February 8, 2024
Volume 54 - No. 6
A PUERTO VALLARTA VACATION
by lyle e davis If there is one place to which I’d emigrate in Mexico it’d be Puerto Vallarta. It’s an old but colorful coastal city overlooking the aquamarine Gulf of California; cobblestone streets, a lengthy beachfront boardwalk (which they call El Malecon), elegant houses from modest two to three bedroom homes to mansions high on a hill. The climate is world class, resort hotels first class, and the people are warm, amiable, marvelous to deal with.
Before Mary became ill with dementia she and I enjoyed a quick 3 day vacation and are still savoring the memories. It’s only a 2.25 - 2.50 hour flight from San Diego and the air fare is quite reasonable. We went there 20 years ago and had a great time. I don’t know what took us so long to get back. It’s the kind of trip that you can take for anywhere from 3 to 7 days and feel very, very comfortable. Not a major jet lag problem as there is only a two hour difference between here and PV. (If it’s noon here it’s 2pm there).
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There’s a fairly large contingent of Americans living in Puerto Vallarta. A number of very successful Yanks have made a comfortable living peddling real estate there. There’s a lovely newspaper, “Vallarta Today”, that is very well written, enjoys a comfortable suscriber list and the equally comfortable advertiser support base. My mind has been racing, wondering what kind of business I could set up or buy that would justify me making the big move. We felt the need to get off alone together as Mary was due to take her 86 year old mother home to Scotland
before she left me like a defenseless animal for three long weeks. There’s be no one to putter around after me, finding things, picking up after me, fixing my meals, spoiling me rotten. It is a long three weeks when Mary’s not around. I can see that you are suitably sympathetic and I regret that I don’t have a tissue to offer you so that you might dry your tears. Anyway, we left Monday at noon and arrived at 4:30pm, PV time. We stayed at a beautiful new hotel, the Diamond Resort Hotel, in Nuevo Vallarta. Nuevo Vallarta is
Puerto Vallarta See Page 2
The Paper • Page 2 • February 8, 2024
Puerto Vallarta from page 1
in numbers. Activities are always available from 9am till 2am. At 9am you’re likely to find an aerobics class, a swim class, a tennis clinic (which Mary and I attended on two consecutive mornings), at 10 am kayaking or surboarding classes, dance classes, Spanish classes. . .and on and on and on.
a new complex about 15 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta and about 5 minutes north of Marina Vallarta. Both are booming resort hotel development areas and would be nice place to invest a couple of coins. It’s the first time we’ve ever stayed at an “all inclusive hotel” and it’s one of the greatest vacations we’ve ever had, even though it was somewhat short. An “all inclusive hotel” charges one fee and •everything•* is covered. Your room, your meals, your drinks, your activities (with some exceptions). There is literally no need to rent a car, no need to leave the hotel compound. One couple we met from Detroit figured an all inclusive hotel saved them about $1400 per week (more about this later).
The Diamond Resort in Puerto Vallarta There is •no• tipping. Repeat. There is •no• tipping.
The Diamond Resort is only about four years old. It has large grounds with two tennis courts, large swimming pool, smaller childrens pool, three major restaurants (Italian, Mexican and Buffet), juice bars, grills, cocktail bars, piano bar, shuffleboard deck, sailboats, kayaks, paddleboats, windsurfing boards, (plus classes for all of the above) and a huge white sandy beach with gentle slopes into the water.
Back to the savings of $1400 per week discussed by the Detroit couple. They pointed out that when you go to a nice resort hotel area that you will certainly want a decent breakfast, a decent lunch, and will probably splurge a bit for supper and will, more than likely, have at least one bottle of wine, or several cocktails. All of the above can easily run up to $200 per day on meals alone for two people. 7 days x $200 = $1400. We haven’t even discussed renting a car because •you don’t need to leave the hotel grounds!• Everything you need is right there!
Use of all of the above is included in your price.
Oh, if you want to go scuba diving, go horseback riding, ride a
Give Us This Day Our Daily Chuckle
see, I have two brothers. One is in Arizona , the other is in Colorado .. When we all left our home in Texas, we promised that we’d drink this way to remember the days when we drank together. So I’m drinking one beer for each of my brothers and one for myself.” The bartender admits that this is a nice custom, and leaves it there.
This week, a compendium of wit, wisdom and neat stuff you can tell at parties. Enjoy! The Baptist Cowboy A cowboy, who just moved to Wyoming from Texas, walks into a bar and orders three mugs of draught beer. He sits in the back of the room, drinking a sip out of each one in turn. When he finishes them, he comes back to the bar and orders three more. The bartender approaches and tells the cowboy, “You know, a mug goes flat after I draw it. It would taste better if you bought one at a time.” The cowboy replies, “Well, you
The cowboy becomes a regular in the bar, and always drinks the same way. He orders three mugs and drinks them in turn. One day, he comes in and only orders two mugs. All the regulars take notice and fall silent. When he comes back to the bar for the second round, the bartender says, “I don’t want to intrude on your grief, but I wanted to offer my condolences on your loss.” The cowboy looks quite puzzled for a moment, then a light dawns in his eyes and he laughs. “Oh, no, everybody’s just fine,” he explains, ‘It’s just that my wife and I joined the Baptist Church and I had to quit drinking.’ “Hasn’t affected though.”
my
brothers
You want a cocktail at 9am? You got it. You want 20 cocktails a day? You got it. Exotic drinks? Scotch and sodas? Wine? Beer? You got it. You want delicious, fresh squeezed orange juice? Papaya juice? Pineapple juice? Watermelon juice? You got it. A hamburger? Hot dog? Sausage? Pre-made, wrapped sandwich? Ice Cream? You got it. And it’s all included in the price. We paid $549 each, $1098 total. That covered airfare, lodging, meals, drinks, and NO TIPPING. I’d go again tomorrow.
The Diamond Resort’s Junior Suite parachute being towed by a motorboat. . .things like that, you’ll pay an extra fee. But, we’ve “been there, done that, got the tee shirt” so didn’t need to do any of the fee based adventures. The hotel caters primarily to Americans, Canadians and Germans. Not sure how the German trade developed but they are there, Dear Internal Revenue Service: Enclosed you will find my 2023 tax return showing that I owe $3,407.00 in taxes. Please note the attached article from the USA Today newspaper, dated 12 November, wherein you will see the Pentagon (Department of Defense) is paying $171.50 per hammer and NASA has paid $600.00 per toilet seat. I am enclosing four (4) toilet seats (valued @ $2,400) and six (6) hammers valued @ $1,029), which I secured at Home Depot, bringing my total remittance to $3,429.00. Please apply the overpayment of $22.00 to the “Presidential Election Fund,” as noted on my return. You can do this inexpensively by sending them one (1) 1.5 “ Phillips Head screw (see aforementioned article from USA Today newspaper detailing how H.U.D. pays $22.00 each for 1.5” Phillips Head Screws). One screw is enclosed for your convenience. It has been a pleasure to pay my tax bill this year, and I look forward to paying it again next year. Sincerely, A Satisfied Taxpayer
My son, Kenny, loves Cabo San Lucas. Don’t think he’s been to Puerto Vallarta. Cabo offers surfing and deep sea fishing, both of which Kenny loves. We visied Mazatlan once and were not impressed. To us, Mazatlan is a glorifie dTijuana. Maybe not quite as dirty but close to it. By contrast, Puerto Vallarta is a lovely village type town. Very upscale. Cold Cold is a relative thing... 65° Arizonans turn on the heat. People in Minnesota plant gardens. 60° Californians shiver uncontrollably. People in Minnesota sunbathe. 50° Italian & English cars won’t start. People in Minnesota drive with the windows down. 40° Georgians don coats, thermal underwear, gloves, wool hats. People in Minnesota throw on a flannel shirt. 35° New York landlords finally turn up the heat. People in Minnesota have the last cookout before it gets cold. 20° People in Miami all die. Minnesotans close the windows. Chuckles continued on page 5
The Paper • Page 3 • February 8, 2024
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.
by Sean Dietrich Becca and I walked inside Waffle House. The air was surgically cold. It smelled like cured pork. I have had a lifelong love affair with Waffle House. If you have to ask why, you might be from Iowa. We selected a corner booth. Becca is 11. She is also blind. The waitress asked what we wanted to drink. “Sweet tea,” said Becca. “I’ll have the same.” Becca and I talked about everything and nothing. Of life. Of love. Of boogers. You never know what an 11-year-old is going to talk about. She had just gotten out of school. She was energetic and gabby. I learned about her friends, Paisley, and Brinley, and Nora, and Bryce, and so forth. Also, I learned that, The Powers That Be do indeed manufacture fidget spinners that one can wear on one’s wrist. Spinners which not only spin, but also light up. Becca had three such spinners in her purse. Yes. A purse. Becca has recently started carrying a purse. She wears it across her torso. She looks very grown-up. It’s a large purse. Floral print. Like the kind your mom used to carry.
ca’s company. I made a promise to myself early on, that I would never speak to her like she was a child. So I speak to her like I would any other adult. Candid. Honest. Frank. She talks to me the same way. Somehow, our ages don’t matter. Somehow, we understand each other. I love her the way I would love my own flesh and blood. I ordered three eggs, sunnyside. An order of toast. Hash browns. We laughed throughout the meal. When we finished, I went to pay at the register. One customer noticed Becca’s white cane. He sprang up from his seat and went to open the door for her. But he was premature. I hadn’t even paid yet. “Thank you,” Becca said. “But Uncle Sean still has to pay.” The man stayed put. Once you make a move to open the door for a lady, it’s rude to abandon ship. There was a brief standoff between himself and Becca. “Becca,” I said, “sing him a song while we wait.” “What song?” she asked.
LIFE at MiraCosta College 1831 Mission Ave., Oceanside In The Board Room Trailer T200 A Lifelong Learning Group Meetings will be held in person at the Mira Costa College Oceanside Campus at 1:00 pm in the Board Room Trailer T200 by the Police Station and by the Internet Application ZOOM. Feb 9 1:00 Biotechnology at MCC Dr. Dominique Ingato, Ph,D., MCC. Learn about some of the cutting-edge research projects they are working on; she will bring a couple of biotech interns to talk about their research projects. Feb 9 2:30 AFS Foreign Exchange Student Zainah Al-Sajjan. Zainah will tell us all about her life in Saudi Arabia and her experience as an exchange student in California. Feb 16 NO SESSION – MCC CLOSED – PRESIDENT’S DAY Feb 23 1:00 MCC Theatre Production “Anything Goes” Tracy Williams, MCC Staff and MCC Students. racy Williams and her students will give us insight into this musical where we will cruise with them on a hilarious romp wrapped up in one of Cole Porter’s most magical scores.
My mother’s purse contained half the contents of the known solar system. She carried everything in there.
She began to sing. When she got to the lyrics: “...was blind but now I see,” I could hear customers in Waffle House sniffing their nostrils.
If you told Mama you were hungry, for example, she would give you something from her purse. A Kit Kat, or a sleeve of saltines, or a ketchup packet.
A lady in the corner was bowing her head, wiping her eyes, blowing her nose loudly. Another man was pinching the bridge of his nose. Hat off.
Feb 23 2:30 A Survey of Past, Current and Future Directions of Artificial Intelligence Dr. Gary Fogel. Dr. Fogel will review the history of different approaches to computational intelligence, previous and currentuse examples and some thoughts on where AI is going in the future. Learn about amazing advances in computing especially in the areas of healthcare and thoughts about human-machine symbiosis.
No matter what Mama gave you, it usually tasted like expired makeup and purse dirt. But you ate it, by dog, because there were starving people in China.
“There went my mascara,” said the waitress.
To join a Zoom meeting, LIFE must have your email address in order
So anyway, Becca is probably my best friend. I don’t know how this happened. I didn’t know grown-ups could become best friends with children. But there you are. I have discovered that I prefer Bec-
“‘Amazing Grace,’” said I.
You and me both, sister.
for you to receive the invite link. Meetings will start at 12:45 pm (you can join 15 minutes earlier) and the speaker will start at 1:00 pm. Email: life.miracosta@gmail.com To Donate to the LIFE Scholarship Fund: Write a check to MiraCosta College Foundation; Mail it to: 1 Barnard Dr., MS 7; Oceanside, CA 92056. In the memo area put: LIFE Scholarship Fund. Or go to: https:// foundation.miracosta.edu/donatenow and you can donate online. There is a “drop down” box to indicate the donation will be credited to the LIFE Scholarship Fund. * Speaker has books or CDs for sale. *** S.D. Blue Star Mothers Drive Through Donation Event February 10 • 11am to 1pm 230 E. Park Blvd., Escondido The San Diego North County Blue Star Mothers, a local chapter of Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc., will be holding a drive-through donation drop-off event to provide Care Packages for deployed military on the USS Carl Vinson. The event will be held on Saturday, February 10, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at the American Legion Post located at 230 E. Park Blvd.,in Escondido. Ideas for donations include: cash/ check, beef jerky, granola bars, powdered drink mixes or flavor for water, socks, beanies, hand warmers, chips, cookies, nuts, ramen, body wipes, deck of cards, crossword puzzles, sunscreen, male and female toiletries, candy, and gum. If you cannot make it to the drop off, but would still like to donate, please contact Shannon Kennedy to coordiOodles continued on page 12
HOME INSURANCE NON-RENEWED? DON’T WORRY ~ CALL R.D. HANSON INSURANCE AGENCY 760-747-8882 RICKHANSON12@GMAIL.COM
The Paper • Page 4 • February 8, 2024
Local News
Insurance Commissioner Issues Consumer Fraud Alert As Flood Recovery Begins Following the recent flooding in San Diego which damaged and destroyed hundreds of homes, businesses, and vehicles, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara put the Department of Insurance on alert for potential fraud and illegal actions targeting flood victims. The Department has received reports from San Diego consumers of public adjusters approaching them immediately after the recent floods. The Department has posted “Don’t Get Scammed After a Disaster” tips in English and Spanish urging consumers not to rush into decisions and to report any suspected illegal actions by contractors or public adjusters. Public adjusters do not work for insurance companies, but rather work directly for policyholders who hire the adjuster for a fee to settle their insurance claim. Public adjusters’ fees are paid by the policyholder and are typically a percentage of the settled claim, which means it comes out of the funds used to rebuild or recover. Consumers should make sure they understand what is charged and the services they are paying for before signing a public adjuster contract. “As consumers begin the difficult road to recovery, they need time to
consider their options before rushing into hiring hire a public adjuster or contractor right away,” said Commissioner Lara. “By law, public adjusters are not allowed to solicit business in disaster areas for seven days, protecting consumers from being pressured. My Department is on your side and can help you navigate the recovery process.” In most cases, if a consumer suffers flood damage, a homeowners’ or renters’ insurance policy does not cover flood damage, generally a separate flood policy is needed with either a private insurance company or the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The Department of Insurance urges consumers to begin the claims process by contacting their flood insurance company or agent and file a claim. If consumers have questions or concerns about their claim, what their insurer is telling them, or settlement offers, the Department’s consumer services team can assist and there is no charge for that assistance. The law limits how and when public adjusters may solicit business after a disaster. For example, public adjusters are prohibited from soliciting business from disaster victims until seven days after the conclusion of the loss producing event. and operates Mikki’s. Greg, in fact, trained under Charlie back when Charlie owned The Wagon Wheel Restaurant. Charlie taught and Greg learned well. Both restaurateurs operate on the principle of “give the customer more than they paid for.”
Man About Town My two favorite restaurants in Escondido are Charlie’s Family Restaurant, at 210 N. Ivy and Mikki’s at 1639 E. Valley Parkway. Both are family owned and operated and both have been around for years. Charlie Mitich, a legend in the Escondido restaurant community has been around forever. He is semi-retired now, coming in for coffee in the mornings and again in the late afternoon. Meantime, his daughter Susie, and her husband, Bill Meleka, operate the restaurant in fine fashion. Across town, Greg DelaPaz, owns
Of the two, I find a more warm, homey atmosphere at Charlie’s. Serving staff always have a ready smile and prompt service. Of course, they know me well since I’ve been coming for years. Bill Meleka even named a breakfast dish after me . . . the Lyle Special. (Three half-slices of French toast, two eggs and bacon or sausage, $9.95). Rather comforting to know that once I depart this planet for the Great Perhaps that I will leave behind me a breakfast item named after me, thanks to Bill. At Mikki’s I often order the Prime Rib breakfast, a bargain at $13.99, complete with two eggs, any style, hash browns or home fries, two eggs, two pancakes or toast . . . often, more than you can eat. Mikki’s is extremely generous with their portions. I also enjoy their Denver Omelette, $10.99, which comes with cheese, two pancakes or toast and hash browns or home fries. Mikki’s really loads up your plate. Several weeks ago I took dear
California law also limits how and when public adjusters may contact consumers, how they are compensated, and what they are required to have in their contracts for service. Some public adjusters may insist on a contract that includes payment to the public adjuster based upon the entire amount paid to the policyholder by the insurer, including amounts paid to the policyholder before the public adjuster contract was signed. Anyone who experiences this issue is urged to contact the Department. The Department has resources for disaster survivors and strongly encourages consumers check out these resources, including how to avoid scams after a disaster as there is often unscrupulous individuals who try and take advantage of disaster survivors who can be vulnerable during a challenging time. Consumers who have questions on their insurance or wish to file a complaint against a public adjuster can do so on the Department’s website or by calling 800-927-4357. The Department urges consumers to check the public adjuster’s license and make sure they are properly licensed and in good standing by visiting the Department’s website or by calling 800-927-4357.
Letters to the Editor To Lisa Scarpello, Managing Editor of The Paper. Lisa, you are without question a brilliant and most talented Managing Editor of The Paper with multiple quintessential job skills that are the “heartbeat” that, literally, keeps our weekly publication running smoothly. One of the many eclectic talents from your quiver of skills is your uncanny and artistic expressions in the form of our weekly cover stories! People won’t look twice at a publication unless the cover catches their eye! And I don’t know anyone with your consistent level of graphic Letters continued on page 5
friend, Pastor Richard Huls, there for breakfast and he heard me rave about the delicious prime rib breakfast . . . so he ordered it. He could not finish it. Just too much food. But he loved it!
Had I become a cop I would probably wind up having been classified as a bad cop and kicked off the force.
Generally, a more warm, friendly welcome at Charlies; polite, courteous service at Mikki’s, but not with the same warmth that Charlie’s offers.
I remember a case where a guy was holed up in a pastry shop, as I recall. He had already killed several customers and was in a stand-off with cops. Had I been on the scene and had him in my sights I would likely have put a bullet into the guy’s head. Against orders to hold our fire. I can imagine seeing the dead bodies of innocent customers that this guy killed . . . the taking of several innocent customers . . . the horribly tragic news their families and loved ones would soon have to hear about . . . and I would become enraged and want to take that guy out.
Another restaurant/cafe that has earned plaudits not only locally but nationwide, is Sunnyside Kitchen, 155 S. Orange Streeet, owned and operated by Kate and Bob Carpenter. They recently received the number 3 spot on the Yelp 2024 List of Top 100 places to Eat in the United States. I’ve only eaten there twice but both times the food was superb as well as the service. Prices were more than fair. I shall dine there within the next week or so and will give a more complete review. *** I could not be a cop.
Why? My temperament, for one.
Such a case was discussed at one of my Kiwanis meetings several years ago. I asked the officer making the presentation why the order wasn’t given to just end this guy’s life? “Because a number of high priced lawyers would be all over us and the department,” he said. “It’s a no-win situation.”
Don’t have the temperament for it. Or the patience. Or the strength.
Political correctness, taken to an extreme. I remember good friend, John Wil-
I’ve known a lot of cops over the years . . . most of ‘em were top rank . . . a couple were bad cops.
Man About Town continued on page 14
The Paper • Page 5 • February 8, 2024
Letters from page 4 arts design! You should be teaching the rudiments and importance of graphic arts in a collegiate setting for aspiring students who wish to enter this profession. The topper is, you have so many other (demanding) technical skills that comes with being Managing Editor of our weekly magazine! I’m grateful that your work is seen by countless online readers well beyond San Diego County. Suffice to say, you are the unsung spark plug that drives the inner success of our weekly magazine! Friedrich Gomez *** The Paper is “Pet Friendly” and I enjoy John Van Zante’s Critter Corner columns. And last week’s two columns of “Pet Parade” and “Pet of the Week” from the Humane Societies tapped into my heart since many of us out here are dog lovers! Your readers may be interested to know there is a “Walk For Animals” scheduled for March 16 at Kit Carson Park and May 4 at Liberty Station and the public is encouraged to participate (register at: SDWALKFORANIMALS. ORG). Also, your young writer Friedrich Gomez keeps us fans of The Paper loyal readers with his ground-breaking cover stories on Communist China Rewriting the Christian Bible, and The Shocking Rise of Childhood Dementia, and Is North San Diego County Prepared for a Major Earthquake! It’s easy to understand that Friedrich Gomez has such a staunch and widespread following! I’m a Los Angeles transplant and his fan base extends up in the L.A. Inland Empire and some of his past cover stories such as Hollywood Movie Stars Who Were WWII Spies, Road Rage, and Elderly Abuse & Neglect were topics for some L.A. radio shows with a flood of incoming callers, so yes he has amassed quite a grassroots following! Incredible! We need The Paper as a public “watchdog” publication as you bring the “untold” world to your readership. The other regional publications must be jealous with envy! Online, I only read the SD Union-Tribune, The New York Times, and hardcopies of The Coast News in North SD county, and The Paper! Keep up the great work! Special thanks to the publisher, Mr. Lyle E. Davis! James Solrac & friends, Oceanside, California *** This week’s cover story on pastors who lose faith is a fascinating and insightful look at the human condition and the raw facts of life, in all professions, and all walks of life. The Paper enlightens read-
ers about all aspects of the world around us. I feel lucky to find news items in The Paper that I just don’t see in any other news source, print or visual, anywhere else. I wish to know the truth on all aspects of life, be it political, science, homelessness, unsecured borders, and what is ominously shaping up with the current Israeli-Hamas-Palestinian conflict. The Paper is an extraordinary vehicle of information that takes the reader into a journey of uncensored enlightenment. Kudos for firsthand reporting! Terrance Galloway, North San Diego County *** Congratulations to you, Friedrich, on your “breakout” lead article “When pastors lose their faith”. Congratulations to Lyle on having the cajones to publish it. It seems to me that “The Paper” recently has been moving toward ever more cerebral and less populist content. It certainly works for me. Paul Van Middlesworth, San Marcos *** You have to love 5th District Supervisor Jim Desmond when he talks about “The Broken Immigration Process” in a recent issue of The Paper citing the following: “border patrol vans pulled into the Oceanside Transit Center releasing approximately 30 migrants from countries including Columbia, Pakistan, and China. The first question asked by most migrants is, ‘Where am I?’” With San Diego’s thousands of homeless already living on the streets, San Diego’s homeless population are now facing a shortage of life-saving shelter beds and critical care facilities because of the flood of improperly processed migrants. Adding to the crisis is this fact from the National Institute of Migration: “Over 300,000 migrants have illegally crossed the border between San Diego and Tijuana in 2023.” We’re a proud country of legal immigrant heritage, but we need to fix the current Broken Immigrant Process that Desmond alludes to. We’re staunch fans of The Paper and applaud your past cover stories that are always riveting world and national news items missing from mainstream media. This week’s cover on “Pastors Who Lose Faith” from Friedrich Gomez is audacious and brilliant news reporting. Friedrich has a justified army of followers simply because he says what many Americans today are afraid to say out loud, such as with his critiques of “Political Correctness Gone Wrong” and “Popular Disney Ride Called Racist & Closes Down.” He’s a true American! From Anthony Logan, Valley Center.
Chuckles from page 2
My Kind of Teacher
0° Californians fly away to Mexico. People in Minnesota get out their winter coats. 10° below zero: Hollywood disintegrates. The Girl Scouts in Minnesota are selling cookies door to door. 20° below zero: Washington DC runs out of hot air. (Ya think? Nah.). People in Minnesota let the dogs sleep indoors. 30° below zero: Santa Claus abandons the North Pole. Minnesotans get upset because they can’t start the snowmobile. -40° ALL atomic motion stops. People in Minnesota start saying...”Cold enough for ya?” -50° Hell freezes over. Minnesota public schools will open 2 hours late. ***
A former Sergeant, having served his time with the Marine Corps, took a new job as a school teacher, but just before the school year started he injured his back. He was required to wear a plaster cast around the upper part of his body. Fortunately, the cast fit under his shirt and wasn’t noticeable. On the first day of class, he found himself assigned to the toughest students in the school. The smart aleck punks, having already heard the new teacher was a former Marine, were leery of him and decided to see how tough he really was, before trying any pranks. Walking confidently into the rowdy classroom, the new teacher opened the window wide and sat down at his desk. When a strong breeze made his tie flap, he picked up a stapler and promptly stapled the tie to his chest. Dead silence... He had no trouble with discipline that year. SEMPER FI! Chuckles continued on page 16
The Paper • Page 6 • February 8, 2024
5th District Supervisor
Jim Desmond
Red for Women’s Heart Health February is American Heart Month, and this year February 2nd was National Wear Red for Women Day, which encourages people to wear red to help raise awareness about cardiovascular diseases. This year the Legislative Women’s Caucus has again supported a Senate Concurrent Resolution to recognize women’s heart health in the month of February. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reports that cardiovascular diseases are the nation’s leading cause of death for men and women. 44% of women are living with some type of heart disease, but only about 56% recognize heart disease as their number one killer. High blood pressure is a contributing factor -- 43% of women have high blood pressure, including about 1 in 5 women of reproductive age. High blood pressure develops in about 1 in 8 pregnancies, and pregnant women with high blood pressure are at high risk for developing heart disease later in life. Unfortunately, fewer than 1 in 4 women have their blood pressure condition under control. In California, the CDC reports that 65,471 persons died from heart disease in 2021. Even so, California has the 14th lowest death rate from cardiovascular disease in the
country. With more awareness, that number can go much lower. In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson declared February National Heart Health Month, nine years after his own heart attack. Since then, National Wear Red Day, supported by the American Heart Association, has been commemorated throughout the United States to raise awareness about heart disease, strokes and their prevention. By monitoring our HDL cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, body mass index, and by getting more exercise, along with other factors, countless lives can be saved. Fortunately, it is believed that 87% of all heart health-related issues are preventable. Unfortunately, many people remain uniformed about the dangers of heart disease and how to prevent it. Raising awareness is critical, which is why I’m so happy to participate with my colleagues in American Heart Month and National Wear Red Day. 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.
A Word from San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones Life Saving Tips With A Community CPR Class & Senior Valentine’s Day Lunch
Preparing for Wet Weather It has already been a wet winter, with more rain expected. Witnessing the impact of the recent storm on our region, we are determined to minimize potential damage. I wanted to give you information to help prepare you for the next time a storm arrives. The County Office of Emergency Services urges everyone to take proactive steps by devising a plan, assembling an emergency go-kit, and staying informed through alerts. Here’s what you can do. • Have a go-kit to keep necessary items handy if you have to evacuate, including food and medication. • Check with schools or childcare providers to ensure you know emergency plans and how you will be contacted. • If you are separated during a disaster, discuss where to reunite because phone service may not be reliable.
• Your pets are part of your family, too. Make sure they are microchipped and have evacuation items for them, including crates for small pets. In addition, have evacuation plans for larger animals such as horses or livestock. Register your cell phones with AlertSanDiego so that you will all be notified of an emergency affecting your neighborhood. This is especially important if you no longer have a landline at your home. Download the SDEmergency App to receive updates. More local fire stations have sand and/or bags that are free as well. As always, you can email me Jim.Desmond@sdcounty.ca.gov or call my office 619-531-5555 and provide the latest information! San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond, 1600 Pacific Highway, #335, San Diego, CA 92101, United States http://www.supervisorjimdesmond.com/
Problem Solved by Christopher Elliott
My steam mop broke! Why won’t Amazon clean up this mess? Roy Gregston’s Hoover Complete Steam Mop breaks down only a few months after he buys it from Amazon. Even though he has a three-year extended warranty, no one will cover it. What’s going on? Q: Last year, I purchased a Hoover Complete Steam Mop from Amazon. On that same order, I bought a three-year extended warranty from Asurion.
San Marcos makes safety a top priority. I highly encourage residents to attend the Community CPR class on Saturday, Feb. 10 from 8:30-11:30 a.m. at the Regional Training Facility, 184 Santar Place, San Marcos. The class is presented by the San Marcos Fire Department and will cover CPR and AED training for adults, children and infants. Participants will receive a 2-year certification after completing the training. The class is $65 per person, private sessions can be scheduled.
The unit failed a few months later. I first contacted Asurion. A representative informed me that since the steam mop is still covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, Asurion could not help.
For more information or to sign up, contact the San Marcos Fire Administration at (760) 744-1050, ext. 3400
I then contacted Amazon, which said the item was outside of their warranty period.
I then contacted Hoover, which declined to replace the unit because they considered Amazon not to be an “authorized” reseller. I don’t understand how anyone selling new products on Amazon could not be “authorized.”
Amazon contacted the actual seller -- a business called the Deal Valley. Amazon finally agreed to a return, with a reduced refund, but they would not pay for shipping of the defective item. The returned item would be worth 50 percent of the value of the original steam mop, or about $100. I’m not prepared to accept that. Can you help? ~ Roy Gregston, Green Valley, AZ A: No one wants to take responsibility for your broken steam mop -- not Amazon, not Asurion and not Hoover. But you should not have to accept a 50 percent refund for something that should be fully covered (and for which you paid for extra insurance). An authorized seller is a company that has permission from a manufacturer to sell its products. In your case, you were buying the steam mop through Deal Valley, which was selling its products on Amazon. So Amazon was not the authorized reseller -- it was just an Problem Solved continued on page 14
The Paper • Page 7 • February 8, 2024
Historically Speaking
‘Silent’ Calvin Coolidge, 30th U.S. President Coolidge gained a reputation as a small-government conservative with a taciturn personality and dry sense of humor that earned him the nickname “Silent Cal”.
By Tom Morrow During his time in office (19231929) President Calvin Coolidge balanced the national budget four times and in one of those years he managed to reduce the national debt by one third ... unheard of accomplishments in this day and age. Calvin Coolidge was born July 4, 1872. He was an attorney and Republican politician. Born in Vermont, Coolidge climbed the ladder of Massachusetts politics, becoming the state’s 48th governor. His response to the Boston police strike of 1919 thrust him into the national spotlight as a man of decisive action. The next year, Coolidge was elected the country’s 29th “vice president” and succeeded to the presidency upon the sudden death of President Warren G. Harding in 1923. Elected in his own right in 1924,
Throughout his gubernatorial career, Coolidge ran on the record of fiscal conservatism, strong support for women’s suffrage, and a vague opposition to Prohibition. During his presidency, he restored public confidence in the White House after the many scandals of the Harding administration. Coolidge gains nearly universal praise for his stalwart support of racial equality during a period of heightened racial tension in the United States and is highly praised by advocates of smaller government and laissez-faire economics,. His critics argue he failed to use the country’s economic boom to help struggling farmers and workers in other flailing industries, and there is still much debate among historians as to the extent to which Coolidge’s economic policies contributed to the onset of the Great Depression. Historically Speaking continued on page 12
Calvin Coolidge
Travel Troubleshooter by Christopher Elliott
Help! Dollar didn’t have my rental car but charged me $82 anyway. Dollar doesn’t have the rental car Beth Bonness reserved in Atlanta, but that’s not stopping it from charging her $82. Can it do that? And how does she get a refund? Q: I recently rented a car from Dollar at the Atlanta airport. When I arrived at the airport, there was a four-hour wait for a car. There were no computer or weather issues. If I had continued waiting, I would have missed my wedding rehearsal. I tried to resolve the problem by calling the 800-number, but I could not. So I left and rented from a different company. Since I had prepaid for the rental, Dollar charged me $82 for the car, anyway. I reached out to Dollar on Twitter, and a representative offered me a $50 coupon and a credit for the rental that expires in just a few months. I’d rather get my $82 back. I paid for a rental car at a certain time, and Dollar could not deliver it. I should not have to pay for the car. Can you help me?
~ Beth Bonness, Portland, OR A: Dollar shouldn’t have charged you for a car it couldn’t deliver. And when you pointed out the problem, the company should have promptly refunded the $82 -- not offered you an expiring credit. What happened to your rental? I wasn’t there when you arrived at the airport. But there have been widespread reports of car rental shortages, especially on busy weekends and holidays. The reason: Car rental companies routinely accept more reservations than they have cars, anticipating that some customers will be noshows. When everyone shows up, they have a problem. What’s especially problematic is when you prepay for your rental. That means you pay Dollar for the car when you reserve it, and in exchange for a lower rate, your reservation becomes nonrefundable (the discount is usually 15 to 20 percent). You should reasonably expect Dollar to hold a car for you, since it has already received your money. But this time,
with a four-hour wait, it simply ran out of vehicles.
cation knowing that Dollar had $82 of my hard-earned money.
How do you avoid a situation like this? First, consider booking a nonpre-paid reservation. You might be able to get the same savings by shopping around for a better rate. You can also find discounts through AAA or your favorite club warehouse. To ensure your car is available, consider renting a car at a less busy time (Friday afternoons tend to get crowded, for example, and Wednesday mornings are quieter).
It looks like you appealed this to an executive at Hertz, the parent company of Dollar. (I list the Hertz executive contacts on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott. org.) But the company would not issue a refund. Sometimes, even a meticulous paper trail and a polite request isn’t enough. And while my methods for resolving a customer service dispute are highly effective, they don’t work every time.
But for you, letting a representative know that you couldn’t wait four hours -- and getting that representative’s name -- would have probably saved you a world of trouble. Dollar marked you as a no-show and kept your money, which it is allowed to do. If you had spoken with an employee at the Atlanta location, they might have authorized a refund. (If you booked through an online travel agency or travel advisor, you could also contact them to handle the refund.) I wouldn’t have just walked away from the rental lo-
You reached out to my consumer advocacy organization, and I contacted Hertz on your behalf. The company apologized to you, issued a full refund for the $82 and let you keep the $50 credit as a “goodwill gesture.” 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. © 2024 Christopher Elliott.
The Paper • Page 8 • February 8, 2024
How To Fight Out Of Control Hotel Parking Fees Hotels have finally gone too far when it comes to parking fees.
hotels have added parking charges to all of their guest folios only after verifying they came by car. But somewhere along the line, the parking fees became required -whether you drove there or not.
More properties are charging their guests for parking, the fees are higher they’ve ever been -- and sometimes, hotels even charge guests who don’t have a car.
Hotels employed the same logic as they did with resort fees, the mandatory charges added to your hotel room after the hotel quotes a price. (In other words, a hotel will quote you a room rate of $150 but then add a mandatory $25 per night resort fee, regardless of whether you use the resort amenities.)
I’m not kidding. When Sira Mas checked into a boutique hotel in Chicago recently, she found a $25 per night fee on her bill for parking. But she didn’t have a car. “Although the hotel staff appeared empathetic, they clarified that the parking fee was a mandatory expense for every visitor,” says Mas, who works for an e-commerce company in Spain. She says she appealed to a manager, who agreed to remove the parking fee. Hers is not an isolated incident. I’ll have a few more parking fee stories in a minute. But first, let’s find out how bad they’ve gotten -and what’s behind the rise in these fees. How much do hotels charge for parking? The average hotel parking fee is $44 a night, according to research by ResortFeeChecker.com. The site has a database of more than 10,000 properties, of which about 1,100 disclose their parking fees. The most expensive cities for hotel parking are New York, San Francisco and Chicago, says Randy Greencorn, publisher of ResortFeeChecker.com. “Each of these cities charges an average parking rate in excess of $60 per night,” he says. In New York, parking fees can
Hotels are charging a mandatory parking fee using the same reasoning. You could have used the parking spot, but you didn’t. Are mandatory parking fees the new resort fees? Illustration by Dustin Elliott exceed $100 a night. The Pierre and Hyatt Centric Times Square both charge $105 a night. There are five hotels in Manhattan that are part of what I like to call the Parking Fee Century Club. The Westin New York Grand Central, Embassy Suites by Hilton New York Manhattan Times Square and Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza round out the list. It’s harder to establish that parking fees are on the rise. Although ResortFeeChecker.com doesn’t have any historical data, there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence that more hotels than ever are charging parking fees. Why are hotel parking fees increasing? Parking insiders say the rise in ho-
tel parking fees -- and hotels’ insistence on charging a fee even if you’re not parking a car -- is driven by a variety of factors. They include increased land costs, inflation, and higher costs of maintaining a parking facility. The economics of parking are also shifting. Thanks to ridesharing and mass transit options, more guests are arriving without a car. “Parking fees can account for up to 20 percent of a hotel’s total revenue,” explains Greg Bessoni, general manager of Parkingaccess.com, a site that sells airport parking. “So having fewer guests with cars can affect their bottom line.” But how did optional parking fees become mandatory? For years,
In 2024, don’t expect your hotel to bother asking you if you are parking your car at the hotel. You may just see a charge on your bill. Sam Girach did when he stayed at a hotel in Los Angeles. “Although I didn’t have a car, I was surprised to find a parking charge on my bill at the end of my stay,” says Girach, a game designer from Skeffington, England. “When I enquired about it, the front desk explained that it was a mandatory fee for all guests -- whether they had a vehicle or not.” But Girach felt that was unfair, so he decided to fight the charge. “After some negotiation, they finally agreed and removed the charge from my bill,” he says. “This experience made me wonder why hotels are increasingly charging for parking, even when guests don’t use the service.” Maybe Girach has seen the future. While mandatory hotel resort fees may be on their way out, thanks to proposed new federal regulations, mandatory parking fees may turn into a rich new source of revenue for hotels. Maybe mandatory parking fees are the new resort fees. Guest can fight these parking fees -- and win. As far as hotel fees go, most hotel guests feel mandatory parking fees are laughably absurd. They’re right up there on a list of the worst hotel fees next to energy surcharges (now illegal) and resort fees (soon to be illegal). But there’s good news for any hotel guest hit by a mandatory parkParking continued on page 14
The Paper • Page 9 • February 8, 2024
A Reverse Mortgage Scenario It’s very useful to see how the reverse mortgage can play out based on a likely scenario. So here we go… Mary is 68 years old. Her husband passed away a few years ago and she wants to remain in her home. Her children and grandchildren are nearby and she has lived in her home for over 30 years. She and her family have very fond memories that were made in her home and they want to continue to make more of those special family moments in her home. Mary’s home is currently valued at $750,000. That is a large number, but we all know that current values are high and it doesn’t take much to hit that value. Even though she and her husband worked hard, when he passed, their home still had a mortgage remaining. Currently, the mortgage balance is $200,000. Even though the mortgage interest rate is low, at 3.75%, Mary’s payment is $1,500 per month. Mary is still working, but she would like to retire and enjoy her grandchildren while they are still young.
zen because of depreciating values. Mary can also draw out any amount she wants. With the reverse mortgage in place, Mary no longer needs to send out that monthly mortgage payment of $1,500 per month. She is essentially giving herself a raise of $1,500 per month! With her retirement funds also starting, Mary has given herself the breathing room she desires and deserves. Mary remarked that she wished she and her husband had checked into the reverse mortgage program sooner, then they could have spent a little more time together instead of working.
Laura Strickler
are deducted AND the mortgage on the home is paid off, Mary would have acMary and her daughter contacted me to in- cess to $51,267.00. She can access up to quire about how the reverse mortgage pro- $27,750.00 when her loan funds. After the gram could help in Mary’s situation. Based first year, Mary will have access to an adon Mary’s age and the current interest rate ditional $23,517.00. of 7.55%, here’s what the program can do for Mary. The line of credit will allow Mary’s balance to grow over time. The growth rate on The loan would provide a principal lim- the money remaining in the line of credit is it, or loan amount of $277,500. After the 8.05%. Remember, unlike a home equity mortgage insurance and closing costs line of credit, these funds can never be fro-
Mary and her daughter were very pleased to learn about the benefits available from putting the reverse mortgage to work for their family. Often times, we hear so much about a product but can’t really picture how beneficial it could be for us until we actually take the time to speak to a professional about it. If you have thought about what this program can do for you, take the time to give me a call and see what kind of magic it could work in your life! I promise, I won’t bite and I will make it as painless as possible! Laura Strickler Retirement Mortgage Advisor NMLS #315848 760-518-9839 Laurastrickler1@gmail.com www.laurastrickler.com
The Paper • Page 10 • February 8, 2024
The Pastor Says . . . “I Love You.” One unique ability God gave us human beings is the ability to love— that strange but wonderful capacity to feel deeply, mysteriously about someone. Historically, it was between a man and a woman, often leading to marriage. There are unique explanations for this, with Cupid shooting his arrow into the human heart. Then, some would suggest it is connected to smells or a biological force. At times, it could develop over time in a relationship. This is contrary to just “falling in love .” The more spiritual side believes that God ordains relationships for love and commitment. While there are many thoughts about how love, that mysterious force, comes upon us, there is also the other side where people seem to fall out of love. Then, we have a love that unites people of the same sex and those who claim to love more than one person inclusively. i. e., multiple marriages.
Pastor Huls
February includes the day of love, not all mixed up with questions and complexities. The day calls for expressing one’s love for another, whether by a card, box of candy, or a special gift.
None of the words one can hear and treasure are more meaningful or lasting than “I love you.” I have often heard this expression exchanged by couples in their wedding vows. My own experience was when I got married. Before my wife walked down the aisle to exchange our vows, she sang the English words of the German song Liebe Dich, I love you. That was sixty-eight years ago. And one of the last expressions before her untimely death in June was, “I love you.”
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.
These words are most meaningful despite some difficult times in our sixty-eight years of marriage. I can’t profess to be a perfect husband, but she came close to being the one whose love carried me over the years.
Escondido 3500 Burnet Drive
Now that the time has passed, and I live with her memories, I think of this Valentine’s Day and all those blessed with someone who says and means,” I love you.” And, hopefully, you can respond, “I love you.”
Oceanside 572 Airport Road
Pastor Huls
San Diego 5480 Gaines Street
Pet Parade
Pet of the Week
Spackle Jim
Girlie
Spackle Jim is pet of the week at Rancho Coastal Humane Society. He’s a 10-year-old, 15-pound, male, Terrier mix.
Meet Girlie, the most lovable little lady looking for a new home!
Spackle Jim was a stray. He was rescued by a good Samaritan and taken to a shelter. When nobody claimed him, he was transferred to Rancho Coastal Humane Society through Friends of County Animal Shelters (FOCAS). Spackle Jim is ready to fill the cracks of your heart and make your house a home.
She is a friendly and outgoing pup who loves to explore. Car rides, fetch and belly rubs are Girlie’s favorite things, and she hopes to get all of the above from her new family! This intelligent pup will benefit from plenty of exercise and mental enrichment to keep her engaged.
The $75 adoption fee for Spackle Jim includes medical exam, neuter, up to date vaccinations, registered microchip, and a one-year license if his new home is in the jurisdiction of San Diego Humane Society.
Girlie (889553) is available for adoption at San Diego Humane Society’s Escondido Campus at 3500 Burnet Dr. If you have questions about the adoption process, you can visit sdhumane.org/adopt or call 619299-7012.
For more information visit Rancho Coastal Humane Society in Encinitas, call 760-753-6413, or log on to www.SDpets.org.
Online profile: https://www.sdhumane.org/adopt/available-pets/animal-single.html?petId=889553
The Paper • Page 11 • February 8, 2024
Staying Connected to process (AI) it and arrive at conclusions, humans have begun the evolution of a cognitive power that will no doubt eventually eclipse our own. We have opened “Pandora’s Box” and for ever released its demons. The IW’s content, intelligence and access devices are in their infancy and we can’t even hazard a guess as to what the future will bring.
The Computer Factory 845 W. San Marcos Blvd. 760-744-4315 thecomputerfactory.net
Smart speakers, smart wearables, smart cameras, smart phones smart sensors Hello Barbie, medical monitoring devices, PCs, tablets, security and environment control sensors. This is only a partial list of the exploding inventory of “Internet connected” smart devices that promise to change the way we do nearly everything. The combination of AI (artificial Intelligence) with broadband Internet that created IW (Intelligent Web) in 2001 began an unprecedented change in the way we think, act and do things. By combining the bulk of human knowledge with a means
But we live in the present. Even though the IW content and access devices constantly evolve and change, we need ready access to its knowledge and intelligence now in order to conduct our day to day lives. For most of us, that means we need constant connection when we are out and about. That’s our smart phone’s job. At home or on the road it gives us voice access to people and mobile access to the IW. It’s compact, lightweight and easy to carry. On the down side, the smart phones screen and input devices are pinchy and small and its IW connection depends on the proximity and strength of nearby transmission devices. At home the smart phone provides adequate telephone service, but a PC workstation (desktop/tower, notebook, All-in-One or Micro) provides much more comfortable access to the IW. Large screens, comfortable I/O devices, and connected peripherals (printer,
copier, high quality speakers etc) make PCs the choice for home IW access. Conversational AI products like virtual assistants, chatbots and smart speakers are becoming ever more popular as home Internet access devices. Today only about 30% of home based Internet users have these “bots.” With access to nearly all of man-kinds common knowledge and AI to interpret, conversational AI “bots” can provide an answer to almost any question. Who won the World Series in 1925? How many electrons are in the outer shell of Kryptonite? What’s the square
root of “sweet bugger all”? How old was Genghis Khan’s mother when he was born? What will be the high and low temperature today? What was the closing price of Microsoft today? What time does Lady GaGa go to bed? If you know how to ask the question your AI “bot” can answer it in a second or two. Conversation “bots” like Alexa, Hey Google and Siri typically cost less than $100 and use your existing wifi Internet access. If you need more information about improving your home or business connectivity, Call or stop in and we’ll have a chat.
The Four Things You Need To Stay Connected (1) Internet Access - Any ISP (2) Any PC - Windows • Apple (3) Any Smart Phone - AIOS • Android (4) Smart Speaker - Alexa • Siri • Google
Questions • Information • Hardware? Call Or Stop By Talk’s not cheap, it’s free!
John Van Zante’s Critter Corner
Are Our Dogs Really Loyal, or is That Just What we Want to Believe? mix. We loved her immediately and chose to be loyal to her. Our loyalty to her has never wavered. But is she loyal to us? I Googled “Why are dogs Loyal?” It took me to a website run by Purina. It can be a challenge inviting a new dog into your home after losing an old dog. I had Jake 10 years when we lost him last year, just shy of 14. The year before that we lost our other dog, Shortly, at 14. An old dog is like your favorite pair of jeans, your favorite coffee cup, or the chair that fits perfectly around you. But your dog is alive. A companion. A best friend until the end. We knew that Jake and Shortly were loyal to us, the same way that we were loyal to them. No question. A few months ago, we adopted Cashew, a 3-year-old, Lab / Golden
According to Purina, “There is no denying that one of your dog’s most defining traits is their loyalty. This loyalty can be overwhelming and humbling and has often been cited as an example of what human beings can learn from dogs.” Purina admitted that dog loyalty is used in advertisements so much that it might cause us to question whether it’s real. But when it came right down to the question of, “Are dogs loyal?” Purina said, “Yes, they really are.” Why are dogs loyal to us?
• They are loyal to their pack. Your family is their pack. Purina says, “Trusting, co-operating and putting the pack’s interests first are all a natural part of surviving.”
• Don’t mean to burst anyone’s bubble, but it’s partially because we feed them.
Now that it’s been a few months, I look at Cashew and wonder if she will ever have the same loyalty we
had from Jake and Shortly. In all honesty, it’s not there, yet. But it gets a little better every day. Maybe she’s doing the same thing. Looking at us every day and asking, “Will they feed me? Am I part of their pack? Are they loyal to me?”
The Paper • Page 12 • February 8, 2024
Oodles from page 3 nate a pick up at 714-656-7767. The Blue Star Mothers of America is a non-partisan, non-sectarian, nondiscriminatory, 501(c)(3) designated public charity. Our mission is to support our active duty sons and daughters; veterans and veterans’ organizations; and causes that promote a community awareness and motivate support for our service members. For more information go to: www. bluestarmothersofamerica.org. *** Hidden Valley Vista City Council of Beta Sigma Phi International Queens Court Luncheon February 10 • 11am 100 Holland Glen, Escondido The Hidden Valley Vista City Council of Beta Sigma Phi International will hold its’ Queens Court Luncheon, “Crowns of Flowers” on February 10, 2024, beginning at 11:00 A.M. at Meadowbrook Village Christian Retirement Center, 100 Holland Glen, Escondido, CA. Cost is $23.00 per person. Menu choices are made with the reservation. RSVP by calling Susie at 760-8893552 by February 3, 2024. Chapter Queens will be honored. Beta Sigma Phi is a social, cultural and philanthropic International Sorority, headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, with chapters throughout the world. If you are interested in belonging to a special organization and make many new friends, call Patty at 707-315-9209. *** Escondidio Senior Travel Monthly Meeting February 12 • 1pm Escondido Senior Travel’s next monthly meeting is February 12, 2024 at the Park Avenue Community Center at l:00 PM. Upcoming trips are: Taste of Los Angeles, March 26, 2024 ; From the Desert to the Farm, April 6, 2024; Coastal Tour, May 15-17, 2024 ; and Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash presenters June 12, 2024. The Senior Travel Office is located at the Park Avenue Community Center and is open Monday, Wednesday & Friday 10:00-12:00. Phone Number 760-294-1851 *** California Retired Teacher Assoc Holiday Program & Luncheon February 14 • 11am - 1pm Who: California Retired Teacher As-
sociation, Division 63 What: Holiday Program and Luncheon When: Wednesday, February 14, 2024 Where: Cocina del Charro 890 W. Valley Parkway Escondido, CA 92025 Time: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Why: Meeting together to enjoy February holidays Contact: Pat Bavender, 760-5504023 *** North County Quilter’s Meeting February 19 • 6:30pm 1087 Country Club Ln., Escondido North County Quilter’s Association is a group of people with an interest in quilts who meet monthly. NCQA was founded in 1984 and is still going strong. The guild meets on the 3rd Monday of each month September thru June. There’s a program of some sort, fabric and books for sale, quilt kits to take and make for charity, door prizes, show and tell. It’s an enjoyable evening for anyone interested in quilts and quilting. For more info contact Leslie at maugreall@ gmail.com. Next meeting is Monday Feb 19th at: Gloria Dei Lutheran Church 1087 Country Club Lane Escondido, CA 92026 Doors open 5:45pm Meeting begins 6:30pm *** Lake Hodges Native Plant Club Meetings 17110 Bernardo Center Drive Lake Hodges Native Plant Club Meetings. (lhnpc.org) Are you Interested in California Native Plants to save money on water, bring more birds and butterflies to your yard? Meet people who love plants and gardening! Upcoming Meetings: Monday, Feb. 26th Presentation: Next to Nature by Joseph Rivera Presentations start promptly at 6:30pm. For more information please visit our website: lhnpc.org *** Cardiff Farmer 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. *** Chess at Park Avenue Community Center Wednesdays from noon to 3pm Home of Escondido Senior Center 210 Park Avenue, Escondido Chess players of all skill levels are welcome every Wednesday in the shuffleboard building from Noon to 3 pm. Large boards and pieces provided. Follow the signs or ask at the front desk for directions. ***
Historically Speaking from page 7 Although Coolidge was known to be a skilled and effective public speaker, in private he was a man of few words and was commonly referred to as “Silent Cal”. A story has it that a woman seated next to Coolidge at a dinner said to him, “I made a bet today that I could get more than two words out of you.” Coolidge drolly replied: “You lose.” However, Coolidge himself later said the “You lose” quotation never occurred. Coolidge often seemed uncomfortable among fashionable Washington society; when asked why he continued to attend so many of their dinner parties, his country New England accent replied, “Got to eat somewhere.” Alice Roosevelt Longworth, Teddy Roosevelt’s daughter and a leading Republican wit, underscored Coolidge’s silence and his dour personality: “When he wished he were elsewhere, he pursed his lips, folded his arms, and said nothing. He looked then precisely as though he had been weaned on a pickle.” As president, Coolidge’s reputation as a quiet man continued. “The words of a President have an enormous weight,” he would later write, “and ought not to be used indiscriminately.” Some historians suggest Coolidge’s image was created deliberately as a campaign tactic, while others believe his withdrawn and quiet behavior to be natural, deepening after the death of his son in 1924. On Aug. 2, 1923, President Harding died unexpectedly from a heart attack in San Francisco while on a speaking tour of the western United States. Vice President Coolidge was in Vermont visiting his family home, which had neither electricity nor a telephone. When he received word by messenger of
Harding’s death Coolidge dressed, said a prayer, and came downstairs to greet the few local reporters who had assembled. His father, a notary public and justice of the peace, administered the oath of office in the family’s parlor by the light of a kerosene lamp at 2:47 a.m. on Aug. 3, 1923. Then the new President went back to to bed. Coolidge returned to Washington the next day, and was sworn in again by Justice Adolph A. Hoehling Jr. of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, to forestall any questions about the authority of a state official to administer a federal oath. Coolidge inherited a lot of preidential scandals, but he believed those of Preident Harding’s men under suspicion were entitled to every presumption of innocence, taking a methodical approach to the scandals, principally the Teapot Dome scandal, while others clamored for rapid punishment of those they presumed guilty Coolidge thought the Senate investigations of the scandals would be enough. On June 2, 1924, Coolidge signed the act granting citizenship to all Native Americans born in the United States. By that time, two-thirds of them were already citizens, having gained it through marriage, military service (veterans of World War I were granted citizenship in 1919). Coolidge adopted the taxation policies of his Secretary of the Treasury, Andrew Mellon, who advocated a so-called “scientific taxation” – the notion that lowering taxes will increase, rather than decrease, government receipts. Congress agreed, and tax rates were reduced and govenrment receipts increased during Coolidge’s elected term. Coolidge, was endorsed for election in 1924, by popular wit (and Democrat) Will Rogers ... well, sort of: “Ol’ Cal didn’t do nothing when (President) Harding died ... and that’s just what we wanted him to do ... nothing!” Rogers joked. Coolidge was neither well versed nor very interested in world affairs. His focus was directed mainly at American business, especially pertaining to trade, and “maintaining the Status Quo.” Although not an isolationist, he was reluctant to enter into European involvements. Coolidge authorized the St. Lawrence Seaway with Canada,which is now a system of locks and canals that provides large vessels passage between the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes. Coolidge chose not to run for reelection in 1928. He was replaced by Hoover. Coolidge died on Jan. 5, 1933, at the relatively young age of 61. Humorust Dorothy Parker, upon learning that Coolidge had died, reportedly remarked, “How can they tell?”
The Paper • Page 13 • February 8, 2024
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760-747-7119
Are You Doing Enough to Avoid Lithium-Ion Battery Fires? Lithium-ion battery fires are at an all-time high, according to the San Diego Fire Hazardous Materials Team. You can find rechargeable lithiumion batteries in cordless power tools, cordless vacuums, laptops, cell phones, cameras, electric bicycles and electric scooters, to name a few. These batteries store a large amount of energy and pose a threat if not disposed of properly. They can overheat, catch fire, or even explode. “Lithium battery fires can be extremely hazardous to firefighters for several reasons. These fires can produce a large amount of heat, flames, and toxic gases,” said CAL FIRE Capt. Brent Pascua. “The fact that these fires will have a sometimes-violent reaction to water, make these fires extremely dangerous and unpredictable.” Disposal of rechargeable lithiumion batteries in the trash or recycling is illegal. Improper disposal of these batteries cause many trash truck and recycling facility fires. When using rechargeable lithiumion batteries, remember the following:
• Buy used devices listed by a qualified testing laboratory. • Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for charging and storage. • Do not charge any device under your pillow, on your bed, on a couch, in a closet or out of plain sight. • Do not keep a battery on a charger if it is fully charged. • Always use the manufacturer’s cord and power adapter made for that device. • Keep batteries and devices at room temperature. • Do not place batteries in direct sunlight. • Keep batteries away from anything flammable. • Store batteries in an area that has a smoke detector. • Store batteries in an area that is well ventilated and away from entry and exit doors. Are you ready to test your knowledge? Here’s a quiz from the County’s Department of Environmental Health and Quality. What should you do if a battery overheats? A. Continue to use it until the battery dies. B. Turn it off, count to 10, then
turn it back on. C. Stop using it immediately. D. Put it in a bag of rice. Answer: C. If a battery overheats, or you notice an odor, change in shape or color, leaking or odd noises – STOP USING IT IMMEDIATELY! If it’s safe to do so, move the device outside away from anything that is flammable and call 9-1-1. What’s the proper way to remove or dispose of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries? A. Throw them in the trash. B. Dispose of lithium-ion batteries at a recycling location, recycling event or contact the Household Hazardous Waste for help. C. Throw them in your recycling bin at home. D. Contact the Department of Animal Services for help. Answer: B. It is illegal to discard rechargeable lithium-ion batteries in the trash or recycling. Improper disposal of batteries cause many trash truck and recycling facility fires. To help the environment, dispose of lithium-ion batteries at a recycling location, recycling event or contact the Household Hazardous Waste for more information.
Why do lithium-ion batteries fail? A. Mechanical. B. Electrical. C. Thermal. D. All of the above. Answer: D. Physical damage to the battery or manufacturing defects can cause mechanical failures. Electrical failure occurs when using the wrong charging device, short circuits, overcharging or when the voltage point is critically low due to over-discharging. Thermal failure happens when the battery overheats, which can impact other batteries in the device. How do you prevent lithium-ion battery fires? A. Unplug the device. B. Properly store & dispose of the battery. C. Regularly inspect devices for any signs of battery damage. D. All of the above. Answer: D. When you’re not using a device, unplug it from the charger or power source. Store devices with lithium-ion batteries in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight, Batteries continued on page 16
The Paper • Page 14 • February 8, 2024
Man About Town from page 4 son, a retired Lieutenant with the Escondido Police Department, telling me of a case where there was some young kid holed up in a house, surrounded by cops. All the cops, as they were trained to do in the police academy, were on the ground, advancing inch by inch, crawling ever so stealthily, just like the academy taught them . . . when this crusty old, slightly obese and balding, cop . . . walked right up to the house, opened the door, went in, and took the kid into custody. (I could tell John Wilson admired this old time cop - no messing around, get the job done.) Cops have a rough life. Very high divorce rate. They might be strong enough to take law enforcement but, all too often, their spouses aren’t. Cops see things that people shouldn’t have to see. Horribly mangled bodies from car wrecks, from gunshots, from knife fights . . . they see sexually molested children, sometimes no more than infants; they see drunken husbands who have slapped their wife around . . . and on the next call they’ll likely see a drunken wife who slaps, or stabs, her husband. They have to keep their composure, even when weeping on the inside. I remember one case, years ago, while I managed KOWN, a radio station in Escondido. I was working late, left the office to go home . . . heard the sirens, saw the lights, and walked across the street to see what was going on. A middle aged man who shined shoes in the old Escondido Village Mall, and who rode a bicycle to and from work, and who was a special needs person, had been hit by a car. I saw a police Sergeant I knew well, and tears were rolling down his cheeks. “This guy never hurt a soul in his life,” he said. “He was on his way home and gets hit by a car . . . and now he’s on his way to the hospital, wondering what he had done wrong. He didn’t do anything wrong.” That Sergeant is retired now. I see him from time to time ... I absolutely love that man and his wife . . . and I’m glad he was able to finally retire. He was a good cop. A damned good one. The injured man did, fortunately, survive. I can also remember a bad cop or two. In one case a cop had taken down a perp in a local park; a struggle ensued and the cop beat the hell out of the bad guy. He was being disciplined for it. I thought the department was guilty of not backing its officers in a sometimes life or death situation. I wrote and delivered an editorial on the radio station saying so. I was dead solid wrong.
A couple days later, the same John Wilson mentioned above, asked me if I had time for a cup of coffee. I agreed and we met. He said, “Lyle, I know you were trying to do the right thing, trying to help the police department. But you need to know that the officer involved is something of a rogue officer. He has a strong temper and we know if he goes into a ‘hot’ area while on patrol there’s going to be violence. We assign him to the most quiet territories, hoping a problem doesn’t develop. In this case he exerted unnecessary force in taking down the suspect. The department is correct in disciplining him.” (In police work, and most any other civil service type job, you can’t just fire somebody based on reputation and known violations of protocol . . . you have to have a box full of evidence documenting the behavior, else you risk being sued by expensive and talented attorneys). That officer, last I heard, moved out of the area and is no longer in law enforcement. His reputation has preceded him and no law enforcement agency would risk hiring a rogue cop. (I also came close to losing a good friend over my editorial. The Sergeant in charge of the operation at the time didn’t say much but I learned later that his wife was really angry at my editorial. The Sergeant has since become a fellow (retired) Kiwanian, has retired from the department, and is a good friend. I suspect his wife, however, will never be a candidate for the president of the lyle e davis fan club). Police work can be a rewarding profession. The pay, in most cases, is quite good. Attractive pension benefits. I know a number of cops who have retired and are enjoying their retirement and the comfortable pensions they have more than earned. (One cop who recently retired, Jim Stuard, reminds me of how old I am. I used to coach Jim in Youth Soccer. Now he’s a retired Captain. Excellent career. SWAT team, rose through the ranks. He gone and done went and had hisself a great career! I like to think it was my excellent coaching skills that turned this 9-10 year old kid into a brilliantly successful police officer.) I don’t always agree with cops . . . but I admire them. They have a tough profession that tests the emotions, tests them physically, and tests them socially. Cops tend to socialize with other cops. We civilians just don’t, just can’t understand, what cops go through. We can’t, and never will be, part of that fraternity. Nope. I just wouldn’t make a good cop.
Problem Solved from page 6
Parking from page 8
intermediary for your purchase.
ing fee. You can fight the charge and win.
But that doesn’t let it off the hook. Amazon still has its A-to-Z Guarantee, which protects you when you buy items sold and fulfilled by a third-party seller. Amazon followed its policy correctly. Your return would have been subject to a restocking fee, and you would need to pay for the postage. But Amazon also has an implied warranty that any product you buy through its site will be covered -- and that’s especially true for the Asurion addon, from which Amazon no doubt received a commission. No question about it, your case was in a no-man’s land. So what to do? I think you did the right thing checking with Asurion, then Hoover and finally Amazon. That was the correct sequence. If I had to lean on anyone here, it would be Amazon. Ultimately, Amazon is responsible for the products it sells on its site. And again, not to belabor the point, but it sold you an extended warranty that suggested you would be fully covered for three years -- not covered for only 50 percent after a few months. You kept a compelling paper trail, but the response from all parties was firm. You could have escalated this in writing to one of the Amazon executive contacts I publish on my consumer advocacy site, but by the time your case landed on my desk, you had been patient enough. I contacted Amazon on your behalf. It arranged for you to return your steam mop for a full refund.
If you start to think about the logic behind the latest parking fee, the absurdity comes into focus. Charging a mandatory parking fee makes about as much sense as adding a mandatory pet fee to your room, whether or not you brought your dog. Maybe they’ll try that next? Guests should not tolerate it. If mandatory parking fees feel unfair to you, then you should refuse to pay them. You should also not give your future business to any hotel that added a parking fee to your bill without your consent. Otherwise, parking fees could become the next hotel resort fees. Elliott’s tips for fighting a hotel parking fee. You don’t have to pay a mandatory parking fee the next time you stay in a hotel -- unless, of course, you want to use the hotel’s parking lot. Read the fine print very carefully. Some hotels will disclose parking fees before you check in. You’ll also find them on the form you sign at check-in and on the electronic folio on your in-room TV. Make sure you ask the clerk about parking fees when you check in. Carefully review your bill at check-out time and say something if you see a parking fee. Don’t wait to resolve this.
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/
The sooner you say something, the better. Ask the hotel receptionist to remove the charge. If that doesn’t work, politely ask to speak with a manager. If that fails, contact the hotel’s owner or hotel chain in writing to request it to undo the unwanted parking charge.
© 2023 Christopher Elliott.
Dispute the charge on your credit card. The Fair Credit Billing Act allows you to dispute a credit card charge for goods or services you didn’t pay for. Contact your bank or credit card company and explain that your hotel charged you for parking when you didn’t park a car at the hotel. 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 email him at chris@elliott.org.
The Paper • Page 15 • February 8, 2024
LEGALS
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9000524 The name of the business: Hartwell Medical, located at 6354 Corte Del Abeto, Suite F, Carlsbad, CA 92011. Registrant Tri-Tech Forensics, 3811 International Blvd NE, Suite 100, Leland, NC 28451-8894. This business is operated by a Corporation. First day of business: 1/8/2024 /s/ James Arthur Seidel, CEO with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 1/9/2024 1/18, 1/25, 2/1, 2/8/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9000992 The name of the business: Gratzl Equipment, Gratzl Heavy Equipment Rental, located at 31034 Valley Center Rd, Valley Center, CA 92082. Registrant Michael Leslie Gratzl, PO Box 1674, Valley Center, CA 92082. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 3/1/2006 /s/ Michael L. Gratzl with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 1/16/2024 1/25, 2/1, 2/8, 2/15/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9000207 The name of the business: Inspired Advocacy, located at 244 Treasure Dr., San Marcos, CA 92078. Registrant Megan Moriarty McNicholas, 244 Treasure Dr., San Marcos, CA 92078. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: N/A /s/ Megan Moriarty McNicholas with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 1/4/2024 1/18, 1/25, 2/1, 2/8/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9025520 The name of the business: Gain Wellness Center, located at 12396 World Trade Dr., Suite 201, San Diego, CA 92128. Registrant Mandeep WaliaBhatia, 9519 Lavender Star Dr., San Diego, CA 92127. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 9/1/2018 /s/ Teresita Hernandez with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 12/22/2023 1/18, 1/25, 2/1, 2/8/2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9001541 The name of the business: All In Mobile Detail, located at 1210 S. Nevada St., Apt G, Oceanside, CA 92054. Registrant Shevin Jerry Coe, 1210 S. Nevada St., Apt G, Oceanside, CA 92054. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 1/1/2011 /s/ Shevin Jerry Coe with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/ Recorder of San Diego on 1/22/2024 2/1, 2/8, 2/15, 2/22/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9000155 The name of the business: Ocean Hills Realty, located at 4949 Marin Drive, Oceanside, CA 92056. Registrant Christian F. Ostergaard, 4949 Marin Drive, Oceanside, CA 92056. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 1/1/2024 /s/ Christian F. Ostergaard with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 1/3/2024 1/18, 1/25, 2/1, 2/8/2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9000500 The name of the business: Jazmin Housekeeping, Located at 1591 E. Vista Way, Vista, CA 92084. Registrant Teresita Hernandez, 744 Highland Dr., Vista, CA 92084. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 7/13/2023 /s/ Teresita Hernandez with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 1/8/2024 1/25, 2/1, 2/8, 2/15/2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9000204 The name of the business: BG Company Entertainment, located at 4859 Calle Del Palo, Oceanside, CA 92057. Registrant Jose Luis Bernal, 4859 Calle Del Palo, Oceanside, CA 92057. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: N/A /s/ Jose Luis Bernal with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/ Recorder of San Diego on 1/4/2024 1/25, 2/1, 2/8, 2/15/2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9000227 The name of the business: AAA Hardscape SD, located at 133 Buna Pl., Vista, CA 92084. Registrant AAA Hardscapes LLC, 133 Buna Pl., Vista, CA 92084. This business is operated by a Limited Liability Company. First day of business: N/A /s/ Andres Navarro, President with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 1/4/2024 1/25, 2/1, 2/8, 2/15/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9001868 The name of the business: Coastal Shine, located at 684 Shenandoah Ave., San Marcos, CA 92078. Registrant Matthew Joseph Garcia, 684 Shenandoah Ave., San Marcos, CA 92078. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: N/A /s/ Matthew Garcia with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/ Recorder of San Diego on 1/25/2024 2/1, 2/8, 2/15, 2/22/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9001475 The name of the business: Hustosky Homes, located at 16452 Martincoit Rd., Poway, CA 92064. Registrant Mary Ann Hustosky, 16769 Bernardo Center Dr., St 1-335, San Diego, CA 92128. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 1/3/2024 /s/ Mary A. Hustosky with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 1/19/2024 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, 2/29/2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9001552 The name of the business: TCG Game Show, located at 2042 Silverado Street, San Marcos, CA 92078. Registrant Javier Pablo, 2042 Silverado Street, San Marcos, CA 92078. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 10/15/2023 /s/ Javier Pablo with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/ Recorder of San Diego on 1/22/2024 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, 2/29/2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9000719 The name of the business: Auto Image USA, located at 1714 S. Clementine, Oceanside, CA 92054. Registrant Bruce Vancleave, 1714 S. Clementine, Oceanside, CA 92054. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 1/7/2019 /s/ Bruce Vancleave with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/ Recorder of San Diego on 1/10/2024 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, 2/29/2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9001884 The name of the business: Laser Dog Designs, located at 901 Heritage Ln, Vista, CA 92081. Registrant Scott J. Cahill, 901 Heritage Ln, Vista, CA 92081. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: N/A /s/ Scott Cahill with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/ Recorder of San Diego on 1/25/2024 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, 2/29/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9000879 The name of the business: Solara Calderon, PHD, located at 1106 2nd Street #458, Encinitas, CA 92024. Registrant Solara Calderon Psychology Inc., 1106 2nd Street, #458, Encinitas, CA 92024. This business is operated by a Corporation. First day of business: 1/1/2024 /s/ Solara Calderon, CEO with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 1/12/2024 2/1, 2/8, 2/15, 2/22/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9001880 The name of the business: 20/20 Insurance Services, located at 225 W. Valley Parkway, Ste. 101, Escondido, CA 92025. Registrant B.R.H. Enterprise Inc., 225 W. Valley Parkway, Ste 101, Escondido, CA 92025. This business is operated by a Corporation. First day of business: 1/1/2006 /s/ Andrew McCredic, President with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 1/25/2024 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, 2/29/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9002136 The name of the business: Shell Backflow, located at 628 Michael St., Oceanside, CA 92057. Registrant Fernando Najar, 628 Michael St., Oceanside, CA 92057. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 1/29/2024 /s/ Fernando Najar with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/ Recorder of San Diego on 1/29/2024 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, 2/29/2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9001070 The name of the business: Tony’s Delivery, located at 1247 W. San Marcos Blvd. D-8, San Marcos, CA 92078. Registrant Antonio Barcenas Sr., 1247 W. San Marcos Blvd. D-8, San Marcos, CA 92078. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 2/2/2018 /s/ Antonio Barcenas Sr. with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego
on 1/17/2024 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, 2/29/2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9001378 The name of the business: Studio 222, located at 330 Rancheros Dr., #222, San Marcos, CA 92069. Registrant Alpine Technology Services, 900 Custer Avenue, San Marcos, CA 92078. This business is operated by a Limited Liability Company. First day of business: N/A /s/ Aaron Schacht, Managing Member with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 1/19/2024 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, 2/29/2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9001475 The name of the business: Hustosky Homes, located at 16452 Martincoit Rd., Poway, CA 92064. Registrant Mary Ann Hustosky, 16769 Bernardo Center Dr., St 1-335, San Diego, CA 92128. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 1/3/2024 /s/ Mary A. Hustosky with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 1/19/2024 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, 2/29/2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2024-9002201 The name of the business: So Cal Life, located at 2647 Gateway Rd., Ste 105, Carlsbad, CA 92009. Registrant V International Fine Arts Publishing Inc., 2647 Gateway Rd. #105, Carlsbad, CA 92009. This business is operated by a Corporation. First day of business: 8/7/2001. /s/ Liza Acuna, CEO with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 1/30/2024 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, 2/29/2024
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME 37-2024-00002354-CU-PT-NC TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner Jasmin Perez Arango filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: Jasmin Perez Arango to Proposed name Jasmin Arango Ramirez. 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: 3/1/2024, 8:30 am, in Dept. 25 The address of the court is: 325 S. Melrose, Vista, CA. 92081. No hearing will occur on above date: see attachment. 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 January 19, 2024 /s/ Brad A. Weinreb, Judge of the Superior Court 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, 2/29/2024
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME 37-2024-00002336-CU-PT-NC TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner Kimberly Perez Arango filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: Kimberly Perez arango to Proposed name Kimberly Arango Ramirez. 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: 3/1/2024, 8:30 am, in Dept. 25 The address of the court is: 325 S. Melrose, Vista, CA. 92081. No hearing will occur on above date: see attachment. 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 January 19, 2024 /s/ Brad A. Weinreb, Judge of the Superior Court 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, 2/29/2024
First, I discovered America, then I discovered The Paper
Ever since I can remember I’ve had the burning desire to discover new places, new adventures. Because of this, I set out to discover a new country . . . and I was successful. I even ventured inland a great many miles where I discovered a place I called Minnesota. “This,” I thought, “would be a great place for Scandinavians.” So I headed back to Norway to recruit settlers. While I was gone, some clown named Columbus claimed he discovered America. Life ain’t fair. Except life also give us The Paper. I read it whenever and wherever I go exploring and only buy from those who advertise in The Paper. It’s a Viking thing. Your friend, Eric the Red
The Paper • Page 16 • February 8, 2024
First 2024 Measles Case Confirmed in San Diego County The first case of measles this year in San Diego County has been confirmed in a 1-year-old resident who had recently traveled overseas, the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency announced Friday. The last confirmed measles case in the County was in 2019, when two cases were reported, one an unvaccinated infant and the other a vaccinated person who had contact with the child. The unimmunized infant is currently hospitalized, but may have exposed others at the following locations: Super China Buffett, 7984 La Mesa Blvd, La Mesa, CA 91942, on the following dates and times: 01/28/24 from 01:30PM to 05:00PM. Hilton Head County Park, 1605 Hilton Head Road, El Cajon, CA 92019, on the following dates and times: 01/28/24 from 03:00PM to 05:00 PM. Grossmont Pediatrics, 6942 University Ave A, La Mesa, CA 91942, on the following dates and times: 01/31/24 from 09:00AM to 12:30PM and 02:00PM to 05:00PM. Rady Children’s Emergency Department, 3020 Children’s Way, 1st Floor San Diego, CA 92123, on the following dates and times: 02/01/24 from 09:20AM to 04:30PM. County Epidemiology Program
Chuckles from page 5 Traveler Complaints From Thomas Cook Holidays - listing some of the guest’s complaints during the season: 1. “I think it should be explained in the brochure that the local store does not sell proper biscuits like custard creams or ginger nuts.” 2. “It’s lazy of the local shopkeepers to close in the afternoons. I often needed to buy things during ‘siesta’ time - this should be banned.” 3. “On my holiday to Goa in India, I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don’t like spicy food at all.” 4. “We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our swimming costumes and towels.”
staff members are working with Grossmont Pediatrics and Rady Children’s Hospital to identify and follow up with patients and staff. In addition, management at Super China Buffet has been contacted to identify and follow up with staff who may have been exposed. County staff will determine if individuals at the above locations have been vaccinated and their potential for developing measles. “Measles is a very contagious disease that can be spread easily by coughing, sneezing, or being in the same room with an infected person,” said Wilma J. Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. “Anyone who was at any of the specific locations and at the dates and times listed above should watch for symptoms and call their health care provider if they show any signs of the disease.” People with symptoms are asked to call their doctor’s office in advance, rather than visit an office directly, so that infection control measures may be activated to prevent exposure to others. Measles develops seven to 21 days after exposure. Early symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes. The distinctive red rash usually appears one to four days after early symptoms appear. A person is considered contagious four days before and four days after the rash ap-
5. A tourist at a top African game lodge over looking a water hole, who spotted a visibly aroused elephant, complained that the sight of this rampant beast ruined his honeymoon by making him feel “inadequate.” 6. A woman threatened to call police after claiming that she’d been locked in by staff. When in fact, she had mistaken the “do not disturb” sign on the back of the door as a warning to remain in the room. 7. “The beach was too sandy.” 8. “We found the sand was not like the sand in the brochure. Your brochure shows the sand as yellow but it was white.” 9. A guest at a Novotel in Australia complained his soup was too thick and strong. He was inadvertently slurping the gravy at the time. 10. “Topless sunbathing on the beach should be banned. The holiday was ruined as my hus-
pears. The rash typically begins on the face and head, then proceeds downward and outward to the hands and feet. It fades in the same order it began, from head to feet. “The best way to prevent measles is by getting the measles vaccine,” said Wooten. “With measles outbreaks occurring in several countries, it is very important that all international travelers get vaccinated. Infants between 6 and 12 months of age who travel should get one dose, and travelers over 12 months of age should get two doses at least four weeks apart.” Complications from measles are more common in children younger than 5 years old and adults 20 years and older. Complications can include diarrhea, ear infection, and pneumonia. Death can occur from severe complications and the risk is higher among younger children and adults. There is no treatment for measles. Bed rest, fluids, and fever control are recommended. People with complications may need treatment for their specific problems. For more information about measles, other vaccine-preventable diseases and the shots that protect against them, please call the HHSA Immunization Branch at (866) 358-2966 or visit the website at www.sdiz.org.
band spent all day looking at other women.” 11. “We bought’ Ray-Ban’ sunglasses for five Euros (£3.50) from a street trader, only to find out they were fake.” 12. “No-one told us there would be fish in the sea. The children were startled.” 13. “There was no egg slicer in the apartment...” 14. “We went on holiday to Spain and had a problem with the taxi drivers as they were all Spanish.” 15. “The roads were uneven.” 16. “It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England it only took the Americans three hours to get home.” 17. “I compared the size of our one-bedroom apartment to our friends’ three-bedroom apartment and ours was significantly smaller.”
Batteries from page 13 extreme heat or humidity. Only use the manufacturer approved charging device. Check the charging cables and connectors for any visible damage. If a device has undergone physical trauma, inspect it for any signs of internal damage to the battery. What are the results of lithium-ion battery failure? A. Fires/Explosions. B. Hazardous Waste. C. Release of toxic gases. D. A cloudy day. E. Everything except answer D. Answer: E. Do not dispose of these batteries in the trash! If batteries are not disposed of properly, they can catch fire in the trash truck or recycling facility. Fires and explosions can lead to the release of hazardous toxic, flammable and corrosive gases. An increase in fires can result in serious injuries and property damage. With these helpful tips, you can raise awareness about the safe ways to charge, store and dispose of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. To help the environment, dispose of lithium-ion batteries at a recycling location, recycling event or contact the Household Hazardous Waste for more information. Have a recycling question? Email Recycle@sdcounty.ca.gov, call the Recycling Hotline: (877) R-1 -EARTH (877-713-2784) or visit https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/ content/sdc/deh/hazmat.html
18. “The brochure stated: ‘No hairdressers at the accommodation’. We’re trainee hairdressers - will we be OK staying here?” 19. “There are too many Spanish people. The receptionist speaks Spanish. The food is Spanish. Too many foreigners.” 20. “We had to queue outside with no air conditioning.” 21. “It is your duty as a tour operator to advise us of noisy or unruly guests before we travel.” 22. “I was bitten by a mosquito no-one said they could bite.” 23. “My fiancé and I booked a twin-bedded room but we were placed in a double-bedded room. We now hold you responsible for the fact that I find myself pregnant. This would not have happened if you had put us in the room that we booked.”