Looking back at 2018 – Part 1

Canyon Lakers welcomed a new year on Tuesday and with it hopeful anticipation of the things ahead for the POA, city and residents. As we look forward to 2019, The Friday Flyer will look back at the highlights of 2018 in a four-part series, beginning this week with a look back at January through March 2018.

January

The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America presented Canyon Lake resident Ted Horton with a 50-year pin on Feb. 8, 2018, in San Antonio, Texas. Since 1926, the Golf Course Superintendents Association has been the professional organization for men and women who manage and maintain the game of golf’s most valuable resource – the golf course. Photo provided by Leann Cooper

Canyon Lake celebrated 28 years of cityhood. Canyon Lake became the 22nd city in Riverside County on December 1, 1990.

The POA moved forward with erosion repairs to the north causeway.

Twenty-five Canyon Lakers welcomed 2018 with a swim in the lake on New Year’s Day during the Triathlon and Fitness Club’s inaugural Polar Swim.

The Happy Camp Construction Project began at the campground. Work included rehabilitation and replacement of roads and walkways, adding additional campsites with RV hookups and upgrading the electrical system. A Ribbon Cutting Ceremony was held at the newly remodeled campground on May. 19.

An RFID reader was installed at the north gate, allowing residents to access the community quicker.

After a police pursuit that took officers from Canyon Lake to Orange County, Canyon Lake resident David Brian Harry, 45, was arrested for Attempted Murder, Arson and Committing a Felony while out on Bail.

Nine Canyon Lakers braved the 58-degree water temperature in nothing more than a bathing suit and life vest to participate in Polar Bear Day. The annual event is hosted by the Ski Club, Wakeboard Club and ShowCal Skiers.

Canyon Lakers dined, danced and played games in their pajamas at the country club’s family-friendly Pajama Party.

The Canyon Lake Emergency Preparedness Committee purchased an automated external defibrillator (AED) for $1800 and donated it to the community. The new AED was installed inside the east gate guard shack.

The team of Danny Batinich and Mark White took first place in the Bassmasters Club January fishing tournament with a total fish weight of 15.25 pounds. Rich Tucker and Jon Evans came in second place with 15.13 pounds of bass. Big Fish of the Day was caught by Rich Tucker.

The Canyon Lake Woman’s Club held a Paint and Sip fundraiser on Jan. 15 at Treasure Island. Participants enjoyed appetizers, wine and dessert while creating a painting they could take home.

While the pool was closed for the season, the POA took the opportunity to make some enhancements. Work began on Jan. 16 to install two new permanent shade structures. The board approved $20,198 for the project back in July 2017.

Thirty-eight members of the Canyon Lake Roadrunners Club enjoyed an annual trip to Emerald Desert RV Resort in Palm Desert Jan.17 through Jan. 22.

The Canyon Lake Middle School competition cheer team competed at the CHEERPros California State Cheer and Dance Championships on Jan. 20, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California, where they took first place and earned the title of Junior Show Cheer State Champions.

Also on Jan. 20, 24 members of the Pickleball Club participated in the club’s first Round Robin Tournament on the new pickleball courts. Donations were collected on behalf of Animal Friends of the Valleys. Participants were treated to a barbecue after the tournament.

A 4.0 earthquake centered 9.94 miles WNW of Lake Elsinore stuck at 2:09 a.m. on Jan. 25.

The golf community mourned the loss of 93-year-old Lee Lilly, who passed away on the morning of Jan. 27. Lee was a member of the After Lunch Bunch for more than 30 years, member and past president of the Men’s Golf Club, member of the Canyon Lake Association of Past Presidents, member of the Over the Hill Gang and one of the founding members of the Tuesday Work Group.

The Junior Women’s Club hosted its annual Casino Bus Trip Fundraiser Jan. 27. Participants paid $25 for a round trip bus ride to Harrah’s Resort Southern California.

A helicopter owned by Eric Spitzer, a former member of the POA Board of Directors, crashed into a Newport Beach residential neighborhood while on its way to Catalina Island on Jan. 30. Three of the four people on board succumbed to their injuries. Spitzer, who owns a fleet of more than 80 helicopters, said the helicopter was one of seven his company leases to Revolution Aviation, a flight school and touring company.

The Canyon Lake Fine Arts Guild celebrated its 18th anniversary. The Guild traces its beginnings to January 2001 when the Canyon Lake Woman’s Club sponsored an event to raise money for a baby grand piano. The audience, dressed in gowns, jewelry, furs and tuxedos, enjoyed classical music performed by the Inland Valley Symphony. Club President Mavis Schaffner was so inspired that she proposed the formalization of the Fine Arts Guild. Since then, offerings have evolved from classical and opera to jazz, swing, country and rock.

February

The Men’s Golf Club named Dorothy and Joe Washle Sweetheart Couple of the Year at its Sweetheart Golf Tournament on Feb. 11, 2018. Joe and Dorothy were recognized for their 44 years of marriage and 16 years of community service. Photo provided by Joe Kamashian

The Fiesta Day Committee named Joanna Spiller as the 2018 Fiesta Day Grand Marshal. Joanna is a former member of the committee and an active volunteer in the community. She retired from the Fiesta Day Committee in 2017 after serving as a volunteer for 15 years.

For the second consecutive year, Elsinore High School took home the championship at the Riverside County Academic Decathlon. Elsinore’s win qualified them to once again represent Riverside County at the California Academic Decathlon Mar. 22 through Mar. 25 in Sacramento.

On Feb. 6, the POA Board of Directors approved $390,182.03 plus a 2.5 percent contingency from the Repair and Replacement funds to replace the mailboxes throughout the entire community. The project is on-going.

Canyon Lake resident Ted Horton received a 50-year pin from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America on Feb. 8 in San Antonio, Texas. Since 1926, the Golf Course Superintendents Association has been the professional organization for men and women who manage and maintain the game of golf’s most valuable resource – the golf course. Headquartered in Lawrence, Kansas, it provides educational, informational, and representational support to more than 17,000 members in more than 72 countries.

A street clock donated by the Canyon Lake Association of Past Presidents was installed at the golf course on Feb. 9. The clock stands nearly 11 feet tall and weighs approximately 280 pounds.

The Senior Chair Volleyball Club members competed in the 11th annual Senior Games on Feb. 10 in Sun City. Sixteen teams from Canyon Lake, Sun City, Riverside, Norco and Menifee competed. The Canyon Lake Division 2 and Division 3 teams won gold medals. The Division 1 team won a silver medal.

The Canyon Lake Middle School competition cheer team earned the title Best in the West. The competition was held on Feb. 10 in Hemet.

Canadian smooth jazz saxophonist Warren Hill performed at the POA’s Valentine’s Concert on Feb. 10 at the lodge. Abrakadabra opened the show. Concert-goers were treated to a Meet and Greet with Warren following the concert.

The Men’s Golf Club named Joe and Dorothy Washle Sweetheart Couple of the Year at its Sweetheart Golf Tournament on Feb. 11. Joe and Dorothy were recognized for their 44 years of marriage and 16 years of community service.

Aquatechnex biologists treated the lake with aluminum sulfate Feb. 12 through Feb.16 to sequester and remove phosphorus as part of the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Task Force. The lake remained open during the treatment process.

The Canyon Lake Woman’s Club held its 2nd annual Cooking Class fundraiser on Feb. 24. at the senior center.

The Canyon Lake Middle School competition cheer team competed in the USA Jr. Spirit Nationals competition on Feb. 25 at the Anaheim Convention Center where the team won the Junior Show Cheer Medium Novice division.

Seven scouts from Canyon Lake Cub Scout Pack 346 received their Arrow of Light Award and bridged over to Boy Scouts on Feb. 25. The scouts who participated in the ceremony were Gavin Dalton, Arthur Keene, Aidan McColley, Luke Remley, Luke Thomas, Matthew Thomas and James Woodward.

Canyon Lake Pickleball Club members donated 70 pounds of cat litter, 73.5 pounds of dry dog food, 18 pounds of canned dog food, 33 pounds of dry cat food, 19 pounds of canned cat food, bedding, toys and $1,110 to Animal Friends of the Valleys, a local animal shelter that serves Canyon Lake.

Lifelong Canyon Lake resident Taylor Ogden was among seven Student of the Month Program honorees feted at a recognition luncheon in February 2018. Photo provided by lisa Ogden

Lifelong Canyon Lake resident Taylor Ogden was among seven Student of the Month Program honorees feted at a recognition luncheon in February. The program is sponsored and hosted by the Lake Elsinore Valley Chamber of Commerce.

The Titans football team won back-to-back Sunbelt League titles for the first time in the school’s history.

Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez was named 2018 Elected Woman of the Year by California Women Lead for her outstanding work in public service. Melendez represents the 67th Assembly District, which includes the community of Canyon Lake.

RU2 radar mobile speed trailers were placed in the community to help bring attention to speed control throughout the community and to assist Community Patrol with issuing tickets for speeders in multiple locations.

March

The Canyon Lake Fine Arts Guild held its first 2018 concert on Mar. 3. Tribute artist Pat Farrell and his electrifying band captured the sound and spirit of Billy Joel to a full house audience with “Just the Way You Are,” “Piano Man” and a multitude of other Billy Joel hits.

Temescal Canyon High School winter guard took first place in the Scholastic AAA division at the Winter Guard Association of Southern California competition on Mar. 4 at Murrieta Valley High School. WGASC is the largest winter guard circuit in the country with more than 300 ensemble participants.

Canyon Laker Steven Prince formed a new support group for Canyon Lake residents who experience chronic, physical or medical challenges. The group’s first meeting was held on the morning of Mar.10 at the senior center.

The City of Canyon Lake hosted the League of California Cities Riverside County Division Meeting on Mar. 12 at the country club. The League of California Cities is an association of California city officials who work together to enhance their knowledge and skills, exchange information and combine resources so that they may influence policy decisions that affect cities. The Riverside County Division includes 28 cities and provides members with the opportunity to exchange ideas and information and share the advantages of cooperative advocacy.

Canyon Lake resident Christopher Fisher of Temescal High School was honored as March Student of the Month by the Lake Elsinore Valley Chamber of Commerce. He was among seven students feted at a recognition luncheon on Mar. 13.

The Senior Chair Volleyball Club held its St. Patrick’s Day Pancake Breakfast on Mar. 15 at East Port Park. Members enjoyed breakfast and a friendly game of croquet. Dave Hermann was awarded a prize for having the best St. Patrick’s Day costume.

Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) began its sewer replacement project on San Joaquin Drive West on Mar. 19. The new sewer line was necessary to relocate and replace the aging infrastructure and to avoid future leaks and sewer interruptions.

The project involved abandoning the existing sewer line, installing 290 linear feet of new sewer pipeline, constructing 240 feet of sewer laterals and adding four sewer manholes.

East gate Community Patrol officer Sharon Snow won a new truck on the game show The Price is Right. She had been making the four-mile trek to work in Canyon Lake on her bicycle. Sharon has been welcoming those who come through the gates since 2000.

The Family Matters Club held its 4th annual Easter Egg Hunt and Carnival on Mar. 24, at Holiday Harbor Park. The egg-citing community event featured an egg hunt, bounce house, games and a visit from the Easter bunny.

The Canyon Lake Car Club donated $2,500 to Safe Alternatives for Everyone, an organization committed to providing services for children, youth and families who have experienced abuse or are at risk of abuse and violence. The donation was made possible from proceeds of the Canyon Lake Car Show.

Dale Welty, Dudley Thompson and Jim Barringham announced their candidacy to run for the two open seats on the 2018/2020 POA Board. Dale Welty and Jim Barringham were elected.

Canyon Lake teen Cooper Smith was named “Mr. Titan.” Fifteen Temescal Canyon High School students showed off their talents for a chance to win the title.




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