Chinese hot pot is the dish of choice to usher in the new year Photos by Mariana RosenMariana Rosen is pictured front row, second from right, in a cooking class that she taught recently. ■ Dennis Fletcher & Mariana Rosen / Contributed The Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, is the longest festival in the Chinese calendar. It has been celebrated for over 4,000 years. This year it began on Tuesday, Feb. 5 and ended with the Lantern Festival on Tuesday, Feb. 19. The most important elements of Chinese New Year are eating, fireworks, and dancing lions and dragons in the street. The Chinese Zodiac has 12 signs, each an animal. (more…)

Soboba Band of Luiseño IndiansFreshman Lanise Luna participated in an Interview Skills Day at Noli Indian School on Feb. 13. ■ By Mike Hiles / Contributed Teaching academic basics to students is the expected role of any educator but making sure young people are prepared to be successful in life after school takes more than being good at reading, writing and arithmetic. Elizabeth LaCella has taught Honors English for the past eight of 12 years she has been at Noli Indian School. She is also one of the AVID program teachers for middle and high school students at the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians reservation school that serves Native American students (more…)

HUSD hosts annual jazz festival at Tahquitz High School Photos by Jason Miller / The Valley ChronicleEducators Craig Yancey (left) and Gary Pratt (right) between performances at the Jazz Festival/Clinic ■ By Jason Miller / Contributed Students from seven schools across the Hemet Unified School District gathered for the annual Jazz Festival/Clinic at Tahquitz High School this past Saturday. On Feb. 10, the event was hosted by Jeremy Pietsch who is the Department Chair/Band Director of Tahquitz High School and conductor of two THS jazz bands. “This was Tahquitz’s first year hosting the festival”, according to Pietsch. The festival in prior years was hosted by Hemet High School. Following each band’s (more…)

■ Diamond Valley Arts Center / Contributed The Diamond Valley Arts Center (DVAC) will be hosting a Cultural Series Lecture on “Nancy Drew, the Original Author, & Me” on Sunday, Feb. 17, at noon. This lecture is given by Nancy Hawkins who was a friend and coworker to Mildred Wirt Benson, the author of the first 23 Nancy Drew books. Her presentation will give insight and interest to the life of the famed author. Patrons will enjoy stories and memories shared during the women’s almost 18-year friendship known only to them. The Diamond Valley Arts Council is proud to present this exploration into this famed author through the first-hand accounts of (more…)

Rusty StraitFrom left to right: First Vice Commander Russ Mills, Pastor Ricky Jones, Comedian Liam Breunle, and Third Vice Commander Joe Males. ■ By Rusty Strait / Senior Reporter If it happens anywhere, it will eventually find the road to Hemet. When church collaborates with comedy and veterans and actors assemble in our valley, eyes open and ears perk up. Thus, we have the essence of an unusual story. It all began when Pastor Ricky Jones from the San Jacinto Assembly of God contacted First Vice Commander Russ Mills at American Legion Post 53 in Hemet with a novel idea. Would the Legion be interested in establishing comedy and acting schools (more…)

Parents’ say their job is easier when schools break down stereotypes Photos by Soboba Band of Luiseño IndiansDerek Duro and other bird singers and dancers opened December’s meeting of San Jacinto Unified School District’s Native American Advisory Council at San Jacinto High School’s Library and Technology Center. ■ Mike Hiles / Contributed The San Jacinto Unified School District established a Native American Advisory Council as a way to increase the involvement of parents, caregivers and community members in the decision-making process that directly affects the College and Career Readiness of its Native American students. SJUSD Carla Adame presented a slideshow of some of the activities held at various schools in honor (more…)

Ramona Hillside PlayersPerforming cast of Inherit the Wind. ■ By Rusty Strait / Senior Reporter You would never know it was a chilly night at the dress rehearsal of Lawrence & Lee’s ever popular “Inherit The Wind,” because the production heated up the theater like a like a homecoming bonfire. Director Frank Siebke remarkably brought the production through the evening despite the last minute substitution of a character and a few glitches that are corrected by opening night. Frank, aka Hitchcock of Hollywood, inserted himself into a minor role. I would assume everyone would know the story by now, but you can never tell in Hemet. For those who need to (more…)

Metro ServiceIn 2019, Chinese New Year officially begins on Feb. 5, continuing for two weeks until celebrations draw to a close on Feb. 19. More than one billion people across the globe celebrate Chinese New Year every year. In 2019, Chinese New Year officially begins on Feb. 5, continuing for two weeks until celebrations draw to a close on Feb. 19. 2019 is the Year of the Pig. The pig is the twelfth of the 12 Zodiac animals, and myths tell some rather amusing stories about how the pig earned its place in the pecking order. One such myth suggests Jade the Emperor invited 12 animals to his party, and the (more…)

Sara Pastrano moves from fashion to features Photo by Rochelle HallburnSara Pastrano with her Canon EOS Rebel T6i. ■ Chronicle News Staff The Valley Chronicle, like all newspapers of record, has a sizable team of people who work long hard hours to deliver the paper to subscribers every week. Behind the scenes is a team of dedicated journalists, photographers, graphic designers, salespeople, circulation specialists, and business professionals who come together to produce an interesting, if somewhat complex, product once each week. We thought readers might like to know a little more about who produces their weekly newspaper. Sara Pastrano recently joined the Chronicle team to photograph the cover shot on the (more…)

Downtown theatre undergoing renovation entering 100th year Jennifer Jensen/Hemet KiwanisHHTF President Susan Carrier shows historic photo of theatre to Miguel Sarasa, Hemet Kawanis Club, during recent presentation. She speaks to numerous community organizations throughout the year. ■ By Tom Jones / Contributed Built in 1921, the downtown Hemet theatre is undergoing massive renovation as it approaches its first century in the community. Originally located across Florida Avenue from its current site and built in 1913 by William Martin, the theatre was destroyed in an earthquake in 1918. Vowing not to lose it again, he used cement and brick for the massive structure in no small accounting for its survival from a (more…)