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of the preservation of at-risk housing program, which is being removed because Santa Fe Ranch was the only development of its kind. Santa Fe Ranch, which was constructed about 30 years ago, was an affordable housing complex consisting of 64 units. However, Donnell said, the developer repaid tax-exempt bonds and converted 38 units into market rate residences.
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has been a very emotional experience for all of us,” Sherman said. A reminder Lomas, who returned to the barn as the exhibit nears, said it was rewarding for him to watch as the space and the vision behind it became a reality. “Art is beautiful because it offers us a time for reflection and growth,” Lomas said. “For the artists, and especially Abdullah, who had the willingness and courage after three years in a refugee camp...to see how he has thrived here, and it isn’t for money or for work, but for his need to go through this process of expression and to meet new people, for me that is the most beautiful thing. “To go through the process of being a refugee, of building a new life, of finding food and shelter, there is very little time for this type of self-reflection,” Lomas said. “To see how productive he has become, it really is a
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phone at (760) 795-6815, in person at the Box Office, Bldg 2000 or at miracosta. edu/buytix. General admission is $16. Children under the age of 5 are not admitted to the theater. OCT. 1 ART OF THE SEA A Sea & Surf art exhibit and art fair opening reception is set from 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 1 at Southfair, 2010 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. The show, which runs through Dec. 29, features surf legend and artist Mike Doyle and sea & surf-themed art work by 30 local artists, including paintings, photographs and surfboard art. The Oct. 1 reception includes and art fair, refreshments, book signing and vintage surfboards. OCT. 2 FREE CONCERT Celebrating 60 years in the community of Rancho Santa Fe, the Village Community Presbyterian Church is inviting everyone to a Rancho Days concert and barbecue from 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 2 at 6225 Paseo Delicias, Rancho Santa Fe, with singer/songwriter Steven Ybarra. Kids can enjoy a petting zoo and special activities. A barbecue buffet for $10 for adults, $5 for kids 6-12, and children ages 5 and under eat free. Food tickets can be purchased at villagechurch.org. For more information, call the church office at (858) 756-2441. MANDOBASSO Friends
T he C oast News The developer had the option to pay off the bonds, which it did, although the city was able to assist in rent negotiations to keep 26 units as affordable housing. So, as the project has transitioned to market rate and does not remain under the program, it was eliminated. “It was the developer’s choice,” Donnell said. “That program was set up to monitor should that happen. As a result, we were able to go in an assist about one-third of the renters despite their units con-
verting.” As for the Regional Housing Needs Assessment, the state has projected, through an allocation provided by the San Diego Area of Governments (SANDAG), 4,999 units, which is about three percent of the overall regional need for the county through 2020. “As long as we can show that we’ve got land available to meet that or that we’ve approved projects to meet those needs, we’re in good shape,” Donnell said.
sign that this place needs to exist.” Lomas said that he is not blind to the project’s political undertone and message about immigration. He also said that for him as an Israeli artist, working with a Syrian provided another layer to the experience. “Our countries are enemy countries. In all of my travels, this is the first Syrian that I have ever encountered, and for me to meet a Syrian refugee on an eye-to-eye level through creativity and art, I think it is above the politics,” Lomas said. “It reaches to the human aspect of whoever we are and regardless of our political identity or socio-economic status, there is a need for humans to meet on an eye-to-eye level and I think has been an important experience for both of us. “I am not saying that by Abdullah and I working together we have made peace between our countries, though if it were up to he and me, that would already be over,” Lomas said. “But being able to meet without a dream, and not even under-
standing the language, we were able to make this art without words, I think that is why art is so important.” Makki, who was working on his piece in the studio with Lomas last week, said the experience has been life changing for him. His artwork is a series of plaster suitcases, one that will include a plaster face on one side and paint that looks like water on the bottom. The symbolism and the story behind the immigration is obvious,” he said. “You remember the stories of immigrants, and the boats they traveled to get here,” Makki said. “It means that this man or this person has moved and he’s taken a piece of himself.” Makki said he hopes his art and the others stir up in the visitors the welcoming spirit he experienced when he arrived in El Cajon a decade ago. “You just remind them,” Makki said. “For many people, there is something very kind inside. If you just remind them, this feeling grows up and you will see it.”
of the Encinitas Library host a free First Sunday Music Series with MandoBasso at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 2 in the Encinitas Library Community Room, 540 Cornish Drive, Encinitas. For more information, call (760) 753-7376. SINGING SISTERS The Quebe Sisters, fiddlers and singers, will be performing at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 2 at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido. Tickets are $30$35/$45 at calcenter.boxoffice-tickets.com. Hear a preview at soundcloud.com/ quebesisters. FOLK MUSIC New Village Arts presents Dan Bern: Two decades of folk innovation, at 7 p.m. Oct. 2 at New Village Arts, 2787 State St., Carlsbad Village. For more information, call (760) 433-3245 or visit newvillagearts.org. GUITAR MONTH Todd Pyke of Dr. Todd’s Zen Music, 613 Westlake St., Encinitas, is celebrating Guitar Month. Drop by to see his specials for lessons, guitars or to book a performance.
OCT. 7 FOREIGN FILM FRIDAYS The city of Carlsbad’s Foreign Film Fridays presents “Letters to Father Jacob,” (Finland, NR, 2009) 76 min. at the Carlsbad City Library’s Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium, 1775 Dove Lane, Carlsbad. Films are screened at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Seating is limited and first come, first served. Admission is free.
OCT. 5 JUG BAND MUSIC The Friends of the Cardiff Library will be hosting a free concert at 7 p.m. Oct. 5 featuring The G Burns Jug Band at the Cardiff Library community room, 2081 Newcastle Ave., Cardiff. COWBOY UP The Cowboy Jack Band will perform from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at Tower 13, 2633 S. Coast Highway 101, Cardiff. For more information, call (760) 635-1200.
MARK THE CALENDAR TEMPCHIN TO STAR Singer-songwriter Jack Tempchin will perform at the 30th anniversary celebration of the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy’s River Valley Fest, from 4 to 8 p.m. Oct. 9 at the Fairbanks Ranch Country Club, 15150 San Dieguito Road, Rancho Santa Fe. Reservations are $125 per person at sdrvc. org/rivervalleyfest or email sdrvc@sdrvc.org. Evening includes a cocktail reception, buffet dinner and a silent and live auction. LA COSTA FILM FEST La Costa Film Festival is bringing Hollywood back to North County Oct. 13 through Oct. 16 with 45 films from 10 countries, seven special events, four days and three venues. For more information, visit lacostafilmfestvial.org. FALL BREAK ART CAMP Lux Art Institute is offering a Fall Break Camp Oct. 24 to Oct. 28 and Oct. 31 to Nov. 4 at 1550 S. El Camino Real, Encinitas. Register at (760) 4366611 or luxartinstitute.org.
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state with a mark of 15:41 followed by Hartwell (16:07.9) in second and Riedman (16:27.4) in fifth. As for San Diego County, Fahy only trails teammate McKenna Brown (17:02.9), a junior, over three miles, while Hartwell ranks fifth and Riedman 13th. Short in stature, Fahy runs with speed and understands when and how to make her move. Despite her individual talent, Fahy was quick to credit her teammates and coach for her success. “I definitely started the season off pretty strong. I didn’t expect this,” she said. “We all push each other really hard with the workouts and races. Experience is good to have coming into my sophomore year.” Hartwell, meanwhile, has cut her three-mile time down by more than 1 minute this season, running a 17:29.6 at the Dana Hills Nike Invitational last weekend. She began running for fun in middle school and had a respectable showing at the state meet last year placing 80th. This year, however, she logged more miles in the offseason, which increased her endurance and has led to her to be-
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er way I can. So he told me to come on over.” In March he boarded a plane to Guatemala with the blessings of his somewhat nervous but supportive parents. “During the first semester I had been communicating that I was unhappy at school,” he said. “I was alone, 17 or 18, across the country, didn’t know anyone, breaking out in this skin condition, having this mental conflict. So they knew I was not in the best mental state. “When I decided to come back home they were glad to know I was OK,” he added. “When I left for Guatemala they were happy to know I was pursuing something that meant a lot to me. They trusted me but they were nervous. They wanted me to check in as much as I could.” He did, but it was easier said than done since he left his phone behind. “I wanted to disconnect from social media,” he said. “I was kind of using it in not the best way. I was unhappy and I was comparing myself to other people. I realized I needed to live in the moment and get away from it.” Heilbrunn spent the next four months backpacking around Central America, trekking through ancient Mayan civilizations in the jungle, building eco-lodges on the beach and teaching English and Spanish. “About halfway through the trip I met this incredible Guatemalan man who took me to this town away from all the tourists
SEPT. 30, 2016 come a legitimate threat to win the CIF San Diego Division 1 section. In addition, Hartwell is adding a weight lifting program to her workouts, which she said will benefit her as the season progresses. “I did more mileage this summer because I knew what I was doing this summer so I could run on my own,” the 15-year-old explained. “Last year, I didn’t know where I was at the beginning of the season. I’m a lot more confident than I was last year.” Riedman’s accomplishments may be the most impressive as she never ran more than two miles before being recruited by coach Bill Vice after her freshman track campaign. She said nerves and fear where obstacles to overcome as she began training. As each day progressed, though, her confidence grew and she began blowing past the field. “I had to ask somebody in the race the other day how much longer we had because I didn’t know when to kick,” Riedman laughingly said. “I’m so glad I’m on this team because I trust my teammates. All the courses are brand new to me. Now I’m getting more used to it.” Fahy and Riedman are part of one of the state’s powerhouse programs under Vice at LCC,
which has helped with their ascent. The Mavericks girls are the five-time defending CIF San Diego Division 2 champs, were state runner-up 2010-12 and 2015 and finished fourth in 2013. But for his two runners, Vice said they have the talent, attitude and desire to be great. “She’s getting bigger and stronger,” Vice said of Fahy. “Both her and Jessica are the type of kids you want to coach. Kristen, her development is forward. My big thing is, I can’t screw it up. “She’s a known commodity,” Vice said of Riedman. “She was just a phenom as a freshman. She ran a 5:02 1,600 (meters) … just incredible. I think she realized this is her sport.” As for Hartwell, firstyear coach Bob Yehling said she also has the ability to match her peers across the city. While Hartwell has honed her skills in how to run a course, when to attack and set her pace, the one tool still sharpening is her kick. “She’s a great pace runner and sets a pace and doesn’t deviate,” Yehling said. “That’s a big advantage for her. She’s still working on her speed. I think some of it is growing from a freshman to a sophomore … I think that’s the first part. The second part is she knows how to win.”
where these kids were living,” he said. “A lot of them didn’t even have parents. They were living in cylinder block huts. … I brought stickers with me to give to the kids when I was teaching. So I just started giving out stickers. “I was blown away by how stoked they were to get stickers,” he added. “It was disturbing a little bit, the fact that something so small can make such a difference. But it was empowering because it reminded me that I have this potential I could be utilizing to impact lives both there and at home.” That afternoon Heilbrunn and a group of travelers meditated with a shaman. “It was a little out there,” he said. “But he did this thing where he told us to close our eyes and smile, which to me was like the cheesiest thing ever. “But I had this vision of myself speaking on a stage and holding a book that I was going to write about this whole journey that would inspire people to have the courage to listen to their inner voice and to take a leap of faith in pursuit of their dreams,” he added. “It’s in the process of doing that that we find this happiness and fulfillment. Everything aligned and I decided I was going to write this book.” Heilbrunn began doing just that when he returned to San Diego in July. He completed the first draft in three months and raised $6,000 through a Kickstarter campaign to cover the publishing costs. He insists the book is not meant to encourage teenagers to quit school and
“find themselves.” “Travel and leaving school are metaphors,” he said. “The whole thing is about leaving an unfulfilling path and paving a new one. It could be a different job, a different major in school. It’s about understanding that you have the power to make a change.” Now that the book is out — available at amazon.com electronically and in print — Heilbrunn would like to use his story to motivate others. He recently addressed about 2,000 students at his former high school during mental health week. “Sharing my story was a really powerful experience,” he said. “So many kids compare their life to some other kid’s life based on their (social media) profile. They feel insecure because they think everyone else is happy and they’re not. “A couple of kids came up to me afterward and thanked me for sharing. Some were crying,” he added. “That was definitely a pivotal moment for me because this was a lot bigger, a lot more important than I realized. “I wanted the kids to know that if something hits you out of the blue, like a chronic skin condition, know that you’re not alone. Things will get better. … If there was one thing I wish I could have heard before I went to school that would have been it.” As for his skin condition, Heilbrunn said about a week before he left for Guatemala the hives started to clear up and by the end of the trip they were almost completely gone and have yet to return.