VBJ February 22

VOLUME 33, NUMBER 2 FEBRUARY 2022 

RESTAURANT WEEK 

TEMECULA 

CHAMBER 

ANNOUNCES 

2022 BOARD 

OF DIRECTORS 

City of Murrieta and Murrieta/Wildomar 

Chamber of Commerce Partner to 

Celebrate Restaurant Week and the 

Importance of Local Restaurants 

SEE PAGE 25 

The City of Murrieta and the Murrieta/Wildomar 

Chamber of Commerce are partnering to bring Restaurant 

Week 2022 to town. With hundreds of dollars in local 

restaurant gift cards being given away during the event, 

this is the perfect time to discover new dining spots and 

support your all-time favorites. 

SEE PAGE 20 

MANAGING THE BUSYNESS 

OF LIFE 

Busyness is something we deal with every day. Perhaps it’s the 

result of the current culture or digital age. Here are some ideas on 

how to get a handle on busyness. 

Time management. It’s a great practice but truthfully time 

cannot be managed. The clock keeps running no matter what you do. 

What needs to be managed is yourself. For example, identify your 

priorities and think back over the last week to see how much time was 

spent on each. Also, be all in when focused on a priority. 

by Ted Saul 

WILSON CREEK LIBRARY CARD 

HOLDERS CAN 

CHECK OUT VINTAGE WINES 

The new Wilson Creek “Library” opens a whole new 

world of wine tasting in a private, secluded space on 

the second floor. 

SEE PAGE 5 

SEE PAGE 22 

COMMUNITY 

TEMECULA MAYOR 

ANNOUNCES 2022 

TEMECULA SAFE 

2 

COMMUNITY 

SMALL ACTIONS 

CAN MAKE A 

BIG DIFFERENCE 

DURING THE 

DROUGHT 

7 

REAL ESTATE 

REALTOR REPORT 

23 

AND... 

WHAT IS A MEDICAL 

POWER OF ATTORNEY 

BREAKING INTO THE 

INDUSTRY

THE VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL 

2 www.TheValleyBusinessJournal.com 

February 2022 

TEMECULA MAYOR ANNOUNCES 

COMMUNITY FOCUS FOR 

2022 TEMECULA SAFE 

Mayor Dr. Matt Rahn revealed 

Temecula SAFE to be his focus during 

his Mayoral tenure for 2022 as well as 

his theme for the May 12th Temecula 

State of the City Address. First elected 

in 2014, and serving as Temecula’s 

Mayor in 2018, Dr. Matt Rahn returns 

this year with the familiar and again 

poignant tagline: Temecula SAFE. 

Mayor Rahn explained, “Temecula 

SAFE is a call to action a purpose 

and an intention incorporated into 

the City’s work efforts every year. 

However, as Mayor this year, I’m 

highlighting it again as Public Safety 

is Temecula’s first priority” 

During his State of the City presentation, 

Mayor Rahn will highlight the 

draw and appeal of Temecula’s SAFE 

City notoriety as a catalyst for local 

economy, driving accelerated recovery 

by attracting new business establishments, 

residential development, and 

commercial redevelopment projects. 

Mayor Rahn will also discuss 

Temecula’s ongoing strategy for success 

which includes safeguarding its 

private and public capital investments 

and protecting its most precious resource, 

its people. 

“Temecula SAFE is also a commemoration 

of the high quality of 

life that our citizens, businesses, and 

visitors enjoy. Public Safety is a strong 

interlocking system of crime prevention, 

maintaining and enhancing safe 

roadways, neighborhoods, schools, 

and parks. 

It is also community engagement 

and emergency preparedness from unexpected 

events such as cyber-attacks 

or devastating wildfires as well as the 

ongoing challenges we face due to 

COVID-19.” 

Mayor Rahn added, “It is my commitment 

to continue to advance public 

safety through data-driven, proactive 

strategies, continuous safety assessments 

and refinement, and listening to 

the needs of the community. 

As Mayor of Temecula, I look forward 

to keeping public safety the City’s 

highest priority.” 

The event includes breakfast and 

a Nonprofit Expo where organizations 

from across the Temecula Valley will 

showcase the many services they offer. 

More details and ticketing information 

will be forthcoming. 

Please join Mayor Rahn on 

May 12th at Temecula’s State 

of the City signature business 

event hosted by the Temecula 

Valley Chamber of 

Commerce at the Pechanga 

Resort Casino. 

The event includes breakfast and a Nonprofit Expo where organizations from 

across the Temecula Valley will showcase the many services they offer. 

More details and ticketing information will be forthcoming.



www.TheValleyBusinessJournal.com 

3




In this issue: 

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

City of Murrieta & Murrieta/Wildomar Chambers Partner for Restaurant Week 1 

Wilson Creek Library Card Holders Check Out Vintage Wines 1 

Managing the Busyness of Life 1 

Temecula Mayor Announces 2022 Temecula Safe 2 

Students of the Month 6 

Small Actions can Make a Big Difference During the Drought 7 

Breaking Into the Industry with JDS Actors Studio 9 

What Is a Medical Power of Attorney and Why Every Adult Needs One 10 

Choosing the Right Legal Entity for Optimal Tax Strategy 11 

Co-Ownership Agreement 12 

Executive Profile – Kim Gerrish 13 

City of Temecula Appoints Community Services Director 15 

Early Entries for DigiFest Temecula 15 

Chamber Events 1 

Contact Lenses 17 

Murrieta Launches New App to Report Issues 19 

Should the Government Run Healthcare? 19 

Restaurant Week Participating Restaurant 21 

Pete’s Music & Guitar Shop Menifee’s January Spotlight 21 

Realtor ® Report 23




Wilson Creek Library Card Holders Can 

Check Out Vintage Wines 

5 

Wilson Creek Wines have always been a cut above 

and wine club members have enjoyed their own space 

and experience in the Upper Room Members’ Lounge. 

Now, all guests will have access to an exclusive library 

of vintage wines in the new “Library”. 

The new Wilson Creek “Library” opens a whole new 

world of wine tasting with an elevated experience in a 

private, secluded space on the second floor. Through the 

years the winery has produced volumes of award-winning 

wines, many rated in the 90’s by Wine Enthusiast 

Magazine. Now, more than two decades in, many of 

those vintage award winners are no longer available to 

the general public. 

“Through the years we have retained a catalog of our 

best wines,” says Bill Wilson, founder and co-owner of 

Wilson Creek Winery. “These are rare wines that have 

been held in our cellar and are now being re-released on 

a limited basis. All are excellent wines that have been 

out of circulation, and we felt they should be shared.” 

And shared they will be in an exclusive new addition 

to the winery simply called The Library. Guests with a 

Library Card will be able to enjoy an artfully decorated 

library featuring volumes of books on wine and viticulture 

and, of course, tasting flights of exclusive, vintage 

wines. Tastings at The Library will be guided by an 

expert with shared plates also available to indulge in. 

Guests can seclude themselves away from the crowd, 

skip the line and enjoy beautiful views of the vineyards 

during the elevated tasting. 

Random pop-in visits from resident experts will be 

an extra special touch. Guests will be able to meet and 

discuss the winery and wines with: Mick Wilson, Certified 

Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers as 

well as a Certified Specialist of Wine with the Society 

of Wine Educators, Bill Wilson, Owner and C.E.O., Gus 

Vizgirda, Winemaker and Greg Pennyroyal, Viticulturist. 

“We want this to be a learning experience for our 

guests,” says Wilson. “In addition to the selection of vintage 

varietals, guests will be able to research their favorite 

wines and learn more about how each wine has evolved 

through the years and learn more about the vineyards 

they came from. Each and every wine at Wilson Creek 

has a story to tell and we’d like to share the stories that 

have built this winery.” 

Reservations are recommended but space allowing, 

you can always ask to be included for the day! 

For more information on future wine tasting events, 

or about Wilson Creek Wines and their availability, 

please contact Wilson Creek Winery or got to www. 

wilsoncreekwinery.com. 

Wilson Creek Winery is a family-owned destination 

winery in the heart of Temecula Wine Country. Wilson 

Creek has won numerous awards over the years including. 

California Meetings and Events Magazine’s Best Winery 

(2009), San Diego’s Best--Union Tribune Best Winery 

(2010), Spirit Award for Family Business Entrepreneur 

nominee (Bill Wilson-2011), Inland Empire Magazine 

Blue Ribbon Winner for Winery and Vineyards (2010). 

Wilson Creek’s Petite Sarah was declared “Best Red in 

the Valley” in a blind tasting in 2016. It was also named 

Business of the Year by the Temecula Valley Chamber 

of Commerce in 2010.




Students of the Month 

Chaparral High School 

Annabelle Persaud 

Great Oak High School 

Nieves D’Souza 

Linfield Christian High School 

Hannah Barbieri 

Rancho Christian High School 

Kai Rapolla 

Temecula Preparatory School 

Pablo Orendain 

Temecula Valley High School 

Danielle Alpert 

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 


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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.




STEP IT UP: Small Actions can Make a Big Difference During the Drought 

By Greg Thomas, General Manager, Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District 

7 

At Elsinore Valley Municipal Water 

District, we are proud of the steps our 

community has taken to embrace water 

use efficiency as an essential way of life 

here in Southern California. Whether 

a wet or dry year, we have made great 

strides in using our water more efficiently. 

On January 4th, the State Water 

Resources Control Board (SWRCB) adopted 

Emergency Water Use Regulations 

to promote water conservation during the 

current drought emergency. Though the 

state received significant rain and snow 

fall in the last weeks of December, the 

state is still under extreme drought conditions. 

The declaration requires customers 

to be mindful of water use and practice 

water efficiency. The mandates fall under 

“Stage 2” of EVMWD’s Water Shortage 

Planning Policy. 

That’s actually great news for our 

customers. Because the requirements 

set by the state are already in place for 

EVMWD customers and maintained 

overall water savings, you are already on 

the right track. We have seen that small, 

everyday actions make a big difference 

in securing safe, reliable water supplies 

for generations to come. 

Looking to STEP IT UP when it 

comes to water and money savings? 

We often hear from folks who are 

interested in taking their water-use efficiency 

practices to the next level, but 

don’t know where to start. If that sounds 

like you or someone you know, here are 

five ways you can make a measurable 

difference: 

1. Fix leaks. Common leak sources 

include running toilets, dripping 

faucets, home water treatment units 

and sprinkler systems. 

2. Install beautiful, water-wise landscaping. 

Swap turf grass for California-friendly 

plants to cut outdoor 

water use by more than half. 

3. Invest in a drip irrigation system to 

save water and prevent the runoff of 

toxic contaminants into our water 

supply. 

4. Don’t overwater plants. Use a rain 

shutoff device, soil moisture sensor, 

or humidity sensor to control 

irrigation. 

5. Upgrade to efficient WaterSense 

appliances. 

Many of these water efficiency 

upgrades also come with a rebate! We 

encourage you to visit www.evmwd.com/ 

conservation to learn how you can apply 

for rebates for the following items: 

• Drip irrigation systems 

• High-efficiency clothes washers 

• Hot water recirculating systems 

• Premium high-efficiency toilets 

• Rain barrels and cisterns 

• Rotating sprinkler nozzles 

• Soil moisture sensors 

• Turf replacement 

• Weather-based irrigation controllers 

In addition, customers can take 

control of their water use and monitor 

their water consumption online through 

EVMWD’s advanced meter technology. 

Our high-tech AquaHawk system helps 

customers leverage the multiple benefits 

of having an advanced meter, including 

identifying ways to increase water use 

efficiency and save money in the process. 

Customers can also sign up for water leak 

and water use alerts through AquaHawk. 

With so many ways to save, you can 

do your part to ensure adequate water 

supplies well into the future for our region. 

Thank you for stepping it up! 

“ 

We have seen that 

small, everyday actions 

make a big difference 

in securing safe, reliable 

water supplies for 

generations to come.



8 February 2022




BREAKING INTO THE INDUSTRY 

WITH JDS ACTORS STUDIO 

9 

2022 is kicking off strong at JDS Actors 

Studio! First, they were honored by 

the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce 

with a nomination for a Business 

of the Year award. Next they’re making 

some exciting announcements. The date 

is set for the 2022 industry showcase on 

February 16 and March 1 is the launch 

of Actors Studio Co-Founders’ Scott 

Strand and Diane Strand’s book: SHOW 

+ BUSINESS Breaking Into the Industry 

as an Actor. You can definitely say excitement 

is in the air! 

Acting students returned to the Actors 

Studio beginning January 4. All ages 

are welcome from three to senior-citizen. 

Mondays are youth nights with the Little 

Actors class, ages 3-6, 4-5 p.m., and 

youth acting for ages 7-11 at 5 p.m. The 

teen class, ages 12-18, meets on Tuesdays 

5-7 p.m.; the adult class meets at 7 p.m. 

on Thursdays for high school graduates, 

ages 18 and up. The #JDSFamily 

welcomes and encourages all who are 

interested in carving a pathway in acting, 

gaining creative enrichment, or building 

public speaking and leadership skills to 

enroll in an acting class! 

JDS Actors Studio provides 

life-changing pathway opportunities for 

those who enroll in their acting classes 

and industry workshops. The Actors Studio 

brings in agents, managers, casting 

directors and other industry professionals 

for their students to connect with. Not 

only do actors receive insider information, 

learn tips, techniques, and acquire 

skills, they are exposed to a working 

studio and can network with and perform 

for these industry professionals. 

JDS Actors Studio will hold their 

Hollywood Industry Showcase on February 

16 at 5 p.m., where actors have 

the chance to showcase their talent and 

hard work to SAG Franchised agents 

and managers. This five-class workshop 

provides industry-insider information 

along with the acting coaching to prepare 

a monologue and scene for the industry 

professionals at the Showcase. 

Executive Producer Diane Strand 

and Master Acting Coach Scott Strand 

are always thinking of ways to provide 

more opportunities for the acting 

community, which has inspired them to 

write a book, sharing their knowledge 

beyond the doors of JDS Actors Studio. 

This highly anticipated book is what 

Diane refers to as the “industry-insider 

information of the industry showcase and 

an acting workshop all rolled together.” 

The book will consist of clear how-to 

tips on learning the craft of acting and 

breaking into the industry, along with so 

much more! 

SHOW + BUSINESS Breaking Into 

the Industry as an Actor will be available 

for pre-order beginning February 15 and 

on sale beginning March 1. More information 

can be found on JDSActorsStudio.com. 

Helping actors reach for their 

dream by studying the craft of acting 

and learning the inside information is a 

subject that Scott and Diane hold close to 

their hearts and they are beyond excited 

to share their book with the public! 

To find out more about Scott Strand, 

Diane Strand, their book SHOW + 

BUSINESS, Actors Studio acting classes, 

and many other #JDSFamily classes 

and programs including TV shows, live 

theatre and the nonprofit they founded in 

visual, performing and digital arts, go to 

www.jdscreativeacademy.org or call JDS 

Studios 951-296-6715.




What Is a Medical Power of Attorney and 

Why Every Adult Needs One 

A medical power of attorney is a 

legal contract that specifies who will 

make all of your medical decisions if you 

are not able to make them by yourself. 

This contract is called a durable power of 

attorney, meaning it activates once you 

are decided to be unfit or incapacitated. 

Why You Need a Medical Power 

of Attorney 

Nobody wants to imagine a day that 

you may not be able to participate in 

your medical decisions. If you are young 

and healthy, you may not think choosing 

someone as your medical power of 

attorney is necessary. But circumstances 

can change in a blink of an eye, whether 

it be an accident or a health emergency. 

Consider thoughtfully who you 

might choose as medical power of attorney. 

For example, you may want to think 

about someone with these characteristics: 

• Thinks Clearly in Emotional Situations: 

Who is able to make decisions 

without letting stress or sensitive situations 

cloud their judgment? Maybe 

a brother or a niece may be a good 

choice. 

• Understands Medical Vernacular: 

Be sure to choose a friend or family 

member that can follow along as the 

doctors describe your condition and 

the choices for treatment. If they 

become confused and overwhelmed 

with information outside of their field 

of expertise, choose someone who 

may be better equipped to understand. 

• Has Your Best Interest in Mind: 

Choose a person that you can trust to 

think of all aspects of your life. They 

might need to consider your occupation 

or your family’s needs. 

• Has a Full Understanding of Your 

Medical Wishes: Sit down with the 

person you choose to be your medical 

power of attorney and go through 

potential scenarios. Explain to them 

what you would want to have done 

in each scenario. This thorough communication 

is vital when choosing a 

medical power of attorney. 

Before you briskly choose your next 

of kin, think about who the best person 

for the job might be. 

You want to choose someone who 

would make the same decisions as you 

would if you were able. Then, once you 

make the decision, you will feel at ease 

knowing that you are prepared for the 

unexpected. 

Do you have your affairs in order if 

something were to happen to you? Do 

not delay appointing a medical power 

of attorney. 

Shoup Legal can help you with the process. 

Contact us at (951) 455-4114 or 

info@shouplegal.com to ask the questions 

that will get you started. 

“ 

Nobody wants to 

imagine a day that 

you may not be able 

to participate in your 

medical decisions. If 

you are young and 

healthy, you may not 

think choosing someone 

as your medical 

power of attorney is 

necessary. 

SHOUPLEGAL.COM 

LEGAL 

by by 

Andrea Steve Fillingim Shoup




Choosing the Right Legal Entity for Optimal Tax Strategy 

11 

Being a business owner comes with 

a number of substantial benefits: being 

your own boss, pursuing your passions, 

controlling the growth of the company. 

One benefit that’s often overlooked is the 

ability to use a business as a completely 

legal tax shelter. By taking advantage 

of tax strategies designed to protect 

business owners, you can keep more of 

your money that you earned or use it for 

investments rather than lose it every year 

due to a high tax liability. 

Many factors go into designing an 

optimal tax strategy, but the important 

first step is deciding which legal entity 

to establish your business as. Your choice 

of a legal entity affects multiple aspects 

of your company’s future, including 

your personal liability, tax concerns and 

profitability. 

Businesses may not be people, but 

they do exist as unique and separate 

entities in the eyes of the government. 

Businesses are a collective enterprise 

that must conform to certain rules and 

regulations that are different than those 

experienced by individuals. This is why 

the government requires businesses to be 

registered and designations chosen. 

There are two primary reasons why 

your choice of business entity matters. 

First, your personal liability is affected 

by which business designation you 

choose. For example, if your business 

goes bankrupt, you may or may not be 

protected from having to pay off its debts 

out of your own pocket. Second, the way 

tax laws are applied to the business will 

vary between each legal entity designation. 

This means that establishing your 

business as one entity over another could 

save you a substantial amount in taxes. 

Here are several ways you can operate 

your business: 

1. Sole Proprietor 

2. Partnership 

3. C Corporation 

4. S Corporation 

5. Limited Liability Company 

6. Limited Liability Partnership 

7. Family Limited Partnership 

Some of the items to consider when 

choosing an entity are: 

1. The legal status: is the entity separate 

from the owner? 

2. Is the entity taxable separately from the 

owner? 

3. Does the Formation of the entity require 

filing with the State? 

4. Management of the entity. 

5. Continuity of life upon death of the 

owner. 

6. How many owners can the entity have? 

7. Who are the eligible owners? 

8. Owner Liability. 

9. Transferability of Ownership. 

10. Ability to raise capital. 

11. Tax Year. 

12. Tax on Formation. 

13. Allocation of income. 

14. Deductibility of Losses. 

15. Self-employment tax. 

16. Fringe Benefits. 

17. Reasonable compensation requirement. 

18. Liquidating and Non-Liquidating Distributions. 

19. Capital losses. 

20. Retirement plans. 

There’s more…It is important to 

know the benefits and drawbacks of each 

business entity type. An Attorney can 

advise you on the legal ramifications. 

To get the best possible feedback in designing 

an optimal tax strategy for your 

business talk to a Tax Strategist. Within 

the last 4 years several new tax rules were 

introduced, being proactive and knowing 

what’s applicable to your new or existing 

business is important to avoid mistakes 

or missed opportunities. 

Reminder Tax Due Date: March 15, 

2022, file 2021 calendar year S corporations 

and Partnerships. If you need 

more time to gather and prepare your tax 

information, you can file an Extension. 

Esther Phahla is a Certified Public 

Accountant and Certified Tax Strategist 

in Temecula. She is the 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 Master’s 

of Science in Taxation. She can be 

reached at (951) 514-2652 or visit www. 

estherphahlacpa.com 

One benefit that’s 

often overlooked is the 

ability to use a 

business as a completely 

legal tax shelter. 

FINANCIAL 

Esther Phahla, 

CPA, CTS, MST 

“




Co-Ownership Agreement–Unmarried Couples Buying Real Property 

Together Without Getting Burned 

By Kiki Manti Engel 

There has been a rise in couples cohabitating 

and purchasing real property 

together before getting married. While 

California is a community property 

state, California Law does not recognize 

common law marriages, and unmarried 

individuals are generally not entitled to 

support following a breakup. I have had 

countless consultations with individuals 

who purchased real property with their 

significant other before getting married 

and then they break up/separate. Oftentimes, 

one individual is solely obligated 

to pay the mortgage on the real property 

while both individuals are listed 

as co-owners on title. The question is, 

what happens now? Well, technically 

both are co-owners and they both have 

equal rights of management and control 

of the real property. What this means is 

that one individual alone cannot sell the 

real property unless both agree to sell it. 

The other options are for one individual 

to offer to buy out the other individual’s 

interest or to file a lawsuit with the Court 

to partition the real property and divide 

the proceeds therefrom. Also, if you are 

the sole obligor on the mortgage, you 

must continue to pay to avoid a negative 

impact on your credit and/or foreclosure. 

This is quite the conundrum, as most 

nonmarried couples do not envision that 

their relationship will end (which is why 

they agree to buy real property together 

in the first place), so they do not have 

a co-ownership agreement in place to 

address this worst-case scenario. 

Co-ownership of real property prior 

to marriage without any written agreements 

in place is a pervasive problem. 

I spoke with a senior colleague of mine, 

Elliott Luchs, to ask if he has ever drafted 

a nonmarital real property ownership 

agreement. To my surprise, in his nearly 

50 years of experience as an attorney, 

he has drafted this type of premarital/ 

nonmarital real property co-ownership 

agreement several times. Mr. Luchs has 

also drafted Nonmarital Cohabitation 

Agreements, which are between nonmarried 

couples who live together but who 

are not acquiring real property. 

Many couples 

are reluctant to discuss 

the “what if” 

we break up scenario. 

However, it is vitally 

important for nonmarried 

co-owners 

(or cohabitants) of 

real property to have 

a written agreement 

in place to protect 

themselves. If you 

decide to co-own 

property with your 

significant other 

while unmarried, 

have this frank discussion 

with them, 

and see what happens. 

More often 

than not, your significant other has the 

same reservations or concerns. Best 

case scenario is you never need such an 

agreement, but you will be glad you have 

one if things do go south. 

Kiki Manti Engel is an attorney at Reid 

& Hellyer, APC where she practices business 

and real estate litigation. She may 

be reached through our website at https:// 

rhlaw.com/attorneys/kiki-manti-engel/.




13 

EXECUTIVE PROFILE | Kim Gerrish 

John, Christine and their two children settled in Temecula 

in early 2000. The decision to move to the Temecula area was 

based on a desire to relocate to a family friendly and safe environment 

as John was due to deploy in January of the coming 

year. Temecula was still a small town but a very safe place to 

raise our children. As luck would have it, John was deployed 

for much of the first 3 years. Fortunately, Christine is a rock 

and through the separation, was able to manage all the task 

involved in the growth and education of our children with the 

resources available in the community. 

AFFILIATIONS: 

I am honored to be a Rotarian. 

I am a member of the Temecula 

Rotary Club and look forward 

to serving as their President in 

2022-2023. 

I currently serve as the President 

of the Association for Fundraising 

Professionals, Inland 

Empire Chapter. 

I am a member of the Economic 

Development Coalition 

and the Loma Linda University 

Medical Center – Murrieta Community 

Partnership Council. 

I enjoy service work outside 

of Michelle’s Place events and 

activities. Rotary allows me to 

help our community through other 

means of service with like minded 

people. Rotary reminds me a lot 

of the volunteer activities we did 

as kids. My dad always ensured 

we helped families in need during 

Christmas and Thanksgiving. We 

would also provide help to seniors 

with their yard maintenance and 

other minor chores. 

Serving on local healthcare 

and business committees ensures I 

am aware of the needs of our community 

and the always changing 

business environment. 

BUSINESS PHILOSOPHIES: 

Be the change! It’s one of my 

favorite quotes. Volunteers, action 

oriented leaders, change makers, 

advocates for those who can’t speak 

out are all changing the environment. 

It’s not always easy to take the risk. 

It’s typically not popular to speak 

against the majority, but that’s how 

change happens. We can’t simply sit 

back and complain or do nothing. We 

need to be the change. It doesn’t have 

to be a big move, it can be a small 

act of kindness to someone who isn’t 

very kind. That may just change their 

course of action that leads to more 

acts of kindness. Big or small, get 

involved and be the change. 

FAVORITE DSPORT: 

I enjoy watching football. Sadly, 

I am a girl without a team. Born 

and raised in San Diego, I was a 

dedicated and loyal Charger fan. I 

followed them to LA vowing not to 

ever spend any money to support the 

ownership, but cheer on my favorite 

players. Sadly, my favorite quarterback 

has retired and I am again, a girl 

without a team… I don’t know who 

I will cheer on this year, it’s open for 

discussion. 

I enjoy camping with my husband, 

kids and friends. I enjoy riding 

Razors, quads and dune buggies. Is 

that a sport? 

I also enjoy hiking and riding 

bikes on the beach. 

GOALS 

I look forward to completing 

construction of the regions only 

cancer resource center before the 

end of the year. I envision hundreds 

of cancer patients milling around the 

10,000 sq. ft of space. The sound of 

happy voices filling the halls will be 

a dream come true. 

MENTORS 

My parents are my greatest 

mentors. They provided a wonderful 

example of a loving and caring relationship, 

what it means to be family, 

loyalty, true friendship, community, 

giving and support. 

My business mentors include 

Linda Kissam, my first employer 

in Temecula. She is a wonderful 

teacher and listener. She provided 

me direction and advice as I started 

my journey in the nonprofit world. 

I have so many amazing, strong 

women in my circle. I lean on them 

regularly for direction and support. 

RESUME 

I attained my Bachelor’s degree 

in Journalism with a minor in 

marketing from San Diego State 

University. I worked for Dayton 

Association Advertising Agency 

in San Diego until we moved to 

Temecula in 1999. I worked for 

the Temecula Valley Winegrowers 

Association until I was hired by 

Michelle’s Place Breast Cancer 

Resource Center in 2003. I was 

their first employee. 

I received my CFRE (Certified 

Fund Raising Executive) 

certification in 2018. 

BIRTHPLACE 

I was born and raised in El 

Cajon, CA.







City of Temecula Appoints Community Services Director 

15 

Following six months as the Interim 

Director of Community Services, the City 

of Temecula promoted Assistant Director 

of Community Services Erica Russo to 

serve as the City’s next Community Services 

Director. The vacancy resulted from 

former Community Services Director 

Kevin Hawkins’ promotion to Assistant 

City Manager in July of 2021. Russo 

began her new assignment on January 

25, 2022 and will be responsible for overseeing 

all divisions of the Department, 

including Recreation, Sports, Aquatics, 

Contract Services and Programs, Special 

Events, Arts & Culture, Homeless Outreach, 

and Senior and Human Services. 

Russo has been with the City since 

2008, holding various positions within 

the City, including Recreation Leader, 

Patron Services Coordinator, Senior 

Management Analyst, Community Services 

Superintendent and most recently 

serving as the Assistant Community 

Services Director. Russo has a Bachelor 

of Arts degree with a double major in 

Philosophy and History from Wheeling 

Jesuit University, and a Master of Science 

in Environmental Studies with a concentration 

in Writing and Communication 

from Green Mountain College. 

Commenting on Russo’s performance 

in the interim role, City Manager 

Aaron Adams stated, “From her Assistant 

Director position, Erica Russo has been 

filling in as the Interim Director of Community 

Services and is an invaluable addition 

to the Executive team. Moreover, 

as expected, she has done an impressive 

job through the transition. We talk a lot 

about succession planning and the importance 

of carrying on the ’Temecula 

Way,’ not just now, but into the future. 

My hope is to promote from within when 

those opportunities arise. As such, with 

the full concurrence of the Mayor and 

City Council, I have great confidence in 

her ability to lead TCSD into the future.” 

The Community Services Director 

position offers health, dental, vision and 

life insurance benefits afforded to all other 

City employees, and an annual salary 

range of $144,481 to $204,142. 

EARLY ENTRIES FOR 

DIGIFEST 

TEMECULA 

DigiFest Temecula’s Early Submissions Deadline Closes 

January 28, Late Entry Still Open 

The sixth annual three-day digital-media 

festival, DigiFest Temecula 

2022, hosted by nonprofit JDS Creative 

Academy, will close early submissions 

on January 28. Late submissions are 

still accepted through March 25. Submission 

categories include short film 

and video, animation, game design, 

music, photography, digital art and illustration, 

podcast, and website design. 

Anyone and everyone is welcome to 

submit digital work: students, amateurs 

and professionals! After January 28, 

prices for submission rise to $10 for 

students, $15 for amateurs, and $25 

for professionals. 

DigiFest Temecula is an international 

digital-media festival created 

to promote networking, appreciation 

knowledge and recognition opportunities 

for those entered and in attendance. 

The event is held at JDS Studios and 

throughout Temecula, CA on April 22 

through April 24. Exhibits of submissions 

will be held throughout the venue. The 

Digi Award film and video finalists will 

be screened at a local Temecula Theater. 

Entertainment and Digital-Media Expert 

presenters’ and performers’ names will 

be released on February 15. Tickets for 

the event are available starting March 1. 

DigiFest Temecula was held virtually 

for 2020 and 2021, due to COVID-19, 

and the organization behind the event 

is excited to be back in person for 2022 

with added safety measures in place. The 

founder of DigiFest Temecula, Diane 

Strand, is thrilled to announce the in-person 

return of DigiFest Temecula and 

says, “The planning is coming together 

nicely, and we are looking forward to a 

fantastic festival. There is still time to 

create your digital submission! 

For the last five years DigiFest 

Temecula has strived to maintain its 

mission of accessibility. As one of the 

most affordable international festivals 

around, DigiFest Temecula provides the 

unique opportunity to under-recognized 

artists to be judged and awarded by industry 

professionals from Disney, NBC, 

Universal, and more. 

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 created with passion by 

JDS Creative Academy Founder and 

Executive Director, Diane Strand.




February Events 

February 2 - Ribbon Cutting - Wine Country Cafe | The Nook 

February 3 - Open House Event 

February 4 - February Coffee Connection 

February 8 - February Educational Workshop 

February 9 - February Chamber Brief 

February 9 - January Educational Workshop 

February 11 - Valley Young Professioals 

February 12 - The Sports Ranch at Summers Bend 

February 16 - February Evening Mixer 

February 23 - February Morning Mixer 

https://members.temecula.org/events 

December Events 

February 2 - Chamber Business Briefing 

February 3 - Monthly Mixer at CoWorking Connection-Murrieta 

February 8- 5 Wildomar Coffee With the City 

February 10 - Virtual Networking Breakfast 

February 11 - CJ’s Hairlarious Comedy Show 

February 22 - Virtual Murrieta Coffee With the City 

https://business.murrietachamber.org/events/calendar


Contact Lenses 

by Pat Utnehmer 



17 

Have you ever wanted to change 

your eye color? When it’s warm and 

you don’t want to deal with glasses 

slipping or fogging up would you like 

another option? Are there activities that 

you participate in that glasses aren’t a 

comfortable choice? Many people don’t 

realize that they may be great candidates 

for contact lenses 

Contact lenses prescribed by a licensed 

Doctor of Optometry are worn 

safely and comfortably by millions of 

people worldwide and have a long history 

of providing wearers with a safe 

and effective form of vision correction. 

While contact lenses provide many vision 

benefits, they are not risk-free. Your 

Doctor of Optometry can help you better 

understand how to get the full benefits 

of your contact lenses and reduce your 

chances of developing problems. 

Contact lens-related eye infections 

and other injuries can lead to long-lasting 

damage but often are preventable. Clean 

and safe handling of contacts is one of 

the easiest and most important measures 

patients can take to protect their vision. 

Hygiene is the most important aspect of 

successful long-term contact lens wear. 

Many common contact lenses care 

mistakes, including failing to clean and 

store lenses as directed by a Doctor of 

Optometry and sleeping while wearing 

contacts, can increase the chance of 

getting bacteria in the eyes and causing 

infection. Serious eye infections can lead 

to blindness and affect up to one out of 

every 500 contact lens users per year, and 

even minor infections can be painful and 

disrupt day-to-day life. 

All contact lenses, even purely cosmetic 

ones, are considered a medical 

device and require a prescription. If contact 

lenses are right for you, your Doctor 

of Optometry will provide you with the 

lenses, lens care kits, individual instructions 

for wear and care and follow-up 

visits over a specified time. 

What about makeup and contact 

lenses? You can wear contacts and cosmetics 

safely and comfortably together 

by following these helpful tips: 

• Put on soft contact lenses before applying 

makeup. 

• Put on rigid-gas permeable (RGP) 

lenses after applying makeup. 

• Avoid lash-extending mascara, which 

has fibers that can irritate the eyes. Also 

avoid waterproof mascara, which cannot 

be easily removed with water and 

may stain soft contact lenses. Replace 

mascara at least every three months. 

• Avoid applying eyeliner along the watermark 

of the eyelid. 

• Remove lenses before removing makeup. 

• Choose an oil-free moisturizer. 

• Don’t use hand creams or lotions before 

handling contacts. They can leave a 

film on your lenses. 

• Use hairspray before putting on your 

contacts. If you use hairspray while 

you are wearing your contacts, close 

your eyes during spraying and for a 

few seconds after. 

• Blink your eyes frequently while using 

a hair drier to keep your eyes from 

getting too dry. 

• Keep false eyelash cement, nail polish 

and remover, perfume and cologne 

away from lenses. They can damage 

the plastic. 

• Choose water-based, hypoallergenic 

liquid foundations. Cream makeup may 

leave a film on your lenses. 

Contact lens prescriptions generally 

expire on a yearly basis, unless otherwise 

determined by your Doctor of Optometry. 

Prescriptions for contact lenses and glasses 

may be similar but are not interchangeable. 

Seeing your Doctor of Optometry 

annually for an in-person, comprehensive 

eye exam will not only assess your vision 

and need for updated prescriptions, but 

it may also help identify and lead to a 

diagnosis of other health concerns such 

as hypertension and diabetes. 

Come in and see us for a comprehensive 

eye exam and discuss personalized 

options for your eyes. 

Dr. Patrick Utnehmer, Promenade Optometry 

& Lasik, (951) 296-2211. 

“ 

Many common contact lenses care mistakes, 

including failing to clean and store lenses 

as directed by a Doctor of Optometry and 

sleeping while wearing contacts, can increase 

the chance of getting bacteria in the eyes 

and causing infection. 

Visit us on Facebook: 

@ thevalleybusinessjournal




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Murrieta Launches New App Making It Quick and Convenient to Report Issues to the City 

19 

The City of Murrieta is kicking off 

the new year with a new app, making it 

quick and convenient to report issues 

throughout the city. The Murrieta Fix It 

app makes connecting with the City of 

Murrieta simple. This new tool lets residents 

and businesses report local issues 

like potholes and graffiti or damaged 

trees, playground equipment, street signs, 

and sidewalks all from the ease of their 

mobile devices. 

The process to report an issue is 

handled quickly and easily by opening 

the app and submitting a service request. 

You can then track the City’s response. 

The app harnesses the power of GPS to 

provide a precise location for staff so 

that they can begin fixing the problem 

quickly. Users can also include a photo 

with their report to help the City easily 

identify the problem. Downloading and 

using Murrieta Fix It is free and helps 

constituents proactively keep Murrieta 

the premier city it is. People can also 

report a problem directly from the City’s 

website, making it accessible for those 

without a smart phone. 

City Manager Kim Summers shared 

her excitement about this new feature. 

The City is very excited to launch Murrieta 

Fix It. Multiple City departments 

have worked to make this a reality, so it 

is very fulfilling to kick off the new year 

with the City’s own app. We are always 

working to engage with our residents and 

businesses in ways that are convenient 

for them. We are glad to now have this efficient 

and cost-effective way to address 

issues throughout the city. We appreciate 

everyone’s involvement through the app 

to help create the best Murrieta, where 

we are connected by technology,” highlighted 

Summers. 

Visit MurrietaCA.gov/fixit to learn 

more or download the app on Google 

Play or the Apple Store on mobile devices. 

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. 

This new tool lets residents and businesses report local issues like potholes and graffiti or damaged trees, playground 

equipment, street signs, and sidewalks all from the ease of their mobile devices. 

Should the Government Run Healthcare? 

By Assemblymember Marie Waldron 

Last week the Assembly Health 

Committee reviewed, and passed, AB 

1400, which would mandate government-run 

healthcare for almost 40 million 

Californians. Are you on Medicare? 

You won’t be. Do you like your current 

health plan? Say goodbye to it. Do you 

want to pay higher taxes, for less care? 

You’re in luck. 

AB 1400 creates an unelected 

9-member board to run state healthcare 

with vast power to decide how much 

doctors and hospitals are paid, to adjust 

(cut) provider budgets, and much more. 

When a similar bill was proposed in 

2017, costs were estimated at $400 billion. 

If the entire state budget had been 

spent on healthcare, the program would 

still have been $200 billion short. 

Where does the money come from? 

ACA 11 would provide the funding – or 

rather, taxpayers would. New excise 

taxes, payroll taxes, and personal income 

taxes in excess of $163 billion per year 

would be necessary. People are already 

fleeing California -- and this would add 

to the exodus. Then there is the daunting 

task of passing ACA 11, which requires a 

two-thirds vote in each house, and final 

voter approval. Will voters support massive 

tax increases? Will they support 

abolishing their existing health plans? 

Will millions of seniors voluntarily 

hand Medicare over to a state bureaucracy 

famous for allowing EDD, which 

serves a comparative fraction of California’s 

population, to crash every time 

there’s a big spike in unemployment 

claims? The same bureaucracy that’s 

incapable of providing more water storage, 

dealing with homelessness, crime, 

housing shortages? Without funding, 

AB 1400 is meaningless. 

This proposal requires independent 

review. My Caucus has asked the Legislative 

Analyst’s office for a Citizen Cost 

Impact Analysis to determine the true 

impact of AB 1400 and related costs 

on workers, patients, and our healthcare 

delivery systems. The review will likely 

be an eye-opener. 

Assembly Republican Leader Marie 

Waldron, R-Escondido, represents 

the 75th Assembly District in the California 

Legislature, which includes the 

communities of Bonsall, Escondido, 

Fallbrook, Hidden Meadows, Pala, 

Palomar Mountain, Pauma Valley, Rainbow, 

San Marcos, Temecula, Valley 

Center and Vista.




Participating Restaurants 

Restaurant Week 

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 

The City of Murrieta and the Murrieta/Wildomar 

Chamber of Commerce 

are partnering to bring Restaurant Week 

2022 to town. With hundreds of dollars 

in local restaurant gift cards being given 

away during the event, this is the perfect 

time to discover new dining spots and 

support your all-time favorites. Murrieta 

Restaurant Week aims to support local 

eateries with community outreach, bring 

awareness to the important role these 

businesses play in Murrieta’s economy, 

and to introduce residents to new options 

for dining local. 

Now more than ever, let’s support 

Murrieta restaurants who have worked 

hard to bring their best to our community. 

With multiple ways to win prizes, make 

sure to follow both the City of Murrieta 

(@cityofmurrieta) and the Murrieta/ 

Wildomar Chamber of Commerce (@ 

mmwcoc) on Facebook and Instagram. 

There will be five grand prize winners announced 

at the completion of Restaurant 

Week winning gift card bundles worth 

$200 to local restaurants. To enter, share 

your local dining photos on social media 

and use the #DineLocalSWRC between 

January 23–30. Each post is a new chance 

to win the grand prize gift card pack! 

Want additional chances to win? 

Each day of Restaurant Week 2022, 

there will be mini contests with multiple 

chances to win. To participate, a photo of 

a different signature dish from a Murrieta 

or Wildomar restaurant will be shared 

on Facebook and Instagram. The first 

person to correctly comment with the 

restaurant name will win a $25 gift card 

to a local restaurant. Each day there will 

be two chances to win one of these mini 

contests! 

Want to get involved and support 

local? 

Use Dine Local SWRC in any Murrieta/Wildomar 

Restaurant Week posts 

and tag @cityofmurrieta and @mmwcoc 

Participate in the daily social media 

mini contests by naming the daily signature 

dish from a featured local restaurant 

Follow your favorite local dining 

spots on social media – some will be 

offering Restaurant Week specials you 

won’t want to miss! 

Dining out at Murrieta restaurants 

helps to support the restaurants – and 

their employees – that help make Murrieta 

the community it is. To learn more 

about all the great Murrieta restaurants 

(and other businesses), visit the Murrieta/ 

Wildomar Chamber of Commerce or the 

City of Murrieta’s Economic Development 

websites. 

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. 

WIN! There will be five grand prize winners announced at the 

completion of Restaurant Week winning gift card bundles worth 

$200 to local restaurants. To enter, share your local dining photos 

on social media and use the #DineLocalSWRC between January 

23–30. Each post is a new chance to win the grand prize gift 

card pack! 

8Bit Brewing Company: Try the BBQ Pork Mac & Cheese! It’s a bestseller! 

Angelo’s Brick Oven Pizzeria: Try the 1985 Pizza or the Homemade Pappardelle 

Pasta 

Black Bear Diner: Drop by for the Chicken Fried Steak-perfect for breakfast 

or dinner 

Buffalo Wild Wings-Murrieta: Stop in for Tuesday BOGO traditional wings, 

buy 1 get 1 50% off or Thursday BOGO boneless wings, buy 1 get one free. 

Cactus Nutrition Spot: Buy a Drink and get a Free Healthy Donut when you 

mention Restaurant Week 

CJ’s Sports Grill & Turf Club: Try the Shrimp Scampi (served with garlic 

bread) for $14.99 and a $10 drink Special “The Brambleberry” (1 ounce Bombay 

bramble gin, 1 ounce sour mix, Sprite and razzmatazz top) 

Denny’s Murrieta: Enjoy a Super Slam for $8.99 only during Restaurant Week. 

2 Bacon, 2 Sausage, 2 Eggs, 2 Pancakes and Hashbrowns (no substitutions) 

Denny’s Wildomar: Enjoy a Super Slam for $8.99 only during Restaurant Week. 

2 Bacon, 2 Sausage, 2 Eggs, 2 Pancakes and Hashbrowns (no substitutions) 

El Ranchito Taco Shop-Los Alamos: Get a Free Bean & Cheese Burrito with 

purchase of any burrito OR a Free combination plate when you buy any Combo 

plate at regular price + 2 drinks when you mention Restaurant Week 

Famous Pudn: Enjoy the Flavors of the Week: Pecan Pie Pudn and Cherry 

Pie Pudn 

Finch Wildomar: Try the Fried Chicken & Curry 

Jade China: Stop in for the Honey Walnut Shrimp 

Jersey Mike’s - Clinton Keith Murrieta: Buy 1 Regular Size Sub, & (2) 22oz 

Drinks, Get 1 Regular Size Sub FREE *Equal or lesser value 1/25/22. Code: 4110 

Kan Zaman Restaurant: Hummus Plate, Chicken Kabob and Lamb Kabob 

La Bufadora Baja Grill: Get 10% off purchase of $20 or more during Restaurant 

Week. Try the Fish Tacos! 

Lola’s Birria: Enjoy a Special 3 Course Meal during Restaurant Week Only 

Los Molcajetes Restaurant: Try the Albondigas, Tamales or Pupusas 

Los Reyes Bar & Grill: Featuring Daily Specials during Restaurant Week 

Memelli Sports Bar: Buy any regular priced pizza, get a second pizza half off 

when you mention Restaurant Week 

NYAM Juice Bar: Get 10% off entire purchase during Restaurant Week. Try 

the Blue Glow Juice, Beet Love Juice, or the Green Machine 

Pokeoli: Try the Aloha Bowl! 

Rival Coffee: Buy 1 get 1 from 12pm-3pm on Wednesday *limited to one per 

customer and only applied to drinks (non-alcoholic). 

Sharon’s Creole Kitchen: Make sure to stop buy for some Gumbo, Debris 

Fries or Swamp Fries 

Sizzler Murrieta: Get a Steak & Loaded Potato for $14.99 or enjoy a the Sizzler’s 

Steak & Lobster and Steak & Grilled Shrimp Skewers 

Sushi Ka: Try the Poke Roll and the Sashimi Deluxe 

The Breakfast Club of Menifee: Don’t miss out on the Sangria Flight, Keto 

Omelette or the California Chicken Sandwich 

The Chef’s Grille: Try the Porky’s Tropical Getaway: Pan seared plantain 

cake, slow roasted pork, Carolina Gold BBQ sauce, mango sauce, and crema. 

The Hive Wildomar: Enjoy a Restaurant Week take-out special “Any Two 

Flatbreads and an XL Hive House Salad” for $40. 

The Wine Ranch Grill & Cellars: Stop in for the Firehouse BBQ Burger 

TOAST Murrieta: Don’t miss out on the Chicken Fried Chicken 

Tresino’s: Don’t miss the Linguine Vongole 

Which Wich Superior Sandwiches: Mention Restaurant Week and get 22% 

off your order 

Yellow Basket Wildomar: Try the Ultimate Breakfast! Three eggs cooked to 

order, grilled ham, bacon and sausage, hash browns, buttered toast with jelly, 

and hotcakes with butter and syrup.




21 

Pete’s Music & Guitar Shop Selected as Menifee’s 

January Business Spotlight 

The City of Menifee is thrilled to 

announce “Pete’s Music & Guitar Shop” 

as the City’s January Business Spotlight, 

a program that is a part of the Economic 

Development Department’s B3 (Building 

Better Businesses) program. 

Pete’s Music opened in Menifee 

in 2001 and has been serving the 

community for over 20 years. This 

dynamic business is a one-stop shop, 

full-service music center that not only 

sells instruments of almost every kind, 

but also specializes in repairs, rentals, 

and lessons as well as buys unused or 

unloved instruments. Pete’s Music aims 

to offer unique and unusual items that 

may not be found anywhere else, making 

it one of Menifee’s unique retailers and 

a regional shopping destination. Pete’s 

Music added a second location in Temecula 

in 2002. 

Music education is an important 

aspect of providing children with a 

well-rounded education and assists 

them in growing self-esteem, building 

essential skills and preparing for bright 

futures. Knowing the value of teaching 

music to our youth, Pete’s Music 

is proud to serve the Menifee Union 

School District, which has over 10,000 

students, with the instruments and repairs 

for their music programming in 

the district. 

“Pete’s Music has been a staple in 

Menifee for over two decades and has 

invested significantly into our community 

over the years,” said District 

1 Councilmember Bob Karwin. “It’s 

always a pleasure to highlight forward-thinking 

businesses that saw the 

value of choosing Menifee even before 

its incorporation.” 

For more information about Pete’s 

Music & Guitar Shop, please visit www. 

petesmusic.com. To view Pete’s Music 

& Guitar Shop spotlight video, please 

visit https://youtu.be/9xc8k9K4kgQ. 

The City of Menifee Business 

Spotlight is part of the Economic Development 

Department’s B3 (Building 

Better Businesses) program, which aims 

to showcase local businesses that go 

above and beyond the call of business, 

foster pride in Menifee’s thriving business 

community and promote diversity 

in Menifee’s local economy. 

The “Business Spotlight” is a free 

business recognition program with the 

purpose of creating awareness for the 

variety of local businesses and their contributions 

to the Menifee Community. 

Chosen applicants, who are nominated 

by the community, are honored during 

a special presentation at a City Council 

Meeting and receive a free 30-second 

professional video developed by the 

Department of Economic Development 

and their team that is showcased on the 

city’s business website - www.menifeebusiness.com. 

Nominations are encouraged to recognize 

businesses in Menifee that contribute 

to the betterment of the Menifee 

community. Please visit the link below 

to apply: 

https://www.cityofmenifee.us/499/ 

Menifee-Business-Spotlight-Program 

For more information on the Business 

Spotlight program, or other resources 

available to Menifee businesses, 

please contact the Economic Development 

Department at 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 yearround 

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 dynamic business 

is a one-stop shop, 

full-service music 

center that not only 

sells instruments of 

almost every kind, but 

also specializes in 

repairs, rentals, and 

lessons as well as 

buys unused or 

unloved instruments.


22 www.TheValleyBusinessJournal.com 


MANAGING THE BUSYNESS 

OF LIFE 


Visit Promenade Temecula 

for Temecula Valley Job Fair 

Promenade Temecula 

Sat, Mar 19: 2pm – 4pm 

Job Fair hosted in conjunction with The City of Temecula, 

Visit Temecula Valley, Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce 

MSJC & Rivco Workforce 

The Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce is proud to 

co-host Temecula Valley’s Premier Job Fair in conjunction 

with the City of Temecula, Visit Temecula Valley, Promenade 

Temecula, MSJC, and Riverside County Workforce Development 

Center. This event will take place on Saturday, March 

19, 2022 from 11:00am - 4:00pm in the Theater Plaza at 

Promenade Temecula. 

This means, when doing work tasks, 

don’t be thinking about upcoming time 

off. When taking time away from work, 

don’t think about what needs to be completed 

at the office but put your attention 

on the recreation. Turn off the phone so 

you can’t receive calls, texts, or emails. 

Find other areas to manage yourself when 

it comes to time. 

Eliminate Clutter. Experts say that 

clutter can consist of material, digital and 

emotional baggage. Material is the obvious 

form of clutter and too much stuff 

can lead to depression and hopelessness 

as it overruns one’s life. Today, digital 

clutter is a problem. Remember when 

hard drives were measured in kilobytes? 

Then megabytes were introduced, and it 

was questioned how we would ever use 

that much space. In today’s world, we 

deal in tera, peta, and exabytes of data 

and beyond. 

Examine your computer and see 

how much clutter is on it. What files are 

you keeping you will never use? How is 

your email inbox? All messages may be 

marked read, but have they been acted 

on whether it be responded to, filed, or 

deleted. Clutter has been defined as delayed 

action. A lot of truth in that. The 

question to ask is how much busy time 

is generated by searching through clutter. 

Eliminate Waste. In the Quality 

world waste is a bad thing and something 

to be removed. Waste or scrap in 

production is easy to understand. Waste 

in our daily lives can foster unnecessary 

busyness. I already mentioned how much 

time we waste by searching through 

clutter to find something. But how about 

poorly defined business processes or 

communications causing employees to 

waste time figuring out or asking more 

than once how to accomplish something? 

All these activities create more and more 

busyness. 

There are many more techniques to 

reduce busyness. Do some research and 

find what works for you. 

Ted Saul is a business coach and writer 

that assists with Business Plans, Project 

Management and Career Management. 

He earned his MBA from Regis University 

along with a Masters-in project, 

management. Ted can be reached on 

LinkedIn or by emailing TedSaulbiz@ 

gmail.com. 

by 

by 

Ted Saul, 

Steve Fillingim 

Sr. Staff Writer




23 

Welcome to the 

REALTOR® Report 

by 

Steve Fillingim 

I’d like to wish everyone a Happy 

New Year and welcome to 2022! I’d 

also like to congratulate all of our 

newly appointed City Mayors. We 

look forward to continuing to work 

together to keep housing a priority 

and a successful part of our local 

economy. 

2021 ended with solid numbers 

for our area. We had an increase 

of over $65 Million in transaction 

volume from the previous month and 

over $114 Million from December 

2020. 

The median home price in Southwest 

Riverside County had a slight 

increase of 3% from a month ago 

($565,000/$550,000), was up 22% 

from a year ago ($465,000), and up 

a staggering 45.2% from 2 years ago 

($389,000). Unsold inventory is still 

hovering near 2 months (6 months is 

considered a healthy market), and days 

on market dipped slightly to 10 days, up 

from 7 days last year but still significantly 

lower compared to 31 days 2 years ago. 

Unit sales are up 9% from the previous 

month and down 8% from last year. 

Inventory dropped by 26% from last 

month but is still up 26% from this time 

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 14.3%-33.6% Year-Over-Year. 

As we look to 2022, it’s very much 

of the same conversation. Inventory 

remains a challenge, and prices continue 

to increase, although the pace of increase 

might slow a bit. 

There have been forecasts and recent 

talks of interest rate hikes. This will 

impact the purchasing power for buyers, 

even with the recent increase in loan limits. 

As I’ve mentioned before, if you’re 

considering purchasing, you may want 

to take advantage of the current rates 

while you can. 

We will also have an extremely busy 

2022 on the legislative front. There’s no 

shortage of activity to watch between an 

election year, new Congressional, State, 

County, and City District Maps, and 

many proposed ballot initiatives. Rest 

assured that we constantly keep an eye 

on real estate and private property rights 

issues and continue our relationships with 

our elected leaders. 

Again, welcome to 2022. Buckle up; 

it could be an interesting ride! 

REAL ESTATE 

by Adam A. Ruiz 

2021 ended with 

solid numbers for 

our area. We had 

an increase of over 

$65 Million in transaction 

volume from 

the previous month. 

Support our Local Law Enforcement 

By Gene Wunderlich 

There’s an old saying “Just because 

you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not 

out to get you”. 

As I peruse articles in the Wall Street 

Journal, I am frequently reminded why 

we are fortunate to live in our little corner 

of the world. Recent headlines include 

‘Murder in Several Cities Set Records’, 

‘A Sanctuary City for Criminals’, and 

‘Paranoid is a Rational Response to a 

World Gone Mad.’ Grim reading for 

sure and only exacerbated by the daily 

onslaught of treachery rampant in cities 

across the country. Synagogues held hostage 

in Texas, rampant smash and grabs 

in San Francisco, carjacking epidemic 

Philadelphia, subway murders in New 

York, father killed in Old Town Temecula 

– wait, what? That’s a little too close 

for comfort, eh? 

Living where we do it’s easy to get 

complacent about our safety and the welfare 

of our families. After all, we live in 

some of the safest cities in the state and 

nation, according to FBI statistics. So, 

hearing about skyrocketing murder rates 

in cities like Chicago, Portland, Philadelphia, 

Los Angeles, or New York concerns 

us, but only from a distance. We have not 

been directly impacted by those statistics, 

but in some subliminal way we are still 

affected. Even if it’s not a front-of-mind 

thing, we are painfully aware that crime 

is increasing everywhere and, together 

with inflation and Covid, have come to 

dominate the media narrative across the 

political spectrum. 

Explanations for this crime epidemic 

are as varied and questionable as CDC 

guidelines for the Covid Pandemic, but 

a few issues seem to stand out to even 

a cursory inspection. ‘Defunding the 

police’ was a supremely ill-considered 

response to real or perceived police overreach. 

Even some of the more rabid advocates 

of these policies are having second 

thoughts as violent crime has increased 

in their formerly safe neighborhoods. 

Catch-and-release no bail programs are 

another wonderful idea that has resulted 

in less frequent law enforcement. After 

all, why bother arresting a perpetrator 

if they’ll be back on the street before 

the paperwork is finished? California’s 

own unique contributions to the problem, 

like Prop’s 47 & 57, and AB 109 

deserve special recognition for redefining 

criminality, reducing or eliminating 

sentencing for even violent or sexually 

violent crimes, and administering only 

wrist-slaps for retail theft under $950 (#1 

Google search: ‘How much can I legally 

steal in California’). 

We can also point with some self-satisfaction 

to municipalities where the 

‘woke’ citizenry have elected District 

Attorneys who refuse to prosecute criminals. 

The recently elected Mayor of New 

York City, Eric Adams, himself a former 

police officer, was elected at least in part 

for his promises to address crime in the 

city. But how effective can he be when 

Manhattan’s new District Attorney, Alvin 

Bragg, began his tenure by instructing 

prosecutors not to do their jobs. Similar 

disconnects are occurring across the 

country pitting Chicago Mayor Lightfoot 

against state attorney Kim Foxx, 

San Francisco Mayor Breed against DA 

Chesa Boudin, and LA Mayor Garcetti 

against DA George Gascon. These people 

told us how they intended to do, or not 

do, their jobs, yet we’re surprised when 

they actually do it and are dismayed by 

the easily anticipated results. 

We in Southwest County are certainly 

not immune from the troubles 

plaguing other cities. Yet our crime 

rates remain low and the safety of our 

citizens remains enviable. Why is that? 

Simple. We have local law enforcement 

that ensures, insofar as possible, that we 

stay safe in our homes, on our streets, 

and in our businesses. Murrieta’s homegrown 

police force under Chief Conrad, 

is a stable, professional, and positive 

reflection of our community standards. 

Menifee has recently adopted their own 

local policing model with some success 

under Chief Walsh. Temecula and other 

Southwest cities surely benefit from the 

efforts of our County Sheriff Chad Bianco, 

whose force is more focused on pursuing 

criminals than bending to whatever 

recent ‘woke-ism’ is in vogue. Finally, 

in District Attorney Mike Hestrin, we 

have a law enforcement ally who is not 

only supportive of police efforts through 

prosecutions but has established task 

forces for community outreach to reduce 

recidivism, combat fraud, and prosecute 

drug dealers, especially purveyors of fentanyl. 

With our support and appreciation, 

they can continue their job of keeping 

our region among the safest in the state. 

While it is unfortunately inevitable that 

the crime-creep that is infecting other 

areas of the state will occasionally reach 

into our area, the diligence of our officers 

will help keep that at bay. 

Finally, I started this article by 

invoking the reality of paranoia. I’m 

not advocating that you lock yourself 

in your room and fashion a tin foil hat, 

but we do bear some responsibility for 

our own safety. The police can’t be everywhere, 

and we would probably hate 

it if they were. But keeping an eye on 

our surroundings, not putting ourselves 

in sketchy situation, and exercising a 

modicum of precaution can go a long 

way toward keeping ourselves and our 

families out of the headlines. It’s a team 

effort.




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TVCC BOARD OF DIRECTORS 



25 


The Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the 2022 

Board of Directors lead by Chairman of the Board, Mike Noon of Noon & Associates 

CPAs, Inc. “The Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce 2022 Board of Directors 

is committed to serving our business community and encourages our members to 

reach out and leverage their expertise as well as connections. Our goal is to expand 

your network in the business community to not only benefit you and your business, 

but to pay it forward for someone that has helped you along your path,” says Noon. 

2022 Executive Board of Directors 

Chairman of the Board: Mike Noon, Noon & Associates CPAs, Inc. 

1st Vice Chairwoman: Kim Kelliher, Grapeline Wine Tours 

2nd Vice Chairman: BJ Fazeli, Fazeli Cellars Winery 

Treasurer: Esther Phahla, Esther N. Phahla, CPA, APC 

Secretary: Jackie Steed, Reliable Realty, Inc. 

Past Chairman of the Board: Al Rubio, DCH Auto Group Temecula 

2022 Board of Directors 

David Beshay, Beshay Enterprises 

Brian Connors, Southwest Healthcare System 

Adam Eventov, SoCalGas Company 

Jonathan Jean-Marie, Loma Linda University Medical Center Murrieta 

Jeff Kurtz, Promenade Temecula 

Dave Lester, Abbott 

Cherise Manning, A Grape Escape Balloon Adventure 

Tammy Marine, Habitat For Humanity Inland Valley 

Andrew Masiel, Pechanga Development Corporation 

MORE 

Chairman of the Board: Mike Noon, Noon & Associates CPAs, Inc. 

Julie Ngo, State Farm Insurance Agency 

Paul Nolta, IE Small Business Development Center 

Akash Patel, Akash Winery 

Robert Rosenstein, The Law Offices of Rosenstein & Associates 

Darlene Wetton, Temecula Valley Hospital 

Becky Young, Paradise Chevrolet Cadillac 

President & CEO: 

Brooke Nunn, Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce 

A special thank you to our outgoing Board Member, Kimberly Freize Uhler for 

your many years of dedication and service. 

About Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce: 

The Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organization based 

in Temecula, CA. The Mission of the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce is to 

promote positive economic growth while protecting the environment for all business 

and by doing so, support the programs which preserve and improve the quality of 

life for the entire community. To learn more about the Temecula Valley Chamber 

of Commerce, please click here. For more information regarding upcoming events, 

please click here or contact the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce at 951-676- 

5090 or info@temecula.org. 

Follow the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce on social media: 

Facebook: https/www.facebook.com/temeculacc 

Instagram: https:/www.instagram.com/temeculachamber 

Twitter: https: twitter.com/temvalchamber 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ 

temecula-valley-chamber-of-commerce




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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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

VBJ February 22

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