Inland Edition, February 3, 2023

Page 1

Murder trial begins

Former classmate charged in killing of Aris Keshishian

VISTA — A year and a half after the brutal murder of a young man from San Marcos, his loved ones are preparing for this tragedy to move into the hands of the justice system with the commencement of his accused assailant’s trial.

Court proceedings began this week in Vista Superior Court in the death of Aris Keshishian, 20, who was fatally stabbed in August 2021 near his San Marcos home.

The District Attorney’s Office has charged Kellon Razdan, 21, a former elementary school classmate of Keshishian, with first-degree murder in the slaying.

According to the District Attorney’s Office, Keshishian was walking his dog near his home in the 1100 block of Via Vera Cruz when Razdan appeared, chased him and stabbed him 44 times in a residential driveway.

Razdan fled in his car after a neighbor came to the scene, and family members discovered Keshishian shortly before he died from his injuries.

After two days of jury selection, the court was set for opening statements in the trial Wednesday morning.

The trial is expected to last until around Feb. 16 under Judge Kelly C. Mok.

Keshishian’s older sister, Adrineh, said the past year and a half has been like a never ending nightmare for herself and her parents,

Council taps Palomar trustee to fill vacancy

A City

Council majority voted to appoint current Palomar College Board Trustee Christian Garcia to the District 3 vacancy during a special meeting Monday.

Garcia was one of several candidates who applied to take over the seat left vacant last November. Deputy Mayor Joe Garcia, no relation to Christian Garcia, was previously the council member representing District 3. After his address was redistricted into District 2 following the 2020 census, he ran for reelection in District 2 in November.

Joe Garcia’s previous term in District 3 doesn’t expire until 2024, so the council decided to appoint a temporary member for the remainder of the term. A special election would have cost the city hundreds

NAVY CROSS

of thousands of dollars and wouldn’t have taken place until November, leaving the City Council with only four voting members for the majority of 2023 and leaving the elected council member only a 13-month term.

Vista HS probe finds misconduct; school to hire new football staff

— Vista Unified School District leaders notified the community Friday that an independent investigation into the Vista High School football program found a pattern of misconduct among a small number of team members and that a new coaching staff will be in place.

partment stated soon after that they determined that a sexual assault did not occur, district officials said it was clear that the victim had suffered “physical and emotional assault.”

GARCIA

Christian Garcia will step down from his position as a trustee for the college to take over as the District 3 council representative. He said the decision to step down was difficult given how much he admired the college and the experience he gained there.

“It’s been a very good learning opportunity,” he said during his interview

TURN TO COUNCIL ON 17

Vista changes how it fills SANDAG seat

Divided council takes job of making board appointments from mayor. 5

CSUSM prof earns statewide honor

History professor Alyssa Goldstein Sepinwall wins most prestigious award for CSU faculty. 7

District leaders launched the months-long investigation in September of 2022 after an incident in the school’s locker room drew widespread outrage from the community.

A video of the alleged incident, which occurred in late August, showed students in the locker room forcibly carrying a 14-yearold victim into a separate area where he was forced to the ground and surrounded, with students saying “rape him” in the background.

While officials with the school district and San Diego County Sheriff’s De-

An investigation, led by an unnamed outside investigator, into the culture of the football program continued for over three months, with several athletes and students interviewed during the process before an update was shared Friday.

“The outcome of the investigation indicated a pattern of inappropriate and unacceptable behavior occurring among a small number of football players,” Superintendent Matt Doyle said.

“While we are not able to publicly discuss details regarding discipline, I assure our community that consequences have been and are currently being im-

VOL. 10, N0.3 FEB. 3, 2023 INLAND EDITION .com T he Coas
mouse one for the books?
is in
for
Ret. Capt. E. Royce Williams, 97, of Escondido, was awarded a Navy Cross for heroism as a fighter pilot during the Korean War. Story on 11
Escondido
Pat
line
Guinness record as “oldest living mouse in human care.” 6
TURN TO VISTA HIGH ON 7 TURN TO TRIAL ON 17
KESHISHIAN

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San Marcos Unified boosts student mental health resources

SAN MARCOS — Going into her senior year, Mission Hills High School student Sierra Stanley was involved in a variety of school activities, including leadership of clubs. Beneath the surface, however, she was experiencing stress levels so high she was considering transferring, and she wanted to talk with somebody about the heaviness weighing on her mind.

She took a chance on the school’s counseling office and found a close confidant in school social worker Bina Gold, with whom she could share and process her feelings and discuss tips and tricks to help manage her stress. Now, Stanley frequents Gold’s office when she feels overwhelmed, and when they are unable to meet, she glances at the list of tips and tricks that she has written down over the months.

She wishes more of her peers could look past the stigma surrounding mental health and obtain the same kind of support.

“After seeing her, I feel like I can face the day, and I didn’t feel like that when I came in. Just hearing her kind words really helps me,” Stanley said. “I think a lot of people don’t really understand why I go — they kind of make fun of me for going. I wish people would understand how much she helps me, and that they can get the same help.”

San Marcos Unified School District officials have recognized three facts related to mental health: that countless elementary, middle and high school students are experiencing severe impacts from stresses both in and outside of school, that these impacts grew following COVID-19 shutdowns and that they need more re-

sources to meet the need.

In the wake of the pandemic, district leaders saw a troubling trend among students that was visible across the country — the suicidal ideation rate among middle and high schoolers had doubled; among elementary students, it had tripled.

“Last year, out of the many years I’ve been a

school social worker, was the hardest year of my career,” Gold said. “Everyone was hurting, everyone was somehow impacted, whether it’s mental health, whether it’s grief and loss, whether it’s navigating this new world. We had not just students coming through, but staff coming through.”

District staff began to

meet during the 2021-22 school year to discuss how they could leverage their available resources, and “it was almost by fate that at the same time, the city was looking to support these endeavors,” said Christi Frias, the district’s director of student services.

Thanks to a $1.25 million grant from the city

of San Marcos, as well as some strategic budgeting, the district was able to allocate funds that will allow students to access a greater variety of mental health resources on the school level.

The monies from the city, sourced from federal COVID-19 American Res-

FEB. 3, 2023 T he C oas T N ews - I N la N d e d ITI o N 3 FROM THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY DISTRIC T AT TORNEY’S OFFICE Law enforcement o cials from across the county are warning the public about a sharp increase in overdose deaths connected to the highly potent and often deadly drug, fentanyl. More than 700 people died last year in San Diego County. Fentanyl
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TURN TO MENTAL HEALTH ON 11
LEZYA WEGLARZ, above, SMUSD’s coordinator of multi-tiered systems of support pictured at Mission Hills High School, is leading the implementation of the district’s new mental health campaign. Top right, Mission Hills social worker Bina Gold, pictured in her counseling office, works with dozens of students every week who are struggling both in and out of school. Bottom right, Mission Hills sophomore Grey Gabbard says they have benefited greatly from the school’s mental health resources and hope more students can be reached. Photos by Laura Place

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& E dit Orial

Fantasy world of state housing policy

If you’re looking for sure things among bills under consideration in the state Legislature, think of one word: housing.

It’s not yet certain just which new housing measures will be proposed this year, but if the recent past is prologue, almost anything that includes new housing — permanent homes, tiny homes or temporary hotel and motel rooms for the homeless and new construction for other folks — will pass easily.

Celebrating Black History Month

February is Black History Month, a time to celebrate the vast number of achievements and contributions the Black community has made, and examine the innumerable challenges they have endured, overcome, and continue to face today.

I am especially pleased to have recently participated in the swearing-in ceremonies for two outstanding Black leaders and friends, both of whom made history: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, the first Black woman to lead the nation’s second largest city, and Dr. Shirley Weber, the first Black person elected as California’s Secretary of State.

While we have a long way to go to reach racial parity in office, these leaders and many others are helping to close that critical gap and ensure the diverse experiences and needs of the Black community are represented and respected.

Do you qualify for the California Earned Income Tax Credit?

W-2s and other tax forms have been mailed out, and the tax season now begins in earnest for most

The

Some of that housing is needed, but there’s no hard evidence backing the state’s claims that 1.8 million new units must be built by the end of 2030 both to avert a disastrous rise in homelessness and fill the needs of first-time homebuyers looking for something they can afford.

In fact, the state auditor last April reported that estimates of need from the state Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) are unreliable because they’re based on information inputted to state computers by workers who never vetted it at all.

Devastating as this report should have been, it was completely ignored by both lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom; no one in any office that deals with housing said a single public word about it.

Instead, they keep leaning on the unproven assumption that HCD estimates are correct.

while, if that often.

That’s why companies that still believe workers accomplish more when they’re crowded together are setting up gyms and private eateries to entice staffers to return.

Okay, one of four major new housing laws makes sense.

But last year’s other new law, allowing dense new housing to be built without parking spaces so long as it’s near mass transit, does not.

This one is based on the assumption that all residents of such new buildings will use the available mass transit and not keep or use their own cars and pickups. Said Newsom while signing the measure, “Reducing housing costs (by omitting parking spaces) for everyday Californians and eliminating emissions from cars: That’s what we call a win-win.”

folks. It’s time to share information about the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC), an incredible cash refund program that puts real money back in people’s pockets.

In recent years, over $200 million CalEITC tax credits have been extended to qualifying San Diegans.

One of my proudest achievements while serving as Speaker of the Assembly was establishing this vital program, and I’m heartened by that success and want to make sure everyone who is eligible benefits from it!

The first step to see if you can get this tax credit is

Letters to the Editor

to visit https://www.caleitc4me.org.

You can also find free tax prep help on the same site. Finally, to claim the credit, make sure to file a state tax return, even if you don’t owe anything.

People who qualify for the CalEITC and have a child under 6 may also qualify for the Young Child Tax Credit — extra reason to visit CalEITC4me.org today and learn more.

State Sen. Toni G. Atkins represents District 39 in San Diego County and is president pro tem of the California Senate.

body counts continue: Stop it!

Feeling numb from the increasing “body count” in American’s War-on-Civility?

As a U.S. Army combat veteran, I am familiar with body counts. War taught me to learn, teach and practice “less bloody ways of resolving differences.”

This learning curve is mission critical.

Serving as a high school teacher, I integrated

these skills into my state approved curriculum. Now retired, I give this curriculum to others who share this concern. This includes conflict resolution skills.

Ready to reduce the number of people choosing to use guns and other forms of abuse to “get their way”?

How?

Learn, teach and practice less hurtful behavior skills which build bridges

of understanding — not walls — between people.

Start with the person in the mirror and extend out to your family, friends, churches, schools and workplace. Replace the excuses with action and choose to resolve differences without hurting others.

Never mind that HCD’s current estimate of housing need is about 1.2 million units lower than five years ago, but only a fraction that many units have actually been built or converted from commercial space emptied by the COVID-19 pandemic.

So the same legislators who in 2021 passed bills known as SB 9 and SB 10, which essentially ended single family zoning statewide and allows apartment building in many currently spacious neighborhoods, in 2022 passed a couple more densifying laws.

Newsom signed all these measure into law with no hesitation. He shares all the assumptions pushed by HCD’s so-called experts, despite their being found derelict by the auditor.

One of last year’s new bills is already useful. That’s a measure allowing conversion of empty office or big box space and some parking lots into housing without local approvals.

It was high time folks in high places recognized the reality that many white collar workers sent home to work at the pandemic’s outset will only be back in their old offices once in a

But this assumption has never panned out. Because light rail and express buses don’t reach every corner of California’s cities, folks without cars often are left to hoof it for miles when they get as close to their destinations as mass transit can take them.

Knowing this, most still drive. That’s borne out by the reality that transit use has not risen significantly even as thousands of new apartments and condominiums went up in cities like Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento and Fresno. Eliminating parking spaces in new buildings has already led to bidding wars for off-street parking in some areas around new buildings.

There will be more of this, in addition to the ongoing frequent competition for on-street parking in and near those places. That’s because everyone wants mobility.

Newsom has not given up his, often riding in chauffeured vehicles escorted by local police and highway patrol motorcycles.

In short, this state’s housing policy operates in a kind of fantasy world first pushed by Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco, whose plans to densify the state languished for years in legislative committees before Newsom began supporting and signing them.

4 T he C oas T N ews - I N la N d e d ITI o N FEB. 3, 2023
OpiniOn
Views expressed in Opinion & Editorial do not reflect the views of The Coast News
Email Thomas Elias at tdelias@aol.com.
california focus tom elias
STATE SENATE president pro tem Toni G. Atkins, right, swears in California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, the first Black person to be elected to that office. Courtesy photo

Suspended principal won’t return

Baker, acting principal since Oct., replaces Mitchell at Mission Hills HS

SAN MARCOS — The former principal of Mission Hills High School will remain on leave until June 30, at which time his employment will end, San Marcos Unified School District officials announced last week.

Cliff Mitchell, who became principal in 2020, was placed on leave in October after administrators became aware of a “reported matter” in late September, with a subsequent investigation taking place over the following months.

On Jan. 24, Superintendent Andy Johnsen in-

formed the community that Mitchell would not return and that acting principal Nathan Baker, formerly the school’s assistant principal, will be the new permanent principal.

“We have since completed our investigation, and I want to share with you

that Mr. Mitchell will not be returning to Mission Hills,” Johnsen said in a statement. “While I understand it is natural to want as many details as possible, please understand that personnel matters are confidential, and we cannot share additional information.”

District officials have stated that the reported situation did not appear to involve harm to a student.

District spokesperson Amy Ventetuolo said law enforcement was not involved at any point in the matter.

Baker, who served as acting principal since

Vista’s SANDAG rep no longer mayor’s call

Mitchell was placed on leave in October, became the permanent principal of Mission Hills beginning Feb. 1. He has worked 10 years at Mission Hills.

The school’s acting assistant principal Tina Hernandez, who has worked as an English Language coordinator and teacher on special assignments, fills the role vacated by Baker.

“We are excited about the school and believe that with this leadership stability, MHHS is positioned for continued success now and into the future,” Johnsen said.

VISTA — A bitter battle was on display as a divided Vista City Council recently changed how members are appointed to the San Diego Association of Governments board of directors.

Under the city’s original ordinance, the mayor of Vista was solely responsible for submitting appointments to regional boards and commissions, including SANDAG.

However, council members Corinna Contreras, Katie Melendez and Dan O’Donnell voted 3-2 to amend the ordinance during its Jan. 24 meeting to allow any council member to recommend a SANDAG appointee.

Mayor John Franklin, who currently represents the city on the SANDAG board, and Councilman Joe Green opposed the measure.

The council approved the change two days later 3-1 on second reading (with Green absent) and is expected to appoint Melendez as the board’s new representative.

critic of SANDAG and its regional plan, which eliminates all highway projects in North County in favor of mobility hubs, flexible fleets and transit upgrades.

In Vista, the plan would double-track the Sprinter rail line, add more shuttles, buses and routes.

“They didn’t do crap for us,” Green said of the SANDAG board. “Now, we have five mayors locking arms. The people of Vista are not running to trains and buses. It’s not our job to change behavior. Our job is to spend money most feasibly. That’s what Mayor Franklin’s fighting for.”

JULIANA MUSHEYEV, a local homeless advocate, says the role of police in society needs to change at a Jan. 29 rally in front of Escondido City Hall in response to the recent deaths of Tyre Nichols and Keenan Anderson. Photos by Joe Orellana

Escondido protest decries Nichols’ death

ESCONDIDO — Community organizers gathered in front of city hall on Sunday to protest the excessive use of police force in the deaths of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee, and Keenan Anderson in Los Angeles.

Yusef Miller, executive director of the North County Equity and Justice Coalition, led a series of speakers at the rally on Jan. 29 demanding an end to police brutality and seeking justice in the January deaths.

On Jan. 7, five Memphis police officers severely beat 29-year-old Tyre Nichols during a traffic stop. He was hospitalized in critical condition and died three days later. An autopsy report showed that he suffered from “excessive bleeding caused by a severe beating.”

The officers were fired Jan. 20 and were arrested Jan. 26 and charged with murder and other crimes related to Nichols’ death. Three Memphis EMTs were also fired for their failure to adequately assess Nichols’ condition at the scene.

On Jan. 27, the Memphis Police Department released clips of bodycam and nearby surveillance footage of the brutal incident, which have led to widespread protests in Memphis and across the nation, including San Diego.

At the Escondido demonstration, Miller noted

that although all of the officers were black like Nichols, the race of the person wearing the uniform doesn’t matter.

“It’s hard to fathom for some of us how the situation looks when another African American has died at the hands of African American police officers, but we’ve realized it doesn’t matter the race of the officer in the uniform,” Miller said. “It matters that the uniform has a culture of abusing people of color.”

Miller also noted that the officers were swiftly terminated from the police and arrested unlike other similar situations where white police officers are involved in the death of unarmed, black individuals.

“We need swift action in all cases like that,” Miller said.

Just a few days before Nichols died, on Jan. 3, Keenan Anderson suffered cardiac arrest and died nearly five hours after Los Angeles police officers restrained him and tasered him six times following a vehicle crash. Anderson, 31, is the cousin of Patrisse Cullors, a co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement.

In the case of Anderson, bodycam footage showed police trying to arrest him after an accident. Anderson appears to be in a distressed state and fearful of the po-

lice, and at one point runs into the street where police order him on his stomach, surround and shock him several times until he appears limp. He was rushed to the hospital but died a few hours later.

According to LAPD, a preliminary toxicology report of Anderson’s blood samples showed positive tests for cocaine and marijuana.

Miller said Anderson was experiencing a mental health breakdown that was “answered with force and violence” that cost him his life.

“We need to improve the bridge between mental health and law enforcement so that people do not lose their lives,” Miller said. “(Anderson) was clearly mentally disturbed for whatever reason… that escalated into a situation that took his life.”

Besides Miller, speakers included ministers of two local churches who recalled the protests in response to George Floyd’s death in 2020.

“Three years ago, Americans took to the streets in millions protesting the death of George Floyd,” said Rev. Sharon Wylie of the Chalice Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Escondido. “Three years later, we’re in danger of becoming numb to the persistence of police brutality.”

Rev. Meg Decker of the Trinity Episcopal Church said the deaths of Anderson and Nichols should matter to everyone.

“Every person’s death diminishes each of us because we belong to humanity,” Decker said. “We see those who are different from us — those of different races or different economic backgrounds, from different areas of the country — and think we can walk away, that it doesn’t matter, but the deaths of these men matter to each and every one of us.”

Local community organizer and homeless advocate Juliana Musheyev wants to see a fundamental change in the role the police play in society.

“While working with homeless people in Escondido, we’ve asked them what role the police play in their lives. … They never tell us that they helped or aided them, it’s a force that pushes them out and pushes them down,” Musheyev said. “What we need is a fundamental shift in our society where we have forces that are here to protect us.”

Other upcoming North County events in honor of Tyre Nichols include a candlelight vigil at Magee Park in Carlsbad on Friday, Feb. 3, and a skateboarding memorial event at Poods Skatepark in Encinitas on Saturday, Feb. 4.

The regional planning agency is the most high-profile board for a San Diego-area council member — SANDAG handles a nearly $1 billion annual budget and is in the midst of a controversial $172 billion regional transportation plan.

The agency has been embroiled in conflict over recent months following a SANDAG auditor’s report that found staff spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on purchases deemed “improper” and “questionable.”

Tensions again recently boiled over when a bipartisan group of nine SANDAG board members, including Franklin, walked out of a meeting in protest over the board’s weighted voting system, which they say negatively impacts the smaller member cities.

“This is not Democrats versus Republicans,” Franklin said. “It’s downtown (San Diego) versus suburbia. It’s North County and East County being screwed by the City of San Diego. It’s about an 800-pound gorilla versus a bunch of puppies, and they’re squashing us.”

Before the meeting, Melendez posted a caricature of Franklin to social media, making fun of his support for widening state Route 78.

During the Jan. 24 meeting, Franklin and Contreras got into a heated argument. At one point, Contreras accused Franklin of attempting to have sheriff’s deputies remove her from a previous meeting, an accusation the mayor vehemently denied.

Councilman Joe Green said while he doesn’t always agree with the mayor, Franklin won the election as a vocal

Franklin has been one of the most vocal detractors of SANDAG’s proposed road user charge, a mileage fee estimated to cost drivers 3.3 cents per mile starting in 2030. The program also calls for another road charge levied by the state at 2.5 cents per mile, two half-cent tax increases for all San Diego County residents, a tax ballot measure to charge fees to rideshare companies and installing toll roads on all highways.

SANDAG’s plan is the only transportation plan in the state with a regional and state road user charge, according to board representatives.

On the other side, Contreras and Melendez have voiced their support of a controversial road-user charge in SANDAG’s regional plan, arguing it’s a solution to get the county to meet its state mandates to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, they said if the plan’s 2025 update isn’t approved by the California Air Resources Board, the city would be ineligible for gas tax funds.

“I want someone to stay in that seat and advocate for Vista,” Contreras said. “We can lobby the county, lobby the City of San Diego. We got to be more creative, and we have to figure this out. First, SANDAG was super corrupt, and now we’re trying to have more transparency. I’m sick and tired of losing out.”

O’Donnell, who supports the regional plan and Melendez’s appointment to the board, criticized Franklin for leaving the meeting, saying the walkout was not a sign of leadership.

If named the city’s next SANDAG representative, Melendez said she would fight for the city’s Emerald Drive corridor project, which aims to improve road safety through traffic-calming measures.

“In March, the Emerald project will be up for consideration for the third time,” Melendez said. “I don’t trust our mayor. Why send someone to SANDAG to give us a voice when that representative won’t participate.”

FEB. 3, 2023 T he C oas T N ews - I N la N d e d ITI o N 5
YUSEF MILLER, executive director of the North County Equity and Justice Coalition, speaks with reporters at the rally.

New dishwasher using lots of energy small talk

jean

I’m writing what I hope is the last chapter of my horror story. I call it “The Dishwasher Curse.”

With full participation of Murphy’s Law, the story starts when my only-8-yearold dishwasher died. Being what seemed prudent at the time, I drove to Oceanside to a wholesale appliance store to find a new one.

This has worked for me with refrigerators, so I boldly went for something less expensive. (I dislike the term “cheap.”)

I spent an hour staring at dozens of dishwashers and finally picked one that seemed sufficient. I paid and arranged delivery for the next week.

On schedule, as the new one was installed, (tense music builds here) they determined it had a leak and was unusable. They took away my old one and left the defective one.

I had to call the next day and arrange what I thought would be a simple replacement. (Cynical music here). Oh, gee.

The outlet didn’t have any others like the one I wanted, so I would need to drive to Oceanside in 5

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via email to community@ coastnewsgroup.com.

REMEMBERING ROSA

In 1955, Rosa Parks was riding home from a long day at work by bus in Montgomery, Alabama, when she refused to give up her seat to white riders so they could sit down. To commemorate Rosa Parks’ birthday, and all she stood for, North County Transit District is joining other public transportation agencies around the country in recognizing Feb. 4 as “Transit Equity Day” and offering free rides on all NCTD modes — Coaster, Breeze, Sprinter, Flex and Lift — for the entire day.

GREAT GRADS

Aaron Nickolas Salazar, Allie Bigger, Kevin Ohm, Tyrece Miguel Moore, Juan David Ramirez, Lindsey Ortiz, Rico M. Young, Christopher O. Desamours, Melody Begay-Betonie, David Nicholas Nero, Sandra Newman and Soniya Kim Stoddard, all of Oceanside; Ethan Knowles and Roger Renschler, both of Carlsbad; Ashtyn Rybecca Lamb of Vista; and Abrahan Ramirez of San Marcos

p.m. traffic for a third time (credit card confusion) and select another.

After a bit of thought, I realized I had no more time for that and canceled my order altogether. It took three calls to the outlet on three different days, over the course of a month, before someone actually did the return paperwork.

Each time I had, of course, been assured it was all taken care of.

I took a hiatus and did all dishes by hand again, trying to forget all this even happened. Finally, my daughter insisted I make another purchase.

This time I went straight to the home improvement store and picked out one that was definitely not wholesale.

They installed it, ran it and left. I loaded it, tried to run it and got nothing. (Crazy, monster-behind-you music here) Somewhere along the line, the door latch had failed. Picture me weeping into my dishtowel. I finally figured out who to call and they graciously offered to replace it — in a week to 10 days. (Relieved but suspicious music here.) Will the new one arrive? Will it work? Will a poltergeist leap out of it?

Stay tuned.

Jean Gillette is a freelance writer with very wrinkled fingertips. Contact her at jean@coastnewsgroup.com.

graduated from the University of Maryland Global Campus in fall 2022.

STAR SCHOLARS

• Anna Nguyen of Carmel Valley was named to the Siena College president’s list for the fall 2022 semester.

• Ariane Rouffignac of Carmel Valley was named to the Mansfield University fall 2022 dean’s list.

• Hofstra University congratulates Ashley Castaneda of Vista and Hailey Mullen and Alexis Friedman, both of Oceanside, named to the fall 2022 dean’s list for outstanding academic achievement.

• Preston Buscher, Adyson Baker and Luke McLellan, all of Carlsbad, and Brianna Burg of Carmel Valley were named to the Miami University dean’s list.

• Makena Kronemyer of San Diego and Ella Chambers of Solana Beach were named to the Miami University president’s list.

• Delaney Diltz and Delaney Nickerson of San Diego were named to the dean’s list at the University of New Hampshire for the fall 2022 semester.

MISSION FED GIVES GRANT Mission Federal Credit Union, a member-owned, not-for-profit financial institution serving San Diego County, received $25,000 in grant funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank of

name

It seems I’m writing more lately about the importance of maintaining a good reputation and how easy it is for strangers or casual acquaintances to ruin it.

ON FEB. 8, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance will attempt to secure a Guinness World Records title for “Oldest Living Mouse in Human Care” to recognize 9-year-old Pat, a Pacific pocket mouse named after actor Patrick Stewart. Courtesy photo

Pat the mouse up for Guinness record

— On

Feb. 8, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance will attempt to secure a Guinness World Records title for “oldest living mouse in human care” to recognize Pat, a Pacific pocket mouse fondly named after actor Patrick Stewart.

Pat, 9, was born July 14, 2013 at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, in the first year of the organization’s Pacific pocket mouse conservation breeding and reintroduction program.

The Pacific pocket mouse is North America’s smallest mouse species.

Debra Shier, Brown Endowed Associate Director of Recovery Ecology at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, who established and continues to oversee

San Francisco’s 2022 Access to Housing and Economic Assistance for Development (AHEAD) Program. Locally, the grant was awarded to The Urban Corps of San Diego County (Urban Corps) to provide direct financial assistance to its Corpsmembers.

FINDING LOST PETS

Before your pet goes missing, consider San Diego Humane Society’s launch of Lost2Found to help people reunite with their lost pets faster. The cell phone texting program provides automated texts with stepby-step instructions to help people search for their missing pets. Lost2Found is a one-way communication system that texts tips and support at strategic intervals to support owners and provide resources as they search for their lost pets. Pet owners are sent 28 messages over a 60-day time period.

PROTECTING THE PORPOISE

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society debuted its new ship, Seahorse, on Jan. 24 in Operation Milagro to protect the Vaquita porpoise. In Operation Milagro, Sea Shepherd and the Mexican government protect the Zero Tolerance Area of the Vaquita Refuge by keeping the illegal fishing gear that ensnares the world’s most endangered marine mammal out of the UNESCO-recognized protected zone.

the Pacific pocket mouse conservation program, will be featured speaker at the celebration event, where an adjudicator with Guinness World Records will officiate at Beckman Center for Conservation Research at Escondido’s San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

This recognition would be a win for the small, often-overlooked species that plays a critical role in its ecosystem.

Drastic Pacific pocket mouse population declines prompted the establishment of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s conservation breeding and reintroduction program in 2012, to help save the species from extinction.

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance carries out a breeding program and

studies behavior, ecology, genetics, microbiome and physiology to best support genetically diverse, healthy and behaviorally competent mice that are well prepared for reintroduction into their native habitat.

Last year, 2022, was a historic breeding season for North America’s smallest mouse.

At the conservation breeding center, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance recorded the earliest breeding event and pup birth in the history of the program — and the team helped with producing a record 31 litters, for a total of 117 pups during the spring and summer months.

Many of these mice will be reintroduced into native habitat this spring.

Schools earn state honors

year’s group of California Distinguished School Program awardees includes a slate of North County schools in the Solana Beach, Del Mar Union, Encinitas Union and Escondido Union districts.

The list of the over 350 awardees throughout the state, all elementary schools, was released by California Department of Education on Jan. 6 and included schools from nine districts in San Diego County.

Schools were selected for meeting at least one of two main goals — closing the achievement gap and achieving student excellence — by examining a mix of factors identified through school data. Along with attendance rates and school performance, the state looked at schools’ professional development and social-emotional wellness efforts.

The schools’ “innovation and hard work have helped to ensure their students can heal, recover, and thrive—even in the toughest times,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.

Five of the seven schools in the Solana Beach School District

Regardless of what you sell, the impact on your business can easily be devastating.

Longtime readers may recall June 2012, when I turned down the opportunity to run for vice president of the United States.

At the time of my announcement, I recalled the sentiment of John Nance Garner, who filled that office under Franklin D. Roosevelt. Mr. Garner likened the job to “a bucket of warm spit.” Definitely not for me!

So I walked away from the chance to be yet another unqualified politician running for an office he didn’t really want. My belief was, and remains, that others are far better suited for such an august position.

Still, my brief flirtation with national office raised concerns around my dinner table. Out of an abundance of caution, I’ve had the house thoroughly searched for important documents.

I’ve moved twice in the past five years, so I was troubled with the idea of a special counsel being appointed to investigate my case.

were recognized, along with two of Encinitas Union’s nine schools, five of Del Mar Union’s nine schools and two of Escondido Union’s 23 schools.

Other county districts with schools on the list were San Diego Unified, Julian Union, Mountain Empire Unified, Warner Unified and the San Diego County Office of Education.

Elementary schools and middle and high schools are recognized for the award on alternating years.

The list of North County award recipients are as follows:

Del Mar Union Elementary School District

— Ocean Air Elementary, Sage Canyon Elementary, Ashley Falls Elementary, Sycamore Ridge Elementary, Carmel Del Mar Elementary Encinitas Union Elementary School District — El Camino Creek Elementary, Capri Elementary Escondido Union Elementary School District

— Classical Academy, Heritage K-8 Charter Solana Beach School District — Carmel Creek Elementary, Solana Highlands Elementary, Solana Pacific Elementary, Skyline Elementary, Solana Ranch Elementary

Not that I’ve anything to hide, mind you, but one can’t be too careful these days. The news reports that current and former members of Congress, as well as executive branch officials, are checking for classified documents in their garages and sock drawers.

One columnist after another notes such matters aren’t limited to people named Biden, Pence and Trump.

And I’m pleased to say that after several sweeps of my home and private office, the only errant papers turned up were a photograph of my ex-wife (since shredded) and an outdated Chinese food menu.

I share this news in the interests of full disclosure. People who know me well understand I’m a quality person, but those with whom I have transitory relationships might believe anything.

This lark is presented as a friendly warning that it’s way too easy for virtually anyone to impugn your name because they don’t like your politics, religion, race or hairstyle.

Keep your nose clean and your name unblemished. It’s sure to do good things for your business in the long run.

With that said, I wish you a week of profitable marketing.

Get

6 T he C oas T N ews - I N la N d e d ITI o N FEB. 3, 2023
at www.askmrmarketing.com.
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Escondido High School names new football coach

ESCONDIDO — New Escondido High School

head football coach Stephen Dixon brings a new philosophy and fresh wave of energy to help inspire the Cougars squad for the upcoming season.

Dixon, a physical trainer, was recently hired to take the helm in the aftermath of head coach Aron Gideon’s sudden resignation after just one season. Under Gideon, the Cougars finished 3-7.

Dixon had interviewed for the position last year, and despite making a strong impression, the school selected Gideon, a former head coach at Taft High in Woodland Hills.

But Principal Jason Jacobs encouraged him to reapply for the position this year.

“(Dixon) had a strong interview the first time and an even stronger interview this time around,” Jacobs said.

Dixon brings 12 years of coaching experience to Escondido High, having previously served as the defensive coordinator at La Jolla High School, where he helped the Vikings win two league titles and finish second in the Division 2 CIF Championship.

Before that, Dixon served as the defensive coordinator and assistant defensive coach at La Jolla Country Day, helping lead the Torreys to win the Division 4 CIF Championship and finish second at state.

Over the past year, Dixon also led youth teams in 7-on-7 tournaments around Escondido.

“I think he’s going to

posed on a number of student athletes in accordance with district policies, CIF regulations, and the law.”

Doyle’s office did not immediately respond to inquiries from The Coast News regarding the specific actions discovered in the investigation.

Back in September, two students believed to be the perpetrators in the locker

‘Major victory’: CSU OKs renaming Craven Hall

be a great leader for us,” Jacobs said.

Dixon recently moved to the Hidden Meadows area of Escondido with his wife, Chamille, and their three young children, Caia, Cade and newborn Cobe. The family attends Canvas Church in Escondido.

So far, Dixon has met with some of the young players he will be leading next year during workout sessions at the high school.

“They seem pretty excited,” Dixon said. “There’s a sense of joy… it’s kind of like turning a new leaf.”

Dixon is planning a rebranding phase for the team with new uniforms, enhanced social media presence and a new coaching philosophy.

“We’re going to build champions while chasing championships,” Dixon said. “We’re going to teach them to be the best version of themselves they can be whether it’s during weights or in class.”

Dixon is also excited about his fellow coaches, praising Jerome Watson, the team’s offensive coordinator and assistant coach, for his ability to excite the team. Dixon also acknowledged Escondido High baseball coach Aaron Hoofard, who is currently coaching some of the same kids on the football team.

“We want to support our multi-sport kids,” Dixon said. “We want to show up for them not just for football but for other sports outside the season.”

The team recently launched its new Instagram page @escocougarfb.

room incident were restricted from participating in football activities but permitted to continue attending school.

Vista High School’s varsity head football coach Dave Bottom was placed on administrative leave early in the investigation, and a freshman coach was let go.

In his Friday statement, Doyle also confirmed that the district would be “restructuring the VHS football coaching staff” and

SAN MARCOS

— The state-level board of trustees overseeing the California State University system has given Cal State San Marcos the green light to rename one of its on-campus buildings that has been a source of strife due to its controversial namesake.

Craven Hall, named for the late Sen. William Craven, will now be renamed simply to the Administration Building until a workgroup reaches a recommendation for a new name, CSUSM officials announced Jan. 26.

The CSU board of trustees approved the recommendation as part of its consent calendar on Wednesday after being brought forward by a task force at CSUSM following 18 months of deliberation and passed on by President Ellen Neufeldt in January.

“I want to thank the task force once again for its thoughtful research and deliberation on this matter, which included extensive consultation with students, faculty, staff, alumni and members of our broader community,” Neufeldt said in a message last week to the campus community. “As we move forward, I know that this decision is grounded in our values of who we are as an institution that prioritizes diversity, equity and inclusion as well as the success of all our students.”

This change has been a long time coming for many community members, particularly students and staff of color, who have asked the university to reexamine how they honor Craven’s legacy.

While he has been called “the father of CSUSM” for his tireless efforts to secure support and funding to open the university, he was also known for his repeated offensive statements about Hispanic and undocumented people in the 1990s.

Efforts to change the name date back nearly 30 years, with the school’s faculty senate in 1994 voting to change the name, but no action was taken by administrators.

Only in 2021, when the faculty senate voted in favor of a name change once again, university leaders called for the organization of a task force to seriously consider the matter.

“This is after three decades of struggle to change the name, so it’s a major victory as far as looking at racial justice across the United States. Although

starting the recruitment process for new coaches in the coming weeks.

Circulation of the video and initial news of the incident caused days of disruption in the district, including students protesting outside the district office, after-school activities being canceled as well as the football program forfeiting a series of games in September.

According to Doyle, the district implemented a series of programs and

CSUSM professor honored by Cal State system

By City News Service

SAN MARCOS — Cal State San Marcos history professor Alyssa Goldstein Sepinwall was honored with a prestigious award for faculty in the California State University system, school officials said last week.

Sepinwall was one of five winners of the Wang Family Excellence Award.

Each year, the CSU recognizes four faculty and one staff member for their “unwavering commitment to student achievement and advancing the CSU mission through excellence in teaching, scholarship and service.”

It is the most prestigious award given to CSU faculty, according to the university system.

She received the Wang Family Excellence Award for Outstanding Faculty Teaching and was honored publicly Jan. 24 during the CSU Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach.

“I’m incredibly grateful for this recognition of my teaching from the CSU,” Sepinwall said. “I love to bring history alive for students and build critical thinking skills that help them be successful, no

this is a Cal State San Marcos outcome, it speaks to a larger struggle,” said Dr. Xuan Santos, an associate professor at CSUSM who participated in the task force.

“This is just one of many things that needs to happen for social equity to exist. This wasn’t just about professors, students … it’s about the regional and statewide communities.”

Neufeldt asked the campus community for patience while the school up -

training immediately after the incident was brought to their attention to “change the culture” of the football program.

These efforts included an athletics and sportsmanship workshop, a guest speaker to address culture and expectations, implicit bias training for student-athletes and coaches, and engaging all football players in restorative circles with experts from the National Conflict Resolution Center.

matter their career.

“When students understand history as lived experience rather than as a dry subject based on names and dates, then I feel like I’ve done my job,” she said.

Sepinwall is the fifth CSUSM faculty member to win a Wang award since it was introduced in 1998.

The previous four were Laurie Stowell (education, 2005), Kristine Diekman (arts, media and design, 2016), Keith Trujillo (psychology, 2017) and Merryl Goldberg (music, 2018).

Sepinwall has taught at CSUSM since 1999, and has won its top teaching awards — the President’s Award for Innovation in Teaching in 2004 and the Brakebill Distinguished Professor Award for overall excellence in 2014.

According to a university statement, she is known for her “creative and innovative approaches to teaching,” including holding cookoffs to explore changes in eating habits for her course Women and

dates its physical and digital signage and descriptive references to the building.

In addition, a work group will be tasked with

Jewish History and gamifying the French Revolution for the Revolutionary Europe class.

Her research on topics including the history of gender discrimination in France and early Haitian intellectuals became the foundation for a host of new courses, the university said.

“I strive to get to know my students and help them toward ‘aha’ moments, when they realize how history connects to their lives,” Sepinwall said. “I love bringing them information from the cutting edge of my field, where I publish on topics from the history of racism to historical video games.

After students expressed interest in the subject of depictions of history in video games, Sepinwall became one of the first historians to write about it — the basis for her 2021 book “Slave Revolt on Screen: The Haitian Revolution in Film and Video Games.” Sepinwall will receive a $20,000 prize that is provided through a gift from CSU Trustee Emeritus Stanley T. Wang and administered through the CSU Foundation.

considering other ways to preserve Craven’s legacy on campus, which was another recommendation by the task force.

FEB. 3, 2023 T he C oas T N ews - I N la N d e d ITI o N 7
VISTA HIGH CONTINUED FROM FRONT
STEPHEN DIXON takes over as football coach at Escondido High. The Cougars finished 3-7 last season. Courtesy photo
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CRAVEN HALL was named after the late state Sen. Willam Craven, who was instrumental in CSUSM’s founding but criticized for statements regarding Hispanic and undocumented persons. Courtesy photo SEPINWALL
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San Marcos unveils renovated Jack’s Pond Nature Center

SAN MARCOS — San Marcos residents saw new life breathed into the little red barn at Jack’s Pond Park this week as the city unveiled the renovated nature center with nine newly-designed immersive classrooms focused on the city’s flora and fauna.

A beloved destination for families and school field trips, the nature center is the jewel of the 23-acre Jack’s Pond Park off La Moree Road in San Marcos, offering hands-on activities for elementary-aged youth.

After being closed for most of the past three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the center’s grand reopening was celebrated Wednesday by city leaders, dozens of families and members of Friends of San Marcos, a nonprofit supporting local parks that donated $6,000 toward the project.

Those funds were used to spruce up the various nature-themed classrooms, many of which had become outdated, and transition them to be more specific to San Marcos.

The room themes now include freshwater life, nocturnal animals, trails, insects, reptiles, birds, local history, and conservation, with another cozy room for reading.

“I think every single one of these rooms is symbolic of something that we as residents are passionate about in this city,” said Friends of San Marcos director Lauren King.

After the ribbon was cut, eager kids of all ages explored the new rooms. Pelts waited to be touched in the nocturnal animal’s room, recordings of different bird cries could be heard, and poles could be used for “fishing” in the freshwater room.

Several residents had come to the center in the years before the renovations and were impressed with the changes.

“We were excited to hear they were gonna renovate it,” said Malynda Clair, who attended the reopening with her daughter Mila. “It’s super exciting to see San Marcos grow and

develop — I love it.”

One city employee, in particular, was at the core of the center’s redesign, taking it on as a passion

project. Recreation leader Erin Rimmereid has spent countless hours at the barn in Jack’s Pond Park, working part-time at the nature

center before transitioning to a full-time role overseeing the site and leading field trips.

Rimmereid planned

garlands to almost all the painted murals.

She also spearheaded making the conservation room entirely out of recycled materials.

“It’s been a really fun experience. I’m an environmental studies major, so I’m really passionate about the environment,” Rimmereid said. “We wanted to make it an immersive experience.”

She also played a significant role in securing funding from the Friends of San Marcos, which had previously provided funding for first graders at Title 1 schools to attend field trips at the center.

“Erin came to our board and said, ‘I’d like to do some upgrades,’ and that helped us make the decision. She brought her ideas to us, and we said, ‘You know what, you’re right,’ because it had been a long time since it had been upgraded,” recalled President Kathryn Gray. “It was an easy thing to say yes to.”

Once the Friends agreed to provide funding, things took off, and the nature center was able to purchase what Rimmereid hadn’t been able to make on her own — the “manipulatives,” or hands-on activities for each room, as well as decor like new rugs.

“We’ve been working on it for about four years. We got the grant about a year ago, and that’s when things kicked into gear. Before that, we were working with what we had, but when the friends came in … that’s when all the big changes came in,” Rimmereid said, looking around the new, colorful center now crowded with families.

“It’s really cool to see this many people here; I’ve never seen it like this.”

out and created all the new decorations adorning the center’s classrooms, from the life-size paper trees and painted egg carton

The Jack’s Pond Nature Center is at 986 La Moree Road. The nature center is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, and it is run entirely by volunteers. Field trips are also offered every Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon, with more information available at san-marcos.net/ play/jack-s-pond-naturecenter.

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SAN MARCOS MAYOR Rebecca Jones cuts the ribbon for the renovated Jack’s Pond Nature Center on Jan. 18. The center had been closed for much of the past three years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Photos by Laura Place VISITORS EXPLORE the new insect room at the Jack’s Pond Nature Center, the jewel of the 23-acre Jack’s Pond Park located off La Moree Road in San Marcos. RECREATION LEADER Erin Rimmereid, from left, Friends of San Marcos president Kathryn Gray and Friends director Lauren King at the renovated Jack’s Pond Nature Center.

Edisto Island, S.C., a vacation destination steeped in history

hit the road

Looking head-on at the Edisto Island Museum, it does appear to be on the small side. But “it’s bigger than it looks,” says Director Gretchen Smith.

And sure enough, walk through the door of the former plantation-property home, and you’ll discover 3,500-square-feet of island history and culture, as well as a gallery featuring works by local artists.

“(The former house) has been added on to several times,” Smith says. “It was part of the Middleton’s plantation and belonged to a Black family. The plantation owners sold off portions of their land and the developer gave it to the Edisto Island Historic Preservation Society, which operates the museum. I guess he thought that no one would want to live on Highway 174,” the island’s main road.

You can be forgiven if you’ve never heard of Edisto (ED-is-tow) Island, about 45 minutes southwest of Charleston. Today, Edisto’s 65 square miles and the town of Edisto Beach are touted as a family vacation destination.

Summer brings thousands of visitors who rent

homes (no hotels) and come for the pristine, shell-covered beach; loggerhead turtles; massive, centuries-old live oaks dripping with Spanish moss; mom-andpop shops and restaurants; a slower pace of life; and the ubiquitous water — marshes, creeks, rivers and the Atlantic, all rich with wildlife.

All of the above are why Smith built a vacation home on Edisto and later retired here. In 2007, she was recruited as director of the museum, which opened in 1986.

“I picked up the mantle

but put my own priorities on it,” she says. “The museum had done a really good job of telling Edisto history from the white plantation owner’s view, so we gradually expanded the story to include the history of the Blacks who lived on the island.”

Smith’s most thrilling experience as director was facilitating the transfer in 2013 of an original slave cabin from Edisto’s Point of Pines Plantation to the then-newly opened National Museum of African American History and Culture on the Mall in Washington,

D.C. Its curator called the cabin “one of the jewels of the museum positioned at its center to tell the story of slavery and freedom within its walls.”

“A family of 13 actually lived in it until the 1970s,” Smith says.

Two of those family members were present for the cabin’s installation at the Smithsonian.

There were hundreds of slave cabins on the island, Smith adds, “but nobody kept them because you had to pay taxes on them.”

Luckily, there was a second cabin, next door to

the Smithsonian cabin but not in as good condition, that the museum salvaged. When the museum was renovated a few years ago, a space for this cabin was created. Th exhibit is illustrative of the life and hardships suffered by enslaved people.

The 1860 census of Edisto indicated that 329 whites and 5,082 enslaved people lived on the island. Today, the island’s yearround population is about 1,900; 75% are Black.

Our friends Charlotte and Strait reside here three days a week. A recently re-

tired family practitioner, Strait volunteers at the local clinic. Their home sits on Store Creek (so-named for the historic general store on the creek bank) and next to the main home of the Middleton’s plantation.

After walking its several acres, we take a cruise on Store Creek. From their creek boat, we can see other historic properties and land that once produced Sea Island cotton. It grew only in this area, known as South Carolina’s Low Country.

“It has much longer fibers and has a much softer feel than short-staple cotton,” Charlotte says. “It’s more like silk, and the English bought it all.”

As a result, prior to the Civil War, Edisto Island was one of the wealthiest per capita jurisdictions in the country.

As our boat ride comes to end, we watch an orange sun descend between the marsh grasses, turned from green to autumn gold. It’s difficult to imagine the strife, inhumanity and bloodshed that happened here, but reassuring to know that the earth can, given enough time, regenerate — and simultaneously, transport you to the past.

“Coming to Edisto is like stepping back 50 or 60 years,” Charlotte says. “Very rural, peaceful and quiet. We can enjoy nature and it’s really low-key.”

For more photos and discussion, visit www.facebook.com/elouise.ondash

GREEN. CLEAN. CONNECTED.

Clean Energy Alliance (CEA) will become the new default power provider for the cities of Escondido and San Marcos, beginning April 1, 2023, joining founding members: Carlsbad, Del Mar and Solana Beach. CEA follows a community choice energy model that allows local governments to purchase power to meet their community’s electricity needs.

As an alternative to San Diego Gas & Electric for residents and businesses, CEA offers competitive rates and clean energy options while reinvesting revenues into projects and programs that benefit members’ communities.

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THE EDISTO Island Museum, whose mission it is to preserve and exhibit the history of the island and to educate the public, opened in 1991. Its next major exhibit will explore South Carolina’s Gullah culture. Photo by E’Louise Ondash e’louise ondash THIS SLAVE CABIN, seen here before it was moved in 2013 from Point of Pines plantation on Edisto Island, is the centerpiece exhibit for the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C. The move was facilitated by the Edisto Island Museum and Director Gretchen Smith. Photo by Gretchen Smith

Korean War fighter pilot, 97, awarded Navy Cross

By staff and wire reports

ESCONDIDO — A retired U.S. Navy aviator who survived and prevailed in perhaps the longest aerial dogfight between a lone American fighter pilot and enemy combatants in history, was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions in the Korean War during a Jan. 20 ceremony at the San Diego Air and Space Museum.

Retired Navy Capt. E. Royce Williams, 97, an Escondido resident and member of the San Dieguito American Legion Post 416 in Encinitas, received the U.S. Navy’s second-highest military decoration from Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro in front of hundreds of local veterans, admirals, generals and Justice Elena Kagan.

The award was the result of a steadfast nationwide campaign spearheaded

MENTAL HEALTH

CONTINUED FROM 3

cue Plan Act funds, are specifically geared toward implementing a tiered system of mental health initiatives. Along with providing more resources, officials hope to help remove the stigma associated with mental health.

“Because of how taboo mental health is, people say, ‘Oh yeah, I do struggle with mental health but that’s dumb,’” Mission Hills sophomore Grey Gabbard said. “I’ve seen a lot of friends of mine, myself included, where going to class every day is so overwhelming.”

The first tier is focused on the wider student body, with an on-campus campaign, Let’s Face It Together, as well as student surveys and increased services for LGBTQIA+ students.

Tier 2 is for students in need of additional support, offering additional school-based mental health staff, a crisis text line for all students and staff that connects them to a crisis counselor, and free access to Care Solace, a mental health services navigation tool.

Care Solace handles referrals to different mental health services and does the work of identifying available clinicians and programs for those in need of mental health care — time-consuming tasks that existing school staff don’t always have the capacity to

by Williams’ fellow members at Post 416, including Past Commander Steve Lewandowski.

Lewandowski launched Operation Just Reward, a nationwide effort to get Williams a Medal of Honor, which caught the attention of Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Temecula) and others who helped ensure the Korean War veteran’s feats were fully recognized and honored.

Upon reviewing Williams’ story, Del Toro used his authority to upgrade his Silver Star Medal, first awarded in 1953, to a Navy Cross based on his “extraordinary” actions.

“Among the many cases I have reviewed, Capt.

handle.

“When you’re at capacity, you don’t have the ability to connect families to that process. For our families, that’s been a life changer,” said Lezya Weglarz, the district’s coordinator of multitiered systems of support, or MTSS.

Tier 3, focused on the highest-need students who are actively in a mental health crisis, involves the formation of three wellness units. These two-person teams are made up of a school-based mental health professional and a family community engagement liaison who can visit a student’s home to provide support to them and their families.

Deputy Superintendent of Student Services Tiffany Campbell said the district recognized that the mental health supports they already provided were not enough and communicated to the city that they would like to use funds to fill those gaps.

“This is the first thing that we started to talk to the city about — ‘If we could have a dream, what would this dream be?’” Campbell told the district board in December. “It would be to have these teams who go out to families in their homes when their students are in crisis and to help them navigate the crisis, from what’s happening in school to helping them find community … as well as to help introduce students back to school

GUNTHER GUNS

Williams’ case stood out,” Del Toro said. “It was very clear to me that his actions were extraordinary, and more closely aligned with the criteria describing a higher award. And sir, what a tremendous honor it was to tell you in person, that after all these years, your courageous actions would finally get the recognition they deserve.”

Williams, who retired from the Navy as a captain in the mid-1970s, was on combat air patrol in a single-seat F9F Panther fighter jet, flying with three other squadron mates deployed from a carrier anchored in the Sea of Japan, on Nov. 18, 1952, when the Americans encountered seven Soviet MiG-15s at higher altitude along the Yalu River.

According to accounts of the mission retold in books and other media, the

when they are ready to come back.”

The three wellness units officially launched in January with each one assigned to one high school, one middle school and four elementary schools, providing a consistency in services across the district.

At Mission Hills High School, officials have gone one step further in supporting student mental health. A space that was formerly the Future Center was transformed this year into a student wellness center called the Zen Den, a quiet and calming space for students to decompress and connect with counselors.

Students entering the Zen Den are met with an atmosphere of essential oils, calming ocean sounds and comfortable couches, with yoga mats, adult coloring books, weighted blankets, headphones and fidget tools available for use.

men were ordered by their commander to retreat to the carrier and establish a protective screen.

Three of the pilots succeeded, but Williams had been boxed in by the Soviet fighters.

Williams was forced to engage the MiGs as they swarmed him, culminating in a half-hour of gut-wrenching maneuvers to avoid being shot down while trying to take out the Russian pilots trying to kill him.

“I was engaged mentally at the time,” Williams recently told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “A lot of it was awareness of where they were and how I had to maneuver to avoid them. They were taking turns. I decided if I concentrated on shooting them down, then I’d become an easy target. So my initial goal was to look for defensive opportunities when

All students have the option of taking a 15-minute break from class to go to the Zen Den to “reset” in whatever way they need.

“Some students don’t need to talk to us, they can just come here and do their coping strategies,” said Mission Hills counselor Susan Martinez Alejandre. “I know there are students who are taking less mental health days now, because they know they can leave class and come here if needed.”

Gabbard said they have benefited greatly from visiting the school’s counselors over the past two years and they appreciate how the school has fostered a space like the wellness center for students.

“I watched this little center turn into what it is now, a space to decompress. I’ve felt so welcomed here and I’m so thankful to have that,” Gabbard said.

they made mistakes.”

Williams blasted four out of the sky and likely scored hits on two others, whose pilots never returned to their base in Vladivostik, according to the book “Red Devils Over the Yalu.”

Williams said he ran out of ammunition and made a bee line for his ship, evading the seventh MiG pilot by diving in and out of clouds for cover. He landed uneventfully, but later counted more than 250 machine gun holes in his F9F.

Williams was told to clam up about the dogfight

HAPPY

for fear of causing negative publicity for the Soviets, who weren’t officially involved in the Korean War.

According to one account, President Dwight Eisenhower personally directed that the incident remain under wraps. It was not officially acknowledged until the fall of the Iron Curtain, and the ensuing release of Soviet archives in the 1990s.

The Navy Cross is awarded to service members who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force.

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Food &Wine

Polo Steakhouse, a Carlsbad masterpiece

taste of wine

When West Steakhouse shuttered due to COVID-19, North County San Diego lost a premier restaurant and one of a few old school, windowless, classic steakhouses where you can completely immerse yourself in a great dinner and conversation.

And it was no accident when the owners approached Mayur Pavagahdi to purchase the property.

Mayur owns four other restaurants in Carlsbad including Paon Restaurant & Wine Bar (a Wine Spectator Excellence awardee), Witch Creek Winery, Barrio Eat Mexican and Sleeping Tiger Coffees.

When Mayur reached out to Frank and me to learn more about Polo Steakhouse and meet his new team, we happily accepted his invitation.

“I always loved West Steakhouse. It was the who’s who of fine dining in Carlsbad," Mayur told Taste of Wine. “I want Polo to be an

institution of fine wine and food for North County and be a venue for charitable events.”

With the bones in place, Mayur intends to add sizzle above and beyond West. To do this, he assembled a dream team that includes executive chef Judd Canepari, sous chef Vaz Bagdasavov, general manager/sommelier

Feliciano Perez, sommelier Michael Pickering, and lead bartender Blake Byram.

Mayur is looking to take

a page from Paon’s playbook and increase the already robust 650 label wine list to over 1,000 labels.

When walking into Polo, guests see a floor to ceiling wine cellar to the left filled with wines.

Mayur is in the process of installing a matching cellar on the right side of the foyer to achieve his 1,000-label goal with a diversity of familiar wines along with unknown small batch gems that Feliciano and Michael

select.

It is also no surprise that Polo has a robust by the glass selection and a Coravin program to offer guests high-end reds by the glass such as Shafer, Silver Oak, and Groth Reserve.

I see another Wine Spectator Excellence award coming Mayur’s way.

The interior was refreshed with reupholstered booths including new cushions and leather that extends to the walls, making Polo quieter and more intimate compared to West. Mayur also plans to create an 80-seat patio on the opposite side of the bar to provide guests with an al fresco dining option.

I can hear the sizzle, can you?

Chef Judd took us through a journey of culinary excellence. In talking with Chef, I imagine it was an easy decision when Mayur hired him on the spot at the end of their interview.

Chef Judd radiates confidence and creativity.

Growing up as an East Coast Italian, his family was obsessed with food excellence.

Combining his upbringing with 30 years of culinary experience that includes Executive Chef positions

Archer’s Arrow in Vista

Where: 170 Main St, Vista, CA 92084 – Inside The Rylan

Open: M-F 6:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Sat 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sun 7 a.m. – 1 p.m.

What: Cafe Virtuoso Spinnaker Light Roast Blend

Tasting notes: Roasted Walnut, Dried Fruit, Baker’s Chocolate Price: $2.75

My first thought walking through the door of Archer’s Arrow Coffee House and Wine bar is: Someone went to Saint Archer’s School of Design (not a real place). My

second thought is: It’s got swings! My third thought is that this place was designed to generate Instagram posts. That’s not a complaint, nor is it an old man shaking his fist at the winds of change. We’ve all benefited from the added impetus on the visual experience. I like pretty things and pretty places. Don’t you?

Archer’s Arrow is one of several coffee shops and roasters that have popped up in Vista over the past year. With more on the way (stay tuned), the shop can get a foothold in a burgeon-

RAIN, WIND, AND FIRE...

“The three menaces to any chimney, fireplace, or stove.”

Every year there are over twenty thousand chimney / fireplace related house fires in the US alone. Losses to homes as a result of chimney fires, leaks, and wind damage exceeds one hundred million dollars annually in the US.

CHIMNEY SWEEPS, INC., one of San Diego’s leading chimney repair and maintenance companies, is here to protect you and your home from losses due to structural damage and chimney fires.

Family owned and operated and having been in business for over 30 years, Chimney Sweeps Inc. is a fully licensed and insured chimney contracting company (License # 976438) and they are certified with the National Fireplace Institute and have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

For a limited time, readers of this paper will receive a special discount on our full chimney cleaning and safety inspection package with special attention to chimney water intrusion points in preparation for the rainy season.

FEB. 3, 2023 T he C oas T N ews - I N la N d e d ITI o N 13 Full Service Chimney Cleaning Includes full safety inspection reg. $279 ONLY $149 CALL TODAY: 619-593-4020
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Bean Journal
ARCHER’S ARROW, on Main Street in Vista, is one of several coffee shops and roasters that have popped up in the city over the past year. Photo by Ryan Woldt
TURN TO BEAN JOURNAL ON 18
frank mangio & rico cassoni
TURN TO TASTE OF WINE ON 15
POLO STEAKHOUSE took over the space on Avenida Encinas in Carlsbad vacated by West Steakouse, which closed during the pandemic. Courtesy photo

EVENTS CALENDAR

FEB. 3

OSHER CSUSM CLASSES

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at CSUSM is a community of adults, age 50 and “better,” who have a love for learning, engagement and exploration. 12 a.m. at CSUSM Extended Learning Building, 288 Campus Way, San Marcos.

PUBLIC DARSHAN

Spiritual teacher Her Holiness Sai Maa will offer public darshan, an opportunity to view or see a holy person, holy image or saint. Free, 5:30 p.m. at Del Mar Marriott, 11966 El Camino Real, San Diego.

VISTA GARDEN CLUB

“The Art & Practice of Creating Healthy Soil and Why It’s Important” is the topic at the Vista Garden Club. 12:30 p.m. at Gloria McClellan Vista Senior Center, 1400 Vale Terrace Dr, Vista.

‘LUCKY STIFF’ MUSICAL

“Lucky Stiff” offers music, comedy, mystery, romance and a trip to Monte Carlo. 8 p.m. at Scripps Ranch Theatre, 9783 Avenue of Nations, San Diego.

FEB. 4

ANIMATION ACADEMY

The Comic-Con Museum invites visitors to go behind the scenes of their favorite cartoons with “Animation Academy – from Pencils to Pixels.” 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 4 at Comic-Con

Museum, 2131 Pan American Plz, San Diego.

CALL FOR ARTISTS

Calling all artists for the Escondido Art Association Open Show “Romance.” 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 4 at Artist Gallery, 121 W Grand Ave, Escondido.

YOUNG SCIENTISTS

Explore topics like engineering, physics and more in four-week sessions designed for ages 3–5 with accompanying adult. 9 a.m. at Fleet Science Center, 1875 El Prado, San Diego.

ICE CREAM 4 BREAKFAST

Join us on Saturday, Feb. 4 from 9 a.m. to noon local to your time zone at Jeni’s scoop shops nationwide for our annual Ice Cream

for Breakfast Day celebration. 6 to 9 a.m. Feb. 4 at Jeni’s at The Beacon, 7740 El Camino Real, Carlsbad.

91 OCTANE Live Entertainment. 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. Feb. 4 at Mr. Peabody’s Bar and Grill, 136 Encinitas Blvd, Encinitas.

CLASSICAL MUSIC

Local musicians play classical and contemporary pieces, from Joseph Hayden to Guillermo Mauricio. 1 p.m. at Oceanside Civic Center Library, 330 N Coast Hwy, Oceanside.

14TH WARRIOR SPIRIT 5K

14th annual Mitchell Thorp Warrior Spirit 5K Run/Walk Family Festival to support families whose children are suffering from

life-threatening illnesses, diseases, and disorders. $24-$55, 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Feb. 4 at Poinsettia Park, 6600 Hidden Valley Rd, Carlsbad.

MEDITATIONS

Have you ever asked yourself, “How Can I quiet my mind and enjoy inner peace? Be free of anxiety? Improve my relationships? Build confidence? Self-esteem? Be less reactive to others?$25, 2-3:30 p.m. Feb. 4 at Soul of Yoga, 627 Encinitas Blvd, Encinitas.

RESCUE DOG ADOPTION

The Original 40 Brewing Company is partnering with Paws 4 Thought Animal Rescue to bring North Park a day of craft beer and dog adoptions!. 11 a.m. to 2

p.m. Feb. 4 at The Original 40 Brewing Company, 3117 University Ave, San Diego.

YEAR OF THE RABBIT

Enjoy a myriad of Lunar New Year activities. 5 p.m. at San Diego Zoo, 2920 Zoo Dr, San Diego.

THE FLOOZIES

Electronic-funkpowerhouse. 8 p.m. at The Music Box, 1349 India St, San Diego.

PRANA FOR PEACE

An evening of yoga, kindness, connection and community. $35, 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 4 at Wild Yoga, 701 Seagaze Dr, Oceanside.

FEB. 5

WOMEN OF BALBOA PARK

Register for the Women’s Museum of California on first Sundays for the 60-minute, free Women of Balboa Park Walking Tour. 10 a.m. at Bea Evenson fountain, Balboa Park, 1549 El Prado, San Diego.

‘BLUE SKY’ EXHIBIT

BFree Studio in La Jolla presents “Blue Sky Paintings: A solo exhibition by Cecilia Wong Kaiser.” 5 p.m. at BFREE Studio, 7857 Girard Ave, La Jolla.

TU B’SHVAT FESTIVAL

Coastal Roots Farm invites the community to honor Jewish New Year of the Trees! 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 5 at Coastal Roots Farm, 441 Saxony Rd, Encinitas.

FOLK MUSIC

The folk-trio Watson, Beldock & Beach with special guests Memo Acevedo and Dave Blackburn. 2 to 3 p.m. Feb. 5 at Encinitas Library, 540 Cornish Dr, Encinitas.

OMA MASK MAKING.

Join Studio Ace for free under OMA tents to design an all-ages art-making experience. 12 to 2 p.m. Feb.

5 at Oceanside Museum of Art, 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside.

FARMERS MARKET

Best local foods and fresh produce in North County, every Sunday at the Leucadia Farmers Market. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 5 at Paul Ecke Central School, 185 Union St, Encinitas.

SOUPER BOWL OF GIVING

Soup will be collected after worship services for delivery to area missions. 9 a.m. at Village Community Presbyterian Church, 6225 Paseo Delicias, Rancho Santa Fe.

FEB. 6

CARLSBAD PLAYREADERS

The Carlsbad Playreaders is a project of the Carlsbad Playhouse. 7:30 p.m. at Carlsbad City Library, 1775 Dove Ln, Carlsbad.

CATHOLIC WIDOWS

We love to get together to share our love for food, drink and company. Why not join us? 1 p.m. at Felix’s BBQ with Soul, 3613 Ocean Ranch Blvd, Oceanside.

PARKINSON'S EXERCISE

This group exercise class is appropriate for anyone with Parkinson's Disease. We focus on PWR! Moves, flexibility, strength, endurance, balance and coordination. Modifications are provided and everyone is welcome! This free class meets the first Monday of each month from 12pm-1pm with our next class on April 4th. 12 to 1 p.m. Feb. 6 at NeuroLab 360, 2146 Encinitas Blvd, Encinitas.

PARKINSON’S SUPPORT

The Inland North County Parkinson’s Support Group is for people with Parkinson’s and their care partners. Call (760) 7498234 or (760) 518-1963. 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Feb. 6 at San

JOIN THE VISTA SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT

SENIOR VOLUNTEER PATROL

The Senior Volunteer Patrol of the Vista Sheriff’s Station performs home vacation security checks, assists with traffic control, enforces disabled parking regulations, patrols neighborhoods, schools, parks and shopping centers and visits homebound seniors who live alone for the community of Vista & portions of the county’s unincorporated areas. Volunteers must be at least age 50, be in good health, pass a background check, have auto insurance, a valid California driver’s license, and be a US citizen. Training includes a mandatory two-week academy plus training patrols. The minimum commitment is 6 hours per week & attendance at a monthly meeting. erested parties should contact Administrator Jim Baynes to arrange an information meeting.

(760) 940-4434 Jim Baynes

14 T he C oas T N ews - I N la N d e d ITI o N FEB. 3, 2023
Know something that’s going on? To post an event, visit us online at calendar.thecoastnews.com
COMIC-CON MUSEUM invites visitors to go behind the scenes of their favorite cartoons at “Animation Academy: From Pencils to Pixels.” The series opens Feb. 4.
Rates: Text: $15 per inch Approx. 21 words per column inch Photo: $25 Art: $15 (Dove, Heart, Flag, Rose) Kathleen Meyers, 90
January 16, 2023 Larry Dale Seiler Jr.,
December 31, 2022 Share the story of your loved ones life... because every life has a story. or email us at: obits@coastnewsgroup.com 760.436.9737 For more information call “Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.” — Irish proverb Submission Process Please email obits @ coastnewsgroup.com or call (760) 436-9737 x100. All photo attachments should be sent in jpeg format, no larger than 3MB. the photo will print 1.625” wide by 1.5” tall inh black and white. Timeline Obituaries should be received by Monday at 12 p.m. for publicatio in Friday’s newspaper. One proof will be e-mailed to the customer for approval by Tuesday at 10 a.m. TURN TO EVENTS ON 15
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Oceanside
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CONTINUED FROM 14

Rafael Church, 17252 Bernardo Center Dr, San Diego.

FEB. 7

BURLESQUE PARODY

Enjoy a hilarious and alluring Star Wars burlesque parody show. 7 p.m. at Alderaan Memorial Theatre, 1944 Commercial St, San Diego.

ANIMATION ACADEMY

The Comic-Con Museum invites visitors to go behind the scenes of their favorite cartoons with “Animation Academy – from Pencils to Pixels.” 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 7 at Comic-Con Museum, 2131 Pan American Plz, San Diego.

FREE APHASIA CLASS

This group is for individuals with difficulty communicating after a stroke or a brain injury. It is led by a licensed Speech Language Pathologist. Join this group to connect and communicate with individuals with aphasia, and rejoin life's conversations in a fun and supportive way. This free group meets the first Tuesday of each month from... 11 a.m. at NeuroLab 360, 2146 Encinitas Blvd, Encinitas.

FEB. 8

PEACE FORUM

Inviting new members. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 8 at Brass Plum Kitchen, 6971 El Camino Real, Carlsbad.

BLUES IN THE NIGHT

According to the legendary Billie Holliday, “Blues is to jazz what yeast is to bread.” $68, 12 a.m. at North Coast Repertory Theatre, 987 Lomas Santa Fe Dr, Solana Beach.

FEB.

9

WILDFLOWER WALK

After a beautiful walk, join us for lunch. 10 a.m. at Batiquitos Lagoon, 7380 Gabbiano Ln, Carlsbad.

HUMAN RIGHTS FILM FEST

The Human Rights Watch Film Festival brings us five new stories of hope and determination in partnership with the Museum of Photographic Arts. Free, 5 p.m. at Museum of Photographic Arts, 1649 El Prado, San Diego.

FREE WHEELCHAIR SKILLS

This class is for manual wheelchair users to learn and practice skills such as wheelies, ascending/descending ramps, curbs and stairs, and transferring from the floor to their wheelchair. Each class is led by a Doctor of Physical Therapy and begins with a shoulder warm up to help reduce and prevent shoulder pain. This class is sponsored by... 12 to 1 p.m. Feb. 9 at NeuroLab 360, 2146 Encinitas Blvd, Encinitas.

ARTISTS AND HERMIT

Docent-led talk will survey portrayals and commentary on the Timken Museum’s painting of the early Christian hermit, St. Anthony the Great, by Giovanni

Girolamo Savoldo. Later considered the founder of monasticism, the 4th century hermit has inspired paintings by many artists. Free, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Feb. 9 at Online, 92101, San Diego.

FEB. 10

NERD COMEDY NIGHT

Clever comedy and a smart audience make this Carlsbad tradition one-of-akind. $15, 7 p.m. at Harding Community Center, 3096 Harding St, Carlsbad.

LA JOLLA SYMPHONY

An intimate Dress Rehearsal with VIP ticket holders invited to join the orchestra for an immersive experience. Free, 5:30 to 8 p.m. Feb. 10 at La Jolla Symphony & Chorus, Mandeville Ln, La Jolla.

JIMBO'S GARDEN

Enjoy a special garden workshop in the Trudy Bronner Discovery Garden with Jimbo's Naturally Escondido! 11 to 11:30 a.m. Feb. 10 at San Diego Children's Discovery Museum, 320 N Broadway, Escondido.

VALENTINE’S DAY

Low-key Valentine’s Day date planners should look no further than Urban Plates. $55-$65, 12 a.m. at The Forum Carlsbad, 1923 Calle Barcelona, Carlsbad.

‘ELEANOR’

Eleanor shares bittersweet memories of romance politics, and infidelity. 7:30 p.m. at Vista Broadway Theater, 340 E Broadway, Vista.

FEB. 11

‘WATCHING WHALES’

Dr. Dave Weller of the NOAA will share decades of research about the gray whales. 10 a.m. at Batiquitos Lagoon, 7380 Gabbiano Ln, Carlsbad.

SKATE RISING

Skate Rising, a youth learning service program that teaches girls 4 to 18 how to skate and give back to the community, is having a clinic from 9-11 a.m. on Feb. 11 at the Encinitas Community Park! 9 to 11 a.m. Feb. 11 at Encinitas Community Park 425 Santa Fe Dr., Encinitas Blvd, Encinitas.

SWINGIN' W/ DEAN SHOW

Dean Ratzman plays Big Band, Jazz Standards, Tijuana Brass, Blues, Rock, and Soul. 3 to 4 p.m. Feb. 11 at Escondido Public Library, 239 S Kalmia St, Escondido.

LEARNING TO FLY

La Jolla Symphony presents Steven Schick, music director emeritus and conductor presents Stravinsky’s energetic Firebird Suite and much more. 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 11 and 2 p.m. on Feb. 12 at La Jolla Symphony & Chorus, Mandeville Ln, La Jolla.

FEB. 12

THE 2023 KOOK RUN

Kick off your Super Bowl Sunday as you race down the Coast Highway 101. 7 a.m. at Moonlight Beach, 398 B St, Encinitas.

TASTE OF WINE

CONTINUED FROM 13

at La Valencia and Rancho Bernardo Inn and personal chef for comedian Jerry Seinfeld, he has the lofty goal of earning a Michelin star with above and beyond food quality, consistency, and artistry.

It was impressive when Chef showed us his concept sketches of food that he brought to life with dishes served at Polo.

Dishes include escargot encased in house demi baguette, bone marrow herb butter created on site and micro green garnish to look like a pea pod, caviar served in dishes looking like crabs, and repurposing the steak serving boards from West as bread boards after he applied high voltage electricity to them from a microwave inverter to create tree like patterns.

Our journey started with bread service that included a variety of house breads and house cultured butter followed by prime angus tartare served in a bone with beef carpaccio alongside a goldleaf dusted custard egg and house sourdough.

Next up was shrimp cocktail with jumbo, at least six inch long, tiger prawns and fermented cocktail sauce.

The food voyage continued with the previously described “pea pod” Es-

cargot os de Boeuf. Chef Judd insisted that we try the Polo Puplo, Spanish octopus with chorizo-paprika oil and fingerling potatoes.

Being in the Navy for 23 years, I’ve eaten both good and no so good octopus. Polo’s octopus was hands down the best ever. No competition!

Of course, we also had to have steak at Polo. Frank and I shared the Black Angus petite filet and 16-ounce bone in ribeye.

Mouth watering does not even come close to describing how good these were especially with the Spinach Rockefeller, sweet

corn shaved off the cob with house made butter, and lighter than air foamed Béarnaise sauce.

After dinner, sous chef Vaz shared that Polo makes its own flour, only purchases fish harvested with Japanese Ike Jime and Shinka techniques to ensure it is expressed and tastes as pure as possible and makes all butter and sauces in house.

You will not find a can opener at Polo, I promise.

We concluded dinner with Chef Judd’s New Haven Cheesecake, his grandma’s recipe topped with seasonal fruit, dedicated to his Connecticut roots.

Polo pegs the scale on fine dining restaurants and puts a twist on traditional steakhouse cuisine with Chef Judd’s creativity. I cannot recommend Polo enough, especially for special events. I know that I will be there this week for my 25year wedding anniversary. Perhaps after reading this column, some will check out Polo’s Valentine’s Day special with optional add-ons. The cost is $150 prix fixe per person. I see a Michelin star. Do you? See more at polocarlsbad.com.

San Marcos Chamber

Q&A with the CEO of Pacific Lasertec

San Marcos Chamber member Pacific Lasertec has called San Marcos home since 2018. President, CEO and co-founder Lynn Strickland talked with the Chamber about his business.

What does your business do? We manufacture lasers and laser-based subsystems for analytical instrumentation applications such as FTIR Raman spectroscopy, wavelength references, interferometry, cytometry/immunology, and general research.

How long have you been in business at your current location? We have been in our current location since the company was founded in November of 2018, though the business is a continuation of one that was originally founded in North San Diego County in 1979. We have also recently acquired a related business in Colorado Springs, Colorado whom we operate as a wholly owned subsidiary.

What sets you apart from others in your industry?

Depth of expertise, experience, responsiveness, customer oriented.

What is your favorite business success story? In

early 2018 the product line was discontinued by the former owners. We acquired the equipment and restarted manufacturing operations, having zero customers or sales revenue at the beginning. Within less than 2 years, we became the worldwide

market leader in this technology area, serving multiple Fortune-500 manufacturers of Analytical Instrumentation.

What motivated you to join The San Marcos Chamber? While we don’t have a lot of business activities that

involve the local community (more than 60% of our business is overseas). However, we feel it is important to engage with the community in which we operate, and in which many of our employees reside.

What are you looking forward to accomplishing with the Chamber? Simply to stay plugged-in to the community. When establishing operations, we specifically chose San Marcos due to its business-friendly posture.

What’s your best piece of business advice? Three things: (1) You don’t have to exceed customer expectations – just consistently meet them, and you’re better than 95% of your competition. (2) Focus on doing the basics well and worry about the “fancy stuff” later … and if you do the basics well, you usually don’t have to worry about the fancy stuff. (3) You out-compete in the marketplace with your PEOPLE. You need them, more than they need you, treat them accordingly.

For more info on Pacific Lasertec, visit them online at www.pacificlasertec.com

FEB. 3, 2023 T he C oas T N ews - I N la N d e d ITI o N 15 CHATTER
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MiraCosta workforce training gets a boost

History project needs ID help on old photos

With an additional $1 million from the federal government, MiraCosta College Technology Career Institute can help more students afford to join their workforce skills training programs.

Rep. Mike Levin (D-San Juan Capistrano) secured $1 million for TCI’s accelerated skillsbased training programs in the $1.7 trillion omnibus bill passed by Congress in December.

“When we invest in STEM education and workforce training, we invest in our community,” Levin said during a news conference announcing the funding at TCI on Jan. 20.

The additional funds will create more handson training courses, such as virtual and augmented reality, artificial intelli-

gence, robotics and automation.

“This will help us roll out new programs that industries have asked for and reduce tuition for students across the board,” said Linda Kurokawa, director of Community Education and Workforce Development at MiraCosta College.

With this funding, TCI can reduce tuition that usually runs between $1,500 and $7,500 down to about $1,000. The money will also help students access child care through a partnership with TOOTRiS, a San Diego-based company that provides resources on finding child care.

TCI also recently received state funding with the help of Assemblywoman Tasha Boerner Horvath, who secured $3.5 million in funding for a pilot paid internship program for TCI students.

By City News Service REGION — A man who killed his estranged wife and her sister in Escondido was sentenced on Jan. 23 to life in prison without the possibility of parole plus 26 years to life in state prison.

Juan Carlos Ortega, 38, was convicted by a Vista jury last month of first-degree murder for the August 2018 deaths of 30-year-old Veronica Soto Ortega and 26-year-old Ana Soto. Both victims’ bodies were discovered miles apart from each other on Aug. 9, 2018.

Prosecutors said Ortega killed the women at his

on Jan. 25.

Beyond his time at Palomar, the new councilmember is a high school math and social studies teacher with Futures Academy, president of his local HOA and an active member of the Latino American Political Association. He previously served with the Peace Corps in Cambodia.

He has a dual bachelor's degree in international studies and political science from the University of California, Irvine and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Southern California.

Garcia grew up in San Diego County and has lived in Escondido for nearly five years with his wife and their dog.

“I love this city, I love this county and I love my country,” he said.

In his application, Garcia’s top priorities for the city included attracting more housing development for median-income families, providing more investment opportunities for new and developing industries that would increase

TRIAL

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

Henrik and Guyaneh.

For them, true justice in this case is impossible, since their son and brother cannot be brought back.

wife’s apartment just after 3 a.m. Both women were stabbed, while Soto was also shot.

At trial, Ortega’s defense attorney did not deny that his client killed the women, but alleged he did so in self-defense after Soto put a knife to his throat, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

In a statement, San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said, “The brutality with which this defendant killed the two victims is horrendous and is sadly a disturbing example of what can happen when domestic violence escalates.”

employment and raise wages for residents, and increasing overall city safety by funding the police, providing services that would shelter the city’s homeless population and improving partnerships with anti-gang organizations.

Garcia also noted in his interview that he would be open to various housing options including more dense, urban housing near transit centers to more single-family housing in the eastern portions of the city.

He also said that the city needs to be compassionate in its approach to addressing homelessness.

When asked how he would address the city’s structural deficit, he recommended hiring an outside auditor to find where the city can become more lean and produce more revenue, similar to what has been done at Palomar College over the last few years.

The City Council voted in favor of appointing Garcia in a 3-1 vote with Councilmember Consuelo Martinez opposed because of her preference to have a special election instead.

“Nothing ever is going to bring justice to our family. This is about a beautiful and innocent human being, with a soul enriched by compassion and integrity, whose life has been violated,” Adrineh said. “No justice on earth will cover this loss nor serve as appropriate retribution. All I can say is that for the sake of humanity, he should be locked up for the rest of his life.”

Now 27, Adrineh said she can still remember being six years old and feeling too excited to sleep the night before her baby brother was born, and the joy she felt at meeting him at the hospital.

As Keshishian grew, his sister watched him become a caring, loving, and goofy person with many passions — playing guitar, basketball, cooking, building things around the house, and watching classic black and white films.

“I wish I could relive every one of my moments spent with him,” Adrineh said. “I’ll be wishing I could’ve done something to save him every minute of every hour of every day for the rest of my life. His life, his orbit, carries with it something extraordinary, and sharing a life with him is the greatest joy of my existence.”

He loved animals and his family, was proud of his Armenian culture and his faith, and loved to make people laugh. Keshishian’s father called him a “kid at heart.”

‘An exuberant soul’

Keshishian attended Discovery Elementary, San Elijo Middle and San Marcos High School, where he graduated in 2019. He was a student at Mira Costa Community College that same fall, and had hopes of attending UCLA and potentially going into the medical field, Adrineh said.

The Keshishian family enjoyed traveling, celebrating and eating together, and were always close knit. A few months before his death, their family held a 50th birthday celebration

for his mother, Guyaneh. The two of them were especially close, and he used to tell his mother, “when my flower is not blooming you make it bloom, and when my heart is small you make it big.”

“In reality, he was the one who made us bloom and made our hearts big,” Guyaneh said.

Along with his family, Keshishian was deeply loved by his friends, many of whom he had known since elementary school. Several of his friends now wear patches on their hats with his nickname, Goji, to honor his memory.

Sean Ragland became friends with Keshishian in third grade when they were on the same youth basketball team, and said from then on, they were like brothers. When Ragland went off to college in San Francisco, the two of them connected via Facetime almost every day.

“He’s one of the nicest, sweetest people,” Ragland said. “Just having someone that pure, and just thinking about the way he lived, now that he’s gone, it really leaves an impact on you. It gives you that reason to try to be better, to try to live your life to the fullest.”

Friend Parker Cook, who met Keshishian during his freshman year of high school, said Keshishian helped shape him into the person he is today. Although people have shared different experiences with him, Cook said there is one thing that connects all of them.

“The connection was love — something we all need more of in this life and Aris was a beacon of it,”

REGION — Did you live, work or attend school in North County between 1968 and 2001?

The Escondido Historical Society (EHS) and the Cal State San Marcos University Library seek volunteers for a community project to identify people, places and events in historical photographs taken by Dan Rios, chief photographer for the Escondido Times-Advocate newspaper from 19682001. We need your participation!

Rios’ photographs cover an important era in the development of San Diego’s North County region: newsworthy stories but also portraiture of locals, nature photography and images of our built environment. When he was not on assignment, he traveled the county, documenting what he observed.

Images in this collection also include negatives from a pool of diverse professional staff photographers who were also the staff writers/ journalists, adding to the large output for this daily newspaper that covered North County.

Cook said. “His presentation as a human was clean, intelligent and genuinely caring. Someday I will tell my kids about him and emulate his characteristics to them, too.”

Case background

Directly following the attack, Razdan is believed to have returned to his home before taking himself to the hospital, where he presented himself with several injuries on his hands. Razdan stated to doctors and a deputy that his injuries were caused by a bicycle chain.

Deputies arrested Razdan immediately after he was discharged from the hospital. According to court documents, he claimed to deputies during later questioning that he had been bullied by Keshishian over Snapchat, “got really fed up” and went to confront him.

Searches of Razdan’s phone revealed that he had completed Google searches for “death by sledgehammer,” “how to remove fingerprints” and “city that doesn’t solve murders” in the days and weeks leading up to the attack. A search of his car found a hatchet, saw, duct tape, rope and cinder block, among other items.

While Razdan and Keshishian attended all the same schools, they were not known to be friends, and the District Attorney’s Office claims there was no evidence they had been in contact leading up to the murder.

Razdan is being represented by Kerry Steigerwalt of San Diego criminal defense law firm Sevens Legal, APC.

The library estimates that there are roughly 1 million images in the collection, and perhaps half of them lack context like the place of photography, the people in the images and the happenings that were photographed.

To fill in these gaps, the EHS and CSUSM library are enlisting community volunteers with memory and knowledge of this time period, roughly 1968 to 2001.

With funding from CSUSM’s Community Engaged Scholarship initiative, the library is scanning 11,000 images and posting them on the Flickr digital media platform, where community members can comment on images about the who, what, when and where of these uncontextualized photographs.

Expanding this community memory contributes to the public good by documenting the forces, events and people that have influenced the region’s evolution, and this documentation will be available to researchers for generations into the future.

With this community input, the library will update its records, making Rios’ images valuable to future researchers, students, faculty, genealogists and lifelong learners.

To participate, community members should create a Flickr account. For more information, please visit the Dan Rios Photo Identification Project webpage at https:// archives.csusm.edu/identifying-rios-photographs

FEB. 3, 2023 T he C oas T N ews - I N la N d e d ITI o N 17
VACANCY CONTINUED FROM FRONT
ARIS KESHISHIAN, second from right, is pictured with his friends at graduation from San Marcos High School. Keshishian’s friends and loved ones wear patches with his nickname “Goji” to honor his memory. Courtesy photo IN LATE 2021, the City Council voted to honor Keshishian at a 1-mile trail around the perimeter of Discovery Lake in San Marcos. Courtesy photo
Escondido man gets life without parole for killing wife, her sister

Music Lessons! Good for Body, Mind and Soul

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase; just take the first step.”

Happy New Year! Bringing in the New Year comes with excitement and anticipation! You may be ready to try and experience something great for yourself - Body, Mind, and Soul.

One of the most common things musicians share is that being a musician is highly physical. Coordination and agility are essential for music patterns,

ing coffee hotspot in North County. The cafe’s location — on the ground floor of the Rylan Apartments, also known for its photo-friendly design — certainly gives them an edge.

I order a black drip coffee. The counter service is friendly and kind. I’m a bit disappointed the staff don’t know what coffee is being served in the batch brew. Still, with some effort, they found the bag for me (appreciated). It is a Cafe Virtuoso Spinnaker Light Roast

Blend. I know because I lean over to see the bag. Cafe Virtuoso touts ethically and sustainably sourced coffees. This one is certified organic, and the bag claims tasting notes of dried fruit, roasted walnut, and Baker’s chocolate.

I see bags of Vigilante Coffee (Oceanside) on the wall that I assume are available as a premium pour-over.

Archer’s coffee drink menu has unique offerings, including the Violet Espresso Spritzer ($6.50), a double shot of espresso, vanilla, and violet topped with Liquid Death Sparkling water. The shop also offers an affogato,

or a double shot of espresso served over vanilla ice cream ($4), which I bet will do well in the summer.

Archer’s Arrow uses Monin syrups, offering a wide variety of flavors. I take my simple black coffee to a solo table that has opened up outside.

This morning it is cool, and billowing white clouds float in place as if painted on the ceiling of the sky. Archer’s Arrow and Vista Village, generally, are excellent places to people-watch. Every single table out in front of the building is full. There are six strollers lined up near the wall where

a group of morning walkers has pushed together several tables. There is a new mom in the group. The other walkers have surrounded her in a semi-circle celebrating the latest addition.

A lot of young men with mustaches pass me by. The door to the shop opens and closes in a meditative rhythm. I see many Ugg boots, patterned tights, chunky striped sweaters, and even a vintage Vancouver Grizzlies jersey. Why didn’t anyone tell me the late ’90s were back in style?

The owners — Josh and Kat Barille — hope to create a welcoming coffee shop

and controlling the song’s output is very physical. You will feel like you have worked your entire body at the end of an hour!

When you learn to play an instrument, you will learn to observe a song’s duration, pattern, sequence, and rhythmic parts that makeup music. You are playing something extraordinary and beautiful and improving your logical and mathematical skills by stimulating essential elements within your brain and mind.

One of the most signif-

that offers “Approachable Coffee.” That mission is the first thing you see at the top of their website. It seems to be working.

In addition to the moms and mustaches, several remote workers tap away on computers inside (all the swings are occupied), and a pair of seniors swap gifts and stories at a table out front.

Archer’s Arrow has a light food menu primarily consisting of toasts with various spreads and toppings. Every Wednesday, they import donuts from The Goods in Carlsbad Village.

I take it all in while

icant benefits of learning music is the friends you will make and the group experiences you will have with other musicians. Sharing music is great for the Soul. The good news is that there is always time!

Music has the same effect on our body, mind, and Soul, whether you are a child or an adult. If you want a purposeful and fun New Year resolution, sign up for music lessons in 2023 for body, mind, and Soul!!

For more info visit www.leadingnotestudios. com/

sipping my coffee. Again, Baker’s chocolate dominates — a husky, bold flavor. I’d venture it may have been brewed longer than it should, but as far as a morning warmer on a cool winter morning, it does the trick. There is laughter from the walkers, and I overhear my favorite quote of the day. “Did you know you’re sitting with two women who’ve been chased by a goose?”

Get more Bean Journal on roastwestcoast.com or listen to the Roast! West Coast coffee podcast on Spotify. Follow @RoastWestCoast on Instagram.

18 T he C oas T N ews - I N la N d e d ITI o N FEB. 3, 2023 E ducational opportuniti E s Educational Opportunities is a paid advertorial. If you would like an article on this page, please call (760) 436-9737 If you lose your pet, text “LOST” to 858-SAN-LOST* *(858)726-5678
JOURNAL CONTINUED FROM 13
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