VBJ January 22

VOLUME 33, NUMBER 1 JANUARY 2022 

OPERATING A 

CONSULTING SERVICE 

There are differences between running a business 

that provides goods and one that provides a service. Most 

notably is that there is no tangible product with a service. 

Providing a service is a great way to generate income 

on a full or part-time level. Some include pet services like 

walking or sitting. 

Some consumers will pay for personal care services 

such as managing their schedule, health care, or being a 

personal concierge. 

There are property management services available 

at all levels whether you own multiple properties or just 

need someone to look after your home while on vacation. 

The list of opportunities goes on and on. 

MURRIETA CITY COUNCIL ANNUAL REORGANIZATION SETS 

MAYOR AND MAYOR PRO TEMPORE 

FOR UPCOMING YEAR 

SEE PAGE 20 

SEE PAGE 22 

SOCIAL 

MEDIA 

MARKETING 

TRAINING 

EVENT 

On Thursday, January 27, 2022, from 1p.m.-3p.m., the Inland Empire 

Small Business Development Center (IESBDC) will host a FREE Social 

Media Marketing Training Event at Menifee City Hall (Council Chambers), 

29844 Haun Rd. Jacqueline Scott, SBDC Business Consultant, will discuss 

Social Media Marketing Basics and Strategy including: 

•What is Social Media Marketing? 

•Getting Started on Social Media 

•Hashtags and How to Use Them 

•Creating a Social Media Strategy 

•Running Campaigns on Social Media 

SEE PAGE 23 

THE “BEST OF THE BEST” 

CHEVROLET DEALERS 

RECENTLY HONORED AT THE 

GENERAL MOTORS DEALER OF THE 

YEAR AWARD CEREMONY 

Paradise Chevrolet Cadillac located in Temecula California was 

among the elite dealers recently awarded the Dealer of the Year Award 

for the 7th year in a row. 

SEE PAGE 22 

FINANCIAL 

GRAND OPENING 

CELEBRATION ELITE 

TAX PARTNERS 

5 

COMMUNITY 

BURKE TAKES SEAT 

AS EVMWD BOARD 

PRESIDENT 

7 

LEGAL 

THE 2022 PROPOSED 

TAX CHANGES RE- 

GARDING GRANTOR 

TRUST RULES 

10 

AND... 

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2022 TAX 

SEASON 

2022 CLASSICAL SERIES AT 

THE OLD TOWN 

TEMECULA COMMUNITY

THE VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL 

2 www.TheValleyBusinessJournal.com 

January 2022 

LONG-SERVING MENIFEE ASSISTANT 

CITY ENGINEER 

YOLANDA MACALALAD 

On Wednesday, December 15, 2021, 

the Menifee City Council during a regular 

scheduled City Council meeting, 

officially congratulated and recognized 

long-serving Menifee Assistant City 

Engineer Yolanda Macalalad on her announcement 

of her upcoming retirement, 

effective December 30, 2021. The Menifee 

City Council and key executive city 

staff honored Macalalad for her service 

since 2014, starting just shy of six years 

after City incorporation. 

“Ms. Macalalad has been very instrumental 

in the City’s land development 

processing, and various infrastructure 

capital improvement projects from just 

about the very beginning of cityhood 

and has had a significant and positive 

impact in not only our organization, but 

for the City of Menifee as a whole,” said 

Armando G. Villa, Menifee City Manager. 

“Yolanda’s tireless commitment and 

dedication to Menifee and its growth, 

internal systems, and key projects, is 

unmatched. 

She will be extremely missed but 

her Menifee family wishes her nothing 

but the best in her retirement and future 

endeavors.” 

Yolanda Macalalad holds a Master of 

Science Degree in Environmental Engineering, 

and Bachelor of Science Degree 

in Chemical Engineering. She has over 

40 years of experience in the engineering 

field, working in the private sector from 

1981 through 1998 as a Lead Design 

Engineer and General Manager, prior to 

serving as a Senior Civil Engineer for 

15 years at the City of Corona’s Public 

Works Department Land Development/ 

NPDES Division. 

In the City of Menifee, Ms. Macalalad 

utilized her talents in multiple 

capacities in the City starting as a Senior 

Civil Engineer, Principal Engineer, 

Interim City Engineer/Public Works 

Director, and ultimately, retiring as 

Menifee’s Assistant City Engineer. 

When Yolanda Macalalad started in 

2014, Menifee’s population was 87,000 

residents and has been influential in an 

array of projects within the city, that had 

led to Menifee’s growth at 105,000 residents, 

and being recognized as the 3rd 

fastest growing City in California, a Top 

Place to Raise Kids in America, and being 

a nationally recognized Boomtown! 

Among her many contributions, 

she led the Audie Murphy Ranch, Town 

Center, Talavera, Underwood, Cimarron 

Ridge, Cantalena, Hidden Hills, Banner 

Park, and Legado Projects. 

Entering into retirement, Yolanda 

will celebrate with her husband of over 

40 years, Teodoro Macalalad, a retired 

Riverside County Engineer and retired 

U.S. Navy veteran, and three grown 

children: daughter Kristine (Librarian), 

married to Jonathan Wong (Research 

Biologist), daughter Frances (UCSF 

Analyst) married to Ryan Fitch (Manager-Biotech 

Clinical Labs), and son, 

Michael (Biochemist-QA). She also has 

two grandsons, Micah and Morih. 

“Ms. Macalalad has been very instrumental in the City’s land development processing, 

and various infrastructure capital improvement projects from just about the very 

beginning of cityhood and has had a significant and positive impact 

in not only our organization, 

but for the City of Menifee 

as a whole.” 

~Armando G. Villa, Menifee City Manager



www.TheValleyBusinessJournal.com 

3 

DIGIFEST TEMECULA OPENS SUBMISSIONS TO ITS 

6TH ANNUAL DIGITAL-MEDIA 

FESTIVAL 

The sixth annual three-day festival, 

DigiFest Temecula, hosted by nonprofit 

JDS Creative Academy, has opened 

submissions for the 2022 digital-media 

competition. 

Categories include short film and 

video, animation, game design, music, 

photography, digital art and illustration, 

podcast, and website design. Everyone is 

welcome to submit their work! 

Students still in high school are eligible 

to submit in the student section for 

a $5.00 per entry fee. Those out of high 

school can submit in either the amateur 

category for $10.00 an entry or at the 

professional level for $15.00 an entry. All 

judging is done by industry professionals 

from companies that include Disney, 

Universal, NBC, and more. 

Early submissions deadline is January 

28th, 2022. The late submissions 

deadline is March 25, 2022, and prices 

rise by $5.00 per entry in each level from 

early deadline to late deadline. 

DigiFest Temecula is an international 

digital-media festival created to promote 

networking, appreciation, and recognition 

opportunities for those entered. 

DigiFest Temecula was held virtually for 

2020 and 2021, due to COVID-19, but 

is excited to be back in person for 2022. 

\Festival Coordinator, Lynn Cohen, believes 

that “DigiFest allows opportunities 

for all, students especially, to submit 

their creations and have them judged 

by professionals. The event itself gives 

those who enter a chance to network and 

meet those in the digital media industry. 

DigiFest really gives an opportunity to 

gain valuable professional experience 

and accolades which can be leveraged 

for future opportunities.” 

JDS Creative Academy is excited to 

announce Abbott as the title sponsor for 

DigiFest Temecula 2022! The event will 

take place at JDS Studios and throughout 

the city of Temecula. Mark your calendars 

for April 22, 23 and 24, 2022 to 

attend Temecula’s biggest digital-media 

festival, DigiFest Temecula! For more 

information about DigiFest Temecula 

visit: https://digifesttemecula.org/ or call 

(951) 296-6715. 

About DigiFest Temecula: DigiFest Temecula 

has been a staple in the Temecula 

region for five years and strives to bring 

opportunities in the digital-media industry 

to all. The festival was founded with passion 

by JDS Creative Academy Founder 

and Executive Director, Diane Strand. 

“The event itself gives those who enter a chance to network and meet those in the digital media industry. 

DigiFest really gives an opportunity to gain valuable professional experience and accolades 

which can be leveraged for future opportunities.”




RAKA GIVES BACK DAY SHOWERS HUNDREDS OF 

UNSUSPECTING COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH 

RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS 

On Saturday, December 11, 2021, 

RAKA (Random Acts of Kindness Alliance) 

surprised hundreds with random 

acts of kindness and recognized Tammy 

Wilson, Oak Grove Center CEO, for her 

30 years of leadership and service to the 

community’s at-risk and special needs 

youth. The recognition was a part of 

RAKA’s 9th Annual Give Back Day, an 

annual community service project created 

and led by Shawn Sorensen, winner 

of Exit Alliance Realty’s national 2021 

Humanitarian of the Year Award earlier 

this year. Each December, RAKA dedicates 

time and resources to help anyone 

in need. 

This year, RAKA had 150 community 

volunteers broken up into 12 groups 

to complete 12 random acts of kindness 

projects benefiting hundreds of families, 

animals and nonprofits in the local area. 

Groups were charged with filling Holiday 

wish lists for Oak Grove Center 

low-income families, assembling more 

than 200 food boxes at Salvation Army, 

surprising unsuspecting grocery shoppers 

or restaurant patrons by paying their 

bills, and serving dog treats and toys at 

local dog parks. RAKA even stepped in 

to generously help a domestic violence 

survivor and single mother of six with 

emergency bill assistance, gifts, food, 

home safety fix-ups, and a used car for 

her 18 year old son to get to work. 

RAKA also recognizes nonprofit 

leaders shedding light on the personal 

sacrifices they make for the community. 

Tammy Wilson, Chief Executive Officer 

of Oak Grove Center was one of four 

recognized that day. As CEO, Ms. Wilson 

is responsible for leading Oak Grove’s 

operations, supervising the management 

team, and providing leadership to over 

345 staff members, as well as the special 

needs youth targeted by the organization. 

Additionally, she is responsible for maintaining 

and ensuring the quality of care 

related to all Oak Grove Center licenses 

and accreditations, including Joint Commission 

(JCAH) and Western Association 

of Schools (WASC). During her tenure 

as CEO, Oak Grove Center has expanded 

from 190 employees to a staff of 375, 

while securing the requisite funding to 

grow the organization’s operating budget 

from $500,000 to over $20 million. 

For more information on Oak Grove 

Center visit www.oakgrovecenter.org. 

For more information about RAKA, visit 

their Facebook page at www.facebook. 

com/Randomactsofkindnessalliance 

Oak Grove Center is a nonprofit Residential, 

Education and Treatment Center 

(with multiple campuses) for children 

throughout California with psychological, 

emotional and behavioral problems 

and special needs. Oak Grove Center’s 

mission is to rebuild the lives of at-risk 

children and their families through educating, 

healing, restoring relationships, 

building character and instilling hope. 

In this issue: 

Murrieta City Council Sets Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore for Upcoming Year 1 

Operating a Consulting Service 1 

Social Media Marketing Training Event 1 

The “Best of the Best” Chevrolet Dealers Honored 1 

Long-Serving Menifee Assistant City Engineer Yolanda Macalalad 2 

DigiFest Temecula Opens Submissions 3 

RAKA Gives Back Day - Random Acts of Kindness 4 

Grand Opening Celebration Elite Tax Partners 5 

City of Menifee Receives Distinguished Budget Award 5 

City of Murrieta Awarded for Excellence in Financial Reporting 6 

Burke Takes Seat as EVMWD Board President 7 

It’s Time to Step It Up! 7 

JDS Creative Academy is Positive’s Nonprofit of the Month 8 

JDS Studios: A Year in Review 9 

Breaking Down the 2022 Proposed Tax Changes 10 

Highlights of 2022 Tax Season for Your 2021 Tax Return 11 

New Immigration Attorney Joins REID & HELLYER Law Firm 12 

EXECUTIVE PROFILE | Darlene Wetton 13 

EXECUTIVE PROFILE | Brian Connors 15 

Chamber of Commerce Events 16 

Online Eye “Exams” 17 

The City of Murrieta Thanks Former Mayor Scott Vinton for Service 19 

Tune In to Temecula Presents 2022 Classical Series 20 

Realtor® Report 23 

Temecula Announces Winners from Santa’s Electric Light Parade 24




Grand Opening Celebration on January 13, 

2022 

By Nicole Albrecht 

5 

We are excited to celebrate the grand 

opening of our new offices with our clients 

and community: The press and public 

are invited to the joint grand opening 

of Elite Tax Partners on January 13, 2022. 

The event will take place at 41951 

Remington Avenue, Temecula, CA 

92590. Guests will be treated to fun food, 

signature cocktails, a photo booth and 

raffle- 60” Flat screen TV! 

More information on the company 

and the event can be found at www. 

elitetaxpartners.com or our Facebook 

and Instagram pages @elitetaxpartners. 

Nicole Albrecht is the founder and owner 

of Elite Tax Partners. Nicole is a senior 

tax advisor with over 20 years’ experience 

and is a licensed Enrolled Agent 

and Certified Tax Coach. Nicole enjoys 

helping business owners create tax and 

financial strategies to improve their profitability. 

Nicole’s vision is to help provide 

hope and inspire change so that others 

learn to live modestly, leave a legacy and 

help change the world. 

2021 City of Menifee Receives GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award 

On December 7, 2021, the Government 

Finance Officers Association 

(GFOA) announced that the City of 

Menifee received GFOA’s Distinguished 

Budget Presentation Award for its Fiscal 

Year 2021/2022 budget. 

This is the City’s first GFOA Budget 

Award and is the result of a cross departmental 

collaboration in the City’s continuous 

efforts of operating as a responsive 

and transparent community government. 

“The award represents a significant 

achievement by the entity. It reflects the 

commitment of the governing body and 

staff to meeting the highest principles of 

governmental budgeting. 

In order to receive the budget award, 

the entity had to satisfy 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 

• A 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. 

When a Distinguished Budget Presentation 

Award is granted to an entity, 

a Certificate of Recognition for Budget 

Presentation is also presented to the individual(s) 

or department designated as 

being primarily responsible for having 

achieved the award. 

This has been presented to Margarita 

Cornejo, Financial Services Manager. 

There are over 1,700 participants in the 

Budget Awards Program. The most recent 

Budget Award recipients, along with 

their corresponding budget documents, 

are posted quarterly on GFOA’s website. 

Award recipients have pioneered efforts 

to improve the quality of budgeting 

and provide an excellent example for other 

governments throughout North America,” 

stated the GFOA’s press release. 

“We are extremely proud of this 

award as it is a testament to the high-standard 

of work our staff are producing in 

the City,” said Menifee City Manager 

Armando G. Villa. “We are honored to be 

recognized for our transparency, quality 

budget practices and presentation. 

For more information on the GFOA, 

please visit https://www.gfoa.org/. 

To view the most recent Menifee 

Financial Reports, visit Financial Reports 

| City of Menifee.




The City of Murrieta Awarded for Excellence in Financial Reporting 

The City of Murrieta is proud to announce 

that the Government Finance Officers 

Association of the United States and 

Canada (GFOA) has recently awarded the 

Certificate of Achievement for Excellence 

in Financial Reporting to City of Murrieta 

for its annual comprehensive financial report 

for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020. 

This award highlights the City’s “spirit of 

full disclosure” to clearly communicate 

its financial story and motivate constituents 

and user groups to read the financial 

report. The Certificate of Achievement is 

the highest form of recognition in the area 

of governmental accounting and financial 

reporting, and its attainment represents a 

significant accomplishment by a government 

and its management. 

City of Murrieta Finance Director 

Javier Carcamo expressed his pride in 

achieving this recognition once again. 

“This national award represents another 

outstanding achievement for the City. It is 

the City’s 23rd Certificate of Achievement 

for Excellence in Financial Reporting and 

it demonstrates the Murrieta’s commitment 

to full accountability and transparency 

of public funds. This award represents a 

true team effort. The Finance Department, 

and all City staff, continue to exhibit their 

commitment and dedication to adhering to 

the highest financial reporting standards,” 

shared Carcamo. 

The report for which the City of Murrieta 

was awarded is referred to as the Comprehensive 

Annual Financial Report (Annual 

Report). Local governments are required 

to produce and distribute this report each 

year to meet generally accepted accounting 

standards established by the Government 

Accounting Standards Board. The Annual 

Report is a thorough and detailed presentation 

of the City’s financial condition, with 

financial activity for a fiscal year and its 

end of the year financial position. The data 

reported in the Annual Report encompasses 

all of the City’s programs and departments. 

The comprehensive document contains 

three sections: 

• Introductory section 

• Financial section, including financial 

statements, an independent auditor’s report, 

and management’s discussion and 

analysis 

• Statistical section, which includes additional 

financial, economic, and demographic 

information 

The Government Finance Officers 

Association (GFOA) advances excellence 

in government finance by providing best 

practices, professional development, and 

practical research for more than 21,000 

members and the communities they serve. 

To see the City’s award-winning 2019-20 

Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, 

visit the City of Murrieta’s website. 

Murrieta’s more than 115,000 residents 

live in one of the safest cities in the U.S., 

with top-ranked schools, 52 parks, and a 

dynamic business environment. Central 

to all of Southern California, Murrieta is 

truly the gem of the valley. With a median 

age of 36 an average household income of 

$122,207, Murrieta boasts a well-educated 

population and a strong labor force. Ranked 

the fiscally healthiest full-service city in 

Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, and 

Los Angeles counties, Murrieta’s future is 

undoubtedly bright. 

EDITOR/PUBLISHER/CEO 

Linda Wunderlich 

Email: publishertvbj@verizon.net 

Criteria for Submitting Articles: 

ADVERTISING SALES INFORMATION 

(951) 461-0400 

CREATIVE DIRECTOR 

Helen M. Ryan 

VP OF DISTRIBUTION 

Dane Wunderlich 


www.facebook/thevalleybusinessjournal 

For questions, comments, or story ideas, please 

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

1. Since the publication of articles is an added public relations feature for our advertisers, their articles 

will be given first priority. Other articles will be published on a space available basis. 

2. Articles should be submitted as a Word document file. 

3. Articles must be business-oriented and pertain to the author’s area of expertise. A photo of the 

writer is appropriate. 

4. All submissions are subject to editing by the publisher. 

5. Send completed articles by e-mail to: publishertvbj@verizon.net 

6. Article and advertising deadlines are the 15th of each month for the next issue. 

STAFF WRITERS/ 

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 

Gene Wunderlich 

Ted Saul 

Craig Davis 

Stefani Laszko 

James 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 

Don Hitzeman 

Dione Moser 

The Valley Business Journal is a California Corporation. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form, in whole or in part, 

without the written permission of the Publisher is prohibited. The publication is published monthly. The opinions and 

views expressed in these pages are those of the writer or person interviewed and not necessarily those of The Valley 

Business Journal. The Valley Business Journal hereby expressly limits its liability resulting from any and all misprints, 

errors and/or inaccuracies any advertisement or editorial may contain, to the credit of the specific advertising payment 

and/or the running of a corrected advertisement or editorial correction notice.




Burke Takes Seat as EVMWD Board President 

Officer positions announced at the meeting of EVMWD’s board of directors. 

7 

Director Darcy M. Burke was elected 

president at Elsinore Valley Municipal Water 

District’s (EVMWD) Thursday board 

meeting after a 5-0 vote by the board. Burke 

has extensive experience in the water industry 

and has focused her professional efforts 

on strategic planning, operation efficiencies, 

communications, and legislative regulatory 

affairs. After serving as board treasurer 

and vice president, Burke will now lead as 

president for the first time since her 2018 

election. 

“I am honored to serve our local community 

as EVMWD board president,” said 

Burke. “I will continue to work with the 

board, staff and stakeholders to ensure our 

customers have a safe, reliable water supply 

– both now and in the years to come.” 

Burke represents EVMWD’s Division 

1, which includes Canyon Lake, Tuscany 

Hills, Canyon Hills, and other areas of Lake 

Elsinore. She has been a resident of Canyon 

Lake for more than twenty years. She serves 

on EVMWD’s Water Planning Committee 

and as District representative for multiple 

organizations, including the Western Municipal 

Water District Joint Committee, 

Eastern Municipal Water District Joint 

Committee, Meeks and Daley Water Co., 

Canyon Lake City Council, Canyon Lake 

POA, Canyon Lake Roundtable, and Urban 

Water Institute. 

Other board officer positions announced 

at the meeting include Andy 

Morris, Division 5, as vice president, and 

Chance Edmondson, Division 3, as treasurer. 

Rounding out the board of directors 

are Phil Williams, representing Division 4, 

and Harvey Ryan, representing Division 2. 

Board officers serve a one-year term. 

The EVMWD Board of Directors 

regularly meets on the second and fourth 

Thursday of each month at 4:00 PM. 

Meetings are open to the general public 

and are currently accessible both in-person 

and online. 

For additional details, visit www.evmwd. 

com/agendas. 

It’s Time to Step It Up! 

Governor Gavin Newsom declared 

a drought emergency across 

California, urging residents to 

reduce their water use after the 

state saw its second-driest year 

on record. 

The state is experiencing its worst 

drought since the late 1800s, according 

to the governor’s office. August 2021 

was the driest and hottest August on 

record since the state began recording 

data. 

With the Governor’s Order comes 

the request for residents to “re-double” 

efforts to voluntarily reduce water use 

by 15%. 

While our region is well-positioned 

to maintain supplies without major conservation 

requirements, it is time to Step 

It Up and challenge ourselves to implement 

further water-saving practices. 

Residents and businesses alike can 

continue to make a big difference in 

managing water supplies by being as 

efficient as possible with your water use. 

To better assist you, EVMWD 

offers a variety of water efficiency 

rebates and resources for residents and 

businesses—tools that have helped to 

dramatically drive water use down and 

save customers money. 

EVMWD’s efforts to assist our 

customers in taking advantage of water-wise 

rebates and devices are currently 

saving more than 258-acre feet 

of water every year, enough water for 

700 homes for an entire year! 

If future mandatory reductions are 

called for by the State, EVMWD will 

look at potential fines and adjustments 

to water budgets. So prepare today for 

what may come in the future! Visit www. 

evmwd.com/conservation for rebates 

and tips!




JDS CREATIVE ACADEMY 

IS POSITIVE’S 

NONPROFIT 

OF THE MONTH 

Local Nonprofit is Recognized by National Television 

Temecula, CA: JDS Creative Academy 

will be featured as Positive TV’s January 

2022 Nonprofit of the Month. Diane 

Strand, the founder of JDSCA, is honored 

that the organization is being recognized 

by the national network and is proud of 

their work gaining this recognition. 

Each month the Positive TV network 

features a nonprofit organization that 

has made a difference in their community 

and the lives of those they serve. 

Catch JDSCA’s lead into the Academy 

Award-winning films the network presents 

throughout the month on the Positive 

TV online network or through local 

broadcast providers. 

JDS Creative Academy will share 

with Positive TV’s viewers their mission 

of providing accessible visual, performing, 

and digital arts education. The organization 

promotes apprenticeships, internships, 

and early-career opportunities 

through their Title-17 VideoProduction 

Job-Training Program for adults with intellectual 

and developmental disabilities. 

Keeping in line with Positive TV’s 

messages of hope and encouragement, 

JDS Creative Academy brings pathway 

opportunities to those in the community. 

JDS Creative Academy Founder 

and Executive Director, Diane Strand, 

is thrilled to gain this exposure saying 

“What an honor to be picked out by such 

an awesome network like Positive TV 

that shares their mission the same way 

we do, with our magazine-style news 

program Spirit of Innovation, through 

media and broadcasting.” 

About JDS Creative Academy: JDS 

Creative Academy is a nonprofit visual, 

performing, and digital arts education 

creative academy located at JDS Studios 

off Diaz Road, in Temecula, CA. 

The nonprofit organization was 

founded with passion by Diane and Scott 

Strand and continues to provide accessible 

arts education and video production 

services to Riverside County. 

“What an honor to be 

picked out by such an 

awesome network like 

Positive TV that shares 

their mission the same 

way we do, with our 

magazine-style news 

program Spirit of 

Innovation, through 

media and 

broadcasting.”




9 

JDS Studios: A Year in Review 

If you ask Diane and Scott Stand, 

partners and founders of JDS Studios, 

what 2021 has looked like, their answer 

would be “eventful.” The two 

never gave in to the limitations of the 

COVID-19 Pandemic. Through its 

many outlets: JDS Creative Academy, 

JDS Video & Media Productions, 

Inc., Spirit of Innovation, JDS Actors 

Studio, and DigiFest Temecula JDS 

Studios never skipped a beat. 

JDS Creative Academy proudly facilitates 

their Title-17 video production 

job-training program for adults with 

intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

The program requires the practice 

of technical and soft skills to prepare 

them for the social and workload demands 

of a real job or internship. When 

the world had to adjust to a remote environment 

back in 2020, the #JDSFamily 

was no exception to stopping the 

spread and went completely remote. 

The participants and staff rose to the 

challenge and implemented ambitious 

efforts to keep the program up and running 

successfully via Zoom. Writing 

staff still wrote, post-production staff 

still edited content, and teaching staff 

continued to engage participants with 

hands-on instruction, and their radio 

broadcast stayed on the air 7 days a 

week 3 times a day on 1025 The Vine. 

The #JDSFamily worked hard to 

keep everything going through the 

shut downs; the staff rejoiced when 

they returned to the studio in February 

with COVID-safety regulations in 

place, creating content, team building, 

and breaking down barriers. Not only 

were the JDSCA staff welcomed back 

into the studio, the participants were 

able to follow in April, and the doors 

opened up to the community in June, 

with JDSCA’s acclaimed summer camp 

program and performance. 

Spirit of Innovation, JDS Creative 

Academy broadcasted and live 

streamed magazine-style local news 

television program for Riverside County, 

was on their game, never missing 

an episode in 2021. The #JDSFamily 

continued to go out on location for production, 

collect interviews via zoom, 

and edit quality content delivering 

the need-to-know and good-to-know 

news for the community. As things 

changed, longtime host Gabriella Venturo 

departed from the show and the 

#JDSFamily welcomed Mia Digenan 

as the new host of Spirit of Innovation. 


Inc. had one of its best years yet with 

Co-founder and CEO Diane Strand 

constantly in the spotlight and showing 

how women in business do it! Diane 

became a published author in 2021; 

a two-time interviewee for Authority 

Magazine and Thrive Global; and she 

has been a guest on podcasts Shut Up 

and Grind! with Robert B. Foster, Remarkable 

Radio, and Monday Morning 

Coffee with Dr. Stevie Dawn. She was 

also the keynote speaker for the 2021 

Digital Media Education Conference. 


Inc.continued to serve their longtime 

clients such as Abbott and Temecula 

Valley Unified School District. JDS, 

Inc. also created many virtual tours 

in 2021; one of their favorites was the 

History of Vail Ranch commissioned 

by the Temecula Valley Historical 

Society. Thanks to the resilience of 

the #JDSFamily production team, JDS 

Video & Media Productions, Inc. never 

missed a chance to serve their clients. 

JDS Actors Studio was able to 

thrive as well in 2021! The actors adjusted 

to Zoom acting classes but were 

happy to be back in person in May of 

2021. The Actors Studio presented its 

first industry showcase in August since 

March of 2020. Actors performed for 

Hollywood agents and managers and 

over 80 percent of the actors received 

offers of representation. 

DigiFest Temecula was virtual 

but was able to return from the reinvented 

DigiDay of 2020 to its original 

three-day format in 2021, which was 

as strong as ever for its fifth year, welcoming 

top speakers and presenters 

into the studio to deliver their golden 

nuggets of wisdom. DigiFest 2021 

also would not have been what it was 

without all the digital artists that submitted 

their work, vying for the coveted 

Digi Awards. With all the success of 

the past, #DigiFest22 is expected to 

be their biggest event to date, taking 

place on April 22, 23, and 24, 2022. 

Competition submissions are being 

accepted until March 25 at DigiFestTemecula.org. 

As the #JDSFamily looks back 

on the year they’ve had, they feel so 

much gratitude to the community for 

their continued support, their flexibility, 

and understanding as we’ve asked 

everyone to please keep their masks 

on. JDSCA loves the #JDSFamily and 

thanks them for making a year of many 

changes and challenges as memorable 

and as successful as it was. 

JDS Studios is looking ahead to 

2022. JDS Actors Studio is back with 

the Teen Class, ages 12-17 January 4th 

5pm; Adult Acting January 6th 7pm; 

Little Toddlers, ages 4 - 6 January 10th 

4pm, followed by Youth Acting ages 7 

- 11 5pm. JDS Creative Academy classes 

open with Fashion and Backstage 

Production 4:30 pm on January 26th 

and Scriptwriting at 5 pm on January 

31st. Musical Theatre Auditions for 

West Side Story will be held Thursday 

January 27th at 5pm. 

For more information go to JD- 

SCreativeAcademy.org. Enrollment 

opportunities are available now and 

inquiries can be made by calling (951) 

296-6715. 

The best of what JDS Studios has 

to offer is yet to come in 2022!




Breaking Down the 2022 Proposed Tax Changes 

Regarding Grantor Trust Rules 

Grantor trusts are a widely used 

strategy in estate planning. This strategy 

includes transferring your assets to a trust 

so that all of your assets and finances do 

not go into limbo upon your passing. 

Right now, you can save in estate taxes 

by transferring assets to a trust. You remain 

the owner of the assets for income 

tax purposes. 

Currently, the grantor of the trust 

continues to pay income tax on their 

assets without the payments being considered 

gifts. But the assets are still on 

standby, ready to be passed on to the 

beneficiaries of the trust. 

The proposed tax plan for 2022 could 

change this estate planning strategy in 

several ways. 

4 Potential Changes to Estate Planning 

with the 2022 Proposed Tax Changes 

Meet with a trusted lawyer to change 

your estate plan if these tax laws go into 

effect in 2022. An estate plan is not something 

you draw up and never touch again 

for 30 years. This ongoing legislation is 

a reason to revisit your estate plan and 

ensure it is up to date. 

1. Reveal Total Value of Trust at Date of 

Death: The new tax law would require 

that you state the total value of assets 

in the trust at the date of the grantor’s 

death. 

2. Tax on Transactions Between Grantor 

and Trust: Transactions made 

between the grantor and trust would be 

subject to income tax, as if the grantor 

was selling to a third party. 

3. Trust Beneficiaries Taxed a Gift Tax: 

The money and assets passed onto 

beneficiaries through a trust would be 

subject to a gift tax instead of being 

tax-free. 

4. Trust Gets Taxed Once Grantor 

Relinquishes Control: If the grantor 

is still living but decided to have the 

trust run by a non-grantor, then the trust 

would be subject to taxes at that point. 

Because of these changes, you have 

the potential to be met with taxes on 

assets that weren’t considered taxable 

in the past. 

Meet with a lawyer to find a new tax 

strategy or develop a tax payment plan 

for your grantor trust. Then, you will be 

prepared instead of caught off guard with 

steep tax bills should this change in the 

law occur. 

If you have questions regarding 

your trust, Shoup Legal is here to assist. 

Contact us at (951) 455-4114 or email us 

at info@shouplegal.com to learn more 

about how we can help. 

“ 

The proposed tax plan 

for 2022 could change 

this estate planning 

strategy in several 

ways.... 

Because of these 

changes, you have the 

potential to be met 

with taxes on assets 

that weren’t 

considered taxable 

in the past. 

SHOUPLEGAL.COM 

LEGAL 

by by 

Andrea Steve Fillingim Shoup




Highlights of 2022 Tax Season for Your 2021 Tax Return 

Highlights of a few key issues to 

watch for as you get ready to have your 

2021 tax return prepared. 

Charitable contributions: 

Usually, if you choose to claim the 

standard deduction, you cannot deduct 

your charitable contributions. For 2021, 

if you don’t itemize deductions, you may 

deduct up to $300 ($600 if Married Filing 

Jointly) on your 2021 tax return for cash 

contributions made to most charitable 

organizations. 

If it’s better for you to itemize 

deductions, you can elect to apply a 

100%-of-AGI deduction limit for cash 

contributions made to most charitable 

organizations during 2021. Without this 

election, the usual percentage limit applies 

(normally 60%), and the nondeductible 

amount carries over up to five years. 

Remember to obtain an acknowledgment 

letter from the charity before filing your 

return and retain a canceled check or credit 

card receipt for contributions of cash. 

Child and dependent care credit: 

For 2021 only, the child and dependent 

care credit increased significantly 

and is fully refundable even if you have 

no tax liability, therefore remember to 

keep track of your work-related child 

care expenses. The dollar limit for eligible 

expenses is $8,000 for one child 

and $16,000 for two or more qualifying 

children. If your income is $125,000 or 

less, you get the maximum 50% credit 

rate. Otherwise, if your income is more 

than $125,000, the 50% rate decreases as 

your income rises. The credit becomes 

unavailable when your income exceeds 

$438,000. 

In addition, you may be eligible to 

exclude up to $10,500 ($5,250 if MFS) 

of employer-provided dependent care 

benefits from gross income. However, 

you cannot use any child care expenses 

paid with these tax-free benefits for the 

child and dependent care credit. 

Child tax credit: 

For 2021 only, the child tax credit 

(CTC) increased from $2,000 to $3,000 

for each child under age 18, or $3,600 for 

each child under age 6. The additional 

amount ($1,000 or $1,600, respectively) 

is reduced when income exceeds 

$150,000 for married taxpayers filing a 

joint return (MFJ) and qualifying widow(er)s 

(QW), $112,500 for heads of 

household (HOH) and $75,000 for single 

taxpayers. The normal $2,000 credit 

amount phases out as usual at $400,000 

for MFJ and $200,000 for all others. 

Thus, higher income taxpayers may lose 

some of the credit but not all of it. It’s 

also fully refundable if you have no tax 

liability. 

You also probably noticed that advance 

CTC payments were made monthly 

from July through December 2021. These 

payments were estimates of your 2021 

CTC, generally based on your 2020 tax 

return. If you received advance payments 

in excess of the CTC allowed on your 

2021 return due to a change in circumstances, 

you may have to repay some or 

all of the excess amount. There is some 

repayment protection depending on your 

income level. However, if your income 

equals or exceeds $120,000 for MFJ or 

QW, $100,000 for HOH or $80,000 for 

11 

single or MFS, plan on repaying the entire 

excess amount as additional income tax 

on your 2021 tax return. 

Education tax benefits: 

For 2021, there is no tuition and fees 

deduction, but you might benefit from the 

lifetime learning credit if your income is 

below $90,000 ($180,000 if MFJ), which 

matches the income limitations for the 

American opportunity tax credit. 

COVID-19 emergency financial aid 

grants under the CARES Act are excluded 

from gross income, but qualified 

education expenses paid with these taxfree 

grants can still be used to claim an 

education credit. 

Premium tax credit: 

In general, if you purchase health 

insurance through the Marketplace, you 

don’t qualify for any premium assistance 

when your income is too high. However, 

for 2021 and 2022, if your household 

income is more than 400% of the federal 

poverty line (FPL), you may be eligible 

to claim the premium tax credit (PTC) 

and will not pay more than 8.5% of your 

income for coverage. 

Earned income credit: 

If your 2019 earned income was 

more than your 2021 earned income, 

you can use your 2019 earned income to 

determine the earned income credit (EIC) 

on your 2021 tax return. You may benefit 

from this provision if your income went 

down after 2019 due to the pandemic, or 

any other reason, and you’re eligible for 

the EIC. 

For 2021 only, the minimum age to 

claim the EIC without any children decreased 

from age 25 to age 19 for most 

taxpayers (age 24 for certain students), 

and the maximum age limit was eliminated. 

If you’re a recent high school graduate 

or retirement age, you might qualify for 

the childless EIC for 2021, if you meet 

all the other requirements. 

In January 2022 look out for these 

letters from the IRS: 

• Letter 6419 - Advance Child Tax 

Credit Payments 

• Letter 6475 - Economic Impact 

(stimulus) Payment 

It is important to retain these letters 

because using incorrect advance child 

tax credit or economic impact payment 

amounts will cause delays in tax return 

processing and the issuance of your refund 

if any. 

Esther Phahla is a Certified Public Accountant 

and Certified Tax Strategist in 

Temecula. She is the Best Selling Author 

of tax planning books, “Why Didn’t My 

CPA Tell Me That” and “10 Most Expensive 

Tax Mistakes That Cost Business 

Owners Thousands”. She also holds a 

Masters of Science in Taxation. She can 

be reached at (951) 514-2652 or visit 

www.estherphahlacpa.com. 

FINANCIAL 

Esther Phahla, 

CPA, CTS, MST




New Immigration Attorney Joins REID & 

HELLYER Law Firm 

Reid & Hellyer, A Professional 

Corporation, welcomes Ednna Meraz 

Ibarra as an associate attorney in its 

Murrieta office. Her practice focuses 

on immigration and business transactional 

law. 

Ms. Ibarra heads the firm’s immigration 

practice and handles family 

and employment-based immigration 

matters. She also practices business 

transactional law. Ms. Ibarra is fluent 

in Spanish and English. 

Before joining Reid & Hellyer, 

Ms. Ibarra was the principal of her 

own immigration law practice, the 

Law Office of Ednna Meraz Ibarra, 

located in Temecula. Prior to that, 

she was an associate attorney in a 

high-volume immigration firm in 

Studio City. 

Ms. Ibarra grew up in Temecula 

and graduated from Chaparral High 

School before moving to Los Angeles. 

Ultimately, she returned to Temecula 

to be closer to family and raise her son 

in this area. 

Ms. Ibarra is an active member of 

the Southwest Riverside County Bar 

Association, Los Angeles County Bar 

Association, and Hispanic Bar Association 

of the Inland Empire. 

While attending the University of 

La Verne College of Law, Ms. Ibarra 

served as the president of the College’s 

chapter of the Hispanic National Bar 

Association. 

Headquartered in Riverside, California, 

and with offices in Murrieta 

and Mission Viejo, Reid & Hellyer 

has been serving the Inland Empire 

for more than 120 years as one of the 

most-respected full-service law firms 

in Southern California, providing legal 

services in business and real estate 

litigation, real estate development, 

transactional law, estate planning, immigration 

law, media law, bankruptcy 

and mediation. Reid & Hellyer serves 

individual and business clients of national, 

regional and local prominence. 

Please join us in welcoming 

Ednna Ibarra as an associate 

attorney with Reid & Hellyer, 

where we continue our long 

tradition of Practicing Law with 

Competence and Integrity for 

over 100 Years. Ms. Ibarra may 

be reached at (951)695-8700 or 

through our website at www. 

rhlaw.com/contact/.




13 

EXECUTIVE PROFILE | 

DARLENE WETTON 

Growing up in the local mountains of Lake Arrowhead provided me with a 

wonderful appreciation of community engagement. When you live in a small 

community, your extended family is your church, school, firehouse and hospital. 

Although much larger, the City of Temecula has this same sense of community. 

When my husband and I moved here in 2012, we were so impressed with the 

kindness and generosity of everyone we met. Before moving to this beautiful 

region, we were warned that it can get ‘warm’ in the summers. No one mentioned 

it would reach over 110 in October that first year...and every year since! 

As the CEO of Temecula Valley Hospital, it is 

very important that I am integrated into the community 

that the hospital is privileged to serve. 

I need to understand the community’s quality 

of life, health risks, economic viability, overall 

demographics, and community resources. 

The level of community engagement with the 

hospital has always impressed me in this region. 

We have a large group of very dedicated 

Volunteers, a Community Advisory Group that 

are hospital advocates, and a strong Board of 

Governors of Temecula Valley Hospital. This 

important group of community business leaders 

and physicians ensures that we provide the 

highest quality of care to our patients. Under the 

leadership of Board Chairman, Major General 

Ret. Claude Reinke, this amazing Board provides 

me with their sound wisdom and advice. 

AFFILIATIONS 

I was recently honored to serve as the chair for 

the 2019-2020 Executive Leadership Team for 

the American Heart and Stroke Association in 

South Riverside County. This years event was 

held virtually and we successfully raised funds 

to build healthier lives free of cardiovascular 

disease and stroke. 

I am a strong advocate for health and wellness. 

Over the past several months, I have actively 

participated on various advisory councils during 

the Coronavirus pandemic. One of my important 

roles, through public speaking and social media, 

has been to help educate the community on safe 

practices to prevent the spread of the disease 

including wearing masks and hand hygiene. 

Keeping our patients, employees, providers and 

visitors safe has been my highest priority. 

BUSINESS PHILOSOPHIES 

Providing a clearly defined framework and 

developing an intentional culture that promotes 

the values of the organization are paramount 

to business success. Our framework 

is focuesed on the delivery of patient 

centered, family sensitive care to the 

community that we serve. Our most 

important value is compassion and this 

drives the culture of the hospital. 

My priority as the leader of the organization 

is to drive rapid quality improvement 

and provide for patient safety. 

This is accomplished by choosing, 

developing and aligning a leadership 

team capable of transformational tasks, 

and holding this team accountable for 

exceptional performance. 

FAVORITE SPORT 

I love any sports involving water, although my 

kids will tell you that this is limited to sports 

where I don’t get my hair wet. I enjoy house 

boating, waterskiing and have recently taken up 

stand-up paddle boarding. I’m the proud owner 

of my own pink stand up paddleboard now. 

GOALS 

To continue to follow the Lord’s path for my 

life and to enjoy as much time as I possibly 

can with my beautiful husband, children and 

grandchildren. 

MENTORS 

My parents have been wonderful mentors for me 

my entire life. Their passion for adventure, love 

for one another, and focus on faith has served as 

guiding principles. Throughout the many challenges 

in their lives, they have shared through 

example that life is not waiting for the storm to 

pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain. 

FAVORITE READING 

I enjoy legal intrigue by John Grisham, 

heart-wrenching love stories by Nicholas Sparks 

and Southern fiction by Pat Conroy. “Prince of 

Tides” by Pat Conroy is a great summer read. 

RESUME 

I attained a Bachelor’s degree in nursing from 

Cal State Dominguez Hills and enjoyed working 

as a Registered Nurse in the specialty field of 

Oncology. 

I went back to school while raising my family 

and attained my MBA from Webster University 

where I was recognized as valedictorian in my 

graduating class. I progressed through my health 

care career to executive level positions including 

Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Operating Officer. 

I now serve as the Chief Executive Officer 

for Temecula Valley Hospital. 

BIRTHPLACE 

I’m a native Californian and was born at Hemet 

hospital.



14 January 2022




15 

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




December Events 

January 4 - SBDC How To Start A Small Business 

January 4 - VYP Leadership Meeting 

January 7 - January Coffee Connection 

January 12 - January Chamber Brief: In the Know 

January 13 - Ribbon Cutting Elite Tax Partners 

January 17 - January Educational Workshop 

January 18 - Ambassador Committee Training (Virtual) 

January 20 - Women’s Professional Collective 

January 26 - January Morning Mixer 

January 26 - January Evening Mixer 

January 26 - Ribbon Cutting - Michelle’s Place 

January 27 - Ribbon Cutting Signarama 

https://members.temecula.org/currentcalendar 

December Events 

January 6 - onthly Mixer at West Coast Exotic 

January 11 - Wildomar Coffee With the City 

January 11- 5 Year Anniversary Ribbon Cutting for Avatar Website Design 

January 13 - Networking Breakfast 

January 19 - All Chamber Mega Mixer 

January 23 - Murrieta/Wildomar Restaurant Week 

January 24 - Southwest California Legislative Council 

January 25 - Murrieta Coffee With the City 

https://business.murrietachamber.org/events/calendar/2022-01-01


Online Eye “Exams” 

by Pat Utnehmer 



17 

The convenience of online shopping 

is a big-time saver for many people this 

time of year. Online technology has literally 

changed the world and how people 

do business. Why not get an eye exam online? 

What is an online eye “exam”? Are 

you really obtaining an “exam” online? 

A refraction determines the lens 

power you need to compensate for 

any refractive error (nearsightedness, 

farsightedness or astigmatism), as well 

as the curvature of the eye to prescribe 

glasses or contact lenses. Online eye 

tests attempt to replace one element of 

an eye examination, the refraction, in 

order to yield a prescription for glasses 

or contacts. It is not unlike taking a blood 

pressure reading at a kiosk and expecting 

a prescription; the reading does not provide 

sufficient information to determine 

a patient’s needed course of therapy. 

The refraction performed by online eye 

tests is only one of many tests performed 

during an eye examination, and taken 

by itself, does not provide sufficient 

information regarding the treatment of 

a patient, including the prescription of 

glasses or contact lenses. 

Are online eye tests accurate? - Online 

vision tests often give inaccurate or 

misleading information, and can misinform 

consumers that can delay essential, 

sight-saving treatment. Comprehensive 

eye exams with your doctor of optometry 

are one of the most important, preventive 

ways to preserve vision, and the only way 

to accurately assess eye health, diagnose 

an eye disorder or disease, and determine 

the need for corrective lenses. 

Why should you have a comprehensive 

eye examination by a doctor 

of optometry? Personalized comprehensive 

eye examinations by a doctor of 

optometry are an important part of general 

preventive health care. In addition, 

changes in refractive status can be an 

underlying symptom of a number of eye 

or systemic conditions. Systemic diseases 

can also be detected through comprehensive 

eye exams. In fact, 240,000 cases 

of diabetes were first detected by an eye 

doctor in 2014. 

What tests are performed during 

an in-person comprehensive eye 

exam? - If serious conditions are left 

undiagnosed for long periods of time and 

a patient skips office visits with an eye 

care professional, the chance for identifying 

an effective treatment lessens and 

could lead to irreversible vision loss or 

worsening of a systemic disease. That 

is why a comprehensive adult eye and 

vision examination may include, but is 

not limited to, the following tests: 

Patient and family health history, 

visual acuity measurement, preliminary 

tests, refractive status, eye health examination 

and dilation and additional tests 

as needed that may include digital retinal 

imaging tests, ultrasounds of the eye 

and automated visual field technology 

may also be used to detect and diagnose 

serious eye and health problems. Click 

here for more information about comprehensive 

eye exams. 

Does the American Optometric 

Association (AOA) recommend the use 

of online vision testing apps? - Medical 

technology can be a powerful tool when 

used properly by a licensed professional. 

The AOA and doctors of optometry are 

supportive of technology that helps patients, 

but there stands a growing concern 

over the claims that a vision screening 

conducted through an app can replace 

an in-person, comprehensive eye exam. 

Eye exams uncover vision issues as well 

as a multitude of health problems like 

diabetes. Telemedicine cannot be held to 

the same standards as an in-person visit. 

“The AOA’s primary concern is that 

patient health and safety is at risk due to 

lack of understanding as to what services 

an online vision test company actually 

offers and can deliver to consumers,” said 

Steven A. Loomis, O.D., AOA past president. 

“When a patient comes in to the 

office for an examination we do so much 

more than just update a prescription for 

glasses or contacts. Our tests are specialized 

for the needs of each individual 

and allow us to check the overall health 

of our patients. By analyzing images of 

the back of the eye, for example, we can 

see how a patient’s blood vessels are 

functioning which can signify serious 

conditions like hypertension that often 

go undetected. The eyes are the window 

to your well-being and their care cannot 

be left to a computer and a smart phone.” 

The AOA has voiced its health and 

safety concerns to the Food and Drug 

Administration (FDA) requesting legal 

action against an online vision test being 

marketed by Opternative, Inc. without the 

type of testing and pre-market approvals 

frequently required of new medical device 

technology. In a detailed complaint 

submitted to the FDA in April, the AOA 

challenges claims made by Opternative 

about its product’s capabilities, and calls 

for enforcement action to remove it from 

the market until it can be shown to meet 

all appropriate Federal requirements 

for medical devices under the Food, 

Drug and Cosmetic Act, including those 

for safety and effectiveness, as determined 

by Federal officials. 

Are online vision screening test 

available in all states? - Ten states 

including South Carolina, Alabama, 

Georgia, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, 

Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio and West 

Virginia have enacted critical patient 

protection safeguards that reinforce the 

benefits of in-person, comprehensive eye 

examinations. 

Patients who’ve been harmed or 

received erroneous prescriptions from 

an online vision test are urged to file a 

claim/report with FDA Med Watch at 

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch. 

For a real world comparison of an online 

“exam” (Opternative) verses the results 

the patient received at an in-person exam 

at an eye doctor’s office see this article: 

https://www.wzzm13.com/article/life/ 

wellness/healthy-you/a-closer-look-atonline-eye-exams-questions-of-legality/69-201516298 

Visit us on Facebook: 

@ thevalleybusinessjournal




Smart Business Connections 

Featured 

GOT SPACE? 

Coworking Connection Does! 

• Desk Space 

• Cube Space 

• Meeting Room Space 

• Event Space 

FUN, CREATIVE, COLLABORATIVE, 

GET WORK DONE SPACE! 

Support your 

local nonprofits 

Drop on by Coworking 

Connection TODAY! 

Call us at 800-762-1391 for 

more information or visit 

us online: 

www.coworkingconnection.com 

NOW, you can be seen in this multiple award-winning 

newspaper at a lower price than ever before - only $89 per month. 

Contact us for more information at (951) 461-0400.




19 

The City of Murrieta Thanks Former Mayor Scott Vinton for Service 

and Appoints Council Member Warren During City Council Meeting 

During the Murrieta City Council 

Meeting, the community honored outgoing 

mayor Scott Vinton, and also 

swore in new Murrieta City Council 

Member Cindy Warren. 

Regional dignitaries, Council colleagues, 

family, and staff expressed 

gratitude for former Mayor Vinton’s 

dedicated service. 

In August of this year, former Mayor 

Vinton submitted his Murrieta City 

Council resignation effective at the end 

of his mayoral term due to an upcoming 

out-of-state move. 

With his resignation, the City of 

Murrieta and Murrieta City Council 

went through an extensive application 

and interview process to fill the announced 

vacancy. During a November 

8, 2021 Special City Council Meeting, 

Cindy Warren was selected to fill Mr. 

Vinton’s role representing Murrieta’s 

5th District upon his departure. 

Scott Vinton began his service on 

the Murrieta City Council three years 

ago representing Murrieta’s 5th District 

as a council member. He also served as 

mayor pro tempore in 2020, and then as 

mayor in 2021. Mr. Vinton’s deep love 

and passion for this community and the 

residents who work and live here was 

ever apparent, as was his dedication to 

his role on City Council. He consistently 

shared his love for the community, the 

military, and the nation. 

City Manager Kim Summers expressed 

her gratitude for Mr. Vinton’s 

years of service during the December 

21 meeting. “Mayor Vinton has been 

dedicated, fair, and always tried to do 

what was best for our organization and 

the entire community. He led meetings 

with the goal of representing the city in a 

way that brought people together for the 

common good and in an ever-changing 

year, Mr. Vinton served with flexibility 

and adaptability. He has been a true servant 

leader with a big heart and he will 

be missed,” shared Summers. 

This move is bittersweet. It is the 

right thing for our family but being a part 

of the Murrieta City Council has truly 

been an amazing opportunity to serve this 

amazing city. I know that Council Member 

Warren will do a great job because 

of her integrity and good heart,” shared 

Mayor Vinton during the December 21 

City Council Meeting. 

The City of Murrieta thanks Mr. 

Vinton for his service and wishes him and 

his family all the very best as they enter 

this new phase in life. May they always 

remember their time in Murrieta fondly, 

knowing that they are still connected by 

community. 

Newly appointed Council Member 

Cindy Warren moved with her family 

to Murrieta in the fall of 2013 and has 

been actively involved in the community, 

including serving on the City of Murrieta 

Traffic Commission from 2019 – 2021. 

Her five priority areas of focus while 

serving on the Murrieta City Council are 

public safety, economic development, 

infrastructure/traffic, government transparency, 

and parks. 

To get to know Murrieta’s new City 

Council Member Warren and for more 

information about the Murrieta City 

Council, visit the City’s website. 

Murrieta’s more than 115,000 

residents live in one of the safest cities 

in the U.S., with top-ranked schools, 

52 parks, and a dynamic business environment. 

Central to all of Southern 

California, Murrieta is truly the gem 

of the valley. With a median age of 36 

and an average household income of 

$122,207, Murrieta boasts a well-educated 

population and a strong labor 

force. 

Ranked the fiscally healthiest 

full-service city in Riverside, San 

Bernardino, Orange, and Los Angeles 

counties, Murrieta’s future is undoubtedly 

bright.




MAYOR AND MAYOR PRO TEMPORE SET FOR 

UPCOMING YEAR 

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 

During the December 21, 2021 

Murrieta City Council Meeting, the 

City Council selected Council Member 

Jonathan Ingram to serve as mayor of 

Murrieta and Council Member Dr. Lisa 

DeForest to serve as mayor pro tempore. 

The Murrieta City Council goes through 

a reorganization process to select the 

upcoming year’s mayor and mayor pro 

tempore annually during the second City 

Council meeting in December. Murrieta 

City Council has five council member 

positions, voted on by district, and then 

rotates the mayor and mayor pro tempore 

each year. 

Mayor Ingram, who represents 

Murrieta’s 1st District, first joined Murrieta 

City Council seven years ago and 

previously served as Murrieta Mayor 

in 2018. After his appointment, Mayor 

Ingram shared, “I am humbled to be 

your mayor. I am deeply invested in the 

long-term successes of our community. I 

plan to continue to bring my longstanding 

traditions of communication, cohesion, 

and transparency to my role and ensure 

that all those who live, work, and visit 

our city feel they are an essential part of 

our community.” 

Mayor Pro Tempore DeForest, who 

represents Murrieta’s 3rd District, will 

assume mayoral duties in the event of 

Mayor Ingram’s absence. Often referred 

to as mayor pro tem, the selection of this 

role is done annually in a similar man- 

ner to that of the mayor. “I am honored 

and excited to serve as mayor pro tem. I 

will strive with my fellow colleagues to 

continue to support our innovative public 

safety teams, fiscal responsibility and 

transparency, and accountability. I promise 

to always be available to my community 

and constituents to help further our 

goal of being connected by community,” 

shared Mayor Pro Tem DeForest. 

Both roles began once selected at 

Tuesday’s City Council meeting and 

will continue throughout the year until 

the next reorganization takes place in 

December of 2022. To get to know all five 

of Murrieta’s City Council Members and 

for more information about the Murrieta 

City Council, visit the City’s website. 

Murrieta’s more than 115,000 residents 

live in one of the safest cities in the 

U.S., with top-ranked schools, 52 parks, 

and a dynamic business environment. 

Central to all of Southern California, 

Murrieta is truly the gem of the valley. 

With a median age of 36 and an average 

household income of $122,207, Murrieta 

boasts a well-educated population and a 

strong labor force. 

Ranked the fiscally healthiest 

full-service city in Riverside, San Bernardino, 

Orange, and Los Angeles counties, 

Murrieta’s future is undoubtedly 

bright. 

The City Council selected Council Member 

Jonathan Ingram to serve as mayor of 

Murrieta and Council Member Dr. Lisa 

DeForest to serve as mayor pro tempore. 

Tune In to Temecula Presents 

2022 Classical Series at the Old Town 

Temecula Community Theater 

The Old Town Temecula Community 

Theater invites audiences to experience 

Temecula Presents’ 2021-2022 

Classical Series featuring class acts 

of long-time favorites and brand- new 

friends. 

The Season launches on Saturday, 

January 8, 2022, at 7:30 pm, with the 

Delirium Musicum, a self-conducted, 

ethnically diverse chamber orchestra 

dedicated to providing vibrant and 

engaging musical performances that 

deeply connect the audience and musicians. 

Artistic Director Etenne Gara 

shares, “Delirium Musicum is all about 

the ecstatic sense of togetherness that 

music can inspire. It’s also about a 

new generation of classical musicians 

who brings a fresh approach to the old 

masters and enthusiasm for the new. 

The love and excitement my colleagues 

and I have playing together, creates a 

bond on stage that allows us to be spontaneous. 

We enjoy the thrill of being ‘on 

edge;’ it generates an energy that pulls 

the audience into our performances and 

brings them along with us.” This concert 

is sure to be a delight for the entire 

family to enjoy. deleriummusicum.com 

The Classical Series continues 

with the riveting 28-year-old American 

violinist William Hagen, accompanied 

by Spanish/ Dutch pianist Albert Cano 

Smit on Saturday March 5, 2022, at 

7:30 pm. williamhagen.com albertcanosmit.com 

Returning for the third time to 

Temecula’s stage is Anderson & Roe 

Piano Duo on SAT, APR 2, 2022, at 

7:30 pm. Greg Anderson and Elizabeth 

Joy Roe are revolutionizing the piano 

duo experience for the 21st century. 

They are hailed as “the most dynamic 

duo of this generation” (San Francisco 

Classical Voice). andersonroe.com 

Summing up the season, internationally 

renowned as one of the 

foremost guitarists of our time, Paul 

Galbraith will perform on SAT, APR 

30, 2022, at 7:30 pm. His revolutionary 

approach to guitar playing has made 

him an instantly recognizable figure in 

classical music, but it is ultimately his 

interpretative breadth that has captivated 

audiences worldwide. 

Paul plays a unique eight-string 

guitar, developed in 1993 with renowned 

luthier David Rubio. paul-galbraith.com 

Make plans today to join us at Temecula’s 

Theater. Season Tickets and 

Individual Tickets are on sale now at 

the Ticket Office and online at TemeculaTheater.org. 

For more information, 

please call us at 1.866.OLD.TOWN 

(1.866.653.8696). 

For more information, please call us at 

1.866.OLD.TOWN (1.866.653.8696).




21 

Here’s looking towards 

a bright new year! 

To our greatly valued advertisers and 

friends. Thank you for your business in 2021. 

We look forward to serving you again in 

2022, and wish you a wonderful new year. 

Linda Wunderlich, 

~ Editor/Publisher/CEO


22 www.TheValleyBusinessJournal.com 


THE “BEST OF THE BEST” CHEVROLET DEALERS 


The Dealer of the Year program honors dealer partners who have done 

an exceptional job toward GM’s collective goal of earning customers for 

life. To receive this honor, a Dealer must be a top performer in Sales and 

Customer Satisfaction. 

Dealers also must show commitment to these areas on a long-term basis 

by retaining customers using only Genuine GM parts, participating in 

Standards for Excellence, and maintaining compliance with the Essential 

Brand Elements program requirements. 

Terry Gilmore, Paradise Chevrolet Cadillac’s Owner/President comments, 

“I am very proud of each and every one of our employees for their 

efforts in making our dealership one of the best in the United States. It is due 

to their commitment and dedication to excellence that Paradise Chevrolet 

Cadillac holds this prestigious award.” 

“ 

I am very proud of each and every one 

of our employees for their efforts in 

making our dealership one of the best 

in the United States. It is due to their 

commitment and dedication to 

excellence that Paradise Chevrolet 

Cadillac holds this prestigious award. 

OPERATING A CONSULTING SERVICE 


A quick internet search will turn up 

many other ideas. 

Here are a few tips to keep in 

mind when operating a service-based 

business. 

Be an expert. For example, if you 

are providing computer performance 

consulting be sure you have the technical 

background required. Nothing 

more embarrassing to arrive as a Windows 

expert and realize the customer 

is running Linux. Know what you are 

providing well before starting. 

Provide value. A service requires 

you to show value. Since people can 

drive away a new car or wear purchased 

clothing or use some other goods that 

they can touch before experiencing, a 

service requires you to be more transparent. 

For example, as a personal 

assistant show how you plan to add 

time to your client’s day. What will be 

provided that they accomplish on their 

own due to time restraints. Show potential 

customers why it’s better to hire 

you rather than squeeze something into 

their schedule. 

Examine your pricing. This is 

one of the hardest parts of any service 

business. Decide what to charge that 

is fair and reasonable for both you and 

the customer. Examine the market for 

similar services. And follow the industry 

when starting. Grossly undercutting 

may lead to suspicion as to why you are 

so cheap. 

On the other hand, overpricing 

may send potential customers shopping 

elsewhere. As demand and reputation 

increase you can look at price increases. 

Getting the right formula from the start 

will ensure you have the best chance at 

making the profit needed. 

Figure out ways to grow. Just as 

manufacturers expand their product line 

regularly, add new services to increase 

growth and revenue. Keep up with your 

industry and plan how to grow with it. 

Happy servicing! 

Ted Saul is a business coach that assists 

with Business Plans and Project 

Management. He earned his 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 by emailing TedSaulbiz@gmail.com. 

by 

by 

Ted Saul, 

Steve Fillingim 

Sr. Staff Writer 

“ 

Grossly undercutting may lead to suspicion 

as to why you are so cheap. 

On the other hand, overpricing may send 

potential customers shopping elsewhere. 

As demand and reputation increase you 

can look at price increases.




23 

Welcome to the 

REALTOR® Report 

by 

Steve Fillingim 

I just got back from another conference 

with colleagues around the 

country, and the same story continues 

- inventory shortages and housing 

affordability remain top concerns for 

everyone. However, some good news 

was announced last week that will 

help with the affordability, and that’s 

the increase in Conforming and FHA 

loan limits. 

This increase will provide financing 

options to buyers in our region, 

giving them access to higher loan 

amounts while maintaining the same 

access to lower down payments and 

lower interest rates. 

In Riverside County, the new 

Conforming loan limit is $647,200, 

and the new FHA loan limit is 

$562,350. In neighboring San Diego 

County, the new Conforming loan 

limit is $879,750, and the new FHA 

loan limit is also $879,750. This is 

good news for buyers! 

The median home price in Southwest 

Riverside County had a slight 

increase of 2% from a month ago 

($550,000/$538,000), was up 20% from a 

year ago ($460,000), and up 39.2% from 

2 years ago ($395,000). 

Unsold inventory is still hovering 

near 2 months (6 months is considered 

a healthy market), and days on market 

crept up again to 11 days, up from 7 days 

last year but still significantly lower compared 

to 30 days 2 years ago. Unit sales 

are down 5% from the previous month 

and down 3% from last year. Inventory 

dropped by 10% from last month but is 

still up 39% from last year. 

Southwest Riverside County is still 

presenting solid numbers across the region. 

Median prices are up in all of our 

local cities, ranging in an increased range 

of 6.7%-27.6% Year-Over-Year. 

As I mentioned last month, I also 

attended the National Association of RE- 

ALTORs® Conference and heard from 

their Chief Economist, Lawrence Yun. 

He is forecasting a fairly flat 2022 with 

a slight increase in interest rates. 

The latest numbers from the National 

Association of REALTORs® are from 

2019. With the increase in home prices 

in the past 2 years, I feel confident that 

the impact is even more significant now. 

I’d like to wish everyone a very 

Happy Holiday season! Thank you for 

your continued support of the real estate 

community. 

If you’d like a copy of my entire 

report including slides, or to be added to 

the distribution list, please email me at 

Adam@srcar.org. 

As always, I am available if you have 

any questions about the report. Until next 

month… 

REAL ESTATE 

by Adam A. Ruiz 

Southwest Riverside 

County is still 

presenting solid 

numbers across the 

region. Median 

prices are up in all of 

our local cities... 

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING TRAINING EVENT 


This no-cost seminar was made 

possible through the support of the xCity 

of Menifee and the Menifee B3 Program. 

Pre-registration is required, as seating is 

limited. For more information or to register, 

please visit www.inlandempiresbdc. 

org. 

The Inland Empire Small Business 

Development Center (SBDC) offers 

no-cost business consulting and training 

to current business owners and aspiring 

entrepreneurs in Riverside and San Bernardino 

counties. 

For more information on Inland Empire 

SBDC, visit www.inlandempiresbdc. 

org or call (909) 983-5005. To learn more 

about upcoming events, resources and 

trainings for small businesses, please visit 

www.MenifeeBusiness.com or email 

econdev@cityofmenifee.us. 

ABOUT MENIFEE: Situated in the 

heart of southern Riverside County along 

Interstate 215, Menifee is a vibrant, new 

city of more than 100,000 residents who 

enjoy a pleasant year-round climate, 

abundant recreational offerings, reasonably 

priced housing, and convenient 

proximity to some of Southern California’s 

premiere attractions and employment 

centers. 

Within its 50 square miles, Menifee’s 

business, retail, and entertainment outlets 

are starting to shape the community’s 

character and this growing economic 

base is also contributing favorably to the 

city’s strong financial position. Menifee’s 

growing family-oriented population 

values the city’s ongoing commitment 

to public safety, community events, and 

smart growth for the future. 

All of these elements are working 

together to support the city’s strategic 

vision to make Menifee one of the state’s 

most promising new cities. 

“ 

This no-cost seminar 

was made possible 

through the support of 

the xCity of Menifee 

and the Menifee B3 

Program 

Topics in Social Media Marketing 

Basics and Strategy include: 

• What is Social Media Marketing? 

• Getting Started on Social Media 

• Hashtags and How to Use Them 

• Creating a Social Media Strategy 

• Running Campaigns on Social Media 

To register, visit: 

www.inlandempiresbdc.org




Ready to get 

back to business? 

WE'LL GET YOU NOTICED. 

Advertise with The Valley Business Journal. 

(951) 461-0400




25 

Temecula Announces 

Winning Entries from 28th Annual 

Santa’s Electric Light Parade 

The City of Temecula Community Services Department announces the 

winners of the 28th Annual Santa’s Electric Light Parade. Thanks to all who 

showed their holiday spirit and community pride while spreading light and 

cheer! There were many unique and creative parade entries making it difficult 

to select winners in each specific category. 

Award Categories & Winners: 

Autos HerrKooled Inland Empire (VW Club of Temecula) Autos/Commercial 

Temecula Valley Buick GMC 

Equestrian Scripps Miramar Ranch 

Religious The Potter’s House of Murrieta 

Humorous Temecula Valley High School ASB 

Bands- High School the Spirit of Great Oak Band & Guard 

Bands- Middle School Thompson Middle School Band & Color Guard 

Floats Ballet Folklorico 

Floats/Commercial Rancho California Water District 

Marchers Temecula Glitz Cheer 

Marchers/Commercial Puahi’s Polynesian Dance School 

Specialty Warm Springs Middle School 

Overall Parade Winner Rancho California Water District 

Please visit the City of Temecula’s Flickr page to view pictures of all parade 

entries. You may also experience the parade on the Temecula’s YouTube page. 

For information on all upcoming Temecula Community 

Services Department events, activities, and programs, 

please visit TemeculaCA.gov/TCSD and follow 

@TemeculaParksandRec on social media for updates. 

WALKINGANDTALKING.SHOW




THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO HELPED 

MICHELLE’S PLACE 

CELEBRATE THEIR 20TH ANNIVERSARY 

It was an amazing evening celebrating 20 years of service to cancer 

patients and their families. Over 250 people toured the newly 

constructed Center, enjoyed the silent auction, inspiring survivor 

stories and live music by HyjNx. Michelle’s Place looks forward 

to their official ribbon cutting on January 19. 

MICHELLE’S PLACE EXECUTIVE BOARD 

MEMBERS OF TEMECULA ROTARY




27 

Become an 

INFLUENCER 

Advertise with us and 

share your expertise 

Your articles printed in our 

newspaper, online and shared 

on social media. 

Contact us today: 

(951) 461-0400 • publishertvbj@verizon.net



28 January 2022

VBJ January 22

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?