For three decades John Hunneman was a reporter and columnist for both The Californian and Riverside Press-Enterprise newspapers. He retired in 2020 after serving as the Communications Director for California State Senator Jeff Stone. John currently serves on the City of Murrieta Parks and Recreation Commission and is on the Board of Directors of The Nature Education Foundation at the Santa Rosa Plateau. He recently concluded two years of service on the Riverside County Civil Grand Jury. John is a proud Vietnam-Era U.S. Navy veteran and a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He and his wife Yvonne have lived in Murrieta for 35 years. Both of their sons graduated from Murrieta Valley High School.
I’ve volunteered with the Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival for almost 30 years. My positions included everything from serving on the board of directors to being the emcee of the morning balloon launch to handing out free cheese. My involvement ended when Covid shut down the festival a few years back. I have no […]
I recently got a “Ruptured Duck” in the mail. It was a timely reminder of the Greatest Generation and the end of World War II which marks its 80th anniversary this year. Let me explain. On May 8, 1945, the Allies accepted the unconditional surrender of Germany ending World War II in Europe. Known as […]
The celebration marking the 25th anniversary of Wilson Creek & Vineyards is underway. “Twenty-five years in any business is a success,” said Bill Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of the family owned winery. This year over a quarter million patrons will visit the scenic winery, tasting room and restaurant the Wilson family has built from the […]
It has been both recognized and criticized as one of the most congested sections of freeway in thenation. And, as the New Year begins, improvements are well underway to relieve the almostdaily traffic gridlock on Interstate 15 as it crawls through the Temecula Valley. Phase 1 of the four phase French Valley Parkway Project was […]
It seems almost comical now. However if you remember Y2K – and if you are reading this print newspaper I suspect you do – you know the calamity some said would result when the tick of the clock sent the world from the 20th into the 21st century. January 2025 marks the 25th anniversary of […]
Last year I spoke at a local Memorial Day observance, something I’ve been honored to do many times over the years. That day I asked if there were any World War II veterans attending and sadly, for the first time, there were none. This year, on Veterans Day, only one percent of the 16.4 million […]
This past summer I was invited to attend the 25th Anniversary celebration of the Temecula Valley Genealogical Society (TVGS). Current society members were honoring the charter members who founded the organization. By happy circumstance, I happened to be one of them. Members were also anxious to show off their updated Genealogy Room at the Ronald […]
If you moved, or were born, in Southwest Riverside County in the current century, Promenade Temecula, formerly The Promenade in Temecula, has always been there. Those of us who have called this region home since way back in the 20th century recall a time when sheep grazed on the open land at the corner of […]
An old bumper sticker, rarely seen anymore, used to ask, “Where the (heck) is Temecula?” These days many people know where Temecula is located. And, in four years, the entire world will know with the recent announcement that equestrian events for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games are planned to take place at Galway Downs, […]
While watching a recent Murrieta Planning Commission workshop, I found the song “Déjà vu” by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young playing in my head. “We have all been here before, we have all been here before.” A gentleman stood before the commission detailing the latest plans for the once “Golden Triangle” – now just the […]
