AMERICA
Land of the Filthy
R. L. Peterson
My grandson has dual citizenship – the United States and Netherlands – and is fiercely proud of his American heritage. Fluent in four languages, he’s travelled the world widely. I’d just picked him up at the Los Angeles International Airport for a 3-day visit. As we weaved our way through the early morning traffic, Rick looked at the surrounding landscape and shook his head in disgust.
“Gramps, don’t they ever cut the weeds and pick up the trash? My
country ‘tis of thee, may be a sweet land of Liberty, but our cities are the dirtiest in the world.” He waved his hand at chunks of Styrofoam, light fixtures, hub caps and broken glass lying beside the freeway. “You’d never know by this filth, which could be cleaned up, that Los Angeles is one of the world’s most important cities.”
I agreed with Rick. Used to a clean, pristine Brussels not filthy Los Angeles, he said. “This makes a leading financial city look old, tired and worn out. More Nairobi than a world leading city.”
My wife and I played “Have They Or Haven’t They?” for over two years regarding trash on the freeway. The name of the game came from watching a driver of a car that had been in an accident, take a case of wine from his trunk and place it near the freeway guard rail while waiting for the authorities to arrive. Our game was about when, if ever, the wine would be removed. Each time we drove there we’d say, “Have They or Haven’t They?” The answer is “No.” Rain and the blistering sun have deteriorated the cardboard box, but the three jugs of wine still are there as of last week.
The problem extends to many other American cities. Portland, Oregon, for example. A Clean Up America campaign concentrated on a quarter mile of Interstate 205 in the heart of Portland. Working at night as the Highway Patrol controlled traffic, twelve clean up warriors picked up an astounding array of trash - window air conditioners, automobile tires, and other junk- aluminum ladders, orange Home Depot buckets, soccer balls, automobile bumper assemblies, automobile windshields, construction hardhats, aluminum baseball bats, child-size wooden desks, computers, automobile hub
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caps, full size and baby mattresses, pressure cookers, and seventeen pounds of glass. The whole conglomeration weighed 279 pounds; collected in less than an hour along a busy highway in a major US city.
Caroline Eskine and Robert Bodkin, participants in a similar clean up along Highway 405 in Los Angeles County were amazed at the variety of junk they picked up. “Why people will discard refrigerators, ceiling fans and lights bulbs on a freeway, is a mystery to me,” Eskine said. Bodkin concurs. “It’s mind boggling. A large barbecue unit, missing a leg, a smashed small barbeque grill, and two full bags of charcoal. Truly personal items disposed on a freeway. Why? That’s a question I can’t answer.”
Their team recovered items weighing 310 pounds in approximately 30 minutes while working at night.
“The reality is that there’s probably four times that much trash still along the freeway,” says Bodkin.
Executives at the non-profit organization Keep America Clean would agree with Bodkin. According to their 2020 National Litter Study, they estimate there are 50 million pieces of litter scattered across the country. If every American picked up and disposed of 152 pieces of trash, we’d clean up our mess in
Give Us This Day Our Daily Chuckle
This week, a compendium of wit, wisdom and neat stuff you can tell at parties. Enjoy!
Homer
Homer, a handsome dude, walked into a sports bar around 9: 58 P.M. He sat down next to a blonde at the bar and stared up at the TV.
The 10: 00 news was now on. The news crew was covering a story of a man preparing to jump off a ledge of a tall building.
The blonde looked at Homer and said, “Do you think he’ll jump?”
Homer said, “You know, I bet he’ll jump.”
The blonde replied, “Well, I bet he won’t.”
just three months. While this is not a realistic solution, it does identify the extent of the problem.
Streets as Private Dumping Grounds?
Jon Mark Kaggin, a long-time consultant to many non-profits, says finding volunteers to help on cleanup day is not a problem. “The organization’s website and local media aid the recruitment of workers - concerned citizens - who are eager to clean up the street, the bay, the river. The question seldom asked is how we did we get into this situation in the first place?”
He says, “It’s almost as if folks have decided to use public roadways as their personal dumping grounds. The crippling fact is that once a throughfare or ‘target’ has been cleared of trash, the chances are that within weeks, it’ll be retrashed.”
While there is no data to support Kaggin’s theory that many people consider public streets and byways as their personal dumping grounds, an inventory of trash captured lends logic to this far-fetched idea. Why else would such items as neatly packaged, but used, feminine hygiene products be disposed next to a toilet stool, shower curtains, shampoo bottles and baby’s crib as was the case along Highway Five.
It’s easy to blame the city and state officials for our dirty streets, but this doesn’t ring true. According to the Los Angeles County Depart-
Homer placed 20 dollars on the bar and said, “You’re on!”
Just as the blonde placed her money on the bar, the guy did a swan dive off of the building, falling to his death.
The blonde was very upset and handed her 20 dollars to Homer, saying, “Fair’s fair. Here’s your money.”
Homer replied, “I can’t take your money; I saw this earlier on the 5 o’clock news and knew he would jump.”
The blonde replied, “I did too, but I didn’t think he’d do it again.”
Homer took the money. ***
Before we lose our autonomy And our economy crumbles into dust We should attack Japan, lose the war And let Japan take care of us.
Hurricanes are named after women Because they start on the very same plan Start up over nothin’, make a whole lotta noise, And can’t be controlled by man. ***
ment of Public Works, in 2022, county residents and businesses generated a grand total 30,873,024 tons of solid waste - an average of 98,952 tons per day. The city carted that amount to landfills. The good news is that approximately 65 percent of that material was reused, recycled or diverted from the landfills.
In New York City, which is often called the world’s filthiest city, residents there produce nearly four million tons of waste at home and another four million tons in offices and businesses every year. This trash travels to landfills or incinerators, or often goes uncollected, polluting our streets and waterways.
San Diegans are lucky. The Miramar Recycling Center handles your trash - approximately 1.4 million tons of refuse each year. (Down from a high of about 1.8 million in 1988.) At Miramar you can redeem aluminum cans and plastic containers marked with “CA Cash Refund,” or “CA Redemption Value.” The Center also allows for the drop-off of other recyclable materials – aluminum, newspaper, clear, blue, brown and green glass, mixed paper, cardboard, tin cans and plastic. In a recent development, the Center now takes TVs and computer monitors, and computer electronics. Automobile tires when cut down the middle like a bagel are also accepted.
With the generous acceptance pol-
Dan and Stan were sitting on a bench, wondering what to do. They only had $5 between them and they wanted to do something fun. Five dollars wasn’t enough to go to the movies, get drinks at a bar, eat a nice meal or anything they liked to do.
Exasperated, Stan says “just give me the $5, I’ll go in that Rite-Aid and find something. Just trust me, I’ll figure something out.” Dan gives him the five and waits outside.
A few minutes later, Stan emerges with a huge smile on his face. “Dan! I found the perfect thing! It’s so awesome, you’re never going to believe it!”
“OK...what did you get?” Stan proudly holds out a box of tampons. Dan says “What the hell did you get those for?!”
Stan says “Dude, read the side of the box. With these, we can go swimming, we can go horseback riding, we can play tennis....”
A Sign in a Shoe Repair Store: “We will heel you We will save your sole We will even dye for you.”
At an Optometrist’s Office:
icy of Miramar Recycling Center, why would anyone adopt north bound 15 as a personal dumping grounds? At least one citizen did it seems. Workers found the twisted remains of a folding chair, an up-right vacuum cleaner, a red plastic cooler, a box of wooden coat hangers and a garbage can all piled together. “The tags all read, “Dump,” one volunteer stated.
Experts have different and conflicting reasons for the filthification of America. In my interviews basically seven factors were blamed for the continued buildup of trash and refuse. These reasons given were:
Population density: Cities with high population density tend to generate more waste and struggle to keep up with waste management and sanitation services. (Which flies in the face of our findings that big cities on a whole do a good job of trash management.) According to these experts, the number of people living and working in close proximity can lead to more littering and trash accumulation.
Infrastructure and maintenance: The cleanliness of a city can also be influenced by the quality of its infrastructure and the resources allocated to maintaining public spaces. Cities with limited resources for street cleaning, garbage collection, and maintenance
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“If you don’t see what you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place.”
On a Plumber’s Truck: “We repair what your husband fixed.”
On an Electrician’s Truck: “Let us remove your shorts.”
On another Plumber’s Truck: “Don’t sleep with a drip. Call your plumber.”
At a Car Dealership: “The best way to get back on your feet – miss a car payment.”
Outside a Muffler Shop: “No appointment necessary. We hear you coming.”
In a Veterinarian’s waiting room: “Be back in 5 minutes. Sit... Stay...”
At the Electric Company: “We would be delighted if you send in your payment on time. However, if you don’t, YOU will be de-lighted. Chuckles
Filthy
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may struggle to keep their streets clean. (Our investigation found this has more validity in smaller municipalities located in the South and Northeast.)
Homelessness: Homelessness is a complex issue that affects many cities. High rates of homelessness may have more visible signs of litter, makeshift shelters, and other related challenges. A common thread I encountered in talking to city officials about trash abatement is to blame homelessness for a variety of ills. Weed grown lots? Unemployment? “That’s a homeless problem.” Increased car thefts, drug use, addition issues, alcoholism, street crime? They’re all caused by the homeless according to many officials.
Environmental factors: Some cities may be prone to certain environmental factors that contribute to their cleanliness, or lack of, such as high levels of pollution, dust, or the effects of natural disasters –floods and forest fires for example - that can impact cleanliness.
Cultural norms and attitudes: Some folks have different ideas about cleanliness and littering, which is often cultural based. In some populations, keeping public spaces clean is not a priority. This leads to more littering and a perception of dirtiness. To me this is simply an expanded version of the devil made me do it, which was an excuse for sin or lapse of judgment when I was younger.
Tourism and foot traffic: Cities with popular tourist destinations or those with high levels of foot traffic may struggle to keep up with the increased waste generated by visitors. (Wow! Them damn tourists!)
Budget constraints: Budget constraints can impact the ability of cities to invest in sanitation services, street cleaning, and other measures that help maintain cleanliness. The order of the day is always, we can’t afford it, regardless of what it is. My conclusion as to the real reason for many cities to be dirty and stay dirty is because city leaders deny it is a problem and thus there is no impetus, nor desire or intent to clean up. In researching this article I was told numerous times that it is up to the business community and local citizens to solve this issue.
Stop Me If You’ve Heard This
A 2022 piece written for Quora and published on their website gives several other reasons why our cities and municipalities are so messy. According to this article, it’s all due to government dysfunction and political partisanship.
Polarization: The country has become deeply divided along ideological and partisan lines. Compromise seems out of reach, and extremism flourishes. Centrism is rare. This polarizes and paralyzes policymaking such as public works and affiliated services.
Media fragmentation: The media landscape has fragmented into echo chambers that only reinforce people’s views. Hostile tribalism develops as a result. Common ground and shared truths seem remote. (How dump am I for thinking journalism and news reporters should deal in the facts, not opinions?)
Money in politics: The role of money in elections and policymaking leads to a system focused on fundraising and lobby groups, not the common good. Vast inequality in access and influence distorts governance.
Gerrymandering: Many politicians get to choose their voters through gerrymandering, rather than voters choosing their politicians. Safe districts lead to more extreme candidates. Swing districts with moderate candidates are rare. And if a policy is not popular, it gets no or little attention.
Check-and-balance dysfunction: The separation of powers across branches of government has broken down, with one-party control or a failure to exert oversight/constraint. Ambition meets few checks. Compromise occurs within parties, not between parties.
Misinformation: It’s become easy to spread misleading or false information, conspiracy theories, and propaganda via social media. This makes public debate messy, truth hard to discern, and trust in institutions brittle. Facts are mutable. (In the case of unsanitary conditions, if it ain’t popular, just truthful, let’s not look at it.)
Identity politics: An emphasis on group identity, grievance, and victimhood leads to a ”zero-sum” battle for power and dominance of narratives. Common cause across groups is elusive. This amplifies social tensions rather than healing divisions.
Lack of civic education: Civic literacy regarding how government functions, civic duties, the Constitution, American history and principles, etc. has declined. This makes citizens more vulnerable to demagoguery and manipulation, and less equipped to reason through complex policy issues thoughtfully.
Oodles!
Looking for things to do? Places to go?
Check out Oodles every week for listing of civic and service club meetings, and more! Have an event you need publicized?
Email it to: Lisa.ThePaper@gmail.com
The Paper goes to print on Tuesday morning. You are more likely to get published if you:
• Submit your press release by the previous Friday.
• Keep It Simple: who, what, where, when, why.
• Send us something we can copy/paste. Please no brochures or flyers.
• Send photos as attachments, not embeded in the document.
Parkinson’s Support Group Meeting
August 5 • 10am to noon
Parkinson’s Support Group. Free monthly meetings for people with Parkinson’s and their care partners are held from 10 am until noon at San Rafael Church, 17252 Bernardo Center Drive, Rancho Bernardo, in the Parish Hall. Our featured speaker for Monday, August 5th is Marty Acevedo, President of the Parkinson’s Association of San Diego who will be presenting “Importance of Being Active”.
Separate breakout sessions for People with Parkinson’s and care partners will follow the presentation to discuss successes and challenges.
Come learn, share, meet, and enjoy the free refreshments with other involved Parkinson’s persons. Please call (760) 749-8234 or (760) 5181963 if you have any questions.
Community Education Series
Join us for 4 sessions on the 3rd Monday of each month (10:00am to noon)
August 19 - Caregiver Burnout & Dementia
September 16 - Navigating Medicare and MediCal (Medicaid)
October 21 - Grief and Loss
November 18 - New Topic Introduction
Presented by Hospice of the North Coast and the Senior Service Council of Escondido
Free to attend at 728 North Broadway, Escondido – Oak Room. Please register for each session by phone 760-480-0611 or at https:// bit.ly/3xr4MQG
Senior Service Council Escondido 728 N Broadway Escondido (760) 480-0611 http://www.escondido-senior-services.org
Volunteers Needed
Senior Service Council Escondido
Since 1972, SSCE has provided various services, support groups, tech tutoring and healthcare counseling for seniors in our community.
Skills: Reception Desk customer service plus some computer experience, appointment scheduling, emails & website searches is great!
Bilingual volunteers encouraged to apply.
Please stop by for more info and an application.
Senior Service Council Escondido 728 N Broadway Escondido, (760) 480-0611
http://www.escondido-senior-services.org
Grief Support Group
Senior Service Council Escondido August 8 & 22 • 1pm to 2pm
Find comfort, validation and the knowledge that you are not alone in healing from loss.
Senior Service Council Escondido 728 N Broadway - Oak Room Escondido, CA 92025 (760) 480-0611
Beta Sigma Phi Celebrate Beginning Day August 22 • 10:30am
The Hidden Valley Vista City Council of Beta Sigma Phi International will be celebrating a Beginning Day “Cheers to HVVC” on August 22, 2024, starting10:30 am at J & M Family Restaurant 1215 East Valley Parkway, Escondido, CA.
Menu Choices: Menu Choices: 2 scrambled eggs, 2 pancakes, 2 bacon strips; or 1 ½ slices French toast, 2 bacon strips; or 2 scrambled eggs, toast, & fruit. Includes Tea, Coffee and water. Cost - $15.00
All HVVC Chapter members of Beta Sigma Phi – active, inactive, on leave, transferees and their guests are invited to make a reser-
continued on page 5
Currently seeking reception volunteers to join our team. Can you spare 3 hours a week?
Filthy
Local News
Postcards Go Out to Registered Voters
for November Presidential General Election
The San Diego County Registrar of Voters office is sending over 1.9 million postcards to the County’s registered voters this week.
The “VOTE! MORE DAYS. MORE WAYS.” postcards are sent nearly 100 days before the election to remind voters of their voting options for the November Presidential General Election.
Every active registered voter will automatically receive a ballot in the mail and will have three options for returning that ballot: by mail, to one of the Registrar’s official ballot drop boxes or at any vote center. Voters can expect to receive their ballot the week of Oct. 6, giving them nearly a month to mark their ballot and return it by the final day of voting on Nov. 5.
Elections are no longer a one-day event and there is no need to wait until the final day to vote.
Be prepared. Due to the large number of contests on the ballot, it may take you longer to complete your ballot.
If you want to vote in person and avoid long lines, select vote cen-
Man About Town
Last week we had a major editing error that both I and our managing editor, Lisa Scarpello, missed. We did a profile on Escondido Police Chief Ed Varso.
Somehow, when the story ended we repeated it, word for word. We both flat out missed it.
To make up for the editing error we will rerun that profile in this week’s edition and this time we’ll get it right. You’ll find it on page 9.
As to other matters, I submit the following:
ters will offer early voting starting Saturday, Oct. 26. The vote centers will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Starting Saturday, Nov. 2, over 200 vote centers will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. until the final day of voting on Tuesday, Nov. 5, when all vote centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The Registrar’s office anticipates opening 146 official ballot drop boxes starting Oct. 8. A list of official ballot drop boxes and vote centers will be available in September at sdvote.com.
Be vote ready!
• Check your voter registration information. Make sure your residence address is up to date, and if you have a separate mailing address, check that too. If accurate, no further action is needed. If different, you need to complete a new voter registration.
• Have you recently moved or changed your name? Whether you’re new to San Diego County or just moved down the street, you need to re-register to vote. You can
Resume’
Brain Surgeon for Rent
Cheap
By the time I was 14 I had studied Gray’s Anatomy, Brain Surgery, and Advanced Anesthesia.
I had performed 13 delicate brain surgeries by the time I was 15.
The fact that my patients were reluctant to undergo the surgery should not be held against me as I meant well.
Had they been a bit more cooperative I’m sure some of them might have even survived the surgery.
By the time I reached age 16 I decided to abandon, temporarily at least, brain surgery.
I took up a new profession as parttime Christmas Tree flocker. It is seasonal.
I am considering a return to the profession of brain surgeon and have been scouting North San Diego County for likely candidates. Thus far, only a select few have qualified as (a) having brains, and (b) needed attention to the brain area. If you are having troubling, negative thoughts and would like
do this by completing a new registration online at sdvote.com.
• Not registered? Register to vote –it takes less than two minutes.
Learn more about voting in the November presidential general at sdvote.com. or call (858) 565-5800 or toll free at (800) 696-0136.
Humane Society Rescues
48 Cats & 2 Dogs
San Diego Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement assisted a community member who had become overwhelmed by the number of pets in their home. Our Humane Officers transported 48 cats and two dogs to our campuses for care.
Upon intake, each cat and dog was given flea treatment and vaccinations before being placed in appropriate housing. These pets will receive thorough medical exams and spay/neuter surgeries. Once they are cleared by our team, they will
a really nice and gentle brain surgeon, please contact me. We may be able to eliminate those troubling, negative thoughts.
Brain surgery normally only lasts about 15 minutes, maybe a half hour, depending upon which time zone in which the operating theatre is located.
As you know, I also studied anesthesia and, most times, am able to anesthetize my patients to the point where they hardly ever feel much discomfort.
This message brought to you as a public service by:
lyle’s brain surgery, bait shop and used tire emporium
“one stop shopping” - all credit cards accepted except for American Express.
Open most days but call to confirm we’re here.
***
Really, Really Nice People in this world . . .
My son, Kenny, owns a great little business, installing video and audio systems in both residential, commercial and industrial loca-
be made available for adoption.
This mass intake comes at a time when San Diego Humane Society is already over capacity, with 1,962 animals in care (including 939 cats and 795 dogs).
We are asking the community to help by choosing to adopt if they’re thinking of adding a pet to their family, opening their homes temporarily by fostering an animal, volunteering, or making a donation to support second chances for these animals and the thousands more in our care. More information for getting involved can be found at sdhumane.org.
Today’s intake also highlights the incredible importance of spaying and neutering to prevent unwanted litters and reduce the number of pets entering shelters. We share low-cost spay/neuter resources at sdhumane.org/spayneuter.
Anyone who needs help caring for their animals or finds themselves in a situation where they are overwhelmed can contact San Diego Humane Society for assistance, or visit sdhumane.org/supportservices for more information on our programs and resources to support pet families.
tions. (Sound Home Solutions, 760.815.0608) Several years ago he’d been working his tail off and needed a break. He decided to head for Cabo San Lucas.
Here’s what happened: Ken Davis
It has been an honor over the course of the last 2 months to be working for #19 Hall of Fame Chargers wide receiver Lance Alworth.
I mentioned to Lance on Monday that I would be leaving for Cabo the next day and that I would be unavailable for a week. Lance insisted that I call him from Cabo as he has a boat down here and that he would be telling his captain to expect me.
I spoke with Lance yesterday and sure enough, he has arranged for myself and 2 guests to spend all day Marlin fishing on his 35’ Cabo Sportfisher “19’s Toy”.
Mr. Alworth , you have made this Charger fan as excited as a 6 year old on the night before Christmas. Pics and videos will be up in a few days, in the meantime, I’m going surfing!
Man About Town
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Antidemocratic influences: There are stresses accumulating that, unchecked, could undermine the democratic system itself. This includes authoritarianism, the rise of corporate power, deepening clientelism, militarization of police, attacks on civil liberties, and more.
The Real Reason We’re Filthy
The real cause of our dirty streets and cities, in my opinion, is a major disconnect between what is and what is should be, by city officials. Many times I was told there was/ is no problem. That I was overreacting to “a few pieces of litter scattered about.” This was most always followed up with, some variation of, “Compared to other cities we’re doing a great job.”
In my opinion, the reason our streets and byways are so filthy is not because most officials who could do something about the issue don’t care. It’s that they don ‘t recognize the problem and are eager to shove it under the carpet. In one case I pointed out that if the city would just cut the weeds growing beside the on ramp, it would look better, cleaner, and improve the city’s image. “Weeds,” I was told, “are a fact of life. There’s nothing we can do about them.” Is that weak or what?
Man About Town from page 4
Charitable Giving
I’ve discovered a fairly painless means of supporting a needy charity (in my case, The Puppy Coalition.
I’ve long admired Bruce Krider for the immense amount of time and money he has contributed to supporting the Puppy Coalition, a group he and I founded about nine or ten years ago. (For those who don’t know, the Puppy Coalition rescues dogs that are scheduled for euthanasia (a genteel way of say “killing them.”) To date, Bruce has saved, and found homes for at least 500 dogs who would otherwise have been killed. Often, these dogs are killed for no other reason than the facility needs more space for incoming dogs - so if a dog has been there for 10 days (sometimes less) they are scheduled for euthanasia (killing). In 98% of the cases these dogs are fine animals and would make a great pet for any family.
(Both Bruce and I support euthanasia for terminally ill animals, or animals that are vicious and untrainable; but for healthy animals?
Many cities as I’ve pointed out, have robust sanitation programs and complimentary efforts to keep public spaces clean. Great. This does not mean, however, that the cleanliness issue is solved. Failing to recognize and attack the problem only leads to more of the same - a major reason we are America the Filthy, in my opinion.
Trash on the Street Impact on the Public
There are practical reasons for keeping streets clean. When it rains, some water soaks into the ground, some evaporates, and some flows over impervious surfaces, such as paved streets, driveways and parking lots. This is called “stormwater runoff”. Parking lots, buildings or other hard surfaces tend to have more stormwater runoff than undeveloped areas because the water can’t soak into the ground and has no place to go.
Stormwater runoff picks up pollutants from the ground, such as oil dripped from cars, detergents from washing cars, spilled garbage cans, yard clippings and assorted trash, and carries these items into the nearest storm drain or drainage ditch. Many ditches and storm drains do not connect to a water treatment system, so everything that flows down the storm drain eventually ends up in the nearest body of water body – often this is the ocean.
We think it’s murder).
I know that Bruce and his wife, Laura, have contributed cash as well (in the six figure range, over $250,000).
I wanted to help out financially as well and found a ready solution.
Most of us who are older have IRA’s. Those IRA’s have a mandated distribution annuallymoney you are required to pull out of the IRA after you reach a certain age. However, if you have the check made payable to The Puppy Coalition (or a charity of your choice) then the money is non-taxable (if the charity
This runoff is also hazardous to the health of the people who must live in that area. As effective as storm drains are at controlling run off, they are not sewer systems, which are designed to carry wastewater to a treatment plant. There, water is treated before being released into a reservoir or other body of water. Storm drain systems don’t treat water in any way; such water is emptied into lakes, rivers, creeks or oceans with no treatment or filtering.
This is why it’s vital for everyone to keep their driveways clean- to assure their yards and sidewalks are free of harmful chemicals. Many cities prohibit washing cars in the driveway, or ban rinsing paint brushes or rags used to wipe down metals especially where the runoff can’t soak into grass or dirt areas.
At a recent Long Beach, CA city council meeting, department heads were admonished to control overtime pay of their workers. One department head, on the hot seat, pointed out most of his overtime hours came from paying employees for repairs caused by run offs or to unclog drainage systems. One such clog, he said, took two days of a round the clock attention to solve. (He was not challenged for these expenditures – that’s the cost of doing business one councilman said - proof that mishandled trash
is a 501c3 or comparable).
If you take the money then it is taxable. The bonus is, you DO get a tax credit for the money you directed to The Puppy Coalition (or charity of your choice).
In my case I had two IRA’s; one, I was required to take out $3073.75. I directed that payable to The Puppy Coalition; the second IRA had a required payout of $757.38. Combined total payable to the Puppy Coalition: $3831.13. And I get a tax credit!
If you don’t really need the money, feel free to use this formula to fund your favorite charity and
leads to increased costs.) The impact on health, safety, and aesthetics of debris and waste material on streets and roadways is an expense that could be controlled.
The Top Five Dirtiest Cities
Just to have a little fun, let’s look at Clean Up America’s top five dirtiest cities.
#1: New Orleans, Louisiana
Although New Orleans is considered one our country’s most unique and charming cities, it also is often ranked as one of our dirtiest. On a recent visit there, my wife frequently complained that the streets smelled of urine; reminding me to watch where I stepped due to the dog poop on the sidewalks. One word could describe Bourbon Street: pathetic. Food wrappers, empty beverage cans and bottles and, yes, human feces piled on the sidewalk detract from the music and a ambiance. It’s also interesting to note that the state of Louisiana has fewer than 5,000 electric vehicle registrations; carbon dioxide emission offsets are important to a clean city.
# 2: Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ranks 193rd in the nation for water quality of the 200
continued on page 12
take the tax credit.
If you don’t have a favorite charity may I suggest you consider The Puppy Coalition? Bruce has not only been funding the bulk of this effort but also is driving thousands of miles to rescue dogs, interviewing potential adopters or fosters (he’s very picky about who he allows to adopt or foster dogs) - and has dedicated the remainder of his life to helping to save dogs. He is a terrific human being and could use your support. (I suggested to Bruce that he may want to consider setting aside 5 or 10 hours a week to share with his wife, Laura).
Thanks for listening/reading.
Filthy
Online Safety for Kids
Summer is here, and kids have time on their hands. That could mean hours of unsupervised internet use while parents are working. It’s been estimated that 95% of teens aged 13 to 17 use social media, and that can include younger children as well. 40% of children ages 8 to 12 report they use social media despite age restrictions.
Adolescence is a critical period of development, which is why safety measures and guidelines are so important. The California Department of Justice has an extensive list of measures families can take to protect their children online. Their common sense recommendations include viewing the internet with your kids, especially at first, explaining to your children that they should never give personal information on a website without parental approval, including names, phone numbers, their address, birth dates, etc.
The San Diego County DA’s office has an extensive list of online safety tips for parents and kids online. Suggestions include never letting children access private chat rooms, putting accounts in the parent’s name, knowing your children’s passwords, never allowing face-toface meetings with someone met online, and many others. For more
information, please visit Protecting Children Online.
At the federal level, a Kids Online Health and Safety Task force was created last year to advance the privacy, health and safety of children and youth using the internet. Recommendations include knowing your child’s temperament and the type of media your child is drawn to, knowing the content and quality of the media your child is using, making sure online media is not crowding out or preventing emotional interactions with others, including family members, and maintaining open communications between adults and children regarding social media use. More information about the task force’s findings and recommendations are available here.
For parents, protecting their children is the top concern. Knowing more about social media and the very real hazards that lurk online is a must.
Assemblymember Marie Waldron, R- Valley Center, represents the 75th Assembly District in the California Legislature, which includes the cities of Poway, Santee, portions of the City of San Diego, and most of rural eastern and northern San Diego County.
5th District Supervisor Jim Desmond Update on Battery Energy Storage Facilities
I wanted to share an important update from our recent Board of Supervisors meeting that directly impacts our community’s safety and well-being.
Our county has experienced two separate fires at battery energy storage facilities in the past few months. These incidents posed significant safety risks and led to temporary road closures and evacuation orders for nearby homes. Understandably, there is growing public concern about these facilities’ health, safety, and environmental risks.
In response, I introduced legislation at our last meeting to pause all new battery storage facility projects until we can thoroughly assess and address these concerns. I am pleased to report that this legislation was unanimously approved. The vote directs our chief administrative officer to develop comprehensive guidelines and options, which could be presented to the Board of Supervisors for a vote as early as late August.
Our staff will be gathering input from community members liv-
Travel Troubleshooter
by Christopher Elliott
When United Airlines cancels her husband’s flight, it promises Maxine Biggs a prompt refund. So why is she still waiting for her $1,751 six months later?
Q: I booked a flight from Salt Lake City to Geneva for my husband through Booking.com. The flight was on United Airlines. United Airlines canceled the flight the night before and offered us a refund. United sent the refund to Booking. com three months later.
When I call Booking.com, I just get the runaround and am told they will “look into it.” I have called multiple times, and all they tell me is that the refund takes 7 to 10 business days and can take up to 14 days. But it’s been six months!
No one can provide me with any further information. The Booking. com call center is in India, and I feel like no one understands my issue. I’ve tried multiple times to reach someone in the United States
who could help me.
The last time I called Booking.com, a representative promised to submit a request to United. But United also gave me very little information except that they sent the refund to Booking.com. Can you help me get my $1,751 back, please? -- Maxine Biggs, Herriman, Utah
A: United should have sent the money quickly to Booking.com, which should have then passed it along to you. The process should have taken no more than a week.
So what happened? I have to be honest: I have never made excuses for the airlines and their proxies and have no intention of starting now. There is just no good reason for such a delay.
The Department of Transportation requires that refunds be made promptly. It defines “prompt” as being within 7 business days if you paid by credit card and within 20
days if you paid by cash or check.
And it applies these rules to airlines and online travel agencies like Booking.com.
You could have -- and probably should have -- let the Department of Transportation know about this lapse.
And you could have also applied some pressure to United and Booking.com. A brief, polite email sent to one of the customer service managers might have helped. I list their names, numbers and emails on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.
As a side note, I think the companies have this all backward. If you reserve a ticket through Booking.com, then Booking.com -- not United -- should be responsible for getting your money back to you within a week. If United owes Booking.com for your ticket, that’s between the two of them.
This is one of the strangest refund
ing near proposed sites, industry experts, and other stakeholders to ensure that any future projects prioritize public safety and environmental responsibility.
It’s alarming that two of the three battery storage projects approved in our county’s unincorporated areas have already caught fire. This record clearly indicates that more work is needed to ensure these facilities are safe and reliable.
I want to thank everyone who has voiced their concerns and participated in this process.
Your input is invaluable as we work to protect our community from unnecessary risks.
Please feel free to contact my office if you have any questions or would like to provide further feedback on this issue. Together, we can ensure that our community remains a safe and healthy place to live.
San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond, 1600 Pacific Highway, #335, San Diego, CA 92101, United States http:// www.supervisorjimdesmond.com/
cases to land on my desk, and our advocacy team worked hard to figure out what had happened. But we finally reached the right person at Booking.com, who explained.
United never issued a ticket refund. Instead, for reasons that are not entirely clear, it exchanged your ticket for another one, which means Booking.com lost control of the ticket. A Booking.com agent then requested a refund, which apparently confused United’s system because a refund had already been initiated.
United told you that it had sent the money to Booking.com, but Booking.com could not find it. After my team and I reached out, it connected with United, found your money, and finally refunded your ticket.
Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him on his site.
By Tom Morrow
The 2024 International Olympics opens this week in Paris, but a lot of history has taken place during the last century that is worthy of note. Here are two stories I told you about in past columns.
Ralph H. Metcalf was four-times elected Chicago alderman (city council); an eight-year serving U.S. Congressman; a Legion of Merit medal-holder as a U.S. Army 1st lieutenant during World War II, and a successful college coach. But it was a 10.4 second space of time in his life that probably haunted Metcalf more than anything. He ran onetenth of a second behind Jesse Owens in the 100-meter dash at
Historically Speaking
Olympic Gold and What ‘Could Have Been’
the historic 1936 Berlin Olympics as dictator Adolf Hitler looked on in shock.
There were many races to come. Twenty years later in 1955, Metcalfe won the first of four elections as an alderman representing the South Side of Chicago. He broke ranks with Mayor Richard Daly after a series of police brutality incidents. In 1970, he easily was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Congress.
But it was that eye-blink of a second back in 1936, that kept Metcalfe awake at night. Jesse Owens won a gold medal and equaled a world record that summer in Berlin running the 100-meter dash at 10.3 seconds. Metcalfe was right behind Owens for the silver medal at 10.4 seconds. Ironically, Metcalfe broke or equaled world records 16 times at various distance track events, however only five of them were ever officially ratified by the international governing body, the IAAF.
Metcalfe won four Olympic
Ralph Metcalfe
medals during the previous 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. He was regarded as the world’s fastest human in 1934 and 1935 after running at the world record time of 10.3 seconds. Metcalfe was convinced to the end of his life that the 100-meter event in 1932 should have been awarded as a dead-heat tie between him and Eddie Tolan. In all, Metcal-
Problem Solved
by Christopher Elliott
Gazelle lost my iPhone. Can you help me find it?
fe won 16 national titles in track during his athletic career.
At Berlin, Metcalfe ran with Owens, Foy Draper, and Frank Wykoff in the 440-meter relay winning a gold medal.
Despite coming in second in Berlin, Metcalfe had much to be proud of. He became the first man to win the NCAA 200-meter
Historically Speaking continued on page 12
Where is Joan Cassell’s iPhone? Gazelle says it sent it back to her, but there’s no evidence it was delivered. Whose responsibility is this lost phone?
Q: I sent in an iPhone XR to Gazelle (ecoATM), a company that recycles used electronics. Gazelle had offered $120 for my iPhone if it was in good condition.
But when Gazelle received the phone, it claimed it had scratches (which is untrue). Gazelle reduced its offer to $105.
I declined the offer and asked Gazelle to return the phone. Gazelle claims it mailed the phone to me and said it would arrive in 10 days. I never received it.
Gazelle says the phone was delivered but stolen and asked me to file a police report. I requested a tracking number from the company, and it shows the phone was sent, but there’s no evidence that it was delivered.
Can you help me get my phone back?
~ Joan Cassell, St. Louis, Mo.
A: Gazelle should be able to show you a tracking number with a confirmed delivery. If it can’t, then the phone is still the company’s responsibility.
I see this kind of thing constantly. Companies are quick to blame their customers when a package gets lost, and slow -- often painfully slow -- to take responsibility themselves.
Gazelle’s site has information on what constitutes a “good” condition for a device. According to section 9 of its Terms and Conditions, “If you elect not to accept the recalculated offer price, your product will be returned to you.” (The terms do not specify how Gazelle will send it back, but in your case, it was via USPS.)
By the way, Gazelle is hardly the only company to make its offers on old electronics contingent on an inspection. When I return my old Pixel phones for a trade-in credit, they always say the credit depends on what they find. So I’m always nervous for a few days while Google decides what to do with my old phone.
I highly recommend a durable case. I’ve used OtterBox products on my last few phones, and they have protected my device so well that I always pass my inspection with flying colors.
You might have appealed this to a Gazelle executive (here’s how to find a manager). But I’m not sure if it’s worth it over a $15 price difference. In fact, I think it probably cost Gazelle more than $15 to return your phone.
I contacted the company on your behalf. It investigated your claim and determined that USPS was at fault for losing your device after it left Gazelle’s facility.
“We investigated the matter with USPS to the best of our ability in order to retrieve her property, but unfortunately, they were unable to recover it,” a representative said.
“We also recognize that there was a delay during this process in getting Ms. Cassell the answers she needed,” the representative added. “As a way to make up for this shortcoming, Gazelle has is-
sued Ms. Cassell a total payment of $170 representing the original quoted value of her phone ($120) plus an additional $50 as a means of apology.”
The Gazelle representative said the company is committed to honest pricing at no risk.
“When we receive a customer’s item, if it’s in better condition than expected, we increase our original offer. If we need to lower the offer, our customers can always have it returned,” he says. “Unfortunately, in this case, the item was lost due to circumstances out of our control. We regret the loss and hope that we were able to do right by Ms. Cassell and settle this matter in the most satisfactory way possible for everyone involved.”
Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy (https://elliottadvocacy.org), a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him at https://elliottadvocacy.org/help/
(Left) Ralph and Jesse at the 1936 Oiympics
Is it my imagination, or are air travelers getting angrier at each other this summer?
It is not, say passengers like Leigh Shulman, who admits she almost lost her cool as she boarded a recent flight. She had just broken her ankle and was hobbling around the airport, one baby step at a time.
“Other travelers were pushing me around,” she says. “They apparently didn’t notice the boot.”
Shulman felt her blood pressure rising and it stayed that way for the duration of the journey. “I was pissed off for hours,” she admits. She blames a combination of poor airport design, indifferent airlines and increasingly selfish passengers.
This will probably be the busiest summer for air travel in the United States. That means planes will be packed to capacity. It’s also a contentious summer, with a divisive U.S. election just ahead. Making matters worse: Last week’s wave of flight cancellations after the CrowdStrike meltdown.
It’s a tinderbox just waiting for a spark, according to experts.
Because of all this, travelers are more anxious, stressed out and overtired than at any time since the pandemic, says Jeremy Murchland, president of Seven Corners, a travel insurance company.
“To cope with that stress, they’re lashing out in inappropriate ways,” he says.
Shulman, a writing coach and public speaker, says she resisted the urge to take a swing at one of her fellow passengers, despite being jostled around.
“I took a few deep breaths,” she says. “Then I boarded the flight.”
It doesn’t always end that way.
Angry air traveler incidents are making headlines again.
There have been so many incidents of angry air travelers that it’s hard to compile a highlight reel. But here goes:
How about the passenger on a Frontier Airlines flight who refused to comply with the crew’s instructions when sitting in an exit row? After a loud confrontation, law enforcement escorted her off the plane.
Or the couple who recently got into a loud argument on a United Airlines flight from London to Newark. When flight attendants asked them to calm down, they turned belligerent and the male passenger
How to Handle Angry Air Travelers
threatened to “mess up the plane.” He was arrested and fined $20,638 after the flight had to be diverted to Bangor, Maine.
Last week was particularly bad for passenger incidents. Rapper Sandra “Pepa” Denton said she was escorted off a Southwest Airlines flight after a disagreement over seating. And Terrell Davis, the NFL Hall of Famer, was led off a United Airlines flight in handcuffs following an exchange with a flight attendant.
The statistics also paint a troubling picture. The Federal Aviation Administration reports that inflight incidents remain elevated and “recent increases show there remains more work to do,” it adds. (Overall, unruly passenger incidents appear to be trending downward after the pandemic.)
Why are passengers so angry?
So what’s making airline passengers so crabby? It comes down to three things, experts say.
Manners have gone out the window.
Let’s not mince words: People are ruder than ever, and that antisocial behavior is amplified when you’re sitting in a pressurized aluminum tube with nowhere to go. Manners are disintegrating across society, not just at the airport. But there’s one thing that sustains this unacceptable behavior, according to etiquette expert Rosalinda Oropeza Randall. “There are no consequences,” she says. It’s true, many incidents go unreported because they’re just little temper tantrums.
Flying is even more stressful than usual.
Travel is more of a hassle than ever. Fuller flights and less storage space
“Breathe slowly and deeply, exhaling twice as long as you take for your inhale, to help tell your nervous system that you’re safe,” she says.
What if someone is being rude to you? Don’t retaliate, advises etiquette expert Nick Leighton.
“Never respond to rudeness with more rudeness,” he says.
That just leads to an escalation -and then you’ll be in my next highlight reel. Instead, Leighton says you should assume an etiquette crime isn’t being committed intentionally and deliberately. Give your fellow passengers the benefit of the doubt, and you will find a solution.
make flying even more stressful than at any time in recent memory. The number of inflight incidents reported to the Federal Aviation Administration remains elevated when compared to pre-pandemic levels. And the number of highprofile altercations between flight attendants and passengers seems to multiply by the week. No two ways about it -- air travel is putting us under a lot of pressure.
Junk fees are multiplying.
“A big factor in consumers losing their tempers is the feeling that they are getting nickel and dimed at every turn,” says Beth Walter, who teaches business communication at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business. She says extra costs for luggage and seat assignments make passengers upset. “No one likes hidden fees, and if they pop up during trips they can easily trigger the temper of a stressedout, exhausted traveler who has been preparing for their summer vacation since last year and is expecting that everything goes according to plan,” she adds.
What you can do to keep your cool this summer.
Look, I’m not gonna lie. The best way to stay calm this summer is to find another way to get there or to just stay home.
Travelers want to have it all -- a great trip with zero stress. That’s impossible. I travel constantly and I always experience anxiety in the same places -- the security checkpoint, at customs, before boarding, and at the luggage conveyor belt.
Shulman, the passenger with the broken ankle, has the right idea, according to Colleen Newvine, who teaches a stress management workshop.
Finally, remember to pack your manners. That’s the advice of Thomas Plante, a psychology professor at Santa Clara University.
“It all comes down to respect and compassion,” he told me. “Typically, escalating tensions can be diminished if you show both respect and compassion to the person who is getting upset.” Yes, even on a plane, or in a crowded airport, or at an overcrowded luggage carousel.
Airlines have to defuse this summer bomb.
If it seems like I’m blaming passengers for the escalation of anger, let me correct you: I’m not. The U.S. airline industry bears a lot of the responsibility for creating this problem. It can easily defuse this summer bomb.
How? Just give passengers a little more personal space by moving the seats farther apart instead of packing travelers in like sardines. Remove the junk fees that irritate travelers. Maybe give flight attendants a little more customer service training instead of combat training. But at a time when airline profitability is waning, good luck with getting that.
If airlines started treating us with respect and compassion, maybe we would start behaving with respect and compassion.
Oh, I know. Dream on. But someone had to say it.
Christopher Elliott is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He founded Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes Elliott Confidential, a travel newsletter, and the Elliott Report, a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, you can reach him here or email him at chris@elliott.org.
Illustration by Dustin Elliott
It’s a long journey from Panorama City, California to the top position in Escondido’s Law Enforcement team.
But Ed Varso took that journey and made a success of it.
Born in Panorama City he actually grew up in the high desert area of Little Rock, California in northern California.
Grade school and high school were completed in Little Rock then, at the tender age of 19 years, he went to work for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office as a custody officer, working in the jails. After three years of this he moved into becoming a full fledged deputy sheriff. In 2001 he made a lateral transfer, moving to Escondido, California.
During his career with the Escondido Police Department he would serve in a number of positions. For seven years he was a K-9 Handler, training and working with two separate dogs, both of the Malinois breed. He was given six weeks of training at the beginning but . . . “you constantly train and learn every day with your dogs,” he says.
Later, he would be promoted to Sergeant where he served for six years, supervising patrol, then traffic . . . and, in 2015 he was promoted to
A Visit With the Chief . . .
Lieutenant and, at various times, supervised Patrol, Narcotics, the Gang Detail, and helped put together the highly respected and efficient Criminal Intelligence Unit. Just two examples of outstanding police work by this unit is (a) the recent identification and arrests in the fatal stabbing in East Escondido and (b) the identification and arrest of the shooters who killed an innocent woman during a drive by shooting several years ago.
town with merchants boarding up their windows and closing early, fearing possible damage from riots . . . fears generated in large part by large crowds of protesters gathering in the downtown area.
Chief Varso calmly walked into the assembled crowd and simply talked to them. He gained their trust . . .the tension was defused and Escondido remained peaceful. Friend and foe alike commended Chief Varso for his handling of what could have developed into a serious situation.
is always looking for ambitious and talented new talent. Lateral transfers from other agencies have been fairly successful but recruitment has been down since 2020, which is true of most police agencies. Chief Varso personally interviews every candidate to become a police officer. “We have a strong culture within our deparment,” he says. “There are over 200 people who make up the Escondido Police Department . . . I am but one of them. I am honored to have built this organization and to lead them. It’s a very special and talented family.”
In 2017 Ed Varso became Captain Ed Varso. He did so well in this position that on January 1, 2020 he was named Escondido’s Chief of Police.
Chief Varso is most proud of having put together a team of talented police officers and support staff that work together for the community. He demonstrated his leadership ability and “earned his spurs” during both the Covid experience and the George Floyd crisis where Escondido was buttoned up down-
Asked how he managed to pull off a masterful diplomatic handling of such a threatening situation he said, “I just applied what I had come to know and feel about Escondido and applied a combination of gut feel and common sense and I talked with the protesters . . . I heard their viewpoints and let them demonstrate their concerns in a peaceful manner. It all seemed to work out.”
The Escondido Police Department
The department will often visit schools and talk to students at the elementary, middle school and high school level; in fact, there is an active Police Explorer program with a number of present officers who began their police careers as Explorer Scouts or ‘cadets.’
“Law enforcement is a fine profession,” he says. “We give them training . . . we give them camaraderie . . . and a sense of ‘home.’ We are a tight knit unit. Law enforcement is a profession you can be proud of.”
Chief Varso is married and has a family. He and his wife, Amber, have been married for 25 years, have three kids, 25 year old Jeremy, who lives in Texas, 23 year old Danica, and 15 year old Paisley.
Chief Ed Varso
Pastor Huls
The Pastor Says . . . Memories
The famous singer Elvis Presley gave us a song that has become a favorite of many: “Memories.” I like the song because it resonates with life. Of course, we each want good memories, as the song portrays. Yet, there are also memories of bad experiences. We have to take those with the good ones.
Recently, I was reminded of a wedding I officiated at forty-nine years ago. The couple called me on their anniversary date to thank me for doing their wedding. I had to spend some time remembering that event. Such wonderful memories! It is not uncommon to have people whom I haven’t seen for years to meet me and ask, “Do you remember when?” I must admit it takes time to recall what they want to share. But it is always worth it. In so many ways, my life now consists mainly of memories. That becomes the emphasis at most funerals I conduct. People like to recall the deceased’s life, especially if they have had experiences with them.
As a nation, we live with lots of memories. The celebration of the Fourth of July is a memory recalling what happened in early American history to give us our freedom. I have a memory of December 7, 1941, when President Roosevelt said, “a date which will live in infamy” because of the attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor. D-Day will long be remembered when the Allies launched the invasion of Europe against the Nazis. These memories, along with such announcements as Neil Armstrong’s walk on the moon and the space shuttle Challenger explosion, which took the lives of seven astronauts.
Memories can highlight events in our lives or depress us to sadness and despair.
The Bible has innumerable expressions connected to memories. I have often wondered if Adam and Eve had good memories of the Garden of Eden or if they only remembered being kicked out of the garden for eating the forbidden fruit. The Biblical account of the Jews shares memories of slavery in Egypt and the deliverance for the promised land of milk and honey. They were constantly told to remember God’s blessings and presence. Even Jesus witnesses His time in heaven with the Father. Those memories helped sustain Him in His times of stress and conflict.
The way to recapture our best memories is to remember the words of the Apostle Paul, “Forget the things which are behind” (memories of bad experiences). In the context of faith, remember the Grace of God given to us in Christ and eagerly await all that God will provide us with through Him, giving us positive memories in abundance.
Pastor Huls Call 760-746-6611 for daily prayer and thought.
Pet Parade
Zoey is Rancho Coastal Humane Society’s pet of the week. She’s a 3-yearold, 10-pound, female, Domestic Short Hair cat with a Brown and White Tabby coat.
Zoey arrived at Rancho Coastal Humane Society through Friends of County Animal Shelters (FOCAS.) She was adopted. Now her owners are not able to care for her, so she needs a new home.
The $100 adoption fee for Zoey includes medical exam, spay, up to date vaccinations, and registered microchip.
Visit Rancho Coastal Humane Society in Encinitas or log on to www. SDpets.org. Open 11 to 4, Thursday through Monday, and by appointment Wednesday.
San Diego Humane Society is supporting families and their pets who need a little extra help.
Through the Community Pet Pantry, anyone can visit our campuses to pick up a bag of dog or cat food, and other supplies, as available.
No appointment is needed for this service. Hours are Tuesday-Sunday from 10am to 6pm.
El Cajon 373 N. Marshall Ave.
Escondido 3500 Burnet Drive
Oceanside 572 Airport Road
San Diego 5480 Gaines Street
Pet of the Week
Gomez
Say hello to Gomez! Sophisticated, six-year-old Gomez is the picture of refinement, a true canine connoisseur of peace and tranquility. He’s ready to trade the hustle and bustle of busy shelter living for a quiet life where he can enjoy a few leisurely walks, lounge the day away and indulge in some delectable treats. Along with his dapper looks, he’s got an abundance of brains and charm. His idea of a perfect day involves a sunny spot by the window, a cozy blanket and the occasional stroll around the block to stretch his legs. If you’re someone who appreciates the finer things in life and a good walking buddy, Gomez might just be your perfect match. Are you ready to bring a touch of class and a lot of love to your home. Adopt Gomez (911474) at San Diego Humane Society’s Escondido Campus at 3500 Burnet Dr. Through July 31, adoption fees are just $25 for all dogs, cats, puppies and kittens. If you have questions about the adoption process, you can visit sdhumane.org/adopt or call 619-299-7012.
Online profile: https://www.sdhumane.org/adopt/available-pets/animal-single.html?petId=911474
Computer Factory
845 W. San Marcos Blvd. 760-744-4315 thecomputerfactory.net
In the 1980s and 90s PCs (personal computers) were exciting and fun. Exploding technology drove RAM count, hard drive capacity and CPU speed to double on 18-24 month cycles. Accessories like tape drives, floppy drives, CDs, and DVDs came in quick succession. Microsoft released a new operating system every two to three years and a brand new PC became technologically obsolete in about two years. New applications were released every day. Every computer was a “stand alone” system, each with its own unique set of applications, software and capabilities. Life was good. Then along came the IW (Intelligent Web) and changed everything.
Beth’s voice went from panic to anger to the verge of tears. “I need help.”
I’ve always respected Beth. She’s a single mom who works fulltime and runs a small business. She could handle anything. That is, until the property manager told her “You’ve gotta get rid of your dog.”
She and her daughters got this dog five years ago and they still live in the same place.
Why is there a problem now?
Nome and I have been around since the dawn of the “Computer Age” in the 1940s.
Mainframe PCs rose to dominance in corporations, schools and governments through the second half of the 20 th century. PCs (personal computers) moved into our homes and offices in the last quarter of the century. Slowly we built networks that allowed computers to share and communicate. In 2001 broadband Internet came on stream and in 2007 mobile “smart phones” completed the scenario. Mobile devices enabled 7/24 connectivity to the growing IW. The early years of the 21 st century saw the World move from the “Computer Age” into the “Internet Age.”
Powerful IW servers execute the high speed applications that were previously performed by “stand alone” devices. The need for ever increasing video and computing speed, memory and large data storage capacity on PCs has been largely supplanted by the limitless capabilities of the IW. A modern desktop/tower PC consists of a half dozen generic components. The case, power supply, RAM, SSD, CPU and motherboard. The other three PC types, All-in-One, Notebook and Micro have even fewer optional components.
While the PC may have outlived its position as the shining monument to modern technology, it has not lost its importance. While PCs
are no longer the hi-tech icons of yesteryear, like toilet paper, they still play a critical (role, roll) in our day to day lives. PCs are no longer as diverse as they were in their “stand alone” days, but as connection devices to the entirety of mans accumulated knowledge base and the font of our increasingly powerful AI (artificial Intelligence), they are vital to 21 st century living.
So our job at the Computer Factory is pretty simple these days. It’s to ensure that our customers have
the functioning PC hardware and operating systems that allows the easy flow of Internet communications and information required to get along in today’s “Brave New World.” That process sometimes means taking the time to help our customers understand the relationship between their hardware, operating system, applications and the Internet. This process takes patience and understanding as well as technical knowledge.
That is the thing we do better than anyone else.
PCs: Commercial vs Retail
Dell, HP and Lenovo comprise 75% of PC sales. All are manufactured by Chinese companies. “Retail” computers sold by Costco, WalMart, Target and others are made with cheap components to abet price competition to mostly naive home and small business shoppers. “Retail” PCs are sold with Windows Home, single year warranties and “junkware” (paid advertisements and trial programs). The “Commercial” PCs (desktop, notebook and All-in-One) used by government, business and institutions are sold and warranted by distributors. They are double the price of “retail” versions, come with multi-year warranties, Windows Professional, and no “junkware”. Commercial PCs use high-reliability components that permit 24 hour trouble free operation. We purchase them at the end of their warranty period, QA them, install new SSDs and re-install Windows Professional. These “Commercial refurbs” are superior in price, performance and reliability to the brand new “retail” PCs sold in the “Big Box” stores. Stop by and check us out.
Had he bitten anyone? Started barking and disturbing the neighborhood while she was at work? Was he a threat? Did somebody complain about him?
No.
“He’s not just a dog. I need him. When I get home at night, I have to take my hearing aids out. After that, I can’t hear if there’s anything going on in my neighborhood. If anything’s wrong, he alerts me.”
We took this one step at a time.
The property manager said they had a 30-pound weight limit. Her dog weighed more than 30 pounds. She pulled out his adoption papers. He weighed more than 30 pounds when they got him, but it was okay then.
He was a mixed breed and there were no breed restrictions.
His microchip could confirm that he was the same dog she got five years ago.
She made an appointment with her veterinarian for a physical and behavior exam and to make sure his vaccinations were up to date. Ev-
erything was fine.
Just in case things didn’t go the way she wanted, Beth made an appointment with her Audiologist to check her hearing aids. When she told him about the possibility of losing her dog, she couldn’t stop the tears. Several tissues later, her doctor confirmed that her dog was necessary for her safety and emotional wellbeing, and he would put it in writing. Now it looks like everything is going to work out for Beth and the dog she needs.
I’m not telling you to break rules then go to war with your landlord. It’s up to you to know and follow the rules. But if you find extenuating circumstances, work to find a solution. It’s worth the effort to keep your best friend.
Filthy from page 5
cities ranked by LawnStarter; it also has one of the highest number of ozone days — over 114 a year. As we’ve seen, it’s trash disposal system is effective, but anyone who’s ever navigated the downtown streets will attest, clean is not the word to describe the amount of debris and litter lining the sidewalks. By the same token, it’s getting easier to breathe there - carbon dioxide emissions are down thanks to over half a million EVs registered in the state.
#3: Indianapolis, Indiana
With an affordable cost of living, great weather and opportunities for higher education, plus a booming job market, Indianapolis is a great place to call home for Midwesterners. Air quality is bad, gaining Indianapolis an “F” from the Air Quality Control Board; the streets are clogged with debris, especially paper and plastics. Trash pickup is often hit or miss. Indianapolis doesn’t make ozone day data available, but the city’s water quality ranking is quite low, with a fair to poor ranking in the carbon dioxide arena.
#4: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh has a water quality issue; Pennsylvania’s carbon dioxide emissions are also on the high side, at over 218 million metric tons. Electric vehicles are somewhat common, with the state ranking in the middle of the fifty states in EV registrations. Trash is often stacked on sidewalks and pickup is notoriously slow, with continuous mechanical breakdowns at the landfills.
# 5:
Riverside, California
Trash pickup and disposal are issues in Riverside; it stands out as a city with the largest number of high ozone days in the state. Additionally, its water quality is ranked as one of the 10 worst in California. There are an increasing number of electric vehicles on the street, but as with Los Angeles, it has a huge output of carbon dioxide emissions, and public utilities need extensive repair.
Incidentally, San Diego ranks seventh on Clean Up America’s list, citing the flooding along the US / Mexico border as a major issue.
Who’s Doing What to Solve Our Filth Problem?
While researching this article, three key points emerged. 1) Very little is being done to clean up America, primarily because few see it as a problem; 2) No single non-government organization, or specific entity of our federal government has addressed this problem; 3) Re-
gional and sectarian pride cloud the issue and make progressive efforts difficult to implement.
Driving or cycling through some areas of America - the eastern Catskills Mountains for example, or the Missouri Ozarks, or the ocean views of Southern and Northern California, or the insanely beautiful, manicured lawns and flower beds of small town Cooperstown, New York or Baker, Kansas or Bartlesville, Oklahoma, one becomes immune to the plight of dirty streets and sidewalks. The same with the views of mountain towns like Estes, Colorado, or the desert views of Palm Springs, California, or the never ending greenery of Rocky Top, Tennessee. But, my friends we have a problem.
Stand at nightfall before the Lincoln Memorial and look out at the Washington Monument and the Ellipse, with the White House as a back drop. If your heart doesn’t swell with pride, I’ll be surprised. But, walk ten blocks in any direction and you’ll confront alley ways clogged with discarded automobile parts, trash by the truck load and debris.
Visit the Empire State Building. Be mesmerized by the view spreading out before you, where you can see three states. Fantastic. But, feet back on the ground, you’ll be appalled by overloaded garbage cans, dead rats, and enough discarded paper sacks to cover twenty acres that line the streets.
Many organization are involved in alleviating the destruction of rivers, oceans and streams. Several organizations aim to preserve elms, oaks, pine trees and the wonderful maple. This good work should be applauded, but do we have one organization dedicated solely to cleaning up our cities? Other than Keep America Beautiful, the answer is no.
Surfriders Foundation: Headquartered in San Clemente, CA, the Surfrider Foundation USA is a US 501c grassroots non-profit environmental organization that works to protect and preserve the world’s oceans, waves and beaches. It focuses on water quality, beach access, beach and surf spot preservation, and sustaining marine and coastal ecosystems.
This is work that needs to be done, but Surfriders has no specific goals to protect our cities, but this ‘Can Do’ organization pitches in to support almost all environmental efforts.
Ocean Conservancy – This organization works to protect oceans from climate change, plastic pollution, and other challenges, and it also advocates for government policies to protect marine habitats and restore coastal environments. Great, but it does little for city
clean up.
Keep America Beautiful® - As mentioned, this organization is dedicated to cleaning up America - their annual event, the Great American Cleanup, is the largest annual community improvement program in our country, involving thousands of communities in most every state.
Other Environmental Efforts
The Environmental Protection Agency is a regulatory partner to State and local departments that has taken significant steps to dramatically reduce toxic air pollutants and provide important health protections for Americans nationwide. (Streets filled with trash are detrimental to health of humans and animals as well – flies, mosquitos, fleas, all love a dirty street.)
In cities such as Long Beach, CA, Hillsborough, CA, Hot Springs, AK, and Newburg, NY among others, grass roots efforts have sprung up where citizens armed with plastic bags and ‘pick up’ poles, fueled with great intentions, conduct monthly or bi-weekly strolls through the community picking up and deposing of trash and litter. By all accounts, the results are outstanding, and they also build an attitude of belonging and contribution to the community as a whole.
America’s filthy streets and highways adversely affect our citizen’s wellbeing in many ways including imposing unhealthy conditions on many; it detracts from our economic growth by causing the expenditure of monies designated for other projects; in general dirty streets and roadways restrict our pursuit of happiness. Isn’t it time we cleaned up America?
to most folks, but back in the late 20s, and early 30s his name was linked with the name of nearby Seymour (Iowa) High’s “Joe Long.” Both were champion hurdlers in high school track becoming fierce Corydon-Seymour competitors. After graduating from Corydon High in 1927, George went on to the State University of Iowa, becoming an NCAA champion who won the gold medal for high hurdles in the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles.
During the late fifties I was a hurdler on the track team at Seymour High. Our coach, Maurice Stamps, told me about Saling and Long competing with each other. Coach Stamps, himself a high school and college hurdler at Seymour (Class of 1934), and Knox College (Class of 1938) would tell me about the rivalry between Saling and Long.
“Ironically, Joe could always beat George in the high hurdles event, and George always won in low hurdles,” Coach Stamps would tell me. “No telling what Joe could have done if he had gone on to college.” Saling did go on to college and became a world champion.
George J. Saling, Jr. was born July 27, 1909, in Memphis, Missouri. Saling established himself as a world champion hurdler and during his college senior year in 1932, he won the NCAA Championships in the 110 meter hurdles, equaling the Percy Beard’s world record of 14.4 seconds. At the AAU Championships, Saling won the 200-meter hurdles title, thus earning a place on the 1932 Olympic team heading for Los Angeles. Saling beat his chief college rival, Beard, in the semifinal by 0.2 seconds and then again in the final by 0.1 seconds. His personal best in high hurdles was 14.1 seconds.
Historically Speaking from page 7
title three times consecutively.
Metcalfe died in Chicago on Oct. 10, 1978, of a heart attack during a fifth-term reelection campaign to Congress. The downtown Chicago federal office building was named in his honor upon its completion in 1991.
While he focused on that deadheat 100 he ran with Tolan, that tenth of a second loss to Owens never seemed to bother him –that is until the middle of the night as he often relived those days of Olympic glory.
Today, the name “George Saling” of Corydon (Iowa) High probably doesn’t mean anything
Saling’s Olympic victory would remain his last because six months later on April 15, 1933, at age 23, he was killed in a car accident in Missouri.
Joe Long remained in Seymour for the rest of his life working at a farming equipment dealership, but he continued to have close ties with Seymour High sports. After World War II, and for most of his life Joe was the home game and event’s announcer for all boys’ and girls’ basketball games, as well as all SHS football games, and, of course, at all school track meets. Joe was a quiet, friendly and unassuming man, but few people ever knew how close to Olympic gold and world recognition he could have been.
SERVICE DIRECTORY
In the front yard of a Funeral Home:
“Drive carefully. We’ll wait.”
In a Chicago Radiator Shop: “Best place in town to take a leak.”
Sign on the back of a Septic Tank Truck: “Caution - this truck is full of Political Promises.”
One morning at a doctors surgery a patient arrives complaining of serious back-pain.The doctor examines him and asks him, “OK, what happened to your back?”
The patient replies “You know that I work for a local night club? This morning I got home to my apartment early and heard a noise in my bedroom. On entering I knew someone had been with my wife and the balcony door was open. I rushed out the balcony door and did not find anyone. As I looked down from the balcony I saw a man running out and he was dressing himself. I grabbed the fridge and threw it at him. That’s how I strained my back”
The 2nd patient arrives looking as if he has been in a car wreck. The doctor said, “My previous patient was looking bad, but you look terrible. What the hell happened to you?”
He replied, “You know I have been
MIGHTY MOJO
unemployed for a while now. Today was the first day at my new job. I forgot to set my alarm and was running late. I was running out of the building, getting dressed at the same time, and you won’t believe it but I was hit by a fridge.”
The 3rd patient arrives; he looks even worse than the other two patients do. The doctor is shocked. and again asks, “What the hell happened to youuuuuu.....?”
“Well I was sitting in a fridge and someone threw it from the third floor.”
Phyllis Dillerisms...
Housework can’t kill you, but why take a chance?
-Phyllis Diller
Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing up is like shoveling the sidewalk before it stops snowing.
-Phyllis Diller
The reason women don’t play football is because 11 of them would never wear the same outfit in public.
-Phyllis Diller
Best way to get rid of kitchen odors: Eat out. -Phyllis Diller
A bachelor is a guy who never made the same mistake once.
-Phyllis Diller
I want my children to have all the things I couldn’t afford. Then I
want to move in with them.
-Phyllis Diller
Most children threaten at times to run away from home. This is the only thing that keeps some parents going.
-Phyllis Diller
Any time three New Yorkers get into a cab without an argument, a bank has just been robbed.
-Phyllis Diller
We spend the first twelve months of our children’s lives teaching them to walk and talk and the next twelve years telling them to sit down and shut up.
-Phyllis Diller
Burt Reynolds once asked me out. I was in his room.
-Phyllis Diller
What I don’t like about office Christmas parties is looking for a job the next day.
-Phyllis Diller
The only time I ever enjoyed ironing was the day I accidentally got gin in the steam iron.
-Phyllis Diller
His finest hour lasted a minute and a half.
-Phyllis Diller
Old age is when the liver spots show through your gloves.
-Phyllis Diller
My photographs don’t do me justice -they just look like me.
-Phyllis Diller
Tranquilizers work only if you follow the advice on the bottle keep away from children.
-Phyllis Diller
I asked the waiter, ‘Is this milk fresh?’ He said, ‘Lady, three hours ago it was grass.’
-Phyllis Diller
The reason the golf pro tells you to keep your head down is so you can’t see him laughing. -Phyllis Diller
You know you’re old if they have discontinued your blood type.
-Phyllis Diller
***
There was a young lady named Hall,
Wore a newspaper dress to a ball.
The dress caught on fire And burned her entire
Front page, sporting section, and all. ***
A not-so-smart person walks up to the counter and says: “I’d like a cheeseburger, fries and a Diet Coke.”
The man behind the counter says “Look around! This is a LIBRARY!”
continued on page 14
Chuckles from page 2
Chuckles
Oodles from page 3
vation by calling Suzie at 760-8893552 by August 15, 2024.
Beta Sigma Phi is a social, cultural and philanthropic International Sorority, headquartered in Kansa City, Missouri, with chapters throughout the world. If you are interested in belonging to a special organization and make many new friends, call Sue at 858-484-8752.
Weekday Wellness & Fun for Seniors
11am - Noon McClellan Senior Center
Calling all seniors! Looking for a way to add some excitement to your weekdays? Look no further! From 11 am until noon, join us at the McClellan Senior Center for a variety of engaging activities designed just for you!
• Unleash your creativity in our lively art class on Mondays.
• Test your luck and socialize with friends in a thrilling game of bingo on Tuesdays.
• Enjoy some friendly competition with games and cards on Wednesdays.
• Keep your mind sharp with trivia and brain games on Thursdays.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to connect, have fun, and make new memories with fellow seniors. Mark your calendars and join us for a fulfilling and enjoyable time at McClellan Senior Center! For more information, call 760.643.5288.
***
Cardiff Farmers Market
Every Saturday • 10am - 2pm
Cardiff 101 Mainstreet Association is hosting a weekly Farmers Market every Saturday from 10am to 2pm.
Located at MiraCosta College San Elijo Campus, the new farmers market is a Certified California Farmers Market, featuring locally sourced produce sold by local farmers. The Cardiff Farmers Market will also have an array of related food products and prepared food vendors, along with a curated group of makers and craft vendors.
***
Tai Chi for Arthritis & Fall Prevention
Aging & Independence Services will be offering free Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention (TCAFP) classes in-person. These evidencebased falls prevention programs have shown to improve movement, balance, strength, and flexibility; offer relaxation; and decrease pain
and falls. Both programs are appropriate for adults with or without arthritis, rheumatic diseases, or related musculoskeletal conditions. Older adults at a higher risk of falling are strongly encouraged to attend.
Carlsbad City Library
1775 Dove Ln Carlsbad at the WiFi Garden–outdoor class
Wednesdays and Fridays 8:30 am – 9:30 am
Pine Avenue Community Center 3901 Harding St. Carlsbad Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:30 am – 9:30 am
To register, visit https://ca-carlsbad. civicrec.com/CA/carlsbad-ca/catalog and enter code #20510. For questions or more information, email HealthierLiving.HHSA@sdcounty. ca.gov or call (858) 495-5500.
Chuckles from page 13
“Oh, how silly of me.” says the person. She then begins whispering, “I’d like a cheeseburger, fries and a Diet Coke...”
Abe and Esther are flying to Australia for a two-week vacation to celebrate their 50th anniversary.
Suddenly, over the public address system, the Captain announces, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m afraid I have some very bad news... Our engines have ceased functioning and we will attempt an emergency landing. Luckily, I see an uncharted island below us and we should be able to land on the beach. However, the odds are that we may never be rescued and will have to live on the island for the rest of our lives!”
Thanks to the skill of the flight crew, the plane lands safely on the island.
An hour later Abe turns to his wife and asks, “Esther, did we pay our
VISA and MasterCard bills yet?”
“No, sweetheart,” she responds.
Abe, still shaken from the crash landing, then asks, “Esther, did we pay our American Express card yet?”
“Oh, no! I’m sorry. I forgot to send the check,” she says.
“One last thing Esther. Did you remember to send the estimated earnings check to the IRS this quarter?” he asks.
“Oh, forgive me, Abe,” begged Esther. “I didn’t send that one, either.”
Abe grabs her and gives her the biggest kiss in 40 years.
Esther pulls away and asks him, “What was that for?”
Abe answers,”THEY’LL FIND US!”
Humane Society Offers Many Resources For Pet Families
Unexpected life events like housing instability, hospitalization or other emergencies can make caring for a pet feel impossible. Many owners are faced with the heartbreaking decision to give up their beloved companion during times of hardship, but this isn’t the only option.
The San Diego Humane Society provides resources and support for families looking for short-term care options, including pet boarding, guides for temporary care agreements and pet-friendly housing resources. Additionally, our Safety Net Foster Program offers foster care for pets while their families are experiencing hardship or instability. This gives community members time to get back on their feet and then reunite with their pets.
Resources For Pet Families
Community Veterinary Program
Our Community Veterinary Program helps pet owners keep their beloved companions healthy and happy by providing low-cost preventive and basic sick care. Our San Diego Campus clinic services are now available by appointment only, Tuesday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Appointments can be made by calling 858-216-3908 during business hours. We also offer mobile clinic services, bringing veterinary services directly into the communities that need them most. The Community Veterinary Program does not provide emergency or urgent care services.
Community Pet Pantry
We’re always here to support pet families when they need a helping hand. Our Community Pet Pantry is open to provide free pet food and other supplies as available. You can visit our campuses in El Cajon, Escondido, Oceanside and San Diego to access this service, no appointment needed. You can also find our Pantry at neighborhood distribution locations across San Diego County:
Spay/Neuter Vouchers
Spaying and neutering helps your pets stay healthy and prevents overpopulation in our community. San Diego Humane Society offers a limited number of spay/neuter vouchers each month for dogs, cats and rabbits that can be redeemed at local participating veterinary clinics. There are no eligibility requirements to apply. Visit our website and follow the instructions to apply. If no vouchers are available, please check back as new vouchers are released at the beginning of each month.
Rehome Your Pet
Unexpected life changes can happen to anyone. If you are unable to keep your pet, we provide resources and tools you can use to find them a new home without taking them to a shelter. Our online rehoming platforms help owners place their pets directly with a new family. Adopters also get the benefit of learning about the animal from the people who know them best! With Home To Home (all species) or Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet (cats and dogs only), you can easily connect with potential adopters in your community and choose the one who best fits your animal’s unique personality and needs.
End-of-Life Services and Pet Loss Support
Saying goodbye to a cherished pet can be emotional and overwhelming. We’re here to support you through this difficult time with humane endof-life euthanasia services, after care and support resources. We offer compassionate euthanasia services at a reduced cost and help guide owners through the options for after care when it’s time to let a pet go. We also recommend pet loss support resources to help navigate the mourning and healing process, no matter what stage of loss you are experiencing.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME
STATEMENT 2024-9013751
The name of the business: Escondido Family Chiropractic, located at 235 W. Fifth Ave., Ste 100, Escondido, CA 92025. Registrant, Kevin Hubert bugg, 235 W. Fifth Ave., Ste 100, Escondido, CA 92025. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: N/A
/s/ Kevin Hubert Bugg, DC with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 7/2/2024
7/11, 7/18, 7/25, 8/1/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME
STATEMENT 2024-9013328
The name of the business: Lightnin’ Lids, located at 3326 Hollowtree Dr., Oceanside, CA 92058. Registrant, Kino Suarez, 3326 Hollowtree Dr., Oceanside, CA 92058. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 6/1/2024 /s/ Kino Suarez with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 6/26/2024
7/11, 7/18, 7/25, 8/1/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME
STATEMENT 2024-9011963
The name of the business: V & R Auto & Furniture Upholstery, located at 601 S. Santa Fe Ave., Vista, CA 92083. Registrant, Alfredo Ramirez, 601 S. Santa Fe Ave., Vista, CA 92083, Raphael Ramirez, 601 S. Santa Fe Ave., Vista, CA 92083. This business is operated by a General Partnership. First day of business: N/A /s/ Alfredo Ramirez with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 6/6/2024
7/11, 7/18, 7/25, 8/1/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME
STATEMENT 2024-9014011
The name of the business: Lashed By Kimmy, located at 16621 Dove Canyon Rd #113, San Diego, CA 92127. Registrant, KP Esthetics LLC, 979 Woodland Pkwy 101-44, San Marcos, CA 92069. This business is operated by a Limited Liability Company. First day of business: N/A /s/ Kim Oanh Pham Kaelin, CEO with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 7/8/2024
7/11, 7/18, 7/25, 8/1/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME
STATEMENT 2024-9013685
The name of the business: Pacific Pro Exterior Clean, located at 3372 Sagewood Hills Rd., Vista, CA 92084. Registrant, Daniel Alan Williams, 3372 Sagewood Hills Rd., Vista, CA 92084. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 4/20/2024
/s/ Daniel Alan Williams with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 7/1/2024
7/11, 7/18, 7/25, 8/1/2024
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF Robert Kegley Schmorleitz
Case No. 37-2023-000-40309
SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO 1100 Union Street San Diego, CA. 92101
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate or both, of Robert Kegley Schmorleitz. A Petition for Probate has been filed by Guadalupe Herrera in the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego, 1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA. 92101 Central Courthouse. The Petition for probate requests that Guadalupe Herrera be appointed as personal representative to
administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.
A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows:
Date: October 1, 2024 Time: 9:00 a.m.
Dept: 503 Address of court: Same as noted above.
If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within four months from the date of first issuance of letters as provided in Probate Code section 9100. the time for filing claims will not expire before four months from the hearing date noticed above. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.
Petitioner: Guadalupe Herrera 932 N. Fig St. Unit C, Escondido, CA 92026 442-278-6211
DOP: 7/11, 7/18, 7/25, 8/1/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME
STATEMENT 2024-9011531
The name of the business: San Juan Dental, located at 1955 Cherrywood St., Vista, CA 92081. Registrant, Leoni Dental Corporation, 1955 Cherrywood St., Vista, CA 92081. This business is operated by a Corporation. First day of business: N/A /s/ Rachel Leoni, President with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 5/31/2024
7/11, 7/18, 7/25, 8/1/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9014235
The name of the business: In Ingredients, located at 440 Stevens Ave., Ste 200-#1087, Solana Beach, CA 92075. Registrant, Potentia health, Inc., 200 Spectrum Center Dr., Ste 2100, Irvine, CA 92618. This business is operated by a Corporation. First day of business: 1/1/2024
/s/ Jade Beutler, CEO with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 7/10/2024
7/18, 7/25, 8/1, 8/8/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME
STATEMENT 2024-9012979
The name of the business: Roush Real Estate, Cap Inc., Cap RE, Cap Real Estate, located at 325
Kentfield Dr., San Marcos, CA 92069. Registrant, Commercial Appraisal Profesionals Inc., 325 Kentfield Dr., San Marcos, CA 92069. This business is operated by a Corporation. First day of business: 7/1/2019
/s/ Eric Roush, President with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 6/20/2024
7/18, 7/25, 8/1, 8/8/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9012204
The name of the business: Higgs Luxury Real Estate, Higgs Real Estate, located at 2131 Palomar Airport Road, Suite 200, Carlsbad, CA 92011. Registrant, Marlina Higgs, 1224 Weaver Street, San Diego, CA 92114. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 6/10/2024 /s/ Marlina Higgs with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 6/10/2024 7/18, 7/25, 8/1, 8/8/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT 2024-9013230
The name of the business: Oceanic Woodworking, located at 603 Seagaze Dr., #121, Oceanside, CA 92054. Registrant, Steven Michael McKellar, 603 Seagaze Dr., #121, Oceanside, CA 92054. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 6/28/2024 /s/ Steven Michael McKellar with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 6/25/2024 7/18, 7/25, 8/1, 8/8/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9014490
The name of the business: Ludicrous Detailers, located at 142 Martin St., Oceanside, CA 92058. Registrant, Octavio Alexander Vences, 142 Martin St., Oceanside, CA 92058. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 7/15/2024 /s/ Vences, Octavio A. with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 7/15/2024
7/18, 7/25, 8/1, 8/8/2024
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME
37-2024-00030187-CU-PT-NC TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner Lily Nevaeh Morton filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: Lily Nevaeh Morton to proposed name Lily Nevaeh Pirc. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any,
why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objections that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.
NOTICE OF HEARING:
Date: August 16, 2024, 8:30 am, in Dept. 25 No hearing will occur on above date. Please see attachment The address of the court is: 325 S. Melrose Dr., Vista, CA 92081. A copy of the Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: San Marcos News Reporter, dba, The Paper, 845 W. San Marcos Blvd, San Marcos, Ca. 92078. Dated June 28, 2024
/s/ Brad A. Weinreb, Judge of the Superior Court 7/18, 7/25, 8/1, 8/8/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9011931
The name of the business: Pacific Exterior Care, located at 1053 Naomi Drive, Vista, CA 92083. Registrant, Pacific Exterior Care, 1053 Naomi Drive, Vista, CA 92083. This business is operated by a Corporation. First day of business: N/A
/s/ Shawn Fejerang, CEO with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 6/6/2024
7/18, 7/25, 8/1, 8/8/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME
STATEMENT 2024-9015045
The name of the business: TCL Massage, located at 446 W. Mission Road, San Marcos, CA 92069. Registrant, Xiumei Gao, 26439 N. Broadway, Escondido, CA 92026. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 7/23/2024
/s/ Jeiu Mei Gao with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 7/23/2024 8/1, 8/8, 8/15, 8/22/2024
STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME: 2024-9015289
Planetflip, located at 9402 La Jolla Farms Road, La Jolla, CA 92037. The Fictitious Business Name referred to above was
filed in San Diego County on 5/3/2022 and assigned file no. 2022-9010294.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IS BEING ABANDONED BY: Expressoft, 9402 La Jolla Farms Road, La Jola, CA 92037. This business is conducted by a Corporation. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1000). /s/Ronald Kagan, CEO This statement was filed with the San Diego Recorder/County clerk on 7/25/2024. 8/1, 8/8, 8/15, 8/22/2024
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF Cheryl Jean Carner Case No. 37-2023-00049840-PR-PW-CTL SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO 1100 Union Street San Diego, CA. 92101
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate or both, of Cheryl Jean Carner. A Petition for Probate has been filed by Joshua Hoffman in the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego, 1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA. 92101 Central Courthouse. The Petition for probate requests that Joshua Hoffman be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.
A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows:
Date: August 29, 2024
Time: 1:45 pm
Dept: 503
Address of court: Same as not-
ed above.
If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within four months from the date of first issuance of letters as provided in Probate Code section 9100. the time for filing claims will not expire before four months from the hearing date noticed above. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.
Attorney for petitioner:
K. Maxell Nuyen 500 La Terraza Boulevard, Suite 150 Escondido, CA 92025 (619) 273-3397
DOP: 8/1, 8/8, 8/15, 8/22/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME
STATEMENT 2024-9015046
The name of the business: Garrett Insurance Group, Garrett Insurance Team, located at 2730 E. Evans Rd., Unit 8, San Diego, CA 92106. Registrant, Wendy Garrett Rosenthal, 2730 Evans Rd., Unit 8, San Diego, CA 92106. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 7/23/2024 /s/ Wendy Garrett Rosenthal with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 7/23/2024
8/1, 8/8, 8/15, 8/22/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9015467
The name of the business: Encinitas Therapy, located at 170 Calle Magdalena, Encinitas, CA 92024. Registrant, Shannon Kathleen Gilbride, P.O. Box 217, Cardiff, CA 92007. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 10/25/2019 /s/ Shannon Gilbride with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/ Recorder of San Diego on 7/29/2024
8/1, 8/8, 8/15, 8/22/2024
