Power line starts fire above Hidden Meadows Park Sunday Evening

At approximately 9:45 pm, after hearing a loud explosion, local resident, Seth Tavake, who was talking to a friend outside on his phone, turned to see a power line fall and start a fire in the hill outside his home in the Hidden Meadow development just north of Bell Mountain. Firefighters arrived within 10 minutes of receiving his 911 call.

Local residents in the Shadow Ridge development, who were in the immediate path of the slow spreading fire, were seen hosing down their backyards and homes just in case the fire got out of control. Fortunately, firefighters quickly had the fire under control.

Will They or Won't They Wal~Mart

So, unless you haven't received your mailer from Wal Mart yet announcing the proposed new location in Menifee, you already know that Wal Mart is encouranging you to encourange your City Council to approve the new store. Well, I ask you to think about a few things before you do this.

1. According to the mailer, "$12.25 is the average wage for regular, full-time hourly associates in California." Wait! Read this carefully. Full-time hourly associates? Do you know how many full-time hourly associates Wal Mart generally employs? Very few. Most of their associates are part-time, nearly 80%. I think it important that we ask Wal Mart, before they come to our city, how many GUARANTEED full-time hourly associate positions they will be offering. Also, how many of those are for new hires? Most of those positions will be taken by current Wal Mart part-time associates who transfer to the new store. These are not jobs offered to Menifee new hires.
2. Let's look at the statement made by the mailer again. "$12.25 is the average. . ." This is the average wage for Department Managers, not part-time or full-time entry level positions. Don't be fooled! Any new hire of Wal Mart, under normal circumstances, has to start at part-time and work their way up. Most, if not all, of the new positions created by the new store opening will be entry level, part-time, minimum wage postions. $8.00, part-time.
3. "Both full and part-time associated eligible for healthcare coverage." At what cost? Many employess of Wal Mart cannot afford their healthcare coverage, as it is too expensive on their limited salaries.
4. "73% of our store management team joined as hourly associates." In light of what you now know, this makes sense. To move up, you must start as an hourly associate. A part-time hourly associate!
5. As a large retailer, Wal Mart offers goods and services at prices that local small businesses cannot compete with. When small business cannot flourish, this means your friends and neighbors cannot maintain their businesses, and eventually will close their business and move away. It has happened countless times in small cities across the nation, when Wal Mart has come to town! What does THAT do for the local economy?
6. When Wal Mart opened it's store in Cathedral City, there were promises made to the city by Wal Mart about certain monies that the retailer would pay over the next few years to the city to help the local economy. When those monies were not paid, and the retailer wanted to expand their store to include a Super Center, the city declined their propostition. The retailer moved 1 mile down the road to Palm Springs, and opened their Super Center. The monies were never paid to Cathedral City and the building remains empty to this day.

I encourage you do to your own research, and to prompt our City Council to do theirs as well. Do not take for granted the propeganda that Wal Mart sends you! Ask hard questions at the Planning Commission hearing! How many FULL-TIME jobs, and at what rate of pay? How much DO healthcare benefits cost for a PART-TIME employee? What is the City of Menifee giving to Wal Mart for free? Land? The building? A tax break? How is this helping our city?

If you would like to see another side of Wal Mart, rent the video, "Wal Mart, the High Cost of Low Prices". It is available on Net Flix, if you have it. You will see the ugly side of Wal Mart, as you have never seen before. Talk to any Wal Mart associate, and they will tell you more.

Think twice Menifee, before we welcome Wal Mart with open arms.

UPDATE: Nikki Fritch safe and back home with family

Brush fire threatens Lexington Community

Earlier today a brushfire broke out on a vacant hillside east of Briggs Rd., between Holland and Garboni, requiring multiple fire units as well as two aerial firefighting helicopters.

I speculate that the helicopters, fitted with hanging snorkels, obtained the water to fight the fire from nearby Diamond Valley Lake.

The fire was contained by the time I took took the following video at approximately 2:15 pm today. If you look closely, you can see a line of firefighters in the upper left hand corner of the video, who looks like created a control line by backburning in order to keep the fire from spreading South.






Unfortunately, at the time of this posting I have no further information as to when the fire started and what caused it.

(As to the quality of my videos..... yeah, I know. Sorry about that. I couldn't see what I was taping because of the sun, and I was hurrying because I saw a police cruiser was on his way to kick me and my Pop off the dirt road we snuck down on.)

Happy Independence Day

Independence Day holds a very special place in my heart. Growing up in the Vietnam Era, as a small child I would watch the Channel 7 Eyewitness News with my father every night, and hear the updates on the conflict. Only, it was called a war at that time, at least in my home. I remember when the prisoners came home, and I watched, and cried, like my mother. I remember that I worried that one day my brothers would have to go to war, and it kept me awake at night.

Today I started my Independence Day the same way I have started every one for the past 20 years. As soon as I crawl out of bed, I make my way to the stereo to play my favorite version of "The Star Spangled Banner". I close my eyes, and think about what being an American means to me. I know that many people will find this corny, but this is my tradition, and I am proud of who I am.

This morning, I had images of my life come into my view while I let the song wash over me. The day that the Monica Lewinsky/Bill Clinton scandle hit the papers, the day that the statue of Saddam was pulled down, the morning the Twin Towers fell, the moment I knew that my friend was on the plane that hit the Pentagon, the vision of those Vietnam soldiers coming home, the faces of the men in my family who have served their country and the pain in their eyes, the memory of voting for the first time.

Whatever the day holds in store for me, I have started in this way, remembering what being an American means to me. There is so much more, but these images impacted me today.

I wish you all a patriotic, safe, and happy Independence Day! God bless America, and God bless Menifee!

Man Living the "High Life" in Van at Mt. San Jacinto College

Now this is NOT something you see every day. Maybe not even in a lifetime?

Eric Gosch, an owner of Gosch Auto Group, is currently living in a Van suspended 100 feet high in the air in our Mt. San Jacinto Campus parking lot. Sales Consultant Jon Campbell (a really nice guy, and a total hottie) told me that Mr. Gosch has been living up in the van since Thursday and has vowed to stay up there for FOUR FULL DAYS, or until his sales force sells 120 cars.

Upon further inquiry I was informed that Mr. Gosch's posh accomodations include his computer, a mattress, and a t.v. His meals and other necessities are pullied up to him via a bucket.

For this 4-day event, Gosh Auto Group is offering great deals on over 200 pre-owned vehicles, and has on-site financing for interested buyers. They will be open from 9am to 9pm from now until Sunday.

Menifee Independence Day Parade, 2010

The following announcement is from Marcy Riehm, regarding the Menifee Independence Day Parade...

The Menifee Independence Day Parade for 2010 takes place on Saturday, June 26th. It runs from Mt San Jacinto College and ends at Wheatfield Park.

The Lake Menifee Womens Club, who organizes the parade, is calling for groups, clubs, businesses, and anyone else to participate in the parade.

They'd love to get classic cars, dance groups, Boy/Girl Scout Troops, sports teams, golf carts, horses, and whatever else the community can throw at them.

Parade participants are not required to complete an application, however they need to confirm with the parade chairperson Marcy Riehm by either email or by phone prior to the event for placement in the line up.

Contact Info: Marcy Riehm "Lake Menifee Women's Club" Parade Chairperson 2010
Email : riehmteam@verizon.net
Phone : (951) 377-6089

**We still have availability for those looking to rent a booth space at this year’s Event. If you own a business and would like to display your goods you can contact our Vendor Chairperson "Gloria Hetland" @ (951) 672-7277 for more information. Sorry we are not accepting any more Food Booth applications at this time.

Beer Hunter opens Wednesday in Menifee!

The highly anticipated opening of the Beer Hunter at the Menifee Town Center is finally here, as Wednesday they open their doors to the public.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to the "Friends and Family Night" last Friday, where each guest was given one of two (or 3?) mini menus, which allowed us to choose between two appetizers and 6 different dinners.

Friday night the place was packed, over 30 flat screen televisions were set to various sports channels, and there was a definite excitement in the air, on this night which appeared to be a "trial by fire" on the staff. (See pictures)

I sat at the bar and was served by the cutest, sweetest, most adorable bartender ever to be found.... Marci. (Even though I'm partial because she IS my sister, this statement still holds true.) Of course my baby sister was attentive, but so were the other 2 bartenders and the young barback who continually checked to make sure I had everything I needed.

The owners and managers had everything under control, and were friendly and attentive. Even when they found out that the gal sitting next to me had unintentionally crashed the party, they allowed her to stay and enjoy a cold beer and the fun atmosphere.

From what I experienced overall, everything went quite smooth, but then again I didn't get a chance to peek in at the craziness in the kitchen. What I did see is what looks like over 20 different beers on tap, and 99 bottles of beer on the wall. The Beer Hunter offers a full menu, and although denied the chance to try a little of everything, I settled on hot wings as an appetizer (excellent) and the Baby Back ribs (tender and tasty). Can you say "YUM MY!"


The Beer Hunter is everything we Menifites were hoping for.... and maybe even more.

Looking into my crystal ball.... it will be the hottest spot in Menifee for QUITE a while!

Bees are swarming --- keep a look out!

Today I was surprised to find over 20 bees hovering in a corner storage space in my garage, and my mom said, "Oh oh... you've got a bee swarm in your garage!"

I quickly shut all doors on my garage and started googling "how to get rid of bees".

Thinking I had a new hive with its queen, I first tried to find a beekeeper who would remove the hive for free. Apparently there is a shortage of bees in California and there are beekeepers who would do this. The only man I found was from Fallbrook, who told me I would have to be on a 4 month long waiting list.

Back to the computer to google "how to get rid of bees". This was the most interesting article I found: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_get_rid_of_bees. So, arming myself with a
bucket of soapy water, I snuck back into my garage, only to find most of the bees bumping into my garage door windows trying to get out, and no more buzzing around my corner storage space. I quickly lifted the garage door and most of them flew out. I then closed the door and went back inside my garage and squirted the few that remained with soapy water. Voila.... no more bees.

The feeling of victory quickly faded when my mother ran from her house next door declaring, "The bees are swarming in my shed". Over at her shed we saw easily 30 bees swarming around inside. One of the inside windows with a screen was open so we shut all the bees inside, and as they came to the screen I squirted them with the soapy water. Then my father, cloaked head to tow, went inside and used a leaf blower to blow the rest of the bees out, and then sucked the other bees out from the window area with a vacuum. We've closed the doors again, and if any more come to the window, we'll squirt them.

Thank goodness we weren't dealing with a real swarm... only scout bees looking for a new home for their new queen bee.

Basically a swarm happens when an active beehive is too big and the hive needs to be divided. A new queen bee is made, and then scout bees go out looking for the new home for the new hive. Once a suitable location is found the bees swarm to the new location.

Soooo.... after 2 failed attempts at our houses, be aware that there are scout bees out looking for a new home for their new queen in the area of Holland and Menifee Rd. My garage and my parents shed went from zero to 30 bees in just a few hours. Had we not stopped them, one of us could have been looking at the invasion of a swarm of bees at our home within a few days or possibly... a few hours. A real interesting article can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swarming_%28honey_bee%29

Seeing this all happen so quickly was what amazed me. I would encourage everyone in the area to keep your garages and sheds closed, and look for other potential areas in and around your home that could potentially be a home for a new hive (like a hole a wall or a tree) and close it up.

Unless you want to start a honey business.

Baby Storytime at Sun City Library

The newly remodeled Sun City Library hosts a "Baby Storytime" every Tuesday from 11:00am to 11:30am. It's open to parents with a baby from 0 to 17 months...

My Hometown

Recently, I drove through the streets of my hometown, the town of my youth. With the loss of the main industry of the city in the early 80's, the city has been in a slow decline ever since. Housing prices plummeted, and it has become evident that the once bustling little city, my hometown that I knew, loved and revered, was now gone. In its place stood poverty, depression, and dismay. The pretty mid-century modern homes that filled the neighborhoods of my childhood now stood faded and forgotten. The sight broke my heart.
I realized then that I had not been "home" for over 25 years. In fact, I have been a happy resident of Menifee for nearly 20 years now. I have seen great change in this little town; growth, prosperity and promise. I have been pleased to call Menifee my home, and the hometown of my children.
I encourage you to take a drive through our fair city today, or someday soon. Drive down roads you know and don't know. Take in all of the beauty this town has to offer, from the golf courses to the parks, admiring the well-appointed homes, and the smiling faces of the residents. Watch the kids play ball at the park, enjoy some coffee at the Marketplace, take a walk along a tree-lined street. Drink in all that Menifee has to offer. For someday, this will all change. Perhaps, and hopefully, for the better. But life makes no guarantees. We, the residents, make up this fine city, and it is up to us to make it a place we want to live.
I now consider Menifee my "new hometown", and I couldn't be happier with my choice.

Big Larry's Berries NOW OPEN and donating 5% to your favorite organization

Register your Team, School or other Organization for Big Larry's Berries 'We Live Here - We Give Here" donation program to be able to receive a share of 5% of their Strawberry sales.

After having cooked a Strawberry French Toast Breakfast for about 300 participants at the American Cancer Society's "Relay for Life" here in Menifee (the day after opening on May 1st, 2010) Big Larry's owners have decided to implement a new donation program called "We Live Here - We Give Here", where customers can earmark their favorite LOCAL organization to receive a donation by Big Larry's equal to 5% of their strawberry purchase.

Open to all Teams, Clubs, PTAs, Churches, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, other Non-Profits, etc. The only stipulation is that the organization MUST be located in the City of Menifee.

Big Larry's "Drop Red Gorgeous" strawberries are located on Newport & Haun, west of the Circle K store. Look for the BIG Red Strawberry in the big empty dirt lot.

For more information about this program, and other fundraising opportunities, visit their website at: http://www.biglarrysberries.com/

Arizona governor signs immigration bill

Phoenix, Arizona (CNN) -- Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed a bill Friday that requires police in her state to determine whether a person is in the United States legally, which critics say will foster racial profiling but supporters say will crack down on illegal immigration.

The bill requires immigrants to carry their alien registration documents at all times and requires police to question people if there is reason to suspect that they're in the United States illegally. It also targets those who hire illegal immigrant day laborers or knowingly transport them.

The Republican governor also issued an executive order that requires additional training for local officers on how to implement the law without engaging in racial profiling or discrimination.

"This training will include what does and does not constitute reasonable suspicion that a person is not legally present in the United States," Brewer said after signing the bill.

"Racial profiling is illegal. It is illegal in America, and it's certainly illegal in Arizona," Brewer said.

The rules, to be established in by the Arizona Peace Officers Standards and Training Board, are due back to her in May. The law goes into effect 90 days after the close of the legislative session, which has not been determined.

What's your take on this.....

Menifee Mother's Day Tea Party

The City of Menifee is hosting a "Mother's Appreciation Tea Party" on Mother's Day weekend, Saturday May 8, 2010. Tickets are $10.00, and you purchase them at Lazy Creek Park.

Click on the flyer below to see a larger sized image...

Southwest Healthcare System May Shut Down

Wow, the Press Enterprise is reporting that the State of California is going to shut down Inland Valley Medical Center and Rancho Springs Medical Center...

The state said problems at Southwest hospitals have included a failure to follow proper infection control practices, giving patients wrong doses of medication and failing to monitor newborns at risk for severe jaundice, among others.

http://blogs.pe.com/news/digest/2010/04/state-will-seek-to-revoke-sout.html

I'm sure this will go through appeals, and it's going to take a long time before these hospital actually close up. And by that time, I imagine Southwest Healthcare will have addressed the problems.

That new Loma Linda Medical Center in Murrieta couldn't have come at a better time.

And I also imagine this kind of negative publicity for Inland Valley and Rancho Springs might shift some burden over to Menifee Valley Medical Center. But then again, I tend to doubt it.

My wife recently had surgery, and we opted to do it at Loma Linda in Loma Linda. How many people here have faith in any of the hospitals in South West Riverside County?