PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE PAID SAN DIEGO, CA PERMIT NO. 835
The
BOXHOLDER
THE RANCHO SANTA FE NEWS
.com
SERVING NORTH COUNTY SINCE 1987
VOL. 16, N0. 5
Last coronavirus patient discharged from UCSD
RSF Historical Society holds yearly meeting
By City News Service
REGION — The second patient in San Diego County confirmed to have contracted the novel coronavirus was discharged from UC San Diego Health’s care Feb. 24. Another person who had been diagnosed with the respiratory illness was discharged from UC San Diego Health on Feb. 19 after multiple tests came back with negative results
By Alexander Wehrung
RANCHO SANTA FE — The Rancho Santa Fe Historical Society held its annual meeting Feb. 18 at the La Flecha House. John Vreeburg, president of the society since 2009, presided over the meeting. It kicked off with the renomination of the 2019-2020 board members for 2020-2021, which passed. Vreeburg then presented a slideshow to the approximately 20 attendees, detailing the society’s accomplishments from last year and the state of its finances. The listed 2019 accomplishments were as follows: 72 third-graders visited the La Flecha House on field trips; the Rancho Santa Fe Garden Club partnered with society for the 2019 Garden and Luxury home tour; the society launched Robert Lindland’s book “An RSF Sketchbook. An Artist’s View of Life in the Ranch” at the Rancho Santa Fe Library (Lindland himself attended the night’s meeting); the society hosted the Rancho Santa Fe Rotary “Angel Tree” Christmas party at the La Flecha House; and it participated in the RSF Rotary First Street Fair. After the accomplishments were presented, finances were discussed. The society — which is a 501c3 nonprofit — gains money through membership dues, donations, walking tours and book sales, amongst other methods. It reported a gross profit of $43,379. It was also reported that over the past five years, the society has seen a decline in membership from 224 people to 141, but an increase in lifetime members from 47 to 65. Other society members present were Vice President Peggy Brooks, board member Max Wuthrich and Administrator Sharon Alix, who gave this reporter a tour of the house and its artifacts after the meeting. TURN TO HISTORICAL ON 3
FEB. 28, 2020
Services and the CDC. “In all ways, at all times, their unified mission was — and remains — to keep patients and the public-at-large informed, protected and safe. It is not possible to express the depth of my gratitude for their efforts, professionalism and sacrifice,” Maysent said. After two weeks under quarantine for novel coronavirus, 63 people were
The last few weeks have presented numerous challenges. ... I am proud to say we met the challenges across the board.” Patty Maysent UC San Diego Health CEO
SWIMMING IN ACCOLADES
Cabanas line the pool area at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa in Rancho Santa Fe, which was ranked top hotel in three categories in U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 Best Hotel Rankings. MORE ON PAGE 7. Photo courtesy Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa
and the person was cleared by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “The last few weeks have presented numerous challenges,” said Patty Maysent, CEO of UC San Diego Health. “Our skills, strengths and stamina have been tested, and I am proud to say we met the challenges across the board, throughout our health care system and across our broader communities.” Maysent said staff collaborated daily with San Diego County Public Health
released Feb. 20 from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. They were among 65 passengers who were flown into San Diego on Feb. 7 after evacuating Wuhan, China — epicenter of the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19. More than 200 people were quarantined at one time at the base, with 166 who initially arrived in San Diego on Feb. 5 released on Feb. 18. The County Board of Supervisors last week TURN TO CORONAVIRUS ON 3
CSUSM fires dean, wife for misusing school funds By Kirk Mattu
SAN MARCOS — On the eve of California State University, San Marcos’ audit on executive officials misappropriating university funds, the university severed ties with two officials in spotlight of review. CSUSM and the California State University Chancellor’s Office each released their independent internal reviews on Feb. 13 of business spending of Michael Schroder, the former dean of extended learning
and associate vice president for international programs. According to an investigation last year by the San Diego Union Tribune, Schroder exceeded university spending caps when staying at Ritz-Carlton hotels, upgraded airfare to business or first class, and bought $50 steak dinners at Vigilucci’s Seafood Steakhouse in Carlsbad. “We substantiated all of the allegations,” the chancellor’s 28-page independent report stated. “We
also found that the dean sought and received reimbursement for expenses that were personal in nature under the guise of university business.” The university announced that Michael Schroder and his wife Beth Schroder, the senior director of philanthropy, were no longer employed as of Feb. 12. CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt stated on the release of the university’s independent report that,
“the independent investigation by the Chancellor’s Office revealed that a member of our community took advantage of their position and influence to fraudulently use university resources to their personal benefit. “Upon reading the report, I was in disbelief that someone would violate the sacred trust placed upon leaders of this university to such a degree,” she continued. Neufeldt received the complaint of Schroder’s
spending during her first month at the university last summer where she began an internal investigation and requested an independent investigation from the Audit and Advisory Services of the Chancellor’s Office. In the university’s eight-page comprehensive review of travel expenditures, 27 of the reviewed 253 transactions were found to be in violation of TURN TO CSUSM ON 3