News Briefs

Canyon Lake man arrested on juvenile sexual assault charges on San Joaquin Dr.

Alfonso Martinez

After a juvenile reported a sexual assault at a residence on San Joaquin Drive, a Canyon Lake man was taken into custody on felony charges Tuesday.

Alfonso Martinez, 51, was arrested at his Canyon Lake residence without incident, Canyon Lake Police said. After being transported to the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station for an interview, he was then booked into Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta for sexual assault, harassing, stalking, and committing a felony while out on bail, Sergeant Julio Olguin of the Sheriff’s Department said.

Earlier, Lake Elsinore Sheriff Station Investigators concluded an on-going investigation regarding a past sexual assault that occurred at a residence in the 22000 Block of San Joaquin Drive in Canyon Lake. During the course of the investigation, it was revealed that Martinez had allegedly committed the sexual assault of the juvenile.

Investigators were able to track and locate Martinez at his residence where he was arrested without incident. After being booked into the Southwest Detention Center, Martinez was released on $50,000 bail later the next day. He is due back in court on July 29 at the Murrieta Southwest Justice Center.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact Deputy Buck or Investigator Mills at the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station at (951) 245-3300 or the Riverside County Sheriff’s Dispatch Center at (951) 776-1099.

City offers $1,500 scholarship

April 12 is the deadline for a City of Canyon Lake scholarship essay contest for all Canyon Lake high school seniors. The author of the best essay will be awarded a $1,500 scholarship.

The contest will involve participants submitting their résumés and writing a 500-to-750-word essay on a unique challenge faced by local governments as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Explain what you think your local government did well in responding to this challenge and what could have been done differently,” the city said. “Lastly, what lessons can be taken from this experience, and how can local governments better respond to similar emergencies in the future?”

Essays must be original and unpublished and need to be converted into the file formats of Microsoft Word or PDF. The deadline to email the essay to the City Clerk is April 12, by 5:00 p.m.

For more information and questions, email City Clerk Ana Sauseda at asauseda@canyonlakeca.gov or call her at 951-244-8547.

Military banners deadline Thursday

The City of Canyon Lake’s Military Banner program is accepting the next batch of banners and will display them on city street light poles in time for Memorial Day in May. The deadline for applying for a banner to go up by Memorial Day is Thursday.

“The City of Canyon Lake is proud to recognize and pay tribute to Canyon Lake’s military heroes for their sacrifice and service through programs, events and services, including the City’s Military Banner Program,” the city said in a recent announcement. “Family members and loved ones may nominate an active-duty service member or veteran from any branch of the military to be honored with a street banner with the individual’s name and photo. The banner will be prominently displayed within Canyon Lake boundaries for two years or until the banners begin to show deterioration.”

Those nominating the men and women who have or are currently serving will need to fill out an application available on the city website and submit a payment of $200 to cover the cost of printing and installing the banner.

The Military Banner Program is to be used for the benefit of recognizing those who are currently serving or who have served in the United States Armed Forces and pay tribute to Canyon Lake veterans and deceased veterans. Street light poles throughout the community, including the Canyon Lake Town Center, are used to display Military Banners.

The city has determined that the use of these light poles for this purpose has a direct and substantial civic and community benefit and enriches the aesthetic and visual appearance of City of Canyon Lake’s thoroughfares. The city said the display of the Military Banners contributes to the community’s quality of life which lends a special character to the City of Canyon Lake.

Applicants need only supply verification of Military Status (Military ID or DD 214 form) and the honoree needs to be a current City of Canyon Lake resident or an immediate family member of a City of Canyon Lake resident (immediate family would include a wife or husband, son or daughter, grandson or granddaughter, son-in-law or daughter-in-law).

The content of the predesigned banner includes the person’s photo and lists the name of the person, service branch and logo and name of the sponsor. Once the banner has been produced, city staff will contact the applicant to consult with him or her about the location of the pole and schedule the installation of the banner. After consultation, the city will make the final determination of the banner location.

As part of the banner program, families will be honored at a Special City Council Meeting and will be able to view their sponsored banner and take photos with it.

Student-athlete scholarships offered

The Canyon Lake 9er’s Golf Club once again is inviting Canyon Lake resident female student athletes to apply for the 2021 9er’s Student Athlete Scholarship.

The scholarship will be awarded in May and is open to Canyon Lakers attending any local high school and graduating this year. Applicants must have maintained at least a 3.2 grade point average, have been actively involved in school activities, a sports team and community service and plan to attend college in the fall.

To apply for the 2020-21 scholarship, please pick up an application at the Canyon Lake Golf Course Pro Shop or contact Denise Viotti at 909-241-2218. The application should include a “Brag Sheet,” an essay and recommendations from a teacher and athletic coach, if possible. Applicants may be invited to an interview with the 9er’s Scholarship Committee.

Applicants are asked to return their application packets to the Canyon Lake Golf Course Pro Shop or to Denise. Denise may also be reached by e-mail at dpvot@aol.com. For those with questions, contact Denise. The deadline to apply is May 1. The 9er’s Golf Club has given many scholarships to deserving seniors in the past six years.

Water district offers learning lab

Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District is will be offering a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math in Public Utilities Learning Lab (STEM PULL) to local high school students in July. The week-long event is a collaboration between Riverside Public Utilities, EVMWD, Bourns Engineering, and other local organizations.

During the STEM PULL event, high school students will get an in-depth view of STEM knowledge and application within the context of public utilities, as well as career possibilities within the industry.

“We are thrilled to offer this fantastic program to our local high school students,” Phil Williams, board president of EVMWD, said. “By participating in STEM PULL, students will gain valuable, real-world skills and learn from industry professionals. We hope this will open their eyes to the many exciting opportunities that exist within the water/wastewater public utilities field.”

Throughout the event, students will participate in live presentations, facility tours, hands-on activities, and a final group design challenge. As an additional bonus, three winning teams will receive prizes up to $1,000. STEM PULL 2021 will be held in a virtual format to ensure the safety of all participants, but future programs will include in-person components.

The program is open to all high school students in EVMWD’s service area at no cost, including those from Canyon Lake. Registration for STEM PULL 2021 is open from now until April 30. Visit www.evmwd.com/STEMPULL to sign up or contact Kaitlyn Wu at kwu@evmwd.net with any questions.