Elva Phillips, front, celebrates her 100th birthday Thursday, Nov. 19, with great-granddaughter and granddaughter at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula. Valley News/Courtesy photo
TEMECULA – It’s not every day someone turns 100 years old, and it’s rarer that a newly turned centenarian opts to spend their birthday at a Southern California casino. But for Elva Phillips of Orange County, her big birthday wish was to spend it with her granddaughter and great-granddaughter at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula.Philips’s granddaughter, Robyn, alerted Pechanga management ahead of their arrival Thursday, Nov. 19, to ask if her grandmother’s favorite slot machine, a $1 Double Diamond Strike, would be available. The Pechanga Slot Department staff told her it would indeed, and they took some extra time to add some decorations and assemble a goodie bag for the birthday girl. Since the birthday girl arrived earlier in the day on a weekday, the staff provided Philip
