The Coast News INLAND EDITION
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VISTA, SAN MARCOS, ESCONDIDO
VOL. 6, N0. 22
OCT. 29, 2021
SWEET
San Marcos to phase in plastics ban
VICTORY
San Marcos pastry chef is US Chocolate Master, to compete for world title
By Tigist Layne
SAN MARCOS – The San Marcos City Council this week introduced an ordinance banning single-use plastic utensils and containers and Styrofoam products, becoming the latest in a string of San Diego County cities to implement such a ban. At its Oct. 12 meeting, the council unanimously supported the ordinance, which will be phased in over two years beginning next summer. The ordinance was adopted after a second reading was approved by consent on Tuesday. According to the staff report, the ordinance will “establish standards and procedures for the protection of the City’s environment, its economy, and the health of its residents and visitors by promoting environmentally sustainable practices throughout the City by controlling the use and distribution and disposal of certain non-recyclable single use plastic products by City departments, City contractors, food servicers, and grocery stores within the City of San Marcos.” The first phase, beginning next July, will ban the sale, distribution and use of plastic, disposable utensils such as straws, forks, spoons, knives, stir sticks or anything used to eat food. Food providers will be allowed to provide TURN TO PLASTICS ON 9
By Tigist Layne
CHRISTOPHE RULL of San Marcos recently won the U.S. Chocolate Master title in Chicago. Rull, who was born in France, will compete for the World Chocolate Master title next fall in Paris. Photo courtesy Christophe Rull
SAN MARCOS — San Marcos resident Christophe Rull won the U.S. Chocolate Master title this month, an achievement he says brings him one step closer to his dream, becoming the World Chocolate Master. The 36-year-old competed on Oct. 8 in the World Chocolate Masters’ American semifinals in Chicago. Next year, Rull will represent the United States and compete for the world title. “It's a lot of emotions; I've been looking at these competitions since the beginning of my career and being inspired by all these amazing pastry chefs who were competing, and when I was looking at them, I hoped that one day, I'd get to that level,” Rull said. “It was one of my dreams to compete in this high-levTURN TO CHOCOLATE ON 12
Escondido, San Marcos won’t budge on cannabis By Tigist Layne
REGION — The Cities of Escondido and San Marcos are two of only three North County cities that have decided against commercial marijuana activities. Elected officials in both cities have debated about the issue for the past several years, but without drastic changes in the landscape of both city governments, it may be a while before supporters of cannabis legaliza-
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Thanksgiving Day November 25, 2021 ï Oceanside, CA
tion see either city opt into recreational cannabis. In 2016, California voters passed Proposition 64, which legalized recreational or “adult-use” cannabis for personal use and cultivation. This means that cities cannot ban indoor cultivation of cannabis for personal use; however, they can still choose to regulate or ban all other cultivation purposes and recreational businesses. In North County, Escondido, Carlsbad and San Mar-
cos have passed ordinances to outlaw commercial marijuana activities, despite the fact that the majority of voters supported the Prop 64 statewide measure in all three cities. In 2017, the San Marcos City Council voted to prohibit the sale and cultivation of cannabis in the city. That was a different council than the one that is seated now. The issue has not been on a regular City Council
agenda since then. In May 2021, Councilman Randy Walton brought up the issue at the council’s goal-setting workshop as a topic that should be discussed, but he told The Coast News that there has been no indication of it getting on the agenda. “It would take the City Council directing a staff to create the ordinance, and my sense is right now that there is not a majority of three that would do that,”
Walton said. “I think it's a conversation that we should have with the community, considering what we know looking at other cities, namely San Diego and Vista, and the experience that they've had with dispensaries,” Walton continued. “I mean, in many ways, it's inevitable, and like all things that are inevitable, I think we, as a city, should take the lead and not TURN TO CANNABIS ON 8
THE 2021 O’SIDE TURKEY TROT is BACK
16th Annual
• 5K Run or Walk • 5 Mile Run through the Harbor • Youth Races • Costume Contest • Largest Team Competition • Complimentary Finisher Shirts, Medals and Photos Presented by
Benefiting Oceanside Non-profits and
Host Sponsor
Co Sponsor
www.osideturkeytrot.com • 760.434.5255