Aprile McKinnon joins Friday Flyer news staff

Aprile DeAnne McKinnon has joined the news staff of The Friday Flyer as its community reporter. She takes the place of Dawn Rankins, who resigned effective this week.

“We’re really going to miss Dawn,” The Friday Flyer Publisher Chuck Golding said. “Having Aprile apply for the opening has been a real blessing for the newspaper and we anticipate not missing a beat during the transition.”

Aprile has been a resident of Canyon Lake for 10 years, having moved to the community with her sons Zachary and Shaun. During her time in Canyon Lake, Aprile has been extremely active in community events, clubs and entertainment.

Aprile Deanne McKinnon

Aprile started an entertainment business shortly after her arrival in Canyon Lake. She sings regularly at the various restaurants in the community and hosts various trivia and karaoke nights there as well. Because of her time on stage, many Canyon Lakers are already familiar with the new Friday Flyer reporter.

Aprile grew up in the South Bay and attended West High School in Torrance where she was a part of the Music and Theater Department. Music has always been a part of her life. She has taught voice and theater and has performed in various entertainment groups and venues. Aprile opened for the Four Tops in 1989 at the Rose Bowl, which she said was one of her most exciting performances.

Aprile has three grown children and one 10-year-old grandson, all of whom, she said, are the joy of her life. Aprile’s parents moved to Canyon Lake five years ago, after living 45 years in the South Bay, to be a support to Aprile and her son Shaun. When Aprile moved to Canyon Lake, Zachary had cancer and Shaun was only 8 years old. Aprile has a heart for others who have gone through cancer, she said.

“There was a time when you hardly knew of someone who had cancer and now it’s rare to not know someone who has cancer,” she said. “We were very thankful to have caught Zach’s cancer early.”

Aprile said the community helped her and her family a lot during those times. Last year, Code 415, the band she sings with, donated its time at the Cancer Fair at Holiday Harbor. Many Canyon Lake clubs and individuals also volunteered at the event.

“It was a time to come together as a community to offer encouragement, awareness and free screenings,” Aprile said. “We all wanted to give support to those in our community who had gone through or were going through cancer treatments.”

Aprile said she had to reinvent herself as a single mom upon her arrival in Canyon Lake and did so by starting her entertainment company and by selling real estate.

“Finding Canyon Lake during that very difficult time in my life gave me beautiful friendships and inspired me to sing again,” she said. “I became involved in many clubs in Canyon Lake, including the Mermaids of Canyon Lake, which I was a founding member of.”

Now, 10 years later, Aprile finds this a perfect time to branch out and join the staff of The Friday Flyer.

“My life is moving in new directions,” she said. “My son Shaun is now 18 and I am able to do the things I love, one of which is giving back to this wonderful community that has given so much to me and my family.”