The Coast News INLAND EDITION
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VISTA, SAN MARCOS, ESCONDIDO
VOL. 7, N0. 4
FEB. 18, 2022
‘Heroes Not Zeroes’
BEST
BUDS
SMUSD teachers protest proposed 0% pay increase By Stephen Wyer
tions nearby, earthquake fault lines in the area, and national security risks associated with Camp Pendleton,” Levin told The Coast News via email. “With Reps. Issa, Peters, Steel, Porter, and Kim cosponsor-
SAN MARCOS — San Marcos teachers are protesting what they’re calling an “insulting” contract offer made by the school district that would see no salary increases for educators during the 2021-2022 academic year. On Feb. 15, roughly 300 members of the San Marcos Educators’ Association (SMEA) gathered in front of the San Marcos Unified School District office to hold a rally titled “Heroes Not Zeroes” to protest the lack of progress made in contract negotiations with the district. Because of the complications and restrictions imposed on schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers in San Marcos have been working throughout the school year without a formalized contract. In a meeting held between teachers and district officials on Feb. 2, however, SMEA President Dale Pluciennik says that educators were alarmed and outraged after administrators came to the table with an offer that would raise salaries by 0% for the current school year and by just 1.25% for the following academic year. “Educators have been the glue that’s held our schools together through two years of a global pandemic … so I’m just boggled by it. From what I’ve heard from our teachers, they’ve been insulted by this offer,” Pluciennik said. “They’ve already had to deal with so much, their morale is really low, it was low in December
TURN TO BILL ON 9
TURN TO PROTEST ON 3
CHEECH & CHONG comedians Cheech Marin, left, and Tommy Chong on Feb. 1 launched a new statewide cannabis delivery service, Cheech & Chong’s Takeout. Chong, a cannabis connoisseur and activist, spoke to The Coast News about his personal experience with the drug and his ongoing efforts to legalize marijuana nationwide. Photo courtesy of Cheech & Chong’s Takeout
Comedians launch cannabis delivery service in state By Samantha Nelson
REGION — In a celebration of today's statewide launch of Cheech & Chong’s Takeout cannabis delivery service, comedian, activist and cannabis connoisseur Tommy Chong told The Coast News about how cannabis saved his life, guiding his efforts to make nationwide marijuana le-
galization a reality. Chong became a big name in the cannabis industry by offering a lineup of hemp and cannabis-related products. And while he is also known for getting high for fun, particularly in the iconic “Cheech & Chong” movies, Chong also advocates for hemp and CBD
products that don’t contain the mind-altering THC component and help treat chronic pain and other ailments. For Chong, 83, cannabis is a miracle plant with several different components that can be used as both medicine and treatments for serious illnesses and pains as well as a way
to help people kick back and relax. He credits cannabis for helping him save his life from cancer twice. “I firmly believe in the power of cannabis as far as the healing of the body goes,” Chong told The Coast News. “Cannabis gives you an appetite, it gives you TURN TO CHEECH & CHONG ON 5
Levin, Issa push for spent nuclear fuel removal with new bill By Samantha Nelson
REGION — The push to remove spent nuclear fuel from Southern California’s coastline continues with renewed bipartisan from Reps. Mike Levin (D-San Juan Capistrano) and Darrell Issa (R-Bonsall), who recently reintroduced the
Spent Fuel Prioritization Act. Levin, representing the state’s 49th congressional district, first introduced the bill in spring 2019 during his few months in office. Now he is joined by Issa, who represents the 50th district, along with a mix of
California Democrat Reps. Scott Peters and Katie Porter and Republican Reps. Michelle Steel and Young Kim. Bills must be reintroduced every congressional two-year session to be considered during that session. A bill from 2019 couldn’t be
voted on in the current session, which means it would need to be reintroduced either last year or this year. “I reintroduced this bill with Rep. Issa because we agree that we must prioritize moving nuclear waste from sites like San Onofre with large popula-