New Park Coming to Oceanside

El Corazon is a City-owned parcel of 465 acres located in the heart of Oceanside, bounded by Rancho Del Oro Drive on the east, Oceanside Boulevard on the south, El Camino Real on the west, and Mesa Drive on the north.

An ongoing planning process relating to the property began in 2003 and was facilitated by dedicated citizen’s committees. Through their work, the El Corazon Specific Plan was developed, and eventually adopted in 2009 to guide the land use decisions created through public outreach and master planning efforts. The plan calls for specific areas of commercial and residential development to fund the construction of community park areas and nature trails. The El Corazon Specific Plan, in part, divided the park land at El Corazon into nine park sites. Park Site 1 will be the first of the nine park sites to developed.

A Park Site 1 Study was launched that is analyzing existing site conditions, evaluating site opportunities and constraints, and collecting input from the community. Based on City needs and public input, concepts and design options for Park Site 1 have been identified and ultimately, a recommended design option will be brought to the Parks and Recreation Commission, and then to the City Council for review and approval.

This Park Study included two public outreach meetings. The first of those meetings was held in September 2022, via Zoom, to gain an understanding of what the community would like to see at El Corazon Park Site 1, given the site constraints.

The second public outreach meeting was held in person on February 2, 2023, to determine a conceptual plan that best suits the needs of the community.

The City would love your comments on these conceptual plans. Please take the survey by March 12th at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ElCorazonParkSite1

As a member of the Oceanside community and user of these facilities, your input is critical to the success of the study. If you would like to be added to an interested parties list, please contact project manager Kymberly Corbin at (760) 435-3534 or KCorbin@ oceansideca.org. By requesting to be part of this list, you will receive periodic email updates.

Man About Town from page 4 ious shortcomings and/or great accomplishments. Being of modest means, my valet, Nicky, had to double as my chauffeur. Several times I thought of giving Nicky notice but she was such a strikingly lovely creature that I found it hard to part with her. Besides, she was often of great comfort to me in times of sorrow, like when our cook would forget both Brie and a sufficient amount of caviar in my box lunch she had prepared for me daily. Nicky (short for Nicole) would put her arms around me and murmur soft things in my ear. I always felt so much better; sometimes, to the point of skipping school for several hours to be with Nicky, the more to enjoy her comforting.

In late morning I would always head for gym class, presided over by Art Harris, our football coach. Mr. Harris was a strapping 3’ tall but he was a human dynamo, often running around in circles, clapping his hands and yelling, “Let’s go! Let’s go!” to no one in particular. I was very fond of Mr. Harris, however. I suppose it might have been because I went to him one day, very sad, and told him my favorite pet rabbit, which I had called “Bunny” had passed away. I suggested to Mr. Harris that we might memorialize Bunny by naming the school, and in particular, its football team, the Benson High School Bunnies.

Mr. Harris slapped his thighs, and exclaimed, “that’s a wonder- ful idea! It shall be done!”

And so, to this day, members who attended, and who still attend, my alma mater, are known as The Benson High School Bunnies.

All good things, however, must come to an end. After four years of absolute bliss, my high school days came to an end. I graduated (flipped my tassle, as we say) and went on to a brilliantly successful career in business and also became a highly successful and adored international spy.

That, too, is all behind me now. Nicky is still with me. She stays in the spare bedroom here at the Davis Mansion, still chauffeurs me about town, still mixes me my martinis, still performs as a valet, and is always there to offer me comforting words, thoughts and deeds whenever mean ol’ Evelyn says or does something to wound my sensitive ego.

Mrs. Madison recognizes that Nicky is simply my valet, nothing more, (at least, that’s what she believes) someone with whom I would find living life to be particularly difficult.

Nicky was even with me during my exciting and adventuresome years as an international spy.

But that, as we say, is another story.

Buy me a drink sometime . . . maybe I’ll tell you. (Some parts, however, are still classified. Those parts would take two drinks).

Pet Parade Toby & Simba

Toby and Simba are pets of the week at your Rancho Coastal Humane Society. They’re 2-1/2year-old, male, Domestic Short Hair Cats with Orange and White Tabby coats.

Toby and Simba are brothers. They were adopted together as kittens, then returned after two years when their family moved. They need to be adopted together, again.

As a bonded pair, one adoption fee covers both. The $100 adoption fee for Toby and Simba includes medical exams, neuters, up to date vaccinations, and registered microchips.

For more information or to sponsor a pet visit Rancho Coastal Humane Society at 389 Requeza

Street in Encinitas, call 760-7536413, or visit www.SDpets.org.

Open 11 to 4, Friday through Monday, and by appointment Wednesday and Thursday.

Local News from page 4

26% in jobs. By 2050, 43% of North County Corridor residents and 67% of jobs are anticipated to reside within mobility hubs. Of North County trips, 70% stay within North County and 50% are less than 5 miles. Large employment centers are miles away from regional transportation facilities, exacerbating network congestion. Regional north-south facilities are separated by over 17 miles and limited to I-5, I-15, and COASTER/Amtrak. Consequently, major arterials provide the predominant mobility option for North County users. These factors make it necessary for SANDAG, Caltrans, local communities, and the people who regularly travel through the area to progress the vision of a technologically advanced, balanced, and integrated multimodal transportation system.

SANDAG invites public input on the plan on its website by March 12.

To view the plan and provide input, visit https://sandag.mysocialpinpoint.com/northcounty

Bobcat Believed to Have Been Struck By Car Returns to Wild

A bobcat, who spent three weeks in care with San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife team, returned to the wild this afternoon. The adult male was released by Project Wildlife staff in Mission Trails Regional Park, not far from where he was initially found on Jan. 18, 2023 by a good Samaritan who called San Diego Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement for help. Humane Officers responded and transported the injured cat to the Veterinary Emergency Group in Encinitas where he was triaged and given supportive care overnight. continued on page

The bobcat arrived to San Diego Humane Society on Jan. 19, 2023 with injuries indicating he had likely been hit by a car. Project Wildlife’s veterinary team at the Pilar & Chuck Bahde Wildlife Center in San Diego immediately administered pain medication, performed radiographs and treated the bobcat for abrasions and minor contusions.

Pet of the Week

How beautiful is Margeaux?!

This gorgeous German shorthaired pointer mix has the richest chocolate coat and soulful eyes to match. Margaux is a lovely young pup who is looking for a home full of love and humans to share her life with. Margaux will need a secure yard at home, as she likes to go visit the neighborhood on her own from time to time. She does also enjoy long walks with her people, followed by some snuggle time on the couch. Margaux will be happiest in a home where she is the only good girl to spoil, as she prefers not to share her toys or treats with other dogs. If you would like to meet Mar- gaux, meet her at the Escondido Campus at 3500 Burnet Drive!

If you have questions about the adoption process, you can visit sdhumane.org/adopt.

Margaux online profile: https:// www.sdhumane.org/adopt/ available-pets/animal-single. html?petId=829015

The Times They Are A-Changin Conclusion Part V of V “Seniors”

The last column in this “times they are a changing” series is devoted to our favorite people, the oldest living Americans, collectively known as “Senior Citizens.” By consensus, and according to Pew Research, there are six commonly recognized American generations. “Senior Citizens” were born into one of the first three. Today there are fewer than 300,000 survivors of “The Greatest Generation” (born before 1929), about 25 million “The Silent Generation” (1929- 1945) and 70 million Baby Boomers (1946-1964). Combined, the three “senior” generations total is 95 million or 29% of the total US population of 332 million.

The three generations that encompass “Senior Citizens” are defined by human events, not by human characteristics. The dwindling members of “The Greatest Generation” lived through the Great Depressions and fought World War II. Their children were the men and women of “The Silent Generation” and grew up safe and secure in an America dominant in science, technology, culture and wealth. The “Baby Boomers”, children of the “Silent’ Generation” also grew up in relative peace and security. Free from foreign threats and major economic problems, domestic movements aimed at establishing equality for women, minorities and others were the dominant themes during their formative years.

For the most part, “Senior Citizens” shared an era of unprecedented peace and prosperity and presided over the establishment of the least biased, most tolerant major culture in modern World history. Among “senior’s” achievements were, harnessing the atom, went to the moon, codified human rights, invented computers, pioneered the smart phone and probably the most impactful development of all, they gave the World the Internet. Nearly every new technology, institution, edifice, transportation system, power grid, communications system, and commercial product in common use in the 21st century was developed and introduced by today’s “Senior Citizens.” Younger generations will certainly have their day in the sun but today’s heroes are still all around us.

“Seniors” are more diverse than any other age or generational group. Most grew up on farms, in small towns or urban neighborhoods. As they grew into adulthood, their primary “influencers” were parents, neighbors, schools and events. Neighborhoods, events and schools were local and small, communications were direct. People were physically “connected.” News and events filtered in from the outside world via TV, radio and newspapers but the World was not important in their day to day lives. Local events and people were their lives.

Recent generations grew up less connected to parents, neighbors and local events. They’ve suffered the efficiencies of larger more impersonal schools and standardized teaching methods and curriculums. Recent generations enter adulthood with less diversity of thought and more uniform belief patterns as a result of their more structured educational experience.

The absence of a uniform structure in “senior’s” smaller and more local educational and social environments created a tolerance for diversity of thought. More recent generations grew up with progressively less local influence and more uniformity in the structure of educational curriculums and social philosophy. For these younger generations the Internet has become a major vehicle in the application of social pressure to encourage conformity and acceptance of prevailing social “truths”.

As seniors we have come to enjoy the easy sociability of our contemporaries. In addition to having the most diverse belief and thought patterns of any living age group, here are some other significant attributes that make us fun to hang out with. We rarely have a hidden agenda, no easily bruised egos, absence of sexual tension allows men and women to be genuine buddies, we have a keen sense of humor, are non judgmental, we actually listen, we hardly ever lie and were pretty smart. What’s not to like?

John Van Zante’s Critter Corner

Why do Dogs Love Us?

As I’m writing this, my dog is napping beside me, snoring. I like that sound. Dogs like our sounds, too. They like our voices and the sound of our breathing. Your dog can tell your mood by the tone of your voice. They wag when we sound happy.

aren’t right. Dogs can predict epileptic seizures long before they happen. Scientists don’t understand how.

Do dogs like us because we’re so smart? That’s probably not it. An average dog has the intelligence of a human 2-year-old and is capable of learning 165 words. In math, dogs are equal to a 3- or 4-yearold. In social skills, they’re about like teenagers.

It’s easy to figure out why we love dogs. But why do they love us back? We look different. We walk funny. We can’t speak their language. Where are our tails?

Why do they love us back? I read some studies and asked some friends.

One study exposed dogs to the smells of other dogs and to their owners’ smell. The smell of their owners made their tails wag.

Our dogs trust us the same way baby people trust their parents. A frightened dog will run to its owner. Most animals run away when they’re scared.

My dog stares at me. We can be nose-to-nose. It’s like he’s looking into my soul. Sometimes, just by looking back at him, it makes his tail wag. Dogs only lock eyes with humans, not other animals.

Dogs can be trained to detect lung, breast, skin, bladder, and prostate cancers. They can smell cells that

Out of all the stories I read and all the people I spoke with, what made the most sense was that dogs have empathy for us. They know when we need special care and attention. Then, they don’t ask. They just give.

They seem to understand our feelings. Maybe that’s why they love us back.

They know how much we need them.

Letters from page 4 degrees through January and her bill was over $600. Mine would have been as high if I had done the same. Small comfort to receive a $20 or $40 bill credit next month to placate SDGE customers.

Now let’s look at the inflation rate for the last two years of gas prices. Feb 2021: $0.38; Feb 2022: $0.86; Feb 2023:$ 3.44. Are you ready for this? 900% since Feb 2021. Remember, this is in the warm climate San Diego, not Buffalo, New York. I hate to think what North Easterners face.

What could possibly justify that outrageous 900% inflation: maybe natural gas prices shot up so high? Let’s take a closer look at wholesale costs because I have this old feeling we’re being snookered as usual.

Maybe utilities are playing catchup for past high prices. But the average price in February for the past four years was $12 (extreme high of $35, and an extreme low $8.45. Even allowing for a median price of $22 over the last four years, that amounts to no more than a 257% gain over the low ... not a whopping 900%.

Please, someone, explain the 900%