VBJ July 2021

VOLUME 32, NUMBER 7 JULY 2021 

CHERISE MANNING 

NAMED 

2021-22 

PRESIDENT OF THE ROTARY 

CLUB OF TEMECULA 

TEMECULA VALLEY CHAMBER OF 

COMMERCE CEO 

TO TAKE COACHELLA VALLEY CHAMBER JOB 

BECOMING KNOWN 

AS AN EXPERT 

SEE PAGE 8 

Cherise Manning, a Resident and Business Owner 

in the Temecula Valley for 30 years, will be the new 

President of the Rotary Club of Temecula on July 1. 

2021-22 

SEE PAGE 24 

MURRIETA ROTARY 

OFFICERS & DIRECTORS 

TO TAKE OFFICE 

By Ted Saul 

When you have a business providing a service or product, growth will 

be stimulated as you become known as an expert in your field. How does 

one go about creating a positive brand and gain a reputation as a subject 

matter expert? There are a number of different ways to accomplish this 

task. It takes some work but can pay off with new opportunities and a 

greater market share. 

SEE PAGE 23 

SEE PAGE 23 

LEGAL 

WHAT EMPLOYERS 

SHOULD KNOW: 

REPOPULATING THE 

POST-PANDEMIC 

WORKPLACE 

COMMUNITY 

MICHELLE’S PLACE 

WELCOMES JENNIFER 

EVANS 

TO THE TEAM 

12 16 

TECHNOLOGY 

NIST – ACHIEVING 

ALIGNMENT IN 

CYBERSECURITY 

19 

AND... 

RHYTHM ON THE VINE 

CONCERT SERIES 

JDS CREATIVE ACADEMY 

WINS NINE INT’L AWARDS

THE VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL 

2 www.TheValleyBusinessJournal.com 

July 2021 

South Coast Winery 

Resort & Spa 

Brings Back Rhythm On The Vine Concert Series 

Celebrating its 20th anniversary this 

year, South Coast Winery Resort & Spa 

brings back its ever-popular Rhythm on 

the Vine® concert series, produced with 

Apaulo Productions, showcasing three 

exciting jazz groups beginning July 18. 

Concerts will be hosted in the scenic 

Vintner’s Garden, and guests can enjoy 

great jazz while sipping a glass of the 

winery’s award-winning wine. 

Paul Brown & Gregg Karukas kickoff 

the series on Sunday, July 18. Brown 

is a two-time Grammy winning urban 

jazz producer and guitar artist and has 

released six albums including his debut 

“Up Front.” Karukas is a Grammy winning 

producer/keyboardist/composer 

who has had many #1 hits on his 12 solo 

CDs. 

On Sunday, August 1, Brian Simpson, 

Steve Oliver and Will Donato take 

the stage. Simpson has more than 25 Top 

Smooth Jazz radio hits and more than 15 

Top Ten Billboard Contemporary Jazz 

albums. Simpson and Oliver are joined 

by Donato, one of music’s most dynamic 

and gifted performers. His radio single 

“Infinite Soul” reached the coveted #1 

spot on the Billboard Smooth Jazz airplay 

chart. 

Michael Paulo, Adam Hawley & 

Darryl Williams close the series on Sunday, 

August 15. Paulo is a versatile, cosmopolitan 

saxophonist in pop, soul and 

contemporary jazz. His first major solo 

release “One Passion” was acclaimed as 

one of the most influential recordings in 

contemporary jazz, and he is called the 

#1 Asian American jazz artist. Hawley, 

named JazzTrax Debut Artist of the 

Year in 2016, has seven #1 hits, and his 

first two albums stormed up the charts 

setting the stage for his third release 

“Escape.” Williams, a Temecula resident, 

is a multi-talented bassist/composer who 

has toured, performed and recorded with 

many top smooth jazz and R&B artists. 

Doors open at 6 p.m. with concerts 

starting at 7 p.m. each evening. Ticket 

prices are: $65 for general admission, 

chair seating only; $95 for preferred 

seating, includes a table and is situated 

behind VIP seating; $150 for VIP Tickets, 

which are close to the stage and include a 

table. Tickets can be purchased at www. 

southcoast.com/concerts. 

The Vineyard Rose Restaurant is 

offering a special three-course prix fixe 

menu for concert goers priced at $50 per 

person. The menu features American 

classics with choice of starter, entrée and 

dessert. Reservations are required. 

For more information, call South 

Coast Winery Resort & Spa at (844) 

841-1406.



www.TheValleyBusinessJournal.com 

3




In this issue: 

TVCC CEO To Take New Job 1 

Cherise Manning Named Temecula Rotary President 1 

Becoming Known as An Expert 1 

Murrieta Rotary Officers & Directors to Take Office 1 

South Coast Winery Brings Back Rhythm on The Vine Concerts 2 

EXECUTIVE PROFILE | Brian Connnors 5 

Boys & Girls Club of Southwest County Welcomes New CEO 6 

The Benefits of “Smart” Irrigation 7 

How to Find In-Home Care You Can Trust 9 

Performances Begin in The Merc on Saturday, July 3 10 

EXECUTIVE PROFILE | Andrea Shoup 11 

What Employers Should Know About the Post-Pandemic Workplace 12 

Mt. San Jacinto College’s Temecula Valley Campus Is Now Open 13 

Murrieta’s Gal Graduates U.S. Merchant Marine Academy 15 

Michelle’s Place Welcomes Jennifer Evans to the Team 16 

Eye Protection 17 

JDS Creative Academy Wins Nine 2021 Int’l Awards 18 

NIST – Achieving Alignment in Cybersecurity 19 

Animal Friends of the Valleys a 2021 Nonprofit of the Year 20 

Hornswoggled Voters Approve $1 Billion/Year Tax 22 

Local Student Earns Prestigious Award 23




5 

EXECUTIVE PROFILE | BRIAN CONNORS 

Brian Connors has lived in Murrieta for more than 30 years. 

As a kid in the 70’s, he and his family would drive the old 395 

from Escondido to visit Vail Lake and enjoy the water slides. 

Ownership of a new home for 

my wife (Marleen) and I became 

a dream of ours in 1990. We had 

been married for four years and 

wanted to start a family. 

We thought that this valley provided 

the right atmosphere and 

affordable housing for which we 

desired. We thought we would buy 

a small home, then turn around 

and sell it and then move back 

down to the North County area. 

Little did we realize that our hearts 

would be firmly planted here 

just after the first year. We never 

looked back. 

AFFILIATIONS 

I served on the Temecula Valley 

Chamber of Commerce Board of 

Directors three years as Chairman 

and the previous year as 

Past Chairman of the Board representing 

Southwest Healthcare 

System which operates Inland 

Valley Medical Center and Rancho 

Springs Medical Center. 

BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY 

I remember long ago my dad 

had on his desk a plaque that 

said, “There’s no such word as 

CAN’T.” I believe in hard work 

and giving it all you’ve got with 

a positive attitude by serving others 

and never expecting anything 

in return. When I’ve done this, 

I’ve discovered great things can 

happen. 

FAVORITE SPORT 

It would have to be a toss-up between 

baseball and football. I love following 

the San Diego Padres, Aztec 

Football & Basketball and Charger 

(San Diego for life!) football. On an 

individual basis, I love to play golf, 

racquetball, ski and pickleball. My 

favorite ski destination is Kirkwood, 

CA near Lake Tahoe. 

GOALS 

To live my life to the fullest with a 

positive attitude while serving others 

each and every day. When I focus 

on daily personal development and 

living with daily discipline, my personal 

and professional goals always 

seem to fall in place. 

MENTORS 

After graduating from SDSU, my 

dad took me under his wing. He 

offered me a chance in his ad agency 

but had me earn my keep by working 

my way up the ladder. His passion 

for his faith, family and his career 

helped make me who I am today. 

FAVORITE READING 

I enjoy faith-based, historical and 

empowering books. My favorite 

authors are Jeffrey R. Holland, D. 

Todd Christofferson, and David 

McCullough. Hal Elrod’s “Miracle 

Morning” is an excellent source for 

empowerment. 

RESUME 

For more than 20 years I ran full 

service advertising agencies which 

serviced local and regional clients 

throughout the United States. I now 

serve as the Director of Marketing 

for Southwest Healthcare System 

which operates Rancho Springs and 

Inland Valley Medical Centers. 

BIRTHPLACE 

La Jolla, CA




Boys & Girls Club of Southwest County 

Welcomes New CEO 

Boys & Girls Club of Southwest 

County names Carly Bennett-Valle as 

their incoming CEO on Wednesday, May 

26th. The announcement comes as the 

organization re-opens its Murrieta Clubhouse 

for Summer Day Camp program 

and plans to re-open its Lakeland Village 

Clubhouse in Lake Elsinore on August 

11th for its Back-to-School Program, 

serving youth, ages 6-17, in Southwest 

Riverside County. 

“We are thrilled to have Carly leading 

the way as we transition into a new 

chapter, increasing our services to meet 

the demands of the growing southwest 

Riverside corridor,” said Kimberly Freize 

Uhler, Boys & Girls Club of Southwest 

County’s chairwoman of the board. 

“Carly has been with the Boys & 

Girls Club of Southwest County since 

2015 and has over 17 years of non-profit 

experience bringing a unique perspective 

to the organization. Now more than ever, 

we need to support the youth and families 

in our communities. As a board, we are 

confident Carly is the right person to advance 

our efforts and positively impact 

the lives of local youth in Lake Elsinore, 

Murrieta, and Temecula,” Freize Uhler 

said. 

The Boys & Girls Club of Southwest 

County expects to serve over 1,089 youth 

this year at three locations, including 

Temecula, Murrieta, and Lake Elsinore. 

The organization continues to grow as 

the need for services increases year over 

year. 

Bennett-Valle began working with 

the Boys & Girls Club of Southwest 

County as a part-time bookkeeper in 

November 2015, and even though she 

has always served in a financial role at 

the organization, she has also worked 

in various other capacities including 

development, special events, facilities, 

operations, transportation, and information 

technology. 

“I am so excited for this next chapter 

with the Boys & Girls Club of Southwest 

County,” said Bennett-Valle. 

“We have had a tough year, like 

many companies and individuals, but 

we are fortunate to have the support of 

amazing donors and communities that 

enabled us to succeed and continue 

serving the families and children who 

need us. This organization is near and 

dear to my heart, and I look forward to 

this opportunity to continue growing and 

developing it. I can’t wait for all the great 

things to come, and I am honored to be a 

part of this extraordinary organization,” 

Bennett-Valle said. 

Boys & Girls Club of Southwest 

County has served the youth in our community 

for over 30 years. The mission 

of the Boys & Girls Club of Southwest 

County is to inspire, enable and support 

all youth to realize their full potential and 

successful, responsible, and impactful 

members of the community. A locally 

governed and funded 501(c) 3 organization, 

the Club provides programs for 

more than 1,089 youth, ages 6-17, helping 

them develop these skills: Academic 

Success, Good Character & Citizenship, 

and Healthy Lifestyles. 

For more information about the Boys 

& Girls Club of Southwest County or to 

learn more about the programs they offer, 

visit https://www.bgcswc.org. 


www.facebook/thevalleybusinessjournal 

For questions, comments, or story ideas, please 

e-mail publishertvbj@verizon.net or call (951) 461-0400. 

EDITOR/PUBLISHER/CEO 

Linda Wunderlich 

Email: publishertvbj@verizon.net 

ADVERTISING SALES INFORMATION 

(951) 461-0400 

CREATIVE DIRECTOR 

Helen M. Ryan 

VP OF DISTRIBUTION 

Dane Wunderlich 

STAFF WRITERS/ 

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 

Gene Wunderlich 

Ted Saul 

Craig Davis 

Stefani Laszko 

Nicole Albrecht 

Julie Ngo 

Tom Plant 

Esther Phahla 

Steve Amante 

Monique deGroot 

Andrea Shoup 

Gloria Wolnick 

Dr. Drake Levasheff, PhD 

Mort J. Grabel, Esq. 

John & Christine Hamby 

Brian Connors 

Tristin Collopy 

Dr. Pat Utnehmer 

Bonnie Woodrome 

Haley Munson 

Criteria for Submitting Articles: 

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“ 

“Carly 

has been with the Boys & Girls Club 

of Southwest County since 2015 and has 

over 17 years of non-profit experience 

bringing a unique perspective to the 

organization. 

6. Article and advertising deadlines are the 15th of each 

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The Valley Business Journal is a California Corporation. All rights 

reserved. Reproduction in any form, in whole or in part, without the 

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corrected advertisement or editorial correction notice.




The Benefits of “Smart” Irrigation & Why You Should Invest 

in These Systems 

7 

The irrigation industry is experiencing 

a renaissance of technology 

development. 

Now, more so than ever, consumers 

can find irrigation products that use advanced 

sensors, 

Wi-Fi and app-based capability to 

automatically adjust watering schedules, 

communicate problems and save water, 

giving consumers more data and power 

to control irrigation systems than ever 

before. 

“Smart” irrigation systems irrigate 

landscapes efficiently. Without wasting 

water, these systems use technology to 

know when and how much to irrigate. 

The days of being beholden to a clock 

and calendar are over. We are now using 

real-time data to apply the right amount 

of water at the right time of day. 

By investing in smart irrigation 

technologies, you can be sure to save 

water, money and time in caring for 

your landscape. Here are three irrigation 

technologies worth considering on your 

next upgrade: 

Weather-based controller. These 

controllers adjust the irrigation schedule 

based on local weather conditions. 

There is a wide range of products in this 

category with various weather inputs 

and landscape-specific adjustment factors. 

These controllers self-adjust and 

require very little intervention when 

programmed correctly. 

Sensor-based controller. These 

controllers rely on soil moisture sensors 

placed below ground in the root zones 

of the landscape to determine if and for 

how long to water. Systems with a sensor-based 

controller can be scheduled 

to run based on soil moisture and the 

specific water needs of your landscape. 

Rain/freeze sensors. Irrigating in 

rain and freezing conditions needlessly 

wastes water and can damage your landscape. 

Rain sensors prevent irrigation 

systems from running during rainy conditions. 

Rain/freeze sensors add the ability 

to stop irrigation when temperatures approach 

freezing to prevent damage to the 

plants. These devices can reduce overall 

water usage and help extend irrigation 

system life. 

Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, 

EVMWD, offers customers a variety of 

resources to help with having efficient 

irrigation and landscape. Visit www. 

evmwd.com/conservation to learn more 

and get started on investing in water 

efficiency.




Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce CEO to Take Coachella Valley Chamber Job 

Chamber Events Director Brooke 

Nunn named interim CEO as Emily 

Falappino becomes new President and 

CEO of the Greater Coachella Valley 

Chamber of Commerce Temecula, Calif. 

– The Board of Directors of the Temecula 

Valley Chamber of Commerce today 

named long-time Chamber employee 

Brooke Nunn as Interim Chief Executive 

Officer following the resignation 

of chamber president and CEO Emily 

Falappino. 

Falappino is taking a similar position 

with the Greater Coachella Valley 

Chamber of Commerce after leading 

the Temecula chamber for nearly two 

years, navigating it through the Covid-19 

pandemic and implementing several 

marketing and membership initiatives. 

“We are grateful to Emily for her 

leadership during one of the most challenging 

periods in the history of our 

chamber and our country,” said Al Rubio, 

chairman of the board of directors for the 

Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce. 

““Through her hard work, vision and 

leadership, our chamber is poised with 

more resources, strength, and opportunity 

than before.” 

The Temecula Valley Chamber board 

of directors is working with chamber staff 

to ensure a seamless transition during 

its search for a new president and CEO. 

In the meantime, the Board does not 

anticipate any impacts to the Chamber’s 

extensive programs and events. 

“Brooke will have the help and 

support of Chamber leadership as we 

transition to a new era. We know that 

the Chamber is in good hands,” Rubio 

said. Nunn has been with the Temecula 

Valley Chamber of Commerce for ten 

years and is a graduate of the Western 

Association of Chamber Executives 

(W.A.C.E.) Program where she earned 

her ACE accreditation. Nunn’s tenure 

at the Chamber positions her as an ideal 

Chamber leader with years of hands on 

experience with the inner workings of the 

Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce. 

During her nearly two-year tenure, 

Falappino served on the Riverside County 

Economic Recovery Task Force and 

positioned the Temecula Valley Chamber 

as a leading source of information for 

the business community during the pandemic. 

Among several accomplishments, 

she initiated five new board-level committees 

that improved engagement and 

program development for the Chamber’s 

members. 

Falappino begins her tenure with the 

Greater Coachella Valley July 1, 2021. 

The Greater Coachella Valley Chamber 

of Commerce is a regional chamber 

formed in 2016 to support a diverse 

business community that spans nearly 

forty-five miles and nine municipalities. 

It also manages several local GCV Chambers 

and work with dedicated partners 

that focus on the unique needs of our various 

Coachella Valley business districts. 

In her short tenure with us she contributed 

an immense amount to add value 

and prepare us for the future,” said Rubio. 

“As a regional leader, we look forward to 

working with Emily and her new team as 

we collaborate to make all of Riverside 

County a great place to live, work and 

play.” 

EMILY FALAPPINO 

BROOKE NUNN




9 

How to Find In-Home Care You Can Trust 

by John & Christine Hamby 

Is a loved one having trouble with 

dressing, bathing or mobility on their 

own, or are they missing doctor’s appointments? 

These are red flags that it’s 

time to consider in-home care. 

If in-home care is something you 

want to explore, you need to find a 

company you can trust. This certainly 

takes time and effort. However, it will 

be well worth it when you have access 

to experienced and compassionate 

caregivers who will treat your loved 

one like family. The caregiver(s) you 

choose will also meet your loved one’s 

practical needs, whether it’s with meal 

preparation, mobility, housekeeping or 

in a range of other ways. 

The question is: where do you begin? 

Here’s how to start the process of 

finding an in-home caregiver: 

Step 1: Identify Your Loved One’s 

In-Home Care Needs 

Before you reach out to an in-home 

care company or individual caregiver, 

make sure you know what your loved 

one needs. Are they relatively independent 

and simply require some help 

with light housekeeping, meals and 

companionship? Or do they need more 

extensive care and support? 

In addition, if they have health 

conditions, like dementia or diabetes, 

you’ll want a caregiver who has specific 

experience with these diseases. 

Some common activities caregivers 

assist with include: 

• Bathing and showering 

• Personal hygiene and grooming 

• Dressing 

• Toileting and incontinence 

• Mobility 

• Eating 

Step 2: Ask Around for Referrals for 

In-Home Care 

Getting recommendations – from 

friends, family or your loved one’s 

doctor – is a great way to find in-home 

care you can trust. If someone you 

know has worked with a company or a 

caregiver who performed exceptionally 

well, you’ll know to put them on your 

list to consider. Likewise, if they had a 

negative experience, you can keep that 

in mind during your search. 

You can also use the federal government’s 

free locator website, Eldercare 

Locator. Once you have a few options 

in mind, research them online so 

you can learn more about their services, 

experience and reputation. 

Step 3: Consider an In-Home Care 

Company Rather Than an Individual 

When looking for in-home care, 

you can work with a company who 

employs professional caregivers. You 

can also find a caregiver on your own 

through a staffing agency or online. 

However, keep in mind, when 

you work with a company, they’ll perform 

rigorous screening and criminal 

background checks. They’ll also make 

sure caregivers are carefully trained 

and have the right experience to meet 

your loved one’s needs. In addition, 

if your loved one’s condition changes 

over time, a company will serve as a 

trusted partner who can help modify 

and adjust care as needed. You won’t 

have to worry about finding additional 

or different caregivers with more specialized 

expertise. 

Step 4: Ask About Caregiver Screening 

and Experience 

Once you are ready to talk with inhome 

care companies, ask about their 

screening and hiring process. You’ll 

want to ensure they are performing a 

thorough background check, including 

checking driving records, criminal histories, 

and references. 

Most companies will have a team 

member schedule an in-home visit at 

your loved one’s home. During that 

time, you’ll be able to ask these and 

other questions, so you can determine 

if the caregiver can provide the kind of 

help you are seeking. 

Some additional questions to ask 

during this process include: 

• What level of training and experience 

do your caregivers have? 

• How will you ensure a good match 

between my loved one and their 

caregiver? 

• When are they available and what are 

my scheduling options? 

• What is the price for your services? 

If possible, make sure your loved 

one is part of this process. They’ll have 

their own questions to ask and will feel 

more comfortable in the long run when 

they’re involved in the selection of their 

caregiver. 

Step 5: Have a Trial Period with 

Your In-Home Caregiver 

Once you have one or more caregivers 

in place to provide in-home 

care, consider a trial period. This will 

help you evaluate whether they’re a 

good fit for your loved one. It will 

also allow time to ensure the services 

being provided are at the right level and 

frequency. 

Make sure you’re checking in with 

your loved one regularly to ask how the 

situation is going and to see if they have 

any concerns. Once the trial period is 

over, you can adjust care as needed. 

This article is provided by John 

and Christine Hamby, Owners of 

FirstLight Home Care serving the 

Temecula Valley. If you would like 

more information about FirstLight’s 

services, please visit our website at: 

www.temecula.firstlighthomecare.com 

or give us a call at (951) 395-0821.




Performances Begin in The Merc on 

Saturday, July 3, 2021, After One Extra- 

Long Intermission 

The Merc at the Old Town Temecula Community Theater is opening its doors 

to the public after the extra-long intermission as a result of the global pandemic. 

Temecula’s Theater Team has been working behind the scenes to reopen all our 

performance spaces safely and responsibly with live performances beginning 

Saturday July 3rd at The Merc. 

The City of Temecula, along with local producers, offer an array of performances 

for the entire family at The Merc & Courtyard (located at 42051 Main 

Street, Temecula). 

Performances will resume on Temecula Theater’s Main Stage in September 

of 2021 with Mamma Mia presented once again by the Temecula Valley Players 

(September 2 through 19, 2021). TCSD President and Council Member Zak 

Schwank stated, “The City of Temecula thanks you for your patience and patronage 

as we welcome you, our Temecula Theater Family, back along with the 

talented performers, long-standing partners, and producers. 

“On With the Shows” 


July 3 & 17 - Country Live! at The Merc (1st & 3rd Saturday monthly) 

July 10 - Speakeasy at The Merc (2nd Saturday monthly) 

July 15, 22 & 29 - Jazz at The Merc (Thursdays at 7:30pm weekly) 

July 23, 24 & 25 - title of show] presented by Bohemian Arts (The Merc) 

July 30 & 31 - Edges presented by the Fine Arts Network (The Courtyard) 

July 31- Stand Up Comedy (The Merc) 

August 2021 

August 1 - Edges presented by the Fine Arts Network (The Courtyard) 

August 5, 12, 19 & 26 - Jazz at The Merc 

August 6 - First Friday (The Gallery at The Merc & The Lot on Main) 

August 7 & 21 - Country Live! at The Merc 

August 14 - Speakeasy at The Merc 

August 14 & 15 - Miscast presented by the Fine Arts Network (Courtyard) 

August 22 - Classics at The Merc (Courtyard) 

August 28 - Stand Up Comedy (The Merc) 

The Ticket Office will reopen to the public on Friday July 1, 2021. Tickets 

are on sale now online at TemeculaTheater.org or you may call 1.866.OLD. 

TOWN (1.866.653.8696). Please purchase your tickets early as The Merc sells 

out very quickly.




11 

EXECUTIVE PROFILE | 

ANDREA SHOUP, ATTORNEY AT LAW 

I enjoy being a go-to expert in Estate Planning, Trusts, Wills, Probate, 

and Business Succession Planning here in the Valley. I’m proud of 

our team at Shoup Legal, where we embrace each family’s unique 

estate planning and business needs to help them plan today for peace 

of mind tomorrow. 

I’m a big believer that planning for 

difficult times, such as the passing 

of a loved one, is vital for peace of 

mind and for protecting legacies. 

Time and again, I’ve seen how 

preparation helps families overcome 

stress, avoid time in court, 

maintain control of family assets, 

prevent infighting, and minimize 

delays and costs. After all, the time 

of a loved one’s passing is already 

tough enough without having to 

deal with fallout from failing to 

plan properly. 

Following law school, I worked 

as a Deputy District Attorney for 

the San Diego District Attorney’s 

Office. As a felony trial attorney, 

I dedicated myself to making sure 

justice was served. It’s a way of 

thinking that has carried over to 

my private practice here in the Valley. 

Through sharing knowledge, 

straight talk, and compassion, I 

believe the informed decisions I 

help my clients make is a form of 

“justice” that helps them protect 

and secure their legacies, both for 

themselves and their heirs. 

In 2012, while my husband was 

an active-duty Marine, we moved 

to beautiful Murrieta, which has 

since become our home. We’ve 

found the Valley to be an incredible 

community in which to make 

friends, set down personal and 

professional roots, and raise our 

four children. 

AFFILIATIONS 

The California State Bar has certified 

me as a specialist in Estate 

Planning, Trust, and Probate Law. 

Other affiliations include the 

Trust and Estates section of the 

California Bar Association, the 

Temecula and Murrieta Chamber of 

Commerce, the Riverside County Bar 

Association, the Southwest Riverside 

County Bar Association, and the California 

Advocates for Nursing Home 

Reform. 

If you’re noticing a pattern, my affiliations 

naturally tend toward my 

areas of expertise, Estate Planning 

and Probate Law. 

MY BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY 

I founded Shoup Legal, A Professional 

Law Corporation because I 

believe visiting a law firm should 

be a comfortable experience, not an 

intimidating one. Our clients come to 

us for help navigating the legal system 

and understanding their options—and 

that’s what they get, not just a lot of 

legalese and added confusion. 

As a specialist in Estate Planning, 

Trust, and Probate Law, I am honored 

to support families when they are 

preparing for and/or processing the 

loss of a loved one. Helping families 

navigate through difficult legalities 

effectively and efficiently so they 

can focus on healing is personally 

rewarding for me. 

With an approach that combines 

compassion and sensitivity plus high 

professional standards and efficacy, 

I am better able to provide prudent 

strategies that protect the interests of 

my clients. 

MY PASSION 

My passion is to make positive contributions 

to the lives of those I serve. 

As an Estate Planning and Probate 

Law expert, I find I am best able to 

do that by offering my clients individualized 

attention and a dynamic, 

collaborative process that ensures 

they understand every step along the 

way. After all, as Warren Buffet once 

said, “someone’s sitting in the shade 

today because someone decided to 

plant a tree a long time ago.” When 

proper planning is everything, as it 

is with Estate Planning, knowledge 

truly is power. 

GOALS 

My goal is to serve the Murrieta 

community with respect, professional 

competence, and kindness. I strive to 

provide a work product that is timely, 

accurate, and of great value to my 

clients. I am committed to carrying 

out charitable wishes and protecting 

family assets in a tax-efficient, family-centric 

manner. 

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND 

In 2002, I earned my Bachelor of Science 

Degree in Business Administration 

from California Polytechnic San 

Luis Obispo. I decided to pursue 

a law degree and graduated Magna 

Cum Laude from California 

Western School of Law in 2006. 

While in law school, I served as 

Editor-in-Chief of the California 

Western Law Review and was an 

officer of the Pro-Bono Honors 

Society. 

RESUME 

In law school, I was an extern for 

the Honorable Irma E. Gonzales 

(Ret.) of the United States District 

Court for the Southern District of 

California. 

After leaving the District Attorney’s 

Office in 2012, I founded 

Shoup Legal, A Professional Law 

Corporation, a boutique law firm 

serving estate planning, trust 

administration, probate, and business 

law needs.




What Employers Should Know About Masks, the ADA and Repopulating the Post-Pandemic 

Workplace 

By Don Hitzeman 

It seems that we have made it through 

the worst of times, with the economy 

reopening, masks coming off and people 

traveling out and about once again. 

However, for employers reopening the 

workplace, new concerns continually 

arise. Among these: how to provide employees 

in the workplace with a working 

environment which is safe, nondiscriminatory 

and operated within the guidelines 

of the law. 

Some questions which immediately 

arise include whether employees must 

wear masks in the workplace where not 

all are vaccinated, or when an outbreak 

of COVID-19 occurs, or when employees 

are in regular contact with the general 

public, many of whom are not yet vaccinated. 

Modified guidelines for California 

employers about the wearing of masks 

were issued by Cal OSHA on June 17, 

2021, changing aspects of the Emergency 

Temporary Standards, which were given 

immediate effect by an order signed by 

Governor Newsom the same day. Those 

guidelines provide that employees who 

are vaccinated need not wear masks 

indoors or outdoors under most circumstances, 

while unvaccinated employees 

must continue to wear masks indoors 

in the workplace. All employees are 

required to wear face masks indoors 

and outdoors during an outbreak of 

COVID-19 in the workplace. Employers 

are required to document the vaccination 

status of employees but need not ask for 

proof of vaccination. 

Employees are permitted to attest to 

their vaccination status in writing to the 

employer. Employers are also required 

by the modified Cal OSHA Standards to 

provide unvaccinated employees with 

N-95 respirators for use in the workplace 

on request. More detailed information on 

these regulatory changes may be found at 

www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/coronavirus. 

The guidelines regarding masks in 

the workplace are but one example of the 

ever-changing landscape for employers 

in responding to the pandemic. Employers 

must keep up with the latest information 

and guidance in order to remain in 

compliance with the basic requirements 

“ The guidelines 

regarding masks in the 

workplace are 

but one example of 

the ever-changing 

landscape for 

employers 

of providing a safe workplace, free of 

discrimination in decisions regarding 

employees. 

It bears remembering that the 

pre-pandemic laws and regulations regarding 

workplace discrimination remain 

in place and now have new and different 

dimensions to take into account. This 

includes the Americans with Disabilities 

Act and other Equal Employment Opportunity 

statutes under federal law, such as 

the Immigration and Nationality Act, as 

well as corresponding state antidiscrimination 

laws. 

The ADA covers private employers 

of 15 or more employees. For those 

covered employers, the ADA protects 

employees from discrimination based 

upon disabilities or perceived disabilities 

which restrict a major life activity. 

Major life activities include breathing, 

speaking, hearing and so on. One of these 

major life activities is that of working, 

which is quite inclusive. During the 

pandemic period, the ability for one to 

work and the perceptions which affected 

or limited one’s availability to 

report to a workplace, had 

to be carefully navigated by 

employers. 

Thus, when workers 

could not or would not report 

because of a pre-existing 

medical condition that 

may have made them more 

vulnerable to the Corona 

virus, employers had to engage 

in balancing the need 

for employees to physically 

be present at work against 

the ability to do that work 

remotely. Likewise, bringing 

employees back to the workplace 

requires consideration 

of an employee’s pre-existing 

conditions which may prohibit 

them from immediately 

reporting back to a workplace that is 

being repopulated with unvaccinated 

employees. 

Employers covered by the ADA must 

still go through a process of determining 

whether reasonable accommodations are 

available which allow employees to continue 

performing their essential job functions, 

while also taking into consideration 

their inability to physically be present in 

the workplace. Obviously, this analysis 

greatly depends on a number of factors, 

including the essential functions of each 

job, the need for personal contact either 

with fellow employees or customers, or 

both, and the expected length of time 

that the employee would be unavailable 

to report to the workplace. 

The Equal Employment Opportunity 

Commission, which is charged with enforcing 

provisions of the ADA, has provided 

a list of FAQ’s to assist employers 

navigating through this difficult time. It 

may be found at www.eeoc.gov/wysk/ 

what-you-should-know-about-covid- 

19-and-ada-rehabilitation-act-and-other- 

EEO-laws. Perhaps even more important, 

it is time to get to know a good, reputable 

employment law attorney who can help 

pilot the ship through these treacherous 

waters. 

Donald W. Hitzeman is a shareholder 

with Reid & Hellyer, A Professional 

Corporation, and an experienced Business 

Law Litigator and Transactional 

Attorney. He has over 38 years of legal 

experience, including advising business 

owners and operators on employee 

issues, as well as general business litigation, 

transactional matters and estate 

planning. He may be reached at his Murrieta 

office at (951)695-8700.




13 

Mt. San Jacinto College’s Temecula Valley Campus Is Now Open 

Mt. San Jacinto College’s (MSJC) 

new Temecula Valley Campus is a Community 

Campus. It’s been designed to 

provide space for community meetings, 

gatherings and accessibility. It fosters 

learning, listening and collaboration. 

Outdoor spaces are welcoming and there 

are pathways to walk, run or just explore. 

Community groups and service organizations 

are encouraged to consider 

using the new meeting facilities as well as 

in-house catering. Meeting rooms can accommodate 

groups large or small, including 

audio/visual needs and accessibility. 

For more information on meeting room 

availability or community access, please 

contact Karin Marriott, Director of Public 

Information, Marketing & Strategic Communications, 

at KMarriott@MSJC.edu. 

When the Temecula Valley Campus 

opens for the fall 2021 semester that 

begins Aug. 16, students will learn in 

state-of-the art facilities and encounter 

a welcome lobby, student support 

services hub, veterans resource center, 

dining hall, health center, bookstore, and 

career center. The new campus features 

22 classrooms, six science labs and five 

computer labs, as well as dedicated areas 

for conference rooms, a board room, collaborative 

spaces and study group rooms. 

The campus spans more than 27 acres 

and is equal in size to MSJC’s Menifee 

Valley Campus, which serves more than 

15,000 students. 

Mt. San Jacinto College (MSJC) is a 

comprehensive community college that 

is one of California’s 116 community 

colleges. MSJC serves a 1,700-squaremile 

area from the San Gorgonio Pass to 

Temecula. Serving students from the San 

Jacinto, Menifee Valley, San Gorgonio, 

and Temecula Valley campuses, MSJC 

offers courses and programs that satisfy 

the four-year colleges and universities 

transfer requirements. A variety of Career 

Education programs are offered, preparing 

students for rewarding careers. Basic 

Skills and English as a Second Language 

(ESL) training programs are designed 

for students who want to build a strong 

foundation and ensure academic success. 

In addition, MSJC offers hundreds of 

online classes to help you complete your 

educational goals. 

To learn more and be one of the first to get 

a sneak peak of our new campus, register 

at https://tvc.msjc.edu/2021.



14 July 2021


Murrieta’s Gal Graduates U.S. Merchant 

Marine Academy 

Garrett Harrison Gal, son of Jay and 

Pamela Gal, of Murrieta recently graduated 

from the United States Merchant 

Marine Academy (USMMA) at Kings 

Point, NY. Gal earned a Bachelor of Science 

degree and a commission in the U. S. 

armed forces. He also earned a Merchant 

Marine officer license, qualifying him to 

serve as an officer on any ship in the U.S. 

flag merchant marine. Gal is a graduate of 

Vista Murrieta High School. 

The United States Merchant Marine 

Academy is one of five U.S. federal service 

academies. It educates and graduates 

licensed Merchant Marine officers to serve 

the nation during peace and war. In addition 

to the rigorous academic and physical 

requirements for admission, applicants 

must be nominated by their Congressman 

or Senator. Gal was nominated by Congressman 

Ken Calvert. 



All USMMA graduates incur an obligation 

to serve the United States. The U.S. 

Flag Merchant Marine – manned exclusively 

by American mariners – is essential 

for securing the country’s commerce in 

peacetime and delivering warfighters, 

weapons, and military supplies in times 

of conflict. 

The majority of “Kings Pointers” 

serve for eight years as Navy reservists in 

the Strategic Sealift Officer Program while 

working aboard U.S. flag vessels; others 

will serve on active duty in our nation’s 

armed forces. 

By virtue of their elite training and 

real-world experience, graduates are ready 

to go on day one in service of American 

military strength and economic power. 

As part of his four year education, Gal 

spent one year training as a cadet aboard 

ocean going vessels. Gal will serve as a 

3rd Assistant Engineer in the US Merchant 

Marine and a Strategic Sealift Officer in 

the US Navy. 

U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (AZ), a 1986 

alumnus of the Academy, gave the commencement 

address and told the graduates 

“Your graduation comes at a particularly 

important inflection point in the United 

States history. Sea power matters now 

more than ever. And a big part of that is 

all of you.” 

Dedicated during WWII, USM- 

MA has since served the nation in both 

peace and war. Learn more at www. 

WeAreTheUSMMA.com 

For more information about the Academy, 

visit https://www.usmma.edu/. 

15




Michelle’s Place Welcomes Jennifer Evans 

to the Team 

Jennifer Evans comes to us from 

the great state of South Carolina and 

has embraced Temecula, quickly, as her 

new home. She has a wonderful husband, 

Bill, and they share four kids together 

and five grandchildren. They love to 

travel and experience new cultures in 

their spare time. 

Jennifer’s background is in Marketing 

and Sales, and she most recently 

served as the VP of Outside Sales under 

Jim Toth, the owner of the Temecula 

Chick-fil-A. She is also a board member 

for The Rotary Club of Temecula, and 

the Boys and Girls Club of Southwest 

County. After attending our most recent 

golf tournament, Jennifer was compelled 

to work for Michelle’s Place. 

“ It is a way to honor my mother, who 

did not have a place such as this during 

her battle with cancer. We lost her over 

a year ago, but she keeps reminding me 

that it is my calling to help those who 

need a positive light to shine in their 

darkest moments”, Jennifer shared. 

It is her faith and upbringing that 

pushes her to serve. “Every day we are 

given a new opportunity to touch lives 

and bring joy. I don’t want to ever waste 

that, and I have chosen to come here to 

MP to align myself with those that live 

that out in their daily lives. I am fortunate 

to be a small part of an organization that 

touches lives across the globe. My dream 

is that one day every city has a Michelle’s 

Place to support our brothers and sisters 

in need”. 

Michelle’s Place is thrilled to welcome 

Jennifer to the team as our Program 

Manager. She brings huge energy and 

fantastic management skills to the organization. 

We look forward to working with 

her as she brings exciting new program 

ideas to the Center for our clients and 

families facing cancer. 

You can reach Jennifer at 951-699-5455 

or at jevans@michellesplace.org 

Get 

MAXIMUM 

Exposure for 

YOUR BRAND 

Contact us for advertising opportunities 

in The Valley Business Journal. 

publishertvbj@verizon.net 

(951) 461-0400 

“ It is a way to honor my mother, who did not 

have a place such as this during her battle 

with cancer. We lost her over a year ago, but 

she keeps reminding me that it is my calling 

to help those who need a positive light to 

shine in their darkest moments.”


Eye Protection 

by Pat Utnehmer 



17 

Eye injuries in the workplace are 

very common. The National Institute for 

Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 

reports that every day about 2,000 U.S. 

workers sustain job-related eye injuries 

that require medical treatment. However, 

safety experts and eye doctors believe 

the right eye protection can lessen the 

severity or even prevent 90 percent of 

these eye injuries. 

Chemicals or foreign objects in the 

eye and cuts or scrapes on the cornea are 

common eye injuries that occur at work. 

Other common eye injuries come from 

splashes with grease and oil, burns from 

steam, ultraviolet or infrared radiation 

exposure, and flying wood or metal chips. 

In addition, health care workers, 

laboratory and janitorial staff, and other 

workers may be at risk of acquiring 

infectious diseases from eye exposure. 

Some infectious diseases can be transmitted 

through the mucous membranes 

of the eye. This can occur through direct 

exposure to blood splashes, respiratory 

droplets generated during coughing, or 

from touching the eyes with contaminated 

fingers or other objects. 

Workers experience eye injuries on 

the job for two major reasons: 

1. They were not wearing eye 

protection. 

2. They were wearing the wrong 

kind of protection for the job. 

A Bureau of Labor Statistics survey 

of workers who suffered eye injuries revealed 

that nearly three out of five were 

not wearing eye protection at the time of 

the accident. These workers most often 

reported that they believed protection was 

not required for the situation. 

The Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration (OSHA) requires workers 

to use eye and face protection whenever 

there is a reasonable probability of injury 

that could be prevented by such equipment. 

Personal protective eyewear, such 

as goggles, face shields, safety glasses or 

full-face respirators must be used when 

an eye hazard exists. The necessary eye 

protection depends upon the type of hazard, 

the circumstances of exposure, other 

protective equipment used and individual 

vision needs. 

Workplace eye protection is needed 

when the following potential eye 

hazards are present: 

• Projectiles (dust, concrete, metal, wood 

and other particles) 

• Chemicals (splashes and fumes) 

• Radiation (especially visible light, 

ultraviolet radiation, heat or infrared 

radiation, and lasers) 

• Bloodborne pathogens (hepatitis or HIV) 

from blood and body fluids 

Computer Vision Syndrome, also referred 

to as Digital Eye Strain, describes a 

group of eye and vision-related problems 

that result from prolonged computer, 

tablet, e-reader and cell phone use. The 

average American worker spends seven 

hours a day on the computer either in the 

office or working from home. 

The type of safety eye protection you 

should wear depends on the hazards in 

your workplace: 

• If you are working in an area that has 

particles, flying objects or dust, you 

must at least wear safety glasses with 

side protection (side shields). 

• If you are working with chemicals, you 

must wear goggles. 

• If you are working near hazardous radiation 

(welding, lasers or fiber optics) 

you must use special-purpose safety 

glasses, goggles, face shields or helmets 

designed for that task. 

Know the requirements for your 

work environment. Side shields placed 

on your conventional (dress) glasses do 

not provide enough protection to meet 

the OSHA requirement for many work 

environments. 

In addition, employers need to take 

steps to make the work environment as 

safe as possible. This includes: 

• Conducting an eye hazard assessment of 

the workplace 

• Removing or reducing eye hazards 

where possible 

• Providing appropriate safety eyewear 

and requiring employees to wear it 

Your optometrist can assist your 

employer and you in evaluating potential 

eye hazards in your workplace and 

determining what type of eye protection 

may be needed. 

There are four things you can do to 

protect your eyes from injury: 

1. Know the eye safety dangers at 

your work. 

2. Eliminate hazards before starting 

work by using machine guards, 

work screens or other engineering 

controls. 

3. Use proper eye protection. 

4. Keep your safety eyewear in 

good condition and have it replaced 

if it becomes damaged 

Dr. Patrick Utnehmer, Promenade Optometry 

& Lasik, (951) 296-2211. 

“ ...survey of workers 

who suffered eye injuries 

revealed that 

nearly three out of five 

were not wearing eye 

protection at the time 

of the accident. 

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JDS Creative Academy Makes Big Splash Winning Nine 2021 

International Communicator Awards 

When you think about a nonprofit, 

you probably think of giving back to the 

community, helping others, donations, 

etc., but what about a television show 

structured to train adults who have autism 

and developmental disabilities and 

have an interest in video production? 

Probably not. 

While JDS Creative Academy 

(JDSCA) is dedicated to all the above, 

it’s all part of the nonprofit’s mission, 

to advance education, training and 

career pathway opportunities in visual, 

performing and digital arts. The story 

behind where it all started might surprise 

you, and to fully understand what 

JDS Creative Academy is all about, we 

need to rewind a bit. 

Meet Scott and Diane Strand. 

They’re a couple with over twenty-five 

years of experience in the entertainment 

industry, video production and media 

marketing, who started their production 

company, JDS Video and Media Productions, 

Inc., out of North County San 

Diego in 2003. They did so after leaving 

behind their high-level entertainment 

industry careers in Los Angeles. Within 

five years, the Strands and JDS had established 

themselves and incorporated 

in Temecula. 

As the business continued to rapidly 

grow over the next two years, mostly 

by word-of-mouth, Scott and Diane 

launched a Drama Club program in 

the Temecula Unified School District. 

After the overwhelming response, they 

decided to create an Actors Studio for 

all ages to learn the technique and craft 

of acting, which is now known as JDS 

Actors Studio. 

As they got JDS Actors Studio up 

and running, the community began 

asking for other arts education opportunities. 

This is when the Strands realized 

that the area really lacked opportunities 

for the arts. In response to this request, 

they sought after the idea of helping 

students, specifically homeschooled and 

independent study students, fulfill their 

Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) requirements 

per the California Education 

Core Standard. By opening their services 

to different populations, the Strands were 

able to not only allow students to chase 

their passions and accomplish education 

goals but help them find pathway opportunities 

for a career in several different 

creative mediums. 

In return, this helped put the Strands 

a bit more on the map. In 2014, the 

Strands and a Board of Directors, consisting 

of media and business professionals, 

founded the nonprofit 501(c)(3) JDS 

Creative Academy (JDSCA). 

As if running a nonprofit, a video 

production company and an actors studio 

wasn’t enough, Diane also sits on the 

Board of Directors for Workforce Development 

for Riverside County. This year 

will be her eighth year. Her involvement 

with Workforce led to meeting an individual 

who received services from the 

county’s Inland Regional Center (IRC). 

This person was in a Paid Internship 

Program (PIP), and JDSCA was asked 

to bring him on as an intern at no cost 

or training time of the JDS Staff. This 

caused an epiphany. JDSCA could provide 

opportunities to more individuals in 

the region and offer quality work experience 

in a safe, structured environment. 

To that end, JDS Creative Academy set 

out to write a Title-17 video production 

job-training program. 

After getting approved, they recruited 

a group of talented industry professionals 

who could train and mentor, 

and the job-training video production 

day program began May of 2018. The 

organization has come a long way since 

its inception in 2014 and continues to 

expand. JDSCA is gearing up to have 

a PIP program of their own. 

Everyone at JDSCA is thrilled 

their efforts are being rewarded and 

recognized, garnishing nine international 

Communicator awards for their 

television program Spirit of Innovation, 

the training program’s show the SOI 

Update, and a radio news program on 

102.5 The Vine called the JDSCA News 

Update. In 2019, they were also the 

recipients of six Telly Awards with one 

being in the category of Diversity and 

Inclusion! Diane, Scott and the entire 

#JDSFamily hold a special mantra and it 

truly speaks volumes as to what JDSCA 

aims to do: Provide H.O.P.E, Helping 

One Person Everyday.




19 

NIST – Achieving Alignment in 

Cybersecurity 

Technology has always been a 

dynamic market. Traditional focus has 

moved from a hardware/software to 

virtualization and the cloud. But data 

has clearly been designated as the true 

prize and in the unpatrolled world of the 

Internet, it is up to you to secure it. You 

can have the fastest car in the lot but take 

it down a dirt road and you’re in trouble. 

The difficulty with protecting data thus 

far has been the lack of standardization of 

how to go about protecting it but the Cybersecurity 

Framework (CSF) developed 

by the National Institute of Standards 

and Technology (NIST) is providing the 

foundation that has been missing. 

Though the NIST is part of the 

Department of Commerce, companies 

are not mandated to follow any of their 

standards unless you work with the 

Federal Government. And it is a contractual 

provision. The value of the CSF to 

non-government serving businesses is a 

common language around cybersecurity 

and future proofing your security posture 

for regulations to come. Both the 

California Consumer Privacy Act and 

the New York Department of Financial 

Services Cybersecurity Regulation use 

NIST guidelines in their framework and 

many other states are rolling out new 

laws forcing business to have formal 

cybersecurity policies. 

The topic of cybersecurity is often 

met with an “it’s not going to happen to 

me” attitude even though you’ve probably 

received breach notification emails 

from companies you’ve given your 

personal information to. In 2018 alone 

5 billion sensitive records were compromised. 

Picture for a moment how your 

business would be affected if you had to 

send your employees and customers an 

email that their personal information had 

been compromised. Will they trust you 

moving forward? What will you need to 

do to repair the relationship? What will 

the government fine you for the breach? 

The NIST framework can be applied 

to any size business. Getting your arms 

around the basics is the best way to start 

building your cybersecurity posture. The 

core of the framework is broken down 

into 5 functions: 

Identify – Think through all of your 

systems, people, assets, data and capabilities. 

Protection – Implement your safeguards 

and conduct ongoing maintenance. 

Detect – Processes and procedures 

for timely detection are crucial to mitigate 

loss. 

Respond – A cybersecurity response 

plan details out the how, who and what 

when there is no time to waste. 

Recover – Create a plan to be resilient 

and restore operations back to 

normal. 

Beyond the potential for loss of 

business and reputation damage a data 

security breach in itself can cost you a 

significant amount of money from data 

recovery to fines. By working through 

the NIST 5 functions to begin your framework, 

you’ll be able to clearly gauge your 

acceptable risk level and plan out where 

action is needed in your environment. 

While this can be done in house, 

depending on your particular talents, an 

outside specialist will be able to assess 

your infrastructure from a different perspective 

and is usually the best source 

for up to date information and process 

control. Whatever your path, it needs to 

get done. 

Mythos Technology is an IT consulting 

and management firm that provides 

Managed Technology Services including 

hosted cloud and compliance solutions. 

For more information, please visit www. 

mythostech.com or call (951) 813-2672. 

TECHNOLOGY 

by 

by 

James 

Steve 

Laszko 

Fillingim 

MYTHOSTECH.COM




Animal Friends of the Valleys has 

been selected as a California Nonprofit 

of the Year 2021 by California Assemblymember 

Kelly Seyarto and California 

Association of Nonprofits! 

Wildomar, CA (6/23/2021) –Animal 

Friends of the Valleys proud to announce 

it has been selected as a 2021 California 

Nonprofit of the Year by Assemblymember 

Kelly Seyarto and California 

Association of Nonprofits! 

Animal Friends of the Valleys is one 

of the nonprofits that will be honored by 

their state senators and assemblymembers 

for their tremendous contributions 

to the communities they serve. 

Animal Friends of the Valleys is a 

nonprofit animal shelter that serves the 

cities of Temecula, Murrieta, Wildomar, 

Lake Elsinore, Canyon Lake, Menifee 

and surrounding rural county areas. 

AFV is dedicated to promoting humane 

care of animals through education, 

and proactive animals service programs. 

AFV’s vision is to be recognized as the 

leading shelter by providing a safe haven 

for all small animals while becoming a 

full service animal care facility that offers 

quality and affordable care. 

Animal Friends of the Valleys Chosen as a 2021 Nonprofit of the Year 

Through community involvement 

and education, AFV will reach our vision 

to help end pet overpopulation and find 

a loving home for every adoptable pet 

in our shelter. Last year, AFV opened 

its doors to over 8500 animals and are 

pleased to report we are at the highest 

adoption rate in our 30 year history. 

AFV works closely with all local cities 

and chambers to provide services for our 

community members. 

Beth Soltysiak, Director of Development 

added, “Animal Friends of the 

Valley’s Board of Directors, Staff and 

Animal Control Officers are thrilled with 

this outstanding award, nominated by Assemblyman 

Kelly Seyarto of District 67. 

This past year has been difficult, AFV remained 

opened throughout the Pandemic. 

Our focus was on the animals and those 

struggling through this period. Animals 

bring comfort and laughter which has 

been so important this past year. Thank 

you to all of our cities, chambers and 

community members that help support 

Animals Friends of the Valleys and especially 

Assemblyman Kelly Seyarto for 

this award.” 

“The pandemic and shelter-in-place 

orders of the past year and a half have put 

nonprofits – usually hidden in plain sight 

– in the spotlight,” explains Jan Masaoka, 

CEO of the California Association of 

Nonprofits (CalNonprofits). “California 

Nonprofit of the Year is an opportunity 

for our elected officials to celebrate the 

good work they see nonprofits doing in 

their districts, and for everyone to appreciate 

the collective impact of nonprofits 

in our communities.” 

Animal Friends of the Valleys Shelter 

pets … heads and tails above the rest! 

About the California Nonprofits Day 

- California Nonprofits Day, now in its 

sixth year, was formally recognized by 

2021 Assembly Concurrent Resolution 

80, authored by Assemblymember Luz 

Rivas, and co-authored by Senator Monique 

Limón. Each year legislators from 

across California have chosen a Nonprofit 

of the Year in their district. 

Traditionally, honorees and legislators 

are invited by CalNonprofits, 

Chair of the Senate Select Committee 

on the Nonprofit Sector Senator Monique 

Limón (Santa Barbara), and Chair 

of the Assembly Select Committee on 

the Nonprofit Sector Assemblymember 

Luz Rivas to a celebratory luncheon on 

California Nonprofits Day. This year, 

like 2020, the luncheon was canceled in 

response to pandemic restrictions, but 

legislators moved forward with honoring 

nonprofits doing great work in their 

districts. 

According to “Causes Count,” a 

2019 report commissioned by CalNonprofits, 

the nonprofit sector is the 4th 

largest industry in the state, employing 

more than 1.2 million people. Each year, 

California nonprofits generate more than 

$273 billion in revenue and bring in $40 

billion in revenue from outside of California. 

The unpaid labor contributed by 

volunteers at nonprofits is equivalent to 

330,000 full-time jobs every year.




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Hornswoggled Voters Approve $1 Billion/Year Tax on their Heirs 

REAL ESTATE 

by 

Steve Fillingim 

by 

Gene Wunderlich 

In 1986 California voters overwhelmingly 

voted to pass Proposition 

58. This amendment to the California 

constitution excluded from reassessment 

property transfers between parents and 

children. What that meant was that a 

parent could provide their home to pass 

to their children without taxing the children 

out of the home by continuing the 

Prop 13 tax base. A decade later with 

the passage of Prop 193, the exemption 

was expanded to include grandparents. 

This became a favorite with parents 

and grandparents as a means of estate 

planning, benefitting both parents and 

children. 

Until last year that is, that is. California 

voters were hornswoggled into 

voting for the deceptively labeled ‘Home 

Protection for Seniors, Severely Disabled, 

Families and Victims of Wildfire 

or Natural Disasters Act’. A sweet title 

that painted an appealing picture. But 

nowhere in that grandiose title does it 

mention ‘$1 billion tax increase on your 

kids and grandkids.’ No, that’s the part 

that got buried by some very crafty internment 

specialists. All the hype was focused 

in Paragraph 1, allowing those over 55 to 

transfer their Prop 13 tax base from one 

house to another (tax portability), but scant 

attention was paid to Paragraph 2, the one 

that will burden your heirs with an estimated 

$1 billion a year in new tax revenue to 

the state (intergenerational transfer). 

As you might imagine, now that the 

law is about to kick in, folks are finding 

out what a pig-in-a-poke their vote bought. 

Suddenly their financial advisors are telling 

them if they leave a house to their kid, it’s 

likely the property tax bill will leap by 

factors of 10 or more, depending on when 

they bought. If the kid doesn’t move into 

that house as their principle residence, 

their tax bill would increase from whatever 

their old Prop 13 tax base was, to ‘current 

market value’ as determined by the state. 

But what if the kid is 50 years old and 

already has a principle residence, maybe 

in another state? And what if you have 2 

or 3+ kids? Which one has to move in? Do 

they all? And what if you’re a grandparent 

who has worked hard and lived frugally to 

the age of 94 and want to leave your small 

house in Garden Grove that you’ve lived 

in since 1957 to your grandchildren as a 

way of giving your heirs a step up on the 

economic ladder – something increasingly 

hard to achieve for our youth in California? 

Nope, Prop 19 eliminated those opportunities 

for you and yours and replaced it 

with yet another tax that will be borne by 

our children and grandchildren. It’s hard 

to imagine anything more callous than the 

government sending a giant tax bill to a 

bereaved family, but here we are. 

A quick tutorial on how we got here. 

Back in 2018 the California Association 

of Realtors got Prop 5 on the ballot. Prop 

5 was all the good stuff in Prop 19 (tax 

portability) with none of the bad. ‘None 

of the bad’ meant no tax increase. But if it 

doesn’t increase taxes, the perception was 

painted that it would probably cost money 

– especially money that certain unions were 

salivating over. With that kind of opposition, 

the measure failed. But as with many 

measures in Sacramento, this kind of stuff 

never actually ‘dies’, it just lurks around 

Zombie-like to reemerge again later. 

And remerge it did. In order to sweeten 

the pot (i.e. quid pro quo, buy-off) the 

opposition, the measure that emerged last 

year now included Paragraph 2, tax on intergenerational 

transfer with the proceeds 

accruing to? Well you didn’t hear about any 

union opposition, did you? 

Realtors spent over $40 million to get 

the new measure on the ballot only to back 

out at the last minute as a replacement measure 

emerged from the Legislature as ACA 

11. If anything, ACA 11 was worse than the 

original but because proponents buried the 

tax increase, a slim majority of voters were 

snookered. Sadly, snookering voters in 

California is becoming a full time industry 

for some California entrepreneurs, and it’s 

surprisingly easy to do. 

Over the years California voters have 

strongly opposed state inheritance taxes, 

which were abolished by constitutional 

amendment in 1982. Proposition 19 has 

effectively resurrected the inheritance tax 

in California, with the added burden that 

families must pay it every year as a condition 

of keeping their property. 

But help may be on the way. Realizing 

early on that this is a fiscal disaster in 

the making for many California families, 

Senator Patricia Bates introduced SB 

668, a bill to delay the effective date of 

the rules governing intergenerational 

transfer allowing families to adjust to this 

sea change. Assembly member Kevin 

Kiley (he’s the one suing Gov. Newsom 

over the lockdown) has introduced ACA 

9, a measure that would fully restore Prop 

58 (1986) and Prop 193 (1996), allowing 

parents and grandparents to once again 

pass along property to the next generation 

without reassessment. 

Will it work? Well, both bills are 

authored by Republicans, they propose 

to reduce tax revenue to the state/union 

supporters, and they will have to fight 

their way through the Democratic mega-majority 

in both houses. SB 668, 

the bill to delay, is still stuck in its first 

committee. A ‘working group’ has been 

convened to ‘study the issue’. ACA 9 has 

yet to be referred out to a committee even 

for discussion and we’re over halfway 

through the session. Chances of relief 

based on that scenario are slim and none, 

and slim is headed for the door. But hope 

springs eternal. 

So, if you see our local representatives 

– Senator Melendez, Assembly 

members Seyarto or Waldron, thank 

them for the hard work they’re attempting 

on our behalf against overwhelming 

odds. And let them know you’re not OK 

with the state milking another billion out 

of your kid’s pockets. They’re not OK 

with it either.




23 

MURRIETA ROTARY OFFICERS & DIRECTORS 

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 

Steve Nicholson will take office July 

1 to serve as President of the Rotary Club 

of Murrieta for the 2021/22 Rotary year, 

succeeding Lou Ellen Ficke. 

Director of Operations at Temecula 

Hyundai, Nicholson has lived in the Murrieta 

area for 20 years and has extensive 

experience in all areas of automobile 

dealer operations. He is a graduate of 

Liberty University with a degree in 

Biblical students. He has served on 

nonprofit boards like Quality West Wing, 

Uncle Bud’s and ARC Angel Foundation. 

Steve attends Calvary Chapel Chino 

Hills and has for some 30 years, serving 

the children’s and men’s ministries. He 

also facilitates a Men’s Bible Study 

with Calvary Chapel Murrieta and has 

been a baseball chaplain for the Angel’s 

organization. 

Serving with Steve: 

John Brown, president-elect while 

LouEllen Ficke will be the immediate 

past president. 

Patsy Orr serves as Executive Secretary, 

and LouEllen Ficke is Treasurer. 

Saomorn Wong is Foundation Chair, and 

Administration, Dawn Layton. 

BECOMING KNOWN AS AN EXPERT 


One sure way to show your expertise 

is to write a book. This may include 

lessons learned and best practices. Most 

importantly include how your business 

can and has solved the problems that your 

customers have brought to you. Writing 

a book may sound like an overwhelming 

task but there are techniques for breaking 

down the project. 

First put together an outline of the 

story you wish to tell. This will help you 

stay on track. Next, write your ideas 

down as they come to you. Carrying a 

deck of 3x5 cards is a great way to organize 

thoughts and ideas. When something 

comes to you, put it on a card. Then as 

you sit down to write, organize these 

cards by chapter and use them as starting 

points to develop an idea. 

To keep progressing, set goals. Figure 

out how much time you can commit 

to writing, whether it be a few pages a day 

or a chapter a week. You’ll know what 

you can do so make it fits your schedule. 

Stay on this timetable the best you can 

and before you know it, you’ll have a 

manuscript ready for publishing. 

If you’re not ready for a book, consider 

writing short articles to publish in 

an industry related magazine, on your 

website or offering a printed copy available 

at your place of business. This will 

provide an additional service to customers 

and clients while showing your depth 

of knowledge. 

Club Directors are: Vocational 

Services, Kelly Orchard; Community 

Service, Jim Yanoschik; Youth Services, 

Jody Lawlor and Liz Jones; Membership, 

John Brown; International, Doreen Tate 

and Public Relations, Linda Dozier. 

The club serves the City of Murrieta 

and surrounding area and is involved 

in international projects in cooperation 

with Rotary International which has as 

its ongoing theme “Service Above Self.” 

Chartered on April 28, 1992, the Murrieta 

Club is known for several signature 

projects including the Murrieta Field of 

Honor, which will celebrate its 13th year 

in November. 

Rotary is one of the largest international 

humanitarian service organizations 

in the world, with 1.2 million members 

in some 32,000 clubs in more than 200 

countries and geographic areas. Rotary 

began in 1905 in Chicago and serves the 

needs of local communities around the 

world. 

One last popular method is creating 

a video and posting it on a sharing site. 

Some professionals will demonstrate 

simple home improvement work, automotive 

repair and other tasks where 

watching can help learn. Contact information 

is included prominently that many 

times results in new business. With a little 

imagination an interesting video can be 

created for any business. 

No matter which method you choose 

be sure to share this information in your 

store and on your website. Let your customers 

get to know you. 

Ted Saul is a business coach that assists 

with Business Plans and Project 

Management. He earned is MBA from 

Regis University along with a masters in 

project management. He is also ITIL 4.0 

certified. Ted can be reached on LinkedIn 

or emailing TedSaulbiz@gmail.com. 

“ 

One sure way to show 

your expertise is to 

write a book. 

Local Student Earns Prestigious Award 

Tahquitz High School Student 

Elijah O’Leary, age 15 has served his 

community well – and his efforts have 

not gone unnoticed. Part of his voluntary 

accomplishments that has earned 

him The Congressional Award, Bronze 

Certificate is for volunteering at the 

Annual Angel Tree Christmas Party 

with the Community Outreach Ministry. 

The ministry, cofounded in 2000 by 

Dr. Mona Davies and her husband Bob, 

is a nonprofit organization dedicated to 

improving the lives of girls and boys 

like O’Leary, whose mother is in and 

out of prison. Now under the care of a 

relative, the high school student never 

lets any obstacles of having an incarcerated 

mother stop him from either 

achieving his goals or choosing to help 

others along the way. 

The Congressional Award offers 

young Americans the opportunity to be 

recognized for their service in four program 

areas including voluntary public 

service and youth up to the age of 24 

can earn Bronze, Silver, and Gold Certificates 

as well as Bronze, Silver, and 

Gold Medals according to the website 

https://www.congressionalaward.org. 

The award accommodates young 

people with special needs or disabilities 

who are willing to take the challenge 

and achieve their goals. The Congressional 

Award is not based upon grade 

point average; however, Elijah is a high 

academic achiever with support from 

his caregiver. O’Leary’s great grandmother 

in San Diego cared and helped 

by tutoring him at home, picking him 

up from school, and meeting with his 

teachers until her death. Although his 

dad was also in San Diego, both mom 

and dad have been absentee parents. 

Elijah has had to face harsh realities as 

a young boy, and he is grateful for his 

great grandmother who intervened and 

demonstrated her love for him. 

Community Outreach Ministry 

offers a multitude of programs and 

services to at-risk children in Riverside 

County impacted by parental 

incarceration. From “Gearing Up For 

STEM” Mentor Protégé Workshops 

to camping activities and guidance 

on available community resources, 

the nonprofit organization also helps 

youth celebrate the holidays through 

numerous events including its annual 

Angel Tree Christmas Party. In partnership 

with the Prison Fellowship 

Angel Tree Program®, boys and girls 

like O’Leary are invited to a traditional 

holiday celebration replete with gifts, 

catered meals, and live entertainment. 

O’Leary participated in these activities 

over the years, and he decided to give 

back to his community by volunteering 

his time at events like this as a teen 

because he understood how important 

it was to celebrate the holiday season 

despite having neither his mother nor 

father to share in the moment. 

As a three-year-old, O’Leary began 

to receive Christmas gifts from his 

incarcerated mother and remembers 

how getting those gifts was important 

to him. At first, those gifts were all 

he received which is what motivated 

him to volunteer his time when he 

was older. 

His caregiver has encouraged 

him to register for The Congressional 

Award Program and he is now well 

on his way toward earning the Silver 

Certificate. O’Leary has a heart for 

baseball and is a player on the Murrieta 

Red Wolves Colt team. He has also 

registered with the Red Cross and is 

taking a first-aid course for dogs as 

well as walking dogs in his community. 

Donations for events hosted by 

Community Outreach Ministry are 

always welcome. Visit htttps://www. 

communityoutreachministry.org or 

send a text to DONATE CHAMPIONS 

to 609- 212-0627. For more information 

call 951-698-7650 or email the 

nonprofit group at info@communityoutreachministry.org.




CHERISE MANNING NAMED 


Manning, co- founder of a Grape 

Escape Balloon Adventure, brings her 

business experience, relationships and 

history of the area to one of the largest 

non-profits in the valley. She said her 

focus on communication, connections 

and long-term planning will be essential 

in leading the organization as it serves 

local and international communities in 

the coming year. 

“After a year of very little personal 

contact, it is my goal to reconnect members 

within our club, and to connect fellow 

Rotarians with our extended valley 

and community,” Manning said. 

Since 1975, the Rotary Club of Temecula 

has been serving Temecula Valley 

residents. With over 100 members of diverse 

backgrounds, the club has invested 

thousands of dollars and volunteer hours 

into the community. The Temecula Rotary 

has several ongoing committees that 

support local Youth, Seniors, Military 

families and the Homeless, as well as 

International projects. Rotary’s stated 

mission is “to create a world where 

people unite and take action to create 

lasting change -- across the globe, in our 

communities, and in ourselves.” 

Manning and her husband Rusty 

own a Grape Escape Balloon Adventure, 

a local hot air balloon tour company 

where Cherise is the general manager 

over business operations. She has been 

an active member of the Rotary Club of 

Temecula since 2016 and will follow in 

her husband’s footsteps as President. He 

led the club in 2006-07. 

“I am honored to have been chosen to 

lead such hardworking individuals who 

give of their money and time,” Manning 

said. “My goal this next year is to connect 

our members in a fun year of fellowship 

and service.” 

Manning is active in the community 

in other areas as well, serving as Treasurer 

on the Board of Directors for Visit 

Temecula Valley. She was awarded the 

Welty Tourism Professional of the Year 

Award in 2016. In addition, she sits on 

the Board of Directors for the Temecula 

Valley Chamber of Commerce. She has 

served as a chairperson for the Temecula 

Valley Balloon & Wine Festival for 25 

years. Manning and her husband have 

lived in Temecula since 1991 and raised 

their two children, Kyle and Kayla, in 

the Valley. 

The Rotary Club of Temecula meets the 

first, second and third Wednesday of each 

month from 12:00 – 1:30 pm at Bolero 

Winery, 41150 Via Europa, Temecula. 

For more information or to attend a 

meeting, visit rotarycluboftemecula.com.




25




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




27 

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28 July 2021

VBJ July 2021

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