Contributed

A 45-year-old man who was among seven people from Riverside County charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol was sentenced on Monday to 18 months in federal prison.

Several new bills aimed at cracking down on crime in California were announced Monday. The new bills will target suspects involved in crimes across the state including thefts and violent shootings. Videos of people committing crimes have been released on social media a number of times this year and politicians said those videos are proof that crime is on the rise.

The Hemet/San Jacinto Student of the Month program held its most recent recognition breakfast at the Maze Stone at Soboba Springs Golf Course, Jan. 19. Seven local high school seniors were recognized and honored for their character, love of learning and commitment to academics in addition to their involvement in school and community activities and their ability to overcome difficult life challenges.

The spate of heavy rainstorms that swept across California during January’s early weeks exposed a lot of problems: weak bridges, inadequate reservoir capacity, poor drainage on many city streets and helplessness in the face of inevitable mudslides, to name just a few.

Have you ever been so beset by anguish, fear, or grief that you unconsciously dropped to your knees, interlocked your fingers, and began to pray? Even for people who never embraced religious faith, that instinct seems cemented deep in their souls.