Man and Woman Assassinated on SJ Highway Woman’S Family and Friends Honor Her Memory in Candlelight Vigil
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Thursday, January 11, 2018 VOL XVII EDITION 2 www.thevalleychronicle.com 75 cents (including tax) Man and woman assassinated on SJ highway Woman’s family and friends honor her memory in candlelight vigil ■ KYLE SELBY REPORTER Friends, family, classmates, and coworkers of Lauren Lopez shared warm embraces and wiped each others’ tears at a heartfelt candlelight vigil Saturday night at Team Quest www.wikipedia.com Athletic Center in San Jacinto. Dr. King won the Nobel Peace Prize “Justice for Lauren,” was the man- in 1964. tram everybody was murmuring, as they lit up the gym’s parking lot 9 things you might not with handheld candles in Lopez’ know about Dr. Martin memory. A worship team played songs over the sounds of the weep- Luther King, Jr. ing crowd of several hundred. “Our main focus is that we have ■ METRO SERVICE closure with the family,” Lopez’s father, Carlos, announced. “That Well respected, honored and appre- way we can heal, and the other ciated for his civil rights activism, victim’s family can heal as well.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. rightfully earned his place as one of the most Car found in a ditch influential figures in American and 19-year-old Lopez and 22-year- world history. Through his religious old Patrick Powell Jr. were found de- teachings and social activism, Dr. ceased Wednesday, Jan. 3, at around Photo by Kyle Selby / The Valley Chronicle King played a key role in the Amer- 11:47 a.m. near the intersection of ican Civil Rights Movement of the Lopez’s father, Carlos, holds a candle in the sky for his daughter. Hundreds of friends, family, coworkers, and class- 4SEE VIGIL ON A-2 mates came to the vigil honoring Lopez, Saturday night. 4SEE LUTHER KING JR ON A-2 Man found dead in a Hemet motel room HPD says foul play isn’t suspected ■ KYLE SELBY REPORTER On Tuesday, Jan. 9 at around 12:45 p.m., Hemet police responded to a call at Florida Inn at 1111 W. Florida Ave, where a body had reportedly been found in one of the motel rooms, with “blood everywhere.” “A person passed away,” a Hemet police officer said Photo by Kay Masonbrink on scene. He clarified that the reported “blood” was Harmony Elementary (left to right): Marco Fragoso, Jayla Moss, Essence actually feces. The officer said there was not much Herd and Kay Masonbrink, HWC Contest Chairman. more information he knew beyond that, although he had told another officer that he didn’t recognize any Hemet Woman’s Club announces indications of foul play. “For two or three days, we didn’t see him, so we winners of its Youth Writing Contest knocked [on his door] for cleaning service,” explained “Casey,” one of the managers at the motel. He said ■ KAY MASONBRINK essay, or a poem that describes after knocking four or five times and shouting into CONTRIBUTED the contributions by women and Room 109 where the guest was staying, he heard no the impact they have had on response. After Casey unlocked the room, he said it The Hemet Woman’s Club is the world. Approximately 140 appeared to have been deserted. pleased to announce the winners entries were received and eval- “I saw that the bathroom door was closed.” That’s of its third annual Youth Writing uated by an independent panel where Casey found the guest lying on the floor in what Photo by Kyle Selby / The Valley Chronicle Contest. The event invited local of eight judges. The following A guest described as an older man was found deceased in students from grades 5 through 4SEE DEAD MAN ON A-2 this room at Florida Inn motel in Hemet. 12 to write either an original 4SEE CONTEST ON A-2 Winter storm drops 3 inches of rain on Hemet It’s all good as area drinks up much needed moisture ■ STAFF REPORT THE VALLEY CHRONICLE Hemet and San Jacinto residents braved a storm this week that left more than three inches of rain on the ground and saw temperatures drop into the low 40s by early Wednesday. The rain start- ed falling Monday night and continued coming down until about 7 p.m. Tues- day with the heaviest rainfall occurring early Tuesday morning and again late Tuesday afternoon. While street gutters were filled to the brim and intersections were deep for anyone without a truck, serious flooding was avoided since the rain came down in a slow, steady pattern. One transformer was seen blowing out Photo by Chris Smith/The Valley Chronicle in San Jacinto, but no widespread pow- Driving was a bit hazardous Tuesday as the storm, which left three inches of needed er outages were reported. The weekend rain in the Hemet/San Jacinto area, filled street gutters and intersections with water. forecast is for mostly sunny skies and While there was flooding in Riverside, few serious problems arose in Hemet as the temperatures back into the mid-70s. rain was spread out over a 24-hour period. A2 NEWS January 11 - 17, 2018 www.thevalleychronicle.com VIGIL LUTHER KING JR King earned a posthumous to black stereotypes. FROM PAGE A1 FROM PAGE A1 Grammy Award nonetheless. 7. Dr. King narrowly es- In 1971, Dr. King was award- caped an assassination at- Ramona Expressway and N. 1950s and 1960s. ed Best Spoken Word album tempt on September 20, Warren Road, according to While Dr. King lived a for “Why I Oppose the War 1958. On that day, Dr. King sheriff’s deputies. They were good portion of his life in in Vietnam.” was in Harlem signing cop- found shot to death in Lopez’ the public eye, many facts of 4. Although people cannot ies of his new book, “Stride Chevy Hatchback — the rear his life are not widely known. readily find photographs of Toward Freedom,” when he window riddled with bullet In honor of his birthday and Dr. King smoking, he was was approached by a woman holes — lying in a ditch. Black History Month, the fol- a regular smoker and even who stabbed him with a letter According to a Riverside lowing are some interesting hid the habit from the public opener. He barely survived. County Sheriff’s press re- Lauren Lopez, Aujaye Powell / Facebook and less publicized facts about and from his children so they 8. Dr. King’s speech in lease, both victims received Lauren Lopez, 19, and Patrick Powell Jr., 22, were found shot to death Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wouldn’t take up smoking. It Memphis in April 1968 may medical aid on scene, and near Ramona Expressway and N. Warren Road, Wednesday Jan. 3. was believed Dr. King was have prophesied his death. were transported to a local 1. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s smoking a cigarette when Speaking to an audience hospital, but succumbed to “We call her ‘L-Boogie,’ Aujaye Powell, Patrick’s birth name was not “Martin,” he was fatally shot. at Mason Temple Church, their injuries. because whenever she’s younger sister, told The Val- but “Michael.” Dr. King’s fa- 5. While Dr. King is re- King said, “Like anybody, I Lopez’ family recognized teaching in this facility, ley Chronicle that her broth- ther traveled to Germany and membered as an enthralling would like to live a long life. their daughter’s car on the she’s always got the music er left behind three young became inspired by Protes- public speaker, he actual- Longevity has its place. But news Wednesday. Accord- blaring,” said Grant, who children; a one-year-old tant reformer Martin Luther ly scored poorly in public I’m not concerned about that ing to Powell’s younger sister, had caught Lopez furtively girl and two boys, one six- and thus changed his name speaking during his first year now. I’ve seen the Promised Aujaye, Powell was on his dancing in between training months and a two-year-old. while also changing the name at seminary. He received a Land. I may not get there way to buy a car when he sessions on multiple occa- “My brother was a loving of his then 5-year-old-son. “C” in the class but earned with you. But I want you to got into the car with Lopez. sions. “That was just who father and most of his time 2. Dr. King was a pro- straight “As” by his final year. know tonight, that we, as a “We know that for a fact,” she was.” Faces in the crowd he worked on cars and made digious student. Not only 6. Dr. King was a “Star people, will get to the Prom- she said. collectively smiled, only for music,” she said. She also did he skip two grades and Trek” fan. He convinced ac- i s e d L an d .” Since Lopez had been a brief moment. disclosed that skateboarding start college before formal- tress Nichelle Nichols, who 9. Dr. King’s birthday is found, her family have re- Fellow instructor Keri was his passion, and he used ly graduating high school, played the role of “Uhura” on now observed as a national visited the site to pay their Gawne could hardly voice to skate semi-pro when he but Dr. King also earned a the show, to continue working holiday in the United States. respects, and check for near- her words between sobs lived in Texas, but also rode bachelor’s degree at age 19, with the series. Nichols was President Ronald Reagan by cameras that may have when she was called up to scooters and bicycles.