The Coast News INLAND Inside: EDITION 2020 Spring Home & Garden Magazine
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ESCONDIDO, SAN MARCOS, VISTA
VOL. 5, N0. 6
MARCH 20, 2020
Escondido councilman Masson dies By Jordan P. Ingram
LIVING AMID A HEALTH CRISIS CARLSBAD RESIDENT Shelly, left, and her daughter Cassie stand in line outside of a Target store in Encinitas early Wednesday morning to stock up on much-needed supplies in response to the coronavirus crisis. Cassie, who lives in Santa Monica, is working remotely and staying with her mother, who just started her second round of cancer treatment. “I wish I’d been better prepared,” Shelly said. Both women are following local health guidelines and staying at home, with the occasional trip to the grocery store. Photo by Jordan P. Ingram
County libraries closed, New guidance affects gyms, child care curbside pickup available By City News Service
From Staff Reports
REGION — San Diego County public libraries, including branch libraries in San Marcos and Vista, are closed until March 31 in response to the developing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, according to a news release. Beginning March 18, county libraries switched to curbside pickup to help county residents practice social distancing to stop the spread of coronavirus while accessing library books, music, movies and other popular items. Library patrons can use the online catalog or
call their branch libraries to place orders for books and pick them up outside the building on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. County librarian Migell Acosta said residents can still access all e-books and e-magazines around the clock — 24 hours a day, seven days a week — by downloading the Libby app for e-books or Flipster (under e-books and e-magazines) for e-magazines. According to its website, the Escondido Public Library is closed until March 31.
REGION — San Diego County public health officials expanded public health orders in response to the coronavirus March 18, closing all gyms and fitness centers and restricting childcare to “stable’’ groups of 10 children with one childcare provider. The “stable” vocabulary refers to the same group of 10 children each day and the same provider each day, County Public Health Officer Dr. Wilma Wooten said. If a daycare or related business has more than 10 children, each group needs to be in separate rooms and cannot inter-
mingle. Social distancing is encouraged even among the subgroups. The previous health orders banning groups of 50 or more do not apply to public transit, airports or any other mass transportation, Wooten said. Meanwhile, the Ramada hotel in Kearny Mesa announced it will be used as a quarantine site for people potentially exposed to coronavirus. The Ramada by Wyndham San Diego North Hotel & Conference Center located near Kearny Mesa Road, north of Clairemont Mesa Boulevard near state Route 163, will be used by the
federal government to house patients currently under quarantine at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. The hotel has 151 rooms. The patients being transferred from the base to the hotel are experiencing mild or no symptoms, the hotel said. The hotel will be closed to the public during the quarantine. Fox5 reported the hotel is being monitored by the California Highway Patrol and the U.S. Marshals Service. Conditions within the hotel are being controlled to prevent exposure to the public, TURN TO GUIDANCE ON 6
ESCONDIDO — After a yearslong battle with cancer, Escondido City Councilman John Masson, 55, died on the evening of March 10. Masson was first appointed to the Escondido City Council in 2012, and later elected to serve District 2 in 2014. Four years later, Masson won his re-election campaign in 2018 after defeating fellow nonpartisan challengers Vanessa Valenzuela and Nicole Downey. During his time with the council, Masson served as deputy mayor, JOHN MASSON, worked on sev- who representeral boards and ed District 2 on c o m m i t t e e s , the City Council, including the died March 10 Economic De- after a lengthy velopment sub- battle with cancommittee of cer. He was 55. the City Coun- Courtesy photo cil, San Diego County Water Authority, and as Escondido’s representative on the League of California Cities. In a news release, Escondido City Manager Jeff Epp said that Masson was a dedicated civil servant to the residents and employees of the City of Escondido. “While there is much to say about all of the things Councilmember Masson was involved in and contributed to, I shall always remember his tremendous passion for all things Escondido, and his incredible support of City employees. John really, really cared about Escondido and doing great things for our community. He was inspirational to have on the City Council, as a colleague and as a friend to many of us. We will miss him a great deal.” Masson, a graduate of Escondido High School in 1982, also served as the president of Masson & Associates, a civil engineering and land surveying consulting firm, which was started by his father, Douglas Masson, in 1978. Masson was the former president of the Sunrise Rotary Club and served 15 years on the board for the Palomar Family YMCA. The longtime Escondido resiTURN TO MASSON ON 11