AGUANGA - A man whose remains were found near Highway 79 in Aguanga last year was identified today as a 56-year-old Hemet resident. The coroner's office used DNA testing to identify Joseph Glen Charter, whose remains were found Nov. 30 by a hunter in the 45000 block of Highway 79 South, southeast of the roadway in an unincorporated area of Aguanga, Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. Tyson Voss said. Charter was never reported as a missing person since his family had not been in contact with him for two years, Voss said. Riverside County sheriff's Deputy Albert Martinez said the cause of death was pending toxicological testing. Deputies urged anyone with information about Charter's death to call the sheriff's Southwest station at (951) 696-3000.

RIVERSIDE - Riverside County supervisors today scheduled a July 30 public hearing for a final discussion of whether to implement incentives intended to draw more retirees to the area by allowing them to transfer their property tax assessment from a home in another county to one in Riverside County. Supervisors John Benoit and Kevin Jeffries introduced the proposed ordinance in May and received 4-1 approval during today's Board of Supervisors meeting to set a time for a public hearing, during which a final vote is expected on the matter. Supervisor Jeff Stone was the sole opponent to moving ahead with it. Under the ordinance, Riverside County would adopt provisions laid out in Proposition 90, approved by California voters in 1988, and Proposition 110, approved by voters two years later. Prop 90 permits homeowners 55 years and over to retain, when they move, the ''factored base year'' assessment that determines how much they pay annually in property taxes. According to the law, a property owner can relocate to another county, purchase a house there and pay the same amount of annual property taxes he or she was paying on the home sold in the original county. Prop 110 affords the same treatment, only it applies exclusively to disabled homeowners. ''This provides mobility for senior citizens,'' Paul Herrera, with the Inland Valley Association of Realtors, told the board. ''People who had an interest in this region but didn't want to come here because of additional taxes, especially when they're working off a small nest egg, will reconsider now.'' Only eight counties in the state have ordinances that provide for inter- county transfers of property taxes. Riverside County had such an ordinance in place until 1995, when it was rescinded because of concerns over property tax losses. Stone raised that issue during the board's May 21 meeting, arguing that the county stood to lose more than it might gain by not making some home purchasers pay taxes that reflect the actual market value of their properties. But Benoit and Jeffries stood by the proposal, saying the financial halo effect of having a larger number of retirees spending money on goods and services throughout the county would more than make up for any property tax losses. Assessor-Clerk-Recorder Larry Ward also saw more positive than negative in the concept. The county's property tax roll has declined over the last five years. It is now at $205 billion. Ward is anticipating the roll will increase in the current fiscal year by 3 percent. The latest assessment figures will be released next month.

RIVERSIDE - Riverside County government offices will be open for business on Fridays again soon, thanks to implementation of a new schedule for the majority of county employees approved today by the Board of Supervisors. ''This is about serving the public,'' Supervisor Marion Ashley said. ''Residents who want to come in on Fridays will be able to do that. We are getting back to normal.'' In August 2009, the board ordered that non-essential county facilities be closed every Friday, primarily to save the county an estimated $600,000 a year in utility costs. At the time, the county's budget was in the red and reserves were being rapidly depleted to cover costs. Mandatory furloughs were in effect, requiring many employees to take several unpaid weekdays off every month. A 4/10 ''alternative'' work schedule was established as the standard for a majority of workers. Under the 4/10, employees generally work Monday to Thursday, putting in 10-hour days. The County Administrative Center in downtown Riverside, where residents go to take care of property tax bills, obtain copies of deeds and transact other business, has been closed every Friday since Aug. 13, 2009. Supervisor Kevin Jeffries was among critics of the Friday closures and campaigned against them when he ran to unseat five-term incumbent Supervisor Bob Buster last year. ''Taxpayers should have access to their government on Fridays,'' Jeffries said today. ''Because of holidays, there are many weeks throughout the year when offices are only open three days a week.'' The board voted to drop the 4/10 and instead adopt a 9/80 alternative work schedule as the standard. The schedule requires workers to be on the job nine hours a day per pay period until accruing 80 hours, at which point the worker is given an additional day off, usually every other Friday, meaning many county staffers will still have two three-day weekends off every month. Department of Human Resources chief Barbara Olivier told the board that 36 percent of county employees are already on the 9/80 schedule; about a quarter are on a 4/10 schedule. One employee complained that she would have to forgo ''invaluable'' family time and spend an additional hour each week commuting to work in giving up her four-day-a-week work schedule. Supervisor John Tavaglione worried for county workers who might have to bear higher child-care expenses by being on the job a full week. He also noted the county would be paying higher utility bills again by keeping facilities open five days a week. Supervisor Jeff Stone was less sympathetic. ''The 4/10 has definitely affected our ability to serve residents,'' he said. ''People's social and health issues are 24/7. The 4/10 has been kind of a luxury. We serve at the pleasure of the taxpaying public.'' According to Olivier, departmental managers will have flexibility in determining whether some employees continue to remain on 4/10 schedules, switch to 9/80 or log the more typical eight hours a day, five days per week. The Friday closures will end on July 25, after which the County Administrative Center and other offices will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

RIVERSIDE - A UC Riverside professor took part in a study, published today, that labeled unfounded perceived worries that a U.S. Supreme Court ruling favorable to gay marriage could produce a backlash that would hinder equality efforts. ''Patience or Progress: Should We Fear Opinion Backlash on Gay Marriage?'' was published on The Monkey Cage blog, a politics and policy website, according to UCR. It was written by UCR's Benjamin Bishin, associate professor of political science; Charles Anthony Smith, associate professor of political science at UC Irvine; Thomas Hayes, assistant professor of political science at University of Connecticut; and Matthew Incantalupo, a doctoral candidate in politics and social policy at Princeton University. They conducted online experiments in which people were asked to react to a state supreme court ruling allowing gay marriage, and told participants to read articles about the legalization of gay rights in Oregon, a gay pride parade and gun-control policy. Another experiment compared people's reactions before and after U.S. Supreme Court hearings on California's Proposition 8 and on restrictions on marriage recognition and benefits in the federal Defense of Marriage Act. Researchers found there was ''no evidence of opinion backlash'' on gay marriage in either experiment. ''In fact, contrary to theories of backlash, experiment participants viewed gays and lesbians more warmly after the Supreme Court hearings than participants did before,'' according to a statement from UCR. The study is posted at http://themonkeycage.org.

A man who severely beat his girlfriend and took off with the couple's five month old son was captured by officers eight hours later. At about 1:30 a.m. today (Tues., June 18), parolee 42-year-old Kenneth Welch assaulted his girlfriend near their Pauma Valley home, leaving the woman with serious head injuries. After an emergency call came in about the incident, responding deputies found the injured woman in a neighborhood off the 22000 block of State Route 76 and had her transported to an area hospital. "While she did sustain head and facial injuries, there is no indication that she won't make a full recovery at this point," said Lt. Jim Bolwerk, of the Sheriff's Family Protection Detail. The victim told investigators that Welch had attacked her during an argument as they sat with their son inside a parked vehicle in the area, not far from their home on the La Jolla Indian Reservation, Bolwerk said.The victim managed to escape from Welch and run off, after which Welch left the scene taking the couple's five-month-old son with him. At that point, law enforcement launched a manhunt and statewide Amber Alert for the infant. The victim said Welch had threatened to hurt the child.Later in the morning, a relative of Welch's who lives in Oceanside called authorities to report that the suspect had dropped off the infant and then left, the lieutenant said. The child, who was unharmed, was taken into protective custody.A little over eight hours later, at about 10 a.m., patrol deputies spotted Welch in the 1100 block of Marine View Drive in Vista, near the border of unincorporated Vista east of South Melrose Drive.Following a brief road and foot chase, officers arrested Welch. "His capture was the result of all-around great team work by our detectives and deputies, and assistance from the ASTREA helicopter," said Bolwerk. "We also really appreciate the amount of help we were offered by other agencies as well." Welch was booked into Vista jail on six felony counts: attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, felony domestic violence, felony evading, felony child endangerment, and felony parole violation. He is being held without bail. Welch's arraignment in court is scheduled for Thursday, June 20. (previous version)UPDATE: 5-month-old baby found safe, parolee taken into custodyVISTA - A five-month-old baby abducted in Valley Center by a domestic violence suspect was found safe. An amber alert issued for Kenneth Nusun Welch has been cancelled. The suspect in this case was taken into custody in Vista just before 10 a.m. The incident started just before 2 a.m when deputies in Valley Center responded to a domestic violence call on Poomacha Road. Deputies found an injured woman. She was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. Deputies also learned the woman's boyfriend, Kenneth Wayne Welch, snatched their five-month-old son and threatened to harm the baby.

TEMECULA - On Sunday June 16, 2013, at about 9:15 PM officers from the Temecula Police Department responded to a report of a traffic collision just east of the intersection of Rancho California Road and Moraga Rd. in the city of Temecula. Upon arrival, officers contacted a male outside a small 4-door sedan which was parked in the middle of the roadway on Rancho California Road. The driver, a 19-year-old male from Temecula, stated he was traveling east on Rancho California Road just east of Moraga Road when a male wearing dark clothing ran in front of his car. The driver of the sedan was not able to stop in time and struck the pedestrian, a 25-year-old male also from Temecula. The pedestrian was propelled across the roadway, coming to rest in the roadway. The driver of the sedan stopped his vehicle in the roadway to warn other motorists and to assist the pedestrian. As the driver exited his car and started toward the pedestrian, a motorcycle, driven by a 22-year-old male from Murrieta failed to stop and struck the open driver's side door of the sedan. The motorcycle with the rider crossed over the center median, coming to rest in the westbound lanes of Rancho California Road. The pedestrian and driver of the motorcycle were transported to local hospitals. The pedestrian succumbed to his injuries at 9:50 hours while being transported by ambulance to the hospital. The driver of the motorcycle was treated and released for minor injuries. An autopsy for the pedestrian has been scheduled and the investigation is ongoing. At this point, neither drugs nor alcohol appear to be a factor and no charges are anticipated to be filed against the driver of the sedan. This investigation is still ongoing. Anyone with further information regarding this crime is encouraged to contact Officer Dan Hoctor at the Temecula Police Department at 951 696 3000.

RIVERSIDE - Riverside County supervisors today tentatively approved a ''fragile'' $4.7 billion budget for fiscal year 2013-14, holding off on full implementation of the financial blueprint until the county's yearend balance sheet is clearer. The Board of Supervisors is slated to formally adopt the budget on Sept. 10. ''We're using one-time money where appropriate (to balance the budget),'' county Chief Financial Officer Ed Corser told the board during a public hearing at the County Administrative Center in downtown Riverside. ''We've protected our reserves. The budget is balanced today. But it may not be where we are tomorrow.'' Corser noted that the budget was 6 percent smaller than in 2012-13, mostly because of the loss of redevelopment revenue. A bill signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown ended counties' redevelopment programs in 2011, with Brown arguing that the share of property taxes dedicated for revitalization projects should be available to other entities, including school districts and special districts. County discretionary revenue is projected to increase 3 percent, or around $17 million, in 2013-14, Corser said. Despite the growth, the county will have to draw down several general fund accounts to meet its financial obligations. The discretionary funding gap -- the difference between $630 million in projected expenditures and $586 million in revenue -- will be covered using a ''budget stabilization set-aside'' and cash on hand, according to the Executive Office. ''This structural balance is fragile,'' county CEO Jay Orr said. ''We must still determine if general funds will be needed to address the hospital's fiscal challenges, public safety departments' (shortfalls) and the unforeseen impacts of Assembly Bill 109, among other issues.'' The Riverside County Regional Medical Center is projected to have a $35 million deficit in 2013-14. However, county officials are counting on ''receivables,'' or ongoing patient payments for services, to erase some of the red ink. Sheriff Stan Sniff told the board in April that the Executive Office's budget target for him to meet next year was a ''bridge too far.'' The sheriff's department is facing expenses totaling $600 million and needs an additional $55 million in board-approved general fund support. Corser indicated today that the Executive Office understood Sniff's dilemma and was prepared to assist, at the board's direction. The sheriff's department is engaged in a recruitment drive to fill 500 positions to have sufficient personnel to expand the number of deputies on patrol in unincorporated communities and to adequately staff the jails. The supervisors spent the last part of the budget hearing on AB 109, the Public Safety Realignment Act of 2011, which most of them disdain. Sniff and other officials blame the legislation for exacerbating jail overcrowding and contributing to an increase in localized crime. ''Our jails are congested,'' said Supervisor Jeff Stone. ''One inmate goes out and another goes in. Violent crime is up. In Hemet and San Jacinto, there's increasing crime. Why? Because we have more felons congesting our jails.'' Under AB 109, so-called ''non-serious, non-violent'' offenders convicted of felonies that do not stem from a sex crime are to serve their sentences in local detention facilities. Proponents of realignment suggested that jail sentences would be capped at three years, but that has not held true. Some convicts in local facilities are serving terms in excess of 10 years. AB 109 also made counties responsible for prosecuting and, often, incarcerating parole violators. In 2012, Sniff released nearly 7,000 ''low-level'' inmates early for lack of space. Under a two-decade-old federal court order, the county must have a bed for each detainee or let some of them go. The county has just under 4,000 beds available. Stone said the need for a Mid-County Detention Center, or ''Hub Jail,'' remains strong, even if the funds aren't readily available. A 200-acre site just off Interstate 10 in Whitewater should be made ''shelf-ready'' if a federal grant or other funding source makes the project affordable, Stone said. ''We have to plan for today and the future,'' Stone said. ''If we're not going to build on the site, let's sell the ($23-million) property.'' The Hub Jail, which was knocked off the county's list of capital improvement priorities in 2011, would cost at least $300 million to build and make operational, according to estimates. Coachella Valley tourism and hospitality interests widely oppose the concept, saying it would severely degrade the area's appeal. A county Jail Committee will hold its first meeting next week to begin strategizing how best to address the county's jail space deficit.

A local expert on youth and violence will be the main speaker Thursday afternoon, June 20 at the second meeting of a regional task force on family and youth health.Melissa Donaldson will make a presentation when the Regional Family, Youth and Health Task Force meets at 4 p.m. June 20 at Murrieta City Hall. For the past 12 years, Donaldson has served as executive director of Safe Alternatives For Everyone.The task force, which traces its genesis to Temecula last December, is comprised of 24 elected officials representing eight cities and eight school districts throughout western Riverside County.The cities and school districts that participate include Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Canyon Lake, Hemet and San Jacinto.During her nearly 30 years working in social services, Donaldson has operated domestic violence shelters and gang diversion, substance abuse, child abuse and runaway and homeless youth programs. She has worked with foster care and other group homes. She has won several regional, state and national awards. SAFE is a nonprofit agency that serves Riverside County youth and families who have experienced or are at risk of abuse or violence.The first step in the process to create the regional task force was taken in mid-December. Representatives of Temecula, Murrieta and a nonprofit group gathered to discuss ways to address substance abuse, mental health difficulties and the societal problems that can spring from virtual gaming and social networking activities.About that time, Mike Naggar, Temeculas mayor, proposed the creation of a task force that would be patterned after a pair of others his city has launched in recent years.As he traded e-mails with Murrieta Mayor Rick Gibbs, 20 students and six staff members were fatally shot at a Connecticut school. A disturbed youth, Adam Lanza, killed his mother before he went on a Dec. 14 rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School.That tragedy helped fuel the local call for action, Naggar said at the time.Temecula has relied on regional panels and master plans to examine community needs and spur public interaction. Naggar previously spearheaded a regional Autism Task Force, which has created a resource guide and organized outreach services and special events and programs.Naggar, whose son has been diagnosed with autism, has said publicly that task force has netted a lot of good results. The family and youth task force may help address several of the community challenges identified in a city master plan. More than five years ago, Temecula wrapped up its work on a youth master plan, a 23-page document that cost about $35,000 to prepare and gathered input from more than 1,200 youths, parents, public officials and social services providers.That report said some key community problems had surfaced as Temeculas population soared by 350 percent since it became a city in December 1989.The community has seen an increase in youth and teen drug abuse, gang activity and other problems concerning young people, the report stated.

MURRIETA - Jury selection could get underway as early as tomorrow for the trial of an ex-con accused of killing a Hemet drug counselor with whom he was living and stuffing her body in a suitcase that he dumped in a motel room. Joseph David Dorsey could face 57 years to life in prison if convicted in the August 2012 slaying of 47-year-old Christine Stewart. Dorsey, 28, was arrested late last October in Playas de Rosarito, where he was located by Mexican authorities with the help of the FBI. He's being held in lieu of $5 million bail at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside. Riverside County Superior Court Judge Mark Mandio is slated to hear pretrial motions in the case tomorrow morning at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta. The first panel of prospective jurors may be summoned to Mandio's courtroom in the afternoon for questioning as to their qualifications and availability. Opening statements could begin before week's end. During a videotaped interview that sheriff's Detective James Merrill recorded when he spoke to Dorsey shortly after the fugitive was brought back from Mexico, the defendant admitted attacking his girlfriend of two years when she said ''something'' that set him off a few minutes after the two finished having sexual intercourse at his Lake Elsinore apartment. The tape was played by Deputy District Attorney Burke Strunsky during Dorsey's preliminary hearing in February. ''I mean we were in bed and we were laying there and we started arguing,'' the defendant says during the interview. ''I can't for the life of me remember even exactly what words she used. But the next ... I mean, it was like that (snapping his fingers) and I had her pinned to the bed by her throat. It was like it wasn't even me.'' Dorsey told the detective that he choked Stewart until his ''hands hurt'' and then grabbed a phone cord and strangled her with it. Merrill asked the defendant whether the woman attempted to fight back, noting that she had bruises on her body that indicated a struggle, but Dorsey replied that he had no recollection of Stewart resisting. ''She couldn't even speak,'' the defendant says on the tape. ''I think it was more she was just trying to breathe.'' Dorsey told Merrill that even though Stewart hadn't died by the time he wrapped the phone cord around her neck, he ''couldn't go back'' and stop the attack. ''It was like something inside of me was telling me, 'OK, look, you have already done it. Now you have to follow through,''' he said during the interrogation. According to the defendant, Stewart survived even after he used the phone cord, so he went into the bathroom, filled the bathtub and plunged her head underwater ''until she stopped moving.'' According to the defendant, he found a roller-wheel suitcase in his closet and stuffed Stewart's body into it, then drove to a motel with the remains. The defendant triggered a manhunt after Stewart's body was found in a room at the Poway Best Western last Aug. 8. The victim, a behavioral health specialist at a drug rehab center, had been reported missing from her job two days earlier. The 5-foot-2, 100-pound Canyon Lake woman's remains were located by motel employees who took possession of the defendant's personal effects when he failed to check out, according to prosecutors. Court records show that the parolee was convicted in 2006 of assault and battery on a peace officer, for which he was sentenced to three years in prison. Dorsey was also convicted last June of attempted burglary. According to court records, he originally was charged with burglary and grand theft in that case, but under a plea agreement, the two felony charges were dropped and replaced with the lesser count, resulting in a one-year prison sentence. With credit for time served in jail and additional state credit to minimize prison overcrowding, Dorsey was allowed to go free.

TEMECULA - More than 300 people, including a number of Riverside County notables, are expected today for a Temecula event benefiting children who suffer abuse and neglect. The Humanity of Justice Foundation, established by Deputy District Attorney Burke Strunsky and his wife, Geraldine, will host a fundraiser at the Temecula Valley Polo Club, where a variety of family-friendly activities are planned between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. ''We're trying to help make a positive impact, even if only on a small scale,'' Geraldine Strunsky told City News Service. ''We're hoping to raise awareness and at the same time raise money for programs that can make a difference in a child's life.'' According to Strunsky, the Humanity of Justice Foundation raised $20,000 during a holiday event just before Christmas. She said a number of recognizable faces will be making appearances today to rally attendees to open their pocketbooks. Among those slated to be on hand: Sheriff Stan Sniff, Public Defender Steve Harmon, District Attorney Paul Zellerbach, District Attorney candidate and senior prosecutor Mike Hestrin and Temecula Mayor Mike Naggar. The main event is a polo match between a team captained by Strunsky, who founded the Temecula Valley Polo Club last year, and another group affiliated with the club. There will also be a fashion show and silent auction, as well as a petting zoo, bounce house and pony rides for kids. A local band, the 4019s, will play 80s music, and a lunch buffet will be available. Tickets are $75 a piece, though children will be admitted free. All proceeds go to the Humanity of Justice Foundation, which in turn provides funding for programs run by the Riverside Medical Foundation, Rady Children's Hospital, the Oak Grove Institute and other organizations, according to Strunsky. ''We're supporting a lecture series in group homes that focuses on the prevention of 'shaken baby syndrome,''' she said. ''Burke has seen these cases so many times. It just gets repeated. One way to stop it is through education.'' Burke Strunsky's book, ''The Humanity of Justice: Lighting Even the Darkest Path Toward Justice,'' profiles several Inland Empire cases where children were severely abused, even tortured to death. ''My husband has had to relive what the victims went through,'' Geraldine Strunsky said. ''It has not been easy.'' The decision to start the foundation was a direct result of what he experienced, she said. More information is available at www.hojf.org.

MURRIETA - A Hemet chiropractor who allegedly sexually assaulted two of his patients must stand trial on six felony charges, a judge ruled today. Dr. Jeffrey Richard Marrs, 47, was arrested in November following an investigation by Hemet police that indicated the defendant had allegedly engaged in multiple criminal acts. Following a preliminary hearing at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Dennis McConaghy determined there was sufficient evidence to bound Marrs over for trial on five counts of sexual battery on a restrained person and one count of sexual penetration with a foreign object. If convicted, he could face more than 20 years behind bars. There was also a hearing on whether restrictions should be placed on the defendant's license to practice chiropractic medicine until his case is resolved, but the outcome of that hearing wasn't immediately known. McConaghy scheduled a post-preliminary hearing in the case for July 12. Marrs remains free on a $500,000 bond. The defendant operates Lifestyle Chiropractic & Wellness at 2091 W. Florida Ave. According to Hemet police Lt. Duane Wisehart, detectives received reports of alleged illegal activity at the doctor's office last October and initiated an investigation. ''The offenses were reported to have occurred at Dr. Marrs's place of business,'' Wisehart said. He said two victims came forward, but authorities believe there may be more. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Hemet Police Department at (951) 765-2422.

Menifee City Council members unanimously approved plans to widen Newport Rd. on Tuesday night, June 4, during a public hearing. There will be an additional lane in each direction between Antelope and Menifee roads. Crystal Nguyen, manager of the project, estimated that construction will cost $2.8 million. Construction will begin in August and is scheduled to be completed by Dec. 31.The council also adopted a Negative Declaration for the environmental assessment in finding that the project will have no significant effect on the environment. The project is being financed by a variety of local funds that were included in the citys upcoming budget for the fiscal year of 2013-2014.The road will be converted into six lanes instead of four, since there are already six lanes on Newport Rd. to the east of Menifee Rd., making the road more consistent. This will help remove the bottleneck effect, Nguyen said.Having a consistent six lane thoroughfare is really going to help traffic flow, she continued.The current median will be reconstructed to a narrow width. This will allow more room to fit the two additional lanes.Also to help with traffic circulation, an additional left-turn lane will be installed on Newport Rd. to South Bound Antelope. The curb and gutter near Antelope will be shifted to the north and south to fit the additional left-turn lane, according to Nguyen. Existing traffic signals will also be modified to help align them with the new lane configurations.The traffic signals will be coordinated with all three existing traffic signals so that we can get the timing perfected, Nguyen said.Although the city doesnt have authority over the coordination of the lights, Nguyen believes they can work with Caltrans. She also said that this project will also fix the deteriorated pavement on Newport Rd. Because redoing the entire road can be expensive, and found to be necessary, the project will use several recycling processes. This process will help the city save over $1 million.This is due to not only the materials being used, but also because of the construction schedule. Nguyen said this is why it is imperative to get the project completed by Dec. 31. The new asphalt material will be mixed with rubber. The rubber will also help to reduce noise and skid resistance. It eliminates all expected potential noise increase from the additional lanes were installing, Nguyen said.She also said the new asphalt will stay darker longer. Not only for aesthetics, but it is safer because drivers can see the striping easier against the matte black background.The rubber is coming from tires that would have gone to landfill, Nguyen said.About 7,000 tires will be used for this project.Councilman Tom Furhmans asked Nguyen and council members if construction could be completed within eight weeks, if traffic was detoured and sections of the road were closed. I dont believe that is actually doable. And secondly, theres almost 50,000 trips a day coming across Newport Rd. that we would have to divert, responded Interim City Manager Robert Johnson. Assistant Director City Engineer Jonathan Smith said the possible impact on local businesses and residents was taken into consideration. We believe that we have put together a plan that minimizes the impacts to both, he said.He continued to say that even if the area is closed off, he doesnt know if eight weeks will be enough time for the contractor to finish the work. There is going to be some pain and suffering associated with any major construction we pull off in the city. We try to minimize it as much as we can, said Councilman Greg August. Bevi EdlundStaff WriterMenifee City Council members unanimously approved plans to widen Newport Rd. on Tuesday night, June 4, during a public hearing. There will be an additional lane in each direction between Antelope and Menifee roads. Crystal Nguyen, manager of the project, estimated that construction will cost $2.8 million. Construction will begin in August and is scheduled to be completed by Dec. 31.The council also adopted a Negative Declaration for the environmental assessment in finding that the project will have no significant effect on the environment. The project is being financed by a variety of local funds that were included in the citys upcoming budget for the fiscal year of 2013-2014.The road will be converted into six lanes instead of four, since there are already six lanes on Newport Rd. to the east of Menifee Rd., making the road more consistent. This will help remove the bottleneck effect, Nguyen said.Having a consistent six lane thoroughfare is really going to help traffic flow, she continued.The current median will be reconstructed to a narrow width. This will allow more room to fit the two additional lanes.Also to help with traffic circulation, an additional left-turn lane will be installed on Newport Rd. to South Bound Antelope. The curb and gutter near Antelope will be shifted to the north and south to fit the additional left-turn lane, according to Nguyen. Existing traffic signals will also be modified to help align them with the new lane configurations.The traffic signals will be coordinated with all three existing traffic signals so that we can get the timing perfected, Nguyen said.Although the city doesnt have authority over the coordination of the lights, Nguyen believes they can work with Caltrans. She also said that this project will also fix the deteriorated pavement on Newport Rd. Because redoing the entire road can be expensive, and found to be necessary, the project will use several recycling processes. This process will help the city save over $1 million.This is due to not only the materials being used, but also because of the construction schedule. Nguyen said this is why it is imperative to get the project completed by Dec. 31. The new asphalt material will be mixed with rubber. The rubber will also help to reduce noise and skid resistance. It eliminates all expected potential noise increase from the additional lanes were installing, Nguyen said.She also said the new asphalt will stay darker longer. Not only for aesthetics, but it is safer because drivers can see the striping easier against the matte black background.The rubber is coming from tires that would have gone to landfill, Nguyen said.About 7,000 tires will be used for this project.Councilman Tom Furhmans asked Nguyen and council members if construction could be completed within eight weeks, if traffic was detoured and sections of the road were closed. I dont believe that is actually doable. And secondly, theres almost 50,000 trips a day coming across Newport Rd. that we would have to divert, responded Interim City Manager Robert Johnson. Assistant Director City Engineer Jonathan Smith said the possible impact on local businesses and residents was taken into consideration. We believe that we have put together a plan that minimizes the impacts to both, he said.He continued to say that even if the area is closed off, he doesnt know if eight weeks will be enough time for the contractor to finish the work. There is going to be some pain and suffering associated with any major construction we pull off in the city. We try to minimize it as much as we can, said Councilman Greg August.

MENIFEE - One person suffered minor burn injuries this morning in a fire that ripped through a double-wide manufactured home in Menifee, authorities said. The fire in the 27500 block of Coyote Circle was reported at 1:17 a.m., said Melody Hendrickson of the Riverside County Fire Department. The home was engulfed in flames, but all of its occupants had made it out safely by the time firefighters arrived, Hendrickson said, adding that the injured resident was treated at the scene and declined to be taken to a hospital. Twenty-one firefighters responded to the blaze, Hendrickson said. ''The residents did not require assistance from (the) American Red Cross,'' she said.

TEMECULA - Upward of 300 people, including Riverside County notables, are expected at a Saturday event in Temecula that will benefit abused and neglected children. The Humanity of Justice Foundation, established by Deputy District Attorney Burke Strunsky and wife Geraldine, will be hosting a fundraiser at the Temecula Valley Polo Club, where a variety of family-friendly activities are planned between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. ''We're trying to help make a positive impact, even if only on a small scale,'' Geraldine Strunsky told City News Service. ''We're hoping to raise awareness and at the same time raise money for programs that can make a difference in a child's life.'' According to Strunsky, the Humanity of Justice Foundation raised $20,000 during a holiday event just before Christmas. She said a number of recognizable faces will be making appearances Saturday to rally attendees to open up their pocketbooks. Among those slated to be on hand: Sheriff Stan Sniff, Public Defender Steve Harmon, District Attorney Paul Zellerbach, District Attorney candidate and senior prosecutor Mike Hestrin and Temecula Mayor Mike Naggar. The main event is a polo match between a team captained by Strunsky, who founded the Temecula Valley Polo Club last year, and another group affiliated with the club. There will also be a fashion show and silent auction, as well as a petting zoo, bounce house and pony rides for kids. A local band, the 4019s, will play 80s music, and a lunch buffet will be available. Tickets are $75 a piece, though children will be admitted free. All proceeds go to the Humanity of Justice Foundation, which in turn provides funding for programs run by the Riverside Medical Foundation, Rady Children's Hospital, the Oak Grove Institute and other organizations, according to Strunsky. ''We're supporting a lecture series in group homes that focuses on the prevention of 'shaken baby syndrome,''' she said. ''Burke has seen these cases so many times. It just gets repeated. One way to stop it is through education.'' Burke Strunsky's book, ''The Humanity of Justice: Lighting Even the Darkest Path Toward Justice,'' profiles several Inland Empire cases in which children were severely abused, even tortured to death. ''My husband has had to relive what the victims went through,'' Geraldine Strunsky said. ''It has not been easy.'' The decision to start the foundation was a direct result of what he experienced, she said. More information is available at www.hojf.org.

RIVERSIDE - A greater number of properties slipping into foreclosure last month in Riverside County pushed the local foreclosure rate back into the top 20 statewide, a real estate tracking firm reported today. A total 1,585 mortgage default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions were recorded countywide in May, translating to 1 in 501 households in some stage of foreclosure, according to Irvine-based RealtyTrac. Riverside County ranked No. 15 in foreclosure activity in California last month -- up from No. 21 in April. Neighboring San Bernardino County ranked No. 14. However, all of the top 10 counties were concentrated in Northern California. Data showed Lassen County was at No. 1, with 1 in 182 households in foreclosure there. In Riverside County, the number of foreclosure filings was up 13 percent from April -- but down 64 percent compared to a year ago, figures showed. Nationally, 148,054 properties fell into foreclosure in May, a 2 percent increase from April but 23 percent less than the same time a year ago, according to RealtyTrac. California ranked No. 11 in nationwide foreclosure activity in May, with 17,069 properties going into default, or 1 in 799, according to RealtyTrac. The figure was 6 percent above the number of filings in April but 60 percent below a year ago. Florida had the highest foreclosure rate in the nation, with 1 in 302 households in default last month.

WILDOMAR - Two people were injured today -- one seriously -- in a rollover crash on Interstate 15 in Wildomar. The accident happened about 11:10 a.m. on southbound I-15 near Baxter Road, according to the California Highway Patrol, which reported that a white van veered off the freeway and flipped over on an embankment. The front-seat passenger was ejected onto the shoulder of the roadway, suffering major injuries, while the driver had moderate injuries, authorities said. Both victims were transported via ambulance to a hospital, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. The CHP shut down the freeway's slow lane while the wreckage was removed and an investigation conducted.

SAN DIEGO The southbound Interstate 15 (I-15) Express Lanes from Camino Del Norte to Mercy Road will be closed this weekend beginning Friday, June 14 at 8 p.m. through Monday, June 16 at 5 a.m., according to Caltrans. The on-ramps for the southbound Express Lanes at the Sabre Springs Direct Access Ramp and State Route 56/Ted Williams Parkway will also be closed.During this time, crews will make drainage improvements along the Express Lanes. Signs will be posted on the freeway to direct Express Lanes motorists where to exit and re-enter the lanes.The I-15 Express Lanes corridor, running from State Route 78 in Escondido to State Route 163 in San Diego, opened to traffic in January 2012. Since its completion, commute times along this corridor have reduced from approximately 40 minutes to 30 minutes in the past decade.In summer 2014, a rapid transit system will begin running on the I-15 Express Lanes. This new high-frequency express bus service, the first of its kind in San Diego, will be more reliable and convenient, similar to the services of a light rail system. The I-15 Express Lanes is open to carpoolers, vanpoolers, public transit vehicles, motorcyclists, and those driving permitted clean air vehicles for free. Solo drivers can use the Express Lanes by paying a toll via a FasTrak account.For more information on the SR-76 project, log on to www.KeepSanDiegoMoving.com.

PERRIS - Two adults and six children were displaced today when a fire damaged a travel trailer and nearby mobile home in Perris, a county fire department spokesman said. No one was hurt in the blaze, which broke out for unknown reasons about 1:45 p.m. in the 40 block of Beverly Drive, Riverside County Fire Department spokesman Mark Annas said. The fire caused $10,000 in damage, Annas said.

TEMECULA Over 100 street painters and muralists will participate in the 13th annual Old Town Temecula Street Painting Festival on June 21 through June 23. There were more than 140 muralists and 40 fine artists on exhibit and a dozen plein air artists in town last year for the event, stated organizer Melody Brunsting. Each year the Street Painting Festival grows exponentially. By adding the art festival and exhibits last year, we saw larger crowds enjoying the artwork.Up to 40 artists will have exhibits on the quad of the Temecula Civic Center as well as inside the conference center during the popular Street Painting Festival that opens Friday, June 21, at 5 p.m. Murals range from four feet by six feet, to 10 feet by 12 feet. Many of the works are original and artists will be painting to the theme What a Wonderful World.Lee Rupp will be the featured artist for the Street Painting Festival. Rupp won the 2012 Best of Show for his depiction of a fireman. The award is chosen by the participating street painters. A Peoples Choice award is also announced during the awards ceremony at 4:30 p.m., Sunday. This painting is chosen by visitors as well as artists.Families, children, and beginners join in the creative endeavor in the family section where more than 500 smaller squares are blocked out for spectators to paint with pastels on the asphalt. The pastels are free while supplies last.The Ralph Love Plein Air Festival, now in its sixth year, will begin on Monday with plein air artists painting Old Town Temecula scenes and continue through Sunday, June 23. Lisa Fu, winner of the Mayors Choice/Purchase Award for 2012, will be the featured artist at the Temecula Arts Festival.The Plein Air Festival and competition is a weeklong painting experience. Plein air artists will paint Monday through Sunday, June 17-23. The completed pieces will be on exhibit Saturday and Sunday at the City of Temeculas Civic Center 41000 Main St.Street Painter Best of Show winners receive a $500 cash prize and are honored the following year as the featured artist. Additional prizes are awarded for Peoples Choice, Best Monochromatic, and Best Youth. The Ralph Love Plein Air Festival offers a $500 purchase award from the City of Temecula. First place award is $200 and a weekend stay at Dorland Mountain Arts Colony. Artists Choice award is $100. An event within the event, plein air artists paint on location on canvas.

LAKE ELSINORE On June 1 the Recreation Division for the City of Lake Elsinore hosted its Annual Just 4 Kids Fishing Derby on Lake Elsinore. The lake was stocked with catfish in anticipation of the event held on the Lake Elsinore Levee adjacent to the Diamond Stadium. This event, now in its 16th year, hosted over 200 kids on the shoreline fishing for prizes that included new poles, tackle boxes and sport bags. In recognition of the cities 125th year, anyone fishing for the first time received a new pole courtesy of Storm Baseball. Twenty fish were weighed and measured with the help of volunteers. Local winners were awarded as follows:First Fish Caught -Nitznana AlfaroMost Fish Caught -Nathan De La Cruz, -Owen De La CruzSmallest Fish Caught -Elijah VegaBiggest Fish Caught -William KriesBiggest Catfish -Juan TorresBiggest Carp -Alani GuevaraBiggest Bluegill -Natalie DrinninYoungest to Catch a Fish -Rylin JewettOldest Kid to Catch a Fish -Gwen HowellLongest Catfish -Mia HowellShortest Catfish -Connor DarbyYoungest Kid, Biggest Fish -Jaden TorresMost Unusual Catch -Ozzy Cordon

A pair of robust spending plans were approved by the Temecula City Council Tuesday night, June 11, that include funds for new staff positions, key public works projects and possibly the retrofitting of a troubled YMCA facility that anchors a city park. In separate unanimous votes, the council approved a $60.3 million operations budget for the coming fiscal year and also endorsed an ambitious list of capital improvement projects that will be launched or completed over the next 12 months.One of the oddest expenditures calls for the city to set aside about $1.4 million to rehabilitate a former YMCA building that it doesnt actually own.We dont technically own it, but we went through the exercise tonight with the expectation that we will own it, City Manager Aaron Adams said after the meeting.The new operating budget, which takes effect July 1, reflects a projected two percent revenue increase over the current fiscal year.The projected revenue increase is largely attributed to Temeculas steadily recovering economy and its continuing economic development. Temecula has roughly quadrupled in population to nearly 105,000 residents since it became a city in December 1989. The 30-square-mile city maintains 302 miles of roads and features 39 parks, two museums, two recreation centers, a community theater and a senior center. Much of that revenue increase which will total about $1.2 million is expected to come from sales tax receipts that have mushroomed over the years due to a regional mall and numerous other retail outlets. Sales taxes receipts are expected to climb from $26.7 million in fiscal year 2011-12 to $29.3 million in the coming fiscal year, according to the citys budget report.Property taxes are also expected to climb, netting the city nearly $203,000 above the income netted from that funding source during the current fiscal year. Several development projects including a new car dealership are expected to bolster both of those tax categories.Ground was broken May 22 for a future Mercedes-Benz dealership along Interstate 15 near the citys northern boundary. That 50,258-square-foot complex will cost about $28 million to build and it is expected to open in March 2014.New staff positions to be funded in the upcoming budget are an assistant city manager, a human resources specialist, a senior recreation coordinator and a museum services manager.Part of the councils focus Tuesday night centered on the improvement projects that are under way, set to begin or nearing completion. They include the extension of Butterfield Stage Road, the replacement of the Main Street bridge over Murrieta Creek, the first phase of the French Valley Interchange and improvements to the exit and entrance ramps at Highway 79 South.About $102 million is expected to be spent on more than 15 public works projects in the coming fiscal year, according to the citys capital improvement plan. That 164-page plan identifies 52 projects on a five-year city wish list that together cost nearly $362 million. Funding sources have not been identified for many of the projects, and those improvements are not expected to proceed during the five-year period.Most of the audience comments focused on the need to build additional sidewalks and connect many existing ones. Several speakers, including some former council candidates, highlighted that need and noted that a teenage girl was seriously injured March 11 when she was struck by a car in a section of Pauba Road where there are no sidewalks.Council members countered that the need for new sidewalks is being studied and Temecula has consistently ranked as one of the safest cities in the state for pedestrians and bicyclists. No audience members spoke about one of the most unusual budget items to surface in recent years. That item centers on the citys possible acquisition of a beleaguered YMCA facility that opened more than three years ago in the 2.2-acre Margarita Community Park.The city tentatively agreed to purchase the building for $1.6 million more than a year ago as use of the facility plummeted and the organizations regional office experienced severe financial difficulties. But a dispute surfaced over the buildings condition and the deal stalled.The standoff became more complicated when the YMCAs regional office filed for bankruptcy protection late last year. The council subsequently met in closed session to discuss whether Temecula should interject itself into the bankruptcy litigation.The upcoming budget calls for $1.4 million to be earmarked for repairs and rehabilitation work to the building. The budget calls for construction, which would represent about $971,000 of the total cost, to begin in the next fiscal year.No staffing costs have yet been budgeted for that facility. The rehabilitated building would likely be used for active adult recreation programs, Adams said after the council meeting. He said the city is currently negotiating with the bankruptcy trustee over a possible acquisition of the building.Were finalizing it, he said.