Beach & Bay Press, March 6th, 2020

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FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2020

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THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT PB RAPIST GETS 50 YEARS TO LIFE By NEAL PUTNAM | BEACH & BAY PRESS

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man who raped a Pacific Beach woman and five others years ago was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison after the judge heard from three victims. Christopher VanBuskirk, 47, did not face the three women and dozens of their friends and family members before San Diego Superior Court Judge Francis Devaney sentenced him. The Pacific Beach rape and three others in Tierrasanta and Clairemont occurred in 1995, and the rapists’ DNA was saved, which led to charges being filed last year when a DNA match with him was confirmed. The DNA match also solved two other rapes in Riverside County where VanBuskirk lived in 2002-2004. He lived in San Diego in 1995. The mother of one victim told VanBuskirk her daughter received a medication during the rape exam that would halt the birth “of your demon child.� “The fear was nothing like I had ever experienced before,� said another woman who said, “the rapist also stole my spirit.� “The rapist took much from me, but not everything,� said the woman, who said she developed a stutter and was later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Devaney turned to VanBuskirk and said the purpose of hearing the women’s testimony was “for you to hear� about the effect of what he had done. VanBuskirk pleaded guilty Dec. 16 to committing all six rapes, and realized he would be getting a consecutive term of 50 years to life. Devaney ordered him to register as a sex offender in the event he is paroled, which is unlikely in his lifetime, as he will have to serve almost all of the 50 years first. See RAPIST, Page 6

Volunteers hand out oranges during the initial food distribution launch, which served 93 households, including many military families and seniors. COURTESY PHOTO

Saint Brigid Parish, San Diego Food Bank helping feed families By DAVE SCHWAB | BEACH & BAY PRESS

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aint Brigid Parish in Pacific Beach is collaborating with the San Diego Food Bank to benefit low-income individuals and households experiencing food insecurity. Begun Feb. 28 and recurring every fourth Friday of the month, there will be a free commodities distribution at the Catholic church at 4735 Cass St. from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. “As a parish, we have been looking for opportunities to be a more

‘We’re reaching out to let people know about this new resource for low-income families in the beach and bay area.’ LEE HULBURT, SAINT BRIGID PARISH LIAISON

visible presence in serving the local Pacific Beach community,� said Saint Brigid Pastor Father Steve Callahan. “It is for that reason that we are very excited to collaborate with Catholic Charities in the San Diego Food Bank's food distribution program to benefit

low-income individuals and households in our community.� The Emergency Food Assistance Program is a U.S. Department of Agriculture program working to improve the health of low-income families by supplementing their diets with nutritious food. The Food

Bank received commodities from the USDA and distributes food packages at more than 80 locations throughout San Diego County. Food packages in the commodities distribution contain a variety of canned goods including dry grains, proteins (meat canned or frozen) and other nutritious items. Each household is eligible, judged in terms of household size and income, to receive one food package per month. See FOOD, Page 6


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