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dates have relatively low name ID, and to start, they’ll have to change that moving forward with their campaign communication quickly if any one of them wants to break out of the pack,” Thomas said.

“I think that this poll shows that voters aren’t really familiar with the Republican candidates, with really none of these three frontrunners [Rodriguez, Bartlett, and Maryott] pulling ahead, You have a county supervisor (Bartlett) who is from Orange County, which is a smaller part of the district. You have a city councilman (Rodriguez) who is also coming from a tiny corner of the district in Oceanside. And then you have Maryott, who hasn’t even held (higher) political office yet, so yeah, clearly there’s some name ID issues at play here.”

Rodriguez has been plagued by many of his competitors claiming that he is a slumlord and slow about paying bills and often difficult to deal with.

Rodriguez acknowledges that the primary was shaping up to be a tight affair.

“(Maryott) has all the endorsements from the state party and everything, but I still have the lead,” Rodriguez said. “What it shows is that people in this district are sick and tired of an establishment that does nothing for them and that they want somebody that’s different — an outsider.

“What this poll really means is that this race is tight — it’s anybody’s race. It could be me, Bartlett, or Maryott, and there’s a lot of voters who haven’t voted yet. In fact, only 8% of the voters in this district have voted so far, and so there’s a large number of undecided people. In the end, what this conveys is that this is a tight race. Am I in the lead? Slightly. Overall, though, we have some great candidates on the ballot and I’m confident that the voters will do their research and pick the best candidate to face Levin.”

The survey also asked voters about what policy issues mattered the most to them. By far the majority of those polled indicated that inflation was their top consideration going into the primary (41%). Government overreach and immigration tied for second at 12%, while 9% of voters chose taxation as their top priority. Other issues reflected in the poll included values, health care costs, public safety, job creation, and education.

“The big one right now is Roe vs. Wade and you also have people’s minds focused on gun control with these recent shootings and what Congress is or isn’t doing about it, and every Democrat in the country is certainly focusing on it,” Kousser said. “Nationally, there is now some hope that this may not be a terrible year for Democrats after all. A lot ultimately hinges on whether Democrats can come up with a winning message on reproductive rights and gun control.”

“This poll gives us a good rough guide of where the race is at and it’s fine for top-line stuff,” Thomas said. “But 2 to 3 weeks ago, given what’s happened this month on gun control, abortion, etc, is really a world away. So this doesn’t necessarily tell us where we’re at at this moment in time.”

Social Butterfly Cont. from Page 3

Join us for 2nd Saturday Art Walk June 11th, 4-6pm for artists' meet and greet. Awards presentation at 5:30PM.

Escondido Municipal Art Gallery, 262 East Grand Avenue.

Republican Club of North County welcomes Oceanside City Council District 1 Candidates Kori Jensen and Darin Selnick!

On Wednesday, June 15th, the Republican Club of North County (RCNC) welcomes two candidates, Kori Jensen and Darin Selnick, running for Oceanside City Council District 1 in November! As both Republican candidates are running for the same district, don’t miss this opportunity to learn about their visions for Oceanside and why they want to represent you!

Kori Jensen now serves as the District 1 councilmember, appointed in January 2021 when the previous councilmember, Esther Sanchez, was elected Mayor.

Darin Selnick is a retired USAF Captain and has lived in Oceanside for over ten years with his wife Anne. Darin has devoted himself to a lifetime of service, through the military, to our veterans, and to the community. From 2017-2018, Darin was the Veteran Affairs Advisor, Domestic Policy Council, at the Trump White House.

The Republican Club of North County (RCNC) believes in Republican values: individual responsibility, personal freedoms, limited government, a market economy, low taxes, and a strong national defense. RCNC meets the third Wednesday of each month at El Camino Country Club, 3202 Vista Way, Oceanside CA 92056. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. on June 15th and the meeting starts promptly at 12:00 noon. Cash or check ONLY at the door (credit cards not accepted). For more information and lunch choices, call or text Barbara at (760) 212-9995.

MainStreet Oceanside, Visit Oceanside and City of Oceanside Economic Developmen volunteerdriven Downtown Ambassador

Program. Ambassadors will staff the information booth at the west end of the underpass on Pier View Way and North Myers Street to welcome visitors and locals to Downtown Oceanside and to provide them with any information they might need to make their time in the Downtown area of our beautiful city the best it can be. Starting today, May 31, the program will operate Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Sept. 3.

We are looking for highly enthusiastic individuals ages 16 and older to serve as Downtown Ambassadors. Ambassadors will guide visitors to restaurants, muse-

Capitol Annex Project Update

California’s main Capitol building in Sacramento was completed in 1874. It is a historic treasure, but after World War II it became obvious it wasn’t large enough to handle the needs of our growing state. An annex attached to the Capitol was completed in 1952, and at approximately 325,000 square feet, the space problem was solved for decades.

But, problems have developed over the years. The annex was designed to last just 50 years for a part-time Legislature. With six floors, the annex doesn’t line up with the historic Capitol, which has four. If you’re in the old building and need to go to a “higher” level in the annex, you have to go downstairs. Safety issues are a major concern since the building contains hazardous materials like asbestos and lacks adequate fire protection. There are wiring issues, and deteriorating galvanized sewer and drainage lines. The building is overcrowded by modern standards and fails to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility standards. Built long before the computer age, many of the halls are lined with empty wooden phone booths.

Upgrades to the historic Capitol were made in the 1970s and 80s, but did not include the annex. In 2018, the Legislature authorized construction of a new building. Like the annex, the new building will house offices of the Governor, the Legislature, with added space for committee hearings and caucus meetings.

Last year, executive and legislative offices were relocated to nearby office buildings and the annex is now vacant. Preliminary cost estimates for the replacement project are $506,858,000, with $6,409,000 for a new parking structure, and $29,964,000 for a new visitor center.

Some non-structural construction work has begun, but there is no projected date for completion. Once completed with enhanced visitor access, modernized technology and upgraded safety compliance, the “people’s house” will finally move into the 21st century.

Assemblymember Marie Waldron, RValley Center, represents the 75th Assembly District in the California Legislature, which includes the communities of Bonsall, Escondido, Fallbrook, Hidden Meadows, Pala, Palomar Mountain, Pauma Valley, Rainbow, San Marcos, Temecula, Valley Center and Vista.

5th District Supervisor Jim Desmond

San Diego County Budget

Over the coming weeks, the County of San Diego will receive community input, deliberate and adjust, and adopt the 2022-23 budget.

I always believe this is one of the most important times of the year, as it's vital we spend taxpayer dollars effectively, while also maintaining a healthy finance state through operating reserves. I look at it this waythis is not the government's money, it's your money, and we must use it effectively to improve the lives of San Diegans.

This year's proposed budget is $7.15 billion, which is a budget bigger than the entire country of Costa Rica. With over 3.4 million people over 4,261 square miles, it takes a lot of money to make the County run.

I've put together just a few anecdotes below from our proposed budget, but if you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to my office. It's imperative that San Diegans feel safe and that our law enforcement officers have the tools they need. The proposed budget looks to increase the Sheriff's Department budget by $47 million and adds 24 new positions. Protecting our communities is my top priority, and we need to recruit and retain the best and brightest law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other peace officers.

After advocating for money for our roads for a long time, I'm pleased to see that the proposed budget has an allocation of $60 million to maintain unincorporated County road surfaces. This is the most money allocated to road maintenance and improvement in the last decade.

We are also adding $41 million in District 5 parks and library projects. $30.9 million to operate 156 parks, 56,000 acres of parks, and 384 miles of trails and $28 million to operate 33 branch libraries, 4 electric bookmobiles, and 5 automated book kiosks.

These are just a few of the items I’m focused on when it comes to the budget. I’ll keep you updated on the progress.

To contact

North County Office – by appointment only 325 S. Melrose Ave., Suite 5200 Vista, CA 92081 Mon.-Fri., 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Website: www.supervisorjimdesmond.com Email: Jim.Desmond@sdcounty.ca.gov

Travel Troubleshooter

Q: Our Vrbo host canceled our reservation less than 24 hours before our arrival, resulting in lost airfare for my wife and daughter. I need your help getting a refund for our resulting hotel bill.

I reserved a rental in El Paso, Texas, and paid for it in full.

At 9:30 p.m. the night before my family's flights to El Paso, I got a message from the host saying, "the house is not available. It's already been booked." Then another message that she canceled our reservation and initiated a refund.

I sent her panicked messages saying there must be some mistake –that we booked and paid in full more than six months earlier. I said we had flights and were arriving the next day. She didn't respond. No help, no apology, no nothing. I found her cell phone and called three times: each went straight to voicemail.

Vrbo said there were no other rentals available. So instead, they booked us a single night in a double room at a hotel. We would be left on our own to find a place for the other two nights. I can't alert other Vrbo renters to the host's unscrupulous behavior, and I would like a refund for all of the nights we had to stay in a hotel. Can you help me? -- Jim LoScalzo, Washington, D.C.

A: The host was wrong to cancel just before your arrival, but that's not the worst of it. When you looked into your account, it turns out the host had given you a onestar review, even though you never stayed in the rental. (This could affect your ability to rent from Vrbo again.) Vrbo should have found a replacement rental for you and covered any additional cost. Instead, the company refunded your rental and paid for one night in a hotel.

Vrbo has a "book with confidence" guarantee that protects you from a last-minute cancellation. It promises guests rebooking assistance or emergency lodging if their reservation is "wrongfully canceled" at the last minute by the host.

It wasn't immediately clear why Vrbo only paid for one night in the new hotel. You called and emailed the company half a dozen times, but it wouldn't tell you.

I contacted Vrbo about your case. Its records show that Vrbo covered emergency lodging for the first night. "For the rest of his stay, Mr. LoScalzo was asked to book a hotel through one of our sites and submit receipts for reimbursement only if the cost of his hotel stay exceeded the cost of his original booking," a representative said. "Because the total cost of his hotel reservation did not exceed the cost of his original booking, he is not eligible for reimbursement." Still, as a goodwill gesture, Vrbo agreed to refund you for the $299 you paid for your hotel.

The host voluntarily removed the listing from Vrbo.

"Regarding the negative reviews, property and guest reviews are only permitted for stays that have been completed," the representative added.

Vrbo removed the one-star guest review.

Christopher Elliott's latest book is “How To Be The World’s Smartest Traveler” (National Geographic). Get help by contacting him at http://www.elliott.org/help

© 2022 Christopher Elliott.

Problem Solved

Q: I placed my order from TJ Maxx last year, and I paid via PayPal credit. I returned a few purchases, including two clothing items and a Gucci bag. They refunded me for the clothing items, but not the bag. After numerous attempts to get a refund for the bag, and several emails with the TJ Maxx customer service department, I turned to PayPal. But PayPal declined my case because the item was "as described." I never said the item wasn't as described, I simply asked for their help to retrieve a refund for an item I returned. Can you help? -- Olga Levy, Honolulu

A: TJ Maxx should have refunded you for the purchase immediately. So why didn't it?

A review of the correspondence between you and TJ Maxx shows one of the problems. "We apologize for the delay in processing your return," it said. "When items such as this are returned, we have to authenticate them. This does cause a delay in processing the refund."

TJ Maxx is suggesting that you might have sent a different Gucci bag back. But you assured me that you did, indeed, send the same Gucci bag back to TJ Maxx as you received. So what went wrong?

It looks as if when TJ Maxx didn't refund the order, you filed a dispute with PayPal. That dispute was ongoing when you contacted me. So when I reached out to TJ Maxx, it said it couldn't refund you until you dropped your dispute.

Contesting your PayPal dispute is a lot like filing a credit card chargeback (though not exactly the same thing). If you had won, and TJ Maxx had also returned your money, then you would have gotten two refunds.

I list their names, numbers and email addresses on my nonprofit consumer advocacy site, .

Historically Speaking

by Tom Morrow

The Well-Lived Mature Life

One of my favorite interviews was with the noted movie star Victor Mature, who for the last 30 years of his retired life lived in Rancho Santa Fe here in North San Diego County.

Available in the streaming TV service, on “Classic Reels, no less than 2,000 old movies are offered where an unbelievable number of Mature’s films are available. He starred in more than 65 feature films of all genres. Mature, He was born Jan. 29, 1913, in Louisville and was one of Hollywood’s most successful actors who starred in a variety of musical, suspense, westerns, film noir, and comedy films. He was one of filimdom’s most versatile performers

Those under 50 probably aren’t acquainted with Mature’s work, but to old movie buffs he was a top star of more than 70 films. Some of his bestknown roles include: “My Darling Clementine” (1946), “Kiss of Death” (1947), “Samson and Delilah” (1949), and “The Robe” (1953). He also appeared in many musicals opposite such luminaries as Rita Hayworth and Betty Grable.

Mature studied acting at the Pasadena Community Playhouse and for three years he lived in a tent in the backyard of a fellow student. In 1939 he was spotted by an agent for Hal Roach Studios making 10 films before World War II.

In July 1942, Mature enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard and was assigned to the Greenland Patrol. After 14 months Mature was promoted to chief petty officer. He was discharged in November 1945 after the War.

Actor Victor Mature, left, Journalist and columnist for The Paper, Tom Morrow, right

The first film he did after the War was John Ford’s “My Darling Clementine,” in 1946 playing Doc Holliday opposite Henry Fonda's Wyatt Earp. The film was produced by 20th Century Fox, whose head of production, Darryl F. Zanuck, was delighted Ford cast Mature, telling the director: “Personally, I think the guy has been one of the most under-rated performers in Hollywood.”

During an interview in 1978, Mature told me “Clementine” was his favorite movie. “It was a great script and I got to work with a great cast,” he told me. It wasn’t the only time Mature was cast with great actors. During the ‘30s, 40s, and 50s, he worked with a number of Hollywood’s finest dramatic actors: Richard Widmark, Heddy Lamar, Richard Burton, Jean Simmons, andmany others.

The 1947 film noir, “Kiss of Death,” was developed specifically for Mature. The movie wasn’t “boffo box office” but it earned Mature some of his best critical reviews.

Mature was famously self-deprecating. Once, after being rejected for membership in a L.A. country club because he was an actor, Mature cracked, "Hell, I'm no actor … I've got 64 films toprove it!" He was quoted in 1968 commenting on his acting career. “I never was an actor. Ask anybody, particularly the critics."

And, he had a great sense of humor telling Hollywood stories. During the filming of “Demetrius & the Gladiators” Mature put to use his quick wit between takes when he and a fellow actor walked across the street to a bar for a drink while still costumed in battle dress as Roman Centurions. The two actors went unnoticed. After a few minutes of being ignored, Mature got up and in a loud voice: “Well, it’s obvious this joint doesn’t cater to service personnel.”

When Mature died of leukemia in 1999, there was a side of him few people knew about. It had to do with Marine Sergeant John Basilone.

After Basilone was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism on Guadalcanal, he was brought back home to sell war bonds with Mature and a number of other celebrities. The two became close friends.

Mature worried about his buddy, fearing the Marine had a death wish. At nearly every war bond show Basilone would go on stage and angrily address the audience, yelling he shouldn't be wasting his time trying to entertain them, rather, he should be "over in the Pacific killing (the enemy!")

The Marine Corps did it's best to keep Basilone out of harm's way. When Basilone wasn't selling bonds, the Corps had him working at Camp Pendleton’s Special Services as a beach lifeguard. Basilone complained enough about sitting around and wanting to go back into combat, he finally was issued orders to return to the Pacific. But before that happened Chief Petty Officer Mature nearly got into trouble for his loud protests to the Marines concerning Basilone being sent back into combat. Basilone’s commander officer nearly court-martialed the Coast Guardsman for all his loud protests.

In February 1945, Basilone landed with the Marines on Iwo Jima where he charged and captured a Japanese bunker single-handedly. Soon after Sergeant Basilone was killed by a mortar round for which he received the Silver Star.

Hollywood’s most versatile actor may not have earned an Oscar for his acting talent, but Chief Petty Officer Victor Mature should always be remembered for the role he played trying to save a true American hero.

GET TO KNOW YOUR POWER

Power Saver Rewards benefit you (and support the energy grid)

You have the power to make the energy grid stronger and benefit the environment. And you can get rewarded, too. Power Saver Rewards pays you for lowering your electricity use when demand is highest. Visit sdge.com/powersaver to learn more.

©2022San Diego Gas & Electric Company.Trademarks aretheproperty of theirrespectiveowners. Allrightsreserved.

Social Butterfly Cont. from Page 6

ums, retail shops, public parking and public transportation as well as provide general event information. Ambassadors will also provide information about current and future developments in Downtown Oceanside and will be tasked with collecting pertinent data from our visitors.

Ambassadors will be trained in all aspects of the program and will be provided with the tools necessary to relay the best information to our visitors. High school students may be able to fulfill their community service requirement by participating in the program. We are requesting that interested community members fill out a volunteer application.

For more information, please visit mainstreetoceanside.com/ambassador-program, or contact Mary Jo Canaletti at 760-754-4512 or maryjo@mainstreetoceanside.com.

Music by the Sea Concert Series: JUNE 17, 2022 | 7:30pm JOHNNY RICE & CHRIS RICE, PIANO AND CELLO. The Rice Brothers, Johnny and Chris, are both accomplished artists as pianists and as cellists. They feature a unique blend of classical music, ragtime, boogie-woogie and other genres, woven together with personal stories, history of the great composers and humor which bring the music to life. Their performances have

been well received by audiences of all ages across the United States and Europe.

The concert will be held at the Encinitas Library - Tickets are $20. Artists and programs subject to change. No refunds or exchanges. All sales are final.

These concerts are a part of the Civic Arts Program of the City of Encinitas Cultural Arts Division.

For assistance, please contact City staff, email, (760) 633-2746.

Buy Your Passport Now to Persian Calligraphy

Performance Art: Please do not miss out on this unique, stunning, spirited, and beautiful cultural event taking place at the Encinitas Community Center on June 18th at 7 pm.

Mohtaki Mirak's performances at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles have been phenomenal and now we have a rare opportunity to watch him as he creates his art work on canvas and human skin in synch with music performances by talented Iranian musicians Amir Aghayi & Sina Gharavi accompanied by gifted Iranian dancer Kosar Abassi.

We are delighted with the opportunity to offer this unique cultural event in person which is in partnership with the City of Encinitas and