January 9, 2025

They Died But Lived To Tell Their Stories

Near-Death Experiences Change The Fear Of The Hereafter

By Pete Peterson

Death is still a mystery, but an analysis of those who report Near-Death Experiences provides a greater understanding of what happens when life ends. Scientific research into thousands of NDEs has led to new attitudes about the dying process. Near-Death-Experiences are not a new phenomenon. The oldest recorded medical record of one was in 1740, the date of an account published in a book purchased by anthropologist Dr. Phillipe Charlier. He paid $1 for the ancient tome at an antique shop, not expecting to

create medical history.

Dr. Charlier’s book described a medical patient who fell unconscious, then reported seeing a pure bright light that was interpreted as being Heaven. The patient, attracted by a sense of well-being, wished to approach the light, but an unidentified voice cautioned him to go no further or he’d not be able to return to his former life.

A Classical Description

This is a classical description of a Near-Death Experience, as re-

corded in thousands of reports. In Anita Moorjani’s case, she received healing as well. Diagnosed with lymphoma in 2002, Anita fell into a coma February 2, 2006. She weighed just 85 pounds at the time. As she told the Today Show in 2016, the effect of her coma was as if, “I hovered above my body, with 360-degree peripheral vision of the whole area around me. Not just in the room where I was, but other areas as well.”

She describes a reunion with her deceased father and being mesmerized by a beautiful light. “I wanted

to get closer to the light, but father told me to stay where I was, or I would not be able to return home.” Anita hesitated in following these directions because, “Of the beauty of my surroundings – the light, the fact that all pain had left my body, that all my fears had been erased. For the first time ever, I felt unconditional love.”

Reluctantly, Anita returned, and authored a top-selling book, Dying to Be Me. In it she writes, “Within 4 days my tumors had shrunk 70 per cent. Within a month, my cancer was completely gone.”

NDEs from page 1

Skeptics at the time said her writing was the work of a flighty young woman, seeking attention for a hallucination while ignoring the medical treatments that saved her life. Perhaps, but she has continued to persist in describing her event, conducting interviews, making speeches and writing articles which has given her prominence in the field. Other, highly respected persons have described the Near-Death-Experience vividly, including the famous American writer, Ernest Hemingway. While recuperating from serious shrapnel wounds, he wrote in a letter to his family dated October 18, 1918: “All the heroes are dead. And the real heroes are the parents. Dying is simple. I’ve looked at death and I really know it.”

In his much-admired prose, at a later date Hemingway described his experience this way: “A big Austrian trench mortar bomb, of the type that used to be called ash cans, exploded in the darkness. I died then. I felt my soul or something coming right out of my body, like you’d pull a silk handkerchief

Give Us This Day Our Daily Chuckle

This week, a compendium of wit, wisdom and neat stuff you can tell at parties. Enjoy!

Quotes

from Phyllis Diller

Whatever you may look like, marry a man your own age. As your beauty fades, so will his eyesight.

Housework can’t kill you, but why take a chance?

Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing up is like shoveling the sidewalk before it stops snowing.

The reason women don’t play football is because 11 of them would never wear the same outfit in public.

Best way to get rid of kitchen odors: Eat out.

I want my children to have all the things I couldn’t afford. Then I want to move in with them.

out of a pocket by one corner. It flew around and then came back and went in again and I wasn’t dead anymore.” This description contains enough similarities to other reported NDEs that authorities say it the real thing.

A brief definition of a Near-DeathExperience (NDE), is a personal event associated with death or impending death; it features detachment from the body; feelings of levitation and usually, a beautiful light (though not always,) and a feeling of well-being or love. NDEs are frequently confused with an Out-of-Body Experience (OBE), which is not associated with death or dying, but describes a floating feeling or the ability to look down on one’s body or a scene evolving oneself.

Scientific Proof

Charlotte Martial of the University of Liege in Belgium has scientifically supervised a large number of NDEs over twenty-five years. She reports that, “Our findings suggest that these experiences may not feature the same or all the same elements as reported by others, and these elements do not seem to appear in a fixed order, but a NearDeath Experience has a universal

Any time three New Yorkers get into a cab without an argument, a bank has just been robbed.

We spend the first twelve months of our children’s lives teaching them to walk and talk and the next twelve years telling them to sit down and shut up.

Burt Reynolds once asked me out. I was in his room.

What I don’t like about office Christmas parties is looking for a job the next day.

My photographs don’t do me justice - they just look like me.

The reason the golf pro tells you to keep your head down is so you can’t see him laughing.

You know you’re old if they have discontinued your blood type.

***

When It Rains, It Pours

The unusually rainy winter we have had in Phoenix this year reminded me of a joke some of our Seattle, Washington relatives related a few years ago. It seems a lady moved from Phoenix to Seattle and when she arrived it was raining. While she moved in, it rained. The next day it rained... and the next.

After several rainy days, while

character that exhibits enough common features as to be identified and verifiable. We nevertheless observed a temporal variability within the distribution of reported features so strong as to ascertain the validity of a real experience as opposed to an imaginary event.”

I think Professor Martial is saying NDEs have certain characteristics that set them apart from accounts that border on the fanciful. One thing is certain, the general public has a keen appetite to learn more about this phenomenon. Books describing these events sell quite well.

Books On Near-Deaths Are Popular

Proof of Heaven, a work by Eben Alexander, relates his experience while in a week-long coma brought on by meningitis. It enjoyed a 94week run on the New York Times Best-seller list. Mary C. Neal’s book, To Heaven and Back, an accounting of her NDE while submerged in a river after a kayaking accident was a best-seller for 36 weeks.

In this well-written text, she tells of her experience, interviewing the Emergency Medical Techni-

standing on her porch, she noticed a young boy on the porch of her neighbor’s house. Trying not to sound too depressed, in a cheerful voice she called over to the lad, “Hi son, I’m your new neighbor.”

“Hi,” the boy called back and waved.

“Say, son, does it ever stop raining here?” she asked.

With a look of consternation, the youngster replied, “Lady, how would I know? I’m only six years old!”

Plane Reservations

Recently, I called to make reservations on a small charter plane that departs from our equally small airport.

I knew that I would be flying in a very small plane, so I was not surprised when the clerk said, “The plane is very full with baggage and passengers.”

Then she asked, “How much do you weigh, sir?”

Not thinking clearly I answered, “With or without clothes?”

“Well,” said the clerk, “how do you intend to travel?”

cians who rescued her. According to the lead EMT’s chronology, she was underwater 12 minutes. “Drowned,” he said in his report. At the same time, he had a feeling she “had not fully crossed over.” After 24 minutes he yelled at her to breathe. To his amazement, she did so.

As for Mary, she recounts that when she was out – eyes closed, breathing stopped, pulse non-existent – she traveled to a beautiful place of peace and serenity where she was greeted by a group of 8 ‘spirits’ who were over-joyed to see her, over-whelming her with hugs, smiles and expressions of affection. “I hated to leave them,” she writes, “but I knew that someday I would return to them and when I did, that visit would be permanent.”

The most successful book about NDEs is Heaven Is for Real, the story of a young boy who told his parents he “slipped away” while undergoing emergency surgery. In the time he was gone, he reported visiting Heaven. His father recounts his son’s description of this

NDEs continued on page 3

Laugh or Cry

You, who worry about Democrats versus Republicans --relax, here is our real problem.

In a Purdue University classroom recently, they were discussing the qualifications to be President of the United State.

It was pretty simple. The candidate must be a natural born citizen of at least 35 years of age.

However, one girl in the class immediately started in on how unfair was the requirement to be a natural born citizen. In short, her opinion was that this requirement prevented many capable individuals from becoming president.

The class was taking it in and letting her rant, and not many jaws hit the floor when she wrapped up her argument by stating, “What makes a natural born citizen any more qualified to lead this country than one born by C-section?”

Yep, these are the same kinds of 18-year-olds that are now voting in our elections! They breed, and they walk among us.

continued on page 14

Chuckles

NDEs from page 2

event while co-authoring the book. It was greeted with great glee by evangelical leaders though their usual reaction to such reports was to condemn them as the Devil’s work. This book has sold 10 million copies, and continues to sell widely, grossing over $91 million in sales.

These best sellers satisfy the parameters set by Professor Martial of Liege University to judge the validity of NDEs. However, several new books – Heaven In a Nutshell and If Not Heaven, What?have been greeted with skepticism, which seems to be rooted in the revelation that the subject in The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven, a 2010 sensation, recently admitted he fabricated his entire story. Ah, the follies of the mind.

Lauren Slater writing in Sun Magazine stated, “What a gift it would be if we could visit death and then return to report on what we saw there. Would it be the infinite emptiness so many of us fear? Would it be skyscrapers and condominiums with rent control and beauty salons, perfectly healthy people with no pulses getting their hair layered and permed? Would it be a world as we know it, only with bodies atomized and dispersed into particles of dust, dirt and light? No one can say, although those who have died and been resuscitated tend to claim that the other side is a place of unspeakable beauty. Of course, the beauty they have seen may well be the hallucinations of an oxygendeprived brain on its way out.”

further Scientific Proof

Slater’s statement contains two hoped for elements that are already fact. First, Southampton University has published thousands of reports from those who have experienced death and lived to tell of it, some in great detail. They describe beautiful forests of stately trees, water falls of wonderous beauty and great stretches of green grass and colorful flowers.

Secondly, scientific literature disputes the claims that NDEs occur as the result of physical changes in a stressed or dying brain, or are brought about by oxygen shortage, imperfect anesthesia, or the body’s neurochemical responses to trauma. These claims have long been proven to not be the cause of NDEs. In depth studies show medical conditions under which NDEs occur are too varied to explain yet are so widespread and consistent in their occurrence that must authorities attribute their cause as being paranormal.

Recent books by Sam Parnia and

Pim van Lommel, both physicians, describe studies published in peerreviewed journals that attempt to pin down what happens during NDEs under controlled experimental conditions. Parnia and his colleagues published results from their latest such study, involving more than 2,000 cardiac-arrest patients, in October. They attribute NDEs as being of a spiritual nature that cannot be duplicated in laboratories. “They leave the participant in a better condition or state of mind than that which previously existed.”

The writings of Mary Neal and Eben Alexander (authors previously mentioned), recounting their own NDEs have given a great boost to paranormal aspects of the phenomenon, giving the spiritual explanation new respectability. Mary Neal was, before her NDE, the director of spinal surgery at the University of Southern California (she is now in private practice) and speaks widely on the subject.

Eben Alexander is a neurosurgeon who taught and practiced at several prestigious hospitals and medical schools, including Brigham and Women’s and Harvard University. His conclusions are similar to Mary Neal’s, that the cause of NDEs is spiritual leaving the participant in a healed condition (as with Anita Moorjani), or with a mission, (as with him and Mary Neal); Alexander’s new aim is to advance learning within the medical community regarding NDEs; Neal has adopted motivational speaking and writing about her experience as the method to familiarize the medical community and the general public with this phenomenon.

Recurring Descriptions of A New World

In the majority of cases studied in depth, NDE survivors report certain recurring characteristics of their ‘cross over’ journeys: Beautiful vistas, water falls, green hills and towering mountains; the ‘people’ or ‘spirits’ encountered are universally described as loving, accepting and effusive in displaying their love and affection. Finally, pain, fear, disappointment and disillusion seem to be non-existent in an NDE. Put it all together and it becomes a vision of heaven, or perhaps I’ve read the wrong books.

* * *

The voices of the 35-person choir lifted the ceiling rafters at the Southern Baptist Church in Hackensack, New Jersey that Sunday morning, July 17th. “Leaning, leaning, leaning on the ever-lasting arms of Christ, My King,” they sang. Never had “The Old Rug-

NDEs continued on page 5

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 A r E mor E L ik ELY T o g ET P ub L i SHE d if Y ou:

• 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 a press release.

• Send photos as attachments, not embeded in the document.

High Society Jazz band Concert

January 12 • 2pm

Back by popular demand, The High Society Jazz Band concert will be playing Sunday January 12th at 2pm. They will perform New Orleans and Chicago-style jazz, Dixieland, swing, Big Band plus some Latin and oldies rock “n” roll. Come enjoy the music, humor and energy of HSJB. They have been entertaining San Diego for over 30 years. Tickets on sale at 1:00pm, doors open at 1:30pm at the First Congregational Chhurch, 1800 North Broadway in Escondido. Children 12 and under are free. Students thru college $10.00. Seniors, veterans and military $20.00, Adults $30.00 http://www. hiddenvalleyCCAescondido.info.

***

El Camino Quilters guild meeting January 14 • 9:30am

El Camino Quilters Guild will meet at 9:30 am on Tuesday January 14th at El Corazon Senior Center, 3302 Senior Center Dr. Oceanside 92056. Guest fee: $10.

Our January guest speaker is Sue Bouchard quilt-tribe.com/aboutsue. Her lecture is entitled “What If – Tradition with a Modern Twist”.

Her workshop, “What If – A Study in Stripes” will be January 15 at Quilt in a Day quilt shop in San Marcos. Workshop fee: $55.

For more information elcaminoquilters.com or email info@elcaminoquilters.com.

El Camino Quilters is a non-profit group. We donate hundreds of quilts and other handmade items to a variety of groups including Rady Children’s Hospital, Senior centers, hospitals, police and military groups.

***

Queens Court Luncheon February 8 • 11:30am

The Hidden Valley Vista City Council of Beta Sigma Phi International will hold its’ Queens Court Luncheon, “Cheers to the Queen of Hearts” on February 8, 2025, beginning at 11:30am at Meadow-

brook Village Christian Retirement Center, 100 Holland Glen, Escondido, CA.

Cost is $38.00 per person. Menu choice is Cobb Salad.

RSVP by calling Susie at 760-8893552 by January 30, 2025.

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 Sue at 858-484-8752.

***

The good LifE at MiraCosta College MiraCosta College Oceanside Campus

Meetings will be held in person at the MiraCosta College, Oceanside Campus, at 1:00 pm in the Board Room, of the Administration Building (Building 1000) and by the Internet Application ZOOM.

Jan 10 1:00 “Three Coins” Dr. Russell Low, CSUSM*

“Three Coins” tells the true story of Ah Ying, who in 1880 was kidnapped and brought to America as a 9-year-old child slave. Her indomitable spirit takes her from one trial to the next as she is rescued, elopes, and is kidnapped yet again on the streets of San Francisco’s Chinatown.

Jan 10 2:30 Balboa Park: Preserving San Diego’s Crown Jewel Roger Showley, Balboa Park Committee 100*

The Balboa Park Committee of 100 has been the oldest preservation group in the park. Hear Roger Showley’s great story about their nearly 60 years of work in San Diego’s crown jewel.

Jan 17 1:00 More on our Democracy Carl Luna Ph.D., University of San Diego

Political science professor Carl Luna looks at known’s, the known unknowns and the unknown unknowns for local, national, and global politics in the New Year.

Two Juveniles injured in New Year’s Eve Escondido Shooting

On December 31st at 11:29 pm Escondido Police and Fire responded to a call of a shooting in the alley to the rear of the 1100 block of East 3rd Avenue in Escondido. Upon arrival, officers located two juvenile males who were each suffering from a gunshot wound. Both victims were transported by ESFD Paramedics to Palomar Medical Center where they are being treated. At this time, they are both listed in stable condition. There is no description of the suspect(s) and no arrests have been made related to this incident. Escondido Police Detectives are investigating the possibility that this incident may be gang related.

Anyone who has any information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Escondido Police Department at (760) 839-4722 regarding case #25000001 or the Anonymous Tip Line at (760) 7438477.

Man About Town

A Curmudgeon’s view of the Escondido Christmas Parade

This may upset someof our readers but I submit it may be time to retire this annual holiday feature.

In the next several weeks I plan on researching what the financial cost is to the taxpayers of Escondido . . cost of police participation, of first responders on standby, cost of lost sales to merchants due to lack of access to stores due to road blockage to accomodate the parade . . .and the inconvenience to area drivers.

The parade itself is not particularly exciting or colorful. Mediocre, at best. Turnout of specta-

Letters to the Editor

Lyle, I was disheartened to read your “Man About Town” column in the Dec. 19 issue of The Paper in which you informed us readers that we would no longer be able to enjoy Tom Morrow’s popular column, as he always hit a home run with his thoughts and experiences which we always looked forward to reading. But that’s being selfish on our part because Mr. Morrow has paid his dues and we’re only too happy that he is doing what he feels is best. He cited a combination of family health-related issues and being a mid-octogenarian (85) and I want him to know how much

tors is minimal.

Ask the merchants on Grand Avenue and Broadway if they support the parade. I’m guessing the vast majority of them will utter a resounding “No!” Ask anyone who wants to drive on the morning of the parade . . and they will show a similar negative response.

One man’s opinion . . . and thinking out loud.

Hooked on Netflix . . .

Like many of you, my Mary and I will often spend an evening enjoying top movies and programs on platforms like Netflix. We’ve done plenty of “binge watching” of late . . . “Suits,” has been a particular favorite; took about two or three weeks of 4-5 hours a night to view all nine years of this fantastic program . . . another is “Your Honor.” Brilliant story line, great acting . . . pretty heavy on language, way too many f-bombs but I tolerated it in order to view an outstanding presentation . . . another “Godless,” a movie featuring Kevin Costner . . . currently, we are watching “The Lincoln Lawyer,” . . . . a mystery, detective, lawyer story that will totally absorb you. Sounds like we’re hooked, doesn’t it?

I commend any of the movies cited above. I think you’ll enjoy them.

he is loved and our prayers go out to him and his family. All good things must come to an end and we are just grateful that he made our lives richer and more enjoyable as far back as when he wrote for the old North County Times. On another note, we noticed that your cover story writer Friedrich Gomez uses old-world spelling, which we rather enjoy. I know that the Germans and British use such English spelling like that and it brings back fond memories of my upbringing in Europe. You bring us a lot of joy and something to look forward to each week, Lyle. Your story in the Dec. 26 issue of The Paper of the little girl who gave a soldier a hug at the airport and a kiss on the cheek and asked him to deliver that to her daddy who was in the Marines and serving in Iraq was pure gold!

Sincerely,

James Solrac North San Diego County

Dear Mr. Lyle Davis, we absolutely loved your German-American cover story (12/26/24 issue of The Paper) by Friedrich Gomez. We saw Friedrich at the 42nd Annual Carlsbad Oktoberfest last Oct. 5 of this year and quite a few

people recognized him from his Walmart days where he was very popular with the German-American customers! Funny story is that we were at the Oktoberfest with a family friend who is German-American and when he first spoke with Friedrich, our friend couldn’t understand him at first! Reason being is that Friedrich first spoke in the Bavarian dialect which many Germans don’t understand or find it difficult. Anyway, Friedrich switched to High German (or Standard German) and there was no problem! We Googled Wikipedia and sure enough it says: “There are four different Bavarian dialects which differ sufficiently from Standard German to make it difficult for non-Bavarian native speakers to adopt standard pronunciation. “ Anyway, what happened was that Friedrich was speaking Bavarian to some Bavarians and he, inadvertently, spoke it to our friend, which was so funny. Mr. Davis, we also wanted to thank you for your military service because our U.S. veterans deserve every American’s gratitude and we are very proud to support The Paper God bless you, Mr. Davis and God bless America!

Jennifer Townsend Oceanside

The Paper

“The

NDEs from page 3

ged Cross,” sounded so sweet and clear, and Reverend Wayne Miller’s message was also clear and filled with special meaning to me.

“The love of Jesus for sinners, for you, and you and you, has never been so great,” he said. “Come all ye who are burdened and weighed down with the cares and turmoil of a stressful world. Come, come take up the yoke of Jesus and He will give you comfort.”

I needed that message, though I was fresh out of the hospital and filled with the glee of life. After all, like Ernest Hemingway, I had visited death, and like the saints of old could question, “Death, where is thy sting?”

Like Eben and Mary and Anita, I’d undergone a Near-Death Experience and had much to celebrate.

A Personal description

In this my 80th spin around that big ball of gas in the sky, I too, can report an NDE. On July 5th, some 47 years ago, I was admitted to Holy Angels Hospital in Teaneck, New

Jersey. Two hours earlier, I had been on the 89th floor of 350 5th Avenue – the Empire State Building - working with a salesman, Bob Williamson, when I became dizzy, sweating profusely. Suddenly, I vomited violently throwing up blood, soiling my suit and white shirt and making me so weak I could hardly stand.

Grim-faced, and forever brave, my friend Bob Williamson, refused to leave me. He accompanied me to the “A” Train, we got off at 42nd Street Terminal and from there took the 167 bus through the Lincoln Tunnel across the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey. When the bus passed in front of Holy Angels Hospital in Teaneck, (I’d moved my wife and two daughters there from Missouri in January), I jerked the stop cord. Within minutes of entering the hospital I was admitted. Diagnosis: Bleeding Ulcer.

At 9:15 that evening, after my wife signed all the appropriate forms, I underwent four hours of surgery. Three fourths of my stomach was removed. However, while in Intensive Care, a bottle of blood was broken next to me – this was before blood was transported in plastic

bags – and my bed pushed into the hall for cleanup. There I remained, an IV in my arm, tubes in my nose, unable to speak. Sheets were piled on me. An orderly, thinking my bed was empty, pushed me into a linen closet. For the next 44 hours my doctor searched frantically for me, as my wife haunted their every move, demanding they find me.

I can unequivocally state that as we lose our sense of touch and feel, when our sense of smell and taste leaves us, our ability to hear increases. To me imprisoned in that small closet, the ticking of the wall clock in the hallway sounded like a golfer hitting golf balls. When the clock’s hands moved to mark the hour, I heard a pistol shot. A male RN whispered a proposition to a female nurse. Her murmured rejection, “Never, never, never,” was a death sentence to me. The click of a ball point pen, it’s rustle on a medical chart a clap of thunder.

The

Long Black Tunnel

As I lay there hour-after-hour, feeling small, cold and forgotten. I knew I was in trouble, that without help, I’d die. I heard the morning shift come on duty. I prayed to be found. I heard the afternoon shift

Learn How To Track Animals

report to work. My prayers were not answered. I found myself sliding into a long dark tunnel. To stop my descent into that black chute, I prayed that a certain registered nurse return to duty and rescue me.

The tunnel seemed to last for miles. Subway trains roared by, large city buses shifted gears and rumbled past, shaking my surroundings; speeding cars and trucks, horns honking, motors revving, seemed to never stop. Then, I was on foot, wearing a blue suit, black shined shoes and a red neck tie. A swoosh of wind lifted me to the entrance to a large room.

Before me stood a tall figure dressed in a gleaming white robe, a soft white light radiating a beautiful, peaceful glow. I looked down. Somehow, I knew if the light touched my feet, I’d cross over, never to return.

The Big Decision

A hand, beautiful in every way, appeared. I heard a voice, a voice of passion and purpose and love,

NDEs continued on page 13

daley ranch discussions With friends: January 12

Join the Friends of Daley Ranch and the San Diego Tracking Team (SDTT) on Sunday, January 12, at 11 a.m. to learn how to spot and identify tracks! Learn what animals use the same trail as you by identifying both common and rare tracks. SDTT is dedicated to preserving the wildlife habitat in the San Diego region through citizenbased wildlife monitoring and educational programs. Fruit will be provided by Jimbo’s.

The presentation is free and will be in the Ranch House, rain or shine. Guests may hike up to the

Ranch House or take advantage of a free shuttle service starting at 9:30 from the La Honda parking area.

RSVP’s are required: Please email info@daleyranch.org with name, number of guests and the number requiring shuttle service.

For more information call Rick at 760-214-7587.

The mission of the Friends of Daley Ranch is to support and promote the City of Escondido’s efforts to protect and maintain Daley

Ranch Conservation Bank habitats and wildlife. Our goals are to:

• Educate the next generation of Environmental Stewards and provide service-learning opportunities that supplement our educational programming.

• Develop and implement enhancement projects that support the conservation of Daley Ranch.

• Cultivate relationships with sister organizations and encourage responsible recreational opportunities at Daley Ranch.

The Last Stop

by Sean Dietrich

They stand behind caged doors. They look at you when you walk by. They bark like their lives depend on it.

Some have barked so hard they’ve lost their voices.

They miss running more than anything. I’m talking about all-out, wide-open, honest-to-goodness running. Their legs were made for this, but they can’t do it. Not in here.

The old dogs don’t even bother barking anymore. They know what awaits. One day a woman in scrubs and rubber gloves will lead them away, and they won’t come back.

Jack, the Labrador, for instance, he was ten years old, reddish colored. Nobody wanted him because of the white on his snout. He went to Heaven yesterday.

“People just don’t want elderly dogs,” a staff worker tells me. “It breaks your heart, I won’t lie.”

And Ophelia. She’s a beagle. She’s an old woman. So is ‘Bama, Pistol Pete, Chocolate, Bradley, and Miss Daisy. Abandoned dogs. Lost animals. This is their last stop on the bus ride of life.

Through the doors walks Jace. Jace is a seven-year-old boy with rosy face and blonde hair. His parents are divorced. They live in a two-bedroom apartment, with no neighbor kids. Jace gets lonely.

“My son needs a friend,” his mother explains.

Jace walks the long corridor and looks for a pal. He sees Rip—a basset hound with so many skin wrinkles he ought to win an award. His face is long, his ears touch the

What’s

5th District Supervisor Jim Desmond

Next for SANdAg?

As we turn our attention to 2025, we must ask a critical question:What’s next for SANDAG?

The November failure of the halfcent sales tax initiative, designed to fund public transportation projects, was a pivotal moment. It underscored a growing public sentiment—SANDAG has lost the trust of San Diego County residents.

focus. It’s time for the agency to fulfill its mandate and serve the entirety of San Diego County—not just the city center.

Moving forward, SANDAG must prioritize transparency, accountability, and equitable solutions that work for everyone. This includes:

floor. Rip is nine.

Jace pokes his hand through the bars.

“We ain’t supposed to let people touch the cages,” a staff worker whispers to me. “But Rip’s a sweetheart.”

Rip wanders to the door. He licks Jace. “Mom!” says Jace. “He licked me!”

Rip stares at Jace. In dog years, Rip is older than this boy. And he’s smart, too. You can see this in his eyes.

I’ve been writing a long time, but I can’t find a good sentence to convey the way a dog looks at you. They know something we don’t.

“Can I play with him?” says Jace.

“Isn’t he a little old?” says his mother. “Don’t you want a younger dog?”

“Please?”

The worker opens the cage, then leads them to a small place called the “interview room.”

Jace is pure energy. Rip is no spring chick. Furthermore, Rip appears to know he’s not going to be adopted. It’s the same old story: They play with you, they toss a ball, they talk sweet. They put you back in the kennel.

Jace tosses a ball. Rip thinks about this for a moment. Should he chase it? After all what would be the point? It won’t do any good. This kid isn’t going to adopt an old hound just because he plays fetch.

Rip retrieves the ball anyway. It’s in his nature. Jace laughs. They play for several minutes. Rip starts to get into the spirit. They are hav-

In the past year alone, the agency has faced profound internal turmoil. Its top leadership, including the CEO, interim CEO, CFO, COO, and Chief Legal Counsel, have all either resigned or been dismissed. Additionally, SANDAG has been entangled in a toll collection scandal on the 125 freeway, an issue it sought to conceal from both the public and its own board.

Beyond these controversies, SANDAG’s track record speaks volumes. The half-cent sales tax approved in 2004, which will remain in effect until 2048, was intended to deliver critical improvements to highways such as I-5, SR-78, and SR-67. These projects were meant to alleviate congestion and improve transportation infrastructure across our region. Yet, 20 years later, these promises remain unfulfilled. Our highways remain clogged, our communities underserved, and we are left paying a tax for another 23 years with little to show for it.

Despite these challenges, I believe there is hope. SANDAG is at a crossroads, and this moment presents an opportunity to reset and re

ing a big time.

They return Rip to his kennel. And Jace walks out of the animal shelter, holding his mother’s hand. His mother has decided that Rip is too old.

Another day, another rejection.

Three days pass. A woman enters Rip’s kennel. She is wearing rubber gloves and scrubs. Rip is afraid of her. She leads him to a white room. He’s panting and nervous. Rip is no dummy. He knows what happens to old dogs in this place.

She leads him through a narrow hallway. The dogs scream when Rip walks by. They howl. But Rip is brave, because Heaven made him a dog. And all dogs are brave.

She takes him to the front of the

• Delivering on Past Promises: Completing long-overdue projects that voters were promised in 2004.

• Addressing Regional Needs: Ensuring that investments benefit all parts of the county, from urban centers to suburban and rural areas.

• Rebuilding Public Trust: Establishing clear communication and demonstrating a commitment to fulfilling its mission.

San Diego County deserves an agency that works for its people— one that balances investments in public transit with the needs of our highways and roads. Together, we can ensure a future where our transportation infrastructure meets the demands of our growing region.

Let’s work to rebuild SANDAG into the agency it was meant to be: a true advocate for all of San Diego County.

San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond, 1600 Pacific Highway, #335, San Diego, CA 92101, United States http:// www.supervisorjimdesmond.com/

shelter. She unclicks his leash. Rip is confused. He’s too old to understand what’s going on. He is scared. He’s trying to be courageous, but his old bladder gets the best of him. He makes water on the floor.

Then he hears his name.

“Here, Rip!” says Jace. “C’mon, Rip!”

Rip sees the boy. A blonde child whose mother just paid a few bucks to bring Rip home forever. And even though Rip’s joints hurt, he runs to Jace. He licks him.

Rip forgot how good it feels to run. He forgot how good it feels to be loved.

But thanks to Jace, he will never forget these feelings again.

by Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

Top County News Center Stories of 2024

Big elections, unprecedented floods, continued efforts to end homelessness and create housing, new public health challenges and a new County Chief Administrative Officer—there was a lot going on in San Diego County in 2024.

Here’s a look at just a few of the most read and viewed topics and stories over the past year from our County News Center website, which keeps you up to date on the big issues the County deals with. This is the news that caught your eyes and attention.

Elections

Presidential elections are always big news. And they always generate lots of information from the County Registrar of Voters—and lots of readers and viewers.

Between the Presidential Primary elections in March, and the Presidential General elections in November, the County published more than 30 County News Center stories and videos. They ranged from letting voters know when voter pamphlets and then ballots were being mailed to their homes; to information about how to register; information about when and where Vote Centers were open; the locations of hundreds of secure ballot drop-off boxes; reminders to vote early; invitations to act as poll workers; and even a behindthe-scene video explaining what happens to voters’ ballots when they’re collected.

Not surprisingly, the stories that racked up the most views and ranked among the most read stories of the year were about when voters could expect to see the presidential election results—in both the primary and general elections.

Two other election stories that caught readers’ eyes happened in October. The first story was about the County placing more than 150 red-white-and-blue ballot drop-off boxes, and posting their locations, around the county. The second was about the County opening the first 39 Vote Centers—a number than swelled to more than 200 in the days before the November 5 general election.

Emergency Response

On January 22, 2024, the county was drenched by torrential rains that led to unprecedented flooding in San Diego County. From the time the rains were just starting through the early weeks of June, the County produced more than

40 stories and videos to help residents and those who suffered from the floods. Just some of the things those stories covered were to update the public on the latest information they needed.

Those included: proclaiming a local emergency; inspecting damage and providing residents with surveys to assess their damage; letting people know where and when the Local Assistance Center was opening; where people could get sandbags and how to stay safe as new rains approached; and how the County was collecting hazardous waste and helping remove debris.

They also included stories as recovery kicked in about how the County was extending expanded help; about how the County’s Emergency Temporary Lodging provided hotel rooms; how CalFresh was providing food and the Local Assistance Center helped mental health support; and about how the County had qualified for state relief funds to help them.

Homelessness and Housing

Homelessness and housing have been big issues for the County for the past several years. That continued in 2024. The County worked to create more affordable housing, keep people from becoming homeless and help those who were experiencing it find permanent shelter. Those efforts worked to help especially the most vulnerable: families with low incomes, the elderly, foster youth, veterans and people with disabilities.

Two of the most viewed stories on the County News Center last year included innovative programs to address these important issues, the County’s new affordable housing mapping tool and a program to help first-time homebuyers.

In August, the County’s Housing and Community Development

Services opened applications for seniors, families with low-incomes and disabled people living through homelessness who wanted to rent in three new affordable housing developments; in Escondido, San Marcos and Vista. In May, the County reached a milestone in finding new ways to address the housing crisis. It celebrated the grand opening of affordable senior housing built on excess Countyowned land in Linda Vista—the Levant Senior Cottages. The project is scheduled to be the first of 11 such projects on excess County property.

The County also broke ground in February to create a new, longterm affordable housing development—the SkyLINE development—in Rancho Bernardo. And the County expanded the pilot Shallow Rental Subsidy Program it created in 2023 to help some low-income older adults avoid homelessness. The program pays $500-a-month subsidies directly to landlords to help keep these seniors in their homes.

Health

Public health issues always seem to be in the news and 2024 was no exception. The County warned and informed the public about numerous issues—stories that you made some of the most-read last year. They ranged from environmental to health warnings. There was the state-ordered citrus quarantine in Fallbrook in September. And there were health warnings about listeria in dairy products, surprising cases of travel-related measles, E. coli in

walnuts and illnesses related to imported oysters.

A couple of the most widely read stories last year involved the County’s first-ever—then second—case of “locally acquired” dengue fever. There have been cases of tropical dengue fever in San Diego County for years. But people always got sick while traveling outside the U.S. and returning to the County. They never got infected here, “locally.” That was because we didn’t have the kinds of mosquitoes in San Diego County that could transmit the disease by first biting an infected person and then biting someone else. That changed in 2014 when invasive Aedes mosquitoes arrived in San Diego County. And last year, for the first time, Aedes mosquitoes in San Diego County bit people who had returned home after traveling and getting infected outside the U.S. And those mosquitoes then spread dengue to three other people here locally. That prompted County Vector Control to conduct spraying to knock down mosquito populations Vista and Escondido to keep dengue from spreading near those local cases. Vector Control also conducted hand-spraying in Oceanside and Mt. Hope neighborhoods after people who got dengue traveling out of the U.S. were found near Aedes mosquitoes there.

Ebony Shelton Chosen as new County of San diego Chief Administrative officer

The County itself made news last year when it chose a new permanent Chief Administrative Officer for the first time in 12 years. In October 2022, Helen RobbinsMeyer, who had led the County as CAO for 10 years, announced she planned to retire, but would stay while a search was conducted for her successor.

In January 2024 the County Board of Supervisors chose Sarah Aghassi, the general manager of the County’s Land Use and Environment Group, to serve as interim Chief Administrative Officer.

Then, in June the Board voted unanimously to hire Ebony Shelton, who had served as the County’s Chief Financial Officer for the previous four years, to become the County’s new permanent Chief Administrative Officer. Shelton, who has been with the County for nearly 30 years, became the first AfroLatina in County history to become Chief Administrative Officer.

For more information about everything the County of San Diego is doing, and keep up with all the big news in 2025 visit the County News Center at www.countynewscenter.com

Travelers Are Saying “No” To These 5 Things In 2025

by Christopher Elliott

Travelers are pushing back against high costs and bad service in 2025. Instead of looking for ways to beat the system, they’re just avoiding it altogether.

Consider what happened to Gerri Hether when she called to book a few nights at a resort in Alpine, Texas, recently. The hotel had quoted her an affordable rate, but when she got to the payment page on its website -- bam! -- they hit her with a resort fee, unexpected sales taxes and a convenience fee.

“It was a huge discrepancy,” says Hether, a retired nurse from Mesa, Ariz. “A real scam.”

She backed out of the reservation. But the hotel wouldn’t take “no” for an answer.

“They called me and tried to convince me to complete the booking,” she recalls. “I ended up hanging up -- and blocking their number.”

Well, no means no. And in 2025, many travelers are saying “no” to all kinds of things. Instead, they’re turning to businesses that offer value, authenticity and a better travel experience.

Here’s What They’re refusing

1. Hotel Resort Fees

Resort fees are added costs for things like Wi-Fi or use of the hotel pool. Hotels often hide these fees until the last minute, as they did for Hether.

Travelers are frustrated with these surprise fees. What’s worse, the services they supposedly cover are often of little value to the guests.

Guests say they want more transparency in hotel pricing -- in other words, they want the initial rate to include any mandatory extras, like resort fees. The Federal Trade Commission last month created a new rule that requires hotels to clearly and conspicuously disclose the total price, including all mandatory extras, whenever they display or advertise a price for shortterm lodging. But it remains to be seen if the Trump administration will enforce the rule.

Should you turn down a hotel that forces you to pay a resort fee? Yes, absolutely. If enough people refuse, these unconscionable charges will disappear.

2. Overcrowded Destinations

Travelers are tired of huge crowds. They diminish the travel experience and strain local communities and their resources. Not only that,

but travelers often get a less-thanfriendly reception when visiting a popular destination during peak season.

Travelers are looking for less crowded places, even if it means choosing lesser-known destinations. Places like Venice, Santorini, Athens, and Rome are out for 2025, according to travel advisor Steve Torres.

“Think twice about destinations that are known for their crowds,” he adds. “Instead, explore lesserknown places that offer similar charm without the hustle and bustle.”

Should you avoid a crowded destination in 2025? Almost always, the answer is yes. Unless you have to be in a tourism hotspot for a special event, like Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, or the World Cup soccer matches, you should run from the crowds because they will only get worse in 2025.

3. Connecting Flights

Flight delays and cancellations have annoyed air travelers since the invention of the evil huband-spoke system, which forces you to change planes in airports like Atlanta, Dallas and Chicago. Travelers say they want less time in airports and more time at their destination. So they’re refusing to connect.

Thomas Plante, a professor of psychology who travels frequently, says he and his wife have a new rule for 2025: “Unless we can get a direct flight we’ll go elsewhere.”

There are no studies on the amount of time air travelers waste by hav-

ing to connect through a large hub airport. But you can run your own calculation based on your last flight. And it’s not just the extra time, but also the higher possibility of a missed connection or lost luggage. No wonder people like Plante have had enough.

So should you also swear off connecting flights? Maybe, maybe not. It’s a tradeoff. Many smaller destinations are only served through big hubs, so you may miss some really interesting places in 2025. But if you have a choice between connecting and not connecting, you know what to do.

4. Risky Activities

More travelers are prioritizing safety and sustainability in their travel plans. They will avoid activities that are dangerous or harmful to the environment. “With more awareness of safety and environmental impact, travelers in 2025 may refuse to participate in risky activities such as ATV rides on fragile ecosystems or unregulated adventure tours,” says Raymond Yorke, a spokesman for Redpoint Travel Protection.

On a related note, some pet owners tell me they’re keeping their cats and dogs grounded. That’s an understandable thing, given all the restrictions on pets that airlines have imposed recently.

Is that the right call for you? Well, this may sound self-serving, but I want all my readers to survive their next trip (and that includes our furry friends -- I don’t want them to asphyxiate in the cargo hold during a heat wave). So yeah, please take care of yourself. And come home alive.

5. Checked Bags

No one likes the hassle of checking luggage and waiting at the baggage claim. But do you know what people like even less? Paying for it. And in 2024, domestic airlines jacked up their checked luggage fees, because they could.

More travelers will embrace minimalism and pack light. They’re learning to travel with only a carryon bag, even for lengthier vacations. And the backlash is likely to continue into 2025, even as airlines try to find ways of charging more for your luggage. Yes, some “low fare” carriers also charge for carry-on baggage. All the more reason 2025 will be the year of travel minimalism -at least when it comes to baggage.

Before you ask, yes you should pack lighter. Use packing cubes. Roll, don’t fold. Bring a backpack and buy what you need at your destination. That’s sound advice whether you’re paying for your carry-on or your bags fly free.

Travelers Are Making Smarter Choices In

2025

Saying no to the indignities of travel may be one of the best trends of next year.

“Travelers will be more discerning,” predicts Jeff Galak, an associate professor of marketing at Carnegie Mellon University. “They will demand better value and more authentic experiences.”

That’s a significant departure from the reckless revenge travel trend of 2022 and 2023 -- and better than the zero travel trend during the pandemic.

These trends reflect a broader shift in consumer consciousness. By saying no to hidden fees, overcrowded destinations, inconvenient flights, risky activities, and excess baggage, travelers are asserting their values and demanding better. This evolving approach to travel mirrors larger societal trends toward transparency, sustainability, and authenticity.

And if enough people refuse to put up with the travel industry’s nonsense, we won’t just improve our own experience. We’ll also drive positive change in the industry and the destinations we visit. And that’s no exaggeration.

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 or email him at chris@elliott.org.

Illustration by Dustin Elliott

monthly Payments

Opt for regular monthly payments to supplement your retirement income, helping to cover living expenses and maintain your lifestyle.

Lump Sum

Receive a lump sum of cash to pay off debts, make home improvements, or cover unexpected expenses, freeing up your monthly budget.

Line of Credit

Establish a line of credit that you can draw upon as needed, providing financial flexibility and peace of mind.

With a reverse mortgage, you’re not required to make monthly mortgage payments, potentially reducing your monthly expenses.

The Pastor Says . . . After Christmas

The Christmas season has come and gone, and we are in a new year. We hope it will be an exciting year. I recently heard a comment: “I hope it is better than last year.” Personally, I thought last year was quite good. Things seem to have settled down in the Middle East; the stock market had new gains, and expectations are high for a change in government. Despite what last year was like, we can look forward to the new year; while we cannot predict the future, there are promises of change. Whether the new President can perform with all of his plans remains to be seen. Many people hope there will be improvements in immigration, inflation, taxes, world influence, security, political ineptness, and more control over government spending. Personally, I like the drama of discovery and the unknown. Every year, we see changes and some unbelievable innovations and inventions. We have all benefited from them.

Before, however, we get into the New Year, there are a few items that we have to take care of from the Christmas event. It is time to take the tree out, put the decorations away, write letters of thanks for gifts we received, box all the strings of lights, pack the manger scene and figures, remove all the Santa images, and get the house and yard back to normal. One could say, “It is putting away Christmas for another year.” It is a relief for many to hear, “I am glad Christmas is over and that it comes only once a year.” Of course, there is always the need to face expenses for everything purchased, either with cash or a credit card. For many, there will be a need to re-adjust the budget often throughout the entire year. We can’t deny the fun, excitement, and joy the holiday gave us.

It would be a shame if we stopped removing Christmas and all the stuff it represents. The absolute truth is in all the items we use for the event. We put away the lights but not the LIGHT of Christ. We cannot put Him in the closet. We enjoy the gifts, but the more extraordinary gift is the SAVIOUR the angels sang about that we don’t lose or break. While the day has come and gone, the IMMANUEL (God With Us) is always with us for fulfillment and to sustain our spirit. We can take the tree out with all its fragrance and discard it, but we have the fragrance of God’s love and grace, which is within us, never to be discarded.

We had a cupboard for Christmas items in our home and stored them there. One day, not too long ago, they were all destroyed by a fire. They represented, in many ways, our Christmas. One thing, however, the fire could not take was the Christ who was and is our Christmas. With this, I can look forward to the New Year because my Christmas has more than a tree, lights, decorations, and gifts. It has the ONE that never changes but leaves me with the words, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”

Pet Parade

Ransom

Ransom is the pet of the week at Rancho Coastal Humane Society. He’s a 6-year-old, 30-pound, male, Beagle / Hound mix.

Ranson was a stray in Orange County. When nobody came to claim him, he was transferred to Rancho Coastal Humane Society through FOCAS – Friends of County Animal Shelters. He’s a chatty Beagle with a nose for adventure.

The $145 adoption fee for Ransom 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.

Visit Rancho Coastal Humane Society in Encinitas or log on to www. SDpets.org. Kennels are open 11 to 4 every day but Tuesday.

San Diego Humane Society is supporting families and their pets who need a little extra help.

Through the Community Pet Pantry, anyone can visit our campuses to pick up a bag of dog or cat food, and other supplies, as available.

No appointment is needed for this service. Hours are Tuesday-Sunday from 10am to 6pm.

El Cajon 373 N. Marshall Ave.

Escondido 3500 Burnet Drive

oceanside 572 Airport Road

San Diego 5480 Gaines Street

Pet of the Week

Clover

Meet Clover, a darling dog with an endearing personality. She’s a sweet soul, exuding an aura of gentleness that’s hard to resist. Don’t be fooled by her initial shyness — once comfortable, Clover’s energetic side shines through and her zest for life is certainly infectious. She’s a curious gal, always eager to explore her surroundings, sniffing out new scents, and seeking out hidden treats. Clover is a loyal companion, an unconditional source of love, a friend who to sit by your side and a confidante who will never judge. She’s a beacon of joy, ready to illuminate your life with her infectious spirit. Lovable Clover (935947) 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 619-299-7012.

Online profile: https://www.sdhumane.org/adopt/available-pets/ animal-single.html?petId=935947

Pastor Huls

Pastor Huls

The Computer factory

845 W. San marcos blvd. 760-744-4315 thecomputerfactory.net

Four billion years ago “Life” burst forth upon planet Earth. In the ensuing ages, billions of species came and went. Our species “Homo Sapiens” made its debut in Africa only 300,000 years ago. We have accomplished much in the short time we’ve been around. We tamed fire and developed, speech and written language, the wheel, guns, electricity and nuclear power to name a few as we stumbled into the present. Then, in the opening days of the 21st century we combined high speed broadband Internet with AI (artificial intelligence) to create the IW (Intelligent Web). For the first time in World history, we (man), a living, breathing product of nature, was being challenged for intellectual supremacy by an artificial in-

A local high school journalism student contacted me saying she was writing a report about Rancho Coastal Humane Society, and how shelters and rescues save unwanted pets.

I’ve worked on stories with television networks, animal websites read all over the world, newspapers, magazines, and syndicated radio shows. Their questions are good, but occasionally intended to endorse the opinions of the people asking them.

This student’s question was impressive and also simple. Why is it important to adopt?

telligence of our own making.

Well over 80% of The Paper’s regular readers are over forty. We became adults before the widespread availability the IW. Our education and socialization came mainly from school, reading, TV and direct contact with our parents and others. We came “late to the game” in that we came to know, use and appreciate the power of the IW as adults. Consequently we are DIs (digital immigrants).

The same cognitive development resources were available to younger generations, but the IW had become a competing resource that eventually consumed half the waking hours during their formative years. The IW had become the dominant factor in their education and socialization. They are known as DNs (digital natives)

There is a subtle but hugely important difference in the way DIs and DNs use the assets of the IW. The DIs use the IW in the same way they used previous technology. Like fire, the wheel and guns, the IW is simply another external tool useful in man’s eternal struggle to survive and thrive in the natural world.

The IW is a useful source of information to be examined by internal cognition in the process of decision making. By contrast, the DN has largely internalized the IW processes to the extent that the IW be-

came a primary source for answers rather than a source of information to be used in decision making. For the DI the IW provides information to be used in finding answers, for the DN it provides answers.

Today the IW is only twenty three years old. Its effect on the cognitive process of humans is in its infancy. There is no sharp line or age delineation between DIs and DNs. Most of us today are “hybrids” in that we incorporate a blend of DI and DN origins in our thought patterns. Even at the extreme ends (American DIs over 60 and DNs under 20) where the IW’s influence or lack therof is more certain, the source of any individual’s “world-

view” is not apparent in their beliefs or actions.

By the end of this century, the Earth will belong exclusively to the DNs. The IW will continue to improve in speed and power. Its massive data base and lighting fast computing devices will continue to provide answers and solutions that far surpass the cognitive abilities of any human. The use of the IW for problem solving will save ever more human time and energy. It seems to be a win/win scenario. Better answers and lower time and energy expenditures. Mankind will no longer need to waste precious time and energy trying to figure things out. What could possibly go wrong???

Grand Opening

“Another Man’s Treasure”

Saturday January

11th

•

12

noon (at the Computer Factory)

Sleeping bags, back packs, seat cushions, luggage, suit bags, Paint spray kits, books, periodicals stuffed animals, hard cover and paperback books, chinaware sets, glassware, periodicals, National Geographics, speakers, printer ink kits, commemoratives, wine kits, kitchenware, cameras, wifi/cordless phones, umbrellas, onyx carvings, music and game CDs/DVDs, insulated sipper cups, flower vases, LED lanterns, desk top files, art glass And much, much more.

The details of the answer continue to evolve, but the facts remain the same. Why is it important to adopt?

I began by telling her that adopted pets here in San Diego County go into their new homes spayed or neutered, so they don’t continue to add to the problem of pet overpopulation.

They go into their new homes healthy and vaccinated with no surprises. If there is a medical or behavioral concern that the adopter needs to know about, they get the information before completing the adoption and taking their new pet home.

One thing nobody wants to talk about, particularly mass breeders (puppy mills) and backyard breeders, is the expense incurred by unwanted pets who end up in shelters.

Rancho Coastal Humane Society is privately funded. That means that, when we’re full…we’re full. At many shelters across the country, if they’re full and more pets arrive, often during natural disasters, they’re forced to create space. That sometimes means they resort to drastic measures to make room for the new arrivals. You know what

I’m talking about.

It’s expensive to you as a taxpayer when someone buys a pet then dumps it and it ends up in a publicly funded shelter. The expenses include:

• Medical and Behavior Intake of arriving pets.

• Food, care, and medical treatment.

• Salaries and expenses for officers and staff.

• Cost of euthanasia.

Here’s a big expense that NOBODY wants to talk about. The cost of body disposal.

Thank you to this young lady for her question. We all need to be reminded why adoption is our best option. And, once we take a pet into our homes and families, we are responsible for it for the rest of its life.

does Airbnb allow kids? Here’s how one guest got kicked out of her apartment.

Rahama Wright thought her Airbnb allowed kids.

She thought wrong.

She found herself homeless on the streets of Chicago during one of the busiest times of the year -- and Airbnb wouldn’t give her a refund.

Can Wright rescue this Airbnb stay?

Let’s find out.

Wright’s case is important to anyone traveling with kids. Many Airbnb guests choose a rental because it’s child-friendly (or so they think).

I’ll tell you what happened to Wright and how she ended up on the street. We’ll also review Airbnb’s policy on kids and what to do if you’re ever evicted.

So let’s get to Wright’s story.

kicked out of my Airbnb for Complaining

After Wright’s family checked in, they discovered the host hadn’t cleaned the place properly. The bathrooms were filthy, the carpets hadn’t been vacuumed, and the kitchen looked like someone had just prepared a meal in it and left. Yuck.

“We took extensive photos documenting how dirty the place was,” says Wright.

She expected the host to clean the rental. But that’s when he turned on them, she says.

“The host became angry at our request,” she says.

Instead of promising to clean the apartment, he retaliated.

“Without notice, he asked us to leave. Then he changed the code to the apartment, locking us out.”

Seriously?

Seriously. The host alleged that she had brought children into the rental without permission, even though Wright has written evidence that she disclosed that she had kids, including an infant.

“This left us stranded without many options for housing,” says Wright.

Fortunately, a friend helped her family find another place. But now they had to get their mon-

ey back from Airbnb. And that wouldn’t be easy.

“We did nothing wrong”

Reading the thread between Wright and Airbnb is cringeworthy. She repeatedly asks Airbnb for help, and Airbnb seems to ignore her.

First, she notes that the host wanted to kick her out. But Airbnb only says it will circle back with the host, and then appears to go silent.

Next, she asks Airbnb for help getting alternate accommodations. But Airbnb doesn’t give her a meaningful response, either.

Then she asks for a refund. Airbnb says it will ask the host, but she never hears from the platform again.

“We did nothing wrong,” says Wright in one of the exchanges. “This host should NOT be on the Airbnb platform.”

There Are Two Explanations

First, Airbnb was just tone-deaf to her complaints.

Second, I don’t have a complete thread. Wright didn’t share the exchanges between her and the host, so there’s some missing information.

But there’s enough information to know that something went terribly wrong here. You can’t just

of guests, including kids.

Most important, you’ll need to communicate with your host if you have any questions about your kids. Most hosts are understanding when a family stays in their rental and can sometimes offer a crib or toys for the children. They can also remove fragile items before your visit.

But what happens when your Airbnb host claims you moved into a place with kids without telling him, as Wright’s did?

What should you do if your host kicks you out of your Airbnb?

No one should ever get evicted from a vacation rental. But it happens.

To avoid an eviction, I recommend reading the house rules and Airbnb’s policies. Airbnb has strict rules against having parties, and it will almost always stand behind a host who removes you from a property for partying.

kick a family out of an Airbnb and change the locks.

Or can you?

What’s Airbnb’s policy on kids?

Airbnb allows kids in its rentals -- but there are limits.

There’s no blanket ban on children staying in Airbnb accommodations. But it’s not always straightforward: While Airbnb as a platform welcomes families, individual hosts have the final say on whether their property is suitable for children.

How To find out if Your Airbnb Accepts kids

You can determine if your Airbnb rental accepts kids by doing the following:

Read the listing carefully. Hosts can specify if their place is family-friendly or has age restrictions.

Look for “family/kid friendly” amenities: This search filter can help you find the right place -and avoid the wrong place.

Safety first: Not all properties are childproofed. Check for potential hazards in the listing’s photos and description.

Extra guests, extra fees: Some hosts charge additional fees for children and even infants. Always disclose the exact number

Similarly, Airbnb has little sympathy if you smoke in someone’s house or make loud noises or try to set up a meth lab.

But if your host tries to remove you because you wore shoes in the house -- Airbnb will probably not support such a move.

Here’s what you need to know if you find yourself suddenly without a place to stay:

don’t panic. If your host kicked you out of your accommodations without cause, Airbnb should be able to find a place for you to stay.

Preserve your documents. Channel your inner accountant and keep all receipts, voicemails and text messages. You may need them if you have to fight for a refund. Note the exact time of your eviction. Take pictures and videos of the problem.

Contact Airbnb immediately. Don’t wait to report the issue. You can use the Airbnb app or website to contact customer service. Calmly explain the situation. Ask about their immediate assistance options.

Note: If a host cancels your reservation while you’re still in the property, Airbnb will not pay the

Illustration by Christopher Elliott

MIGHTY MOJO

NDEs from page 5

gentle, yet strong, in almost musical tones, say, “Go back. You’re much too young and have much yet to accomplish. Go home.” Reluctantly, I stepped back.

Instantly, I was in my sheet-laden bed in the laundry closet at Holy Angels Hospital in Teaneck, NJ. The nurse I had prayed to find me had come to work on her day off to count sheets! Somehow, I communicated to her that I lived. How she responded or what she did, I don’t know, but I do know I died and lived to tell my story.

Five days later I was dismissed from the hospital. Other than an angry scar down my stomach I have no lingering effects of my ordeal. Or do I?

* * *

That July Sunday in 1971, after the service ended at Hackensack Southern Baptist Church, holding my wife’s hand, my two daughters waiting just outside the pastor’s study, I shared a shortened version of my hospital ordeal with Reverend Miller. As I talked, he continually glanced at his watch.

I didn’t tell him that as I lay there in the linen closet I reviewed my life up till then. What I saw did not a pretty picture make.

I was a drunk, a terrible father, a worse husband. As a sales manager, I pushed for more - bigger numbers, more sales - often without regard for my salesperson’s well-being. I didn’t tell Rev. Miller that in my linen closet prison, I bargained with God: If He’d save me one more time, I’d stop drinking, go to church and give Him the credit and the glory.

I didn’t share with the Reverend that I vowed if I lived I’d never, ever again do something just for money, nor would I use not having money as an excuse for not doing something that needed to be done.

Rev. Miller was neither thrilled nor pleased in hearing of my adventure. As I paused, he interrupted. “You obviously are possessed of the Devil. Evil spirits have entered your body and mind. Please remain seated in humble prayer, while I assemble my Board of Deacons. We’ll pray for your soul, cleanse you of your sins and free you of the chains that bind.” He reached for his phone as he spoke.

My wife and I looked at each other. Then, she picked up her purse, nodded to Rev. Miller and still holding my hand, led me from the pastor’s study. Outside, she said, “How dare him. Possessed of the devil? I think not. We’re good people. We came here to share a victory, and he accuses us of being evil.”

It took me eighteen months to make good on my pledge to stop drinking, and I needed help even then, but in the 47 years since that day in Hackensack, New Jersey, my life has been on a definite upswing. Both daughters are fearless, successful ladies with wonderful children and master’s degrees. My marriage to the lady who was with me that day ended; my ‘new’ wife of 37-plus years has given us a magnificent son, who is successful in every way. She is a warm and delightful help mate.

I can say with good cheer that for the most part, I have followed my vow to never do something just for the money, and conversely, I do not refuse to do something that needs to be done for lack of money.

Scientific and anecdotal evidence proves Near-Death Experiences are real. They seem to occur more frequently to those who have lost their way, who seek help though they do not know this is the case. The final result is NDEs mold survivors in positive ways, leaving them changed and often healed in ways only the participant understands.

Editor’s Note: Pete’s cover story hits home with me.

I also have experienced an OBE (Out of Body Experience):

About 17-18 years ago I was having some angina (chest pain) and had been given nitroglycerin tablets to alleviate the pain. Problem is, I took two instead of one.

This slowed my heart down to the point that I collapsed while serving customers at Lyle’s at Dixon Lake, a business I owned for 27 years.

Fortunately, Frank Schmitz, the then supervisor of Dixon Lake, came by the concession stand and saw that I was in distress and called 911.

I distinctly remember the ambulance picking me up; I was at that time semi-conscious. Then I remember being, like a fly, upon on the ceiling of the ambulance, looking down and watching the paramedics working on me. I heard one of them saying, “we’re losing him. He’s flatlining!”

The next thing I remember is waking up to see a very concerned doctor, with glasses, looking down at me. I was in the ER.

I was able to recover and was kept one day for observation and then released

I recall thinking, “dying isn’t all that bad. It was rather a pleasant feeling. I, from that point on, have not feared death. What I fear is the pain associated with illnesses or injuries that lead to dying.”

Chuckles from page 2

25 Signs You’ve Grown Up

Your potted plants are alive... and you can’t smoke any of them.

You keep more food than beer in the fridge.

6:00am is when you get up, not when you go to sleep.

You hear your favorite song in an elevator.

You carry an umbrella. You watch the Weather Channel.

Your friends marry and divorce instead of hookup and breakup.

You go from 130 days of vacation time to 7.

Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as ‘dressed up.’

You’re the one calling the police because those bloody kids next door don’t know how to turn down the stereo.

You don’t know what time McDonald’s closes anymore.

Your car insurance goes down and your car payments go up.

Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.

You no longer take naps from noon to 6 p.m.

Dinner and a movie - The whole date instead of the beginning of one.

Eating a basket of chicken wings at 3 am would severely upset, rather than settle, your stomach.

A $7.00 bottle of wine is no longer ‘pretty good stuff.’

You actually eat breakfast foods at breakfast time.

“I just can’t drink the way I used to,” replaces “I’m never going to drink that much again.”

Over 90% of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.

You don’t drink at home to save money before going to a bar. You read this entire list looking for one sign that doesn’t apply to you.

Support

***

Why Dogs Are Better Than Cats

Dogs will tilt their heads and try to understand every word you say. Cats will ignore you and take a nap.

Cats look silly on a leash.

When you come home from work, your dog will be happy and lick your face. Cats will still be mad at you for leaving in the first place.

Dogs will give you unconditional love until the day they die. Cats will make you pay for every mistake you’ve ever made since the day you were born.

A dog knows when you’re sad. And he’ll try to comfort you. Cats don’t care how you feel, as long as you remember where the can opener is.

Dogs will bring you your slippers. Cats will drop a dead mouse in your slippers.

When you take them for a ride, dogs will sit on the seat next to you. Cats have to have their own private basket, or they won’t go at all.

Dogs will come when you call them. And they’ll be happy. Cats will have someone take a message and get back to you.

Dogs will play fetch with you all day long. The only thing cats will play with all day long are small rodents or bugs, preferably ones that look like they’re in pain.

Dogs will wake you up if the house is on fire. Cats will quietly sneak out the back door.

Parking Problem at Church

A few years ago, I caught a story on the radio about a Baptist church that had a problem. It was with the Methodists down the street. Some Baptists were unable to find a space in their own parking lot because members of the

nearby Methodist church, which met earlier than the Baptists, got there first. So the Baptist church had a problem.

Now, they COULD have towed the Methodist’s cars away. Or, they COULD have patrolled their lot Sunday mornings. Or, they COULD have written a letter to the offending church members imploring them to park elsewhere. But they didn’t.

Instead, they did something else. One Sunday morning they stuck a bumper sticker to every car in the lot -- Baptist and Methodist alike. They all got one. The sticker read: “I’M PROUD TO BE A BAPTIST!”

No more problem.

Tour of London

A Texan was taking a taxi tour of London and was in a hurry. As they went by the Tower of London the cabby explained what it was and that construction started in 1346 and it was completed in 1412.

The Texan replied, “Shoot, a little ol’ tower like that? In Houston we’d have that thing up in two weeks!”

The cab passed the House of Parliament next, the cabby stating that it started construction in 1544 and was completed 1618.

“Boy, we put up a bigger one than that in Dallas and it only took a year!”

As they passed Westminster Abbey the cabby was silent.

“Whoa! What’s that over there?” asked the Texan.

“Darned if I know, wasn’t there yesterday.”

Local Agriculture ~ Visit A farmers market

Carlsbad State Street

Certified farmers market

Wednesday: 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm (March-October)

Wednesday: 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm (November-February)

2900 State St from Carlsbad Village Dr to Grand Ave Carlsbad, CA 92008

Del Mar

Certified farmers market

Saturday: 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm Civic Center

1050 Camino Del Mar Del Mar, CA 92014

Escondido Welk

Certified farmers’ market

Monday: 3:00 pm-7:00 pm

8860 Lawrence Welk Dr Escondido, California 92026

Escondido

Certified farmers market

Tuesday: 2:30 pm to Sunset 262 East Grand Ave at N Juniper St Escondido, CA 92025

fallbrook main Avenue

Certified farmers market

Saturday: 9:00 am to 1:30 pm 100 S Main Ave from Hawthorne and Fig, Fallbrook, CA 92028

oceanside

Certified farmers market

Thursday: 9:00 am to 1:00 pm Pier View Way and Coast Hwy 101 Oceanside, CA 92054

San Marcos

Certified farmers market Tuesday: 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Kids from page 12

host or will reduce the payout by the amount refunded to their guest. So in case you’re wondering -- Airbnb has your money, not the host.

Can Airbnb keep your money after you get kicked out?

My advocacy team and I couldn’t believe that a heartless Airbnb host would evict a family with an infant after they had the audacity to ask him to clean his rental. If that’s true, then the host really shouldn’t be on the platform.

But there are two sides to every story, and we don’t have the other side. Wright didn’t share any of the messages with the host or even his name, which left my team at a disadvantage.

So what could we do? We could ask Airbnb for its side of the story. After all, the platform had taken her money and hadn’t paid the host. So it would need to refund her.

I should note that Airbnb hasn’t been all that talkative lately. The company, if it responds to my team’s advocacy requests, will offer a terse, generic statement but will never disclose any details. So I was not surprised when Airbnb acknowledged my email and then went silent. But a week later, we heard from Wright.

“Airbnb contacted me and issued a full refund,” she told me. “Thank you for your help. You are a miracle worker!”

So in the end, Airbnb didn’t do anything wrong. Too bad our team had to get involved to right this wrong.

(Spring/ Summer)

Tuesday: 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm (Fall/Winter)

251 North City Dr. (off Highway 78 and Barham Drive) San Marcos, CA 92078

Vista

Certified farmers market Saturday: 8:00 am to 12:00 pm County Courthouse

355 South Melrose Dr (south of Hacienda) Vista, CA 92081 ***

For more information about farmers markets around San Diego County, visit the San Diego County Farm Bureau website at https:// www.sdfarmbureau.org/. Days and times are subject to change.

Wright’s case is a stark reminder that in the world of vacation rentals, “host” and “hostile” are sometimes separated by just a few letters. Always be ready to fight for your rights – and your refunds.

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.

fiCTiTiouS buSiNESS

NAME

STATEmENT 2024-9023942

The name of the business:

Steep & Sourdough, located at 750 Pebble Beach Drive, San Marcos, CA 92069. Registrant, Daniel Allen Paris, 750 Pebble Beach Drive, San Marcos, CA 92069. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: N/A

/s/ Daniel Allen Paris with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 12/4/2024

12/12, 12/19, 12/26/2024, 1/2/2025

fiCTiTiouS buSiNESS

NAME

STATEmENT 2024-9024067

The name of the business:

Weekend Savvy Travel, Cork & Cruise, located at 10395 Tioga Lake Drive, Escondido, CA 92029. Registrant, Weekend Savvy LLC, 10395 Tioga Lake Drive, Escondido, CA 92029. This business is operated by a Limited Liability Company. First day of business:

11/15/2024

/s/ Mary Ann Erdos, CEO with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 12/6/2024

12/12, 12/19, 12/26/2024, 1/2/2025

fiCTiTiouS buSiNESS

NAME

STATEmENT 2024-9022718

The name of the business: Acman Quality HVAC, located at 695 Cortez Ave., Vista, CA 92084. Registrant, Guadalupe R. Alfaro Zurita, 695 Cortez Ave., Vista, CA 92084. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 11/14/2024

/s/ Guadalupe R. Alfaro Zurita with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 11/14/2024

12/12, 12/19, 12/26/2024, 1/2/2025

fiCTiTiouS buSiNESS

NAME

STATEmENT 2024-9023630

The name of the business: Burns Ministries, located at 6840 Urubu Street, Carlsbad, CA 92009. Registrant, Open Heavens Church, 235 Mar Vista, Vista, CA 92083. This business is operated by a Corporation. First day of business: N/A /s/ Pamela Burns, CFO with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 11/27/2024

12/12, 12/19, 12/26/2024, 1/2/2025

fiCTiTiouS buSiNESS

NAME

STATEmENT 2024-9021586

The name of the business: West Land Coffee Roasters, located at 3243 Roberta Lane, Oceanside, CA 92054. Registrant, Martin Michael O’Dea, 7258 Ponto Drive, Carlsbad, CA 92011, Daniel Vincent Jacobs, 3243 Roberta Lane, Oceanside, CA 92054. This business is operated by a General Partnership. First day of business: 10/28/2024

/s/ Martin Michael O’Dea with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 10/29/2024

12/12, 12/19, 12/26/2024, 1/2/2025

fiCTiTiouS buSiNESS

NAME

STATEmENT 2024-9023337

The name of the business: Express Debt Recovery LLC, located at 2170 S. El Camino Real, Oceanside, CA 92054. Registrant, Express Debt Recovery LLC, 2170 S. El Camino Real, Oceanside, CA 92054. This business is operated by a Limited Liability Company. First

day of business: 10/1/2014

/s/ Payman Zeal, President with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 11/22/2024

12/19, 12/26/2024, 1/2, 1/9/2025

fiCTiTiouS buSiNESS NAME

STATEmENT 2024-9024436

The name of the business: Teddy’s Treats and Teddy’s Sweet Treats, located at 13200 Kirkham Way, Ste 115, Poway, CA 92064-7126. Registrant, Kenneth James Rose, 13200 Kirkham Way, Ste 115, Poway, CA 92064-7126. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: N/A /s/ Kenneth James Rose with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 12/12/2024

12/19, 12/26/2024, 1/2, 1/9/2025

fiCTiTiouS buSiNESS NAME

STATEmENT 2024-9024147

The name of the business: Jeg’s Modern Plumbing, Jegs Modern Plumbing, located at 39120 Rising Hill Drive, Temecula, CA 92591. Registrant, Johnny Eugene Gange, 39120 Rising Hill Drive, Temecula, CA 92591. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: N/A /s/ Johnny Eugene Gange with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 12/9/2024 12/19, 12/26/2024, 1/2, 1/9/2025

fiCTiTiouS buSiNESS NAME

STATEmENT 2024-9023996

The name of the business: Hormones And Health Wellness, located at 1901 4th Ave., 100W, San Diego, CA 92101. Registrant, WW NP Nursing Inc, 1901 4th Ave., 100W, San Diego, CA 92101. This business is operated by a Corporation. First day of business: N/A /s/ Wytoshery Williams, CEO with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 12/5/2024 12/19, 12/26/2024, 1/2, 1/9/2025

fiCTiTiouS buSiNESS NAME

STATEmENT 2024-9024701

The name of the business: La Lonchera, located at 3775 San Ramon Dr., Apt 276, Oceanside, CA 92057. Registrant, Jazmin Guadalupe Ortiz, 3775 San Ramon Dr., Apt 276 Oceanside, CA 92057 . This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: N/A /s/ Jazmin Guadalupe Ortiz with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 12/17/2024 12/26/2024, 1/2, 1/9, 1/16/2025

STATEmENT of AbANdoNmENT of uSE of

fiCTiTiouS buSiNESS

NAME: 2024-9023994

California Faith Alliance and CACFA, located at 616 Banjo Court, San Marcos, CA 92069. The Fictitious Business Name referred to above was filed in San Diego County on 10/30/2024 and assigned file no. 2024-9021721.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME IS BEING ABANDONED BY: Brian Kent Smith, PO Box 500126, San Diego, CA 92199-9709 and Lisa Ann Smith, PO Box 500126, San Diego, CA 92199-9709. This business is conducted by a Married Couple. I declare that all information in this statement is

LEGALS

true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1000). /s/Brian Kent Smith This statement was filed with the San Diego Recorder/County clerk on 12/5/2024. 12/26/2024, 1/2, 1/9, 1/16/2025

ordEr To SHoW CAuSE for CHANgE of NAmE 24Cu029308N

TO ALL INTERESTED PER-

SONS: Petitioner Ali Dorobati filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: Ali Dorobati to Proposed name Ali Naghdi. 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: January 31, 2025, 8:30 am, in Dept. 25

No hearing will take place on date above; See Attachment The address of the court is: 325 S. Melrose, Vista, CA. 92081. A copy of the Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: San Marcos News Reporter, dba,

The Paper, 845 W. San Marcos Blvd, San Marcos, Ca. 92078. Dated December 19, 2024 /s/ Brad Weinreb, Judge of the Superior Court 1/2, 1/9, 1/16, 1/23/2025

fiCTiTiouS buSiNESS NAME

STATEmENT 2024-9024940

The name of the business: Ernestore, located at 830 E. Vista Way, Suite 122, Vista, CA 92084. Registrant, Juan Enrique Jimenez, 1591 E. Vista, Way, Suite E, Vista, CA 92084, Teresita Hernandez, 1591 E. Vista, Way, Suite E, Vista, CA 92084. This business is operated by a General Partnership. First day of business: 12/19/2024 /s/ Juan Enrique Jimenez with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 12/19/2024 1/2, 1/9, 1/16, 1/23/2025

fiCTiTiouS buSiNESS NAME

STATEmENT 2024-9024307

The name of the business: Gracie Humaita Oceanside, Gracie Oceanside, located at 150 N. River Circ, Oceanside, CA 92057. Registrant, Ibjjl & Events LLC, 150 N River Circ, Oceanside, CA 92057. This business is operated by a Limited Liability Company. First day of business: N/A /s/ Thiago Gazataciano De Olivera Marque3s, Manager/ Coach with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 12/10/2024 1/2, 1/9, 1/16, 1/23/2025

fiCTiTiouS buSiNESS NAME

STATEmENT 2024-9024398

The name of the business: Design & Organize, located at 13909 Sam O Reno Rd., Poway, CA 92064. Registrant, Nathalia Frias Benson, 13909 Sam O Reno Rd., Poway, CA 92064. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 10/15/2024 /s/ Nathalia Frias Benson with

Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 12/11/2024

1/2, 1/9, 1/16, 1/23/2025

fiCTiTiouS buSiNESS NAME STATEmENT 2024-9023911

The name of the business: A. G. Real Estate, located at 612 Chesterfield Circle, San Marcos, CA 92069. Registrant, Andrew C. Gonzales, 612 Chesterfield Circle, San Marcos, CA 92069. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 5/10/2021

/s/ Andrew C. Gonzales with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 12/4/2024 1/2, 1/9, 1/16, 1/23/2025

fiCTiTiouS buSiNESS

NAME STATEmENT 2024-9025400

The name of the business: Design For Health Training Center, located at 2567 Camino Del Rio South Suite 207, San Diego, CA 92108. Registrant, Design For Health Environmental Education Center Pacific Rim Division, Inc., San Diego, CA 92108. This business is operated by a Corporation. First day of business: 9/15/1994 /s/ Jorge A. Valdez, President with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 12/30/2024 1/9, 1/16, 1/23, 1/30/2025

fiCTiTiouS buSiNESS

NAME

STATEmENT 2025-9000126

The name of the business: Clearbooks & Beyond, located at 4601 Marblehead Bay Drive, Oceanside, CA 92057. Registrant, All In Supply, 4601 Marblehead Bay Drive, Oceanside, CA 92057. This business is operated by a Corporation. First day of business: N/A /s/ Dureza B. Hanson, CEO with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 1/3/2025

1/9, 1/16, 1/23, 1/30/2025

fiCTiTiouS buSiNESS NAME

STATEmENT 2024-9025181

The name of the business: First Serve Physical Therapy and Coaching, located at 330 Rancheros Dr., Ste 202, San Marcos, CA 92069. Registrant, First Serve Physical Therapy PC, 330 Rancheros Dr., Ste 202, San Marcos, CA 92069. This business is operated by a Corporation. First day of business: N/A

/s/ Drew Mason, President with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 12/24/2024

1/9, 1/16, 1/23, 1/30/2025

fiCTiTiouS buSiNESS

NAME

STATEmENT 2025-9000013

The name of the business: KD Remediation, KD Mold And Water Damage, located at 10601 Tierrasanta Blvd., #G234, San Diego, CA 92124. Registrant, KD Remediation LLC, 10601 Tierrasanta Blvd., #G234, San Diego, CA 92124. This business is operated by a Limited Liability Company. First day of business: 1/2/2025 /s/ Kayvon Darian, Member with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 1/2/2025 1/9, 1/16, 1/23, 1/30/2025

fiCTiTiouS buSiNESS NAME

STATEmENT 2024-9020519

The name of the business: Futura Auto Glass, located at 277 Rancho Santa Fe Rd., Suite I, San Marcos, CA 92078. Registrant, Jose Garcia, 834 Via Bella Monica, San Marcos, CA 92078. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 12/19/2014 /s/ Jose Garcia with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/ Recorder of San Diego on 12/20/2024

1/9, 1/16, 1/23, 1/30/2025

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