Awning Company in Lake Elsinore, CA

Clouds will return to Riverside and San Bernardino counties this weekend, bringing rain and mountain snow.

Patch Staff

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — Say farewell to the Santa Ana winds and hello to colder, wet winter weather through early next week. Humidity returns to the region throughout Friday and Saturday when rain and mountain snow are expected.

The National Weather Service placed the mountain areas under Winter Storm Watches: The San Bernardino County Mountains from Saturday evening through Tuesday morning and the Riverside County Mountains from Sunday morning through Tuesday morning.

“A return of onshore flow will spread higher coastal humidity inland beginning later today through the weekend. Stronger onshore flow will bring stronger and gusty southwest-to-west winds for the mountains and deserts for Saturday afternoon through Saturday night with gusts to 45 to 55 mph and isolated gusts to 70 mph," the NWS said.

"Not much has changed with the timing and track of the closed low-pressure system from the north for the weekend into early next week. The center of that closed upper-level low-pressure system is expected to move to near Point Conception late in the day on Sunday, then move slowly eastward across southern California on Monday.

There will be increasing chances for showers on Saturday night into Sunday. The snow level will fall to around 4500 feet on Saturday night and around 5000 feet on Sunday.

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In Lake Elsinore, your forecast for the next seven days is as follows:

FridayMostly sunny, with a high near 73. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west in the afternoon.

Friday nightPartly cloudy, with a low around 38. Calm wind.

SaturdayA slight chance of showers after 10am. Widespread haze before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 59. East wind 5 to 15 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Saturday NightShowers. Low around 42. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

SundayShowers, with thunderstorms also possible after 4pm. High near 52. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Sunday NightShowers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 36. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

MondayShowers, mainly before 4pm. High near 55. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Monday NightA chance of showers, mainly before 10pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 33.

TuesdayA slight chance of showers after 10am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 58.

Tuesday NightMostly clear, with a low around 34.

WednesdaySunny, with a high near 61.

Wednesday NightMostly clear, with a low around 36.

ThursdayMostly sunny, with a high near 63.

MENIFEE, CA — A partially constructed, dilapidated mega entertainment complex in Menifee has sat unfinished for several years, will be demolished starting Friday, no longer held up by legal wrangling, the city said.

The Krikorian Entertainment Complex at the southwest corner of Newport Road and Town Center Road was promised to bring a giant 14-theater cineplex, sports bar, bowling alley, arcade, restaurants and shopping to Menifee. Construction began in December 2019 and was scheduled to be completed by late 2020. Five years later, there it sits, shrouded in chain link, touched by graffiti, piles of debris and growing weeds.

"We share in the community's frustration that this project has not moved forward, and that the site does not represent the high standards we hold for the Menifee community," City Manager Armando Villa said. "As this is a private project on personally owned property, it was necessary for us to follow the right legal process to be successful in having the structures removed and the site restored to its original condition to allow for future development opportunities that will benefit our residents."

The Krikorian Entertainment Complex had been planned at the intersection of Newport Road and Town Center Drive, across from the Menifee Town Center plaza. However, the developer, Showprop Menifee LLC, suspended construction for unclear reasons, leaving only the skeletal structure in place in the first half of 2023.According to the city, legal proceedings for removal of the unfinished building, which had been intended as a venue for a bowling alley, cinema and sports bar, got underway in October 2023, with abatement notices issued.

By April 2024, the Menifee Office of the City Attorney procured warrants allowing for on-site inspections by engineers to determine what hazards there might be at the location. Two months later, the City Council approved a resolution declaring the existing structure a public nuisance and ordered demolition at the property owner's expense.

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However, the developer challenged the order in court, obtaining temporary injunctions barring the city from taking further action pending a possible sale of the acreage, according to city officials.

After efforts to sell the property failed to gain traction, the injunctions were lifted, and the council approved a final resolution last month declaring the plot abandoned. A Los Angeles County contractor, Downey-based AD Improvements, was hired to clear the site at a cost of $231,000, officials said.

"The city will seek to recover the full costs of abatement through a lien or assessment placed on the property, or through direct recovery efforts against the property owner," according to a municipal statement.

There was no word on how long the demolition and clearance may take.

WATSONVILLE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Granite (NYSE:GVA) has been awarded an approximately $88 million contract by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to improve a section of Ortega Highway State Route 74 (SR 74). Project funding will come from state and federal sources and the project will be included in Granite’s first-quarter CAP.

The project scope includes widening the shoulders and roadway, allowing for the installation of centerline and edge line rumble strips. These enhancements will provide vehicle buffer room, significantly improving safety on this narrow two-lane mountainous highway.

In addition to widening this section of SR-74, the project will resurface the highway, ensuring safer and more efficient travel. This project continues our ongoing efforts on this stretch of highway, building on the work we have been doing over the past few years.

“We have been working closely with Caltrans on this highway for several years, and we are excited to continue this partnership,” said Bill Moore, Granite Vice President of Regional Operations. “It aligns with our strategic goal of expanding our footprint in the Inland Empire of Southern California.”

Construction is expected to begin in April 2025 and be completed in November 2026.

About Granite

Granite is America’s Infrastructure Company™. Incorporated since 1922, Granite (NYSE:GVA) is one of the largest diversified construction and construction materials companies in the United States as well as a full-suite civil construction provider. Granite’s Code of Conduct and strong Core Values guide the Company and its employees to uphold the highest ethical standards. Granite is an industry leader in safety and an award-winning firm in quality and sustainability. For more information, visit the Granite website, graniteconstruction.com, and connect with Granite on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and Instagram.

Contacts

Granite Contacts Media Erin Kuhlman 831-768-4111

Investors Wenjun Xu - 831-761-7861

Explore Lake Elsinore's top trails to stay active, connect with nature and start the new year on the right foot.

Kat Schuster, Patch Staff

|Updated Thu, Jan 2, 2025 at 2:35 pm PT

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — With the holidays behind us, there’s no better way to kick off 2025 than by hitting the dusty trails to fulfill New Year’s resolutions of staying active and connecting with nature.

Recent studies have highlighted the numerous health benefits associated with lacing up your hiking boots for an adventure.

Hiking regularly can enhance cardiovascular health, strengthen muscles and bones and improve balance. A 2023 study published in BMC Public Health found that participants in a winter hiking intervention increased their physical activity levels, which led to better sleep and less stress.

But it isn't all about physical health. Spending time in nature — especially while hiking — has also been linked to better mental health. According to 2024 research from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, exposure to green spaces can boost mood, reduce anxiety and lower the risk of depression.

Heather Eliassen, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard, says even those who live in cities and work indoors can and should try to reap the health benefits of nature.

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“If there are some green spaces a short or medium distance from home, try walking or biking to the green space to get the benefits of exercise while getting [there],” she said. “Or, find green space you could incorporate into your commute to or from school or work.”

AllTrails, a website and app that was "founded on the idea that we’re all made better by spending time in nature," makes it easy to find nature areas and hiking trails of varying levels near you. While searching, the website allows users to set the distance, difficulty level, length, suitability and more.

In Lake Elsinore and around Southwest Riverside County, the website lists dozens of scenic trails — from steep mountainous terrain that can take hours to ascend to quick and "easy" trails along babbling brooks and wildflowers.

Here are five trails in and around Lake Elsinore to explore:

Search for more hiking trails near you.

MENIFEE, CA — A 44-year-old Menifee woman is in custody on suspicion of kidnapping and other charges after she allegedly lured a victim with the false promise of a charitable donation only to attack her with a Taser and force her to drive her vehicle until she crashed it.

The suspect, identified as Olga Mendez, was arrested Friday in Paramount in Los Angeles County and was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threats and two unrelated warrants, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

Mendez was booked last week into the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning on suspicion of kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon, making terrorist threats, presenting false identification and forgery.

Mendez is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail. Her case was under review Monday by the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.

On Dec. 18, deputies with the sheriff's Perris station responded shortly before 10 a.m. to a report of a domestic dispute between Olive Avenue and Leon Road in the unincorporated area of Winchester. They found the victim suffered from non-life-threatening injuries and ruled the incident as a kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon, the department said.

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The suspect fled the scene before deputies arrived, and the victim was taken to a hospital.

The alleged victim, who identified herself on social media as Erin Quinn, claimed on social media that Mendez lured her to the location by offering to donate presents for a toy drive Quinn was attending.

Quinn said on her Facebook page that she drove to a location given by Mendez, who used a false name, and left her vehicle unattended for an undetermined amount of time to search for her.

"Little did I know, it was a set up and when I went back to my car, someone was in the back seat waiting for me with a taser," Quinn wrote on Dec. 19. "While the suspect was pulling my hair and repeatedly tazing me for over 30 times over a 25-minute span of time. She made me drive while this was going on threatening my boys and my mom would be next."

Quinn said she told authorities that she recognized the suspect as her former house cleaner after she crashed her vehicle to escape the incident.

"My brain was jolting and my body was shutting down," Quinn told KTLA5. "I thought literally either I was going to die or I was going to pass out."

Quinn posted about the case again on Friday.

"You have no idea what a relief this is that she was found. Thank you for helping me get this story out there. Our community is safe again, knowing that she's behind bars," Quinn said on Facebook.

Authorities did not offer further details about Quinn's allegations. A possible motive behind the alleged abduction was not provided, nor was background information on Mendez available.

Anyone with relevant information was urged to contact Deputy E. Lopez at the Perris sheriff's station at 951-210-1000.