JUNE 21, 2019
Spend your summer with the animals
Businessman, Solana Beach resident touched many lives
RANCHO SANTA FE — The sun is shining and youngsters, ready to end the school year, are ready for summertime adventures. Helen Woodward Animal Center offers an assortment of animal-focused activities for critter-lovers of all ages. From taking in a film with a filly, to eating birthday cake with an alpaca, to giving a sheep a baaaa-th, the dog days of summer are about to begin. Watch child-friendly films on summer nights at the Critter Cinema June 22, July 13, and Aug. 10. Critter Cinema gives your family the chance to enjoy an outdoor movie in HWAC’s covered pavilion area and experience animal encounters, too. The early evening kicks off with hands-on animal meet-and-greets, games and opportunity drawings. Then grab chairs, blankets and snacks and settle in to watch an animal-themed movie. For more information, contact (858)-756-4117 ext. 318 or education@animalcenter.org. Summer Critter Camp runs through Aug. 30 for preschool through eighth grade. It offers a week of hands-on animal interactions (with critters such as goats, alpacas, blue-tongue skinks, cats and dogs, sulcata tortoises, exotic birds, mini horses and more). Along with the animal meet-and-greets, campers enjoy activities like animal-themed games, songs and crafts. Camps can be taken for a week or for a day and are offered in a variety of age levels. Sign up for a week and you’ll receive a discounted weekly rate and a free Critter Camp T-shirt. You can also join the Animal Lovers Club, dedicating time, creativity and even their allowances to orphan animals. The Animal Lovers Club provides suggestions for summertime activities to help orphan pets (like lemonade stands, cat toy craft making and pet food and newspaper recycling drives). For more information, contact (858) 756-4117 ext. 339 or AlexandriaP@animalcenter.org. All listed activities support the pets and program of Helen Woodward Animal Center. For more information, visit animalcenter.org.
REGION — Mother Teresa once wrote, “Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” Michael Evans lived such a life. Mike, as he was affectionally known, showered those around him with love and kindness. Leaving a legacy on every community he embedded his imprint upon, he made the world a better place. On May 27, the 77-year old Solana Beach resident succumbed to a long battle with COPD. He is survived by his wife Nancy, daughter Jenny, stepdaughter Chamaine Reitman and her husband Bill, his three grandchildren Haley, Makaela, and Julia, and his brother Greg. Touting a 40-year history as the owner of Sea Coast Exclusive Properties, Mike logged in hours of community giveback as he successfully ran four offices — two in Encinitas and two in Carlsbad. Winning multiple real estate awards including the Centurion, Double Centurion, and several Gold Medallions, the hallmark enterprise encouraged its customers to “Relax … We’ll handle the details.” “Mike had an admirable work ethic,” said wife Nancy. “He was a leader and mentor who took pride in doing a good job. He believed in success and inspired others to be their best, no matter what they chose to do.” The Burbank native fell in love with San Diego’s coastal communities and they fell in love with him. “Everyone loved Mike,” continued Nancy. “He was intelligent, witty and friendly. Mike was the first to extend his hand and say, ‘Hi, I’m Mike. How can I help?’” “Mike knew how to pay it forward,” added stepdaughter Chamaine Reitman. “He was wise, funny and great with one-liners.” Greg Evans described his older brother as the ideal role model who taught him the finer things in life. “Mike was big man on campus,” he said. “Athletic and popular, he was the high school quarterback while I was the cartoonist.
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nity Concert and Beach & Country Guild. At the start of the meeting, Markstein thanked his wife, the community, and Association staff for their support over the last three years. “I wanted to take the chance to thank our board members for doing a wonderful job and for all the work that they put in,” he said, adding how he often receives community thanks for the work that the entire board does. Board director Sha-
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I looked up to him. He was one-of a kind. I’ll miss him dearly.” Generous to the core, Mike donated to many local charities and youth sport teams. “My father sponsored youth athletic teams, donated used office furniture to the school district, paid summer camp membership for those who couldn’t, and bought meals for diners eating at the next table,” explained daughter Jenny. “He’d help then add more to make it even better.” The avid reader and history buff began his career in the United States Navy working on a nuclear submarine. He then attended the University of Colorado and graduated from Cal State Northridge with a degree in Mathematics. Computer science preceded his real estate career. Evans would complete the Dale Carnegie Leadership and Management Professional Course at the International Management Academy shortly thereafter. Loren Sanders worked alongside Mike as his vice president and general manager for almost 30 years. Friends first, business partners second, Sanders noted how Mike cared for his employees, his clients and his community. “Mike cared about everyone,” he said. “He believed in giving more than you get, working hard and having fun. Kindness is the word I would use to encapsulate Mike.” And yet, despite a
thriving real-estate business, Mike was most proud of his 49 years of sobriety. “He learned so much in AA,” said Nancy. “He actively practiced the 12 steps and brought many others along with him.” Jenny admitted to often teasing her father about the two As of AA, saying that he only owned one because he wasn’t anonymous about his sobriety. “My dad’s sobriety as a young man made him more aware as an adult,” she said. “Armistice Day, 2019 would’ve marked his 50th AA Birthday. Humbled by his AA success, he encouraged others. He admitted to being ‘confused by how I got here, but if I can show up, so can you. You don’t have to knock it out of the park, just show up and be consistent. Even when it’s hard or messy. Be present.’” “Struggles made my dad wise,” she continued. “He learned from every mishap and bump in the road. He believed in never wasting a good mistake. ‘Don’t sweat it,’ he’d say. ‘Learn from it, grow from it and get right back up.’” Jenny noted that father’s work ethic stemmed from growing up with a dad who worked through the Depression. “Little things meant a lot to my father,” she said. “He knew that if not for the kindness of others, his life could’ve been very different. So, he was always looking for a way to give someone else a leg up” Jenny described Mike’s early years as adventurous. “He lived a million lives,” she said. “He played the trumpet in the Burbank Boys Police Band, worked in Algeria and lived in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.” As the community mourns “a good member of society who wanted to make the world a better place,” the family remains proud of Mike’s “generosity.” The Celebration of Life for Mike Evans will take place on June 29 at the Loma Santa Fe Country Club from 2 to 4 p.m. The celebration is open to everyone. In leu of flowers, the family is requesting donations to be made to the YMCA, Kids Camp Program.
job in the election process. “Rancho Santa Fe does it right — the protocol that we use is not developed by the board (Rancho Santa Fe Association Board) or me — the process is described by the state legislature of Davis-Stirling,” Bishop said. “The law tells us what we need to do — the process is prescribed, and there is no flexibility, and Rancho Santa Fe does it correctly.” The tabulation process took about two hours. In addition to electing new board members, Covenant residents passed a new bylaw revision on density developments with 215 op-
posed and 734 in favor of the change. The bylaw targets high-density projects by implementing a three-tier process which includes after a Covenant Design Review Committee and RSF Association board approval, the project plan then goes out to a community-wide vote within the historic Covenant which consists of nearly 10 square miles. A minimum two-thirds vote by the community would be required for the high-density project approval. Weber, Strong, and Lemarié will start their new board positions at the next monthly meeting on July 2.
By Lucia Viti
ron Ruhnau expressed her thanks to the board for both their guidance and sound reasoning. Director Stephen Dunn also thanked outgoing board members. “Allen, Ken, and Janet have made huge changes to the Covenant,” Dunn said. These changes included items such as RSF Connect, addressing the high water rates, as well as the Covenant Design Review Committee. Before the ballot count, Parliamentarian Bruce Bishop said a few words thanking the Association and its staff members for doing a great
MIKE EVANS, 77, with his wife, Nancy, was the longtime owner of Sea Coast Exclusive Properties. He died on May 27. Courtesy photo
A CHARGING station for electric vehicles sits in the parking lot of Pine Avenue Community Park in Carlsbad. File photo
Electric vehicle ‘gas station’ in progress at Encinitas City Hall By Aaron Burgin
ENCINITAS — After months of delay, construction of a long-anticipated electric vehicle charging station is now underway in downtown Encinitas. The lower parking lot of City Hall in the past few weeks has become a hotbed of activity, with charging bays being delivered and being prepared for installation. A "gas station" for electric vehicles, the charging station was first proposed in 2013, and in 2014, the Department of Energy awarded the contractor, Corridor Power, a $500,000 grant for the project. City officials anticipated the station would be opened by last summer, but a series of delays — stemming from the need to apply for an extension for the grant — pushed back the start of construction, officials said. During that time, Corridor updated the project to reflect changes in battery technology. "Battery technology also has changed since our applicant filed his application with the City about four years ago," former city spokeswoman Lois Yum wrote at the time of the initial delay in 2018. "Instead of a single battery storage structure, the new technology is like a series of bollards that have more flexible loca-
tional requirements, and a larger storage capacity. The prior plan was to house the battery bank in a structure, but the new technology is outdoor and has a smaller profile." The city doesn't have an estimated completion date. When completed, the charging station will have shade canopies, 10 EV charging towers and a 480-square-foot driver’s lounge and retail store. City officials see the charging station as a key piece of its recently adopted climate action plan by promoting alternative fuel and environmentally friendly modes of transportation. "This project supports the City’s efforts to transition from using fossil fuels citywide," said Crystal Najera, the city's climate action plan administrator. "One of the City’s Climate Action Plan strategies focuses on clean and efficient transportation modes. The more convenient we make electric vehicle charging stations, the more people will choose to switch to electric-powered vehicles.” “As part of this grant, city residents and staff will be able to charge EVs at no cost," Najera said. "The station is also ideally located to allow for rapid charging of commuter EVs traveling through Encinitas for a nominal fee."
Summer Music Camps Half Day or Full Day Weekly Music Camps
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Call or Text 760-753-7002 www.LeadingNoteStudios.com/summer-music-camps