VBJ March 18 online

Serving Southwest Riverside County Since 1989 

VOLUME 29, NUMBER 3 

MARCH 2018 

And... 

City of Temecula Welcomes 

New Entertainment Center 

Solutions for Sleep Apnea 

Temcula Chamber Student 

of the Month 

Murrieta Rotary 

Honors Five 

page 

7 

Is Anxiety 

Taking Over? 

page 23 

Your 

Business 

and the New 

TECHNOLOGY 

PEOPLE 

by Ted Saul 

Digital transformation, everything to the Internet, cloud, and technology refreshes. 

Welcome to the new world of computing. If your business isn’t currently 

experiencing some change in its use of digital tools, it will be soon. For those in the 

process, their customers will benefit from new methods of placing orders, completing 

transactions and connecting with your company. And while it’s important 

to keep up, technology evolution needs to coincide with a review and overhaul of 

the business processes behind their use. 

SEE PAGE 25 

Dan Stephenson 

Receives Lifetime 

Achievement Award 

from the Temecula Valley 

Chamber of Commerce 

SEE PAGE 30 

2018 Veterans Service Awards 

Applications Now 

Being Accepted 

Nominations are now being accepted from individuals and groups 

for the 2018 Veterans Service Awards presented by State Senator Jeff 

Stone (R-Riverside County). 

SEE PAGE 1 

Southwest Healthcare 

System Recognized 

For Higher Quality in Maternity Care 

Several of the recipients of the 

SEE PAGE 20 2017 Veterans Service Award 

SEE PAGE 31 

Michelle’s Place Appoints 

New Fundraising/ 

Development Director 


Scott Chappell - Liberty 

Real Estate Services 

COMMUNITY 

page 

11 

HEALTH 

24 

REAL ESTATE 

27

www.TheValleyBusinessJournal.com 

THE VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL 

2 March 2018

March 2018 



3







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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 

Tom Plant 

Esther Phahla 

Dr. Dennis Petersen 

Steve Amante 

Dr. Derek Albrecht 

Monique deGroot 

John Messina 

Andrea Shoup 

Gloria Wolnick 

Dr. Drake Levasheff 

Tim Freese 

Mary Gram 

John & Christine Hamby 

Heather Petersen 

David Grabhorn 

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS 

Cy Rathbun 

Todd Montgomery 

Kip A. Cothran 

Tom Plant 

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7 

Murrieta Rotary 

Honors Five with 

Vocational Services 

Awards 

The Rotary Club of Murrieta 

awarded Vocational Service Awards 

to three City of Murrieta firemen, a 

police officer and a Murrieta Valley 

Unified School District teacher during 

a luncheon, Monday, January 29. The 

annual awards luncheon was held at 

the Loma Linda Medical Center and 

was attended by elected officials, community 

and business leaders. 

The three Murrieta Fire and Rescue 

firemen included Captain Todd 

Bradstreet, Captain Sean DeGrave and 

Fire Engineer Mike Macalinao. They 

were honored for their heroic actions 

in rescuing a family of four whose pick 

up was stuck in raging rain waters in 

January 2017. 

Juvenile Detective/School Resource 

Officer Joshua Rodriguez of 

the Murrieta Police Department was 

honored for his work with the Police 

Explorer program which has grown to 

a maximum of 36 Explorers. 

Joel Levin, who teaches information 

communication technology 

at Murrieta Valley High School, was 

In this issue 

honored for his work with the school’s 

Virtual Enterprise program which has 

won state and national honors. 

“The Rotary Club is honored to 

recognize these upstanding citizens 

who through their work are making 

huge contributions to our community,” 

Rotary Club President Vickie Ashmore 

said. “These individuals exemplify the 

standards of Rotary, including ‘Service 

Above Self’ and the Four Way Test 

which stresses integrity and fairness 

while building good will and better 

friendships.” 

The honorees were nominated by 

their respective agencies for their distinguished 

vocational and community 

service. 

The Rotary Club of Murrieta was 

chartered on April 28, 1992. The club 

is involved in many international and 

community projects, in cooperation 

with Rotary International, which has as 

its theme “Service Above Self.” Club 

meetings are held Mondays (excepting 

holidays) at noon at Richie’s Diner in 

Murrieta. 

Two of Murrieta Rotary’s 

Vocational Service Award 

winners (from left): 

Detective/School 

Resource Officer Joshua 

Rodriguez and Murrieta 

Valley High School’s Joel 

Levin are congratulated by 

Murrieta Mayor Jonathan 

Ingram (left) and Rotary 

President Vickie Ashmore. 

PHOTO: CY RATHBUN 

Murrieta Rotary’s 

2018 Vocational 

Service Awardees 

included (from left): 

Todd Bradstreet, 

Sean DeGrave and 

Mike Macalinao, all 

from Murrieta Fire 

and Rescue. 

Your Business and the New Technology 1 

Southwest Healthcare System Recognized 1 

Dan Stephenson Receives Lifetime Achievement Award 1 

2018 Veterans Service Award Applications 1 

Community 7-12 

Shareholder-Employee of an S Corporation 14 

EXECUTIVE PROFILE | Drake Levasheff 10 

The New Tax Law and Business Planning: What You Need to Know 16 

Thinking of Going into Business with Others? As Right Questions 16 

A Trip to the Dentist 19 

Students of the Month 19 

Lip Care 20 

Heartburn & Acid Reflux 20 

8 Nutrition Trends, Explained 21 

To See or Not to C 22 

Southern California Chapter of the United Spinal Association 22 

Is Anxiety Taking Over? 23 

Solutions for Sleep Apnea 24 

EXECUTIVE PROFILE | Dione Moser 25 

The Trump Slump! 26 

Scott Chappell - Liberty Real Estate Services 27 

Arts & Entertainment 28-31 

March ‘18







9 

Keeping Your Aging Parent’s 

Home Safe 

Provided by John and Christine Hamby 

It is important to keep everyone 

safe in your family. It’s especially 

important when it comes to your aging 

parents. FirstLight Home Care has put 

together a list of safety tips to help 

prevent falls and accidents and keep 

your parent’s home safe. 

Start with the exterior of their 

home. Walk around the home to check 

out the condition of sidewalks, handrails, 

lighting and vegetation or shrubs. 

Uneven sidewalks, loose handrails, 

poor lighting and overgrown landscaping 

could become a trip hazard. Move 

and put away outdoor furniture, flower 

pots and gardening tools that could 

obstruct their pathway. 

Secure all points of entry. Inspect 

all windows and doors for weak 

or faulty locking mechanisms. Make 

sure they lock properly. During the 

summer months, be sure to secure any 

window air conditioning units with a 

metal bracket, sliding window locks 

or steel corner braces to prevent them 

from being pushed into or pulled out 

of the home. Make sure your parents 

are locking all windows and doors and 

that they are not leaving a back door 

unlocked or a window open when 

they’re not at home, are home alone or 

at night before they go to bed. 

Check exterior lighting on their 

property. The front porch lights 

should be strong enough to illuminate 

the entrance and front yard. Other 

lighting around the exterior – near the 

garage, backdoor or alley – should 

also be lit. Motion sensors for exterior 

lights can be helpful because they don’t 

require your parents to remember to 

turn on or off. 

Move inside and check around 

the home. This is the place your aging 

parents will spend most of their 

time. It is important to check the ease 

and accessibility to all rooms in their 

home. Make sure furniture is not obstructing 

walkways. Remove throw 

rugs to avoid tripping. Reposition floor 

lamps so that they don’t trip on cords. 

Purchase nightlights and place them 

throughout the house in case they get 

up at night. Clear away all things from 

the floor, including things like pet toys 

and bedding, stacks of newspapers 

or magazines. Make sure stairs have 

secure handrails on both sides of the 

stairs and that the end of the stairs 

is clearly marked (top and bottom). 

Check that smoke and carbon-monoxide 

detectors are working. 

Once you have assessed the exterior 

and interior of the home, and fixed 

necessary issues, it’s now time to talk 

to your parents about home safety. 

Walk them through the changes that 

have been made, discuss their needs 

and concerns about their safety while 

living independently in their home, and 

continue to modify and discuss their 

needs as time goes on. 

For more information on how to 

keep your aging parent’s safe while 

living independently, visit https:// 

www.firstlighthomecare.com/ 

This article is provided by John and 

Christine Hamby, Owner, FirstLight 

Home Care of Temecula. For more 

information, visit us online at www. 

temecula.FirstLightHomeCare.com or 

call us at 951-395-0821. 

Remove throw rugs 

to avoid tripping. 

Reposition floor lamps 

so that they don’t trip 

on cords.




EXECUTIVE PROFILE | Drake Levasheff 

Empowering people to pursue their calling is one of my greatest 

joys in life, so when offered the opportunity to lead Azusa 

Pacific’s Murrieta Regional Campus last year, I jumped at the 

chance. During my time in the area, I have been delighted to 

see so much good. Murrieta and the surrounding region deeply 

impress me—this is such a welcoming community blessed 

with outstanding community leaders in government, education, 

business, and non-profit! I meet countless Azusa Pacific alumni 

who are making a difference in their spheres of influence. Our 

dedicated students who come to us to get the training they need 

to pursue vocation in education, business, criminal justice, leadership, 

and psychology inspire me. 

Perhaps the most energizing part of my long career in higher 

education is seeing students overcome serious obstacles to 

pursue their divinely-inspired calling. My wife and I are not 

strangers to challenges–– we lost our two-and-a-half-year-old 

son Judson to a rare disease 10 years ago. Yet, somehow, by the 

grace of God, I was able to complete my doctoral degree that 

was only half-finished when we lost Judson. Now, when I see 

students achieve their educational goals against long odds, I am 

moved—what better gift can education offer to our community 

than people who endured the brokenness of our world and emerge 

with purpose and compassion! 

AFFILIATIONS 

Shortly after our son’s passing, my wife and I founded Judson’s 

Legacy, a ministry of faith and hope in suffering. Through this 

nonprofit, we serve families of terminally-ill children, walking 

with them through their heartache and beyond. We also speak 

to groups about issues of faith, suffering, and grief. I serve on 

a few boards, including the Institute for Community Impact in 

Orange County and as an elder at our home church. 

BUSINESS PHILOSOPHIES 

An organization is only as strong as its adherence to its mission 

and core values. At its heart, Azusa Pacific University puts God 

first. So, we seek to honor Him by doing everything with excellence. 

We value people because He created them in His image. 

We engage and serve our community in Southwest Riverside 

County because God loves it. (How can he not?!) We don’t just 

educate students, we cultivate difference makers who will bless 

our local community and transform our world. 

One of the most important things I can do as a leader is keep our 

team focused on our mission and core values. I am constantly 

reminding them of these things. We celebrate when we tangibly 

live out our values. And I try to help the team see what it means 

to our community when we do. 

FAVORITE SPORT 

I am a big fan of basketball and of the Lakers, who have been 

dreadful the last few years. I enjoy walking and do so daily. 

MENTORS 

My doctoral advisor at UCLA Scott Bartchy modeled excellence 

as a professor and scholar and helped me see God’s 

compassion for the poor and marginalized. 

FAVORITE READING 

I’ve always been partial to J.R. Tolkein’s The Lord of the Rings. 

It speaks to our situation—that we are made for adventure in 

a world that is both broken and blessed. 

GOALS 

I want to be faithful to God’s calling on my life. And I want to 

savor what he has given me: my wife and 11-year-old daughter, 

family and close friends, and meaningful work. 

RESUME 

I completed my bachelor’s degree and met my wife at Biola 

University. After beginning a career in higher education there, 

I returned to school full-time for my master’s degree at Talbot 

School of Theology and later completed my Ph.D. in Early 

Christian History. After serving at other private institutions, I 

started at Azusa Pacific University at Director of their Orange 

County Regional Campus four year ago. 

I now serve as Senior Director of Azusa 

Pacific’s Orange County and Murrieta 

Regional Campuses and adjunct faculty 

at Azusa Pacific Seminary. 

BIRTHPLACE 

I’m a native Californian, born in Westminster.




11 

Get to Know EVMWD at the 

Splash into Spring Event 

Michelle’s Place Appoints New 

Fundraising/Development Director 

and Executive Board Member 

Free event 

showcases water reliability, 

conservation and treatment 

through interactive displays 

Join Elsinore Valley Municipal Water 

District (EVMWD) for the Annual 

Community Water Festival on Saturday, 

March 24 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at its 

headquarters, located at 31315 Chaney 

Street in Lake Elsinore. At this free family 

event, attendees will learn about the 

process EVMWD uses to treat more than 

5.5 million gallons of sewer water per 

day, the construction and maintenance of 

over 700 miles of pipeline throughout the 

EVMWD service area and saving money 

and water with a more water efficient 

home and landscape. 

EVMWD staff share their daily 

work at the District through a variety of 

demonstrations and interactive displays. 

Activities include fixing a leaky water 

main, operating a fire hydrant, cleaning 

up a polluted watershed and exploring 

pipes with robotics and video cameras. 

A crowd favorite is a tour of the facility’s 

sewer treatment plant, where visitors take 

a journey through the plant to see how 

waste water becomes recycled water, 

The Government Finance Officers 

Association (GFOA) presented the City 

of Temecula the Distinguished Budget 

Presentation Award for its budget. According 

to GFOA, the award represents 

a significant achievement by the City of 

Temecula and reflects the commitment of 

the City Council and staff to meeting the 

highest principles of governmental budgeting. 

In order to receive the budget award, 

Temecula satisfied nationally recognized 

guidelines for effective budget presentation. 

These guidelines are designed to assess 

how well an entity’s budget serves as: 

• A policy document 

• A financial plan 

• An operations guide 

• A communications device 

Budget documents must be rated “proficient” 

in all four categories, and in the 

fourteen mandatory criteria within those 

categories, to receive the award. 

Temecula Mayor Matt Rahn states, 

“Temecula receives this award every year, 

and it is a direct result of being transparent 

and accountable with the City’s finances 

and budget.” 

There are over 1,600 participants in 

the Budget Awards Program. The most 

recent Budget Award recipients, along with 

their corresponding budget documents, are 

which is used for irrigation. 

Other activities for the day include 

a visit from EVMWD’s own Elsinore 

Eddie, Lake Elsinore Storm mascot 

Thunder, and the Lake Elsinore/San Jacinto 

Watershed Authority’s Bessie the 

Bass. American Medical Response and 

the Riverside County Sheriff’s Explorers 

program will bring emergency vehicles 

for children to explore. Tours of Elsinore 

Eddie’s Efficient Gardens at the headquarters 

are also a highlight of the event, 

giving visitors an idea of how beautiful a 

water efficient landscape can be. 

Landscape and irrigation experts, 

UCCE Master Gardeners, local nurseries, 

irrigation specialists, and home improvement 

stores will be available to answer 

your questions about outdoor irrigation, 

California-Friendly plants, gardening, 

and water saving appliances and devices. 

To learn more, visit www.evmwd.com/ 

Splash or call (951) 674-3146. 

evmwd.com/Splash 

City of Temecula Receives Distinguished 

Budget Presentation Award for its Budget 

posted quarterly on GFOA’s website www. 

gfoa.org. Award recipients, including the 

City of Temecula, have pioneered efforts 

to improve the quality of budgeting and 

provide an excellent example for other 

governments throughout North America. 

Government Finance Officers Association 

is a major professional association 

servicing the needs of more than 19,000 

appointed and elected local, state, and 

provincial-level government officials and 

other finance practitioners. It provides 

top quality publications, training programs, 

services, and products designed 

to enhance the skills and performance of 

those responsible for government finance 

policy and management. The association 

is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with 

offices in Washington D.C. 

Michelle’s Place Breast Cancer 

Resource Center, a support organization 

serving those living with breast 

cancer since 2001, has announced 

the appointment of Nancy Harvey as 

its new fundraising and development 

director and Cyndi Light as its newest 

executive board member. 

Nancy comes with a development 

background in the banking industry 

developing new business partners, implementing 

new leadership programs, 

and providing administrative coordination. 

Prior to this appointment Nancy 

was the events and major gifts manager 

with Rancho Damacitas Children and 

Family Services. She currently serves 

on the Board of the Rotary Club of 

Temecula as the youth services director. 

“I am thrilled that Nancy has joined 

our amazing team at Michelle’s Place. 

I look forward to working with her on 

our events!” said Kim Gerrish, CFRE, 

executive director of Michelle’s Place. 

“Her caring heart and kind spirit is a 

perfect match for Michelle’s Place.” 

In her new role as fundraising and 

development director, Nancy will be 

responsible for leading and expanding 

Michelle’s Place’s development efforts, 

helping community members and 

others find mutually beneficial ways 

to successfully engage in Michelle’s 

Place’s vital mission. Nancy is looking 

forward to working with the passionate 

people involved at Michelle’s Place 

from the executive board and advisory 

members who give selflessly of their 

knowledge, talents and time, to the 

amazing staff committed to quality, 

integrity and support with clients and 

the public. 

“I am so honored to be a part of a 

team of women that bring inspiration, 

hope and comfort to women battling 

Cyndi Light 

breast cancer,” said Nancy. “My goal 

is to raise much needed funds to grow 

the scope of services provided at Michelle’s 

Place.” 

Cyndi Light is a Senior Vice President 

and Partner at Coldwell Banker 

Commercial Sudweeks Group. She 

plays a vital role in the commercial 

sales and leasing department. Cyndi 

has over 25 years of experience from 

Corporate America as a Director of 

Business Development in the Telecommunications 

industry before getting 

into Commercial Real Estate. 

“It is my pleasure to have worked 

with Cyndi through the Temecula Rotary 

Club. I am thrilled to have her join 

our Executive Board,” said Kim Gerrish, 

Executive Director. “She brings 

experience as a cancer survivor, passion 

for our community and women dealing 

with breast cancer, and dedication to 

service.” 

Cyndi currently serves on the 

board of the Rotary Club of Temecula 

and Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Inland 

Empire. Cyndi is excited to join the 

board at Michelle’s Place to apply her 

knowledge and expertise in a way that 

will make a lasting different for those 

impacted by breast cancer. 

“As a recent breast cancer survivor, 

I want to help spread the word about 

Michelle’s Place and help the Center 

grow throughout the Inland Empire,” 

reported Cyndi. 

Michelle’s Place Breast Cancer Resource 

Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit 

organization empowering individuals 

and families dealing with breast cancer 

through education and support 

services. For more information, visit 

www.michellesplace.org. 

michellesplace.org 

Nancy Harvey




Honoring Tomorrow’s Leaders 

by 

Steve Liapis 

Successful, motivated young adults 

transitioning from foster care to self-sufficiency 

will soon have an exciting, new 

opportunity for stable housing and support 

– “The Honor Home” – a community 

project of Rancho Damacitas Children 

& Family Services. Recognizing the 

need in our community, the non-profit 

organization with a 35-year history of 

serving foster children has been offering 

a unique transitional housing program 

called Project Independence since 2012. 

The program serves promising young 

adults exiting the foster care system and 

other well-deserving community youth. 

With land purchased in the fall of 

2016, the organization has partnered with 

long-time supporters, Lennar Homes, De 

Luz Women’s Club and other dedicated 

community members, to build a beautiful, 

new, Lennar Next Gen home in 

Murrieta, California. 

The two-story home features 5 

individual bedrooms/bathrooms for 

our young adults and a separate “home 

within a home” for a Resident Advisor / 

Mentor who’ll provide guidance, support 

and bring residents together for family 

occasions. As construction nears completion, 

an Open House and Dedication 

Ceremony are being planned for March 

23rd, 2018, with young adults set to 

begin moving in by late March/early 

April 2018. 

Those selected for this special opportunity 

have earned the right to participate 

and are being honored for their 

bravery, resiliency and hard work. They 

have already demonstrated a measure of 

success and possess both the attitude and 

ambition to achieve more. Steadily, day 

by day, they are rising above their painful 

pasts and soaring toward a brighter 

future. 

Despite limited resources, their potential 

is limitless, many of them pursuing 

higher education and/or working full/ 

part-time jobs. All young adult residents 

are required to contribute to a monthly 

cost of living payment and provide for 

their own food. 

Help us honor and encourage these inspiring 

leaders of tomorrow! To learn 

more about this unique project and/or 

how you can support them with a college 

scholarship, please contact Kristi 

Piatkowski at (951) 302-2317 ext. 238 

or email:kristi@4kidsfirst.org. 

kristi@4kidsfirst.org 

You need to know these... 

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Tina Steve M. Amante Gottlieb, D.C. 

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www.ladieswholaunch.com 

connect: www.amanteandassociates.com 

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www.thebossnetwork.org 

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www.shetakesontheworld.com 

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join.savorthesuccess.com 

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foundingmoms.com


Courtyard Hotel Opens in Murrieta 

Courtyard by Marriott Temecula 

Murrieta is now open for business 

in Murrieta, California. Featuring 

an innovative lobby space as well as 

Courtyard’s latest contemporary room 

design, the new hotel provides flexibility 

and choices that allow guests 

to optimize and elevate their travel 

experience. 

Located at 25419 Madison Avenue, 

the 183-room hotel will operate 

as a Marriott franchise, owned and 

managed by Advance Management 

& Investment, LLC of Kingman, Arizona. 

Whether traveling for business 

or pleasure, the Courtyard Temecula 

Murrieta offers guests convenient 

access to Pechanga Casino, Lake 

Elsinore Storm Baseball, Santa Rosa 

Plateau, Wine Country, and Old Town 

Temecula and Murrieta. 

Courtyard constantly researches 

trends and evolves to meet the changing 

needs of its guests. The latest 

room design offers hybrid zones for 

working, sleeping, relaxing and getting 

ready. Indirect lighting and a neutral, 

tone-on-tone color palette makes 

for a soothing and calm environment. 

“From day one, Courtyard has 

prided itself as a brand that listens 

to business travelers,” said Callette 

Nielsen, vice president and global 

brand manager, Courtyard. “Today’s 

technology has changed how people 

travel. Our guests want a room that 

has purpose and flexibility that enables 

a seamless transition between 

relaxing and working. Courtyard is 

designed to offer them a relaxing and 

functional space to work the way they 

want to, when they want to.” 

The new room design is intuitive 

and thoughtful, offering flexible 

yet comfortable spaces that enable 

technology. Upon arrival, guests can 

store bags on the “Luggage Drop” and 

plug personal devices into the “Tech 

Drop” ledge for seamless technology 

integration. 

Signature furniture and architectural 

elements replace traditional 

art in the new guestroom. The 

“LoungeAround” sofa offers a pop 

of color and a comfortable area for 

relaxing or for working. The new 

design also features a light desk on 

wheels, allowing guests to work from 

anywhere in the room. 

An upgraded, more spacious 

layout creates an enhanced bathroom 

experience. A “Shower Nook” 



housing shampoos and towels, makes 

amenities accessible without having to 

leave the shower. 

The Courtyard Temecula Murrieta 

features the brand’s latest lobby 

design, where guests can enjoy an 

open and modern environment outside 

of their rooms. The newly designed 

Bistro is the epicenter of the lobby, 

which fosters social connections and 

collaboration with more flexible and 

informal seating options. The Bistro 

offers guests a wide variety of “made 

to order” breakfast and dinner items, 

“grab and go” options, and also features 

an array of cocktails, beer and 

wine for guests to unwind at the end 

of the day. 

Throughout the hotel, guests can 

connect with ample electrical outlets. 

The business library features several 

computer terminals, along with a printer 

and separate computer stations dedicated 

solely to printing airline boarding 

passes and checking flight status. 

Green has been Courtyard’s signature 

color since Marriott launched 

the brand 30 years ago. Now it is even 

greener with the introduction of a 

guest recycling program for the environment. 

Receptacles for paper, glass, 

plastic and metal are conveniently 

located by side exits. 

The four-story hotel features an 

outdoor swimming pool, a rooftop 

lounge area, fitness center and guest 

laundry, and offers 2,679 square feet 

of meeting space to accommodate 

functions of up to 150 people. 

About Courtyard by Marriott Courtyard 

by Marriott offers a refreshing 

environment that helps guests stay connected, 

productive and balanced. Intuitive 

services and design accommodate 

guests’ needs for choice and control. 

With more than 1,100 locations in 

nearly 50 countries and territories, 

Courtyard is proud to participate in 

the industry’s award-winning loyalty 

program, Marriott Rewards® which 

includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®. 

Members can now link accounts with 

Starwood Preferred Guest® at members.marriott.com 

for instant elite 

status matching and unlimited points 

transfer. For more information or 

reservations, visit courtyard.marriott. 

com, become a fan on Facebook or 

follow @Courtyard Hotels on Twitter 

and Instagram. 

13 

Social Engineering: More than Just Phishing 

TECHNOLOGY 

by 

by 

Stefani 

Steve Fillingim 

Laszko 

You are probably tired of reading 

about email security with constant chatter 

about phishing attacks. I get it, I’ve 

written 3 other articles on the topic. This 

month I’d like to go a step further and 

discuss other ways that criminals gain 

you or your client’s information through 

different types of social engineering. 

Social engineering is the act of manipulating 

people by appealing to some 

angle of their human psyche. Phishing is 

the most talked about one but other top 

tactics include: pretexting, baiting, quid 

pro quo and tailgating. 

Pretexting involves a scammer who 

has a presented some sort of back story 

or pretense for speaking to you that 

sounds believable. Scammers will use 

this tactic to gain account information, 

names of contacts, etc. to use to their 

benefit. Pretexting is often just one component 

of a multi-layer scam. With each 

bit of information they gain, their next 

interaction with yourself or a co-worker 

becomes even more believable as they 

work in the new details they’ve gained 

into their story. 

Baiting involves a scammer offering 

something up in exchange for information 

from you. These types of scams are 

often seen with free music or software 

downloads. Though it may not be apparent 

to you, the scammer has gained access 

to your computer through the download. 

These types of scams can go undetected 

“ 

as the scammer is collecting information 

from your computer. 

Unlike baiting that provides some 

form of good, quid pro quo offers up 

some form of service. A popular scam is 

random calls made offering to fix your 

computer or the like. Victims are tricked 

into thinking they are speaking to someone 

from their software company and 

allow access to their system. 

Tailgating (or piggybacking) involves 

someone following you into a 

secure area. This happens constantly in 

apartment complexes, where one car just 

follows another one in. Larger corporations 

are usually protected from these 

types of scams as they often require door 

badges; but mid-sized companies are 

often used to outside clients, consultants, 

etc. visiting and may be more likely to 

allow someone to follow them in. 

Though these may be the four most 

popular social engineering tactics after 

phishing, this is nowhere near an exhaustive 

list. Tactics are only restricted 

to the level of creativity of a scammer. 

Some things to consider when trying 

to protect yourself and your business 

include: do not open emails from an untrusted 

source, do not give strangers the 

benefit of the doubt, slow down, reject 

requests of help from people you don’t 

know and take the time to research if 

something just feels “off”. These scams 

are not going anywhere, rather they are 

growing and evolving every day so you 

must remain diligent to protect yourself 

and your clients. 

Mythos Technology is an IT consulting 

and management firm that provides Managed 

Services including hosted cloud 

solutions. For more information, please 

visit www.mythostech.com or call (951) 

813-2672. 

mythostech.com 

Pretexting involves a scammer who 

has presented some sort of back story 

or pretense for speaking to you that 

sounds believable. Scammers will use 

this tactic to gain account information, 

names of contacts, etc. to use to their 

benefit. 

How Frankenstein’s Monster Came to Life 

Come celebrate the 200th anniversary 

of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein with 

two English professors from Mt. San 

Jacinto College, Susan Winslow and 

Audrey Holod, on Thursday, March 15th 

from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm at the Ronald H. 

Roberts Temecula Public Library. 

Discover how a haunted summer in 

Switzerland with five of the Romantic 

Period’s greatest writers culminated in a 

contest to write the best ghost story. From 

that summer a masterpiece was born. 

Explore the theme and symbolism 

of this classic while learning how they 

related to the author’s life and their relevance 

today. Join us for an evening all 

about Frankenstein’s creation. 

This Adult Program is sponsored by 

the Friends of the Temecula Libraries. 

Space is limited and carpooling is encouraged. 

For additional information, please 

call (951) 693-8900.




Shareholder-Employee of an S Corporation: 

Are You Paying Yourself Reasonable 

Compensation? 

FINANCIAL 

by 

Esther Phahla, 

CPA, CTC, MST 

An S corporation is a corporation 

that elects to pass its corporate income, 

losses, deductions and credits through to 

its shareholder(s). A shareholder of an 

S corporation reports the flow-through 

of income and losses on their personal 

tax returns and are assessed tax at their 

individual income tax rates. 

When a corporate officer performs 

services for the S corporation and receives 

or is entitled to receive payments, 

their compensation is generally considered 

wages. Does it mean the corporate 

officer is an employee? 

Who is an employee of the S corporation?: 

The IRS states specifically 

that corporate officers are employees 

and that companies must comply with 

all employment laws in relation to these 

employees, including: 1) Paying payroll 

taxes on their salaries and withholding 

federal and state income tax from these 

salaries; 2) Paying unemployment taxes 

and workers compensation taxes on the 

salaries. The fact that an officer is also a 

shareholder does not change the requirement 

that payments to the corporate 

officer be treated as wages. 

The IRS requires that all shareholders 

of S corporations who perform 

services for their company pay themselves 

Reasonable Compensation, and 

it should be paid prior to taking any 

distributions. S corporation shareholders 

don’t pay self-employment taxes 

(Social Security and Medicare) on 

their distribution from the business. 

Because S corporation income is not 

subject to self-employment tax, there is 

tremendous motivation for shareholder-employees 

to minimize their salary 

in favor of distributions. S corporations 

should not attempt to avoid paying employment 

taxes by having their officers 

treat their compensation as cash distributions, 

payments of personal expenses 

or loans rather than wages. The IRS 

has began taking aim at taxpayers who 

abused the employment tax advantage 

of S corporations by minimizing salary. 

Shareholder-employees who opted to 

forgo salary in favor of distributions, 

have found themselves in a situation 

where the courts have recharacterized 

the distributions as compensation under 

the principle that any employee 

who renders significant services to an 

employer must be paid “reasonable 

compensation.” 

What is Reasonable Compensation? 

Reasonable Compensation is 

defined by the IRS as “The value that 

would ordinarily be paid for like services 

by like enterprises under like circumstances”. 

Therefore, it is the salary 

or wages that you, the shareholder-employee 

of an S Corp, pay yourself for 

the work you perform for your company. 

Some factors considered by the 

courts in determining reasonable 

compensation are: 

• Training and experience 

• Duties and responsibilities 

• Time and effort devoted to the business 

• Dividend history 

• Payments to non-shareholder employees 

• Timing and manner of paying bonuses 

to key people 

• What comparable businesses pay for 

similar services 

• Compensation agreements 

• The use of a formula to determine 

compensation 

Another way to determine a reasonable 

salary for corporate officers is to 

look at what other companies of similar 

size and type pay for such services. 

As a shareholder employee, the key to 

establishing reasonable compensation 

is determining what you do for your S 

corporation. You might be doing more 

than just generating revenue for your 

business, you are probably also involved 

in administrative work. It is important 

that you research and document how you 

reach your Reasonable Compensation 

amount and be able to substantiate the 

salaries you are paying, that will help 

keep you on the right side of the IRS 

when it comes time for them to review 

your company’s tax returns. 

The best time to establish your Reasonable 

Compensation amount is before 

an IRS examination. You don’t have to 

figure out Reasonable Compensation 

on your own. There’s help. The issue of 

Reasonable Compensation and wages 

will play a bigger role starting in 2018 

with regards to the new 20% Qualified 

Business Income deduction for flow 

through entities, from the Tax Cuts and 

Jobs Act of 2017. 

Reminder tax deadline: S corporations 

and partnerships are due March 15, 

2018 (that follow the calendar year). If 

you need additional time to gather your 

tax information your extended due date 

will be September 17, 2018. 

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. 

estherphahlacpa.com




15 

Southwest Healthcare System Recognized 

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 

Blue Cross and Blue Shield has 

recognized Southwest Healthcare System’s 

Rancho Springs Medical Center 

with a Blue Distinction® Center for 

Maternity Care designation as part of 

the Blue Distinction Specialty Care 

program. Blue Distinction Centers are 

nationally designated hospitals that 

show expertise in delivering improved 

patient safety and better health outcomes, 

based on objective measures 

that were developed with input from 

the medical community. 

Nearly four million babies are 

born in the U.S. annually, making 

childbirth the most common cause of 

hospitalization, and cesarean sections 

the most common operating room procedures, 

according to National Centers 

for Health Statistics and the Agency 

for Healthcare Research & Quality 

(AHRQ). 

Reducing early elective delivery 

is an area of focus for the American 

College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists 

(ACOG) and the American Academy 

of Pediatrics (AAP). According 

to Health Affairs, elective inductions 

result in more cesarean deliveries and 

a longer maternal hospitalization. The 

Blue Distinction Centers for Maternity 

Care program evaluates hospitals on 

quality measures for vaginal and cesarean 

delivery. 

Rancho Springs Medical Center is 

proud to be recognized by Blue Cross 

and Blue Shield for meeting the rigorous 

Blue Distinction Center quality 

selection criteria for maternity care set 

by the Blue Distinction Specialty Care 

program. 

“This award is a reflection of the 

high quality of maternity service that 

our staff has displayed,” says Brad 

Neet, CEO of Southwest Healthcare 

System. “We strive each and every 

day to make the patient experience a 

top priority and it shows by our level 

of commitment.” 

Since 2006, the Blue Distinction 

Specialty Care program has helped patients 

find quality specialty care in the 

areas of bariatric surgery, cancer care, 

cardiac care, maternity care, knee and hip 

replacements, spine surgery and transplants, 

while encouraging health care 

professionals to improve the care they 

deliver. Research shows that, compared 

to other hospitals, those designated as 

Blue Distinction Centers demonstrate 

better quality and improved outcomes 

for patients. 

For more information about the program 

and for a complete listing of the 

designated facilities, please visit www. 

bcbs.com/bluedistinction. 

Inland Valley Medical Center is the 

only hospital in the region to offer Level 

II Trauma Services, the region’s only 

Total Joint Center and is a nationally 

recognized center for weight-loss surgery 

by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery 

Accreditation and Quality Improvement 

Program. 

Rancho Springs Medical Center features 

the largest Women’s Center in the 

region which includes the Rady Children’s 

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (Rady San 

Diego: Ranked 5th in the nation for neonatal 

care) and the da Vinci © Robotic Surgical 

System performing the region’s first 

virtually no-scar single site procedures. 

About Blue Cross Blue Shield Association 

- The Blue Cross and Blue Shield 

Association is a national federation of 

36 independent, community-based and 

locally operated Blue Cross and Blue 

Shield companies that collectively provide 

health care coverage for one in three 

Americans. BCBSA provides health care 

insights through The Health of America 

Report series and the national BCBS 

Health Index. For more information 

on BCBSA and its member companies, 

please visit bcbs.com. We also encourage 

you to connect with us on Facebook, 

check out our videos on YouTube, follow 

us on Twitter and check out our blog. 

About Blue Distinction Centers - 

Blue Distinction Centers (BDC) met 

overall quality measures for patient 

safety and outcomes, developed with 

input from the medical community. A 

Local Blue Plan may require additional 

criteria for providers located in its 

own service area; for details, contact 

your Local Blue Plan. Blue Distinction 

Centers+ (BDC+) also met cost measures 

that address consumers’ need for 

affordable health care. 

Each provider’s cost of care is 

evaluated using data from its Local Blue 

Plan. Providers in CA, ID, NY, PA, and 

WA may lie in two Local Blue Plans’ 

areas, resulting in two evaluations for 

cost of care; and their own Local Blue 

Plans decide whether one or both cost 

of care evaluation(s) must meet BDC+ 

national criteria. National criteria for 

BDC and BDC+ are displayed on 

www.bcbs.com. Individual outcomes 

may vary. For details on a provider’s 

in-network status or your own policy’s 

coverage, contact your Local Blue Plan 

and ask your provider before making an 

appointment. 

Neither Blue Cross and Blue Shield 

Association nor any Blue Plans are 

responsible for non-covered charges or 

other losses or damages resulting from 

Blue Distinction or other provider finder 

information or care received from Blue 

Distinction or other providers. 

“ The most significant 

part of the new tax 

law is the reduction in 

corporate tax rates 

from 35% to 21% 

“Would you like me 

to give you a formula 

for success? It’s quite 

simple, really: Double 

your rate of failure. 

You are thinking of 

failure as the enemy 

of success. But it isn’t 

at all. You can be 

discouraged by failure 

or you can learn from 

it, so go ahead and 

make mistakes. Make 

all you can. Because 

remember that’s 

where you will find 

success.” 

~ Thomas J. Watson




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The New Tax Law and Business Planning: 

What You Need to Know 

LEGAL 

by by 

Andrea Steve Fillingim Shoup 

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act recently 

signed into law has implications 

for personal tax planning and estate 

planning, but its primary effect is on 

all sizes of businesses. If you are a 

business owner (or plan to start a new 

business) there are some important 

changes to keep in mind that may 

affect your business structure and 

strategies. 

20% Deduction for “Pass-Through 

Businesses” 

95% of US businesses use “passthrough” 

business structures for taxation. 

These include sole proprietors, 

partnerships and S-corporations, 

where the business income is essentially 

taxed as personal income, at the 

corresponding personal tax rate. 

The new law now provides for 

a 20% deduction on that income, a 

change that is bound to benefit some 

small to medium size business owners 

by lowering their tax bill. However, 

there is a caveat where service-based 

businesses (lawyers, accountants, 

doctors, etc.) can only claim the deduction 

if their annual income is less 

than $315,000 for married couples, or 

$157,000 for single filers. 

The definition of ‘service-based’ 

business in the new law is far from 

clear, and some business owners are 

considering ways to shift or diversify 

their work activity in order to claim 

the deduction. 

Corporate Tax Rate Lowered From 

35% to 21% 

The most significant part of the 

new tax law is the reduction in corporate 

tax rates from 35% to 21%. 

Lower corporate taxes could motivate 

some businesses to convert to a corporate 

tax structure, especially if they 

fall within the exception to the 20% 

business income deduction. 

Selecting a Business Structure 

Many small businesses choose to 

use a simple legal and tax structure for 

their business, to avoid the paperwork 

and administration of a C corporation. 

This is probably still the right choice 

for businesses with a mid-level income, 

but in some cases the new tax law might 

make the C corporation election more 

beneficial. 

Naturally, this is a complex decision 

that requires the advice of both 

tax and legal professionals to evaluate 

the effect of tax reform on existing and 

planned business structures. Here are 

some of the key factors that you might 

have to consider in your business planning 

process: 

• The type of business you own 

(service or capital goods, or some 

combination). 

• The amount of pass-through income 

(after deductions) for service-type 

businesses. 

• Whether a C corporation structure is 

suitable for your business, and how 

it might affect partners, investors or 

family members. 

• What steps are needed to convert 

your existing business structure, and 

if the tax savings is worth the effort 

and expense. 

• Accelerating expenses to decrease 

business income. 

• How your business is included in 

your estate plan, along with the distribution 

of ownership after death. 

• Business succession planning for 

family businesses. 

• How to maximize retirement fund 

contributions or charitable giving to 

reduce annual income. 

If you are a business owner and 

have questions about how tax reform 

might affect your company’s taxable 

income, now is a good time to consult 

your attorney and accountant. The tax 

law is in effect for 2018, and choices 

that you make now will affect this 

year’s tax bill. 

Please contact Andrea Shoup at 

951-445-4114 for guidance on estate 

planning and business planning under 

the new tax reform act. 

951-296-9090 

Teampulido.com 

“ 

The most significant part of the new 

tax law is the reduction in corporate 

tax rates from 35% to 21% 

New hires? Awards? Promotions? 

Share your news with us




Thinking of Going into Business with Others: Ask 

the Right Questions to Avoid the Wrong Outcome 

LEGAL 

by 

John Messina, Esq. 

The last thing I wanted to do after 

graduating from law school was practice 

law as a civil litigation attorney. The contentious 

nature of the litigants and their 

attorneys, combined with the gamesmanship 

of it all, makes most rational beings 

avoid the courtroom like the plague. But, 

what do I do? I’m a civil litigation attorney, 

and I cannot think of anything else 

I’d rather do for a living. However, my 

clients, understandably, do not share my 

enthusiasm for the litigation process. For 

them it equates to torment and reversal 

of fortune. For many, a victory does not 

necessarily mean a “win” and even the 

prevailing party may feel like the loser 

after considering the litigation costs and 

emotional strain. 

Litigation is society’s way of righting 

a wrong but, truth-be-told, so many issues 

litigated today need never have been the 

subject of a lawsuit. With business litigation, 

had people just dealt with the “What 

ifs?” prior to formalizing their business 

relationships, they would not later have to 

deal with the “What now?” It’s the “What 

now?” that ultimately serves as the foundation 

for bitter litigation. Friendships and 

families are forever divided over matters 

that could have easily been avoided if, 

during the excitement of the proposed 

business venture, simple “What if” questions 

were asked and honestly answered 

by all parties. Some of these “What if” 

questions are illustrated in this story. 1 

Michael, a longtime client, owned a 

manufacturing company. Michael came to 

incorporate his business and relied on my 

legal expertise for his company, vendor, 

employee, and customer contracts. It was 

no surprise when he asked me to create the 

documents under which Andrew, a long 

time trusted friend and employee, was to 

become a shareholder. 

Andrew and Michael had been working 

together for over three years and 

Michael appreciated Andrew’s efforts 

in helping him grow his business. Both 

were excited about the prospect of Andrew 

becoming an owner and wanted the 

legal “paperwork” completed quickly. As 

instructed, Michael clarified it to Andrew 

it was important for him to have separate 

legal representation because I was solely 

acting as Michael’s attorney and had to 

act in his best interest. Andrew agreed and 

retained an attorney to assist him. 

As happens usually, the parties are so 

excited about the future they consciously 

avoid discussions which might dampen 

their enthusiasm or jinx the entire venture. 

Michael and Andrew were no exception. 

Michael, however, being a little more 

sophisticated than many, resisted the 

temptation to proceed without addressing 

fundamental “What if” questions and 

asked Andrew: 

1. What if Andrew, you or I decide we 

want to devote less than our “full-time” 

efforts to this company; how are we 

to address our respective ownership 

interest? 

2. What if the company, needs an infusion 

of money; are you Andrew willing to 

obligate yourself on a loan or will you 

be willing to contribute some of your 

own cash? 

3. What if either you or I become sick 

or incapacitated and cannot work for 

an extended period; how are we to 

equitably compensate the burdened 

shareholder. 

4. Andrew, knowing I hope to retain the 

controlling interest; how will we address 

growth where we might deem it 

in our best interest to extend an offer 

of ownership to others? How might we 

handle the dilution of interest? 

5. What if one of us should die; how are 

our families to be treated? 

6. What if we reach an impasse regarding 

a business decision; how shall our impasse 

be ultimately resolved? 

7. What if one of us, independent of the 

other, does something that causes the 

company to get sued? Who will pay 

for the cost? Who will pay for the increased 

insurance premiums? 

While there are a numerous other 

“What if” questions, just posing these 

few can sometimes lead to unexpected 

revelations. In Michael and Andrew’s 

case, Michael found out Andrew was 

not interested in the responsibilities that 

come with ownership. Andrew decided, 

after considering the “What ifs”, he would 

rather be an employee working in another 

industry. Andrew left Michael’s company 

and they parted as friends. Had Andrew 

become an owner, his lack of commitment 

would have soon become an issue. Just a 

few months after Andrew left, demand 

for a product developed by Michael skyrocketed 

and Michael was forced to infuse 

the company with over $200,000 to cover 

production costs. Michael launched his 

company to the next level and remains the 

sole shareholder. 

Bottom line; business formations, 

with even just one other person, must be 

treated with the same care and consideration 

one would give to the most important 

decisions of their life. When you consider 

all the time and money you will spend 

building your business, in contrast to 

losing it all because of inadequate agreements 

and documentation, stellar legal 

representation at the formation stage is a 

must. Operation agreements, shareholder 

agreements, management agreements, 

buy-sell agreements are expensive but 

still only a fraction of the cost of litigation. 

1 The story is based on “real life” events 

however; the facts and parties are highly 

disguised to protect my client’s privacy and, 

selfishly, my career. 

John Messina, Founding Partner of 

Messina & Hankin LLP, has offices in the 

Temecula Valley and Newport Beach – 

John can be reached at (951) 894-7332 or 

at JMessina@MessinaHankinLaw.com. 

17


18 www.TheValleyBusinessJournal.com 


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A Trip to the Dentist 

EDUCATION 

by 

by 

Drake Levasheff, PhD. 


This week, a member of my team had 

dental work and it got me thinking about 

our organizations and customer service 

to twentysomethings. Since we have so 

many students in this age range, it turned 

out to be a good thought exercise for me 

as I considered our service. Britney is 

26 years old, and she just moved to the 

campus. She was having trouble with her 

bottom right wisdom tooth, so she began 

looking online for dentist. 

Britney started her search by looking 

online. This begs the question: how 

many of us have Yelp and Google pages 

for our business? For those who do, 

how well are we monitoring them? Is 

our correct contact information posted? 

Are the offices hours up-to-date? Do we 

have an offer posted on the page for new 

customers? And have we responded to 

feedback listed on the page? These are 

all questions we need to answer to serve 

customers in the digital age, especially 

twentysomethings who innately turn to 

their smart phones to find an answer. 

She was only having trouble with 

one of her bottom wisdom teeth, so Britney’s 

plan was to have only the bottom 

teeth taken out. Like many people, she 

was apprehensive about having dental 

work done, and wanted to do was only 

absolutely necessary. When she went to 

the first dentist she found, she was told 



that she did not have the option of taking 

only the bottom two teeth out. The dentist 

office explained that it was best to do all 

four teeth at once and would not give 

her the option to extract just the bottom 

teeth. Understandably, Britney decided 

not to do business with that dentist since 

he was trying to force her into removing 

all four. Rightly or wrongly, his inflexibility 

led her to conclude that he was 

more interested in the bottom line than 

in her concerns. 

Britney had a much better experience 

with the second dentist. He did a much 

better job of understanding her apprehension, 

listened well, and got her business. 

Rather than pushing her to have all four 

teeth extracted, the dentist explained the 

benefits of doing it all at once but left the 

decision to Britney. He recognized that 

her apprehension was a potential barrier, 

and calmly walked her through the process. 

Giving her control was critical to 

getting her business. 

Britney had her wisdom teeth pulled 

yesterday and is satisfied with the work 

that was done. She is resting at home, 

with some pain, and had all four wisdom 

teeth removed—yes, all four teeth! A day 

or two before the procedure, she decided 

to have them all extracted was the best 

approach for her. And the dentist with the 

up-to-date Yelp page, who listened and 

understood the potential barrier to getting 

her business, was able to serve her this 

time and could have Britney’s business 

for a very long time. 

Dr. Drake Levasheff is Senior Director 

of Azusa Pacific University’s Murrieta 

Regional Campus. He can be reached via 

email at dlevasheff@apu.edu. 

dlevasheff@apu.edu 

Your Local Chambers 

Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce 

www.temecula.org 

Murrieta/Wildomar Chamber of Commerce 

www.MWCoC.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. 

Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce 

19 

FEBRUARY STUDENTS OF THE MONTH 

HONORED 

Student honorees pictured from left 

to right in the front row: 

Lindsey Gelinas, TVHS; 

Jay Wilson, CHS; 

Kamen Redfield, Rancho Christian HS; 

Alexis Ellgard, Tem Preparatory HS; 

Caesar Andre De La Fuente. GOHS; 

Yummi Liu, Linfield Christian HS.




Lip Care 

Healthy 

Living 

by 

Tina Monique M. Gottlieb, deGroot D.C. 

We gloss them, we sometimes paint 

them red, and we balm them. But sometimes 

we forget that our lips are part of 

our skin and they’re susceptible to the 

same issues as our knees, elbows, and 

anywhere else that can get unusually dry 

and irritated. 

The skin on our lips is thinner than 

elsewhere which allows blood vessels to 

be visible and the lips to have a pink/red 

color. Lips have a lesser amount of oil 

glands and no ability to create the sun-filtering 

natural melanin which means they 

have virtually no protection of their own. 

Dehydration and cold weather can 

cause lips to become chapped, dry, and 

cracked. But cold weather isn’t the only 

season that causes lip trouble. Dry air, sun 

and wind will equally dry your lips out. 

Think of your lips like a sponge. 

When exposed to water they absorb moisture 

and plump up. However, when they 

are dehydrated they dry up and shrink. 

Remember, your lips are always exposed 

so they’re prone to endure the most during 

harsher seasons. 

In order to keep your lips nice and 

healthy, you must protect them at all 

times. Regular use of lip balm offers the 

fastest remedy for chapped lips. But here 

are some other tips to avoid lip issues: 

Drink Enough Water – We all know 

this is important for overall health, but it’s 

also essential for hydrated lips. 

Exfoliate 1-2 Times a Week – Lip 

exfoliators can slough off dead skin and 

encourage skin renewal. But exfoliate 

with caution. If you already have extremely 

chapped or cracked lips make sure they 

heal a bit before starting this step. Also, 

don’t scrub too hard. Your lips are already 

very thin, so you don’t need too much 

pressure when exfoliating. 

Kick the Licking Habit – Your lips 

already don’t have much of a protective 

barrier. So, when you’re constantly 

licking your lips you damage the little 

protection that have. 

Give them Protection – Lips are 

very susceptible to sunburn since they 

lack melanin. Make sure your lip balms 

contain a sunscreen. This will not only 

protect them from moisture loss but also 

the damaging UV rays. 

Make sure to always have great lip 

balm on hand and to reapply regularly. 

Your lips are what everyone is looking 

at when you’re talking so make sure they 

look good! 

Monique deGroot is the owner of Murrieta 

Day Spa which is located at 41885 Ivy 

St. in Murrieta. 

Heartburn & Acid Reflux 

Healthy 

Living 

by 

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

Acid reflux is the backward flow of 

stomach acid into the esophagus — the 

tube that connects the throat and stomach. 

Acid reflux is more specifically known 

as gastroesophageal reflux. During an 

episode of acid reflux, you may taste regurgitated 

food or sour liquid at the back 

of your mouth or feel a burning sensation 

in your chest (heartburn). 

20% of Americans have symptoms 

of acid reflux disease at least once a week. 

Having heartburn more than two times a 

week is the most common symptom of acid 

reflux disease or GERD (gastroesophageal 

reflux disease). These may be the signs: 

• Chest pain – especially at night or when 

lying down. 

• Hoarseness or sore throat 

• Bitter or acid taste in your mouth 

• Burning in the back of your throat 

• Trouble swallowing or feeling like food 

gets stuck in your throat 

• Symptoms getting worse after eating or 

when lying down. 

Heartburn is a burning pain in your 

chest, just behind your breastbone. The 

pain is often worse when lying down or 

bending over. 

Occasional heartburn is common 

and no cause for alarm. Most people can 

manage the discomfort of heartburn on 

their own with lifestyle changes and overthe-counter 

medications. If you already 

take medicine for acid reflux and your 

symptoms come back or get worse, it could 

be a sign that your treatment needs to be 

adjusted. At each visit, share how you’re 

feeling with your doctor. 

Dr. Dennis Petersen, D.O. is located at 

27403 Ynez Road, #103, Temecula. For 

questions or to make an appointment, call 

(951) 506-3112. 

Think of your lips like a sponge. When 

exposed to water they absorb moisture 

and plump up. However, when they are 

dehydrated they dry up and shrink.




21 

8 Nutrition Trends, 

Explained 

8 Nutrition Trends, Explained 

It seems as though the nutrition 

and health industries come up with a 

new trendy buzzword every month or 

so! In reality, most of these concepts 

are recycled from older ideas that 

have been around for a while. But that 

doesn’t help much when you’re trying 

to decipher all the lingo and choose an 

eating plan that is right for you. 

So, to help out, we’re providing 

brief explanations of some recent 

catchphrases you might be hearing. 

Aquafaba. If you use canned 

beans, you might have noticed that 

they include a starchy, watery substance. 

Interestingly enough, that 

water is actually a useful substitute 

for egg whites when you whip it like 

a meringue. Who knew! 

IIFYM. It stands for If It Fits 

Your Macros… But what are macros? 

That’s a reference to “macronutrients”, 

or fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. 

Some people follow a diet that balances 

the three macronutrients, often 

limiting carbohydrates in particular. 

But just because something “fits” into 

your macro allowance, doesn’t always 

mean it’s good for you. 

Micronutrients. There’s 

more than just fat, carbs, and protein 

in your food. Micronutrients are the 

vitamins and minerals that play important 

roles in your health. 

Keto. The “keto” diet is all 

the rage right now. Keto references 

ketosis, the state in which the body is 

forced to burn fat stores for energy. Dieters 

follow a very low-carbohydrate, 

high-fat diet in order to achieve their 

goals, but it might not be healthy in 

the long term. 

MIND Diet. This diet is exactly 

what it sounds like; the intent is to focus 

on foods that are healthy for your 

brain. According to some research, the 

Mediterranean -Intervention for Neurogenerative 

Delay diet can prevent 

Alzheimer’s disease. The eating plan 

encompasses green leafy vegetables, 

fish, nuts, berries, beans, whole grains, 

olive oil, and even wine. “Harmful” 

foods like red meat, dairy, fried foods, 

and sugar are reduced. 

amanteandassociates.com 

Paleo. This diet trend is based 

on the hunter-gatherer lifestyle, from 

which all humans evolved. Paleo dieters 

focus on meat, seafood, fruits, 

vegetables, and nuts, while avoiding 

processed foods, dairy, and grains. 

Sprouted grains. Typically, 

grains are gathered, processed, and 

made into bread or other products. If 

you stop after the gathering process, 

soak the grains in water, and wait until 

they sprout, you have sprouted grains. 

The sprouts are then used in food, and 

supposedly they are easier to digest 

than their non-sprouted counterparts. 

Whole 30. With the Whole 30 

diet you spend 30 days eliminating 

alcohol, sugar, grains, dairy, legumes, 

and food additives. You eat only whole 

foods (think close to nature), rather 

than processed or refined products. 

As you can see, many of these 

trendy buzzwords encourage similar 

ideas. Eating natural foods, while 

avoiding processed, packaged products, 

is always going to be a healthier 

lifestyle. So, try not to get too caught 

up in the lingo, and just choose a balanced 

eating plan that is healthy and 

fits well into your life. That is the plan 

you’re most likely to stick with. 

Steve Amante is the owner of Amante 

& Associates Insurance Solutions, Inc. 

He can be reached at 951-676-8800 - 

www.amanteandassociates.com 

“ In reality, most of 

these concepts are 

recycled from older 

ideas that have been 

around for a while 

Healthy 

Living 

by 

presented by 

Tina Steve M. Amante 

Gottlieb, D.C. 

Advertise with a proven winner! 

(951) 461-0400




Southern California Chapter of the United 

Spinal Association 

Healthy 

Living 

by by 

Tina Rick M. Hayden Gottlieb, D.C. 

I get the question, “Who is the Southern 

California Chapter and what do they 

do?” quite often and understandably so 

being one of the newer kids on the block. 

I’ve found that by sharing our mission 

statement it paints a clearer picture of who 

we are and then I can move on to the what 

we do part which is where my passion 

kicks in. But first here is who we are: 

The Southern California Chapter will 

provide pathways for success connecting 

individuals with spinal cord injuries or 

spinal disorders with resources for employment 

training, accessible affordable 

housing, accessible public transportation, 

peer support and socialization, and issues 

related to health and wellness. The 

Southern California Chapter membership 

is open to individuals, family, friends 

affected by disability and those who 

advocate on their behalf. 

Our project Reinventing Life: A 

Journey to Independence is how we will 

accomplish this. It takes the person with 

a new spinal cord injury or diagnosis 

from that phase where their life has suddenly 

been turned upside down, through 

the many steps leading to true independence, 

being gainfully employed, living 

on their own and back into the swing of 

real life. I’ve been there though it was 

many years ago, I had to figure it out on 

my own because there was no program 

to help guide me through it. We’re here 

to mentor those that need help along this 

journey, because realizing that you’re not 

alone during this time is so important 

to getting back on track with life. We 

don’t forget or disregard the family and 

friends, they need not be kept in the dark 

and require a bit of guidance and support 

as well. 

Our project is pretty comprehensive, 

taking into consideration most if not all 

aspects of the rehabilitation process. To 

fund this project, we are looking at multiple 

sources such as grants, corporate 

sponsors, small to mid-size businesses, 

individual donations and a bit of fundraising. 

You can visit our website, www. 

scchapter.org to find out more about 

our project and overall mission. I can 

be reached at 951-775-2561 or scchapter2013@gmail.com 

and look forward 

to sharing more of our story with you. 

The Southern California Chapter is 

a 501(c)(3) organization. 

To See or Not to C 

Healthy 

Living 

by by 

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

I have noticed over the years of 

writing articles for the journal that 

about a third of them are focused on 

things that interest me, another third on 

materials that are seasonally related and 

the last third trying to hopefully protect 

the public from 

Every now and then I have the pleasure 

of rolling all three into one as is the 

topic of this article. It all started about 

two weeks ago when reading through 

a local and very popular internet blog. 

Now don’t get me wrong, the site is 

generally informative and spot on, but 

this time a topic arose which I could not 

leave hanging. 

A local “health practitioner” has 

been overtly suggesting that osteoporosis 

is not caused by a lack of calcium 

at all, but rather by a lack of Vitamin 

C. I am also sure that if we purchased 

some of his/her tonics we would all 

be filled to capacity with this miracle 

vitamin and the devastation which is 

late stage osteoporosis would simply 

vanish. Wrong. The fact is, this theory 

is totally flawed and not based on any 

intelligible science. 

Here are the basic truths of bone 

growth and loss. Bone tissue is comprised 

of approximately 25% water, 

good ole’ H2O; another 25% collagen, 

with the remaining 50% resulting from 

mineral salts (primarily hydroxyapatite 

and calcium carbonate). It is true that 

Vitamin C plays a major role in the 

production of collagen but amounts as 

low as 80-300 mg./day are more than 

adequate in regard to bone health, and 

the addition of larger amounts has zero 

effect on enhancing bone quality or 

quantity. In fact, a 2008 study completed 

at Tufts University demonstrated 

that altering Vitamin C levels had zero 

effect in women of any age and “may” 

have shown a 5% change in men over 

75. The same study demonstrated that 

the major effects from dietary alterations 

were caused from low levels of Vitamin 

E and Calcium. 

With all that being said, I would 

like to make a bold statement regarding 

bone density. It is not what you put 

into your body that effects the healthy 

growth of bone, but more importantly 

the mechanical stresses placed on the 

bone which “drive” those nutrients 

into the bone. A couch potato with a 

perfect diet will have poorer bone density 

than a very active individual who 

may not be taking in the healthiest of 

foods. Do not get me wrong, I am in 

no way saying that dietary intake is not 

extremely important. What I am saying 

is that properly “loading” the bones with 

adequate pressure is the key ingredient 

in not only maintaining, but enhancing, 

bone density and health. 

That is the reason why we started 

OsteoStrong Murrieta in the first place. 

Specific and isolated compressive 

forces, known as osteogenic loading, 

with a minimum of four multiples of 

one’s bodyweight is the necessary force 

required to effectively stimulate new 

bone growth, regardless of age. This 

is the exact reason why children who 

are extremely active in their youth are 

much less prone to lower bone density 

changes as they age, and this same stimulus 

to activate new bone growth can be 

achieved at any age. 

So, to reiterate, many times we see 

or hear new information from supposedly 

trusted sources, when in fact that 

information has no bearing on enhancing 

one’s health, and at times may even 

have negative consequences. I will 

always attempt to make myself available 

for those who are seeking relevant up to 

date health and wellness information, 

so please don’t hesitate to call or stop 

by the office. 

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.




23 

Is Anxiety Taking Over? 

by Dr. Candace E. Walters 

Do you ever feel anxious before a 

dental visit or starting something new? 

Have you gotten the jitters or sweaty 

palms when thinking about the future? 

These are common reactions 

when faced with something scary or 

unfamiliar, and it doesn’t necessarily 

mean that anything is wrong. However, 

some people suffer from a more 

severe form of anxiety that causes 

more serious physical symptoms. 

To better understand if your anxiousness 

could be a sign of an anxiety 

or panic disorder. Look at some of the 

symptoms: 

1. Heart is racing, and you can’t 

breathe correctly. 

2. Uncontrollable fears of things 

like crowded places, driving, or 

germs; complete avoidance of 

places or situations. 

3. The consistent inability to concentrate. 

This must be consistent 

behavior, and not just on those 

occasions when you lack sleep or 

are hungry. 

4. Nervous behaviors, such as walking 

around the same area repeatedly 

or twitching your fingers or 

toes repetitively. 

5. A feeling of doom or that something 

will happen to you, such as 

an accident, heart attack, or even 

death. 

6. Numbness in your hands, fingers, 

toes, and legs or feeling like you 

can’t stand. 

7. Trouble swallowing or unusual 

dry mouth episodes. 

8. Fear of people around you and the 

desire to be alone. 

9. The inability to leave your home. 

10. Normal activities becoming overwhelming. 

The good news is these symptoms 

and conditions are no longer thought 

of as something people shouldn’t 

reveal or talk about, people are becoming 

more mindful on how anxiety 

affects our lives. 

There’s help for you if you suffer 

from anxiety. Many mental health 

clinics and hospitals offer affordable 

help if you’re on a fixed income. Your 

health insurance may help you get 

treatment. 

As scientists and the medical world 

become more informed about these 

disorders, more medications and other 

forms of relief are found to be effective 

in treating them. Relaxation techniques 

are very effective and can even be done 

at home or in the workplace. 

Understanding your condition can 

help alleviate the stress and fear. Living 

life in fear of another panic attack 

will hold you hostage and prevent you 

from doing the things you love. 

If you suffer from some of the 

symptoms above, seek help from a 

professional. Get the treatment that 

can put you back on the road to peace, 

health, and happiness. 

Candace E Walters is a Therapist 

and Integrated Transformational 

Specialist. Dr. Candace specialty is 

Anxiety Disorders and Personality 

Disorders regrading women. Dr. 

Candace approach is personal, direct, 

and compassionate with a knee to knee 

system NO couch’s. 

Dr. Candace is CEO for The Walters 

Group. Dr. Candace often affirms 

“Not every woman requires therapy, 

most of us just need an accountability 

partner”. Contact number is 951- 

541-4986. 

Michelle’s Place Hosts Educational Seminar on 

Handling Grief 

Michelle’s Place Breast Cancer Resource 

Center is hosting an educational 

seminar, Grief Like Water, presented 

by Lisa Ritter, LMFT, on Tuesday, 

March 6th at 6:30 pm. Ritter will be 

discussing how to handle grief, loss, and 

change with grace, and the occasional 

meltdown. 

Often, we’re not sure how to handle 

or talk these changes, especially when 

everyone else seems to be sailing in a 

smooth harbor. We may find ourselves 

confronted with an unexpected illness, 

divorce, job change, the death of a loved 

one, or all of the above. Inspired by observations 

in professional and personal 

life, Lisa has been taking note of common 

themes and cultural reactions to 

grief. This seminar will show you how 

to know when you’re stuck and how to 

navigate life’s grievances. 

Lisa Ritter is a Licensed Marriage 

Family Therapist. She has a practice in 

Temecula where she offers tailor-made 

counseling, coaching, and consulting 

services. 

This seminar is open to the public. To 

RSVP visit, www.michellesplace.org/ 

seminar-rsvp.





Healthy 

Living 

by by 

Tina Dr. Leach M. Gottlieb, D.C. 

If you’ve been told you snore loudly 

or gasp for breath while you sleep, these 

may be symptoms of possible sleep apnea. 

Matthew Leach, MD, an ear, nose 

and throat (ENT) physician on staff at 

Temecula Valley Hospital, shares his 

insight about what it is, the causes, and 

the possible solutions so you can get a 

good night’s sleep. 

Q. What is Sleep Apnea? 

A. Sleep apnea is a chronic disorder that 

interrupts your breathing while you 

sleep. It often goes undiagnosed because 

the symptoms - snoring, pauses 

in breathing and gasping for air - occur 

while people are sleeping. It can result 

in daytime sleepiness, headaches, memory 

problems and more. It can also lead 

to more serious health conditions such 

as various forms of heart disease, high 

blood pressure, increased stroke risk 

and reduced life-span if not addressed. 

Q. What Causes Sleep Apnea? 

A. During sleep, the muscles in the throat 

and upper airway collapse. This can 

be caused by neuro-muscular changes, 

physical obstructions or brain dysfunction. 

When this happens, the airway 

becomes blocked and airflow and 

oxygen levels drop. The brain senses 

this and triggers the muscles to tighten, 

which restores normal airflow. This can 

happen several hundred times during 

the night leading to a restless sleep 

pattern, wherein the brain is unable to 

enter the deeper levels of sleep that are 

essential for regeneration of the various 

brain processes. 

Q. How is Sleep Apnea Diagnosed? 

A. Your doctor will recommend an overnight 

sleep study in a sleep laboratory 

or a home sleep study. During that 

test, brain waves, oxygen levels, body 

movement, heart rate and rhythm, as 

well as airflow are monitored and recorded. 

A sleep medicine physician reviews 

the test results and characterizes 

the type of sleep dysfunction. 

Q. What Treatments are Currently Available? 

A. Medical options include CPAP (continuous 

positive airway pressure) machine 

and/or a dental appliance. There are 

many surgical options for those who 

are appropriate candidates. The most 

exciting of which is a hypoglossal nerve 

stimulator, like a pacemaker, but for 

the tongue, which was recently FDA 

approved in 2014. Depending upon the 

severity of your sleep apnea and other 

health problems you may have, your 

doctor can advise the best treatment 

for you. 

For more information on Sleep 

Apnea, please join Dr. Leach for a community 

education program on March 

8, 2018 at Temecula Valley Hospital. 

For more information please visit 

www.temeculavalleyhospital.com/events-and-programs/ 

event-calendar or call 951.331.2220.




25 

EXECUTIVE PROFILE | Dione Moser 

Dione Moser graduated High School and moved 

to Murrieta with her parents in 1989 from Round 

Rock, Texas. 

Moving here was difficult, as I had to leave all my 

family and friends. It was also a difficult time 

because my grandparents were killed by a drunk 

driver a month before we moved. I started working 

at the Little Professor Book Company, and things 

started to look up. In 1997, I moved to Grand Rapids 

Michigan, had my son Brett in 1998 and started 

Impact Marketing & Design in 1999. We service clients 

all over the US and Canada, providing marketing, 

promotional products and uniforms. I moved 

back to CA in 2004 to be closer to my family. In 2011 

I started another company, Coworking Connection, 

a collaborative community of professionals that use 

desk space, offices, and meeting rooms. 

Affiliations 

I am a founding member of and have served on the 

Board for the Temecula New Gen Rotary Club. I have 

also been in BNI since 2002, serving as President two 

terms. I am a member of both the Murrieta and Temecula 

Chambers of Commerce, and won Entrepreneur 

of the Year in 2013 in Murrieta. 

Business Philosophy 

My mission is to help people accomplish their dreams. 

They are not only customers for life, but friends for 

life. In both Impact and Coworking I strive to make 

sure that the services I provide help my clients. It’s 

about finding the right product that will help them 

increase their sales or realize their goals. Coworking 

is similar in that the space is full of other like-minded 

individuals where you can collaborate, get new fresh 

ideas, inspire or be inspired. It is truly amazing, the 

positive things that happen here daily. 

Favorite Sport 

My ex-husband was a professional bowler on the PBA 

tour for 16 years. I enjoy bowling with my son. I love 

golf, but I am no good at it! 

Goals 

My personal goal is to find BALANCE. Balancing 

work, raising a crazy fun kid, and finding “me” time 

seems to be what I am always working on. On a 

business level it always has been to partner with companies, 

and help them reach their goals with creative 

marketing strategies. 

Mentors 

I have so many that inspire me daily! This valley is 

full of some incredible women like Kim Gerrish, Jami 

McNees, Nicole Albrecht and so many more that inspire 

me daily by their unending passion. My parents, 

Sandy Dodson, Rick Robins, my son ... honestly, I 

could write this entire feature about so many people 

that have inspired me. 

Favorite Reading 

I am currently listening to the audio book The 5 Second 

rule by Mel Robbins which I love! I also follow 

Darren Hardy and enjoy his Darren Daily program. 

Dione Moser 

Birthplace 

I was born in Albuquerque NM, where my dad 

was stationed. We moved right after I was born 

and have never been back. Hopefully one day 

I will make it there! 

YOUR BUSINESS AND THE NEW TECHNOLOGY 


If managing the customer with new 

technology has changed yet managing 

the business has not it may be time for 

a process review. 

The assessment consists of asking 

a few key questions that allow you 

to envision the customer experience. 

For example, are added efficiencies at 

point of sale being lost to incomplete 

processes during customer interaction? 

I’ve witnessed transactions where credit 

cards are inserted for verification, 

purchases acknowledged by clicking 

“ok” but then I’m handed a paper 

receipt to sign for my purchase. For 

one reason or another it appears the 

transformation wasn’t carried through 

to the end of the sales cycle. 

A second business process to 

examine closely is how your supply 

chain connects to the new technology. 

What happens when stock runs low 

and ordering is required? Whenever 

possible take advantage of business to 

business (B2B) strategies that allow 

for automatic notification and ordering. 

An easier and more efficient process is 

a sure sign of success. 

Finally, information about customers 

who are purchasing products 

will be in a simple format and readily 

available. This will provide demographics 

used in future marketing, 

understanding profitability in contracts 

and commitments for your services 

and other growth initiatives to be developed. 

Gathering the information 

can be easy, but the process to make 

it useable is more challenging. 

Organization transformation is 

three-fold that includes technology, 

process and people. Be sure to 

engage your employees as they can 

provide valuable ideas and a view of 

how customers are being affected by 

changes. The end result of this work 

will be the new technology allowing 

you to be smarter in how you sell to 

and serve the customer. One last piece 

of advice, the size of the investment 

isn’t as important as the reason why. 

As change is designed, clearly state 

the business benefit. 

Ted Saul is a business coach and 

writer that assist 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. 

by 

by 

Ted Saul, 


Sr. Staff Writer 

Share your expertise 

People are looking for what you know. 

Write articles for The Valley Business Journal 

and be the expert in your field. 

Contact publishertvbj@verizon.net for more information.




The Trump Slump! 

REAL ESTATE 

by by 

Gene Steve Wunderlich Fillingim 

January was a slow month for housing 

so why not blame it on something 

the President said or did? It’s a popular 

pastime these days. But, of course we 

knew January was going to be slow 

anyway. History has proven that, so it 

wasn’t a big surprise, but it’s still nice 

to have a scapegoat. 

Actually, January was a mixed 

offering – sales dropped 24% from the 

prior month (894 / 682) and 9% under 

January 2017 (729) – not an auspicious 

start. However, cooler sales allowed the 

market to slow absorption and increase 

inventory of existing homes by 9% to 

1,565 single family units. That’s still 

6% fewer homes on the market than 

last January, but it’s a start. It allowed 

us to creep back to 2.3 month’s worth 

of inventory from last month’s 1.7 and 

staying the same as last January. 

Pending sales are up nearly 10% in 

January indicating stronger sales in February. 

But February is also a short month 

so some of those sales will fall into March 

and serve to jump-start the spring buying 

season. By March perhaps people will 

be seeing a little more in their paychecks 

and may decide it’s time to buy a home or 

buy up a notch. Tax time will add another 

chapter to the saga as people (outside 

California) will be seeing a reduced tax 

bill hopefully, spurring buying decisions. 

And the long anticipated Millenial buying 

surge is off to a start. A slow start to be 

sure, but a start nonetheless. 

Price appreciation continues to provide 

a bright spot for homeowners even as 

it dims prospects for first-time homebuyers. 

Our regional median price dropped 

$489 month-over-month but maintained 

a 10% edge over January 2017 ($330,155 

/ $368,333). Temecula notched its 9th 

consecutive month with average prices 

above $500,000. December’s average 

price of $554,974 drew within 4% of Temecula’s 

peak price last reached in June 

2006 ($575,935). IF they push past that 

the next couple months, it will complete a 

12- year path to price recovery for the city. 

Other cities across the region are within 

5% - 15% and should hit their previous 

peaks in the next 12 – 24 months. Assuming 

no disturbances in the force. That’s 

never a given. 

It’s been gratifying to see our cities 

and county taking pro-active steps to address 

the lack of housing inventory across 

the region. Our cities are trumpeting new 

housing approvals that will help mitigate 

the demand. It’s probably fortunate that 

sales increases have been minimal the past 

five years as it has avoided unsustainable 

price spikes. Without these new homes 

coming online the market will become 

increasingly exclusionary as price appreciation 

continues to outstrip wage increases. 

Further increasing price pressure in some 

cities is the disparity of effective inventory 

where 90% of buyers are constrained to 

just 60% of the market. It remains to be 

seen whether the imposition of a $750,000 

mortgage deduction cap will have a noticeable 

effect on the upper segment of 

our market. 

As noted later in this report, the 

minimum income needed to qualify for a 

median price home nearly doubled across 

all California markets between Q1 2012, 

the peak of recent affordability, and Q3 

2017. If your income hasn’t doubled in the 

past five years, you’re falling behind!! 

At least in California. The rest of the 

country’s doing a little better, they’re 

only up by 2/3. 

The state Legislature is getting all 

fired up again. The last of the two-year 

bills have either moved along or died. 

Hearty congratulations to our Assembly 

Member Melissa Melendez for her 

arduous four-year battle culminating in 

passage of AB 403, the Legislative Employee 

Whistleblower Protection Act. 

So, settle in as another 2,000 – 3,000 

bills vie for our time and money and a 

plethora of Propositions are rushing to 

greet us this fall. Supply = Solution. 

Not bills – HOUSES. 

Gene Wunderlich is the Government 

Affairs Director for Southwest Riverside 

County Association of Realtors. 

If you have questions on the market, 

please contact me at GAD@srcar.org 

or to keep up with the latest legislative 

and real estate trends go to http:// 

gadblog.srcar.org/.




27 

Scott Chappell - Liberty Real Estate Services 

I’m Scott Chappell, and I’d like to 

talk with you about the 1031 Exchange 

process. I was getting my hair cut the 

other day and my stylist told me she had 

sold a rental property and they wanted to 

do a 1031 Exchange to purchase a piece 

of land. When they spoke with their CPA 

they were told it didn’t qualify as “like 

for like” property. I hear stories like this 

all the time and it sends shivers down my 

spine. People are paying capital gains taxes 

needlessly, losing thousands of dollars 

that could have been saved. 

The 1031 Exchange process can be 

stressful. Let my vast experience guide 

you through this procedure and I will take 

that stress away. I have been purchasing 

investment real estate for over forty years, 

and I’ve spent twenty years as a 1031 

Exchange Accommodator. I don’t want 

to see you pay one penny more in capital 

gains than you need to. It’s true, what you 

don’t know can hurt you. 

Your accommodator plays a critical 

role in the 1031 Exchange. There are 

several elements involved in a successful 

1031 Exchange transaction. Document 

preparation is crucial. One single mistake 

can cost you dearly. The IRS is unforgiving. 

1031 Exchanges are an excellent way 

to defer capital gains. Doesn’t it make 

sense to work with someone who knows 

the process inside and out? 

It’s also vitally important for 

you to find someone you can trust 

to receive, hold and safeguard your 

1031 Exchange funds in order to 

prevent constructive receipt of the 

funds by you. 

You can count on me and my 

decades of experience to safely 

guide you through these tricky 

waters. The 1031 Exchange is a 

wonderful tool. You need someone 

who knows the process inside and 

out to guide you through. 

Call me today at (951) 313-4350 

or email me at 

amazingtemeculavalleyhomes@ 

gmail.com. 

“ 

Document preparation is crucial. One single 

mistake can cost you dearly. The IRS is 

unforgiving. Exchanges are an excellent way 

to defer capital gains. 

EMWD Encourages Customers to Be ‘Sewer Smart’ 

With Medications, Hygiene Products Disposal 

Eastern Municipal Water District 

(EMWD) is asking customers to be “Sewer 

Smart” and do their part in properly disposing 

of medicines and personal hygiene 

products by not flushing them down the 

toilet or drains and into the sewer system. 

Unused medications should be returned 

to a participating pharmacy that 

can properly dispose of the medications 

or through a National Take Back program 

sponsored by a local law enforcement 

agency, such as the Riverside County 

Sheriff’s Department or Hemet Police 

Department. Customers may also use a 

drug disposal pouch that can be obtained 

through a local pharmacy or from Eastern 

Municipal Water District’s Main Office 

during normal business hours. 

The pouches are designed to deactivate 

pill, liquid and patch medications so they 

can then be disposed of within the household 

waste. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration 

also provides steps to making 

your own at-home drug disposal pouch. 

Without crushing tablets or capsules, simply 

mix your medications with dirt, kitty 

litter, or used coffee grounds; place the 

mixture in a sealable zip-top plastic bag; 

and throw the sealed bag away in your 

household trash. 

In addition to medications, customers 

are asked to avoid flushing wet wipes, 

cotton swabs, cotton balls and other 

non-biodegradable hygiene products into 

the sewer system. 

Many brands of personal wet wipes 

have packaging that describes them as 

“flushable” but the wipes are not biodegradable 

and remain completely intact 

for many years when submerged in water. 

The wipes can clog wastewater collection 

systems and damage filters at wastewater 

treatment plants, causing potentially costly 

repairs to facilities. 

“By not placing medications and 

hygiene products into the sewer system, 

customers can help us keep costs low and 

protect the environment,” EMWD President 

David Slawson said. “Small steps that 

customers take have the ability to make 

the biggest impact and benefit us all. We 

appreciate the work of our customers in 

properly disposing of these items.” 

EMWD is the freshwater, wastewater 

service and recycled water provider to a 

555-square mile area from Moreno Valley 

southward along the I-215 corridor to 

Temecula and eastward to Hemet and San 

Jacinto. Approximately 816,000 people 

live and work in this area. In addition to 

its own water customers, EMWD supplements 

water to six local water agencies 

and municipalities that have their own 

water departments. EMWD operates four 

water reclamation facilities and treats some 

46 million gallons of wastewater daily. 

More information can be found at www. 

emwd.org.





Digifest Temecula Brings Innovation and 

Hollywood to the Temecula Valley 

What upcoming festival celebrates 

Riverside County’s Innovation Month 

and also attracts renowned speakers from 

Hollywood? The answer is JDS Creative 

Academy’s second annual Digifest Temecula, 

which takes place April 13th –15th 

at JDS Studios on 28069 Diaz Rd in 

Temecula, as well as other key locations. 

This exciting event features all things 

digital including film, video, animation, 

music, games, photography, graphics 

and comics. Renowned guest speakers 

from the digital media field will offer 

thought-provoking special presentations 

and workshops throughout the weekend. 

In addition, in celebration of Riverside 

County’s Innovation Month, the City 

of Temecula will be present the winner 

of the Temecula City Science Fair free 

all-access passes to Digifest Temecula 

and a special Digital Innovator’s award 

during Digifest’s awards banquet. 

Confirmed speakers include John 

Corser from NBCUniversal, Disney Animation 

Developer Mike Morris, David 

Tobin, Television Producer/President & 

Developer of the Audiojack app, Creative 

Suite Trainer David Creamer who will 

present an Adobe After Effects workshop 

and Corinne Massiah from Fox’s TV 

Show 911. The event will also feature a 

special presentation of the film Marsha 

Hunt’s Sweet Adversity: The Documentary 

along with competition entry screenings, 

digital exhibits, entertainment, and 

expo vendors. The event concludes with 

an industry panel, an awards dinner and 

entertainment held at Temecula City Hall 

conference center. 

Community support for this event 

includes: Mt. San Jacinto College, Abbott 

Vascular, The Geek Store, JDS Video 

& Media Productions, Inc., The City of 



Temecula, DCH Auto Group Temecula, 

Alta Pacific Bank, Lake Elsinore Storm, 

Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce, 

The Economic Development Commission, 

The Law Offices of Rosenstein & 

Associates, Verily Imagery, The Valley 

Business Journal, Neighbors Newspaper, 

Murrieta Chamber of Commerce, and 

Starway Productions. 

JDS Creative Academy is still offering 

sponsorship opportunities and 

all donations are 100% tax deductible. 

Tickets to the event can be purchased 

via digifesttemecula.org or at the door. 

Ticket fees are: $15.00 for day pass, 

$25.00 for day pass and workshop, $45 

for the awards banquet (which includes 

industry panel and after-party), $125.00 

for an all-access pass. 

ABOUT JDS CREATIVE ACADEMY 

- The mission of the 501c3 nonprofit 

JDS Creative Academy is to advance 

education and training in the arts, theatre, 

music, creative writing, fine art and 

production art. Their objective is to fulfill 

the Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) 

requirement per the California Education 

Core Standard for the Home School, 

Online School, Traditional School and 

Trade School populations. JDSCA’s 

purpose is to enhance the future of the 

Southwest California Area, our youth, 

and the arts, as well as the engineering 

and technological workforce in California 

and throughout the nation through 

education, training, and apprenticeship. 

For more information on JDSCA go to 

www.jdscreativeacademy.org, contact 

via email info@jdsca.org, or phone 951 

296-6715. 

info@jdsca.org 

29 

Moyer Entertainment Group 

MEG (Moyer Entertainment Group, 

Inc.), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, 

was born from a desire to give back by 

providing much needed support of music 

education while helping to raise local recognition 

of the hard working, amazingly 

talented artists that populate our Valley. 

MEG works to support students who 

represent the future of music in the Valley 

and around the world. Founder Tim 

Moyer says, “I have seen firsthand how 

a music education can change a young 

student’s life, with my son’s four years 

on the drumline in marching band at Vista 

Murrieta”. 

Temecula Valley is unique in that it’s 

music community bands together to support, 

encourage, and share its resources 

with one another on all levels. As an 

active part of this growing music community, 

MEG seeks to provide a forum 

of recognition and a lunching point for 

the careers of many emerging artists of 

all ages. MEG raises funding that goes 

directly to local school music programs, 

as well as personal scholarships for 

gifted hard-working music students in 

need, through music events including 

Temecula Valley Bluegrass Festival, 

Temecula Valley Music Association, 

and more.




DAN STEPHENSON Receives Award 


Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival 

Wins 3 More Awards 

The Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine 

Festival gained three first place Celebration 

Awards for the 2017 event at the 

California/Nevada Festivals and Events 

Association (CalFest) Convention January 

25, 2018. The first-place awards were for 

“Best Digital Marketing Campaign,” Best 

Radio 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 

large events like the Gilroy Garlic Festival 

and the Sausalito Art Festival. 

Melody’s Ad Works, Inc. created 

the winning press kit, radio and digital 

marketing campaign. The firm has been 

promoting the Festival since 2001. The 

Festival’s press kit also earned a 2017 

Gold Pinnacle Award from the International 

Festivals and Events Association 

(IFEA), and a Polaris Award from the 

Public Relations Society of America 

(PRSA). The Festival’s 2017 broadcast 

campaigns also won awards from IFEA 

and PRSA. 

A year-long production, the 2018 

Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival 

will celebrate its 35th Anniversary, 

June 1-3 at Lake Skinner Recreation 

Area. Each year the event presents the 

finest assets of the Temecula Valley with 

premium wine tasting, hot air balloons 

in the mornings and evenings, and top 

entertainment on two stages. For more 

information visit www.tvbwf.com. 

Each year, the Temecula Valley 

Chamber of Commerce (TVCC) Executive 

Board considers Lifetime Achievement 

nominees based on good character, 

longevity of volunteerism, integrity and 

dedication to the community for 10 or 

more years. The TVCC Board of Director’s 

are proud to announce that Dan 

Stephenson received the 2017 Lifetime 

Achievement Award at the 52nd Annual 

Awards Gala on Saturday, February 24th 

at Pechanga Resort & Casino. 

As a young man, just graduating 

from USC and ready to pursue a career, 

Dan Stephenson’s goals were similar 

to most. “When we embark upon life, 

it’s just LIFE! As we set goals, find a 

partner, start a career, have a family, the 

achievements we strive 

for don’t seem global 

but personal. How do I 

provide for my family? 

How do I build a life, a 

career? What does that 

career look like?” At 25 

years of age, Dan was 

ambitious and excited 

to excel and succeed in 

business. And, so it was, 

in 1968, when he roamed 

the open territory of the 

Temecula Valley that he 

found a dream that could 

encompass a lifetime. 

In 1971, Dan formed Rancho Consultants, 

a real-estate brokerage and 

land development company, which later 

shortened its name to Rancon. He then 

proceeded to move his family, lock, 

stock and barrel to this pristine, rustic, 

location where he was going to make his 

mark. But now, with a family, making 

your mark meant not only business 

opportunities but providing a quality of 

life for his family and all the families 

he envisioned wanting to settle in the 

Temecula Valley. 

Dan’s family consists of his wife, 

six children, 18 grandchildren, a great 

granddaughter, two sisters that live locally, 

a niece, two nephews, two grand 

nephews and a grand-niece. Family is 

at the core of his motivation. The agents 

and staff at Rancon Real Estate, the 

management team and staff at the Rancon 

Group, Chardonnay Escrow, Ranch 

Self-Storage, as well as all the villagers 

at Dan’s exciting new Temecula Valley 

winery project - Europa Village, are also 

his family. It is important to him that his 

family is able to thrive in a community 

rich in a high degree of quality of life. 

With Dan Stephenson at the helm, 

the Rancon Group of companies 

built the first master-planned 

community, 

Alta Murrieta, in Southwest 

Riverside County. 

He also built one of the 

Inland Empire’s first master-planned 

business parks, 

Tri-City Corporate Centre 

in San Bernardino. During 

more than four decades 

of “doing the same thing 

in the same place” Stephenson 

has amassed a 

reputation for spearheading 

high-quality projects and maximizing 

his investors’ returns. Today, both Rancon 

Real Estate and the Rancon Group 

are staffed with the most qualified real 

estate professionals in the market area. 

For more information about the 52nd 

Annual Awards Gala, please visit www. 

temecula.org or call (951) 676-5090. 

round1usa.com 

Peggy Evans, 

executive director of TVBWF; 

Melody Brunsting; 

Darlene Lyons, 

CalFest Board Member.




31 

City of Temecula Welcomes 

New Entertainment Center 

Round 1 Bowling 

and Amusement 

The City of Temecula is pleased 

to welcome Round 1 Bowling and 

Amusement, a family friendly, state 

of the art entertainment center to 

the City. Round 1 will be occupying 

nearly 50,000 square feet on the first 

floor of the Sears building located 

inside the Promenade Mall. 

Seritage Growth Properties, a 

national owner and developer of retail 

and mixed-use projects, owns the 

Sears’ building. Seritage is redeveloping 

the property to accommodate 

Round 1 as well as small shop retail 

and restaurants. Sears will continue to 

operate in a consolidated and renovated 

store on the second floor. 

“We enthusiastically welcome 

Round 1 to the Temecula Valley. 

They will be a wonderful addition 

to our community and offer a quality, 

entertainment amenity that our 

residents have been asking for” says 

Temecula’s Mayor, Matt Rahn. 

“The addition of Round 1 is just 

another example of how the Promenade 

is evolving with current retail 

trends, providing a well-balanced mix 

of retailers, restaurant offerings and 

entertainment” says the Promenade’s 

General Manager, Jeff Kurtz. 

“We are excited to have Round 

1 anchor our redevelopment of the 

Sears store at Promenade Mall. Once 

complete, the multi-tenant retail destination 

we are creating will provide an 

elevated shopping and entertainment 

experience for the community,” says 

Mary Rottler, Executive Vice President 

of Leasing and Operations at Seritage. 

The entertainment center, which 

plans to open in Spring 2019, will offer 

bowling, arcade games, billiards, 

party rooms, ping-pong and dining. 

The addition of Round 1 is expected 

to bring 70-80 new jobs to the upscale, 

lifestyle center. 

For more information on 

Round 1, visit their website at 

http://www.round1usa.com/. 

round1usa.com 

2018 Veterans Service Awards 


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. “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 20, 2018. 

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 Desert, 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). 

Senate.Ca.Gov/Stone

VBJ March 18 online

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