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The Coast News
INLAND EDITION
.com
VISTA, SAN MARCOS, ESCONDIDO
VOL. 3, N0. 9
MAY 5, 2017
Escondido names new fire chief By Adam Sullivan
At the Del Dios intersection of Date and Lake stands the 20-foot-tall sculpture of Hodgee. The statue was carved out of an old eucalyptus tree. Photo by Adam Sullivan
Del Dios denizens immortalize lake legend By Adam Sullivan
ESCONDIDO — Bigfoot. Nessie. The Chupacabra. All members of an incredibly rare subset of the animal kingdom, whose very existence is a matter of faith, not science. North County residents have another name to add to the list: “Hodgee.” Hodgee is a beast of unspecified proportion and unknown origin that makes its home in the murky blue waters of San Diego’s Lake Hodges. Though Hodgee hasn’t quite achieved the worldwide fame of say, Bigfoot, it is a beloved local story. An unofficial mascot, even.
Lake Hodges is a 1,234acre reservoir that provides much-needed water to arid San Diego County. It’s also a popular destination for fishing, hiking and a number of other outdoor activities. And now, at the northernmost tip of the lake, stands a two-story statue of Lake Hodges’ eponymous beast. The sculpture, carved over the past few months from a eucalyptus tree, serves as a fun homage to the unofficial mascot of Lake Hodges. Like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, Hodgee is a cryptozoological beast that makes its home in the reservoir.
“I think it’s absolutely terrific,” said Del Dios resident Renee Richetts. “It’s the essence of public art.” Richetts is herself a sculptor, with work on display in a room of the Escondido Arts Partnership Municipal Gallery, called “Richetts’ Space.” She was admiring the nearly completed sculpture with her grandchildren. Richetts explained that the city intended on cutting the massive eucalyptus down, when the top half had been stricken with a disease. “It was going to kill someone,” Richetts said. The Del Dios Town council stepped in and voted that, instead of
taking the tree down completely, they remove the top half, which was the diseased part, and make something of the rest. That “something” became a friendly, 20-foottall creature. A pair of local artists stepped up, volunteering their time and their craft to recycling the towering tree into something that will last forever. Ewing “Mitch” Mitchell and Stan Smith are both to thank for the sculpture. “Public art can have so many roles, beyond the obvious,” Richetts said. “To me, TURN TO HODGEE ON 16
‘Kitten season’ descends on San Diego County Humane Society By Adam Sullivan
REGION — San Diego County is being overrun, as it is each April, by a plague. But it’s not frogs or locusts that overrun the county. It’s kittens. Fuzzy, mewling, big-eyed kittens. This feline population leap, commonly referred to as “kitten season,” is the direct result of stray cats doing the stray cat strut (love was in the air approximately two months back), and kittens are showing up at Humane Societies all around San Diego. Kelli Schry, communications manager for the Humane Society, explained the phenomenon. “Kitten season is the time of year when cat breeding is at its highest,” she said. “Due to San Diego’s warmer climate, kitten season lasts most of the year,
A pair of kittens awaiting care. The Humane Society recommends fostering in pairs, so kittens can have companionship and socialization. Photo by Adam Sullivan
compared to other parts of the country. It is not uncommon for people to set out food and water for a lost cat, but
never take ownership of the cat, which results in thousands of stray, unaltered cats throughout our community.”
Because of the increased volume (the “season” can last from April through November), each year the Humane Society reaches out to the public for temporary foster homes. This allows the caregivers to handle the increase in care. Becoming a foster home for one of these adorable, potato-sized babies is not a simple process. There are specific steps to take in order to get approved. It begins with filling out an application on the Humane Society’s website (sdhumane.org) that asks for, among other things, your previous experience with animals and any accommodations you may need. Once completed, potential foster families are invited to attend a monthly orientation meetTURN TO KITTENS ON 6
ESCONDIDO — In the wake of Chief Russ Knowles’ recent retirement, Escondido Interim City Manager Jeffrey Epp has appointed a new fire chief by the name of Rick Vogt. Vogt brings three decades of experience to the table. He began his Escondido career in 2015 as the division chief for training and EMS, and was promoted to deputy chief of operations in 2016. Vogt began his career as a volunteer firefighter for the city of Palm Desert. From there he moved on to Temecula, where he was appointed station captain for Riverside County/ Cal Fire. Most recently, he served as the administrative and field battalion chief for the city of San Marcos. “Chief Vogt is the ideal candidate to continue the traditions of excellence, efficiency, integrity and outstanding public
Newly appointed fire chief Rick Vogt brings more than 30 years of experience to his new role. Courtesy photo
service that characterize the Escondido Fire Department,” Epp said. According to a 2011 report, the Escondido Fire Department maintains a staff of 96 full-time employees, as well as seven part-time employees and 24 volunteers.
CSUSM to go ‘smoke free’ in the fall By Aaron Burgin
SAN MARCOS — The California State University system is set to ban smoking on all of its campuses — including Cal State San Marcos — beginning in the fall. The move comes after CSU Chancellor Timothy White issued an executive order on April 7 to ban smoking on the 23 campuses in the CSU system. Smoking is currently allowed in designated areas on campus. The ban also covers e-cigarettes. “Becoming a smokeand tobacco-free campus protects and promotes the health and well-being of our campus community,” said Dr. Kimberly Pulvers, a CSUSM associate professor of psychology who has researched addiction and tobacco use extensively. “The smoke- and tobacco-free campus initiative supports the mission and values of our university, prepares our students to enter workforces which are increasingly smoke and tobacco-free, and supports environmental sustainability and litter reduction.” Pulvers said that the current set up of desig-
nated smoking areas does more harm than good, as they may encourage non-daily smokers to light up. “If you think that a
Until the university consistently enforces the current rule, a more stringent rule will not be effective.” Cara Morris Parent of CSUSM Freshman
lot of other people are engaging in a behavior, it makes it more likely that you will engage in that behavior,” she said. The ban takes place Sept. 1. A recent survey showed that most of Cal State San Marcos’ student body — threeTURN TO SMOKE FREE ON 16