009. 

“I am thrilled and humbled to embark 

on this new challenge,” Randolph said. 

“I am very proud of everything we have 

accomplished here during my time with 

NMA. As we continue to grow and evolve 

as a company there will be new obstacles 

ahead. I look forward to meeting those 

challenges head-on, and 

with the help of our amazing team here 

at NMA, I am confident we will continue 

on this path of consistent growth.” 

Randolph is tasked with guiding the 

execution of the company’s vision and 

managing day-to-day activities. NMA 

has seen explosive growth in the last four 

years, experiencing a revenue increase of 

800%, and the hiring of more than 85 new 

employees in the last year alone. 

“One of the most rewarding accomplishments 

we’ve experienced has been 

putting the right people on the right seat 

on the bus,” said NMA Chief Executive 

Officer and Founder Heather Petersen. 

“I am confident in Brian’s ability to lead 

our daily operations from the right seat on 

NMA’s bus.” Randolph assisted Petersen 

with developing NMA’s proprietary merchant 

account optimization software that 

became the differentiator between NMA 

and its competitors and propelling the company’s 

growth. Randolph also assisted with 

the development of NMA’s groundbreaking 

Chargeback Control Platform (CCP) which 

launched in October 2016. This innovative 

product Brian Randolph automatically 

intercepts inbound disputes before they 

become chargebacks, and is integrated with 

LimeLight CRM, NMI gateway and others. 

Because it is integrated at the processor 

level, CCP can conduct real-time refunds — 

protecting the end customers while helping 

to mitigate chargebacks for merchants. 

Randolph holds a Bachelor of Arts 

degree from California State University, 

Chico. He has been an ETA Certified 

Payments Professional (ETA CPP) 

since 2013, and frequently attends industry 

trade shows and conferences such as the 

ETA Strategic Leadership Forum, annual 

Transact conference, and Transact Tech, the 

forum for financial technology evolution. 

Visit www.NationalMerchants.com or 

call 866-509-7199. 

NMA names Jason Holderness as Chief 

Technology Officer 

National Merchants Association, a 

global merchant advocacy group and a 

leader in merchant services has named 

Jason Holderness to the position of Chief 

Technology Officer. Holderness has served 

in the role of Director of Software Development 

since joining NMA in 2016 and takes 

the reins from former CTO Brian Randolph, 

who now assumes the role of Chief Operating 

Officer. “This is an exciting time at 

National Merchants Association, and I am 

humbled to have the opportunity to lead 

such an amazing team” Holderness said. 

“Under the leadership of Brian Randolph, 

National Merchants Association is fast-becoming 

a leader in the FinTech landscape, 

and I look forward to supporting our latest 

product launches, as well as continuing 

to push the boundaries of technological 

innovation. We’ve done some great things 

over the last few years, but we’ve only just 

begun.” 

Holderness will be responsible for all 

application development, technological 

innovation, advancement and adoption. 

The IT department is credited with developing 

innovation and technology that has 

positioned NMA as a leader in the payment 

processing industry. “Jason’s vision and 

leadership make him the logical choice for 

the position,” Randolph said. “I have the 

utmost confidence that his innovative spirit, 

extensive knowledge and experience will 

help us continue our growth trajectory while 

upholding the standards and goals we have 

set for these departments.” 

Jason Holderness NMA’s proprietary 

merchant account optimization software is 

a major differentiator between NMA and its 

competitors. With a firm grip on risk management, 

NMA can accurately and fairly 

adjust merchant rate pricing, optimizing 

the viability of its merchants. 

In 2016, the IT department released 

NMA’s groundbreaking Chargeback 

Control Platform (CCP). This innovative 

program automatically intercepts inbound 

disputes before they become chargebacks 

and is integrated with LimeLight CRM, 

NMI gateway and others. Because it is 

integrated at the processor level, CCP can 

25 

conduct real-time refunds – protecting the 

end customers while helping to mitigate 

chargebacks for merchants. 

Holderness joined National Merchants 

Association with more than 15 years of 

combined experience in IT and technology 

startups, and is a product of the San Diego 

technology scene. Prior to joining NMA, 

he co-founded TakeLessons.com and led 

the Product and Development teams as Sr. 

Product Manager. Earlier in his career, Holderness 

spent 6 years in IT with Siemens, 

the largest manufacturing and electronics 

company in Europe. 

Holderness earned Bachelor of Arts 

degrees in Music Industry and Recording 

Arts from California State University, Chico 

and is a certified Scrum Master. 

Visit www.NationalMerchants.com or 

call 866-509-7199.




Is Your Small Business Struggling Financially? 

by Esther Phahla 

Businesses are the very heart of the 

economy. Small businesses often face 

many financial obstacles if not properly 

managed. This could be due to several factors 

such as, an industry that is seasonal in 

nature, or aging accounts receivables, cash 

flow problems, a lot of debt, bad relationships 

with vendors or lack of profitability 

or trouble paying taxes. 

A well-managed business that maintains 

proper financial records and has 

proper controls can overcome financial 

struggles. But there may also be other 

major underlying issues that need to be 

addressed if the business is to survive. 

Some of the signs that a business may be 

facing financial struggles are: 

1. Poor Bookkeeping: Bookkeeping is 

more than a record of previous transactions 

from your bank statements. 

Poor bookkeeping can affect future 

decisions about the company spending 

and growth. Not having proper bookkeeping 

could lead to serious financial 

problems such as over spending. It can 

also be used to cover financial improprieties, 

such as fraud. It is important 

to invest in a good bookkeeper to help 

you with regular bookkeeping that way 

you are aware of how your business is 

performing. 

2. Cash Flow Problems: Almost every 

business will encounter cash flow 

problems from time-to-time, especially 

if their accounts receivable gets overloaded 

with late-paying customers, or 

diminishing sales, unproductive staff, 

excessive debt, or employee theft.. 

3. Trouble Paying Taxes: Businesses pay 

several taxes depending on where they 

are located, such as, federal and state 

taxes on business income, which are 

paid as quarterly estimated tax payments, 

sales tax and paying payroll taxes 

for their employees. If a business falls 

behind on any of these tax payments 

they can find themselves having to pay 

additional fees in penalties and interest. 

4. Customer/Clients Complaints: Unsatisfied 

customers lead to delayed paid 

invoices and this contributes to financial 

difficulties. Customer satisfaction is 

important. Resolve the issue as soon 

as possible. 

5. Overdrafts: Overdrafts and payments 

your bank declines to make can have 

negative effects, causing other payments 

to be missed or accrue additional 

charges, and also causing dissatisfaction 

with your vendors. 

6. Bad Relationships with Vendors and 

Creditors: Not paying your vendors 

on time, or payments are returned insufficient 

can affect your relationship 

with them. If your business continues 

to miss payments with creditors, this 

will ultimately impact your business 

credit scores. 

7. Failing to Pay Employees: When a 

business fails to pay their employees, 

or payroll checks bounce, it causes the 

employees to lose all trust in their employer. 

Failing to pay the payroll taxes 

is also theft, as employees will have to 

make up for the non-paid taxes when 

they file their own tax returns. 

It is important that the business take 

steps to alleviate the underlying financial 

issues. It is normal for most businesses to 

occasionally feel a financial struggle at 

times. But a responsible business owner 

will take steps to manage their business 

finances. Sometimes business owners try 

to do it all by saving costs not realizing that 

finances are not their specialty. By focusing 

on their business product and service 

which is what they know best and investing 

in an experienced business accountant 

to help find the problems, and develop a 

plan to overcome the financial struggles 

will result in helping the business become 

sustainable and profitable in the long run. 

Esther Phahla is a Certified Public 

Accountant and Certified Tax Coach in 

Temecula. She is the Best Selling Co-Author 

of a tax planning book “Why Didn’t 

My CPA Tell Me That”. She also holds 

a Master’s of Science in Taxation. She 

can be reached at (951) 514-2652 or visit 

www.estherphahlacpa.com 

connect: www.estherphahlacpa.com




Increasing Optimism…Tempered by Reality 

REAL ESTATE 

by 

Gene Wunderlich 

2017 is off to an inauspicious start. I’m 

talking about the housing market of course, 

the protesting and divisiveness of politics depends 

on your perspective I suppose. Turns 

out Love Trumping Hate involves a lot more 

arson and assault than we thought it would. 

Based on December pending sales, we 

knew January housing was not going to be 

great, and it wasn’t. If you don’t many much 

in the pipeline you can’t close them. In spite 

of being down 21% from December (916 / 

729), sales of single family homes across 

the region were still up 7% over last January 

(679). That’s not too bad. 

Prices continued to ratchet up slowly. 

Median for the region was up just 1% 

over December ($327,039 / $330,127) but 

maintained a 6% edge over January 2016 

($310,211). Temecula’s median fell 5% 

($435,000 / $414,700) from last January, 

Perris stayed exactly the same at $270,000, 

Menifee was up 9% ($290,000 / $320,000), 

San Jacinto jumped 13% ($214,900 / 

$247,450) and most other cities posted 

moderate gains. Interesting to note a trend 

that started last year in higher price areas like 

Orange County and the Bay area, impacting 

our housing market as well. Cities with the 

highest median price, like Temecula and 

Murrieta, have experienced low single digit 

appreciation while more affordable areas 

continue to surge into double digits. 

This, of course, is a function of affordability 

and availability, both of which are 

suffering in some areas of the state and may 

be visiting our region as well. Inventory has 

been dropping since mid-year and has fallen 

33% in the past six months (2,478 / 1,658). 

While it’s not unusual for January inventory 

to fall off some, this leaves us with just 1.5 

months of inventory, the lowest point in 

over 2 years! 

So much depends on the mood of the 

state and nation over the next 100 days, and 

that’s a real crapshoot. At the state level 

we’re well on our way to drafting 3,000 or 

more bills for this session! (Does California 

really need 3,000 more laws guiding our every 

breath?) Regardless, we’re going to get 

them. For every bill that would help housing 

in the Golden State like Marc Steinorth’s AB 

53, which would establish a tax deductible 

savings account for first time homebuyers, 

there are 10 bills that would make it more 

difficult to develop, to buy or to finance. At 

recent state meetings our Chief Lobbyist in 

Sacramento joined others voicing cautious 

optimism that the pool of moderate Democrats 

may be sufficient to forestall some of 

the worst excesses possible under the new 

super-majority legislature. We’ll see. 

Equally concerning is the federal landscape. 

One of the new administration’s first 

moves removed a 25 basis point mortgage 

insurance premium reduction enacted just 

weeks before. We understand this was 

part of an overall roll-back and review of 

last-minute acts by the previous administration 

and our national association has 

presented documentation on why reinstating 

that particular reduction will stimulate the 

housing sector. 

Despite concerns and ‘calls-to-action’ 

within our own ranks, we are reminded 

that there is very little to ‘act’ on yet. The 

National Association of Realtors® has been 

a consistent advocate for private property 

rights and homeownership. It isn’t news to 

members of Congress that we consider the 

mortgage interest deduction to be sacrosanct 

and will go to the mat over this one. Any tax 

reform would need to address this issue very 

carefully as it is generally considered one of 

those 3rd rail items like Social Security and 

Medicare. Similarly the fate of the federal 

backstop for mortgage insurance from Fannie 

& Freddie is critical to the market and the 

availability of a 30 year mortgage. 

We are encouraged by recent discussion 

regarding changes to both Dodd-Frank and 

the CFPB. Dodd-Frank was a typical kneejerk 

reaction to issues barely understood by 

the act’s namesakes. It has stifled private 

sector investment in the housing market, 

kept small local bankers out of the game 

completely and prevented thousands of 

qualified buyers from purchasing their first 

home. Similarly the unregulated regulatory 

agency that is the CFPB may be due for a 

comeuppance as well. One can only hope. 

February won’t be a great housing 

month but keep your fingers crossed for a 

Spring resurgence. Winter rains may lead to 

blossoming home sales. 

Gene Wunderlich is Vice President of 

Government Affairs, Southwest Riverside 

County Association of Realtors® 

27 

Special events? 

Great sales? 

Exciting new 

products? 

Send us your 

business news 

via our Facebook 

page 

facebook/ 

thevalleybusinessjournal




Latest Email Phishing Scam 


Though these reports have become 

a frequent occurrence, if you simply remain 

diligent to a few rules your chances 

of causing a breach are significantly 

decreased. 

This particular scam takes the traditional 

email phishing scams to a new 

level in that it involves business executive 

impersonation and wire fraud in 

relation to your company’s distribution 

of W-2’s. Before you start thinking “I’m 

too small, this will never happen to me, 

etc.” let me tell you we have seen both of 

these individual types of scams multiple 

times within our client base. If you have 

data, you’re not too small and frankly, 

a breach will cost you more than your 

bigger competitors. 

Traditional Email Phishing – 

Though we have covered this a handful 

of times in different articles it’s important 

that we keep this information top of 

mind. These strikes normally arrive in 

your inbox with a malicious attachment 

or a prompt to a web link. The easiest 

way to distinguish if an attachment is 

safe or malicious is to look at the file 

extension – the three letters that follow 

the period at the end of the file name. 

According to Microsoft, .exe, .com, 

.pif, .bat and .scr are the most common 

file name extensions that may contain a 

dangerous file. Sometimes the extensions 

are not viewable by default. If that is the 

case on your computer, you can enable 

them by going to Control Panel > File 

and Folder Options > Hide Extensions for 

Known File Types (uncheck this item.) 

Also, be very wary of attachments with 

two extensions, such as pdf.exe. The only 

file extension that matters is the last one 

and it is extremely rare to have two file 

names, it is probably someone trying to 

trick you into thinking a file is safe. 

If you received an email with a hyperlink 

in the body, hover over it and look 

closely to the web address to see if it matches 

the rest of the email. These 2 checks 

alone can save you from a phishing attack. 

Executive Fraud – Some phishing 

emails are getting so advanced that they 

appear to be sent from an executive from 

your company or a partner/vendor company 

you do business with. We’ve seen 2 

instances of this type of fraud in the last 

six months. Fortunately, the receiver of 

the email was tipped off that something 

didn’t seem right as the email body just 

didn’t “sound” like something the executive 

would write. A simple phone call 

confirmed the recipient’s hunch and a 

crisis was averted. 

Wire Fraud – Now this is a scary 

one. The “executive” in the fraud reference 

above asks for a wire transfer 

to be done. We have actually seen this 

occur but thankfully for our client the 

bank questioned it and they were able 

to recover their money. If your business 

frequently deals with wires you must 

have a multi-step procedure in place to 

stop any potential attacks. 

Once again, this new threat combines 

these methods to try and catch you off 

guard and is timed right at the start of tax 

season. The perpetrators are trying to fool 

your staff into releasing your information 

or sending money so that you don’t mess 

with the IRS. “This is one of the most 

dangerous email phishing scams we’ve 

seen in a long time,” IRS Commissioner 

John Koskinen said. “Although not tax 

related, the wire transfer scam is being 

coupled with the W-2 scam email, and 

some companies have lost both employees’ 

W-2s and thousands of dollars.” If 

you come across anything suspicious the 

IRS is requesting that you email phishing@irs.gov 

and place “W2 Scam” in 

the subject line and remember the tips 

above. Just a few extra minutes looking 

over an email before you respond, clink a 

link or open an attachment can save you 

exponentially. 

Mythos Technology is an IT consulting 

and management firm. For more information, 

please visit www.mythostech.com 

or call (951) 813-2672. 

connect: www.mythostech.com 

Veteran’s Service Awards 


“This award is just a small token of 

our thanks and appreciation for what they 

have done, not only during their time in 

uniform, but after they returned home.” 

Veterans groups, such as American 

Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars 

Posts, are encouraged to nominate a member 

of their organization for the award 

and individuals can also nominate worthy 

veterans. 

The deadline to submit applications 

is April 17, 2017. Award recipients must 

be residents of the 28th District, which is 

entirely in Riverside County and includes 

the cities of Blythe, Canyon Lake, Cathedral 

City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, 

Indian Wells, Indio, Lake Elsinore, La 

Quinta, Murrieta, Temecula, Palm Springs, 

Rancho Mirage and Wildomar. 

Applications and more information 

are available on the Senator’s website 

– www.Senate.Ca.Gov/Stone -- and by 

calling the Senator’s District Office in the 

Coachella Valley in Indio (760-398-6442) 

and Southwest Office in Murrieta. (951- 

894-3530). 

Jeff Stone represents California’s 28th 

Senate District. The district, which is 

entirely in Riverside County, stretches 

from the vineyards of the Temecula Valley 

to the Colorado River and includes the 

cities of Blythe, Canyon Lake, Cathedral 

City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, 

Indian Wells, Indio, Lake Elsinore, 

La Quinta, Murrieta, Temecula, Palm 

Springs, Rancho Mirage and Wildomar. 

For more information visit: 

www.Senate.ca.gov/Stone or on 

Facebook at 

www.facebook.com/SenatorJeffStone




29 

10 Ways to Increase Your Business 


Many of those in the business 

community still greatly benefit 

from face to face contact with their 

peers. The TVCC hosts a multitude 

of events throughout the year- both 

intimate and expansive- to bring 

business persons together for the 

opportunity to network. 

2. REACH NEW CUSTOMERS 

- To business prospects and newcomers, 

the Temecula Chamber 

represents the community’s “front 

door.” The TVCC wishes to cater 

to all business types, including 

the growing number of companies 

whose target markets increasingly 

come from an internet presence. 

For these companies, the Temecula 

Chamber offers opportunities 

for online promotion to meet the 

unique and individual needs of 

each business. 

3. CONTINUE LEARNING - The 

TVCC provides access to a complete 

list of members who embody 

the expertise needed to help manage 

issues that businesses face 

every day. Through workshops, 

speaking engagements, and personalized 

business counseling, 

Temecula Chamber members 

gather insight on common business 

and marketing problems and their 

solutions. 

4. LET PEOPLE KNOW YOU’RE 

HERE - The rewards of belonging 

to the Temecula Chamber are 

full-time representation and yearround 

results. The TVCC offers 

the ability to sponsor events and 

be featured on various publications 

and collateral distributed by the organization. 

This gives members an 

opportunity to market themselves 

with less legwork and a broader 

reach than face to face networking 

strategies. 

5. MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD 

- The TVCC’s ability to exert influence 

in national, state, and local 

legislation affecting businesses is 

evident now more than ever before. 

The Temecula Chamber connects 

local businesses with the regional 

Southwest California Legislative 

Council which focuses on job creation 

& business retention, budget 

and tax reform, public safety, 

healthcare, infrastructure & the 

environment. 

6. CONNECTIONS ARE KEY - 

Being a member gives you direct 

access to business and community 

leaders who share your economic, 

civic and social concerns. The 

TVCC is proudly known for creating 

community alliances and being 

a liaison for businesses like yours. 

7. KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON 

- Are you aware what is taking 

place around you in the Temecula 

Valley? We are dedicated to 

regional prosperity by informing 

our members of the latest business 

trends. 

8. WORK TOGETHER - The 

TVCC enables its members to 

accomplish collectively what no 

one could do individually. Cluster 

groups have been created for numerous 

business segments, ranging 

from manufacturing companies to 

restaurants to attorney services to 

healthcare and more. Connect on 

a personalized, unique level with 

others in your industry. 

9. THRIVE - Our activities, programs, 

and initiatives all serve 

one purpose – to make Temecula a 

better place to live, work, and play. 

10. BE PART OF SOMETHING - 

Become part of this prosperous 

community by being a member of 

the Temecula Valley Chamber of 

Commerce who has been helping 

businesses succeed since 1966. 

This is “Where Business Meets 

Opportunity.” 

Choose today to grow your 

business along with the Temecula 

Valley Chamber of Commerce! 

Visit the Chamber’s website at 

www.Temecula.org, call 951.676.5090 

or email kara@temecula.org for more 

information. Our team is here to help 

your business thrive! 

connect: www.Temecula.org 

“ 

This gives members an opportunity 

to market themselves with less 

legwork and a broader reach than 

face to face networking strategies.




Campsites on Sale March 7th 

Each year campsites at Lake Skinner 

during the Temecula Valley Balloon 

and Wine Festival sell out in less than 

an hour. Campers have the best seats in 

the house for the early morning hot air 

balloon launches as they awake to skies 

filled with colorful balloons. This year’s 

event is June 2-4, and reservations for 

campsites start at 8 a.m., March 7. All 

campsite reservations are made online 

at www.tvbwf.com. 

Regular campsites start at $325 for 

three days/ two nights and include two 

weekend combo passes. Each combo 

pass provides admission all three days 

of the Festival. 

There are a few Exclusive Festival 

Experience Packages still available. 

These packages include a full hook-up 

campsite, meet-and-greet for two with 

the entertainer of your choice, and two 

Cabana Club tickets for each day of 

the festival. Cabana Club is located at 

the Main Stage, and provides guests 

reserved seats in front of the stage, one 

catered meal, four complimentary beverages, 

special entrance and exit to concert 

seating, and private VIP restrooms. 

Lake Skinner Recreation Area is 

surrounded by the Shipley Preserve, a 

multispecies reserve. Whether flying 

aboard a *hot air balloon, or planted 

on terra firma, the Festival’s park-like 

setting is chocked full of natural beauty. 

The three-day event includes morning 

*hot air balloon launches, evening 

*balloon glows, wine tasting from up to 

20 wineries, concerts on two different 

stages, food and wine pairing, cooking 

with beer, and chef demonstrations. 

“Photographers love the visuals of 

the dawn balloon ascensions over the 

lake. Many times balloons land next to 

a campsite adding to fun,” stated Andrea 

Jacobson, executive director of the Festival. 

“This makes camping during the 

event the extreme Festival experience,” 

she added. 

*All balloon events are weather 

permitting for the safety of all guests. 

For information, visit www.tvbwf.com 

or call (951) 676-6713. 

www.tvbwf.com




31 

Ken Rice 

to Receive a Great Honor for 

Musical Achievement 

Ken Rice, Owner, Operator, Teacher & Instrument Repair 

Man of Temecula’s “Little Shop Of Horns” for the 

past 19 years, is about to receive another great honor 

for musical achievement. 

by Tom Plant 

His 70’s Band “The Fabulous Flippers” will be receiving their 

3rd U.S. State Induction into The South Dakota R & R Hall of Fame 

On April 21st & 22nd, where each of his proud 7 band members will 

be presented with Prominent Plaques, and they will perform a Live 

R & R Concert for hundreds. 

“Music has always been my life” Ken Said & he is also a nightly 

& well received entertainer. “I don’t know any Saxophone players 

can sing great too, and play everything from Sinatra to Emenim” said 

one his many faithful followers. He provides everything musical from 

his Single to a 6 piece band, and there are NO disappointed clients. 

Ken Rice has played his incredible sax and/or sang with select 

members of the San Diego Symphony, Robert Gordy of Motown, 

The Stylistics, Little Richard, Poco, Billy Preston, Smoky Robinson, 

Harry Dean Stanton, Gloria Gaynor, Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Depp, 

Slash, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes live in Berlin, Thelma 

Houston, Johnny Hodges, Cat Anderson, POCO, Freida Payne, Jay 

McShan, Marvin Gaye (Golden Hall San Diego 1 year before his 

passing) The Chi-lites, Barry White in Germany, and more Recently 

with Virgil Gibson of the Original Platters. There are many photos 

and awards displayed proudly in his shop. 

Volunteering for many fund raisers in his community, in 2014, 

and again in 2016 he was presented with THE PRESIDENT’S 

“CALL TO SERVICE AWARD”, plus 2 letters of Congratulations 

signed by The President of The United States, displayed proudly in 

his shop as well as many Photos not to be missed. Although Sax is 

his most loved instrument, he plays clarinet, trumpet, piano, & guitar. 

On March 3rd many of his friends are having a “Surprise” 

6pm FREE Concert/Dance at THE CANYON LAKE COUNTRY 

CLUB, (open to the public) to help raise the funds for him to make 

this incredible Journey into his past, which will become yet another 

future memory. 

It seems “Music” will always be his life. See his site at www. 

kenricemusic.com to learn about him, his distinguished U.S. military 

service and listen to his music. Or just give him a call at (951) 

694-5554. 

www.kenricemusic.com



32 March 2017

March 2017

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