LIFE & SPORTS ARTS & CULTURE SCHOOL LIFE POLITICAL THE WEEKLY BEAT HOME & GARDEN SoCal athletes take Ramona Spring 2018 Refine Art HHT Century Club Building a to Hemet High Festival Mural Tour gaining steam hydroponic garden Harris presses A3 A6 A7 B1 Zuckerberg C1 D1 Thursday, April 12, 2018 VOL XVII EDITION 15 www.thevalleychronicle.com 75 cents (including tax) Hemet’s Fire Chief Scott Brown is back Questions as to Brown’s almost two-week leave still linger ■ MELISSA DIAZ give both Brown and Parker “some to get the job done safely, and en- HERNANDEZ time to reflect on the team-building suring operational reliability of all EDITOR training for the Fire Department’s of our fire department functions, management and supervisory per- both emergent and non-emergent. Fire Chief Scott Brown returned sonnel and to determine the best Key to this long-term strategy will to work April 9 after almost two method for leading the department be fiscal sustainability. We must live weeks’ absence amid mounting into the future.” within our means, embrace tech- speculation as to why he was even “Scott Brown has my full support nology and data, and continue our placed on administrative leave in as the city’s fire chief, and we have collective efforts towards evolving the first place. Battalion Chief Kev- developed a framework for mak- and improving our emergency re- in Kuhlman stepped in to run the ing policy decisions that emphasize sponse model. That is and will be fire department in the interim as collaboration, communication and our team’s focus - our community acting fire chief. mutual respect for the authority of deserves no less.” City Manager Allen Parker orig- both our offices,” concluded Park- The newspaper called the Hemet inally confirmed on March 29 that er’s statement. Fire Department on April 4 to obtain Brown had been placed on admin- Brown told the Chronicle in an a comment from Kuhlman while istrative leave. The reason is still email, “I am glad to be back. It truly he was acting fire chief, but was unknown at this time. However, is an honor to serve. Our strategic directed to contact Parker’s office. in the city’s April 9 press release focus continues to place emphasis Several department’s were con- announcing Brown’s return, Parker towards improving our fire depart- tacted to confirm Kuhlman as act- Photo courtesy of the City Hemet stated that Brown’s “leave was not ment, providing our firefighters the Fire Chief Scott Brown. disciplinary in nature,” but rather to appropriate tools and equipment 4SEE BROWN ON A-2 West Valley’s agriculture program continues to grow ■ OLIVIA GILDEA REPORTER Students of West Valley High School are loving life down at their farm, and earning college credits at Mt. San Antonio College while they’re at it. West Valley’s agriculture program started a little over six years ago with a dirt lot and few class offerings. The Photo courtesy of Soboba Band Luiseño Indians school did not have a permanent Members of the Soboba Tribal Council attended the grand opening of First Californian’s teacher to head the program. Student Soboba Branch on Friday, April 6. From left, Monica Herrera, Isaiah Vivanco, Branch interest was minimal. Funding was Manager Deborah Tschann, behind the counter, Rose Salgado and Kelli Hurtado. almost nonexistent, and the direc- tion of the program was unknown. First Californian now serving Soboba Unfortunately, this seems to be the case with many schools. Agricul- Photo courtesy of West Valley Agriculture Program ■ MIKE HILES ployees and their family members. ture programs and student gardens A student stands by the new livestock pens that were built in January 2018. Soon these CONTRIBUTED “It is not just a lending relation- are overlooked or brushed off due pens will hold sheep and goats. ship, but access to a full-service to limited funding and resources, The Soboba Band of Luiseño Indi- account,” said Deborah Tschann, and some don’t even know where make the best of it. He was without ignited over the next two years. Stu- ans was looking for a solution that Soboba Branch Manager. to start. Even if they do, the students a team, and taking on the program dents began picking up on classes, allowed tribal members to have Soboba Tribal Administrator have the final say in whether or not alone seemed like a daunting task. and both teachers were leading six access to credit union services at Michael Castello said the tribe has they’re interested. Little student in- Another teacher was brought on periods of classes each. Courses be- reasonable costs/rates, while at the been working on developing its terest leads to classes being abolished staff in Campbell’s second year, and gan including agricultural biology, same time ensuring its members own credit union for several years and programs defunded. together, they began applying for agricultural chemistry, plant and were not being taken advantage of but there were many hurdles and Fortunately, this wasn’t what hap- funding. Through the California soil science, veterinary science and and were being well served. After restrictions that made the task ex- pened to West Valley. Department of Education, the school agricultural mechanics. much research, it was decided that tremely difficult. John Campbell joined the West was granted $30,000 to spearhead By the fifth year, West Valley was First Californian Credit Union could “We reached out to First Cali- Valley staff in 2012 as the only ag- the agriculture program. Although it receiving even more grants, includ- fit the bill. A branch was recently fornian and were able to negotiate riculture teacher. Without a paddle, didn’t go very far, it was just enough ing an incentive grant from the state. opened near the Soboba Casino to Campbell taught two classes to a to get the program on its feet. serve all tribal members, tribal em- 4SEE SOBOBA ON A-2 total of 100 students and tried to A surge of interest in the program 4SEE PROGRAM ON A-2 The Ravens return to Derby’s ■ CHRONICLE NEWS SERVICE Don’t FotǶ The Ravens—a group of young teenagers from local high schools—will be returning by popular demand to Derby’s Bar and Grill on Saturday, April 14. APRIL 2018 Sixteen-year-old Hugo Valdiv- ia, drummer and lead vocalist, is a student at River Springs Char- ter School, and has been playing drums since he was 12 years old. Max Chidley—the front man and vocalist—attends Ace Acad- Las emy in Hemet. At 17, Chidley is Day the band’s oldest member. Diego De La Huerta, who also Photo courtesy of Jesse Vivanco 18 attends River Springs Charter The Ravens at Derby’s. School, is on keyboard. Rhythm guitarist Marco Farias his fingers over the frets ever pez plays lead guitar and attends picked up his instrument at 12 since. years old and has been running Sixteen-year-old Sebastian Lo- 4SEE DERBY ON A-5 B1 We can x any problem you have! A2 NEWS April 12 - 18, 2018 www.thevalleychronicle.com PROGRAM BROWN made by the Hemet Fire first call.” FROM PAGE A1 FROM PAGE A1 Fighters Association, Local The newspaper reached 2342 (HFFA). out again on April 9 for com- This allowed for the purchase ing fire chief, including the HFFA confirmed Brown’s ment on Brown’s return and of large equipment such as fire department and the city leave by Facebook message HFFA responded that they a tractor, livestock pens and manager’s office. Not one of Thursday, March 29, stating, did not have a comment more. Another teacher was the departments was able to “We were advised late last then either. brought on staff as student assist because they simply did night [Wednesday], we will According to Brown’s Face- interest began soaring. not know who was designat- have a statement regarding book page, he was named As of now, West Valley’s ed as the acting fire chief. this matter soon.” HFFA later fire chief April 15, 2015 after agricultural program oper- The city manager’s of- sent the following statement: serving as the city’s interim ates on an 8-acre farm located fice transferred The Valley “Unfortunately, at this time fire chief. Since he was named on the school’s campus. Five Chronicle’s call to Human we do not have any com- chief, Brown has been a pro- hundred students—about 1 in Resources, where confir- ment. At some point in the ponent of rebuilding the fire every 3.5 students attending mation was finally received. days following, if we do have department while maintain- West Valley—are involved No comment has been a comment, you will be our ing fiscal responsibility. in the program, where they can choose from 18 sections SOBOBA of classes. Photos courtesy of West Valley Agriculture Program Herrera reached out to the Red tape proved to be Pigs on the farm take a refreshing summer bath in June 2017. FROM PAGE A1 credit union to set up meet- a large issue in getting the ings with the Soboba Tribal program off the ground, and to learn—and lots of ground a plan to have them provide Council to explore having a some of those issues still lin- squirrels to take care of—the the services Soboba needed branch at Soboba. ger. Many grants restrict how students at West Valley are here on the reservation,” he “Mainly because of the fa- the funding can be used. simply enjoying their time said. “It was approximately miliarity and success of work- Because of this, the pro- on the farm.