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February 9, 2017
Volume 21, Issue 6
Ag Water Summit participants say California drought not over
Cdebaca convicted of first-degree murder
Tony Ault Staff Writer
“One rainy month will not make up for a six-year drought,” pointed out Larry Dick, Metropolitan Water District (MWD) chairman of the Agriculture and Industry Relations Committee, at the first ever Agricultural Water Summit Feb. 3, sponsored by the Rancho California Water District (RCWD). Dick was the guest speaker at the water summit held at South Coast Winery in Temecula Wine Country that brought more than 100 farmers and agricultural business owners to hear about how area water resources will be affected now and in the future. Dick said, “the drought is not over,” and the water issues in California “have become increasingly challenging. Farmers are now looking at quality as well as supply.” Looking through the years, Dick said there has developed “a new era of cooperation” between urban water districts and the state of California, and that “agricultural and urban interests have developed successful partnerships.” After citing a number of cases where the cooperation between MWD, the state Water Resources Board and farmers has been highly successful, even more such cooperation will be needed in the future for newer water conservation projects underway in the northern part of the state. He urged the farmers and other interests to continue improving ways to conserve precious water by using technology, good farming
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Tony Ault photo Charley Wolk from Fallbrook addresses the crowd at the inaugural Agricultural Water Summit, Feb. 3. Wolk said the 2017 avocado crop “is one of the smallest in a good number of years” due to salt content in soil.
Alperstein, Duarte, Garcia and Oatman saluted as Students of the Month
VISTA – A 65-year-old woman who shot her son-in-law a dozen times at their Fallbrook home after he criticized her attire was convicted Feb. 6 of first-degree murder. Cynthia Cdebaca faces 50 years to life in prison when she is sentenced March 23 in the Feb. 11, 2014, killing of 53-yearold Geoward Eustaquio. Jurors deliberated over parts of three days before returning their verdict. Around 8 a.m. the day of the killing, the two were alone in his home – getting ready to go to a spelling bee for his daughter – when he made a snide remark about her clothing and told her to change, according to Deputy District Attorney Keith Watanabe. Cdebaca went upstairs to her “granny flat” adjacent to the residence and retrieved a .38-caliber, five-shot revolver and shot Eustaquio five times in the backyard, the prosecutor said. When the victim didn’t die, Cdebaca went to her car and reloaded her gun, then went back and shot him five more times, the prosecutor said. Eustaquio crawled inside the home but was shot at five more times by his mother-in-law after she reloaded the gun again, Watanabe told the jury. All but three of the 15 shots she fired struck the victim, he said. Cdebaca went to a Denny’s restaurant for breakfast, gambled at a casino, then went to her favorite coffee shop, where she
see MURDER, page A-7
see DROUGHT, page A-6
Loaded gun found at Fallbrook High School, three students taken into custody
thisweek
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Andrea Verdin Staff Writer
Use Project being pursued by FPUD, Camp Pendleton, and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation would enhance groundwater recharge and recovery capacity within the lower Santa Margarita River basin and develop a program which would increase available water supplies for Camp Pendleton and FPUD. Facilities within the lower basin would be constructed to capture additional surface runoff, which currently flows to the Pacific Ocean, during high stream flow periods. The surface water would be recharged
Three Fallbrook High School students were taken into custody Feb. 3 under the suspicion of having brought a loaded gun to Fallbrook Union High School. Authorities did not release the names of the suspects – a 14-yearold and two 15-year-olds – since they are minors. Sheriff’s deputies were called to the school campus a little after 10 a.m. Friday morning when a student reported seeing a social media post of a student holding a gun in one of the school’s restrooms. The high school district followed shooter protocol and ordered a lockdown of the entire campus for staff and student safety. Students began texting their parents and news of the lockdown immediately spread to the community. Though the high school administration asked parents not to drive to the school, cars were parked on both sides of Stage Coach Lane in front of the high school as parents waited at the gate to get information about their children. The investigation led deputies to students who had information of where the gun might be located. A Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) K-9 specially trained to find weapons was called in to help with the search. The gun was eventually found hidden in a classroom. After the gun was located, the lockdown was lifted and students were allowed to go home for the day. No one was hurt. The investigation continues and there could be more arrests. The following was released by the Fallbrook High School’s
see FPUD, page A-7
see GUN, page A-7
The Students of the Month for February are, from left, Alexxus Garcia, Jacob Oatman, Brianna Duarte, and Max Alperstein. Tom Ferrall Staff Writer Determined and not afraid of challenges. The ability to overcome adversity and find a way. These traits of strong individuals were repeatedly referenced Feb. 2 at the Fallbrook Community Center when Max Alperstein, Alexxus Garcia and Jacob Oatman of Fallbrook Union High School and Brianna Duarte of Oasis High School were saluted as the Students of the Month for February.
Greg Coppock emceed the recognition breakfast hosted by Fallbrook Student of the Month, a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring outstanding students in the Fallbrook Union High School District. Officials such as Dr. Hugo Pedroza, superintendent of the district, and principals Larry Boone of Fallbrook High School and John Hayek of Oasis and Ivy High Schools were in attendance to pay tribute to the students. Duarte, who was nominated by Oasis teacher Heidi Fouret, was the first student to be recognized.
Courtesy photo
“She has always been small in stature and a young lady of very few words, but she is someone that has grown to be a young woman of great commitment, great strength and great passion,” said Fouret of Duarte. “As a person, Brianna is extremely kind hearted and humble. She is mature beyond her years, she is focused and decisive with a very strong core belief and value system.” “As a student, Brianna is intrinsically motivated with an
see STUDENTS, page A-6
Village News
FPUD authorizes State Revolving Fund loan application for Conjunctive Use Project Joe Naiman Village News Correspondent The Fallbrook Public Utility District (FPUD) has applied for a State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan to construct the Santa Margarita Conjunctive Use Project. The official FPUD board action January 23 approved a resolution to the State Water Resources Control Board authorizing FPUD general manager Brian Brady to sign a financing agreement and amendments for the SRF loan as well as other financial documents and pledging net water revenues to repayment of the loan.
“The State of California requires that the governing board process resolutions stating their intent to apply for the funds. It doesn’t obligate the board to accept the funds, but it is part of the process,” Brady said. “The state will continue processing the application and within a few months we should hear back on their acceptance of the grant.” All five FPUD board members voted in favor of the resolution. The loan would be for $45,000,000 and would be repaid over 20 years at an interest rate of approximately 1.6 percent. The Santa Margarita Conjunctive