Inland Edition, March 29, 2024

San Marcos eyes sales tax for city services

By Laura Place SAN MARCOS

service levels across departments.

City officials introduced the idea of a sales tax earlier this month amid an ongoing budget deficit projected to continue into next year. The city began the 2023-24 fiscal year with $3.8 million in the red and has since

reduced that deficit to around $2.4 million after adjusting expenditures in recent months.

City Manager Michelle Bender now says operations have been consolidated as much as possible while maintaining the city’s current standard of service, including in public works and public safety.

“We’ve slimmed down even more in the past few years, and we’re at the point where there is no more room to cut if we want San Marcos to be a clean, safe place to live,”

Bender said at the council’s March 12 meeting.

The City Council has until August to decide whether to put the sales tax on the ballot. Council members said while they were not eager to increase taxes from the current 7.75% rate, a local measure would generate revenue entirely for the city, as opposed to other taxes imposed by the state and regional governments like SANDAG.

“As a leader, it’s clear

Vista mulls new street policies

By Laura Place

VISTA — Policies around temporary and permanent street closures and one-way streets in downtown Vista could come before the City Council in the next year, as the city seeks ways to increase multimodal access and invigorate the downtown.

At a March 26 meeting, Councilmember Corinna Contreras led an open discussion with her council colleagues about the possibility of closing certain streets in downtown to make them more accessible to pedestrians and allow more events in the city.

San Marcos seeks community’s help to name new park.

“What I really wanted to do was open a discussion with my colleagues to gauge the temperature, so we could provide some direction to staff if there was consensus on reimagining our downtown,” Contreras said. “There’s a possibility that some segments can be permanently closed, there's also that possibility we might want to have a temporary closure and have some more events downtown.”

The council conversation followed a separate discussion by the Central Vista Business Improvement District (CVBID) board earlier this month, where members discussed the pros and cons of downtown street closures with a small group of business owners.

CVBID noted that street closures could draw more foot traffic to businesses and create additional space for people to walk, bike, and sit and dine outside; however, they said this change would also likely increase traffic congestion and decrease parking availability.

Business owner Carly Dede,

CAL STATE SAN MARCOS star senior Jordan Vasquez drives to the basket in the Cougars’ 85-80 overtime victory over top-seeded Gannon on Monday in the NCAA Division II West Regional final, sending CSUSM to the program’s first-ever Final Four. Vasquez, named regional MVP, scored 26 points but fouled out in regulation. The Cougars played Minnesota State in a national semifinal on Wednesday. Story on 21 Photo by Arianne Boma

SAN MARCOS firefighters say the call volume has doubled since the last fire station was built in 2008. According to fire representatives, the department relies on first responders from surrounding cities to help respond to local emergencies. Courtesy photo/City of San Marcos

TURN

Tip Top Meats Gears Up For Your Holiday

Just like every year, on this upcoming special holiday season, Tip Top Meats is prepared, organized and offering a wide variety of quality products delivered with the finest customer service available in North County!

They are stocked up with traditional and specialty food items for the upcoming Easter season and are sure to make your holiday extra special this year! They have fresh Diestel Turkeys on hand, tender and juicy, whole or hand cut turkey parts including breast, legs and other parts. You can purchase them fresh or smoked.

And don’t forget about Tip Top’s legendary Turducken’s, turkey, duck and chicken, all rolled in to one, a customer favorite!

In addition to fresh turkeys, they are also featuring a large variety of Lamb products including roasts, rack of lamb, chops, legs (bone in or out) either half or whole. All lamb products are well prepared for your traditional EASTER Meal and will delight your holiday dinner guests.

Their specialty this year is their Pork Loin Crown Roast. Tip Top Meats has all-natural veal for your choosing, the finest quality available, your choice of veal cutlets or chops. Don’t forget about their meat products, especially their beef brisket, USDA Choice or Prime, of course, top quality.

Community rallies around Vista family after fatal crash

By Laura Place VISTA

— The community is mourning the death of 53-year-old Ricardo Becerra of Vista, who was killed in a vehicle collision last week that also left his wife, Maria, severely injured.

Ricardo and Maria were driving along Gopher Canyon Road in Vista on the evening of March 17 when a Chevrolet traveling in the other direction suddenly veered into their lane, colliding with them head-on. Evidence indicates that the 29-year-old driver was under the influence of alcohol, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Witnesses called 911, and Ricardo, who was in the passenger seat, and Maria, who was driving, were transported to a local hospital. Despite personnel performing lifesaving measures, Ricardo succumbed to his injuries soon afterward.

News of the collision shocked the friends and family of the Becerras, who remember Ricardo as a joyous and loving man with a passion for making and sharing food. A GoFundMe set up to help cover Maria’s medical bills and other expenses has raised over $38,000 as of Monday.

The couple’s son Jose, 27, and daughter Marice -

la, 29, are now focused on supporting their mother as she recovers from major injuries while also mourning the loss of their father.

“It’s a real toll on us mentally, emotionally, physically, and faithfully … We really, really want this to be a lesson to people to think twice before ever getting behind the wheel, and just driving off without really being able to drive,” Jose said.

A longtime Vistan originally born in Guadalajara, Ricardo worked in the warehouse of Cobra Puma Golf in Carlsbad for nearly 15 years. Friends and family members said he took great pride in his small catering business, where he was well-known in the community for serving handmade tacos at parties and local events with Maria.

Jose said his father was a bright and affectionate person who loved to make people laugh and bring people together over food. He made his kids feel loved in words and actions and always had a movie reference ready for any situation.

As a couple, Jose said his parents were deeply in love and were preparing to celebrate their 30th anniversary with a trip to Monterrey. Jose said Ricardo was preparing to return to school to get his GED just before the collision.

“We want to spread the word about my dad. This man was so great and he felt like he had so much to do and so much to prove,” said Jose. “He was hungry for something. He saw the opportunity to expand himself.”

Brittany Knudson, a friend of the Becerras who organized the GoFundMe, said Maria is “near and dear” to many families, having previously worked as a nanny. She also said Ricardo was deeply involved in the community and known for his joyful and friendly disposition.

“She [Maria] is pretty special,” Knudson said. “Everybody is stepping up to support.”

Jose said he knows his family is one of many suffering from the devastating impacts of drunk driving, and he wants to see justice served for both of his parents.

The driver in the collision, Janely Magali Bautista, sustained minor injuries and is facing multiple charges, including first-degree murder, gross vehicular manslaughter, and driving under the influence, resulting in great bodily injury. She is currently in custody at the Las Colinas Detention Facility.

Bautista will appear in Vista Superior Court at 8:30 a.m. on April 5.

Rail routes to OC fully restored

By City News Service REGION — After a roughly two-month closure caused by rocks and debris that fell on the tracks, Metrolink and Amtrak passenger rail service resumed through San Clemente on Monday.

Work on a 200-footlong retaining wall to protect the tracks from additional falling debris near Mariposa Point wrapped up last week, clearing the way for resumption of passenger rail.

A landslide on private property above the cityowned Mariposa Trail Pedestrian Bridge led to debris on the tracks on Jan. 24, halting all rail service. Some slow-speed freight trains eventually began moving through the affected section at night in recent weeks while shoring operations continued, and Amtrak began offering some limited passenger service on its Pacific Surfliner trains this month.

But full service on both Metrolink and Amtrak trains resumed Monday morning. Information on train schedules is available at metrolinktrains.com and at pacificsurfliner.com/alerts.

The railroad tracks in the San Clemente area endured a pair of extended closures last year due to mudslides and debris.

RICARDO BECERRA, 53, was killed in a collision on March 17 on Gopher Canyon Road in Vista. His wife, Maria, was severely injured. The driver of the second car, a 29-yearold woman suspected of DUI, is in custody, facing multiple charges. Photos via Facebook

THE BECERRA FAMILY pictured in 2023, clockwise from top left, Ricardo, Maria, their children Maricela and Jose, and Micaela, Ricardo’s mother who has since passed away.

Escapee nabbed in Escondido

By City News Service

ESCONDIDO — A prisoner who walked away from a reentry program was taken into custody, authorities said Monday.

Quintin G. Wilkerson, 53, was arrested March 24 in Escondido by the Escondido Police Department following a short foot pursuit, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Wilkerson was taken to the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility. His case will be referred to the San Diego County District Attorney for possible escape charges.

Wilkerson was sentenced to six years in prison for domestic violence, and he has been housed at the Male Community Reentry Program in San Diego since Jan. 23, authorities said.

He allegedly walked away from the program on March 15.

The reentry program allows eligible people committed to state prison to serve the end of their sentences in the reentry center and provides programs to transition from custody to the community.

It is a voluntary program for men who have approximately two years or less left to serve.

reg.

City seeks help naming park at Restaurant Row

By Laura Place

SAN

MARCOS

— A new community park planned for the San Marcos Restaurant Row development needs a name, and city officials want residents to chime in with their recommendations.

The new 1.5-acre park is a central feature of the mixed-use project at the historical Restaurant Row site, providing outdoor recreation opportunities alongside 202 housing units and 10,000 square feet of commercial space.

Park designs currently include an “all-wheel flow course” for skateboards, rollerblades, scooters and bikes, four pickleball courts, a playground, a lawn, a stage for public events, a picnic area, and public restrooms.

According to developer Lennar Homes, the city approved the project in December, and construction is anticipated to begin in early summer. In the meantime, the Parks and Recreation Department is accepting park name suggestions through April 16 at bit.ly/3TrxWX8.

Respondents can suggest a name for the park or a specific park component. They must specify whether the name honors an individual, organization, neighborhood, geographic location, or piece of municipal heritage.

They must also share a short written explanation supporting their name nomination. Supporting documentation is also encouraged.

Respondents will also be asked to share their names, addresses and contact information.

More information about the Restaurant Row project is available online at smrestaurantrow.com.

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.

A PUBLIC PARK planned as part of the Restaurant Row project will include pickleball courts, top. A site plan, above, shows the park that will be part of a mixed-use development, including 202 housing units and 10,000 square feet of commercial space. Courtesy images/Lennar Homes

Vista Unified resumes 2 bus routes after halt

School district to resume more service in fall

By Laura Place VISTA —

The Vista Unified School District will resume two paused school bus routes with plans to add even more in the fall after halting general education routes to multiple schools for the past 18 months due to driver shortages.

Since the start of the 2022-23 school year, the district has offered one high school shuttle for Mission Vista; three middle school shuttles for Madison, Rancho Minerva and Roosevelt; and three elementary routes for Breeze Hill, Grapevine and Mission Meadows.

There are no routes currently serving Hanalei, Lake, Monta Vista and T.H.E. Leadership Academy elementary schools.

On March 14, the district board of trustees agreed to resume two routes to Mission Vista High School from the Shadowridge and downtown areas for the remainder of the school year.

District Chief Operating Officer Shawn Loescher said staff recommended this set of tandem routes after analyzing which students face the greatest barriers and distances to get to school.

“This is a positive step in the right direction,” Loescher said. “We may get as many as 85 students on this route.”

Trustees said they were glad to see routes resumed for the highest-need students, who currently face a lengthy drive to Oceanside to attend Mission Vista.

“I’m very happy that we can get these kids across town, finally,” said trustee Rosemary Smithfield.

Looking ahead, the district is tentatively planning to resume even more routes for the start of the 2024-25 school year.

This is possible due to the hiring of additional bus drivers — 38 of the district’s 51 authorized driver positions were filled as of the fall — and creative planning to make routes more efficient and combine them when possible, staff said.

These tentative route plans also account for the upcoming closure of Beaumont Elementary and Rancho Minerva Middle schools in June, displacing students to other schools.

Routes to Rancho Minerva will be retired, and additional routes will be added to the other two middle schools to absorb these students.

This includes four additional routes to Madison Middle and five additional routes to Roosevelt.

Five routes will also serve Bobier Elementary. When the school is rebuilt, bus routes will be adjusted to transport Bobier students to Beaumont, which will be

used as a swing site. Vista Unified is also tentatively planning to add a route to Hanalei and one to Monte Vista.

Two other routes are still being figured out, Loescher said.

“As we start to look forward to next year, this is a tentative listing, with more updates to come in the following months,” Loescher said.

Along with reviewing and approving the renewal of bus routes, the board of trustees reviewed further recommendations for how to improve service in a new transportation assessment study

According to a study by Pupil Transportation Information (PTI), the district currently transports 580 general education students and 460 special education students.

There are currently 29 special education routes, many of which transport a very small number of students and are sometimes used via vans or vehicles from the transportation network company HopSkipDrive.

Aside from driver shortages, many general education routes were also cut to allocate buses for mandated special education routes.

PTI consultant Philip Medved encouraged the district to use more non-school bus vehicles to transport special education students and maintain buses for the general education population wherever possible.

“You have students to move, and you have suspended transportation for a lot of those students who may not be mandated, but very much need that bus,” Medved said.

To enhance efficiency, PTI suggested that the district consider moving the elementary school start time from 8 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. to give drivers more time to pick up other children.

The district could also implement a 15-minute morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up window for special education students, which would also prevent them from missing instructional time, the study said.

Medved also commended the district's incentives to hire and retain drivers, including an 8-hour pay guarantee implemented in 2022.

However, the study noted that there are not enough duties for drivers to do in the transportation department when they are not on their routes.

In addition, due to the shortage of drivers, other transportation department staff, such as administrators and dispatchers, often have to drive buses to ensure proper coverage, resulting in large amounts of overtime, the study found.

The board of trustees accepted the report on March 12 but did not take action to adopt any specific recommendations.

WALK FOR ANIMALS

More than 1,000 walkers and their dogs helped raise nearly $140,000 for the 40,000 animals that the San Diego Humane Society will care for in the coming year during the North County Walk for Animals in Escondido’s Kit Carson Park on March 16. Courtesy photos/San

Battery site changes fail to sway residents

By Samantha Nelson REGION

— Despite concerted efforts to scale down, refine, and enhance a proposed battery storage facility in the Eden Valley community outside Escondido, neighboring residents remain staunchly opposed to the project due to safety concerns, citing the energy conglomerate’s track record at similar sites.

AES Corporation, a global energy company focusing on developing green energy solutions, has proposed a BESS (Battery Energy Storage System) facility known as the Seguro Energy Storage project on a 22-acre former horse reining arena at 925 Country Club Drive near San Marcos.

Originally, the proposed lithium-ion battery storage facility would have stored 400 megawatts or 1600 megawatt hours of energy generated from renewable resources like solar and wind. It would have been one of the largest in the state, powering up to 300,000 homes for four hours.

After hearing concerns and frustration about the project’s size and potential safety issues from neighboring residents — many of whom live in homes right

San Marcos Chamber

next to the project — AES downsized the project by 20% to 320 megawatts or 1,280 megawatt hours, which is enough to power 240,000 homes for four hours.

The battery storage facility would connect to the local power grid via a new substation built on site that would connect to the existing nearby 30,000-kilowatt SDG&E Escondido Substation through a transmission line.

Other changes include increasing the project’s setbacks to no less than 36 feet from its boundary, no less than 70 feet from the nearest structure and no less than 130 feet from the nearest home; adding sand-colored block walls and fire-resistant landscaping to improve aesthetics and noise pollution; additional fire hydrants, fire-resistant land; stormwater capture solutions; and a commitment to developing a county trail along the northern and eastern portions of the site.

The changes also include making improvements along Milpas Drive, which bifurcates the project, with additional access to Milpas

Vallecitos Water District: A culture that values customers, employees

Vallecitos Water District, led by General Manager James Gumpel, has been serving the San Marcos community since 1955. As a local government entity, they provide essential water, wastewater, and reclamation services to various areas in North San Diego County. Their commitment to sustainability and customer-focused decisions sets them apart, fostering a culture that values both their customers and employees. As members of the San Marcos Chamber, they aim to foster connections and support the community.

What does your business do? For more than 65 years, Vallecitos Water District has been your water and wastewater specialists, providing water, wastewater, and reclamation services to San Marcos; the community of Lake San Marcos; parts of Carlsbad, Escondi-

our customers are carefully scrutinized by all levels of staff. Terms like sustainability and generational equity are the cornerstone of many of the District decisions. This commitment to our customers today and tomorrow is shared from the top, our Board, to our front-line staff.

do and Vista and other unincorporated areas in north San Diego County. Vallecitos Water District currently serves a population of more than 108,000 within its 45-square-mile boundary.

What sets Vallecitos apart from others in your industry? Culture in our commitment to our customers as well as our employees. Decisions that affect

What question are you asked most frequently by customers? Usually, it is regarding the cost or safety of the public water supply. Many customers experience a full day tour and education of the District called the Water Academy, which is held annually. The commitments I mention above are on full display. (Customers can sign up for this tour at vwd.org/wateracademy.)

What is your favorite business success story?

As a new project manager, I was given the task on managing our recycled water

treatment plant upgrade, which produces up to 5 million gallons of recycled water each day to be used at local cities, such as the City of Carlsbad. This enables us to recycle more than 70% of the wastewater collected from our customers. On the water side, I was the project manager for the 40 milliongallon Twin Oaks Reservoir. At that time, it was the largest prestressed concrete tank of its kind in the world.

What motivated you to join The San Marcos Chamber? As a member of the community and a local employer, I feel it is important to support and connect with local leaders.

What’s your best piece of business advice? Lead with integrity.

Website: vwd.org

Facebook:

facebook.com/ VallecitosWater

JAMES GUMPEL, general manager of Vallecitos Water District. Courtesy photo

Diego Humane Society

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INTERN

Samantha Mason

California’s policies harm small business

Across California, small businesses have struggled with one of the worst business climates in the 50 states.

In 2024, a total of 11 new labor laws were approved. These laws will have a direct impact on small businesses, which could affect their profitability and potentially hinder their growth and expansion of services.

Moreover, businesses are worried about frivolous lawsuits, which add to their existing stress and concerns.

As a business owner in the life sciences industry in North County, I have witnessed firsthand how the state’s poor policy decisions have negatively impacted small businesses.

The California Legislature’s careless decisions have created an unfavorable business climate, allowing trial attorneys to exploit hard-working business owners through frivolous lawsuits.

Three state laws, the American Disabilities Act, the Private Attorney Generals Act, and Assembly Bill 5 (California’s Gig-Worker Law), have made it challenging for small businesses to thrive.

The state legislature’s careless decisions have created an unfavorable business climate.

While the ADA was well-intentioned, it has now become a way for bad actors to file numerous lawsuits over minor breaches in the guidelines solely for monetary gain.

PAGA enables profit-seeking attorneys to sue employers over insignificant labor code compliance issues, such as a minor mistake in the date on a

paycheck or a rounding error.

Lastly, AB 5 has created chaos for local businesses like mine by making it nearly impossible to hire independent contractors due to the risk of litigation over their employee status.

This law restricts individual progress, from independent contractors to business owners. As someone who started as an independent contractor and eventually became a business owner, I know firsthand the importance of supporting small businesses.

Our legislators must act with prudence and avoid any negative effects on small businesses.

To maintain a thriving small business community in North County and across California, state lawmakers must introduce legislation to address these pressing issues and support local businesses.

David Vincent Escondido

System fails legal immigration

By Jim Desmond

As a supervisor for San Diego County, I’ve had the opportunity to witness firsthand the alarming situation at the Iris Avenue transit station, where Border Patrol agents are dropping off thousands of migrants.

In just the past 16 days, over 11,000 migrants have been released at this site, adding to the staggering total of over 108,000 migrants dropped off in San Diego County since last September.

The scene at the transit station is one of controlled chaos. As the Border Patrol buses pull up, migrants, predominantly young males between the ages of 20 and

35, disembark with a sense of bewilderment.

They are left vulnerable to exploitation, including human trafficking, as they are essentially abandoned.

While nonprofits are stepping in to assist many migrants, facilitating their transit to airports and out of the county, the fate of countless others remains unknown.

We have no way of tracking how many individuals are staying in our communities, falling prey to human traffickers, or slipping through the cracks of our broken immigration system.

This crisis is a result of our own failings. By allowing migrants to bypass legal channels and jump ahead of

Big Oil whines, drills wind down

Here’s what a big corporation sounds like when it whines after posting record profits: Chevron, in a federal financial filing during the winter, griped about “higher U.S. upstream impairment charges mainly in California.

“Continued regulatory challenges in (California have) resulted in lower than anticipated future investment levels in… business plans.”

Translation: Oil drilling is winding down in California and has been for the last 10 years, partly because many wells are almost tapped out and Big Oil — having milked enormous profits from California’s resources for decades — is not happy about having to pay close-out costs.

Make no mistake, it’s not state regulators who are responsible for the reduction in oil production here.

California is also not unique in forcing oil well owners to plug or cap their wells and clean up the environment around them when production stops.

For one example, Republican-run North Dakota — known for a while as a fracking boom state — forces companies to cap wells when they have not produced for a year.

So what is Chevron really whining about in its recent report to the Securities and Exchange Commission? It will have to pay about $112,000 in capping costs for each exhausted oil well it ceases to operate, plus a wide range of expenses for cleaning up surface contamination that in some cases has built up over almost a century.

The company is on the hook for at least $1 billion in close-out costs for wells it has long exploited.

california focus

tom elias

wells to smaller drilling operations over the last few years, partly to fob closing costs off on them. There have been few takers.

The Carbon Tracker report concludes that California’s onshore oil wells might produce as much as $2.6 billion in revenues in their remaining lifetimes, but will cost at least $6.3 billion to plug and clean up.

Because oil companies probably can’t be forced to pay all that, chances are taxpayers will end up paying much of the shutdown costs, Carbon Tracker claims.

But Big Oil will be forced to pay a significant amount, no matter how much the companies protest (all this is separate from what the companies will spend this fall on a ballot referendum trying to kill a new law that aims to ban much drilling near schools and other sensitive sites.)

The figures on declining oil production make it clear the closure costs are not very far off in the future, or, as Chevron put it, not very far “upstream.”

Since 2014, onshore oil production here has decreased by 42%, with production from gas wells falling even further. Right now, state statistics show a major decline in new drilling, too.

Where 113 new oil drilling permits were issued in the last quarter of 2022, there were none in 2023’s final three months.

the line, we incentivize illegal immigration and endanger everyone. Why would anyone respect our legal processes when we disregard them ourselves?

It’s time to take responsibility and enforce our legal immigration system.

Let’s work together to address the root causes of illegal immigration, improve our asylum processes, and provide pathways for legal immigration.

Only then can we truly uphold the values of compassion and fairness that define us as a nation.

Supervisor Jim Desmond represents the 5th District on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.

But let’s not feel too sorry for this corporation: It made near-record profits on gasoline products in 2023, and set quarterly records in the third quarter, between July and September, when it averaged margins of about $1.03 per gallon on gas from its two huge refineries at Richmond and El Segundo.

Chevron’s problems with well closures are not unique.

Fully 3,708 California oil wells were plugged in 2022, the last year for which numbers are yet available, of which a bit more than one-fourth belonged to Chevron.

That means other drillers are also in line for billions in closure costs.

One recent report from the London-based think tank Carbon Tracker says Big Oil has been looking to sell off older

Permits to rework or redrill old wells were also down in the last months of last year, from 466 in 2022 to 28 in 2023.

Meanwhile, state data shows California now has more than 101,000 unplugged wells.

Some wells Chevron lists as operating produce as little as three to five barrels of crude oil daily, about enough to fill five Ford pickups once.

So yes, there are plenty of closure costs in the future for Chevron and its Big Oil brethren.

But these costs were known well in advance, and it’s simply not fair for any oil company to blame California for them, trying to foist its own poor planning onto state regulators or an allegedly unfriendly business environment.

Email Thomas Elias at tdelias@aol.com

City mulls cannabis event rules on private property

By Laura Place VISTA — The

Vista City Council resumed discussions this month about allowing cannabis events on private property in the city and instructed city staff to draft a policy setting regulations and fees.

City leaders previously discussed the possibility of cannabis events last spring but decided to pause further discussion until after the completion of the city’s cannabis equity study.

With the study now complete and the council agreeing last month to create a cannabis equity program, Councilmember Joe Green brought the topic of cannabis events back to the council’s March 12 meeting.

A passionate advocate for expanding cannabis operations in Vista, Green emphasized that state law already has stringent regulations for cannabis events, and the city would implement those guidelines with its own additions concerning private property.

“We’ve been at the tip of the spear when it comes to cannabis in the city of Vista, and this is another way for us to continue to do that, to actually have events,” Green said. “This is just private property, but I’m hoping this can also somewhat be the model for public property events as we move forward. But this is something that can be done now.”

Green reiterated a list of regulations for a potential policy, some required by the state and others that the city could add on. Firstly, the cannabis event promoter would need to obtain a cannabis event license from the state Department of Cannabis Control and a temporary use permit from the city.

Only cannabis products from legal Vista dispensaries permitted under Measure Z — the 2018 ballot measure allowing a certain number of local dispensaries — could be sold at the event, and the event promoter would be required to partner with at least one local Measure Z dispensary.

The entire event area would need to be privately fenced off or in an enclosed space with no visible access from the public right-of-way. Events would also be limited to those 21 and older; no alcohol or tobacco would be permitted for consumption, and all cannabis products must be sealed upon leaving the venue.

Green also suggested limiting events to two days, which other council members largely agreed with, although Councilmember Corinna Contreras said she would be open to a threeday limit.

When it comes to only allowing Measure Z dispensaries to hold events, Contreras said she also wanted to open it up to dispensaries that could be licensed under the city’s equity program in the future.

City Attorney Walter Chung said because licenses issued through the cannabis equity program would be

outside of those permitted under Measure Z, opening the events policy to these license holders would be tricky.

“I would hate to increase the licenses for folks under the guise of social equity, then have them prohibited from being able to have a presence and be a vendor at one of these events,” Contreras said. “We might be kind of handcuffed to Measure Z at this point, but I’m looking for a creative solution.”

Over a dozen city residents made public comments about the policy. Several spoke in support, saying that this is something both residents and cannabis industry professionals want and would boost local revenues.

“Cannabis isn’t going to go away. People smoking cannabis aren’t going to stop. Cannabis brings people together, and as we heard, if these gatherings of people aren’t regulated in a manner that brings true safety … it can become chaos. Having something like this in place is super important to the industry,” said Savana Rubin.

Other residents shared concerns about negative impacts on youth, event attendees driving under the influence, disturbing neighboring residents, and a lack of oversight for these events.

Students with the North County NAACP Youth Council and Elevate Youth California said they are worried that seeing adults attend these events could normalize cannabis for youth. They also asked that cannabis events have stringent safety measures to prevent youth access.

“This normalization of cannabis is encouraging substance use and consequently negatively impacting young lives and stunting brain development,” said Mission Vista High School student Kaylene Speller. “I want to protect my fellow peers, and I hope you also feel the same.”

Council members said they are committed to a “zero-tolerance policy” for promoters who allow minors to access their events. The policy would require ID scanners and prohibit these events within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, and other areas where minors gather.

Contreras also suggested using a portion of the local cannabis tax revenue for social media advertising to highlight the negative impacts of youth cannabis use.

Mayor John Franklin said Tuesday’s outline for cannabis events is a “good start” and that he supports moving forward with strict regulations.

“The people of Vista have voted to make Measure Z and Prop 63 and cannabis part of the business and social fabric of the city, so given that, I can’t see any reason why we wouldn’t accommodate well-regulated industry events, same as we do for our brewing industry here in Vista and any other industry,” Franklin said.

Wheel thefts across region investigated

By Samantha Nelson REGION — Authori-

ties have been investigating dozens of tire and wheel thefts across San Diego County since the beginning of the year.

The San Diego Police Department issued a statement earlier this month asking the public to come forward with any details about the suspects in the string of thefts. The thieves appear to target larger vehicles like Toyota TRDstyle trucks and 4-Runners parked on the street or in residential parking lots at night.

Some cases involved stolen tires and wheels

from vehicles parked in apartment complexes.

According to SDPD, several cases have been reported in San Diego and North County cities like Oceanside, Carlsbad, San Marcos and Escondido.

In a recent incident in Oceanside, a victim came home to find their Toyota 4Runner resting on cinder blocks and missing all four wheels.

Other law enforcement agencies are also investigating the thefts. Detectives with the San Marcos Sheriff’s Station are investigating two reports of stolen TRD tires from January.

“We are asking anyone

Florencio Llamas-Rodriguez Oceanside March 2, 2024

Donna Lou Engler Cardiff March 7, 2024

Rosa Isabelle Herich Vista March 15, 2024

Mary Anna Doman San Marcos March 14, 2024

Submission Process

Please email obits@coastnewsgroup.com or call (760) 436-9737. 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

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who has had their tires stolen to contact the San Marcos Sheriff’s Station at (760) 510-5200,” said David Ladieu, spokesperson for the sheriff’s department, via email.

Oceanside police are also investigating a case of tires stolen from a pickup at Island Club Apartments, according to spokesperson Tom Bussey. According to News Flash Media, several people reported tires being stolen from Canyon Creek Apartments.

Carlsbad Police spokesperson Denise Ramirez said the department’s most recent case regarding tire thefts occurred on March

13. “Officers took a grand theft report of stolen tires from a Toyota 4Runner on the 2500 block of Marron Road,” Ramirez said via email. “The report is making its way to a property crimes detective, who will conduct any necessary follow-up.” Authorities ask that pickup truck owners keep an eye out and report any suspicious activity.

For up-to-the-minute arrest reports in North County, check out Weekly Crime Reports and Daily Arrest Logs on thecoastnews.com.

Photo: $25 Art: $15 (Dove, Heart, Flag, Rose)

In 2017, March 29th was officially designated as National Vietnam War Veterans Day by President Donald J. Trump. March 29 was chosen as National Vietnam War Veterans Day because on March 29, 1973, the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) was disbanded and the last U.S. combat troops departed the Republic of Vietnam.

The Vietnam War was a divisive and difficult time for the United States and many veterans didn ’t get the recognition for their service they should have received, which is why commemorating this holiday is so important.

We honor the nine million American men & women who served on active duty from November 1, 1955 to May 7, 1975. We solemnly remember the more than 58,000 whose names that are etched into the Vietnam Memorial’s polished black granite - names that are constant reminders of the price of freedom.

THIEVES are targeting primarily Toyota vehicles, including 4Runners and TRD-style trucks. Screenshot/CBS8

Esco OKs rent hike at another mobile home park

By Samantha Nelson ESCONDIDO

— For

the third time since late February, the City Council has increased the rent for residents of a local mobile home park. As a result of the council’s unanimous March 20 decision, nearly half of the residents at Greencrest Mobilehome Park will see an average increase of about $20.45, averaging between $13.74 and $27.51. The increase will apply to 69 of the park’s 129 spaces, subject to rent control.

Before last week’s decision, the council approved rent hikes at Casa Grande Mobile Estates and Town and Country Club Mobilehome Park, both of which are age-restricted to seniors only.

The city’s Proposition K, which voters passed in 1988, requires owners of mobile home parks to get permission from the city to raise rents on controlled spaces.

The park’s owners applied for a rent increase using the short-form application process, which is less tedious than the long-form application. Under the short

Who’s NEWS?

Business news and special achievements for North San Diego County.

Send information via email to community@ coastnewsgroup.com.

ESCONDIDO AWARDS

•The Escondido Union High School District named Valley High School math teacher Sharon Clark as Teacher of the Year and custodial and grounds maintenance employee Miguel Velasquez as Classified Employee of the Year.

• Additionally, KyXy 96.5 radio station and American Assets Trust honored San Pasqual High School English teacher Karen Jewell through the Trib-

form, applicants can request a rent increase based solely on the San Diego Metropolitan Area’s Consumer Price Index change.

To qualify for a shortform application, a park

ute to Teachers Program. She was nominated by her former student, Magda Martinez.

• San Pasqual High School Athletic Director Andrew Clark was named the 2024 CIF San Diego Section Athletic Director of the Year. Clark, a former student athlete who graduated from San Pasqual, is in his 15th year as athletic director and 25th year coaching football.

OCEANSIDE AWARDS

• The Oceanside Unified School District named Oceanside High School choir and guitar teacher Leah Ritt and Cesar Chavez Middle School Spanish teacher Luis Casillas as the district’s teachers of the year.

• OUSD named Palmquist Elementary Office

must apply at least 12 months after the last rent increase was completed. Additionally, the rent increase must apply to all rent-controlled spaces and may not exceed 90% of the increase in CPI since its last application or 8% of the current rent, whichever is less.

For Greencrest residents, this is the second rent increase in over a year. Greencrest previously applied for a $39.04 average rent increase in January 2023, which was 8% of the rent for rent-controlled spaces. The most recently approved rent increase is 3.87% of the current rent.

According to Housing and Neighborhood Services Manager Danielle Lopez, no resident representative of the park was identified, nor were there any people who signed up at the March 20 public hearing to protest Greencrest’s requested rent increase.

Assistant Melissa Hartman and Surfside Academy Campus Supervisor Donald Vivian as district employees of the year.

GREEN FEST

Encinitas Union School District held a successful second annual Zero-Waste Green Fest at Ocean Knoll Elementary, where children showcased educational exhibits and interactive demonstrations aimed at promoting waste minimization and ocean conservation.

POWER AUTHORITY

The Orange County Power Authority hired Encinitas resident Joe Mosca as its new chief executive officer. Mosca has served as interim CEO since June 1 and previously served as the

Lopez said the park has a considerably large clubhouse with a kitchen, laundry facility, seasonal pool, playground and soccer arena — something she noted was unique from other mobile home parks in the city—and a new picnic and barbecue area is in the works.

Code enforcement found two violations before the council considered the rent increase application. As of March 12, both violations were corrected.

Lopez noted that some residents were generally happy with the park and enjoyed living there.

One resident asked if the pool’s open season could be expanded and if the fence facing Centre City Parkway separating the road from the park could be repaired. According to park management, the pool is not heated and is therefore limited in its open season. However, management would consider

director of communications and external affairs for the power authority.

DEAN’S LIST

Mallory Johnson of Del Mar was named to the dean’s list at Bates College in Maine for the fall semester. Johnson is majoring in sociology and minoring in Hispanic Studies.

SHOE DRIVE

The Soroptimist International of Vista and North County Inland donated over 45 pairs of new and gently used shoes to Vista Deputy Mayor Katie Melendez for her Children’s Shoe Drive.

DENTAL CLINIC

Neighborhood Healthcare, a nonprofit community health organization, and Escondido Union School

expanding the open season dates.

Additionally, Lopez said that even though Caltrans owns the fence, it is the city’s responsibility to maintain it.

“A work order has been issued, and fence repair is supposed to begin Wednesday (March 27), Lopez said.

The average rent-controlled space at Greencrest currently pays approximately $548.24. Residents must be given a 90-day notice before the new rent rates go into effect.

Like Greencrest, Casa Grande’s rent increase was approved through a shortform application process. Residents there will see an average increase of about $34.58 per month.

Meanwhile, Town and Country Club owners had to apply using the more complicated long-form process. Those residents will see an increase between $26.92 and $79.86 monthly per space.

District have partnered to bring mobile dental clinics to students at all 24 schools in the district.

GREAT JOB

The California Coast Credit Union received the Great Place to Work Certification from the globally recognized employee experience platform. This year, 83% of the credit union’s surveyed employees said Cal Coast is a great place to work compared to 57% of employees at a typical U.S.based company.

FIX AUTO VISTA

J & R Auto Body and Paint, Inc. has rebranded into Fix Auto Vista. The shop has served the community for over 17 years and is locally owned by Denisse Barragan, who is running

for Vista City Council District 3 this year, and her father, Ruben Barragan.

BAR ASSOCIATION

The North County Bar Association elected Dawn Hall Cunneen as president.

YOUTH PIANO

The city of Encinitas will host the inaugural 2024 Youth Piano Concerto Competition in collaboration with the North Coast Symphony Orchestra. Young pianists in grades K-12 are invited to compete for the first-place prize of a $250 contract to perform one movement of a selected concerto with the orchestra on a Steinway D concert grand piano. For more information, visit www.encinitasca. gov/community/cultural-arts/piano-competition.

Vista Community Clinic expands Dads’ Club program

By Samantha Nelson VISTA —

Vista Community Clinic (VCC) is expanding its Dads’ Club, a program dedicated to supporting fathers and father figures in various stages of their journey towards positive parenting and personal growth.

Fathers enrolled in the program will learn about positive parenting practices, child development, behavior, healthy relationships and the significant role of fathers in a child’s healthy development.

VCC initially recruited program participants through its prenatal and pe-

diatric departments. Over the years, the program has evolved to offer comprehensive case management services, addressing a variety of needs including housing coordination, treatment and recovery, legal assistance, employment readiness and more.

Today, the Dads’ Club serves a diverse community, including fathers with open Child Welfare Services cases, individuals facing legal challenges such as DUIs or domestic violence cases, and those experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. The program also supports fathers navigating

custody and visitation issues and provides assistance to those struggling with child support payments.

In the latest phase of the Dads’ Club program (20232025), VCC has secured funding from the Office of Child Abuse Prevention (OCAP) to continue its vital work in reducing child abuse and neglect among parents.

In early 2024, VCC was awarded additional funding from the County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency to further expand Dad’s Club with a focus on fathers and father figures with high Adverse Childhood Experience scores.

Key features of the program include free evidence-based parenting workshops designed specifically for Dads, employment readiness assessment, intensive case management and a range of support services delivered through virtual and field visits, as well as phone consultations.

The "24/7 Dad" curriculum, currently offered virtually via Zoom twice weekly in both English and Spanish, comprises a 10part workshop series covering essential topics such as family history, communication, positive discipline and co-parenting.

The Dads’ Club program also offers intensive case management support for up to six months, connecting fathers with vital resources such as housing referrals, employment assistance, food support, child support guidance and access to healthcare services.

“Recent success stories from the program highlight the transformative impact of the Dads’ Club,” said Rey Suarez at VCC. “We had a client who, upon enrollment, was experiencing homelessness. Through dedicated support and referrals, the client secured temporary housing and embarked on a journey

towards stability, including participation in parenting workshops, employment searches, and building a resume to facilitate child reunification.

“Vista Community Clinic remains committed to fostering positive fatherhood and supporting families in our community through the Dads’ Club program.”

For those interested in participating in the Dads’ Club program, agencies can complete an Agency Referral form for a client and send it to parenting@vcc.org. Alternatively, individuals can self-enroll by calling 760631-5000 ext 7181.

ANDREW CLARK SHARON CLARK

DAWN HALL CUNNEEN KAREN JEWELL MIGUEL VELASQUEZ

FOR GREENCREST residents, this is the second rent increase in over a year. Photo by Samantha Nelson

This spring...

THINK SMALLER

By Jano Nightingale

One of my favorite gardens was one I created in a tiny alleyway in the yard of a three-story apartment building in Cold Spring, New York, over twenty years ago. I had moved from my first house with a substantial yard, and it was not a happy time for gardening.

But two young men who lived in the basement apartment of the building were keen to fix up the backyard so we could all enjoy it.

Dave, the group’s builder, created a lattice fence, built a wooden box filled with soil, and asked for planting suggestions. I researched my favorite vegetable plants, and we came up with a vertical garden that surprised us all!

After planting Kentucky pole beans, sugar snap peas and a tall, lanky Tiny Tim tomato plant, we were all elated when the seeds began to sprout.

Dave knocked on my door in the morning with something in his hand.

“A bean, a bean! We got our first bean!” Although this was not a showcase-raised bed garden, we had three lovely vegetables to call our own. In the evening, we sat in our lawn chairs, admiring our success at creating an “Alleyway Garden.”

Grow your salad

If you want fresh greens from your patio or balcony, you can create your own container garden with various pots or window boxes. Be certain that your choice has drainage holes and sufficient depth and width.

Greens in deep, rounded

five-gallon containers allow the leaves to stretch out, and vegetables such as beets and radishes can utilize the depth to grow deep and throw their leafy green tops.

On the other hand, rows of leaf lettuce, kale and spinach will flourish in a 24” x 36” window box.

For pole beans, cucumbers, and peas, choose a narrow 12” x 48” window box 8 inches deep. You can add a small trellis to encourage the veggies to climb upward. Totally tomatoes

Many gardeners have tried to grow tomatoes on their patio or balcony, but not always with great success.

The key to success is full sun. Without full sun, you might as well buy tomatoes at the farmer’s market. Try the Patio Hybrid Tomato, Tiny Tim or Yellow Peach Cherry varieties.

Be certain you choose a large pot for tomatoes or peppers, such as a five-gallon plastic or terra cotta. Use a container garden mix found in garden centers, such as Jiffy-Mix or ProMix, and dampen the soil before planting.

Remember to hold off buying your tomatoes until late April. They need three to four months of consistent temperatures of 65-85 degrees. This is why I constantly preach to my students not to buy tomatoes in March. They are usually sold with buds that have been forced into early bloom in a greenhouse in another state..

An early tomato might

MINIATURE PURPLE and yellow viola brighten hanging baskets on March 22 at Anderson’s La Costa Nursery in Encinitas.

Photo by Jordan P. Ingram

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‘Sit

Picture lying in a field, enveloped by a warm, summer breeze, the touch of silken flower petals gently brushing against your cheek, and the soothing patter of a mild, rhythmic creek.

These are natural things.

Furniture can also be natural, when made with the right ingredients.

Natural Home by The Futon Shop located in the heart of San Marcos at 1232 Los Vallecitos Boulevard, uses all the right ingredients.

“Although, it’s the little store that could, it has everything you need to sit and sleep in your home, naturally,” The Futon Shop CEO Suzy Diamond said.

The Futon Shop’s products are 100% organic and natural, are handmade in the USA and use all recycled materials.

From mattresses to bedding, pillows to futons, The Futon Shop is the definitive destination for all your sustainable home needs.

turing could lead to allergic reactions and skin irritation.

That’s why The Futon Shop chooses to create furniture and bedding made from only natural ingredients, while keeping health and safety in mind.

Sustainable materials are the cornerstone of a sustainable home. The materials used are natural and non-toxic, promoting better health for both you and the planet.

Eco-friendly decor as gifts for family and friends is another good way to spread health and longevity, especially with the rise of sustainable living and eco-consciousness.

The practice of natural furniture making using organic ingredients dates back to antiquity, with ancient furniture made from many different materials, including reeds, wood, stone, metals, straws and ivory.

itself in belonging to a tradition of furniture making that is as old as civilization.

The Futon Shop has also been showcased in many major media outlets such as NBC News, MSN, Yahoo finance, Red Carpet Green Dress and FashionUnited, with a list of satisfied customers.

Indoor/outdoor Futon cover, Taupe:

“This thing is really well made and beautiful. Easy to keep clean and long lasting material. can’t go wrong with their workmanship. slipped on easily too,” review by John M. on March 16, 2024.

Futon cover:

“Very good quality. Very happy with the product,” review by Sigi H. on March 16, 2024.

Organic cotton mattress protector:

“Love the material. Beautifully made,” review by Lisa B. on March 14, 2024.

While supplies last, The Futon Shop has an 80% off sale on all floor models, with a wide variety of clearance items, including futon mattresses, mattresses, sofas, futon frames, futon covers, bedding and pillows. With dedicated homage creations such as Japanese-influenced furniture, yoga props and accessories, Cariloha bamboo bedding and Tatami mats, we celebrate and embrace all walks of life. Exclusive online and in-store offers of 12 months, no interest, with affordable monthly payments is also available.

crafted without glue, fire retardants, petro-chemicals or any other synthetic ingredients.

“We bring nature indoors,” Diamond said.

If a natural approach to furniture making was good enough for Cleopatra and the pharaohs of Egypt, it is good enough for your home.

By City News Service REGION

— Home prices increased across San Diego County in February, mirroring a statewide trend, the California Association of Realtors said last week.

The median price of an existing single-family home in San Diego County in February was $980,000, up from $925,000 the previous month, and substantially higher than the $878,000 price of one year ago.

Statewide, the median price of an existing single-family home last month was $806,490, up from $789,480 in January, and an increase from $735,300 a year earlier.

The state’s highest median home price in February was San Mateo County’s $1.92 million.

February’s statewide sales pace was 12.8% higher from the 257,040 homes sold in January and up 1.3% from a year ago, when a revised 286,290 homes were sold on an annualized basis.

The monthly sales increase was the second straight month of doubledigit gains for California. It was also the second consecu tive month of year- over-year gains, but the improvement was mild.

While it is likely that sales will stay below this level in the first quarter of 2024, statewide home sales on a year-to-date basis remained positive with an increase of 3.4%, suggesting a better spring home purchasing sea-

Furniture and bedding by The Futon Shop are

Petro-chemicals used in most furniture manufac-

“Very comfy, easy to clean, stain resistant. I couldn’t be happier with this…,” said Sonja Morgan of “The Real Housewives of New York.”

The Futon Shop prides

Experience the true sense of touch by sinking into nature with 100% organically made, handcrafted furniture.

All your natural shopping, delivery and local-store pickup needs can be found at www.thefutonshop.com/the-futon-shopsan-marcos.

son than last year, according to CAR. “Housing supply conditions in California continued to improve in February with new active listings rising more than 10% for the sec-

President Melanie Barker said. “This is great news for buyers who have been competing for a dearth of homes for sale, and the momentum will hopefully build further as we enter the spring home

Tree doctor wins award two years in a row

Since 1985, Russell Bowman has been delighting residents of San Diego County with his plant and tree expertise.

So, it’s no wonder Bowman Plant & Tree Care Specialists have been named the San Diego Union-Tribune Community Press’ “Best of North County” voters’ poll for tree and plant care for a 2nd year in a row!

He is lovingly referred to as the San Diego “tree doctor extraordinaire” by his clients, Bowman is known for transforming sickly trees and gardens into Disneyesque wonderlands.

Using his own proprietary blend of organic biological nutrition, Bowman feeds plants at night — a technique he picked up during his time as a horticulturist at Disneyland.

“When you feed plants at night, they have enough time to absorb the nutrition, before it is degraded by the sun’s rays,” he said. “That’s why, when most people are winding down their days, eating dinner, and going to bed, we are out feeding plants and trees.”

He’s done more than just care for sick plants and trees, he’s revolutionized both residential and commercial properties by the use of his organic fertilizer tanks that

inject his magical formula through your irrigation systems.

In a very short time, this program pays back through reduced water bills.

“When you give your body proper nutrition, it affects your overall health and boosts your immunity, so you don’t get sick. The same is true for plants and trees.”

Bowman feeds complete “nutrition delivery biology” derived from earthworm castings to replenish the missing healthy soil biology.

This works with a client’s current irrigation system so that each time the landscaping is watered, the needed soil biology is replenished.

“This is the secret to keeping your property looking like a five-star resort.”

Russell is quick to point out that healthy plants and trees are also environmentally friendly. A healthy plant will be more efficient at photosynthesizing sunlight into oxygen and the healthy soil/ compost helps bring down uses far less water.

He donates his time and expertise for the trees for the Point Loma Association and gardens at the Rock Church in Point Loma, Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, the YMCA, Barnes Tennis Center, Chili’s Restaurants, Stone Brewery in Escondido, and San Diego Botanic Garden.

He also served with the San Diego Rose Society in Balboa Park for 12 years.

To learn more about Bowman and his services, please contact Russell at 858-499-9417.

He provides tree and plant nutritional care as well as ongoing routine garden maintenance.

Russell Bowman abides by all applicable state laws and requirements and does

“My calling is to beautify the earth, making trees and plants healthy,” The Master Gardener taught me everything I know. I’ve learned that when you love something, it’s not something you have to do; it’s something you want to do.”

not perform any services that require a licensed contractor.

Business license

B2017006153.

bowmanplantand treecare.com

ALRSD to hold spring fundraiser

By Erik P. Gabaldon ENCINITAS — The

Assistance League Rancho San Dieguito will hold a fundraiser on April 13 to help support league and community programs.

The fundraiser will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lomas Santa Fe Country Club in Solana Beach.

A three-course lunch will be served with a nohost bar. Tickets are $100.

“The money raised supports our programs–especially our largest programs–Operation School Bell, where we provide new clothes and shoes to over 1200 local students each

year through special shopping events,” fundraiser organizer Kathy O'Leary said.

There will be a live and silent auction, with such prizes as a seven-night stay on the beach at Kihei, Hawaii; a firehouse dinner for six at Rancho Santa Fe Fire Station; four season passes to the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club; an original print from political cartoonist Steve Breen and; a chef's dinner for eight.

Comedian Carol Johnson and harpist Naomi Alter are scheduled to entertain, with Johnson also stepping in as auctioneer and presenter. Johnson also holds the

position of the Goddess of Humor on LockDown Living Room Comedy Show!

Alter has been a concerto soloist with the Poway Symphony Orchestra, the Song of the Angels Flute Orchestra and the Crown City Symphony in Pasadena.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for our friends to come, enjoy the event and support the chapter,” O'Leary added.

ALRSD also raises funds through its Thrift Shop at 1542 Encinitas Boulevard, with proceeds returned to the community through philanthropic programs that serve children and adults.

RUSSELL BOWMAN of Bowman Plant & Tree Care Specialists is lovingly referred to as San Diego’s “tree doctor extraordinaire.” Courtesy photo

Green Thumb team can help your garden grow

Under the Bergquist family, Green Thumb Nursery has provided gardening needs to Southern California residents for 60 years.

A refuge for growth, beauty and friendship.

No matter how technologically advanced society becomes, there will always be a connection to nature, and Green Thumb Nursery is that slice of Eden.

“Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.”

From humble Nebraska beginnings, Dale Bergquist followed his passion of plants and nature all the way to California in the 1940s, where he continued to develop the Green Thumb Nursery.

Bergquist, co-founder of Green Thumb Nursery, was a highly respected, caring civic leader in the community, who passed away at 91 in 2010.

He left his legacy to family, who will carry on his honest, hard work and family business.

“My life has been a great ride,” said Bergquist.

With another location in San Marcos, the Bergquist family locally owns and operates a total of five retail locations, including Ventura, Lake Forest, Newhall and Canoga Park along with the Growing Grounds.

Green Thumb Nursery continues to be a family-owned business under the leadership of Bud, Steve and Nancy Bergquist. Dale’s daughter Nancy manages the wholesale nursery Growing Grounds.

With an abundant instore and home delivery catalog, which includes tropical house plants, aquatic plants, cacti, rare houseplants, pet friendly houseplants to new arrivals:

Green Thumb Nursery has it all.

They also offer waterwise plants, organically grown vegetables, herbs and more to help customers help the environment

“Our five-acre nursery is the best place to spend time. There’s always something in bloom and something always special to look at. Whether that’s our small flowers or a beautiful specimen plant,” Green Thumb Nursery plant expert and buyer Ashley Cole said.

Green Thumb Nursery is not only a nursery, but also a helpful resource for plant knowledge, with a complete plant library, a learning center focusing on outdoor plants, edible plants and specialty plants

and landscape design assistance, classes and events always available.

“At Green Thumb Nursery we are always ex-

cited to talk about plants. We are always happy to help, and everyone is always welcome,” Cole said. The plant library con-

tains a wealth of information about many of the plants that we carry each year. It can be used to look up growing and care infor-

mation on specific plants as well.

However, the plant library is intended for informational purposes, and does not reflect our current inventory. Please contact the store(s) directly for current availability, or visit our online store to see what is currently available.

The plant library and garden blog can be accessed at www.greenthumb.com, then go to “Resources” below “Gardening Info.”

Green Thumb continues its tradition of “friendly customer service with a smile” trademark and maintains one of the best reputations for a quality garden center in Southern California.

Looking to further your plant interests? Sign up for the Green Thumb Nursery newsletter via email or text and start receiving free weekly coupons; gardening blogs; recipes; gardening classes

via our YouTube channel; weekly deals and more. Newsletter email and text registration can be found at www.greenthumb. com/green-thumb-nursery-newsletter-signup.

Green Thumb Nursery promises to provide the best quality plants by the friendliest garden experts in the industry, and to spread our environmentally conscious knowledge to our favorite people — you.

“The environment is a priority, and we will continue to provide products that are safe and responsible. It is our commitment to strive towards becoming 100% green, and we will maintain our commitment to sustaining the environment by only selecting products that meet our rigid eco-friendly criteria, the nursery said.

Online orders, in-store purchases, inquiries, current inventory and new arrivals can be found at www.greenthumb.com.

FAMILY-OWNED Green Thumb Nursery in San Marcos has a reputation as one of the top garden centers in Southern California. “We are always excited to talk about plants,” says Green Thumb plant buyer Ashley Cole. Courtesy photos

Celebrating 30+ years of beautiful landscapes

For over 30 years Greenway Landscape Design & Build has been designing, installing and maintaining beautiful landscapes for their San Diego North County clients which include beautiful healthy lawns, realistic artificial turf, amazing paver and hardscape patios and driveways.

But most important, they are your expert guide! They will guide you through the confusing and frustrating maze of details you may encounter in your landscape/outdoor living project.

They are your one stop for results and solutions. Greenway offers a variety of service including complete landscape design from hand drawn to computer CAD to their 3D virtual video conceptual designs in color so you can truly visualize your landscape outdoor living project and really love it before the first shovel hits the ground.

They are experts in outdoor lighting, landscape makeovers, new sod lawns, new plants, irrigation repair and upgrades, aeration and annual fertilization plans (AFP) for lawn and landscapers, and over 30 years of experience to provide you with results and solutions.

Scott Lawn and Alex Lawn, the owners of Greenway, state, “Alex and I love what we do. We get to design and install beautiful landscapes and we get to do it as a father and son team. It doesn’t get any better than that.”

They are passionate about landscapes because your landscape is a large part of your life. It is the welcome mat to your home, the first impression to visitors and where your kids play. Greenway has the experience and know-how for any size landscape project.

The team at Greenway, from our technicians to the in-office staff, believes that customers should get the most out of their lawns and landscapes. Greenway believes in educating its clients about irrigation, lawn and

landscapes, and offers personal consultations.

Our expert will come out to your home and walk the property with you, answer your questions, identify issues and help you achieve a beautiful landscape.

They can guide you to reducing water use with an explanation of a state-ofthe-art irrigation system, efficient stream rotor heads,

drip irrigations and smart control clocks, or diagnosing and providing the right landscape solution for any issue.

This costs $100 and covers up to one hour of their consultants time.

A vitally important part of maintaining a beautiful landscape is fertilizing your plants, lawns, landscape, trees, bushes, flowers, etc.

All need food: they feed your landscape with their Annual Fertilization Plan (AFP) 4 visits per year. Properly fertilized plants use less water, fight pests and diseases better and look awesome.

Greenway, Scott and Alex Lawn, are respected throughout the North County Community. They have demonstrated a deep community commitment

Greenway

“Best

HOME & GARDEN

CONTINUED FROM 9

show buds that are open, but they might be hit by a cold snap and simply fall off. At this point, since the process has been rushed, they will not re-gain their growth cycle.

Herb garden

Since most herbs do not require a tremendous amount of sun and will not produce flowers or fruit, they can be placed in your partial shade area.

Use window boxes or wooden containers described above for vegetables and fill them with potting mix. Dampen soil before planting and choose your favorite herbs and spices.

The key would be to find three or four that grow at the same rate and spread in width and height. You can also choose herbs that suit your cooking style, such as:

Mediterranean Herbs: If you cook in the style of Mediterranean cooking, you will want to pair dishes with Herbs de Provence, such as rosemary, thyme, and lavender.

Italian Herb Box: Do you make homemade pizza, pasta and tomato sauce? If so, fill your box with a selection of basil, oregano and rosemary. Look for a small bay leaf plant, which will last for years if maintained properly.

Tea Time: To augment

your tea collection, look for lemon balm, lavender and peppermint.

Flowers

When making your own container flower garden, remember that all flowers have their own habits! Just like humans, they can be finicky, some will grow tall, others stay short, and many

spread their wings until you clip them back! Start with the longest window box you can find, which could be plastic, terra cotta or a wooden container. Be certain each container has proper drainage. This formula also works for deep terra cotta or ceramic containers.

Listen to experts

The first job I had in the horticulture business was at a small but thriving family-owned nursery in Cooperstown, New York. I learned quickly how to produce the perfect window box filled with annuals.

According to owner Mary Leonard, “Start in

the middle, with your tallest plant. Moving outward, place two medium-sized flowers on either side, leaving room for the trailing or mounding plant such as alyssum, trailing geranium, or Mandeville, which will fill in the end of the box.”

In a paint-by-number sequence, you follow a nofail plan that works with annuals or herbs.

Window boxes

Tall plants – Spikes, Thunbergia, Cup and Saucer; Medium – Osteopernum (Daisy), Bacopa, Pansy, Begonia; Long and trailing – Allysum, Ivy, Trailing Geranium, Million Bells Petunia

Any of these plants can be trained to grow upward with bamboo stakes for a taller look.

Many gardeners choose to decorate their small spaces by themselves, but let’s face it, sometimes the nurseries do a better job.

On a recent visit to Anderson’s La Costa Nursery, we saw a wide selection of hanging baskets with an ever-changing assortment of annuals.

Our guide, Grace Neal, showed us various baskets with colorful pansies, thunbergia, bacopa and scaveola. Visit their garden center, which is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., located at 400 La Costa Ave, Encinitas; (760)753-3153.

Jano Nightingale is a Master Gardener and horticulturist and teaches at the Carlsbad Senior Center. Contact her at janosgarden@gmail.com.

GRACE NEAL, garden designer and plant enthusiast at Anderson’s La Costa Nursery in Encinitas, tends to a hanging basket of African daisies, violas and pansies. Photo by Jordan P. Ingram

CULINARY HERB gardens are small and easy to maintain, providing a delicious kick to meals. Photo by Jordan P. Ingram

LIGHT PURPLE African daisies, left, mulitcolored violas and pansies, center and right, explode with color from hanging baskets at Anderson’s La Costa Nursery in Encinitas. These spring flowers in hanging baskets instantly brighten a porch or patio and take up very little space. Photos by Jordan P. Ingram

TALAVERA POTTERY is a tin-glazed earthenware produced in Mexican cities of Puebla, Atlixco, Cholula and Tecali using a technique dating back to the 16th century in Talavera de la Reina, Spain. These handmade planters, pots and decorative pieces at Anderson’s La Costa Nursery in Encinitas serve as colorful bases for plants or art pieces in and outside the garden.

Photos by Jordan P. Ingram

Taking readers on journey of offbeat American landmarks

hit the road

e’louise ondash

Aremote highway intersection. An unremarkable motel room. A nondescript house in small-town Idaho. An anonymous garage. A single subway grate.

All of these would have remained forever insignificant except for what happened there.

It was to this last location that an 11-year-old Chris Epting dragged his parents. He wanted to see the exact spot — a Man hattan subway grate at 52nd and Lexington — where one of the most famous photos ever was taken: the 1954 image of Marilyn Monroe in a white halter dress fighting to hold down her skirt against a blast of air.

phone call from his home in the Belmont Shore neighborhood of Long Beach. “I felt like I knew a secret. It opened my head up. I liked the idea that something really notable happened in a fairly anonymous place. I thought, ‘There must be lots of these places that no one knows about.’ This started me on my quest of location, location, location.”

“The photo was a promotion for the film ‘The Seven Year Itch’ (and) it deeply affected me,” said the veteran author and pop-culture aficionado during a

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

who owns a business along Main Street, said at the March 26 meeting that temporary street closures in the area have hurt her clinic in the past due to impacts on parking, as patients are required to walk further distances.

“To temporarily close things … if it was during business hours, it would be detrimental to our business,” she said.

Fellow council members said they were open to the idea of street closures and other things to invigorate the downtown, with the caveat that negative impacts on local businesses should be mitigated as much as possible.

Councilmember Joe Green said the downtown could benefit from more temporary closures along South Indiana Avenue, especially near the Vista Village Gazebo and at the intersection with East Broadway, to allow for more events. He proposed trying out more temporary closures for three to four days at a time and then analyzing the impact.

“If we find we have more boots on the ground in our community, our business owners are doing good, and we don't have the issues with parking that they’re thinking we were gonna have, I would be open to looking at closing it permanently if it’s gonna improve businesses there, as far as Indiana goes,” he said.

Green also said he

Epting has channeled his longtime passion for pop culture and history into his latest of his 30 books: “It Happened Right Here: America’s Pop Culture Landmarks,” published by Santa Monica Press in Solana Beach. Included in this 460-page, easy-read encyclopedia are hundreds of buildings, streets, alleys, churches, homes, parks, beaches, theaters and businesses that might have remained under the radar except for the icons who were born, died, arrested, created havoc, broke the law or changed the world there.

“(The entries) aren’t based on just my taste,” Epting said. “It’s some of that, but it’s also things that effect general popular culture. The first thing I think of (when I hear of a newsworthy event) is, ‘Is there an

VETERAN AUTHOR and pop culture aficionado Chris Epting stands at the intersection of Highways 46 and 41, a “speck on the map” between Paso Robles and Bakersfield, where 24-year-old actor James Dean was killed in 1955. Dean’s new Porsche Spyder was hit headon by a 1954 Ford Tudor. This location is featured in “It Happened Right Here: America’s Pop Culture Landmarks.” At left, the book’s cover photo features the house in Preston, Idaho, used in the cult film “Napoleon Dynamite.” Courtesy photos

address associated with it?

If I wanted to drive there, what address would I punch in?’”

It’s no surprise that California leads the pack when it comes to entries, Epting said.

“Just look at the electoral map. This is where the population is concentrated and where the (film and television) industries are, so there’s a constant slurry of celebrity.”

The landmarks are located on both public and private property, and when it’s the latter?

“For the most part, I’ve had gracious hosts that are accommodating,” Epting said. “I think they feel that If you’re going to write about it anyway, you might as well get it accurate.”

For instance, hotel/motel owners have found that it increases the value of a room, regardless of what happened there, “because you’re paying for the history. It’s better to own the history and allow that place to tell the story. It pulls people in.”

SALES TAX

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

that San Marcos needs new revenue. We’ve determined that. If we want to continue our quality of life, we’re going to have to find new revenue or make a lot of reductions in expenses, and that’s not going to give us a good quality of life,” said Councilmember Sharon Jenkins.

Sales tax measures require a simple majority of over 50% to pass. Results from an initial study by True North Research indicate that a half-cent sales tax has a good chance of moving forward if placed on the ballot.

Take, for example, Room 8 at the Joshua Tree Inn near Joshua Tree National Park. Here, rock ‘n’ roll musician Gram Parsons (Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers) died at age 26 after mixing tequila and morphine. In fact, the inn has named Room 8 for Parsons. (Read the book to learn of the bizarre events that unfolded after Parsons' death, as well as other big names connected to the inn.)

If you aren’t among the demographic who recognizes Parsons, there are plenty

residents about a tax, many have been supportive of increasing it to one cent rather than a half-cent to generate more revenue.

McLarney said that based on his understanding of voters’ receptivity to sales taxes, the level of support would probably not vary much with a half-cent increase.

A half-cent tax is projected to bring in around $11 million annually, while a one-cent rate could double this revenue to upwards of $20 million, Bender said.

of other people, places and events that will appeal to all ages, including figures from American history, inventors; films; athletes and sporting events; strange and weird occurrences; birthplaces of fast foods; and locations of tragedies, both historic and modern.

Some entries offer a back story to major events. For instance, in the 1970s, terrorist-mastermind Osama bin Laden lived at Gramercy Towers, 1177 California Street (Nob Hill), San Francisco.

Other entries are downright astounding. Who knew that an atomic bomb was inadvertently dropped on Mars Bluff, S.C., in 1958?

Some people and places have earned multiple pages because of their mammoth mark on our collective psyche: Elvis; Martin Luther King Jr.; Marilyn Monroe; and “Little Towns Made Notable by Big Television Shows.” Some of my faves: Lima, Ohio (“Glee”); Snoqualmie, Washington (“Twin Peaks”); Roslyn, Washington (“Northern Exposure”); and metro Atlanta, Ga. (“Ozark”).

“I hope the book encourages people to be curious about this country and get close to events,” Epting said. “Things are always going to happen. I hope when I’m gone that someone will keep the fire going.”

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

ball, said youth sports have suffered due to recent cuts and asked the council to remember the youth when considering who could benefit from a sales tax measure.

“I’ve already seen the effects of the cutbacks. I’ve already seen families having to explain to their kids that they can’t play baseball, they can’t play sports,” Max said. “Please, don’t forget the youth.”

would not be in favor of permanent closures on Main Street or East Broadway, but that they could be made into one-way streets to allow for more parking spaces.

Councilmember Katie Melendez noted that the city is already familiar with temporary street closures downtown, with the annual Vista Strawberry Festival along Main Street in May and smaller art events throughout the year.

In addition to opening the streets to more events, Melendez said the community in the neighboring residential areas would also benefit from having dedicated pedestrian- and bike-friendly areas downtown.

“It’s not even really closing an area, it could be seen as opening it up for more

multimodal uses,” Melendez said. “I could also see it being a space for residents to have more access to the public right-of-way.”

She and Contreras also said they would like to see Vista have an annual allwheels event in downtown similar to Cyclovia in the city of Encinitas, where bikers and skaters are able to enjoy downtown in an open streets-style event.

For next steps, the council directed the city manager to conduct outreach with downtown businesses to discuss options for street closures; develop potential plans for making Main and Broadway into one-way streets; better advertise parking options downtown; and look into the possibility of a community bike event.

In an initial survey of around 800 San Marcos residents, 64% said they would either probably or definitely vote yes; 27% said they would probably or definitely vote no, and the rest were unsure.

“At this initial ballot test, we’re sitting at about 14 points above the minimum needed for passage,” said True North President Dr. Timothy McLarney.

The survey also illustrated which services residents want tax revenue to go towards.

Top priorities were fixing potholes and maintaining city streets, keeping community areas like parks and trails clean and well-maintained, reducing trash and pollution, and improving traffic safety and congestion.

Bender and City Council members said that in their conversations with

Several employees of the San Marcos Fire Department spoke in favor of the measure on March 12, stating that the department desperately needs more support.

Firefighter Jeff McCloskey said the last time the department added a new fire station was in 2008 and that since then, the department’s call volume has doubled. Often, San Marcos Fire has to depend on ambulances from Vista and other surrounding areas to help respond to local emergencies.

“Knowing we’ve had a lean work staff ever since I started here, at what point are we going to outpace our ability to properly serve our community?” said McCloskey.

Residents also highlighted youth recreation opportunities and facilities as an essential feature of the quality of life in San Marcos.

Dan Max, president of San Marcos Youth Base-

Looking ahead, consultant Team Civics will continue to share information with the public about the potential sales tax measure. Council members emphasized that gathering information from the public and being transparent will be extremely important.

“Tonight is really not about decisions. It’s about getting the information; it’s about listening to what our residents have said,” said Mayor Rebecca Jones. “I want to make it as easy as possible to get feedback from residents.”

Nine of the 18 cities in San Diego County have their own local sales tax — Chula Vista, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Imperial Beach and National City each have a one-cent tax; El Cajon, Oceanside and Vista have a half-cent tax; and La Mesa has a 3/4-cent tax.

The cities of Encinitas and San Diego are also considering placing a local one-cent sales tax before voters in November, and residents in Escondido have launched a ballot initiative for a one-cent tax.

THE VISTA City Council this week discussed temporary and permanent street closures downtown, as a way to allow for more events and bring more foot traffic to local businesses.

Courtesy photo/Downtown Vista

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EVENTS CALENDAR

MARCH 29

‘THE FLYING FLEET’

A screening of the silent film “The Flying Fleet” will be the highlight of an evening celebrating San Diego’s military service members. $3.50, 7 p.m. at Balboa Theater, 868 4th Ave, San Diego.

SAVE FERRIS

California’s Save Ferris are a ska and pop-punk outfit showcasing lead vocalist Monique Powell. Formed in 1995, the group initially came together after the breakup of Los Pantalones. $22-$39, 8:45 p.m. at Belly Up, 143 S Cedros Ave, Solana Beach.

APRIL & FUNK JUNKIES

One of San Diego’s premier dance bands, this group of performers is led on vocals by April Mosebrook. $8, 5:30 p.m. at Belly Up, 143 S Cedros Ave, Solana Beach.

EASTER BUNNY TEA

Dress your Easter best and join Fairmont Grand Del Mar for Easter Bunny Tea. Savor a delicious selection of petit fours, sweet delicacies, kid-friendly treats, tea and a glass of champagne. $63-$125, 12 to 4 p.m. at Fairmont Grand Del Mar, 5300 Grand del Mar Ct, San Diego.

GILBERT CASTELLANOS

Take in the sultry sounds of Gilbert Castellanos’ jazz music mixed with hits from the American songbook, Latin jazz and original compositions. 6 to 9 p.m. March 29 at Fairmont Grand Del Mar, 5300 Grand del Mar Ct, San Diego.

MOJO & FREQUENCY

This combined vocal and instrumental jazz concert presented by MiraCosta College is presented by the Frequency Vocal Jazz Ensemble and MiraCosta Oceanside Jazz Orchestra in the Concert Hall (Bldg. 2400), Oceanside Campus. $8-$10, 7:30 p.m. at MiraCosta College, 1 Barnard Dr, Oceanside.

FUN ANIMAL FRIDAY

Join us onsite for Fun Animal Friday with San Diego Humane Society. Free with museum admission. 10 to 11:30 a.m. March 29 at San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum, 320 N Broadway, Escondido.

COMEDY HYPNOSIS

Dr. Ken is a real physician, using real hypnosis, to create a really safe and fun show. $19.50, 8-9:30 p.m. March 29 at The Brooks Theatre, 217 N Coast Hwy, Oceanside.

(S)LIGHT OF HAND

Photographic artists Debra Achen and Diana Bloomfield exhibit award-winning prints. Free,

11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Photographer’s Eye Gallery , 326 E Grand Ave, Escondido.

VIETNAM VETERANS DAY

The Veterans Association of North County and Hospice of the North Coast are honoring veterans of the Vietnam War for their service. 9 a.m. at Veterans Association of North County , 1617 Mission Ave, Oceanside.

CIRCUS VARGAS

The all new production showcases different cultures and nationalities, joining hand in hand, coming together to entertain, laugh, live, love and celebrate as one!. $25, 7:30 p.m. at Westfield Mission Valley West , 1640 Camino del Rio N, San Diego.

MARCH 30

SPRING EGG SCRAMBLE

Bunny Breakfast and Spring Egg Scramble. 20,000 prize-filled eggs, carnival games, jumps and more. 8–11 a.m. Pancake breakfast ($7) and photos with the Bunny, 8–10 am. Williams Barn at Walnut Grove Park, 1950 Sycamore Dr., San Marcos. Pre-registration required for breakfast: www.san-marcos.net

VISTA EASTER EGG HUNT

Free event from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Brengle Terrace Park ball fields and surrounding areas includes an Easter bonnet contest, face painting, music and an egg hunt for children ages 2-10. Take a photo with the Easter bunny. Brengle Terrace Park, 1200 Vale Terrace Drive, Vista.

EGG-CELLENT ADVENTURE

Join us for an egg-cellent Easter Egg Hunt at North County Mall on March 30 at 2 p.m. Bring your basket and get ready to search for colorful eggs filled with treats & prizes! from over 50+ stores. Meet the Easter Bunny for photos and enjoyr face painting fun. Free. North Coun-

lection of petit fours, sweet delicacies, kid-friendly treats, tea and a glass of champagne. $63-$125, 12 to 4 p.m. March 30 at Fairmont Grand Del Mar, 5300 Grand del Mar Ct, San Diego.

REBECCA JADE

Rebecca Jade is an internationally touring vocalist with all who recently sang onstage with both Stevie Wonder and Jason Mraz. 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. March 30 at Fairmont Grand Del Mar, 5300 Grand del Mar Ct, San Diego.

ALLIED CRAFTSMEN

performances in the heart of Balboa Park, kicks off the spring with a special free concert for Bach’s Birthday on March 13th. 2 p.m. at Spreckels Organ Pavilion , 2125 Pan American Rd E, San Diego.

EASTER SUNRISE SERVICE

Experience Easter sunrise amidst blooming ranunculus at Carlsbad Ranch. Free event with live music, message of hope, and complimentary breakfast. Join us. The service and breakfast are free. No tickets required. 6:30 to 9 a.m. March 31 at The Flower Fields, 5704 Paseo del Norte, Carlsbad.

brate volunteers and community partners. 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. April 3 at Lifeline Community Services, 200 Michigan Ave, Vista.

APRIL 4

ORIANTHI

Platinum-selling recording artist and world class guitarist Orianthi graces the Belly Up stage on April 4. $35-$62, 8 p.m. at Belly Up, 143 S Cedros Ave, Solana Beach.

ANDREW STEINBERG

ty Mall, 200 E Via Rancho Pkwy, Escondido.

TERI EASTER EGG HUNT

Join us at our 3rd Annual TERI Campus of Life Easter Egg Hunt, featuring live performances by the TERI Band & Tracy Lee Nelson. We’re putting on multiple free egg hunts (age appropriate) with a special buffet-style brunch ($15$32) for the day and the attendance of a special guest. 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 555 Deer Springs Rd. San Marcos.

ANDY FRASCO & THE U.N.

Andy Frasco & The U.N. have long been the high-flying DIY renegades of the touring scene known and loved for their kaleidoscopic musical fusion and one-of-a-kind onstage audacity. $25-$44, 9 p.m. at Belly Up, 143 S Cedros Ave, Solana Beach.

MOVIE AT NATURE CENTER

Buena Vista Audubon invites you to visit the BV Nature Center and enjoy a free movie. 1 to 3 p.m. March 30 at Buena Vista Nature Center, 2202 S Coast Hwy, Oceanside.

PICNIC + FLOWERS

Pop Up Picnic Co. returns with Picnic & Flowers a family-friendly picnic experience set amidst the backdrop of The Flower Fields. $140, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 30 at Carlsbad Flower Fields, 5704 Paseo del Norte, Carlsbad.

PERSIAN NEW YEAR

The Persian Culture Center partners with the Escondido Public Library to celebrate the Persian New Year. Learn about Nowruz and Persian culture from the Iranian School of San Diego dance academy. 3 to 4 p.m. March 30 at Escondido Public Library, 239 S Kalmia St, Escondido.

EASTER BUNNY TEA

Dress your Easter best and join Fairmont Grand Del Mar for Easter Bunny Tea. Savor a delicious se-

The first Oceanside Museum of Art Exhibition Celebration of 2024, “Allied Hands On Design,” features works from the Allied Craftsmen of San Diego, the oldest professional organization of craft artists in Southern California. $15, 5 to 7 p.m. March 30 at Oceanside Museum of Art, 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside.

CARLSBAD EGG HUNT

Join us for the City of Carlsbad’s EGGstravaganza event on Saturday, March 30 at Poinsettia Community Park. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 30 at Poinsettia Park, 6600 Hidden Valley Rd, Carlsbad.

SWINGING SERENADES:

Step into a world of timeless elegance and rhythmic enchantment with “Swinging An Evening of Timeless Classics.” $30, 8 to 10 p.m. March 30 at The Brooks Theatre, 217 N Coast Hwy, Oceanside.

IMPROV FUNDAMENTALS

Ready to let go, connect, and unleash your creativity? Join us for a fun journey of laughter, spontaneity and endless possibilities. $175, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. March 30 at The Brooks Theatre, 217 N Coast Hwy, Oceanside.

MARCH 31

AMAYA EASTER BRUNCH

The newly reimagined, French cuisine driven Amaya restaurant hosts an Easter brunch. Complimentary Easter egg hunt, live entertainment and Easter Bunny visit included. $93-$185, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 31 at Amaya at Fairmont Grand Del Mar, 5300 Grand del Mar Ct, San Diego.

‘ART-MAKING DAY’

Encinitas’ Coastal Roots Farm invites community to a special art making day surrounding the central theme of rebirth. $30 adults, $15 student, $10 child. 1 to 5 p.m. March 31 at Coastal Roots Farm, 441 Saxony Rd, Encinitas.

BACH’S B-DAY CONCERT

Spreckels Organ Society, a non-profit organization curating concerts and

APRIL 1

SPRING TEA

Celebrate spring with a special afternoon tea inspired by the flavors of the season. Menu includes a selection of sandwiches, traditional tea scones, sweets and tea. $45-$89, 12 to 4 p.m. April 1 at Fairmont Grand Del Mar, 5300 Grand del Mar Ct, San Diego.

DINOSAURS DYNAMITE

Vicious velociraptors, adorable baby dinosaurs, and a roaring T-Rex take the stage in this delightful family musical adventure. $19.25, 1 to 2:30 p.m. April 1 at The Ritz Theater, 301 E Grand Ave, Escondido.

APRIL 2

BALLET CLASSES

Former pro dancer Marti Neal teaches classes for youths 9-14 and adults 15+ at Stagecoach Park in Carlsbad and the Encinitas Community Center. April 2 at Encinitas Community Center, 1140 Oakcrest Park Dr, Encinitas.

APRIL 3

YONDER MOUNTAIN

Grammy-nominated Yonder Mountain String Band continues to exist at the forefront of the progressive bluegrass scene as one of the undeniable innovators and pioneers of the modern jamgrass movement. $35, 8 p.m. at Belly Up, 143 S Cedros Ave, Solana Beach.

THE JOY OF HERBS

Discover the joy of herbs. 9:45 to 11:30 a.m. at Carlsbad Senior Center, 799 Pine Ave, Carlsbad.

GEORGE M. JOHNSON

“My book is a tool so that Black queer kids and LGBTQ teens can see themselves, and read about themselves, and learn about themselves.” Free-$10, 6 to 8 p.m. April 3 at CSUSM University Student Union Ballroom, 595 Campus View Dr, San Marcos.

VOLUNTEER AWARDS

Join Lifeline Community Services as they cele-

Saxophonist and conductor Andrew R. Steinberg performs as part of Concert Hour, a free music enrichment series presented for students and the community by the Palomar College Performing Arts Department. Free, 1 to 2 p.m. at Howard Brubeck Theatre at Palomar College, 1140 W Mission Rd, San Marcos.

MISSION TRAILS

Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation holds a free community night with games, light refreshments and opportunities to learn how to experience Mission Trails in new ways. 6 to 8 p.m. April 4 at Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center, 1 Father Junipero Serra Trl, San Diego.

SPELLING BEE

Students at the Theatre School at North Coast Repertory Theatre perform the Tony Award-winning “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” $21-$25, 10 a.m. at North Coast Repertory Theatre, 987 Lomas Santa Fe Dr, Solana Beach.

THE HIGHWAYMAN SHOW

The Highwayman show features the music of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson as performed by Tony Suraci. $30, 8 to 10 p.m. at Brooks Theatre, 217 N Coast Hwy, Oceanside.

APRIL 5

SUPER DIAMOND

Super Diamond is a Neil Diamond tribute band from San Francisco. $27, 9 p.m. at Belly Up, 143 S Cedros Ave, Solana Beach.

‘ANASTASIA’

Join us in celebrating 20 years of Center Stage Productions with celebrations at our upcoming production of the dazzling musical “Anastasia.” $25, 7:30 p.m. at California Center for the Arts, 340 N Escondido Blvd, Escondido.

THE 39 STEPS

New Village Arts presents “The 39 Steps,” a thrilling and comedic play that follows the misadventures of Richard Hannay in preWW2 Britain who becomes entangled in espionage. $33. 7:30 p.m. at New Village Arts Theatre, 2787 State St, Carlsbad.

THE EASTER BUNNY will be on hand at several North County Easter egg hunt events on March 30. Courtesy photo

CSUSM upsets top seed to reach Final Four

By Noah Perkins SAN MARCOS —

Cal State San Marcos women’s basketball did the unthinkable on Monday evening in St. Joseph, Missouri, defeating top-seeded Gannon University in the Division II NCAA Tournament Elite Eight and punching its ticket to the Final Four.

The historic win took an overtime period, overcoming the loss of three key players — one to injury, two to fouls — and an unusually poor three-point shooting performance to knock off NCAA DII Player of the Year Samantha Pirosko and the 35-win Golden Knights.

At the final whistle, San Marcos held court, 85-80.

“Gannon is tough,” said CSUSM head coach Renee Jimenez after the game. “That was a great learning experience for us and our kids. I think we came in feeling like it was David versus David, but at one point, it felt like David versus Goliath.”

Win or lose, this was already the most successful season in program history for the Cougars, who made their first-ever Elite Eight appearance a season after making their first-ever Sweet 16 appearance.

“We are a little bit of the new kids on the block here coming off being NAIA seven years ago,” said Jimenez the day before the Gannon game. “To have this quick transition for us has been big for our university, athletic department and San Diego in general.”

Gannon opened the game by winning the tip-off, converting an easy basket, but except for a stretch of the second period that saw the Cougars fall behind by 12, San Marcos parried everything.

When in doubt, the Cougs often looked to West Regional Tournament MVP, six-foot, red-shirt senior Jordan Vasquez.

After breaking her nose on three separate occasions, Vasquez, playing in a Phantom of the Opera-style mask for much of the season, was nearly unstoppable at the basket, shooting 10 of 13 from the floor for 26 points.

“I am super excited,” said Vasquez. “We are going up against the best competition, so I feel great right now. It was a tough win.”

Late in the fourth period, Vasquez and indispensable reserve Ava Ranson fouled out, leaving the Cougars shorthanded for the overtime period.

“I had faith in my team the whole time — I was cool, calm, and collected,” Vasquez said. “I knew my team would get it done.”

“Jordan’s almost in tears; Ava Ranson is almost in tears because they want so badly to be a part of it,” added Jimenez. “All we’ve done for the last two or three tournaments is have other guys step up.”

Charity Gallegos —

controlled chaos packaged as a 5-foot-4-inch point guard from Sacramento — took over, scoring seemingly impossible layups in traffic and finding junior Malia Mastora for a game-sealing three.

“We want the ball in Charity’s hands late,” said Jimenez. “But when there are three guys guarding her, she makes the right play every time.”

“We practice those shots daily; coach is big on making sure we get our 100 shots up every practice,” Mastora added.

The coming Final Four appearance is a far cry from the humble origins of the Cal State San Marcos athletic program. When the program launched in 1998, six teams were confined to three modestly sized classrooms with only two coaches on staff.

And then there were the growing pains that came with transitioning from an NAIA school to an NCAA DII.

“The first three to four years, we took our lumps,” Jimenez said. “We didn’t win a conference game our

first year. You are also in a probationary period with the NCAA so you are trying to recruit a group, and in the first three years, there is no postseason play.”

Win No. 27 on the season is a program record.

“We are going to ride this wave as long as we can,” said Jimenez.

Wednesday’s game ended too late to be included in this edition. See thecoastnews.com for coverage.

San Marcos played Minnesota State on Wednesday in St. Joseph with an appearance in Friday’s national championship game on the line. Friday’s game starts at 5 p.m. Pacific time.

THE CSUSM women’s basketball team celebrates after knocking off West Regional top seed Gannon, 85-80, in overtime on Monday. Point guard Charity Gallegos, on right with ball, took over in the OT period to help send the Cougars (27-6) to the program’s first-ever Final Four. Photos by Arianne Boma

Musical Production Summer Camps

This Summer immerse your child in the enchanting world of Disney Dreams: A Magical Melody!

From Frozen to Moana, embark on a journey of creativity as singers, dancers, and instrumentalists come together to craft a special musical production.

With opportunities to design costumes and sets, every participant plays a vital role in bringing the magic to life. Whether center stage or behind the scenes, all kids are encouraged to shine with speaking roles and singing parts.

Join us in San Marcos from July 22 to August 3 for this two-week extravaganza, culminating in captivating public performances where your child’s talent takes center stage. Don’t miss this chance for your 6 to 15-year-old to experience the thrill of performance and teamwork in a magical Disney-inspired production!

“This is WHERE you want your littles to be!” said Heather D., a happy LNS customer. “I have been an educator for almost 20 years and trust no one more. You will LOVE your

experience here - how the staff loves on your kids, motivates them and fosters a LOVE for music.”

Leading Note Studios offer a variety of Summer Music Camps including Intro to Music, Rock Band Camp, Musical Theatre, Engineering and Vocal Recording.

“I would teach children music, physics and philosophy: but most importantly music; for the patterns in music and all the arts are the keys to learning.” - Plato

JPCatholic begins renovations on new Esco arts complex

By Samantha Nelson ESCONDIDO — John

Paul the Great Catholic University has started renovations to turn a vacant former furniture store downtown into a creative arts hub that will serve both students and the community.

In 2016, JPCatholic bought the 30,620-squarefoot building that once housed Johnson Furniture and Sears Roebuck with the help of a $1.5 million gift from the Caster Family Trust and debt financing.

From the beginning, the

plan has been to turn the building into an arts complex that would serve the university’s cinematic, visual and performing arts programs. However, the COVID-19 pandemic stalled its progress. Now that renovations have officially begun, the goal is to have the arts complex finished by next year.

The building is perfect for the small, 300-student university that focuses on the creative arts and business innovation. Founded by school President Derry Connolly in the early 2000s, the univer-

sity has been located on and around Grand Avenue in Escondido’s downtown district for the last 11 years.

Originally, the school bought the former JCPenney building due to its large size and high ceilings, which worked well for sound stages. That building is backto-back with the future arts complex, another large building that will suit the school well.

“What’s not obvious is it’s a relatively ugly building on the outside, but the inside is beautiful,” Connolly said about the former furniture store. “It’s got a tall barrel ceiling with an arch to it… it’s perfect for studio space.”

The arts complex will be divided into two separate buildings, one for cinematic and visual arts and the other for performing arts. A courtyard will connect the two and serve as a venue for community events, outdoor performances and student life activities.

Plans for the complex include a new soundstage, illustration studio, acting rehearsal studio, along with additional classrooms and computer labs.

“Once complete, the new Creative Arts buildings will elevate the student ex-

perience and unlock innovative collaborations for our students across all creative disciplines,” said professor George Simon, chair of Communications Media, in a news release announcing the start of renovations.

Simon launched the Feature Film Program at JPCatholic in 2021, introducing the production of commercially distributed films into the curriculum. The program’s first film, “O, Brawling Love!” is expected to release on streaming this summer, and the second film, “No Reception,” is currently in post-production.

According to the school, the new facilities will expand the capabilities of future

projects, with additional space for film sets and production offices.

Renovations to the building are expected to cost the university approximately $4.2 million, which will be funded through debt financing as well as a large $1 million donation and several smaller donations.

Connolly believes the building will provide critical infrastructure to nurture a creative arts industry cluster in Escondido, which is a key strategic priority for the university.

“This production space will explode our capacity to produce content across the entertainment spectrum,” he said. “It will pro-

vide increased hands-on learning experience for our students in collaboration with our alumni and other industry partners as they produce commercially viable projects. The expanding media-savvy student and alumni talent pool will make Escondido a compelling location for emerging communications-centric companies to incubate and grow.”

The arts complex is part of a series of expansion projects for the university, which is exploring turning another building owned by the school across from the furniture store along Maple Street between Second and Third Avenue into student housing. Originally the plan was to turn the building into a chapel, however the school is now considering building the chapel in the parking lot next to the existing building.

Connolly noted a chapel was originally planned for the property in 1925 but never built. One hundred years later, the university hopes to bring those old plans to fruition.

Connolly sees a bright future for both the university and Escondido, which has served the school well over the last decade.

“Escondido is a wonderful community for the university,” he said. “It’s a welcoming place and a good city to do business in the industry… we see lots of opportunities in Escondido.”

33rd annual Spring Fling is April 7

unique finds and specialty items.

• Rhythm, brews & wine garden: Indulge in the finest local craft beers and wines while enjoying live musical performances on the Beer & Wine Garden Stage.

• Kids Fun Zone: Treat the little ones to a day of excitement with fun inflatables, a pirate zip line and other activities.

This year's event fea-

ages. Highlights include:

•

artisans & crafters: Explore a diverse selection of handcrafted goods,

• Live entertainment on two Stages: Immerse yourself in the sounds of San Diego County’s top musicians, with performances scheduled throughout the day.

• Food galore: Savor a variety of delicious food options offering something to satisfy every craving.

Musical performers include: Soul to Soul: The Stevie Ray Vaughan Experience; Clapton Hook, an Eric Clapton tribute band; and Dueling Pianos & Friends: Featuring Danny DiCarlo & Doug Allen.

For more information and vendor applications, visit www.eventhub.net/ events/2024-San-MarcosSpring-Fling_5283.

TERI offers expanded music program

Music has been and continues to be a force for change at TERI Inc. Over 20 years ago TERI developed music programming at the Center for the Arts and Adult Education. The various music programs focus on developing the gifts of adults with learning and developmental disabilities and provide them with the ability to shine their own unique light!

“Everyone always talks about its great weather, but the people are San Diego's greatest gift. TERI is a perfect example of what happens when San Diegans come together with purpose, and I feel very fortunate to be able to share in the celebration and support in bringing this community together with my music.” ~

Jesse Ray Smith

TERI continues to grow and develop the picturesque Campus of Life in San Marcos and now features live music in not only its adult programs, but also in Common Grounds Cafe, The Mountainview Deck, in the new Bornemann Theatre and coming soon, in Central Park at the Campus of Life! Music is woven into the soul of TERI, its programs, its social enterprises, and the community of children and adults TERI serves.

The expansion and growth of The Campus of Life comes along with the opportunity to expand the

BATTERY

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and Country Club Drive.

Despite the attempts to adjust the project, which, according to AES, is about 10% into its development phase, with plans to hear more input from the community in future workshops, many residents are still distrustful of it and would rather nix it completely.

AES held the first three-series workshop on March 21 at the San Marcos Civic Center to provide updates on the project and answer residents’ questions. More than 40 people attended.

Many of the residents’ concerns center around the lithium-ion batteries. They cite past incidents where other storage facilities in the nation — including some owned by AES — have experienced thermal runaway events that caused massive battery fires.

Ashley Robertson Bedard, a nearby resident, said the meeting was a “formality” structured in AES’ favor, suggesting that the answers residents asked were either deflected, omitted or altered by AES staff.

“They downplayed the likelihood of a fire and the severity of toxic gas emissions from lithium-ion batteries. They compared toxic gasses such as hydrogen cyanide and sulfur dioxide to plastic,” Bedard said in a statement provided after the

day with a very special concert, The Heartland Review, that features a cavalcade of award-winning local musicians and a VIP J. Lohr hosted wine dinner experience with culinary delights from Chef Peter Moceri. Sunday events feature a ribbon cutting ceremony for Central Park at The Campus of Life, tours of the new venues and an evening music event with The Acoustic Alliance featuring Padre great, Tim Flannery and iconic local artists.

“TERI is an incredible place both in terms of visuals and services. A beautiful campus for the special needs community to gather, learn and grow together with the surrounding community. And now The Bornemann will add the magic of music. I feel blessed to be able to celebrate this momentous occasion!” ~ Cathryn Beeks

capacity of music programming for adults with developmental disabilities, as well as live music experiences for the North County community. The new Bornemann Theatre will be the home of the TERI Band and the TERI Players and will be a beautiful venue for them to showcase their unique artistic gifts.

After 3+ years of con-

struction the Grand Opening Weekend of the Bornemann Theatre takes place on May 3rd, 4th and 5th and kicks off a month of exciting live music events. On Friday TERI celebrates the friends and families who made the opening of the Walter J and Betty C Zable Foundation Performing Arts and Fine Arts Center possible. The celebration continues Satur-

meeting. “Multiple residents will have to drive through the proposed facility to access their homes and nearly 12,000 residents currently utilize a two-lane road to get in and out of the community. When questioned about their plans to ensure ingress and egress, they indicated paving the road that runs through the facility.”

Lead project developer Max Guarniere emphasized that the project would be a huge benefit for the region, filling a gap in the power supply during extreme weather events. He also noted the facility would put the region and the state as a whole a step closer to meeting renewable energy goals.

“The San Diego region has stringent clean energy goals to be 100% carbon free by 2035,” Guarniere said.

“The battery storage facility

is going to help California and the San Diego region meet those goals.”

Guarniere also stressed that safety is a top priority for the company, noting several layers of protection, including having 8 to 10 personnel on-site during business hours and on-call, remote monitoring 24/7, close collaboration with local fire agencies, and standards and certifications aligning with the California Fire Code, National Fire Protection Association, and Underwriters Laboratories.

“We’ve been operating battery energy for over 15 years now; it’s come with many lessons learned along the way,” Guarniere said. “We really believe we have helped shape the industry and improve it for the better, primarily in terms of the safety and performance of

The Bornemann will continue to feature local and regional artists performing in honor of all donors, friends and supporters of TERI who made The Bornemann Theatre and The Walter J and Betty C Zable Foundation Performing Arts and Fine Arts Center possible. Together with the local arts community TERI will be able to continue to support the special needs community!

teriinc.org

those facilities.”

Many also fear the project will depreciate the value of their properties and could invite other outside threats to target the community and region as a whole.

“AES presented factual data (not yet verified) on sales tax revenue but failed to present data showing depreciating property values, increasing insurance rates, or lost property tax revenue to the county,” Bedard stated. “The Department of Justice has stated that a battery energy storage system of this size is a prime target for cyber security and terrorist attacks. AES is depending on their cyber team to protect the system.”

Residents have started collecting signatures to petition against the project. Bedard told The Coast News that nearly 70 signatures were gathered in a two-hour window on Saturday, March 23.

AES has applied for a major use permit from the county and is currently in the process of developing its environmental impact report (EIR) as required through the California Environmental Quality Act. AES officials indicated they hope to complete the EIR in the next few months for public review.

The next workshop is scheduled for April 17 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Del Lago Academy at 1740 Scenic Trail Way in Escondido and will cover battery energy storage safety.

5 reasons people are switching to Cox Mobile

In today's always-on world, staying connected to friends and family has never been more convenient – whether you’re sharing photos with your family or besties in a group text, posting good news on your favorite social media app, or singing happy birthday to grandma via video chat.

And now the internet provider with the fastest speeds in America is also offering mobile service –and big savings.

In addition to offering unlimited talk and text, access to a network with unbeatable 5G reliability and no term agreements, here are five more reasons why consumers are switching to Cox Mobile.

Two simple data plans to save you money

• Pay As You Gig - $15 per month per Gig (ideal for customers who don’t use a lot of data and only want to pay for the data they need).

• Gig Unlimited – $45 per month per line/as low as $30 per month per line when you add four or more lines to your plan (perfect for families). The more lines you add, the bigger the discount.

Easy to switch from one plan to another – If your needs change and you need to increase or decrease your monthly data limit, you can easily change plans.

Discounted monthly

rates on Cox Internet –Cox Mobile is available to Cox Internet customers, so you can enjoy a monthly discounted rate on your internet service when you combine Cox Mobile and Cox Internet, which offers some of the fastest speeds in San Diego County. Cox

was recognized by Ookla® Speedtest® (speedtest.net) for offering America’s fastest download speeds for the fourth quarter of 2023.

Bring Your Own Device – Cox Mobile offers the latest in iPhones and Android devices, but if you like the phone you’ve got, you can bring it over when you sign up for Cox Mobile.

Access to four million wifi hotspots nationwide – Save on your plan’s data by accessing four million wifi hotspots nationwide, from San Diego and Las Vegas to New York City.

Example bill: Keeping Dad Connected. The couple in your household loves staying connected, so they’re saving money with two lines on the Gig Unlimited plan. Now, they’ve added Dad to their plan, but he uses less data.

Line 1 Gig Unlimited, two lines $45 $40

Line 2 Gig Unlimited, two lines $45 $40

Line 3 Pay As You Gig, 1 GB $15

Monthly total $105 $95 (Before taxes and fees)

To learn more about Cox Mobile and check out the latest phones, visit a Cox Store in Oceanside or Escondido, or find one that’s more convenient at cox.com.

You can also go directly to www.cox.com/mobile or call Cox at 1-800-2343993.

THE EXPANSION of the TERI Campus of Life brings the opportunity to expand the capacity of music programming for adults with developmental disabilities. Courtesy photo

A RESIDENT holds a protest sign during a March 20 workshop in San Marcos. Photo by Samantha Nelson

COX offers mobile service — and big savings. The more lines you add, the bigger the discount. Courtesy photo