April 9, 2026

April 9, 2026

Volume 56 - No. 15

The Last Great Highland Warrior

Lord Lovat On March 16, 1995, the last clan chief in history to lead his men into battle died—and with him died an era of Highland warriors that will never return.

His name was Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat, Chief of Clan Fraser.

Winston Churchill described him, in a letter to Joseph Stalin, as “the mildest-mannered man that ever scuttled a ship or cut a throat.”

Hitler put a 100,000 Reichsmark bounty on his head, dead or alive.

And on June 6, 1944—D-Day—he walked onto the beaches of Normandy with 3,000 commandos and a piper playing bagpipes, defying death with the kind of Highland audacity that made him a legend.

Simon Fraser was born in 1911 into one of Scotland’s most ancient and powerful families. The Frasers had been Highland warriors for centu-

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ries—clan chiefs who led their men in battle, defended their lands, and lived by the old Highland code of loyalty, courage, and honor.

By the time WWII began, that world was already fading. Clan chiefs no longer led armies. The old Highland way of life was disappearing into history.

But Lord Lovat was about to remind the world what a Highland chief could do.

He joined the commandos—elite British special forces—and quickly earned a reputation as a brilliant, fearless, and slightly mad officer.

He trained his men ruthlessly, led from the front, and never asked them to do anything he wouldn’t do himself.

The Germans knew exactly who he was. They put a massive bounty on his head. They wanted him dead or captured. His name alone was worth a small fortune.

Warrior

See Page 2

The Paper • Page 2 • April 9, 2026

Warrior from page 1

He wore it as a badge of honor.

By 1944, Lord Lovat was a Brigadier commanding the 1st Special Service Brigade—3,000 of Britain’s toughest commandos.

And he was about to lead them into the largest amphibious invasion in history.

The night before D-Day, June 5, 1944, Lord Lovat addressed his men. They were about to storm Hitler’s Atlantic Wall. Many wouldn’t survive.

He closed his speech with words that would echo through history: “A hundred years from now, your children’s children will say—they must have been giants in those days.”

The next morning, June 6, 1944, Brigadier Lord Lovat waded ashore at Sword Beach, Normandy, leading 3,000 commandos into hell. And behind him came the sound that would make the moment unforgettable.

Lord Lovat inspecting the commandos.

The bagpipes.

The English War Office had strictly banned bagpipes in combat. Too conspicuous. Too dangerous. A piper was an easy target.

Lord Lovat had brought his personal piper anyway—21-yearold Bill Millin, a young soldier from the Fraser lands.

As they approached the beach, Lovat gave the order: “Play us ashore.”

Give Us This Day son, or anyone else in the Bible. *** Our Daily A Poem To Which I Can Relate Chuckle

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

I bought some new satin sheets and satin pajamas. I went to jump into bed and wound up in the neighbor’s flower garden. *** Your shadow is confirmation that light has traveled approximately 93 million miles unobstructed, only to be deprived of reaching the ground in the final few feet thanks to you. *** Pope Leo explains God doesn’t listen to people who wage war until you don’t count Moses, David, Joshua, Elijah, Saul, Gideon, Sam-

I remember the corned beef of my childhood, And the bread that we cut with a knife, When the Children helped with the housework, And the men went to work, not the wife.

The cheese never needed a fridge, And the bread was so crusty and hot, The children were seldom unhappy, And the wife was content with her lot.

I remember the milk from the bottle, With the yummy cream on the top, Our dinner came hot from the oven, And not from a freezer; or shop.

The kids were a lot more contented, They didn’t need money for kicks, Just a game with their friends in the road, And sometimes the Saturday flicks.

I remember the shop on the corner, Where biscuits for pennies were sold Do you think I’m a bit too nostalgic?

Or is it....I’m just getting Old?

Millin hesitated, citing the regulations banning pipers in battle.

Lovat smiled and replied: “Ah, but that’s the English War Office.

You and I are both Scottish, and that doesn’t apply.”

So as commandos stormed Sword Beach—as bullets tore through the surf, as men fell around them, as artillery shells exploded—Bill Millin played.

He played Highland Laddie. He played The Road to the Isles. He played All The Blue Bonnets Are

Bathing was done in a wash tub, With plenty of rich foamy suds But the ironing seemed never ending As Mum pressed everyone’s ‘duds’.

I remember the slap on my backside, And the taste of soap if I swore Anorexia and diets weren’t heard of And we hadn’t much choice what we wore.

Do you think that bruised our ego?

Or our initiative was destroyed?

We ate what was put on the table And I think life was better enjoyed.

Author, Unknown Can you remember those days? *** I never called you stupid but when I asked you to spell orange and you asked, “the fruit or the color?” it kinda caught me off guard.

Over the Border.

Men died around him. Machine gun fire ripped through the water.

The noise was deafening. And through it all, cutting through the chaos of war, came the unmistakable, defiant scream of the Highland bagpipes.

Millin later learned from captured German soldiers that they hadn’t shot him because they believed he was a “mad bugger” who had Warrior continued on page 3

Dear Diary:

***

This morning some friend asked me to go on a 5-mile run. I made a list of wat I’ll need: 1. New friends. *** A lot of people seem to forget their other four fingers when waving at me. *** A man goes in to see his rabbi. He says, “I think my wife is trying to poison me.”

The rabbi says, “I’ll speak with her.”

The next day, the rabbi says, “I spent three hours yesterday talking with your wife. Take the poison.” ***

***

You thought dogs were hard to train?

People often mistake me with an adult because of my age.

Look at all the humans who refuse to sit and stay.

***

***

And yet again this morning there was no one next to my bed with a “Good morning Your Highness, here is your fresh cup of coffee.”

The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there’s a 90% probability you’ll get it wrong.

The Paper • Page 3 • April 9, 2026

Oodles!

Warrior from page 2

Looking for things to do? Places to go?

Check out Oodles every week for listing of civic and service club meetings, and more!

Have an event you need publicized?

Email it to: Lisa.ThePaper@gmail.com The Paper goes to print on Tuesday morning.

You are more likely to get published if you: • Submit your press release by the previous Friday.

• Keep It Simple: who, what, where, when, why.

• Send us something we can copy/paste. Please no brochures or flyers. Send a press release.

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

El Camino Quilters Meeting April 14th • 10am

Millin piping for the troops.

gone insane from battle fatigue, seeing him as a harmless lunatic rather than a military threat.

His unauthorized act of defiance became a legend of the Normandy landings.

Lord Lovat’s mission was clear: fight inland to Pegasus Bridge, where British glider troops had landed hours earlier and were desperately holding a strategic crossing against German counterattacks.

The schedule said arrive by 1:00 PM. Lovat and his commandos fought their way off Sword Beach, through German positions, across open ground under fire, pushing toward the bridge.

They arrived at Pegasus Bridge at exactly 1:02 PM. Lord Lovat calmly walked up to the commanding officer—Major John Howard, whose glider troops had been fighting for hours—and, under enemy fire, apologized for being two and a half minutes late.

Then Lovat ordered his commandos to march across Pegasus Bridge.

In the open.

In daylight.

Under fire.

And he ordered them to do it wearing their green berets instead of steel helmets, so the Germans would know exactly who was coming for them.

The commandos marched across that bridge with their green berets visible to every German sniper and machine gunner in range.

Twelve men were shot through their berets that day.

After that, they finally put their helmets on.

But they held the bridge.

As they approached the Caen Canal bridge, the sound of Millin’s bagpipes preceded them. The paratroopers, who had been holding the bridge for over twelve hours under relentless German fire, were near exhaustion. Private William Gray, a 19-yearold Bren gunner, glanced at his wristwatch anxiously. He and his fellow soldiers, including Private John Wilkes, were desperate for reinforcements. When Wilkes first claimed he heard bagpipes, Gray was sceptical.

“You’re daft,” he retorted. But as the sound grew louder, unmistakable, hope surged through the weary defenders.

Upon reaching the bridge, the scene was surreal. Millin’s piping cut through the din of battle, Warrior continued on page 4

El Camino Quilters Guild meets at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday April 14, 2026 at the Dove Library, 1775 Dove Lane, Carlsbad 92011. Guest fee $10.

Our April meeting will be Member Spotlight event. Two members who are professional textile artists, Emily and Jessica Make Stuff will showcase the various items they make. Sue Frerich will show her Baltimore Album Quilt, and Linda Scott will show quilts which hold cherished family memories.

For more information: 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. *** Table Tennis at the Park Avenue Community Center Calling all seniors age 50 and over, join us every Monday and Wednesday 1-3 pm. Everyone welcome – beginning to advanced level players. No sign-ups, no registration, just show up, play for free, and have fun!!

Park Avenue Community Center 210 E Park Avenue Escondido, 92025 *** Writers Workshop April 18th • 1-3pm Do women writers bring a distinctive emotional depth to their fiction? Is it a conscious craft or something more instinctive?

Join author Marsha H. Lupi for an engaging discussion on voice, influence, and the subtle forces that shape our writing. Through

a series of brief, guided prompts, participants will explore their own creative influences and share insights in a supportive setting.

Marsha H. Lupi, EdD, is a retired professor of special education and former college dean, with a 45-year career in New York City and Jacksonville, Florida. She is the author of two mystery novels featuring strong female protagonists and is currently at work on her third.

Vista Library, 700 Eucalyptus Avenue. Online registration is required.

Visit sdcl.org/vista to sign up. *** Hidden Valley Vista City Council of Beta Sigma Phi Int. Founder’s Day April 25th • 10:30am The Hidden Valley Vista City Council of Beta Sigma Phi International will celebrate its 95th Founder’s Day, “SISTERS ARE DIFFERENT FLOWERS FROM THE SAME GARDEN”, on Saturday, April 25, 2026, beginning at 10:30am, Shadowridge Golf Club, 1980 Gateway Drive. Vista, CA. All Beta Sigma Phis – active, inactive, on leave, transferees are invited to make a reservation by calling Susie 760-889-3552 by April 16th.

Cost is $36.50 per person. Menu Choices: Classic Cobb Salad, Chicken Alfredo, or Caprese Sandwich with Tomato Basil Bisque.

HVVC Chapters will be honoring and celebrating the recipients for the Silver Circle, Golden Circle and Diamond Circle Rituals, Women of the Year and the installation of the 2026-2027 HVVC officers will be conferred.

Beta Sigma Phi is a social, cultural, and philanthropic International Sorority, headquartered in Kansa City, Missouri, with chapters throughout Oodles continued on page 14

The Paper • Page 4 • April 9, 2026

Warrior from page 3 and for a moment, the fighting seemed to pause. Both German and Allied soldiers were momentarily stunned by the unexpected sound. The paratroopers, inspired by the familiar and heartening skirl of the bagpipes, knew that relief had finally arrived. The firing ceased as Major Howard’s men saw Lord Lovat’s Commandos, distinguished by their green berets, marching purposefully toward them.

“I started playing as soon as I touched the water. Whenever I hear that song I remember walking through the surf.

“Wounded men were shocked to see me. They had been expecting to see a doctor or some kind of medical help. Instead they saw me in my kilt and playing the bagpipes. It was horrifying, as I felt so helpless.”

There was something almost mythical about what Lord Lovat had done. The Fraser name came from Norman origins—Fraisier, meaning strawberry, from their ancestral lands in Normandy centuries earlier. Now their clan chief had led Highland soldiers back onto Norman soil in one of the most decisive battles in modern history, fighting to liberate the very region his ancestors had come from.

Bill Millin, known forever as the “Mad Piper,” also left an indelible mark with his fearless piping under fire. His actions on D-Day and during the march to Benouville became legendary, symbolizing the unbreakable spirit of the Scottish soldiers. Although not formally recognized with major military decorations, Millin’s bravery was celebrated by his comrades and became a part of wartime folklore. After the war, Millin received numerous honors from various veterans’ organizations and was frequently invited to commemorative events where his contributions were lauded.

The book, Voices from D-Day

by Jonathan Bastable, quoted Private Millin saying, “We were the first out of our troop to reach the shore. The ramps on the boat went down and as we stepped off Lovat ordered me to play ‘Highland Laddie.’

Six days later, on June 12, 1944, Lord Lovat was hit by friendly fire—a stray British artillery shell. He was given his last rites.

The priest said the final prayers.

Everyone assumed he was dying.

Against all odds, he survived.

He returned to Scotland a hero. He The D-Day Piper Bill Millin statue on Sword Beach, Normandy.

them within the past several years.

Those of us who are veterans in our middle earlies should be aware that you are entitled to FREE hearing aids! Testing and prescriptions for hearing aids are done on a routine basis. My hearing aids are worth $4400 for the pair. My cost? ZIP! The service I get from the VA is equal to if not superior to that in the private sector health providers.

Man About Town What a wonderful Friday I had!

All kinds of interesting information developed.

First off, if any of you are military veterans there is a good chance you are not aware of the benefits available to you from the Veteran’s Administration. I only learned about

I had an orthopedic consult yesterday at the VA in La Jolla. Brilliant young man (33 years old, a mere child) who is the Chief Resident in Orthopedics. An absolute delight to visit with. I told him the story about my partner, Evelyn, falling and breaking her hip on a Monday, in surgery on Tuesday and discharged home on Thursday. I thought that was remarkable given that 40 or 50 years ago a senior citizen who broke his/her hip essentially had a death warrant signed.

No more.

He mentioned that he agreed great strides had been made . . . so much so that today it is routine to do hip and knee replacements on an outpa-

tient basis. Patient comes in in the morning, has surgery, goes home the same day! Another fascinating piece of information I learned.

We also discussed my frozen shoulder (terminal arthritis). Kaiser had offered shoulder replacement surgery and I declined; I figured, at my age, I might not be around for two years after the surgery and it was just wasting money that some younger person could make use of.

Not so, said my doc; we actually prefer older patients for replacement surgery and you are an ideal candidate for replacement shoulder surgery. I expressed my reservations because of the “down time” during which I’d not be able to write. He said probably two weeks at most, and even then I’d probably be able to put the keyboard in my lap and type. I dunno. I’ll think about it but I’m not eager to undergo surgery, go through PT, etc.

My orthopedic consult cost me, at most, $15. At Kaiser I would have had a co-pay of $75. I’m thinking of doing most of my medical consults with the VA. They have impressed me. Love Kaiser but their

Warrior continued on page 5

co-pays are getting a bit more than I care to pay.

VA has gotten a lot of bad press, perhaps deservedly so in some areas . . . but in the San Diego area they are first rate.

As to savings, I’m aware of one prescription that is priced at over $600 in the public sector; same medication via VA? $9.

Properly so, first preference goes to service connected disabilities but if you served a minimum of 90 days on active duty in any branch of the service, you are entitled to VA benefits. They operate on a Tier System. If you have a high income, you’re still eligible - you will just likely have a higher co-pay . . . but even that is modest. I have a fairly comfortable income and assets and I qualified with no problem . . and my average copay for an RX is $9 for a doctor visit, $15.

Just contact your local VA office and apply. If they don’t qualify you Man About Town continued on page 6

The Paper • Page 5 • April 9, 2026

Should you buy travel insurance at checkout — or skip it?

by Christopher Elliott

insurance box, assuming he’d be covered.

You’re minutes away from confirming your dream vacation.

You’ve selected a flight, hotel and rental car. And then you see the question: “Add travel insurance to protect your trip for just $89?”

“When a canceled flight out of Atlanta threw off my plans, the policy barely helped,” recalls Marks, an IT specialist from Chattanooga, Tenn. “The coverage looked simple but left me eating most of the costs.”

One click, and you’re covered.

Right?

Alex Smith had a similar wakeup call. After purchasing checkout insurance for both a $780 roundtrip flight and a $1,200 cruise, he discovered the policies’ limitations when a flight delay caused him to miss the first night of his cruise.

Maybe, maybe not.

That convenient checkout insurance you’re about to buy is what industry insiders call the fast-food version of coverage — cheap, quick, and likely to leave you hungry for real protection when you need it most.

Almost 1 in 4 travelers experienced a flight delay or cancellation, according to recent data from AirHelp. Yet many of those same travelers who thought they were covered by insurance discovered their checkout policies offered little more than expensive and illusory peace of mind.

“Checkout travel insurance is often cheap and incomplete, and we all know cutting corners on safety is risky,” says Danielle Graham, sales manager for Global Rescue.

“Most of these policies don’t include essentials like medical evacuation or security extraction.”

Research by Yonder Travel Insurance found that travel supplier policies cover 15 to 30 percent fewer cancellation reasons, offer 10 to 33 percent less medical evacuation coverage, and provide about three times less missed connection protection compared to retail policies.

Warrior from page 4 served in Parliament. He judged cattle at agricultural shows internationally. He managed his vast 250,000-acre Highland estate at Beaufort.

But his final years were marked by tragedy.

In 1994, two of his sons died within weeks of each other. The grief was unbearable.

That same year, financial pressures forced him to sell Beaufort Castle—the ancestral home of Clan Fraser, the seat of his family for generations.

The castle where he’d been born.

The place his clan had called home for centuries.

Illustration by Dustin Elliott And that’s the problem. The U.S. travel insurance market reached $8 billion in 2023 and is predicted to hit $15 billion by 2030, but a growing chunk of those sales comes from add-on policies that don’t always protect you.

The Markup Nobody Talks About Here’s what travel companies don’t want you to know: those checkout policies are massive profit centers.

Patrick Caruso, an independent insurance agent, recently quoted a client $34 for standalone coverage that would have cost $89 through an airline’s checkout process.

“The markup on checkout policies is brutal because the booking platform takes their cut too,” Caruso said. “When I price standalone travel insurance for my clients, I’m seeing 40 to 60 percent savings for equivalent coverage.”

It was sold to strangers.

On March 16, 1995, Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat, died at the age of 83.

Bill Millin—the piper who’d walked beside him through the chaos of D-Day—played at his funeral, bringing the story full circle.

When Lord Lovat died, something died with him that can never return, the last clan chief who led his men into battle in the old Highland way.

There will be titled Scots in the military. There will be officers with ancient names. But there will never again be a Highland chief who walks onto a battlefield at the head of his clansmen, leading them into combat the way

The math gets worse when you realize you’re paying more for less.

“Most people don’t realize that checkout policies are underwritten by the same major insurers I work with directly, just with more restrictive terms and higher prices,” Caruso explains. “You’re literally paying more for less coverage and worse claims handling.”

Danny Karon, author of “Your Lovable Lawyer’s Guide to Legal Wellness,” agrees. “The price you pay for the coverage is often inflated, and the payout rate can be as low as 8 cents for every dollar spent.”

When Convenience Becomes Costly Chahanler Marks learned this lesson the hard way. On a cruise booking, he clicked the checkout

the old chiefs did for a thousand years.

That era ended with Simon Fraser.

The man Churchill called the mildest-mannered throat-cutter.

The brigadier who brought bagpipes onto D-Day beaches.

The Highlander with a German bounty on his head.

The clan chief who arrived at Pegasus Bridge two minutes late and apologized.

The last of his kind.

Scotland does not produce many men like that.

“The insurer only paid out cancellations that fit a very strict list of conditions, and my lost accommodations of $300 were not covered,” says Smith, who runs a software company in Toronto.

The timing trap catches many travelers off guard. Caruso, the travel advisor, had a client whose father suffered a heart attack two weeks before a cruise.

“The checkout policy wouldn’t cover cancellation because it was purchased ‘too close to departure,’ while a standalone policy would have covered it fully,” he says.

What are you actually buying?

Many experts say checkout insurance is designed to protect the travel company’s interests, not yours.

Travel Insurance continued on page 12

And history will not produce any more.

Rest in peace, Lord Lovat. The giants walked in your days. And you were among them.

The Paper • Page 6 • April 9, 2026

5th District Supervisor • Jim Desmond San Diegans Shouldn’t Have to Choose Between Dinner and the Electric Bill I recently spoke with a woman in North County approaching her 80th birthday who had to take a part-time job just to keep up with her bills. She goes to churches for food assistance so she can afford her utilities. She is not alone. Across the county, seniors on fixed incomes, young families stretching every dollar, and small business owners watching their overhead climb are all making the same painful calculation: what do I cut so I can keep the power on?

Forty-six hour.

cents

per

kilowatt

That is what San Diego Gas & Electric now charges the average residential customer. It is nearly double the national average and among the highest rates in the country. The typical SDG&E customer’s monthly bill has climbed to nearly $200. Adjusted for inflation, the same electricity would have cost you under $20 back in 2009. That is not a typo.

How did we get here? Layers of policy decisions, most made in Sacramento, that each sounded reasonable on their own but together created an energy cost crisis. Billions in wildfire mitigation and infrastructure upgrades passed directly to ratepayers.

Clean energy mandates requiring massive investments in solar, wind, and battery systems.

Grid modernization and pipeline safety costs piled on top.

And here is the part that should make everyone angry: SDG&E’s annual profit more than tripled

San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones Plan for Sunny Days with San Marcos Summer Camps provide trusted, high-quality options that keep kids learning and growing beyond the classroom.

For grandparents and caregivers, they offer a chance to see the next generation thrive in a community that values their success. And for all of us, they are a reminder of the strong sense of community that defines San Marcos.

As we look ahead to the sunny days of summer, San Marcos continues to stand out as a community that invests in people, connection and lifelong learning. That commitment comes to life each summer as Parks & Recreation opens registration for camps and programs that keep families active, engaged and inspired all season long.

These programs do more than fill a calendar. For families, these camps

These experiences are made possible by the dedication of our Parks & Recreation staff and the ongoing support of residents who believe in the importance of community programs.

Together, we continue to build a city that prioritizes well-being, connection and opportunity.

I invite you to explore what this summer has to offer for every interest and take part in the programs that make San Marcos such a vibrant place to call home. Learn more and register at sanmarcosca. gov/register

between 2007 and 2024. Ratepayers are struggling. The utility is thriving.

The state’s answer has been timeof-use pricing, which charges you more during peak hours from 4 to 9 p.m. That happens to be exactly when most families are home cooking dinner, helping kids with homework, and doing laundry.

The people who can least afford to shift their schedules get hit the hardest.

Think about what 87 percent above the national average means in real life. A restaurant owner in Escondido trying to keep the refrigerators running. A barber in Vista whose overhead just went up again. A retired teacher in Oceanside choosing between air conditioning and groceries in August.

Energy is not optional. People need it to cook, to stay cool, to keep medications refrigerated.

When the cost of something essential rises this fast with no meaningful accountability, government has failed.

than almost anywhere in America. We should have some of the cheapest energy in the country.

Instead, we have some of the most expensive.

That gap between what is possible and what we have settled for is the result of policy choices. And policy choices can be changed.

But only if we demand it. *** San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond, 1600 Pacific Highway, #335, San Diego, CA 92101, United States http:// www.supervisorjimdesmond.com/

Read The Paper Online www.

TheCommunityPaper. com

San Diego has more sunshine

Man About Town from page 4 let me know and I’ll assist in getting you set up. It’s really an outstanding service. Yes, I’m aware that some VA offices/clinics may not be as accommodating as ours but if you talk to the right people and apply the right pressure you’ll get your coverage. They owe it to you as a veteran!

Strange weather phenomenon: My air conditioner in the car is on the fritz and it was hot - about 85 degrees; we drove Hiway 15 south to 52 west, then north on 5, briefly, to reach LaJolla. Car windows open to give cross ventilation. Even with hot weather, fairly comfortable.

Just as we reached Hiway 5 a curtain of cold air developed. I should have remembered that from when I owned “Lyle’s at the Beach,” the concession business we owned on the beach in Encinitas. We’d drive from a broiling hot Escondido to the coast and pass through that delicious cold air curtain as we passed Hiway 5 (which runs parallel to the Pacific Ocean.)

I took Mary with me, both to get her out of the house and out in the great outdoors for what proved to be a most pleasant drive, but also

because with two persons in a car you can use the HOV (high speed) lanes on the freeways. Particularly on the drive home we tooled along at 60-70 mph while the rest of the traffic in the adjoining freeways was plodding along at 5-10 mph and often resembled a parking lot.

Happy Easter to all. *** Interesting Comments from El Cajon’s Mayor Sacramento politicians want you to believe California’s budget crisis is someone else’s fault.

Here’s what they don’t want you to know: California has burned through $125 BILLION in reserves, loans, and accounting gimmicks. The state has a $21 billion shortfall THIS YEAR. Governor Newsom slashed homeless funding by 50%.

Counties are begging for billions in emergency bailouts.

All of this happened because Sacramento spent more than it took in Man About Town continued on page 13

The Paper • Page 7 • April 9, 2026

County Launches Pop Up Budget Events to Hear from Residents

By County News Center, County of San Diego Communications Office

meeting from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday, May 27 • Visit an in-person open house from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday, May 28 at the County Administration Center.

• Participate in the public budget hearings starting June 1, before the Board considers and adopts the final budget June 23.

The County held an unscheduled, surprise “pop-up” budget event at the North Inland Family Resource Center in Escondido, giving residents a quick, accessible way to learn about the County budget and share what matters most to them.

The goal: meet people where they are and make it easier for residents to have their say in this year’s budget process.

What the County Does San Diego County provides programs and services that touch the lives of nearly all of the county’s 3.3 million residents — across the unincorporated areas, the 18 incorporated cities and the 18 federally recognized tribes.

County officials are developing a balanced 2026-27 budget for the Board of Supervisors to consider in June; the current budget is $8.63 billion.

At the pop-up, staff brought flyers, a hands-on activity where people could “spend” faux dollars on their top priorities and information about how to take part in the budget process.

The unannounced, two-and-a-halfhour event was held in the County’s Fifth Supervisorial District.

Similar pop-ups will be held in each of the other four districts in the coming weeks.

Public Participation Matters The pop-ups are part of broader efforts to expand public involvement.

County Chief Administrative Offi-

cer Ebony Shelton has noted that this year’s budget comes with added challenges, including slowed revenue growth, rising costs and uncertainty about state and federal funding, which accounts for nearly half the County’s revenue.

This winter, the County held a public Budget Process meeting, delivered updates to the Board in February and March, and hosted an online survey and budget priorities ranking tool on the County’s Engage San Diego County Budget page from Feb. 25 to March 29.

Residents shared what they wanted to know about the budget and

how they preferred to receive updates and ranked six major County spending areas.

Ways to Get Involved Shelton will release the recommended budget for the public and County Board of Supervisors to review and consider on May 18.

Once available, the public can: • Review the recommended budget online.

• Submit comments through 5 p.m. June 11 on Engage San Diego County.

• Attend a virtual community

Vista Mayor • John Franklin The Real Driver of Catastrophic Fires is Poor Land Management

You’ve heard the excuses before.

When things go wrong, politicians are quick to blame outside forces—whether it’s the economy, climate, or “circumstances beyond their control.”

But the truth is often much simpler. It’s not the excuse—it’s the policy.

A recent analysis of wildfire trends made an important point: while weather conditions matter, the real driver of catastrophic fires is how land is managed. Poor forest management leads to dangerous fuel

buildup—and when a fire starts, When public safety declines, they the results are devastating. point to complex social factors— while undermining law enforceThe overall number of fires in the ment and refusing to enforce baU.S. have declined over the past 30 sic laws. years, but the acreage burned has increased. To solve the problem, It’s always the same pattern: dewe need to focus on active forest flect, excuse, and avoid responsimanagement practices, including bility. spacing and thinning, harvesting, and prescribed fires.

But leadership means doing the opposite.

The lesson is clear: bad policy creates bigger problems.

As Mayor of Vista, I took a different approach—we fixed probWe’re seeing the same thing right lems. We balanced the budget here in San Diego County. for 12 consecutive years without raising taxes. We enforced laws When homelessness worsens, they to reduce crime and clean up enblame housing costs—but ignore campments. We built the finest failed policies and lack of account- Fire and Rescue Department in ability.

Southern California.

When the budget falls into deficit, they blame “economic conditions”—while continuing to expand government and increase spending.

We must replace failed policies with real solutions—and finally start delivering results for the people of San Diego County.

In the unincorporated areas, the County provides services similar to city government, like law enforcement, roads, building permits, animal services, parks and libraries.

Regionwide, the County also delivers emergency preparedness, criminal prosecution and detention facilities, public and behavioral health services, food and restaurant inspections, elections, beach water monitoring, and federal and state social service programs such as food and financial assistance. *** To learn more, visit www.countynewscenter.com

Letters to the Editor Hi, I decided to pick up this newspaper because of the childhood suicides article.

I have suffer from depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, chronic suicide ideation and have autism.

On the outside I look successful: I have an engineering degree from UC Irvine, have a good job and I am completely self dependent but there was something missing. Accepting myself and understanding my mind has saved my life. I felt the pain of all those beautiful children that took their life. Please believe me, anyone who is reading this, it truly gets better. I had multiple suicide attempts and been to the mental hospital so many times that the staff knew me. Please don’t give up. Your life is too precious.

You will feel the pleasures in life I promise.

Thank you for reading this, Thaily Daniela Serrano-Alamo San Marcos

The Paper • Page 8 • April 9, 2026

Are loyalty programs rewarding you — or trapping you?

by Christopher Elliott

mitting you’ve wasted money on something that isn’t serving you anymore isn’t failure,” she says.

“It’s wisdom.”

Remember when travel rewards programs actually rewarded you?

You collected points, earned status, and got “free” flights. So why does it all feel like a trap now?

How Smart Travelers are Approaching Loyalty

Somewhere along the way, these schemes stopped rewarding loyalty and started exploiting it. Points quietly got devalued. Elite tiers required ever-higher spending thresholds. “Free” flights started coming with hundreds of dollars in taxes and fees.

Smart travelers are treating loyalty programs like any other vendor relationship. When the terms no longer work, they walk.

One of the strategies is the “portfolio” approach. Instead of putting all their eggs in one loyalty basket, savvy travelers are diversifying.

And loyalty became a gilded cage.

“The whole point of loyalty programs is to improve the customer experience, not restrict it,” says Mario Matulich, president of Customer Management Practice. “If your points don’t go as far, status gets harder to earn, or cashing in rewards feels like pulling teeth, then the program isn’t really delivering. When it gets to that point, rewards programs feel more like a burden than a reward.”

Millions of travelers now find themselves trapped in loyalty quicksand. The deeper you sink, the harder it becomes to escape.

The programs that once felt like partnerships are now predatory relationships designed to extract maximum value while delivering minimum benefits.

The Loyalty Goalposts are Moving Consider what happened to Gerri Hether. The retired nurse from Mesa, Arizona thought she’d mastered the loyalty game. After years of religiously charging everything to her Marriott Bonvoy credit card and staying faithful to one airline, she’d climbed the elite tiers and accumulated hundreds of thousands of points.

Then she tried to book her dream vacation to Hawaii.

“I needed 250,000 miles for a oneway first-class ticket from Phoenix to Maui,” Hether says. “Last time I used miles two years ago, it was 80,000 miles for a round-trip firstclass ticket.”

Neither she nor her husband had enough points for even one ticket.

But Hether didn’t accept her situation. She decided to do something about the unfairness of the moving goalposts. In a minute I’ll tell you how she fought back.

Why Loyalty Programs Feel Like Prisons Remember when frequent flyer

“The smartest approach I’ve seen is the ‘portfolio method’ — spread your spending across two to three programs instead of going all-in on one,” says Sun. “When Delta devalued their program in 2023, my diversified clients barely noticed, while the loyal-to-one-brand travelers scrambled.”

Illustration by Dustin Elliott programs rewarded, well, frequent flying? Not anymore. Airlines now base rewards on dollars spent, not miles flown. Hotel chains silently delete perks. Credit card companies raise annual fees while reducing benefits.

Recent data from Mews, a hospitality technology company, reveals that 82 percent of current hotel loyalty members cite frustrations with traditional programs. The top complaints: • Points expiring too quickly (28 percent) • Blackout dates limiting redemptions (24 percent) • Difficulty earning meaningful rewards (23 percent) “I had executive lounge access at every Hilton stay through my Amex Platinum status,” says Pamela Wagner, who runs a global advertising agency and has visited over 100 countries. “This has been removed silently over the last two years. No email, no communication. Just a ‘Sorry, that’s not available anymore’ at check-in.”

The cruel irony? While loyalty programs have become less generous to travelers, they’ve become gold mines for companies. Most airlines now earn more profit from their frequent flyer programs than from actually flying planes.

How to Know if You’re Caught in a Loyalty Trap Before you can escape, you need to recognize you’re trapped. Here are the warning signs:

You’re chasing status instead of value. If you’re spending extra money just to maintain elite tiers, you’ve crossed from customer to captive. Financial advisor Winnie Sun tells clients to calculate their actual return annually. “One client was spending an extra $3,000 yearly on a specific airline just to maintain elite status that saved her maybe $800 in fees,” she says. “It wasn’t worth it.”

You’re making travel decisions based on points, not preferences.

When your loyalty program dictates where you stay or which airline you fly — even when cheaper or better options exist — you’re no longer in control. Your loyalty program is.

Your “free” rewards come with expensive strings. Airlines love displaying “Free Ticket” in large fonts while burying fuel surcharges, booking fees, and taxes in fine print. Those extras can push your “free” flight to cost hundreds outof-pocket. It is often less expensive to just book a regular ticket.

You’re hoarding points indefinitely. If you’re collecting points without specific redemption goals, you’re vulnerable to devaluations and rule changes. Points sitting unused are assets losing value.

As you read this list, you may be saying to yourself, “Surely he’s not talking about me!” But maybe I am. Rachel Acres, a substance abuse counselor, draws parallels between loyalty programs and addiction.

“In recovery, we learn that ad-

There’s also the property-overbrand strategy. Andy Abramson, a longtime business traveler, advocates for what he calls property loyalty over brand loyalty: “A property that knows you, values you, and trusts you is far more likely to deliver meaningful benefits than a faceless brand that just wants to keep you spinning in its points hamster wheel,” he says.

Another popular approach is the cash-back rebellion. Some travelers are abandoning points entirely and moving to a card that offers a flat 2 percent cash back. The math — earning back money that equals or surpasses the card’s annual cost — often works out.

The most successful escapees treat their loyalty programs like insurance policies — reviewing them annually and dropping those that no longer deliver value.

What are the new rules of loyalty?

For travelers who aren’t ready to abandon loyalty programs entirely, here are the new rules for making them work on your terms: Set spending caps. Experts say you shouldn’t spend more than $500 annually chasing status in any single program. If meaningful benefits require more investment, the math doesn’t work.

Focus on flexibility. Choose programs that offer multiple redemption options and partners. Flexibility protects against devaluations.

Earn and burn quickly. Set specific redemption goals and use Loyalty continued on page 9

The Paper • Page 9 • April 9, 2026

Loyalty from page 8 points within 12 to 18 months.

Don’t let them accumulate indefinitely.

Track real value. Calculate the actual dollar value you’re earning per dollar spent, not the inflated “point values” programs advertise.

“Treat points like a depreciating asset,” advises Jeff Galak, who teaches marketing at Carnegie Mellon University. “Just like your car loses value once you drive it off the lot, points lose value with time.

In other words, consumers should not hoard points, but rather, should use them.”

Is this the future of travel loyalty?

The loyalty landscape is already shifting. Companies like Loya are emerging with instant cash-back models instead of deferred rewards. Hotels are focusing on personalization over points — recent data shows 68% of travelers now prioritize personalized experiences over accumulating points, with Gen Z leading at 83%.

“The era of transactional loyalty is over,” says Richard Valtr, founder of Mews. “Today’s travelers want genuine recognition — the kind that comes from truly understanding who your customer is.”

And how about Hether, the retired nurse from Arizona? After discovering her miles had been devalued, she didn’t just complain — she acted.

Children’s Fishing Exprience April 18th & 19th at Dixon Lake

“I canceled the Marriott card when the annual fee hit $650 with fewer benefits,” she says.

Hether went with a cash-back card that offered her more flexible redemption offers. She’s found freedom in flexibility. By abandoning her pursuit of elite status and focusing on value, she’s discovered she can travel more for less. Her former loyalty programs might not miss her, but she doesn’t miss them either.

And maybe that’s how to escape the loyalty quicksand. Because sometimes, the best loyalty program is no loyalty program at all. *** 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.

Escondido-Hidden Valley Kiwanis and The Senior Anglers of Escondido will be hosting their Semi-Annual Children’s Fishing Experience on April 18th and 19th (9-11am and 1-3pm) for all children under 8 at Dixon Lake in Escondido.

Fishing is FREE and all eligible children are GUARANTEED to catch a fish. No fishing permits required and all fishing gear and bait will be provided.

This opportunity will be held in

conjunction with the Kiwanis Semi-Annual Trout Season Fishing Tournament.

There is a $5 Park Entrance Fee (per car) that is collected by the City of Escondido (over 60 is free).

Food and refreshments will be available, or bring a picnic lunch and celebrate our spring sunshine at the lake.

For more information and directions to Dixon Lake check our website at www.kce-hv.org

The Paper • Page 10 • April 9, 2026

The Pastor Says . . .

The Art of Aging

Pastor Huls

One of the great blessings of family life is watching your children grow up. While having a baby or toddler is exciting, we want them to develop and eventually become independent. This entire process, which we call aging, is more than just passing years. It is truly an art: a skillful way of embracing the physical, mental, and spiritual changes that come with time. Aging begins early, in childhood. I see this with my two great-grandchildren—watching them crawl, then walk, then speak their first words. These milestones are more than exciting; they are signs of growth and the beginning of the lifelong journey of aging. As they approach adolescence, changes become even more visible. For the boy, it will be facial and pubic hair, and for the girl, the menstrual cycle. Each stage is part of the art of aging.

These events, and the feelings they evoke, define aging’s dynamic moments. They also spark new awareness, preparing us for each stage that follows.

Once these moments have passed, life takes on a new dimension of aging. During this stage, preoccupation with work, marriage, and raising a family can overshadow thoughts of aging. However, this continues until, often first for the woman, a gray hair appears. This stage of aging is the most difficult to embrace; while it is only a physical item, it symbolizes a new perspective on change. Age quickly leads to awareness of body changes, such as wrinkles and sagging skin. It is a life crisis that demands more than awareness—it now embodies the art of aging. New insights emerge and reflect in self-image, perhaps through glasses, hearing aids, or canes. Every effort seems to go toward stopping the aging process with creams, secret potions, viagra, and promises of miracles to restore one’s former self.

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.

The art of aging is where the spiritual aspect of aging emerges: acceptance. Acceptance means appreciating life’s changes, rediscovering oneself through them, and enjoying who one has become. Instead of lamenting changes brought by time, it is about embracing what aging has created. Aging becomes an art when we see its physical, mental, and spiritual sides. We remain the same human beings, encountering new challenges and opportunities for self-rediscovery. Aging can be more of a blessing than a burden, and with God’s blessing, we can embrace it despite all changes.

Pastor Huls

Escondido 3500 Burnet Drive Oceanside 572 Airport Road San Diego 5480 Gaines Street

Pet Parade

Pet of the Week

Freckle Frank

Birdie

Freckle Frank is a 1-1/2-yearold, 53-pound, male, Cattledog mix.

He was found at an elementary school, then taken to a shelter. When nobody claimed him, Freckle Frank was transferred to Rancho Coastal Humane Society through Friends of County Animal Shelters (FOCAS). He’s a sensitive dog with a kind heart.

He needs a patient family that will give him time to settle in at his own pace.

The $145 adoption fee for Freckle Frank includes medical exam, neuter, up to date vaccinations, registered microchip, and a oneyear license if his new home is in the jurisdiction of San Diego Humane Society.

For more information visit Rancho Coastal Humane Society in Encinitas, call 760-753-6413, or log on to www.SDpets.org. Open from 11 AM to 4 PM every day but Tuesday.

Birdie is a sweet and beautiful dog looking for a loving new home! Birdie is a happy-golucky type of gal who enjoys meeting new friends and going for long walks. Her previous owner reported that she is friendly and gentle around kids, and is also house-trained. Birdie is a social companion who truly loves attention and has a pleasant, calm nature, though she is happy to join in on the excitement when the moment arises.

She is ready to settle into a new environment where she can share her affectionate spirit and become a loyal member of the family. Birdie is currently on a weight loss journey and is looking for an adopter that can monitor her diet and help her get plenty of exercise to feel her best. If you’re looking for a loving friend to share your days with, visit San Diego Humane Society’s Escondido Campus at 3500 Burnet Drive to adopt Birdie (978852) today! If you have questions about the adoption process, you can visit sdhumane.org/adopt or call 619-299-7012.

Online profile: https://sdhumane.org/adopt/available-pets/animalsingle/?petId=978852

The Paper • Page 11 • April 9, 2026

Is the PC age coming to end?

The Computer Factory 845 W. San Marcos Blvd.

760-744-4315 thecomputerfactory.net

When computer giant IBM released the PC 5150 in mid 1981, it legitimized and standardized the PC (personal computer) industry.

With IBM’s financial strength and knowledge base, consumer and businesses alike were confident of the success and financial viability of the PC. IBM’s participation allowed the PC industry to blossom.

It is impossible to overstate the significance of IBM’s participation in the introduction of the PC to the World. The PC was quickly and enthusiastically adopted around the globe. Overnight the PC became the key to education, communications and commercial success in the modern world. Within a generation the PC affected nearly every human endeavor.

Anyone can see how important computers are to modern life, but mainframe and mini-computer

programs and maintenance are expensive to run and maintain. These big computers were fine for corporations and government operations because large operations could justify the costs, but the overwhelming majority of private individuals and small business could not financially justify a dedicated mainframe or mini-server. In the early 1970s software engineers began rewriting applications so they could efficiently run on smaller computers and local networks. When IBM introduced the 5150 PC in 1981, software engineers were ready with pre-designed program version for use on stand-alone PCs. From 1981 to 2001, PC based stand-alone programs were standard for applications run in American homes and small businesses.

In 2000 the Internet had about 100 million American customers. In 2001 the IW (intelligent web) was born featuring high speed, broadband Internet combined with AI (artificial intelligence). Between 2001 and 2010 IW connections in the USA grew from 100 million to nearly 240 million users. As Americans switched to the IW, they also switched from stand-alone applications to less costly and resource intensive Internet based applications.

Today the vast majority of home and small business PC users employ Internet server based applications.

The Internet’s ever growing inventory of applications has reduced the need for local CPU speed, memory and storage capacity. Internet server based applications are cheaper and faster than stand-alone applications. Today 90% of Internet

connected and LAN based PCs are simply “Internet terminals”. That means that the applications they use are resident on Internet servers.

All the “heavy lifting” is done by the Internet’s servers. Our connection devices (desktops, laptops, alin-ones, Micros, Cell phones etc) are “Dumb Terminals” displaying the solutions provided by the Internet’s servers.

So the answer to the question posed in the title of this column is YES. In the next few years our slow “digital” based applications will be replaced by lightning fast “quantum” computing. How “quantum computing” ” will affect society and how AI (artificial Intelligence) will change our lives are open questions.

It would be nice if we could meet

some form of advanced intelligent life from our own galaxy and get reassurance that our advancing technology would continue to serve us and improve our lives in years to come. According to the scientists, with upwards of 400 billion stars in our Milky Way, there should be could be at least a few dozen active civilizations at any given time right here in our home galaxy. (The Milky Way is one of two trillion galaxies in the universe) The average distance from our planet to another potential civilization within our own galaxy is about 17,000 light years, (a light year is about 5.88 trillion miles) At the speed of light it would take 34,000 years for us to send a message and receive an answer from a Milky Way neighbor of average distance from our Earth. I think I’ll just wait for them to call me!

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John Van Zante’s Critter Corner

Are Your Pets Safe from Bobcats?

Meanwhile, the neighbor lets her 2 small dogs out to go potty. Not always supervised, and never on leashes.”

If they can’t find the food they prefer, or if they find prey that’s easier to catch, bobcats will eat livestock, poultry, and (Lisa was right) small domestic pets.

At first, I thought it was a coyote.

They’re everywhere at this time of year. Then I enlarged the picture and thought, “Holy Cow! Lisa has a bobcat in her yard!”

This week’s Critter Corner begins with an email from Lisa Scarpello, Managing Editor of The Paper.

“My husband has been mowing the yard lately and came across an embankment where the weeds were all flattened. We figured it was coyotes, so we put the trail cam out for 3 nights. And look what we caught on camera!

While I’ve seen bobcats many times, I’ve never seen more than one at a time. According to Google, bobcats live alone. One exception is late winter and early spring when a male and female bobcat get together for one to three days for breeding. Or you might see a female bobcat with her kittens.

Once the deed is done, the couple parts company. Mommy bobcat goes off and has her kittens then raises them for 8 to 12 months until they leave.

Back to Lisa’s question. Are neighborhood pets safe from bobcat attacks?

Bobcats almost always hunt at night when they can hide in the dark until it’s too late for their prey to escape.

Their favorite foods include rabbits, mice, squirrels, and birds. If it’s easier to catch, they also eat snakes, foxes, skunks, and even young deer.

Imagine mommy bobcat with four hungry kittens at home. She’s been hunting with nothing to show for it. Then she spots a little dog or the cat that someone put out for the night. It’s dark. She sees them.

They don’t see her until it’s too late.

Just like coyotes, bobcats will scout your neighborhood. They know where to find water. They learn your schedule. They know which yards leave out a bowl of pet food.

And they know if you leave your pets outside, unattended.

Thank you, Lisa! You might save someone from losing their best friend.

The Paper • Page 12 • April 9, 2026

Travel Insurance from page 5

“Most ‘trip protection’ buttons have no named underwriter, no 24/7 assistance, and they almost always give vouchers instead of cash should something go wrong,” said Mark Whitman, a travel insurance consultant at Rise & Shield.

Travel agent Maria LaDuca also warns that if you have to cancel, you’ll usually just get a future credit instead of your money back.

“And those plans almost never cover the big things that really matter, like medical emergencies, evacuations, lost luggage, or long delays,” she adds.

Jackie Mondelli, chief marketing officer of Squaremouth sees this constantly: “These checkout travel insurance policies may appear at checkout even for fully refundable bookings, where trip cancellation coverage is not necessary.”

The Medical Coverage Mirage That’s not all. Neville Mehra, cofounder of the travel insurance platform Genki, says there are other consequences of buying addon insurance at checkout. But you may not find out about them until you have a health problem while you’re on the road.

“Ending up in a hospital in a foreign country — there’s really no limit to how much it might cost in the case of a severe accident or illness,” Mehra said. “We’ve seen cases even in countries that are considered budget destinations like Mexico and Thailand where travelers have ended up in the hospital with bills ranging from $30,000 to $100,000 for inpatient surgeries for things like appendicitis.”

Many checkout policies either exclude medical coverage entirely or cap it at laughably low amounts, according to experts.

Max Coupland, CEO of Insuranceopedia, warns that travelers often discover these gaps too late.

“Checkout insurance often has very narrow definitions of covered reasons for cancellation, things like illness or severe weather, while excluding common scenarios such as work-related cancellations, preexisting medical conditions, or strikes,” Coupland says.

The Adventure Traveler’s Nightmare For anything beyond basic travel, checkout policies become virtually useless. Whitman of Rise & Shield points to a common scenario that

leaves adventurous travelers exposed.

“Most checkout policies exclude mountaineering or cap trekking at 2,000 to 3,000 meters, so altitude illness or a heli-evac isn’t covered,” Whitman said. “Here’s my rule of thumb: if the activity or altitude isn’t spelled out, you’re not covered.”

Professional photographer Jeffrey Wang, who logs over 100,000 miles annually with expensive equipment, learned to avoid checkout options entirely.

“These policies are often disappointingly narrow and designed to protect the trip cost for casual travelers,” Wang says. “Not the specialized gear or creative investment that defines my livelihood.”

When Checkout Coverage Works

“Independent, third-party travel insurance providers typically offer broader protection, often at a more competitive price,” she says.

The average cost of comprehensive travel insurance runs 5 to 6 percent of your trip costs, according to recent analysis. For a $7,000 trip, that’s roughly $350 to $420 — often less than what you’d pay for multiple checkout policies that cover only portions of your journey.

Travel guide Lahcen Ait-Hami has watched this play out with his clients in Morocco. “Travelers who purchased a separate policy usually felt more secure, especially when their trip involved multiple stops, longer stays, or activities like camping in the Sahara. The separate policy is more protective and easier to comprehend.”

The Coverage that Counts

But checkout insurance isn’t always worthless. For simple domestic trips or short weekend getaways, it can provide basic protection at a reasonable price.

When shopping for standalone policies, focus on what really matters.

“For simple, low-cost trips, checkout insurance may be sufficient,” Coupland said. “For bigger, international, or nonrefundable trips, shop a standalone policy for broader protection.”

“It’s always a good idea to review the terms and conditions to make sure the benefits align with the specific travel itinerary,” says Rhonda Abedsalam, vice president of travel insurance at AXA Partners US.

Some travel companies do offer legitimate value. EF Go Ahead Tours provides “cancel for any reason” policies for $75 on trips that can cost thousands per traveler. When you’re spending serious money, that level of flexibility becomes worthwhile.

Look for policies that include:

But you have to do your due diligence before clicking the “buy” button. Scott Fleming, president of Aon Affinity Travel Practice, notes that while checkout policies offer convenience and customization for specific trip types, “We recommend that consumers always review their coverage to ensure it meets their individual needs.”

The Smart Shopper’s Strategy The experts are nearly unanimous: shop carefully for standalone coverage. Very carefully.

“I usually tell clients that they should shop around to find a plan that is best suited for them,” said John Cook, president of QuoteWright.com. “The travel plans at checkout are generally strippeddown plans that are designed to hit a specific price point that maximizes sales rather than benefits to the traveler.”

Suzanne Morrow, CEO of InsureMyTrip, echoes this advice.

Emergency medical and evacuation coverage (especially crucial internationally) Trip cancellation for a broad range of reasons Coverage that begins when you purchase the policy Cash payouts, not vouchers or credits 24/7 assistance and support Steve Johnson, chief product officer at Backpack Insurance, says you have to make sure you get the real deal -- not some strippeddown, overpriced version of insurance.

“Ask yourself: Is it complete travel insurance, or is it only flight insurance?” he says. “Is it a comprehensive policy, or does it only cover the traveler’s bags? Does it only cover travel purchases made using a specific credit card?”

Don’t Forget the Annual Option For frequent travelers, annual policies can offer the best value. Diana Steele, who works for a university in Cleveland, says her $275 annual policy has saved her a lot of money.

“Each year, I’ve had a mishap — urgent care visit, canceled flight,

emergency dental work — that cost me at least slightly more than the insurance itself,” she says. “My last trip, to Spain in June, had a canceled return flight that left me stranded overnight in Madrid. I spent 250 euros to remain in the hotel. By the following Thursday, my claim was paid in full.”

What to do When You Book Your Trip One thing is clear: When you’re booking your trip, you have a decision to make about travel insurance.

“Buy your travel insurance when you book your trip,” advises Daniel Durazo, a spokesman for Allianz Partners. “If you wait to buy insurance, you may not be covered if an event happens between when you book and when you purchase the insurance.”

Where Should You Buy? The best advice is to shop around.

Sure, it takes a few extra minutes.

But would you buy car insurance from a car dealer without comparing rates? Would you purchase homeowner’s insurance from your real estate agent just because it’s convenient?

The travel industry has trained us to expect convenience at every step, but some conveniences might cost more than they’re worth. That checkout insurance box isn’t necessarily there to protect you, but it will always protect the travel company’s bottom line.

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.

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The Paper • Page 13 • April 9, 2026

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Man About Town from page 6 — year after year — and covered it up instead of fixing it.

California has the highest income taxes in America. The highest gas prices. And they STILL can’t balance a budget.

That’s not a revenue problem.

That’s a leadership problem. And the people of California deserve better.

A new report just confirmed what anyone with a functioning brain already knew: California’s insane cost of living is pushing people into poverty and driving them out of the state.

I’ve watched this happen in real time. I was born in San Diego in the ‘60s, when California was the place everyone wanted to be.

Affordable homes. Good jobs. Opportunity everywhere. Now? Young people can’t afford rent, let alone a house. Families are leaving for Texas, Arizona, Florida — anywhere that hasn’t been destroyed by Sacramento’s tax-and-regulate addiction.

This isn’t bad luck. This is the direct result of policy choices made by Sacramento politicians who have never run a business, never made a payroll, and never worried about making rent. They regulate everything, tax everything, and then act surprised when people leave.

El Cajon residents — especially young families trying to build a life here — deserve better than a state government that’s actively making their lives harder. It’s time to demand change or California will keep bleeding its best and brightest.

And our own Supervisor Jim Desmond says . . .

Sacramento politicians want you to believe California’s budget crisis is someone else’s fault.

Here’s what they don’t want you to know: California has burned through $125 BILLION in reserves, loans, and accounting gimmicks. The state has a $21 billion shortfall THIS YEAR. Governor Newsom slashed homeless funding by 50%.

Counties are begging for billions in emergency bailouts.

All of this happened because Sacramento spent more than it took in — year after year — and covered it up instead of fixing it.

California has the highest income taxes in America. The highest gas prices. And they STILL can’t balance a budget.

That’s not a revenue problem.

That’s a leadership problem. And the people of California deserve better.

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The Paper • Page 14 • April 9, 2026

Oodles from page 3 the world. If you are interested in belonging to a special organization and make many new friends, call Sue at 858-484-8752. *** Oceanside High School Foundation First Annual “Promoting the Future” Fundraiser Dinner & Live Auction April 25th • 6pm to 8pm Join us for an unforgettable evening that blends the excitement of a live auction with a powerful “Fund the Need” opportunity designed to directly impact the lives of OHS students and staff. The event takes place on Saturday April 25th at the Oceanside Elks Lodge 444 Country Club Lane, Oceanside.

The Oceanside High School Foundation presents this Night with Purpose Mission to enhance the high school experience, affirm the undeniable value of education, and nurture the powerful sense of our Pirate community.

Evening highlights include dinner, inspiring speakers, live auction bidding for: Wine tasting, Exclusive golf opportunities, Vacation packages, Local attractions and experiences, and much more.

Ticket price $25 per person. Purchase yours at website https:// www.ohsfoundation.org/newsand-events/promoting-the-futurefundraising dinner. *** The Good LIFE at MiraCosta College 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. April 10 1:00 MCC Theater Production, “The Book Club Play”

Eric Bishop and Students This side-splitting comedy follows Ana and her fellow book lovers as they navigate friendship, literature and the absurd situations that unfold when cameras start rolling.

April 10 2:30 China Camp---One Family, 100 Years of Shrimping Russell Low Author, Researcher &Asian American Historian On San Pablo Bay’s tidal shores, Chinese immigrants built China Camp, a vibrant shrimping village rooted in Pearl River traditions.

Despite hardship and prejudice, families thrived, with the Quan family sustaining shrimping fishing for generations.

April 17 1:00 How and why I became a Palestine Refugee Jamal Kanj, Author Mr. Kanj will trace his life as a Palestinian refugee, discuss myths surrounding the Palestine question and how managed media narratives collide with his lived experience, history, justice, memory and enduring dispossession.

April 17 2:30 San Diego Ballet Javier Velacso, Artistic Dir SD Ballet Mr. Velasco will talk about the history of the San Diego ballet and upcoming ballets.

April 24 1:00 AI, Philosophy and Language Elizabeth Rohwer, Speech Technology Advisor Ms. Rohwer will explore how modern AI sheds new light on Ludwig Wittgenstein’s early work in logic and language.

April 24 2:30 Whales and Porpoises Cory Hom-Weaver Ocean Science Analytics Dive into the hidden world of ocean sound and discover how scientists use underwater acoustics to detect, track, and study marine mammals, revealing their behaviors, migrations, and responses to a changing environment.

To join a Zoom meeting, LIFE

must have your email address in order for you to receive the invite link. Meetings will start at 12:45 pm (you can join 15 minutes earlier) and the speaker will start at 1:00 pm. Email: life.miracosta@ gmail.com. *** East Valley Parkway Business Association Meeting 2nd Wednesday • 2pm June 10th, April 8th, July 8th, May 13th and August 12th. At Elote Restaurant, 1760 E. Valley Pkwy, Escondido. Visit www. evalley-parkway.com for more information. *** Sing For The Health Of It Try Barbershop Singing!

Singing in a chorus has many physical and cognitive benefits: • You pay attention to your posture to improve your breathing.

• You strengthen muscles used in breathing, allowing you to breathe more deeply so you can support and sustain notes.

• You actively listen so that you match others in your voice part and are in harmony with other parts.

• Singing releases endorphins which make you feel good too.

• In an acappella chorus, which has no accompaniment, you memorize the notes. (In a barbershop a cappella chorus, you also memorize lyrics).

The Music Men Chorus (Palomar Pacific Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society) is a men’s acappella choir that performs 4-part, close-harmony songs arranged in the “Barbershop” Style, known for its ringing chords. We sing a variety of song genres (romantic ballads, movie and show tunes, Great American Songbook selections, patriotic songs, inspirational numbers, and Christmas holiday favorites), performing at both

public and private venues in North County.

Our members believe that singing in our chorus keeps them healthier, both physically and mentally. We have 3 members in their 90’s who regularly attend rehearsal.

If you are a male, high school age or older, who loves to sing and is interested in joining a chorus, we invite you to attend one of our Tuesday evening rehearsals, learn more about us, and see how singing can enhance your life. Previous musical experience is helpful but not a requirement. We meet at 7 pm at San Marcos Lutheran Church, 3419 Grand Avenue, in the Luther Hall. For more information, contact Bill at (760) 5856315 or visit our website, www. musicmenchorus.org.

Chess at Park Avenue Community Center Home of Escondido Senior Center 210 Park Avenue, Escondido 760-839-4688 Adults of all skill levels are welcome. Drop in anytime Wednesday OR Friday noon-3pm to play or watch in the shuffleboard building.

Follow the signs or ask at the front desk for directions. Friendly games with large boards and pieces provided. No fees or reservations.

Looking for things to do?

Check Out Oodles Each Week

LEGALS NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF Kevin Wesley Heimlich Case No. 26PE000772C SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO 1100 Union Street, Room 331 San Diego, CA. 92101 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate or both, of Kevin Wesley Heimlich. A Petition for Probate has been filed by Alan Heimlich in the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego. The Petition for probate requests that Alan Heimlich be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils,

if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.

The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.)

The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows:

Date: 05/06/2026 Time: 1:30 pm Dept: 502 Address of court: Same as noted above.

If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.

If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the

California Probate code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. you may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.

You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.

Attorney for Petitioner: Gadi Zohar 2211 Park Blvd Palo Alto, CA 94306 (650) 493-9200 4/2, 4/9, 4/16, 4/23/2026

The Paper • Page 15 • April 9, 2026

LEGALS

FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9003515 The name of the business: MEM Autosales LLC, located at 524 W. Calle Primera, Suite 1005-H, San Ysidro, CA 92173. Registrant, MEM Auto Sales LLC, 524 W. Calle Primera, Suite 1005-H, San Ysidro, CA 92173.

This business is operated by a Limited Liability Company.

First day of business N/A /s/ Sergio Martinez Flores, President with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 2/17/2026 3/12, 3/19, 3/26, 4/2/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9005090 The name of the business: Pet Lovers Real Estate, Pet Lovers Realtor, located at 410 Vista Village Dr., Vista, CA 92083.

Registrant, Pet Lovers Real Estate Corp, 29627 Pamoosa Lane, Valley Center, CA 92082.

This business is operated by a Corporation.

First day of business N/A /s/ Omar Jesus Gonzalez with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 3/5/2026 3/12, 3/19, 3/26, 4/2/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9004184 The name of the business: Elite Environmental Consulting of I.E., located at 202 Avenida Chapala, Lake San Marcos, CA 92069. Registrant, Environmental Consulting LLC, 202 Avenida Chapala, San Marcos, CA 92069. This business is operated by a Limited Liability Company.

First day of business 11/24/2025 /s/ Robert William Davignon, CEO with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 2/23/2026 3/12, 3/19, 3/26, 4/2/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9005184 The name of the business: Pizzabar, Pizzabar San Marcos, located at 342 S. Twin Oaks Valley Rd., #143, San Marcos, CA 92078. Registrant, AKBC Restaurants Inc., 342 S. Twin Oaks Valley Rd., #143, San Marcos, CA 92078. This business is operated by a Corporation.

First day of business 2/25/2026 /s/ Brannon William Ciora, President with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 3/5/2026 3/12, 3/19, 3/26, 4/2/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9005384 The name of the business: Banksford Pet Co, located at 3793 Via Cabrillo, Oceanside, CA 92058. Registrant, Warewoof House LLC, 3793 Via Cabrillo, Oceanside, CA 92058.

This business is operated by a Limited Liability Company.

First day of business 3/10/2026 /s/ Tanya Ware, CEO with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 3/10/2026 3/19, 3/26, 4/2, 4/9/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9004449 The name of the business: Lesli Esthetics, located at 830 E. Vista Way, Suite 102, Vista, CA 92084. Registrant, Lesli Maira Ojeda, 830 E. Vista Way, Suite 102, Vista, CA 92084. This business is operated by an Individual.

First day of business 2/20/2026 /s/ Lesli M. Ojeda with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/ Recorder of San Diego on 2/25/2026 3/19, 3/26, 4/2, 4/9/2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME 26CU000245N TO ALL INTERESTED PER-

SONS: Petitioner Alina Brechka Javier Gutierrez filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: Elliot Thiago Gutierrez to Proposed name Elliot Thiago Gutierrez Brechka.

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: May 1, 2026, 8:30 am, in Dept. N-25 No hearing will occur on above date. Please see attachment The address of the court is: 325 S. Melrose Dr., Vista, CA 92081. A copy of the Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: San Marcos News Reporter, dba, The Paper, 845 W. San Marcos Blvd, San Marcos, Ca. 92078. Dated March 12, 2026 /s/ Brad A. Weinreb, Judge of the Superior Court 3/19, 3/26, 4/2, 4/9/2026

ited Partnership.

First day of business N/A /s/ David S. Brown, Secretary with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 2/19/2026 3/26, 4/2, 4 /9, 4/16/2026

FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9005608 The name of the business: Kenney Relic Sign Company, located at 2560 Jason Ct., Oceanside, CA 92056. Registrant, Kenney Signs, 2560 Jason Ct., Oceanside, CA 92056. This business is operated by a Corporation.

First day of business 12/1/2024 /s/ Nichole Hamelback, Secretary with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 3/11/2026 3/19, 3/26, 4/2, 4/9/2026

FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9005315 The name of the business: Karinas Sparkle Shop, located at 984 E. Vista Way Suite C, Vista, CA 92084. Registrant, Karina L. Mendoza, 984 E. Vista Way Suite C, Vista, CA 92084. This business is operated by an Individual.

First day of business 3/9/2026 /s/ Karina L. Mendoza with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 3/9/2026 3/26, 4/2, 4 /9, 4/16/2026

FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9005713 The name of the business: Amuri Cucina Italiana, Amuri Osteria Italiana, located at 677 S. Twin Oaks Valley Rd., Apt 355, San Marcos, CA 92078. Registrant, Amuri LLC, 677 S. Twin Oaks Valley Rd., Apt 355, San Marcos, CA 92078. This business is operated by a Limited Liability Company.

First day of business N/A /s/ Antonio Zammataro, Managing Member with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/ Recorder of San Diego on 3/12/2026 3/19, 3/26, 4/2, 4 /9/2026

FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9003876 The name of the business: Verise, located at 5420 Grand Pacific Drive, Carlsbad, CA 92008.

Registrant, Grand Pacific Carlsbad Hotel Inc General Partner of Grand Pacific Carlsbad Hotel LP, 5900 Pasteur Court Ste. 200, Carlsbad, CA 92008. This business is operated by a Limited Partnership.

First day of business N/A /s/ David S. Brown, Secretary with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 2/19/2026 3/26, 4/2, 4 /9, 4/16/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9003946 The name of the business: Frank & Dean’s Osteria Bar, located at 12265 Scripps Poway Parkway #113, Poway, CA 92064. Registrant, Gaetano Thomas Ventimiglia, 11339 Rose Garden Ct., San Diego, CA 92131, Darlene Frances Ventimiglia, 11339 Rose Garden Ct., San Diego, CA 92131. This business is operated by a Married Couple.

First day of business N/A /s/ Gaetano Thomas Ventimiglia with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 2/20/2026 3/26, 4/2, 4 /9, 4/16/2026

FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9006249 The name of the business: Keepsymags, located at 3140 Palm Crest Terrace, San Marcos, CA 92078. Registrant, John Philip Hall, 3140 Palm Crest Terrace, San Marcos, CA 92078. This business is operated by an Individual.

First day of business N/A /s/ John Philip Hall with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/ Recorder of San Diego on 3/18/2026 3/26, 4/2, 4 /9, 4/16/2026

FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9002690 The name of the business: SP Health & Wellness, located at 3985 Mission Ave., Oceanside, CA 92057. Registrant, Christa Joy McQueen, General Delivery, Carsbad, CA 92057. This business is operated by an Individual.

First day of business N/A /s/ Christa J. McQueen with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 2/5/2026 2/19, 2/26, 3/5, 3/12/2026

FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9006498 The name of the business: M&A Firearm Care & Accessories, located at 15 Quintard St., Chula Vista, CA 91911. Registrant, Donald Maybery Wilburn, 15 Quintard St., Chula Vista, CA 91911, Nikki Ann Wilburn, 15 Quintard St., Chula Vista, CA 91911. This business is operated by a Married Couple.

First day of business N/A /s/ Donald Maybery Wilburn with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 3/20/2026 3/26, 4/2, 4 /9, 4/16/2026

FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9003874 The name of the business: Hotel Solea, Solea Hotel, located at 5420 Grand Pacific Drive, Carlsbad, CA 92008. Registrant, Grand Pacific Carlsbad Hotel Inc General Partner of Grand Pacific Carlsbad Hotel LP, 5900 Pasteur Court Ste. 200, Carlsbad, CA 92008. This business is operated by a Lim-

FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9005896 The name of the business: Bongiorno Construction Inc., located at 1910 Northstar Way #221, San Marcos, CA 92078. Registrant, Bongiorno Construction Inc., 1910 Northstar Way #221, San Marcos, CA 92078. This business is operated by a Corporation.

First day of business 3/1/2026

/s/ Michael Bongiorno, CEO with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 3/16/2026 4/2, 4/9, 4/16, 4/23/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9006473 The name of the business: Mr. Appliance - Encinitas, Carlsbad, San Marcos, located at 1581 Dawson Dr., Vista, CA 92081.

Registrant, Lucen Partners LLC, 7220 Trade St., Ste 252, San Diego, CA 92121. This business is operated by a Limited Liability Company.

First day of business N/A /s/ Anang Chokshi with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/ Recorder of San Diego on 3/20/2026 4/2, 4/9, 4/16, 4/23/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9006841 The name of the business: Driveo, Driveo.Com, located at 400 N. Johnson Ave., El Cajon, CA 92020. Registrant, CSS Services LLC, 400 N. Johnson Ave., El Cajon, CA 92020. This business is operated by a Limited Liability Company.

First day of business 1/13/2020 /s/ Stanislav Shabalin, CEO with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 3/25/2026 4/2, 4/9, 4/16, 4/23/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9005768 The name of the business: Julie Skin Reset, Skin Reset, located at 390 Oak Ave., Suite I, Carlsbad, CA 92008. Registrant, Julie Baclie Cortinas, 390 Oak Ave., Suite I, Carlsbad, CA 92008.

This business is operated by an Individual.

First day of business N/A /s/ Julie Baclie Cortinas with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 3/12/2026 4/2, 4/9, 4/16, 4/23/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9005211 The name of the business: Sage And Navy, located at 2609 Fallsview Rd., San Marcos, CA 92078. Registrant, J And J Premier Management LLC, 2609 Fallsview Rd., San Marcos, CA 92078. This business is operated by a Limited Liability Company.

First day of business N/A /s/ Jimmy Sunga Hsia, President with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 3/6/2026 4/2, 4/9, 4/16, 4/23/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9005582 The name of the business: Roof Medics, located at 560 Copper Dr., Apt 10, Vista, CA 92083.

Registrant, Diego Israel Galicia, 560 Copper Dr., Apt 10, Vista, CA 92083. This business is operated by an Individual.

First day of business 3/10/2026 /s/ Diego Galicia with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/ Recorder of San Diego on 3/11/2026 4/2, 4/9, 4/16, 4/23/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9006122 The name of the business: Aloha Printing, Royal business Cards, located at 133 Newport Dr., Ste B, San Marcos, CA 92069. Registrant, Aloha Enterprises, Inc., 133 Newport Dr., Ste B, San Marcos, CA 92069. This business is operated by a Corporation.

First day of business 3/23/2015 /s/ George Burrola, President with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 3/17/2026 4/2, 4/9, 4/16, 4/23/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME

Advertise Your Legal in The Paper 760 747-7119 STATEMENT 2026-9007413 The name of the business: Orea Auto, located at 249 S. Indiana Avenue, Vista, CA 92084. Registrant, Orea Auto LLC, 949 Harding Street, Escondido, CA 92027. This business is operated by a Limited Liability Company.

First day of business 3/11/2026 /s/ Brian Angel Orea, CEO with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 4/2/2026 4/9, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9007306 The name of the business: Habo, Partacal, located at 4425 San Joaquin Street, Oceanside, CA 92068. Registrant, Armando Cervantes Perez Jr., PO Box 646, San Luis Rey, CA 92068.

This business is operated by an Individual.

First day of business N/A /s/ Armando Cervantes Perez Jr. with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 4/1/2026 4/9, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9007385 The name of the business: Midwest Financial, located at 380 S. Melrose Dr., #390, Vista, CA 92081. Registrant, John Lyonn Taylor, 380 S. Melrose Dr., #390, Vista, CA 92081. This business is operated by an Individual.

First day of business 4/1/2003 /s/ John L. Taylor with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/ Recorder of San Diego on 4/2/2026 4/9, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9007385 The name of the business: Midwest Financial, located at 380 S. Melrose Dr., #390, Vista, CA 92081. Registrant, John Lyonn Taylor, 380 S. Melrose Dr., #390, Vista, CA 92081. This business is operated by an Individual.

First day of business 4/1/2003 /s/ John L. Taylor with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/ Recorder of San Diego on 4/2/2026 4/9, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9006773 The name of the business: Nono’s B.S.T., located at 637 S. Santa Fe Ave., Suite B, Vista, CA 92083 Registrant, Nono’s B.S.T., 2677 Canyon Crest Drive, Escondido, CA 92027.

This business is operated by a Limited Liability Company.

First day of business 3/24/2026 /s/ Ciaralyn Lora, CEO with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 3/24/2026 4/9, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30/2026 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME 26CU017373N TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner Genesis Athenea Beltran filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: Genesis Athenea Beltran to Proposed name Genesis Athenea Luciano. 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: May 15, 2026, 8:30 am, in Dept. N-25 No hearing will occur on above date. Please see attachment The address of the court is: 325 S. Melrose Dr., Vista, CA 92081. A copy of the Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: San Marcos News Reporter, dba, The Paper, 845 W. San Marcos Blvd, San Marcos, Ca. 92078. Dated March 30, 2026 /s/ Brad A. Weinreb, Judge of the Superior Court 4/9, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9007263 The name of the business: 9th Man Club Bomber Nation, 9th Man Club, located at 235 Vista Village Dr., #1105, Vista, CA 92083. Registrant, Robert Erwin Holley, 235 Vista Village Dr., #1105. This business is operated by an Individual.

First day of business 2/28/2026 /s/ Robert Erwin Holley with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 4/1/2026 4/9, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9005201 The name of the business: Creative Stone, located at 234 West Clemmence Apt 61, Fallbrook, CA 92028. Registrant, Ezequila Hernandez Selgado, 234 West Clemmence Apt 61, Fallbrook, CA 92028. This business is operated by an Individual.

First day of business N/A /s/ Ezequila Hernandez with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 3/6/2026 4/9, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9007661 The name of the business: Wise Owl Software, Wise Owl, located at 2405 Vista Mountain Dr., Vista, CA 92084. Registrant, Brent Rector, 2405 Vista Mountain Dr., Vista, CA 92084.

This business is operated by an Individual.

First day of business N/A /s/ Brent Rector with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/ Recorder of San Diego on 4/6/2026 4/9, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9006687 The name of the business: Eve London Arts, located at 1657 Palomar Dr., San Marcos, CA 92069. Registrant, Cynthia Lee Johnson, 1657 Palomar Dr., San Marcos, CA 92069. This business is operated by an Individual.

First day of business 3/24/2026 /s/ Cynthia L. Johnson with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 3/24/2026 4/9, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30/2026 FICTITIOUS Business NAME STATEMENT 2026-9007686 The name of the business: La Costa Coffee Roasting Co., La Costa Coffee Roaster, Carlsbad Coffee Roasting, Carlsbad Coffee Roaster, located at 6965 El Camino Real, #208, Carlsbad, CA 92009. Registrant, LCCR Holdings Inc., 6965 El Camino Real, #208, Carlsbad, CA 92009. This business is operated by a Corporation.

First day of business 6/1/1991 /s/ Douglas Novak, President with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 4/6/2026 4/9, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30/2026

The Paper • Page 16 • April 9, 2026