Hosted by the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce, the 2008 State of the City Address will be held on Thursday, April 17, at Pechanga Resort & Casino, located at 45000 Pechanga Parkway. At the State of the City Address we will take a look back at the many accomplishments of 2006 and discuss the City of Temecula’s vision for 2008.
Presented by Mayor Mike Naggar, this year’s theme is “Winning Championships.”
“The City of Temecula, through successful partnerships and teamwork with the business community, Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce, Temecula Valley Unified School District, non-profit agencies, many other organizations, municipalities, and the public, has been able to succeed and win many ‘championships.’ We have worked together to provide a great community to live in that includes wonderful parks, a great new library, community center, and theater, just to name a few of the championships that Temecula has won. Teamwork is the key to our success and the reason that we’ve been able to accomplish projects that seemed impossible. It is an honor and privilege to serve as Temecula’s Mayor and to share the State of the City with you. I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedules to hear about the great projects that we’ve been working on and those we have planned for 2008. We are very excited about the upcoming endeavors such as the new Civic Center in Old Town, hospital, and the implementation of the Youth Master Plan…just to name a few of the ventures we are looking forward to in 2008. I hope you enjoy the presentation and appreciate teamwork, like I do, which will allow us to continue to win future ‘championships.’”
The event will begin at 7:30am with a breakfast buffet and followed by the presentation at 8:00am. Cost is $40 per person or $500 for a corporate table of ten guests. All businesses and the general public are invited to attend.

5.5 x 4” photo

The new 64-slice CT scanner at Inland Valley Medical Center provides detailed images of almost any part of the body to help diagnose traumatic injuries, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and various other conditions.
CT, or CAT, scanners pass controlled amounts of X-ray radiation through the body. Sixty-four refers to the number of x-ray detectors in the scanner, which rotate around the patient, simultaneously taking images from many different angles. A computer assembles the images to create cross-sectional pictures, or “slices,” of the particular body part. Putting all the slices together creates a detailed, multidimensional view of bones, organs, and tissues.
“In the past, it took about 15 minutes to perform a scan,” says David Scafidi, M.D., a radiologist on the medical staff and Chair of Imaging at Southwest Healthcare System. “Now, scans take less than a minute, and the results are available almost instantaneously. This is especially important when we’re diagnosing emergency patients.”
A New Option for Outpatient Imaging. Imaging tests for nonemergency conditions are available at Southwest Outpatient Imaging Center, located in the medical office building across from Inland Valley. The Center offers CT exams, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound exams. Patients usually receive results on the day of the appointment. “Southwest Outpatient Imaging Center is an extension of the hospital. Board-certified radiologists on the medical staff at Inland Valley read and interpret the scans from the Center,” says Dr. Scafidi.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses radiofrequency waves and a strong magnetic field to create detailed pictures. MRI scans are useful in imaging soft-tissue structures near and around bones, so they’re often used to help diagnose sports-related injuries affecting the knee, hip, elbow, and wrist. MRI scans also can be used to diagnose cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to produce real-time pictures that show the structure and movement of organs and blood vessels. Ultrasound testing often is used as a follow-up to CT scanning to help diagnose problems with internal organs.
Southwest Outpatient Imaging Center now offers same-day appointments with results sent to your physician within 24 hours. For more information or to make an appointment for medical imaging, please call (951)-677-9797 or (951) 304-7171.
Physicians are independent contractors who are not agents or employees of Southwest Healthcare System.

by Officer Lynn N. Fanene, Sr.

In Riverside County alone, we see hundreds of solicitors every day selling or requesting donations in one form or another in an attempt to get your money. We see them in the neighborhoods and shopping centers going from business to business selling their products. We all know there are legitimate businesses, groups for profit and non-profit soliciting every day of the year. The question is, are you giving to a legitimate group or purchasing goods from a reputable company. Don’t be too hasty in donating or purchasing merchandise off the street from soliciting vendors. What you need to know:
Check it out:
All businesses require a City business license in the City they are soliciting
Most business storefronts are allowed to solicit their goods in front of their shop without a solicitor’s license. However, going outside of their area of responsibility will require a solicitor’s permit.
For non-profit groups asking for donations, they must provide a copy of their organization’s 501 ( c) (3) or ( c) (4) Internal Revenue letter
They must also show some form of identification, either a current identification card or driver’s license.
In some cities, (like Temecula), a solicitors permit is required along with a City business license. For non-profit groups obtaining a City business license, they must show they are 501 (c) (3) eligible. Then, every member who is soliciting must get a solicitors identification card from the Temecula police department. Each card is good for a period of 2 months and renewal is required thereafter. For groups who are soliciting “for profit”, the card is $23.00 per person for 2 months.
For solicitors for profit, the same principles apply. The company must obtain a City business license and every solicitor must pay the fee and obtain an individual solicitors identification card.
Some City ordinances, solicitors must comply with the posting of “No Soliciting” signs posted by the business or resident. Failure to comply may result in revocation of the permit and/or a fine by the City.
The end result is your choice. Ask questions; demand to see proper documentations and identification. When in doubt, call your local Better Business Bureau, Federal Trade Commission, or local government agencies to see if proper permits were obtained. After all, it’s your money.

Officer Lynn Fanene Sr. is the crime prevention and plans officer for the Temecula Police Department. He can be reached at the Old Town Storefront office located at 28410 Old Town Front Street, Suite 105, Temecula. Telephone (951) 695-2773.

What drives Katherine Bailey? What makes her involve herself in numerous worthwhile causes…carry an extra load…go out of her way for others? Maybe it’s her sense of community, her love of the valley, her dedication to the businesses around her. Maybe the driving force is a desire to see Temecula attain the recognition and accolades she thinks it deserves.
Katherine Bailey—from the moment she first visited Temecula—has been in love with the valley and has worked hard to promote it and share it with everyone she meets.
Eleven years ago she arrived in town to open Union Bank. “The first person I met was Alice Sullivan [CEO of the Temecula Chamber of Commerce],” said Katherine. “She helped me get started in being so involved in the community. I joined the Chamber, and eventually served as a board member.” After a few years working for Union Bank and then Fallbrook National Bank, Katherine agreed to help open 1st Centennial Bank on Jefferson Avenue. She was responsible for finding the location, the staff, and the business necessary to make it work. For four years now she’s been spearheading that campaign as Vice President and Branch Manager.
The results are based mostly on her ability to cultivate and keep relationships. “Sometimes I’ll meet people through business, and they become friends.” Some have been her clients and friends for years, following her from bank to bank because, according to Katherine, it’s the relationship that matters most. An example of her ardor is her cell phone. The number has been the same for 11 years. She publishes it on her business card to make herself easily accessible. “And believe me, it rings,” she said with a smile.
As if being a bank Vice President isn’t enough, Katherine is the Treasurer for the board of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Vice President of Oak Grove Center for Education, and Chairman of the Board for Oak Grove. Her latest job is on the board of Jacob’s House, another not-for-profit organization styled as a “home of refuge where families and loved ones of those in traumatic medical need can find hope, comfort, peace, and inspiration.” Jacob’s House will launch its next initiative at a dinner to be held May 24. For more information, please see the website, www.jacobshousetemecula.org.
Soon, Oak Grove will hold a dinner and auction, “An Evening Under the Oaks” as a benefit for the center and—you guessed it—Katherine will be right in the middle of that event, too. So when does she find time for her family of seven? “We all work together on our property, ‘Bailey’s Wine Country Escape’. The boys will mow and my daughter and I will clean. My husband is the best trimmer and leaf blower around!”
In the back of her mind, Katherine dreams of having her Harley shipped to Australia so she can go riding in the sun. Or Hawaii. In the meantime, she’ll be hard at work at 1st Centennial—and Jacob’s House—and Oak Grove—and the CVB—and her guest house.

There has been a flurry of activity at KZSW in the recent weeks. Most notable is the renewed emphasis on covering local news in the Inland Empire and a range of changes to provide a new look and feel to the station, its management, and its programming.
KZSW local news has a fresh, new contemporary look, including on-air news anchors Nicole Dauphinee who joins Bob Fields as co-anchors, and Staella Gianakakos, who reports the weather. Nicole recently returned to Southern California after spending two years in Ireland producing a documentary film. Prior to producing the documentary, Nicole was a news reporter with KUSI in San Diego. She is married, has two children with a third on the way.
Nicole is a welcome addition to the evening news that has been anchored by established veteran Bob Fields and Bill Lorin. Bob joined KZSW last summer and has 25 years broadcasting experience, which includes being the noon news anchor and news operations manager at KUSI for four years. Prior to KUSI, Bob was the noon anchor for WDJT in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Bob has been married for 30 years and has one son. “I, for one, am very excited to welcome my new co-anchor and KZSW’s new weather reporter,” states long-time anchor Bob Fields. “The recent improvements at KZSW have brought a great deal of positive energy, fun, and enthusiasm to our evening news broadcast.”
Newcomer Staella Gianakakos reports the weather on the news, and local entertainment segments on the new Eye on I.E. magazine show, which broadcasts on Sunday evenings. Staella recently made her television debut as a contestant on The Amazing Race and is kept quite busy at KZSW with her multiple reporting opportunities.
The newly added Eye on I.E. features unique stories about the Inland Empire with a local point of view. Hosted by KZSW veteran Bill Lorin, Eye on I.E. covers events, people, and issues that are unique and relevant to the Inland Empire. This magazine-format type show features segments from many of the talented KZSW reporters.
Other new programming includes the Business Spotlight. This program features interviews and information about local businesses. Produced in five-minute segments, it is an entertaining way to present interesting companies doing business in the Inland Empire.
KZSW reaches over 420,000 households in the communities of the Inland Empire, and can be viewed 24 hours per day, 7 days per week on Verizon Fios channel 27, Charter Cable channel 327, Mediacom Cable channel 3, and Time Warner video on demand.
Keep your eye on KZSW as they continue to provide quality local news and programming to serve the Inland Empire. If you have a story, issue, or breaking news that you would like to share with KZSW you can call (951) 693-0027, or email news@kzswtv.com.

by Mike Hayden

As an employer, you must be knowledgeable in numerous wage and hour laws that affect the way you pay your employees. A misstep with any of these laws can land you in front of a Labor Commissioner facing potential fines, penalties, and, worse, a civil lawsuit. It can happen to anyone. Many employees in our world are just waiting to find something to sue you for. Remember, in their minds, you’re a business owner and you have a pile of money in your basement.
Here are 5 of the top mistakes that employers make:
Pay a salary to avoid overtime. Simply paying someone a salary does not necessarily avoid the burden of overtime. Employees must fall under “exempt” guidelines associated with Executive, Administrative, Professional, or Outside Sales positions as described by the Department of Labor. “Non-exempt” salaried employees are still under overtime regulations and all overtime worked must be paid.
Not require that employees record their time. Employers are required to track the hours of their employees either using a time clock or timesheet. Paying employees without an accurate record of hours worked each week can open up the possibility for a litigious employee to come back at any time and claim more hours than were actually worked. Without accurate records, an employer will have no defense in court.
Not ensure that employees take rest and meal breaks. Employees must take one 10-minute rest break for every 4 hours worked and a 30-minute lunch for every 5_ hours worked unless 6 hours will complete the employee’s workday. If the meal break is waived, an employee must document they waived their meal break. Employers must track employees breaks along with their weekly time worked. It is advised that employers require employees to sign a timesheet stating that all required breaks were taken.
Withhold pay for unauthorized reasons. Employers may not withhold an employee’s paycheck in whole or in part because of outstanding loans, improperly reported pay, broken tools, or basically any other reason unless it meets very narrow rules associated with paycheck deductions. If a dispute arises regarding an employee’s pay, it is best, usually, to pay the employee and resolve the matter after the payment has been made.
Not pay accrued vacation upon termination. If an employer has a vacation pay policy, the final paycheck must include all previously accrued vacation according to the policy. An employee cannot lose earned vacation either during their employment or upon termination.
Of course, these are just a few of the pitfalls that wind up costing employers more than just complying in the first place. It is wise to get educated and avoid expensive problems. Being an employer takes a deliberate effort to comply with the law and provide a great place to work for productive employees.

Mike Hayden is Vice President and co-founder of Champion Employer Services, a Human Resource Management company. Champion, founded in 1999, specializes in helping small businesses grow and profit through outsourced management of their human resource function. Mike can be reached at (800) 513-2153.

Tourism activity in the Temecula Valley grew significantly during 2007 and continues to play a key role in the region’s economy, according to a year-end report from the Temecula Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Hotel bookings in Temecula during 2007 increased 6.5 percent from the previous year to 456,904 room nights, according to the bureau, which was formed four years ago to promote the region as a tourist destination.
The additional business represented $49.5 million in revenues for area hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts, which took in an estimated 38,000 guests each month.
“The Temecula Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau has certainly seen an exceptional year,” said Denis Ferguson, Chairman of the CVB. “Temecula Valley’s hotel occupancies have trended positively in 2007 and have continued to outpace national and state trends.”
Hotel bookings in California were down slightly in 2007 compared with a year earlier, according to Smith Travel Research, a firm that tracks the travel industry. In December, statewide hotel bookings were down 1.9 percent from 2006.
Ferguson said the bureau, through its new interactive visitors’ centers in Old Town Temecula and on Ynez Court, assisted 28,621 walk-in visitors and responded to more than 30,000 telephone inquiries.
The bureau expanded its sales and marketing efforts by adding one new manager position to better respond to the increased visitor and media queries. The bureau fielded 200 media calls, approximately 3,300 event inquiries, and represented Temecula in more than two-dozen festivals and events.
To attract tourism, the bureau partnered with Pechanga Resort & Casino for billboards near the 10 and 215 freeways. A partnership with the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association resulted in informative banners promoting the region at the Fashion Valley Mall in San Diego.
Tourism each year pumps more than a half a billion dollars into the Temecula Valley economy and is responsible for more than 6,000 jobs in the region, according to a study completed by the Temecula Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau and City of Temecula in April. The study estimated that visitor spending in the Temecula Valley in 2006 reached $537.7 million, a four-fold increase from $131.2 million six years earlier.

by Art Visintin, Staff Writer

Longtime local Vintners, entrepreneurs & restaurateurs, the Baily family is at it again with their recent announcement of the Town Club, an expansion of the Baily’s Fine Dining venue in Old Town Temecula. Starting with Baily’s Winery in 1986, with Phil and Carol Baily, the family went on to open Baily’s Wine Country Café under son Chris and wife Kim in 1992, Carol’s at the Winery in 2000, The Front Street Bar & Grill and Baily’s Fine Dining in 2004, and the innovative Sunday Brunch Live, featuring live music on the Front Street terrace.
Open for lunch weekdays, the Town Club is a members-only dining club providing refined and sophisticated service to local professionals and their guests. Town Club Director Mimi Harlan emphasizes the focus on service. “Our Town Club staff has completed a very rigorous training program geared to provide impeccable service without being obtrusive. Part of that service includes getting to know our clients by name along with any special requirements they have, everything from special dietary needs or a favorite table to how they take their coffee after lunch. This will be a truly upscale professional business luncheon environment provided at prices competitive with what you might spend elsewhere with far less service and ambience.”
The Town Club features numerous individual spaces to accommodate private parties of 2–4 people, a Club Terrace providing a more casual outdoor atmosphere, North and South Dining Rooms capable of gatherings of 20 to 50 people, and their signature Rotunda Room with its intimate fireplace and up to 40 person capacity. The Club provides complimentary audio-visual and projector services for members use. Members are also welcome to use the facility for meetings, retreats, or corporate functions lasting from breakfast until mid-afternoon, enjoying a quiet and private atmosphere conducive to business.
“Our members so far are loving it,” says family patriarch Phil Baily. “We’ve tried to emulate the atmosphere you’d find in clubs found in larger cities because our area now has the clientele that demands this level of service and will support it. We’ve started off slow with just 70 or 80 members, giving us time to work out any kinks and ensure our staff is prepared, but we can easily accommodate 200 members or more without experiencing any conflicts or decline in service level. Our goal is happy members who feel like they’re the only ones dining at that time. Not rushed, no noise, we don’t sing happy birthday every 15 minutes, and no children under 12. Our members really appreciate that approach.”
Alice Sullivan, CEO of the Temecula Chamber of Commerce and a Town Club member echoes those feelings. “It’s a wonderful addition to our business community. It’s not only a great place to take clients or associates for a private and productive business lunch, it’s also impressive for out-of-town business leaders to see that Temecula has this level of sophistication. It’s a great venue and they provide superb service.”
Under the direction of Chef Neftali Torres, a veteran with over 15 years in Baily restaurants, the Town Club dining experience borrows from both the casual upscale menu of the Front Street Grill for items like the Monte Cristo Sandwich, Front Street Burger, and Caesar Salad to the California Continental menu of Baily’s Fine Dining for items from their signature Butternut Squash Soup to Phil’s special recipe Town Club potatoes to Filet Mignon with Gorgonzola compound butter. The Club also features a full bar and an extensive wine list, including a wide selection of Baily and other local wines as well as fine wines from worldwide cellars available by the bottle or in glass or _-glass pours.
If your off-site business meeting requires a luncheon with a little higher-end menu than make-em yourself tacos or mini-sandwiches, Town Club members may select from the catering menu available from the Club. Their guests will enjoy the individualized menu items served in the fine linen and china atmosphere of a private club delivered to the location of your choice.
“In 2002 we were getting maxed-out at our Wine Country Café location,” says Town Club owner and manager Chris Baily. “We took a long hard look at what we wanted to do and where we wanted to be, and this was the result of that. We weren’t looking for a short-term project but a place to put down deep roots and Old Town Temecula is it. With the recent revitalization of the Old Town area, our new theater, the pending relocation of city hall, and other new services and businesses, we believe Old Town will develop into an area like The Gaslamp District in San Diego. Baily’s will be an anchor in that vision.”
For a complete information packet and application for membership, contact Mimi Harlan, Club Director, at (951) 676-9567 ext.4, or email clubdirector@oldtowndining.com. For menus and a guide to special events, visit the Bailys at www://OldTownDining.com.

To share your comments or story ideas, email ArtVisintin@earthlink.net.

by Arthur A. Visintin

It’s was a case of déjà vu’ all over again when residents of Wildomar voted to become a city as of July 1, 2008. The county’s 25th city followed the voting habits of neighbors Murrieta and Temecula almost to a vote when deciding to bring their fate into their own hands rather than continue to entrust it to the County. Boasting approximately 27,000 citizens, only about 4,800 Wildomarians actually voted (final tally on 3/4/08). When Murrieta made the same decision in 1991, their population stood at almost 27,000 and about 4,900 people voted and when Temecula became a city in 1989, their population stood at, you guessed it, about 27,000 and just over 4,600 voted.
Garnering the highest vote tally, Mayor Presumptive Bob Cashman exulted that this is “exactly the right time to become a city.” Even with the current economic malaise and recent housing declines throughout Southwest County, Cashman is very upbeat. “This gives us some breathing room. We can take a more measured look at our needs because the pressure is off. We have a good structure in place, we can hit the ground running but we’re not trying to play catch-up to a runaway economy.”
Council member Marsha Swanson echoed those feelings. “It’s an exciting new beginning for the whole area.” Swanson, who, like Cashman, has been a resident for 30+ years adds, “We love our unique community and are thrilled to finally have a real voice in our own direction. We’ve inherited a very balanced General Plan just completed by the county and it provides a very good framework to move forward. Our citizens had a lot of input into this new plan and we feel good that element is in place for us. We’re going to be on a tight budget for awhile, but we’ve got a lot going for us.”
A recently completed Comprehensive Fiscal Analysis shows that the City of Wildomar will be fiscally viable from day one, a point of contention during the run-up to the election and during recent attempts by both Murrieta and Lake Elsinore to annex parts of Wildomar. The first year’s budget will be covered by Riverside County under a 5-year pay-back scheme similar to what other newly incorporated cities enjoy, although Cashman is doubtful they’ll need it. There will also be a reimbursement from the county to the new city based on the projected savings the county will enjoy with Wildomar as an independent entity.
Revenue from the state Vehicle License Fee (VLF) will also provide start-up funds according to Cashman. “Because of the current perfect balance Wildomar enjoys between rooftops and businesses, we didn’t have to pay any revenue neutrality moneys to the county. That money goes away in 2009, so again, the timing was just perfect for us to do this.”
Balance is often referred to by Wildomar leaders. Citing a great balance of business, the Wildomar Chamber of Commerce was also an active proponent of cityhood. Jeff George, President of the Wildomar Chamber, says it only makes sense. “The new City of Wildomar will assure the continued prosperity of the area and incorporation is key to creating the vibrant economy that benefits businesses and residents alike. Now, property tax dollars generated in Wildomar stay in Wildomar to benefit our community. That means our business community becomes an even more vital partner in the economic development and growth of our area.”
Cashman agrees. “We don’t have all our eggs in one basket, from a business perspective. We have a good balance right now, but we need more of everything, and I think that will come. We have to decide what businesses we want to attract and then make sure our zoning is in place to accommodate that. We’ve got a good size chunk of developable land here, it’s better that we have local control of it.”
Everybody seems to agree that bringing in a few restaurants is high on the agenda, plus more administrative jobs, medical professionals, small businesses, and a big employer or two, if the fit is right. “We want to build a sustainable community by attracting new job opportunities so our citizens can work in Wildomar, add community and cultural centers so we have leisure time activities, and then bring in new service businesses and restaurants so our citizens can spend their money right here at home,” says Cashman. Swanson concurs, adding, “Not just our own citizens but we welcome our neighbors from Murrieta, Temecula, and Lake Elsinore to visit our less-crowded city to enjoy what we have to offer and leave their money here as well. We’re joining the regional economy with a lot to offer. Whatever benefits Wildomar, benefits our entire region, and we’re proud to be able to contribute.”
The City of Wildomar covers a 13.2-square-mile area straddling the I-15 freeway between Lake Elsinore to the north and Murrieta to the south. The city derives its unique patronymic from the original landowners who mapped the area 123 years ago, WIlliam Collier, DOnald Graham and MARgaret Collier Graham. Residents of Wildomar prefer not to be referred to as Wildomartians or Wild Omars, though they may respond to either. For a comprehensive breakdown on population, demographics, income, and more information than you can possibly use about Wildomar, visit http://www.city-data.com/city/Wildomar-California.html, or visit the Wildomar Chamber at www://WildomarChamber.org.

For story suggestions and questions, email ArtVisintin@earthlink.net.

Story and photo by Jann Gentry

From coaching youth baseball to helping craft the future of southwest Riverside County, Greg Morrison loves the many hats he wears as a devoted community supporter, loving father and husband, and a hard-working communications guru.
Growing up in San Diego, Greg came to Southwest Riverside County in 1994 and quickly took an active interest in the local community. After 17 years of involvement in government affairs and public relations, he has become a well-respected leader in Southern California.
“It’s great. There is nothing like being a part of creating the legacy for our region, while working with some of the Inland region’s most dynamic and inspirational leaders. I have met so many wonderful people.”
Professionally, Greg is the Director of Legislative and Community Affairs for the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD). Before taking on his current role, he served as a Government Relations Officer for Western Municipal Water District, held numerous positions for state and federal legislative leaders, and held executive positions with Stoorza Communications and Sharp HealthCare.
At EVMWD, Greg directs all district communication programs and represents the district on all complex water policy issues at the local, state, and national level. To stay abreast of the most pressing water issues facing the region and the state, Greg is also a member of the Association of California Water Agencies Statewide Legislative and Communication Committees.
“My job is all about relationships and communicating, knowing the right people and what to communicate to them. I have developed skills professionally and through my involvement in several community and political groups in the Inland Empire.”
Some of those groups include serving as a Board Member for the Lake Elsinore Chamber of Commerce, Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce, and on the Boys Scouts of America Community Advisory Board. His most notable community roles this year include acting as President of the Murrieta/Temecula Group and the newly appointed Chairman for the Southwest California Legislative Council.
“These are exciting opportunities to do my part by giving back to my community,” Greg said of his new leadership positions. “I can bring together community leaders, and working together we can help attract new businesses to our region, secure the support and funding needed to improve our cities and infrastructure, and improve the quality of life for the residents of southwest Riverside County.”
The dedication and commitment Greg demonstrates for the local community and his work is also evident in his personal life. Greg said his priority is making sure his wife, Michelle, their three sons and their daughter are all healthy and happy. He enjoys spending all of his free time with his family, from camping on the Colorado River to helping coach his youngest son’s baseball team.
“There is nothing like coming home to a room full of love, smiles, and laughter. I look forward to it every day.”
Morrison is a long-time resident of Southern California, and graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. He and his family reside in Temecula.

The Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival won three first-place “Celebration Awards” at the California/Nevada Festivals and Events Association Awards and Convention held February 6.
The 254-member organization represents event associations, city-run events, convention and visitors bureaus, fairs, and festivals in California and Nevada. Competing against organizations like Fairplex, Miramar Air Show, and the Rose Parade, The Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival won first place for their 2007 Marketing Campaign, Media Kit, and Rack Card.
All three components were designed and produced by the Festival’s marketing firm, Melody’s Ad Works, Inc. Melody’s Ad Works, Inc. has promoted the event since 2001. This is the second year for the Festival to win in these three categories. The Festival also won International Festivals and Event Association Pinnacle Awards for marketing, branding, and publicity.
Brunsting and the Festival executive director, Carol Popejoy, also taught a seminar on creating regional events with national appeal during CalFest Convention, and also in Long Beach last fall for the California Downtown Association.
The Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival is celebrating its 25th Anniversary June 6–8 at Lake Skinner east of Temecula. It is one of the area’s longest-running and premier events featuring dawn hot-air balloon launches (weather permitting), Friday and Saturday evening balloon glows, wine tasting from over 20 premium wineries, Sunday’s Xtremely Amped Super Moto Cross Show, Food and Wine Pairing, and live concerts on two stages.
For more information, call (951) 676-6713, or visit the website at www.tvbwf.com.

Story and photo by Jann Gentry

Nearly every major retailer plans to roll out special, upgraded, new, or exceptional products during the end of the year. Some of the products live a brief exhilarating life over the holiday shopping season and then sink into obscurity in January, or some of the latest gadgets and labor-saving devices flop miserably and slink out of the limelight. But in the world of technology, truly amazing devices are being debuted that seem like fantasy items; they are almost too unbelievable to be true (except for those under 16 years old). And they are the type of items that are here to stay. There’s no going back.
During the first week of January, the Consumer Electronics Association ran the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the world’s largest international show for consumer technology. There, industry chiefs, techies, and analysts saw, touched, played, spoke to, and marveled over the new technology that is changing the world as we know it.
Nearly every aspect of life is being changed and challenged by new technology and innovations, from the way we communicate on our phones, to our cars, computers, children’s toys, and even the kitchen. What else is nearly stupefying is the way all of our latest digital devices talk to each other. Whatever you have from last year, if it isn’t communicating with all of your other devices, it’ll fast become obsolete.
The easiest new technology to acquire will be in a new cell phone. Blutooth enabled phones are already on the market, and what they allow you to do is becoming more and more amazing. Windows Mobile® for phones has taken mobility to the next level by offering full versions of Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Media Player on a cell phone. These phones allow you to edit documents, insert charts, save, view, and send via email. They contain all your email functions, calendar, and contacts in their own version of Outlook. They actually look and act like your PC, only smaller. You can receive HTML email messages, open attachments, schedule appointments, and send out invitations. The phone will synchronize with your desktop or laptop and even handle all your email accounts in one place.
If that isn’t enough, it can also conduct a live search for buildings, streets, points of interest, get directions, show it to you on a 3-D map, and give you turn by turn directions. If you happen to be looking for a restaurant, it can initiate the call so you can make reservations. Then, it will communicate with your car.
And your car will communicate with you—thanks to the innovation of SYNC. Through an exclusive agreement between Ford Motor Company and Microsoft, several of Ford’s 2008 cars come equipped with this new technology that makes it possible to drive and still control your Blutooth phone or MP3 player hands-free by simply talking. SYNC is a feature that comes standard in several cars and can be installed optionally in even more. It is not a membership nor does it require a monthly fee. Right now, adding SYNC to a new Ford will cost the consumer a mere $300 and, according to Rancho Ford Sales Manager, Terry McDowell, it will never become obsolete. Whenever updates are available for SYNC, the car owner can get them from the dealership for free.
Depending on the car, the owner may also plug in a “flash drive” or “jump drive” into the car’s USB port and control the content on it using voice command. “I think people should sit up and pay attention to domestic cars today,” said McDowell, “because they are now leading the field in technological innovations.”
“Here’s a really cool feature of SYNC,” he said, “If you are talking on your phone as you get into your car, the car will sense that and SYNC will pick up the phone conversation and switch it over to hands-free automatically. Conversely, if you are talking on your cell phone and exit your car, it will automatically switch back to your headset without interrupting your call.”
SYNC isn’t the only updated technology in these cars. HID, or smart headlamps, will sense when your car turns and will swivel the headlights up to 20 degrees to enable the driver to see around the corner. Or how about the “next-generation multi-stage deployment airbags” that use sensors in the car seats to analyze height, weight, and whether or not the passenger is wearing a seatbelt before it deploys.
If you have more questions concerning the technology of new cars, ask Terry McDowell, who has competed with and been named as one of the top three technology experts in the nation for Ford Motors.
Many car makers are now including GPS navigation devices in cars. These devices are also getting smarter. Some (at prices at or above $1,000) also use hands-free technology to give the driver real-time 3D maps of where they are or where they’re going. This makes it possible to search for points of interest and even a gas station with prices you like (if that’s possible…). Available are down-loadable traffic alerts, news, stock reports, movie listings, and restaurants.
One such device, DMedia is currently using prototypes of GPS devices that incorporate WiMax, a 4th generation wireless broadband technology that Sprint is planning to launch this year to support streaming multi-media on Personal Navigation Devices, according to articles out this month in PC magazine. It can, for example, give you a video presentation of some point of interest (a building, a park, restaurant, etc.) rather than a still photo.
One European counterpart of GPS devices shows the user 3D topography of the region in which he is traveling. For instance, if in France and approaching the Eiffel Tower, it will pop up on the screen as you get closer. These are not yet released in the United States.
Delphi, which makes after-market digital devices for cars, offers a GPS system with a dual screen that allows the driver to see maps and directions while the passenger sees a movie or other content on the same screen.
To compete with SYNC, GPS makers are equipping their devices with SD card slots so you can play movies and music on them, and are Blutooth capable to allow you to use it as a hands-free device. Hands-free devices are becoming very hot items right now due to a government regulation that states all cell phones used by drivers while driving must be hands-free by July of 2008.
Coming in February of 2009, is the government regulation that all full-power television stations cease to broadcast in analog frequencies and broadcast only in digital format. This will free up much needed frequencies for use by police, fire departments, and emergency communications. This requirement has fostered a plethora of television advertisements for new TV’s. And the new TV’s will be really, really cool. One manufacturer is even looking at 3D add-on kits, complete with glasses to enhance the viewing experience. Flat screen HDTV’s are getting bigger and bigger. Take, for example, Panasonic’s 150” plasma HDTV display. At the other extreme is a resurgence of hand-held TV’s, or super-thin TV’s made with organic light-emitting diodes. On the horizon are TV’s that will respond to your waving hand as a remote control, dubbed “snap and wave” technology.
But until you’re ready to buy a new TV, the government also has available coupons for purchasing analog-to-digital converts. Each household can request up to two $40 coupons and use them toward the purchase of converters, which right now are running around $60. The coupons were made available January 1, and in the first 48 hours, 700,000 Americans claimed over 1 million coupons. The program is administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. For more information about digital broadcast requirements or about the $40 coupons, please visit www.dtv.gov.
We haven’t even begun to talk about computers and everything else that is going on in this New Year. Just to pique your interest, here are bullet points of new and emerging technology:
Tech gear in 2008 will be greener, cleaner, more interconnected
More built-in WiFi
Handsets that will meld with IPhones to make it easier to use the keypad
Downloadable “horn tones” so you car can blast your own MP3s as a horn
Robotic pets
Flytunes—makes your MP3 player into an Internet radio
Blu-ray players for less than $300
Phones that have video and video editing capabilities
More games and devices that respond to gesture control
Copy Blu-ray discs onto Playstation for portability
The revival of the Internet refrigerator
Ultra-wide band, low-powered technology that transmits large amounts of data over short distances
Desktop computers strictly for gaming
GPS location devices for your dog
The Google Android phone with open source technology
By the way, want that laptop in fur, cow hide, or leather? You can do that, or have it imbedded with Swarovski crystals, painted like a Lamborghini, or spin the display to virtually any location. For more information (far more than space here allows) visit the Consumer Electronics Show website at http://tech.msn.com/guides/ces/
In the meantime, you might be asking yourself, “what am I supposed to do about technology now?” FastTeks owner Deena Stayner has advice for small business owners and others who might worry about their computer systems. “Don’t worry!” In many cases, businesses owners use proprietary software and really don’t need to upgrade their systems unless their software is upgraded and requires it.
On the other hand, if you are using your system to its capacity—it’s slowing down, churning through information longer, doesn’t seem as responsive—then you need to think about upgrading to save your information, because a maxed-out hard drive will crash. It’s not a matter of “if” but “when”.
It might be time to think about having a tech on call, or a company with whom you have an ongoing relationship, much like you might with a veterinarian or dentist. In the fast pace of our world, and considering our increasing dependence on technology, having someone to call when your computer lies down and dies can be very comforting.
Stayner recommends having off-site back-ups of all your important information. Her company can also offer remote tech support and IT contracts with inclusive maintenance. Whatever you do, your IT tech support will likely become a very important person to have in your cadre in the near future. Visit Stayner at www.fastteks.com.
One more thought. A mom of elementary-aged kids was overheard saying, “I hate all this new technology! It takes away our time as a family. Think of everything our kids now have to know just so they can do their homework!” It’s a laptop, phone, MP3 player, DVD player, and car that all talk to each other. It used to be all you needed was a pencil and a piece of paper.

(The research for this article came from PC World, PC Magazine, Consumers Electronics Association, Rancho Ford, SYNC, FastTeks, and www.dtv.gov.)

One of the resolutions every American should make this year is to do everything they can to protect their identity. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), just in 2005 alone there were 8.3 million U.S. adults who found they were victims of identity (ID) theft. For those whose ID is compromised, it can mean economical losses, hours lost trying to fix the problem, and credit score that sink, thus leading to further financial loss.
“It’s imperative that people start the year off right and do everything they can to protect their ID. There’s no better time than now to take some steps that can help prevent theft from happening,” explains Dr. Terrel Alexander, founder and CEO of Credit USA, Inc. (http://www.a1creditusa.com).
Here are some steps that can be taken to help prevent ID theft:
Protecting your social security number as much as possible. This requires being cautious of who you hand it out to and finding out what it will be used for. A social security number should never be carried in a wallet or be put on a license or check.
Be cautious of what you do with your trash when it comes to the mail you receive. Anything that has identifying information on it should be shredded, rather than simply be put into the garbage.
Protect yourself when using the Internet by exercising caution where you use your credit cards and by protecting passwords. Consumers should choose passwords that would be difficult for someone to figure out and then keep them secure.
Any personal information should be stored securely, such as in a locked safe. This way if someone breaks into the home the chances of them finding ID information is limited.
Consumers can place a freeze on their credit, depending on the state they live in, that will limit people from accessing credit reports.
“Taking just a few of these steps will help safeguard an identity,” says Dr. Alexander. “The public needs to be proactive in protecting their ID. If they don’t, it can mean years of headaches and poor credit.”
If someone suspects they are the victim of ID theft they should immediately place a fraud alert on their credit report by contacting the credit agencies. They should also close any accounts that they believe have been tampered with. Additionally, consumers should file a report with the FTC and their local police department.

CB Richard Ellis announced that Universal Health Services Inc. (NYSE: UHS) has leased 15,070 square feet of office space at Silverhawk Corporate Center, 38977 Sky Canyon Drive, Suite 200, Murrieta 92563, from Silverhawk Partners LP. The 10-year lease is valued over $1,800,000.
Designed in collaboration with San Diego-based Milo Architecture Group Inc., the 80,000-square-foot corporate center was built by Badiee Development with Ledcor Construction serving as partner and general contractor.
The project consists of twin, Class A, two-story office buildings with North Plaza office suites available starting at 889 square feet and South Plaza office space available for lease ranging from 1,000 square feet to 20,000 square feet.
Don Mitchell, Dan Yeilding, and Jill Morton of CB Richard Ellis represented the lessor, Silverhawk Partners LP. Rob Crisell of Lee & Associates represented Universal Health Services Inc.
Universal Health Services, Inc. is one of the nation’s largest hospital companies, operating acute care and behavioral health hospitals and ambulatory centers nationwide and in Puerto Rico. UHS acts as the advisor to Universal Health Realty Income Trust, a real estate investment trust (NYSE: UHT).

Timothy Kuzelka has spent his entire career helping other people. As a personal injury lawyer, he sees people who desperately need someone to help them. His favorite thing about practicing law, he says, is the gratitude of his clients.
The Chicago-born lawyer took his undergraduate degree from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff as a political science major and went to work as an assistant for the governor of Arizona. It was the governor who persuaded him to get his law degree, which he did at Cal State Fullerton in 1979. From his very first job as a junior partner with a law firm in Santa Ana, he has worked exclusively for personal injury cases.
As his mentor and senior partners were getting ready to retire, they urged him to consider relocating to the young city of Temecula. In 1994, he made the move with his wife and family and fell in love with the community.
“I want to make people whole,” said Kuzelka. “After a serious injury or act that has snatched something away, I want to recover compensation for them so that their suffering is reduced to the loss of a loved one [for example] and doesn’t also encompass a financial disaster. Oftentimes people are unprepared for loss,” he said, “and they can lose quite a lot, such as homes, cars, livelihood, and so on.”
Tim’s compassion extends into his personal giving as well. “One of the most rewarding things in life for me personally is giving back to the community through avenues such as Rotary, which, by the way, was started by a lawyer,” he said with a smile. “Rotary is so much a part of what I am in this community.” Kuzelka is also the Founder and President of the All From the Heart Foundation. The foundation is a vehicle for people to give to and otherwise help support our troops and their families. It is now in its fourth year. “We try to give them something, like a Christmas celebration, that they couldn’t otherwise have because of a loss of either a spouse, or a debilitating accident while serving our country.”
In his opinion, the country as a whole made a terrible mistake in the way it treated returning Viet Nam veterans during the ’60s and ’70s because of political reasons. “Regardless of your politics, these young men and women need our emotional and financial support.” Other business people in the community help the foundation shop for Christmas gifts during the holiday season. It helps, he says, to bring yourself back to reality by helping someone else. “As a father and a business man, I need to teach benevolence because I don’t think we come by it naturally.”
Kuzelka’s office developed a mission statement by which they strive to operate their day-to-day lives: “Conspicuous Integrity”. I want to be approachable and available to anyone who needs me,” he said.
One of the most treasured keepsakes he has is a book his daughter made for him one year in which she hand wrote all the lawyer jokes she could come up with. With a smile he added, “We as lawyers need to be reminded that there is a valuable human trait called ‘humility’.”

African American women are dying from breast cancer at a significantly higher rate than other women, despite a lower cancer incidence rate, and it must stop. Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists, launched Circle of Promise, an unprecedented campaign to engage African American women to help end breast cancer forever by educating and empowering themselves and others to take actions that will save lives.
Together with the more than 120 Komen Affiliates across the country, Inland Empire is working to recruit 100,000 African American ambassadors to join the Circle of Promise. Ambassadors will pledge to take charge of their health and make a difference in their local communities.
Based on an in-depth community assessment, the Komen Inland Empire Affiliate has invested nearly $150,000 over the past 2 years in local area programs helping to educate, screen, and support African American women in the Inland Empire. These programs include the Southern California Witness/Esperanza Vida Project organized by the Quinn Community Outreach Program.
“It is time for our community to actively work to end the disproportionate number of African American women who are dying from breast cancer,” said Patricia McDowell, Education Chair. “Our national Circle of Promise campaign engages our sisters in becoming local community ambassadors helping to advance the work of Komen and our grantees. Together, we will make an impact for all women through awareness and action against this disease.”
The Circle of Promise campaign encourages black women to make a promise to take control of their health and invite other women to do the same. It has three main goals:
Get the word out about the impact of breast cancer on the African American community and how early detection and treatment can have a life-saving outcome.
Give African American women the opportunity to get involved in the global breast cancer movement by joining the Circle of Promise and serving as ambassadors within their local communities.
Foster relationships within the African American community that will help increase financial support for breast cancer research and additional community-related programs.
The heart and soul of the campaign is its online community, www.komen.org/circle. Registering through the interactive site is the first step one takes in making the promise to become an ambassador for the Circle of Promise and encouraging other women to do the same. In addition to providing tools for users to invite others to make their promise, the site also provides visitors Circle of Promise campaign updates, serves as a resource to educate African American women about early detection and treatment of the disease, highlights upcoming public policy efforts, and provides options for visitors to donate or host an event to help raise funds to find the cures.
Circle of Promise is co-chaired by Komen ambassador René Syler, author and TV personality; and by breast cancer survivor Alexine Clement Jackson, Komen National Board Member and current president of the board of directors for Black Women’s Agenda, Inc.
The Inland Empire Affiliate was founded in 1996 and incorporated in 1997. It hosted its Inaugural Race for the Cure® in 1999. Since its inception, the Inland Empire Affiliate has awarded grants totaling over $2.5 million dollars to local non-profit organizations in the Inland Empire to fund breast health education, screening, and treatment. Join us in our promise to end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality of care for all, and energizing science to find the cures. Contact them at www.komenie.org or (951) 304-9500.

Join Wilson Creek Winery to celebrate the release of their NEW 2005 Estate Zinfandel at their Spring Wine Release Party, Thursday, March 6 at 5:30pm. Take advantage of a delightful Spring evening, sipping their newest wine addition while mingling with their new Winemaker, Etienne Cowper. Seasonal appetizers will be served to compliment the bold flavors of the Zinfandel. If you are not a red wine drinker, don’t worry, white wine and champagne will also be served. Free for Wine Club Members, just $10 per person for guests of Wilson Creek members, and $15 for the general public. Call today for reservations at (951) 699-WINE (9463). It would be a “zin” to miss this intimate evening!
“Great wine begins in the vineyard, but I have the opportunity to perfect it in the Lab,” states Etienne Cowper, Wilson Creek’s new winemaker. “I don’t like to add too much to the grapes, only enough to bring out the personality of the juice to produce an enjoyable wine.”
According to Etienne, wine is the blending of nature’s natural grape juice with proprietary ingredients, then “cooking” the wine to perfection in aged oak barrels or stainless steel tanks. “You must treat the grapes with respect and handle them gently,” notes Etienne. “Great winemakers, much like great chefs, have a vision for the taste, smell, and ultimately the enjoyment of delicious wine.” Etienne has been instrumental in the harvest and was involved in the entire process including determining the picking schedule.
Etienne enjoys the process of bringing out the expression of the grape as it translates/develops into a fine wine. He has over 25 years of history in making award-winning wines, including a 16-year stretch at Mount Palomar Winery in Temecula, La Vina Winery in New Mexico, as well as working with the famous Napa Valley winemaker, Jed Steel, from Kendall Jackson Winery.
Wilson Creek Winery is proud that Etienne has joined the family as their resident enologist and wine expert to enhance the already robust and flavorful wines that are produced. His reputation continues to grow as his exceptional winemaking methods consistently turn out extraordinary, award-winning wines. A true artist, it becomes apparent once you sample the depth and intensity of his winemaking talent that he excels in his field. “With Etienne’s wealth of knowledge and uncompromising reputation as the Temecula Valley’s premier winemaker, he will definitely elevate our wine to the next level,” says Bill Wilson, General Manager and owner of Wilson Creek.
Etienne has already made his mark overseeing this year’s bountiful harvest. Harvesting over 200 tons of grapes this season, Etienne will utilize his expertise, working diligently in the lab analyzing the raw grape juice to create the best wines Wilson Creek has ever produced. Working closely with Co-Winemaker, Mike Calabro, the team has developed viticulture practices that produce optimal flavor from their grapes, resulting in a delicious wine in the bottle. “Next year, we will be in our new production facility, which will allow us to treat the grapes more gently, using the ‘delestage method’ of turning the grapes, and will result in more flavorful red wine,” believes Etienne. He expects a wonderful vintage of both red and white wines with the white wines available for purchase beginning in the summer 2008.
Stop by and meet Etienne in our tasting room, he is always available to chat about the flavorful wines available both now and in the future. For more information or to make your reservation today, contact Wilson Creek Winery at www.wilsoncreekwinery.com or (951) 699-9463.