Inland Edition, January 6, 2023

Escondido council to fill vacancy with appointment

By Samantha Nelson ESCONDIDO

— The City Council will appoint a new council member by early February to fill the vacant District 3 seat.

The council voted in mid-December to appoint a replacement to the seat left open by Councilmember Joe Garcia, who was re-elected to the City Council in District 2.

Garcia was moved from District 3 into District 2 after the city redrew its coun-

cil boundaries following the release of the 2020 census data.

The city is looking for eligible candidates who are registered voters and live in District 3 to apply for the position. Council must choose an appointee by Feb. 12.

Councilmember Consuelo Martinez was the sole vote against appointment, preferring to hold a special election instead.

“It is an expensive

price tag to have a special election, however it’s important for me for District 3 to choose its representative,” Martinez said. “It would be an exception if it were a short appointment but this is half-term … two years is a very long time.”

The cost to hold a special election would be $600,000 or more, according to City Clerk Zack Beck. The election also wouldn’t happen until November, leaving the seat vacant for

most of the year.

Some residents agreed with Martinez, noting that the cost would be worth it.

“Yes, it’s a lot of money, but it’s worth paying for,” said David Shearer, a resident of District 3.

But other council members didn’t want to spend that much money while leaving the seat vacant for nearly 11 months.

Councilmember Mike Morasco, who was first appointed to City Council in

2010 and re-elected several times, noted that the city has been appointing council members during vacancies for years.

“It’s something that has always been done in the city,” Morasco said. “It’s been done successfully from my perspective and it’s something we need to continue to do at this time.”

Beck noted that the city has not held a special election since at least the 1990s, possibly longer.

Rally car star Block dies at 55

Orange Glen HS alum, DC Shoes co-founder killed in Utah accident

By Laura Place

REGION — Champion rally race car driver and DC Shoes co-founder Ken Block died Monday in a snowmobile accident in Wasatch County, Utah.

The 55-year-old entrepreneur with North County ties “was riding a snowmobile on a steep slope when the snowmobile upended, landing on top of him.

He was pronounced deceased at the scene from injuries sustained in the accident,” according to a statement from the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office.

Block was reported to be based in Los Angeles County, but had a home in Utah. Wasatch County is near Park City.

Block set down many of his professional roots in North County. He moved from Long Beach to Escondido in his teens when his parents bought an avocado grove near Escondido. He attended Orange Glen High School and immersed himself in the culture of professional skateboarding, surfing and snowboarding that would become a large part of his life, he told The Henry Ford museum in Dearborn, Michigan, in 2019.

In 1994, Block co-founded DC Shoes, then based in Carlsbad, with Damon Way and saw it become one of the top internationally recognized skate apparel brands. They sold the company in 2004, but Block maintained ties with DC for years afterward.

Way said losing Block

BLOCK

SAN

Silvergate San Marcos — North County’s leading boutique-style retirement community — opens its sixth and final neighborhood in its dedicated Memory Care Suites building in January 2023. To celebrate having completed major renovations this year and mark the opening of the final collection all-private memory care suites, the community has announced a year-end savings program that will lock in one full year of 2022 pricing in the new year for families seeking care for loved ones living with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease or memory loss.

A Proven Care Solution for Those Facing Memory Loss

“We understand what families face during the holidays as they return home to visit aging parents,” said David Nelson, Director of Marketing for the Silvergate San Marcos senior living community. “Often, the challenges of care become too much for families and having a proven care solution to turn to — like what we offer at Silvergate — can be a welcome relief for family members, especially when they have their own families to care for and are juggling their own obligations.”

This month, families can visit the community for a private tour, learn about how professional memory care is delivered at Silvergate and secure 2022 pricing on an all-private Memory Care Suite at Silvergate San Marcos through December 31st , representing a signifi cant savings in the new year. For a loved one who may now need more specialized care and mind-nurturing activities than families can provide at home, the community’s award-winning

care solution and innovative building design offer the peace of mind families are seeking at the holiday season and throughout the year.

Dedicated Building – Neighborhood Design Unique to Silvergate, the dedicated Memory Care Suites building was designed specifically for seniors managing the challenges associated with impaired memory. The building houses six distinct “neighborhoods,” each made up of private and shared rooms oriented towards common living and dining room spaces. The neighborhood design takes a more personalized, home-like approach to care and provides residents with an easy-to-navigate building floorplan.

Each neighborhood has an adjacent, themed Activity Room that has been renovated, giving residents a variety of destinations each day for activities and events, including an arts and craft room, a music room, a quiet reading room and a sunroom. These spaces help provide residents with an opportunity to connect with others and engage in regular activities every day such as music therapy, wellness classes, brain teasers and group conversation. These upgraded Activity Rooms come online with an all-new roster of therapeutic and inspiring activities for residents who are living with the challenges associated with dementia and memory loss.

“We’re here to support residents, their families and the community as they look for viable solutions to care for loved ones who are coming to terms with a dementia diagnosis,” said Janet Mangaya, Director of Resident Care at Silvergate San Marcos. “Our team has a firm grasp on how cognitive deficit works,

understands how to control emotions and is specially trained to provide the most effective care techniques that bring meaningful moments for those challenged by memory loss. We’ve helped countless families on their journey to understanding and coping with the effects of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.”

Proven Experience & Award-Winning Care

The seasoned team of nurses, medical technicians and caregivers deliver the highest levels of care with the greatest degree of dignity, respect, and sensitivity, according to Joan Rink-Carroll, Executive Director for the Silvergate San Marcos community.

“Our memory care services are unlike any other because we maintain an industry-leading caregiverto-resident ratio with at least one caregiver for every six residents,” said Rink-Carroll, who has assembled a highly specialized team of nurses, caregivers and staff to operate the community’s memory care unit. “We believe having more eyes on fewer residents provides increased supervision and assures the safety and security of residents.”

New-Year Savings on All-Private Memory Care Suite Ends January 31st

To take advantage of Silvergate’s new-year savings program, book a tour today with David Nelson by calling 760-744-4484 or visit SilvergateRR.com. General information about the independent living, assisted living and memory care accommodations at Silvergate can be found at SilvergateRR.com/SM. Silvergate is located at 1550 Security Place, San Marcos, CA 92078.

Girl, 16, is city’s first female Eagle Scout

By Laura Place

SAN MARCOS — A 16-year-old high school junior has become the first female Eagle Scout in San Marcos — something that would not have been possible three years ago — after helping to start a local Boy Scouts of America troop for young women.

Allison “Allie” Primosch, a junior at San Marcos High School, has always chased adventure in the form of hiking, camping and other outdoor activities but struggled to find an organization that offered enough opportunities.

In 2019, she finally had the chance to do all these things and more with the Boy Scouts after the organization finally began accepting young women into its ranks. This positioned Primosch and others within reach of the esteemed Eagle Scout status, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts' program.

“What I really wanted to do was get out and do outdoor adventures, and I really got to do that with scouts,” Primosch said, describing how her troop did activities like backpacking, camping, and snow camping. “It would be so cool if more girls were interested in or encouraged to be in boy scouting. It’s such a good program, and if you stick with it, you learn so much, but you don’t even realize you’re learning because you’re having so much fun.”

Primosch completed her Eagle Board of Review on Dec. 22 in Oceanside,

fulfilling her final requirement to attain Eagle rank. The review involved presenting to a panel of leaders about her community service project — making cat toys for Rescue House, a cat rescue and adoption agency in San Diego — and certifying that she had met all other Eagle requirements, including earning the 21 needed merit badges.

All that remains now is for Primosch to hold an Eagle Scout Court of Honor to formally recognize and celebrate her accomplishment with family, friends and other scouts.

“I’ve wanted to be an Eagle Scout since I started

with scouts. I wanted to do it to say I did it and get as much out of it as possible. You learn a lot about helping your community; you learn a lot about leadership,” Primosch said.

Troop 700, the female troop Primosch and her father, Tom, helped form back in 2019, started in Oceanside with around 10 members from across North County. According to her father, the troop has since moved to the Vista Optimist Club, and membership has nearly doubled.

“It wasn’t until we found other people of similar interest that we became a troop,” said Tom Primosch. “We are creating

Seniors visit historic Riverside hotel over holidays

By Staff

REGION — Tales of the celebrities, heads of state and famous guests who have graced the halls of the 120-year-old Mission Inn Hotel in Riverside, were colorfully shared by a hotel historian this holiday season with residents of Silvergate Retirement Residence.

The entire Silvergate family, including nearly 100 residents and guests, came together to celebrate and enjoy the Festival of Lights at the mission-revival style inn.

“Our annual holiday celebration has become a Silvergate family tradition,” said Joan Rink-Carroll, executive director of Silvergate’s San Marcos community, whose residents and guests enjoyed a fine-dining experience in the same room where presidents, royalty and celebrities have gathered for more

Correction

The murder trial of Kellon Razdan, 21, charged with first-degree murder in the August 2021 death of San Marcos resident Aris Keshishian, 20, will begin Jan. 23. The trial date was wrong in a story in the Dec. 23 Inland Edition.

than a century.

Surrounded by the beauty of the Mission Inn at the holiday season, Silvergate attendees were treated to a historical overview of the hotel’s priceless artworks and later meandered through an array of holiday lights and decorations.

While dining in the hotel’s historic Spanish Art Gallery, Silvergate’s guests were told stories imparted by Hotel Docent BarbaraAnn Burns.

In her talk, Burns recounted the history of the hotel’s colorful owner, Christopher Columbus Miller. She also shared about the weddings and honeymoons enjoyed at the inn by figures such as Richard and Pat Nixon, Bette Davis, and Ronald and Nancy Reagan.

Burns spoke of the many visits made to the inn by famous figures like Andrew Carnegie, W.C. Fields, Clark Gable, Tom Hanks and Ted Kennedy.

this troop from scratch. If [Allie] were a boy, she’d go, ‘where’s the local troop?’ But no, we had to find interested local people and an organization to host them.”

Tom is a former Boy Scout who served as a counselor for the engineering and cycling badges. He said he is very proud of his daughter’s hard work to get to Eagle and was happy to be involved in a troop that profoundly impacted local young women.

The fact that the troop is also woman-led, operating under the guidance of scoutmaster Karen Roberson, is also a considerable benefit, Tom said.

Troop 700 has graduated a handful of other Eagle Scouts from around North County, but Primosch is the first from San Marcos. She had to obtain 14 required merit badges, including first aid, citizenship and cooking, and seven other badges of her choice, such as amphibian and reptile studies.

For many high schoolers, managing schoolwork with fulfilling Eagle requirements is not easy, mainly due to all the paperwork it takes to fill out. However, Primosch said her family and friends’ support helped her stick with it.

“I had a ton of people that were really excited for me,” she said. “That helped me get to the end. It was a lot to balance.”

San Marcos man arrested in Carlsbad bank robbery Suspect awaits sentencing in 2nd case

By City News Service

REGION — A man who allegedly robbed a Carlsbad bank while out on bail and awaiting sentencing in a separate federal bank fraud case was arrested Dec. 30.

Steven Struhar, 24, of San Marcos, is suspected in the Dec. 21 robbery of a US Bank on Carlsbad Village Drive.

Police said that on the afternoon of Dec. 21, Struhar allegedly entered the bank, demanded money from the teller, and fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of money. He was arrested near his residence by Carlsbad police.

At the time of the robbery, Struhar had been out of custody on bail and was awaiting sentencing in the United States District Court, Southern District of California on federal charges of bank fraud and making false statements, according to the Carlsbad Police Department.

Court records list only one defendant matching the name Steven Struhar in the Southern District of California, who is slated for sentencing in April for bank fraud and making false statements.

According to his plea agreement in the federal

case, Struhar contacted the Russian Embassy last year and claimed he was a member of the U.S. Treasury Department.

He later met with someone he believed was a Russian government representative — but was actually an undercover federal agent — and told this person he had a “Top Secret security clearance” and “offered to provide classified information regarding sanctions imposed by the U.S. Government on Russia,” court documents state.

The plea agreement states he was interested in being compensated for this information, but didn’t end up continuing his communications with the supposed Russian government representative.

Prosecutors allege he later made false statements to FBI investigators, telling them he had worked for the Treasury Department, as well as the Manchester Financial Group.

The plea agreement states he never worked for either entity.

The plea agreement also states Struhar deposited two fraudulent checks totaling more than $85,000 into his bank account earlier this year.

ALLIE PRIMOSCH, 16, with her scoutmaster, Karen Roberson, at her Eagle Board of Review in Oceanside on Dec. 22.

The San Marcos High School junior is the first female Eagle Scout in the city of San Marcos. Courtesy photo/Tom Primosch

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Super success strategies for New Year’s resolutions

By Bryan Golden

Almost 90% of Americans will make at least one New Year’s resolution.

Less than 20% will succeed in accomplishing even one.

The beginning of the year is a great time for life-improving resolutions. Common resolutions include losing weight, giving up smoking, maintaining a budget, saving money, finding a better job, getting healthier, becoming more organized and spending more time with family.

tion over time. Change occurs by the same process. A resolution is not all or nothing.

Partial change is okay. Any progress in the desired direction, regardless of how small, is a success.

Accomplishing a resolution is a process, not a one-time effort.

Positive goals are more effective than negative ones.

Rather than saying you will eat less, resolve to have a healthier diet. Instead of spending less time at work you can endeavor to spend more time at home.

ress is slower than you would like.

Don’t try to change too many things at once or you risk becoming overwhelmed and discouraged.

You can have a long list of resolutions so long as you realize all of the items don’t have to be addressed simultaneously.

Each accomplishment can be followed by another. Change can begin at any time, not just on Jan. 1.

Believe in yourself and your ability to change. Change can feel difficult, uncomfortable, or painful, but you can do it. Become

California students swarm extra classes

It’s become a cliché, the shibboleth that California has lousy public schools and most of the kids don’t care.

Now those students are providing strong evidence that this is a very false narrative.

The kids care, as do most of their parents. So do the teachers assigned to them.

That’s one takeaway from the record number of schoolchildren who turned out over the just-concluded winter break for extra classes designed to help start making up for learning missed or lost during the online-only era caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

No one doubts that plenty was lost — some say stolen — from the children during those almost two years when most public schools did not operate in person.

Standardized tests have proven this, with drops in student performance at almost all levels in reading and math.

But under the state’s Expanded Learning Opportunities program, school districts can now add three hours to their school days and extend the school year 30 days to help students improve their academics.

Since every study shows the poorer a child’s family, the more learning was lost, most districts are prioritizing low-income pupils, English learners or kids in foster care.

On what was the first day of the program in many places — Dec. 19, 2022, the first additional full day of instruction — hundreds of thousands of students turned out for extra classes, most teachers reporting the kids were enthused, even as they were losing free time.

california focus tom

elias

ing spring break, should allow many to make up enough lost time and assignments to graduate on time, rather being delayed six months to a year.

Yes, there were places where turnout was low. At some schools, only about one-tenth of those who signed up actually came to class.

But officials at several districts said the majority of students who showed up were those who missed the most and therefore need the most help.

That, said Los Angeles officials, demonstrated there’s a real need for the extra school days.

San Francisco Supervisor Hillary Ronen told a reporter that “more kids were failing than succeeding in public school even before the pandemic; the situation is much worse now. So it’s about time we did something.”

Most funding for teachers and other staff on these extra school days and others created by extending the school year to June 15 in most places will come from the state budget’s $37 billion in added education spending for this academic year.

But local districts running special programs during school breaks will also pay.

The Los Angeles program alone will cost the district $122 million.

This all puts the lie to the myth that no one in power and no one directly involved with the schools cares much about them or their students.

Whatever your resolutions, here are some specific strategies to help you succeed.

First and foremost is to take the first step, which is to start. Without action, there will be no success.

Action creates results. Intention alone will not work.

Have written goals stating what you want to accomplish.

If you want to lose weight, how much and by when? If you want to live within a budget, what is the amount?

If you want to continue your education, what school will you go to and which classes will you take?

Take small but consistent steps. Habits are formed by frequent repeti-

Bad habits can’t just be eliminated; they have to be replaced by good ones.

Identify potential obstacles so they don’t surprise you. If you experience a setback, don’t give up.

Don’t blame yourself if you stumble.

Failure only occurs when you stop trying. Difficulties are an opportunity to learn. If you slide backwards, get back on track, get back in gear and resume your progress.

Don’t keep your plans a secret. Develop a support system utilizing friends and family. Visualize how great you will feel as you succeed. Take credit for all accomplishments. It doesn’t matter if your prog-

determined to succeed. Don’t procrastinate.

Although doing nothing is often an appealing alternative, it leads to frustration.

Each day is a new opportunity to work on your resolutions. If you were successful yesterday, fantastic, keep going.

If yesterday was a disappointment, today is a new chance to make progress. Replace the word “try” with “will.”

Do whatever it takes to get the results you want.

Bryan Golden’s “Dare to Live Without Limits” is a nationally syndicated weekly newspaper column.

Contact him at Bryan@ columnist.com.

All the numbers are not yet in, but the Los Angeles Unified district alone reportedly drew 72,000 kids at about 300 campuses.

That amounted to almost 20% of all the district’s students, almost five times the population of the city of El Segundo, which abuts the LA district, second largest in the nation and California’s largest by far.

Los Angeles schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho touted the “lower class sizes, with individualized, personalized attention, looking at what each student is lacking and providing them with what they need.”

He also said the extra days and the additional work students got in over the winter break and will do again over the upcom-

With teachers putting in extra time, administrators and staff opening schools on what normally would be vacation days and thus extending the school year, any student who wants to succeed now has more opportunity.

So far, it appears that a healthy number will take advantage of this unique chance (no one expects this year’s program and extra budget to be repeated soon).

The bottom line: Any program that can improve the academic standing — and most likely the futures — of the large percentage of California public school students detrimentally affected by the pandemic must be considered a myth-busting plus.

Email Thomas Elias at tdelias@aol.com.

Zoe Morris • Ava DeAngelis

do not reflect the views

CEA shows deficit but audit ‘clean’

By Steve Puterski

REGION — Clean Energy Alliance, the community choice energy program that provides power to several North County cities, shows a multimillion dollar deficit after its 2022 financial audit.

The CEA Board of Directors, though, celebrated a “clean” audit during its Nov. 17 meeting, with no discussion over the current financial situation.

The audit does not include the August heat wave that experts said had an impact on the energy market and prices.

The audit, conducted by LSL CPAs and Advisors the week of Sept. 26, found no significant deficiencies, material weaknesses, noncompliance with laws or needed adjustments. CEA operates on a July to June fiscal year.

“It was a clean audit opinion,” said Ryan Domino, an assurance partner at LSL. “All in all, it was a very good audit.”

The audit covers revenues and expenditures for Carlsbad, Del Mar and Solana Beach. The total operating revenues for 2022 were $61 million, while operating expenses were $62 million.

CEA’s final net position was negative $3.7 million compared to a $2.7 million deficit in 2021, when service began in the spring.

CEA has $13.5 million in outstanding loans from JPMorgan Chase in 2021 and 2022. Chief executive Barbara Boswell said earlier this year that CEA must pay back $5 million of the total loan amount by December 2023.

Escondido and San Marcos will begin service in 2023, with Oceanside and Vista joining in 2024.

Domino said the goal of the audit was to render an opinion on the amount reported in the financial statements. The audit is not a search for fraud or misappropriated assets or an evaluation of operational results.

While CEA is in a deficit, the board and Boswell are hopeful the new cities will strengthen the agency’s financial standing. The additions will give CEA more than 100,000 accounts, and the board is hopeful the energy agency will turn a profit in the next year or two.

San Clemente, in Orange County, has reconsidered joining the CEA and is not currently committing to any new energy agency, sources say.

One reason may be Orange County recently dropped its bid to join the Orange County Power Authority after a series of audits that found inappropriate bids, lack of transparency, financial troubles and more for the community choice energy agency, according to the Voice of OC.

Levin secures millions for North County projects

By Steve Puterski

REGION — Congressman Mike Levin (D-CA) helped secure millions in federal grants for several North County projects, from helping construct Veterans Memorial Park in Carlsbad to improving stormwater drainage along Coast Highway 101 in Leucadia.

In total, Levin secured nearly $50 million for projects in Orange and San Diego counties after the House of Representatives recently passed a federal omnibus appropriations bill.

The city of Carlsbad received $3 million to help fund construction for Veterans Memorial Park, which consists of 94 acres of open space off Cannon Road along Faraday Avenue and will feature approximately 55 acres of preserve and 39 acres of parkland.

The sprawling park includes a memorial plaza, three playgrounds, two mountain bike tracks, outdoor exercise and picnic areas, trails and public art, among other features.

Construction is expected to be in 2024 be completed by 2025.

“This project will benefit Carlsbad’s estimated 114,250 residents and four million visitors each year, including those from neighboring cities that lack access to new park facilities,” Levin’s statement reads. “For this reason, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) has identified the Veterans Memorial Park as a regional open space park, indicating that the park will serve a regional need.”

According to the city’s park performance standards, each of the city’s quadrants will have a surplus of at least 14 acres of park space.

In August, Kyle Lancaster, Carlsbad’s director of Parks and Recreation, said the city also has 80 acres of park projects in the pipeline.

Lancaster said the next step is to prepare the bid with an estimated project cost of $30.2 million funded

by the Community Facilities District No. 1, a citywide district created in 1991 to pay for facilities, improvements and highway interchanges. The district levied a one-time special tax lien on vacant properties to help finance the development.

However, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune, construction estimates have increased to about $35 million.

Funding for other municipalities

• Del Mar received $750,000 toward its Del Mar Climate Resiliency and Access Improvement Project. The project would enhance mobility and adaptation to the effects of climate change in Del Mar and the surrounding area.

The city requested $1,768,200 to implement pre-construction monitoring and project notification for a future sand replenishment project, complete a conceptual design for a flood mitigation project, and connect existing trails to expand pedestrian access and create a scenic loop trail network through the entire city.

• The MiraCosta Community College District received $1 million for its Technology Career Institute. The institute will use this funding to expand its course offerings to include virtual and augmented reality, artificial intelligence,

robotics, and automation.

With this funding, TCI expects to train at least 445 students, and the program will also make education and certificates accessible to a more diverse community. Also, the institute can reduce tuition to a maximum of $1,000 for any individual (Tuition typically runs between $1,500 and $7,500). It will also help them provide childcare and transportation services for participants in the short-term, intensive training program.

• The City of Encinitas will receive $4 million for the Leucadia Streetscape Drainage Improvements project.

The section of Coast Highway 101 traversing Leucadia is relatively flat and lies at a low point between a rail corridor and coastal bluffs.

The drainage infrastructure on Coast Highway needs to be improved to handle moderate storm events.

This project would fund new drainage infrastructure with pipes up to 66 inches in diameter to address longstanding flooding through the corridor that leaves ponding on the highway and negatively impacts local residences and businesses.

• Oceanside is set to receive $34 million for the Loma Alta Creek Sewer Relocation project. The project will relocate a sewer main

from a creek bed to a roadway, minimizing the chance of environmental damage in the event of a sanitary sewer overflow.

According to Levin, the project will renew the pipeline and minimize the risk of sewer spills into a waterway. Levin said it would also protect and improve aquatic resources and water quality in the Loma Alta Creek, a Clean Water Act-listed waterway.

• Solana Beach will receive $7 million for Lomas Santa Fe Drive to improve modern multi-modal infrastructure for pedestrian and cyclist safety and vehicular traffic calming.

The overall objective of the community project funding request is to transform this automobile-oriented roadway into a more pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly corridor by constructing a multi-use trail, widening sidewalks, extending curbs, improving Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, improving signal timing to increase pedestrian and driver awareness, and reducing congestion.

The multi-modal transportation corridor will allow residents, students, commuters, and visitors to more safely travel by bicycle, foot, automobile, or transit to two community shopping centers, schools, offices, and community facilities, Levin said.

• Vista will receive $2.231 million for its Sidewalk Improvement and Enhanced Street Lighting Project. The money will help fund the installation of frontage improvements to enhance safety and improve multimodal transportation access along the south side of Nevada Avenue, from N. Santa Fe Avenue to Lemon Avenue, and the east side of Lemon Avenue, from Nevada Avenue to Raintree Place.

Specific improvements include road widening and new curbs, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant corner ramps, restrip-

Man guilty in deaths of wife and her sister

By City News Service

VISTA — A man who killed his estranged wife and her sister in Escondido was convicted Dec. 21 of first-degree murder and other charges.

Juan Carlos Ortega, 38, is expected to be sentenced this month to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the August 2018 deaths of 30-year-old Veronica Soto Ortega and 26-year-old Ana Soto. Both victims' bodies were discovered miles apart from each other on Aug. 9, 2018.

Prosecutors convicted Ortega of killing the women at his wife’s apartment because she filed for divorce.

At trial, Ortega’s defense attorney did not deny that his client killed the women, but alleged he did so in self-defense after Soto put a knife to his throat, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

Firefighters first found Soto’s body inside a burning SUV near Country Club and Kauana Loa drives. Prosecutors said she had been shot and the SUV was registered to her sister.

Ortega’s wife was found bludgeoned and stabbed to death at her apartment on West 11th Avenue, a few miles from the site of the burning vehicle. Ortega’s two children, then ages 4 and 5, were found unharmed in the apartment.

Ortega was arrested later that day at his workplace in Carlsbad.

Along with two first-degree murder counts, Ortega was convicted of an arson count, two child endangerment counts, and a special-circumstance allegation of lying in wait.

Help sought in Vista assault

By City News Service

VISTA — A 20-yearold man was hospitalized in critical but stable condition after he was assaulted by numerous people, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department said.

The assault happened just before 1 a.m. Dec. 31 in the 300 block of Vista Village Drive, according to Sgt. Andrew Brumfield.

“When deputies arrived on the scene, they found a 20-year-old man lying unconscious on the ground,” the sergeant said. “According to witnesses, he was attacked by numerous people.”

The victim was taken to the hospital with numerous injuries.

Detectives from the sheriff’s department’s Vista station would like to talk to anyone who witnessed the attack. They are asked to call 858-5655200.

THE NORTH COUNTY Transit District will receive $7 million in federal funding for its Sprinter Corridor Service Improvement Project. The funds willl help modernize the signal system and increase frequency of service. File photo

THE CITY OF VISTA will receive over $2.2 million in federal funds for its Sidewalk Improvement and Enhanced Street Lighting Project. File photo

Full of pride and pie crust

It was a Christmas miracle.

I made a pie crust.

A fairly decent pie crust. It was my first — the one bake I have been avoiding for decades.

I’m just sorry my mom wasn’t here to see it. She made perfect pie crusts and never really understood why I was so intimidated by it.

The small irony is I didn’t actually make a pie. What I craved were the cinnamon pinwheels my mom used to make with her leftover dough. I loved them and there were never enough.

I used the entire pie recipe and made pans and pans of them, perfect for munching.

Of course, they don’t taste the same as my mom’s, but they were close enough to warrant a second batch

small talk

— so technically I made two pie crusts. I am still amazed.

Jumping into a tricky bake is much easier when you have nothing to lose. I wasn’t baking for anyone else.

No one else in my house fancies the pinwheels. And of course, I burned some of the first batch. No worries. It was all part of the big experiment.

I have had a bad habit, over the years, of trying to cook things I’ve never cooked before, with use as a gift in mind. Bad plan.

I watched my mom

make fudge year after year and figured it was doable. Nope. I tossed three batches before I gave it a pass and made the boyfriend some easy cookies. I haven’t tried it since.

Armed with my pie confidence, maybe this is the year.

So, stocked with a bag of pinwheels, my favorite chocolates and a pizza, I went to ground for New Year’s Eve. My daughter had planned a party for her 30-something friends and I wanted to be as scarce as possible.

I prepared for the apocalypse and laid low, munching happily and watched movies late into the night. May you all munch happily into 2023.

Jean Gillette is a freelance writer who will search for the perfect soft-ball temperature in 2023.

BLOCK

“has been like losing a part of myself,” and described him as a lifelong partner and mentor who shared his passion for chasing down big ideas and rewriting industry norms.

“The chapters we wrote together forged the foundation of our lives, transitioning us from inexperienced kids full of idealism, naivete and a relentless desire to tear down mediocrity in the face of innovation, to adults bearing the battlefield scars of experience spanning decades, and a precisely honed view of the domains we play in, and the ideas we bring to them,” Way said. “He will be dearly missed.”

DC Shoes also shared a statement on social media about Block’s impact.

“Ken Block was not only the co-founder of DC, but he was the personification of everything our brand stands for. Confidence. Creativity. Innovation. Pushing Boundaries. Colliding Worlds,” DC said.

“Our hearts and prayers are with Ken’s family and the many people in the global DC tribe whose

lives he touched for nearly three decades. We simply cannot overstate his impact or what a devastating loss this is.”

Block’s prolific rally career began in 2005, and in the following years he earned five X Games medals and became one of a handful of Americans to score points in the World Rally Championship in 2010.

Block was also active on social media and had millions of followers, dedicating his time to wildly popu-

lar content on YouTube.

At the time of his death, he raced for Hoonigan Racing, which he started in 2010, and was involved with the Hoonigan brand as well, selling apparel and car parts.

“Ken was a visionary, a pioneer and an icon,” Hoonigan said in a statement on its website. “And most importantly, a father and a husband. He will be incredibly missed.”

jean gillette

City News Service contributed to this report.

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

KEN BLOCK, who attended Orange Glen High School in Escondido, died in a snowmobile accident on Monday in Utah. He was 55. Courtesy photo/DC Shoes

IN 1994, Ken Block co-founded DC Shoes, then based in Carlsbad. Courtesy photo/DC Shoes

Who’s NEWS?

Business news and special achievements for North San Diego County. Send information via email to community@ coastnewsgroup.com.

SMOKING BAN?

The city of Encinitas is considering a smoking ordinance and is seeking public input through Jan. 9. Make comments at ClimateAction@encinitasca.gov.

GRANTS OFFERED

Applications are being accepted for the Community Enhancement ARPA Augmentation Grant and Neighborhood Reinvestment Program. In addition, the county Board of Supervisors allocated over $25 million dollars for small business and non-profits that have been impacted by COVID-19 (less than 20 employees). While there is no deadline to apply, there is limited funding so those interested are encouraged to apply in the coming months. More at sandiegocounty.gov.

ART COUNCIL SHOWS

The California Arts Council has announced a grant award of $13,950 to Surfing Madonna Oceans Project as part of its Statewide and Regional Networks program in its second round of funding for 2022. With support from the California Arts Council, Surfing Madonna Oceans Project will produce two juried art exhibitions in 2023: “Save the Ocean 3” in October, and “Ocean/Earth/Air” in April. Visual artists and poets from Southern California will receive financial awards and cultivate their artistic reputations. To apply visit surfingmadonna. org/artshow.

VOLUNTEER HONOR

Siena Porcelli, an eighth-grade student at Santa Fe Christian School, has been honored for her exemplary volunteer service with a President’s Volunteer Service Award. Porcelli has logged more than 100 volunteer hours with the National Charity League this year. The award recognizes Americans of all ages who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to serve their communities and their country.

CYCLERY OPENS

Steve Yeager, general manager and operating partner for Cadence Cyclery in Encinitas, announced the shop’s Grand Opening will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 14 at 190 N. Coast Hwy 101, Encinitas. The cyclery will be hosting group bike rides starting from the shop at 9

a.m. They also plans to host both on-road and off-road rides on a weekly basis as well as periodic educational seminars.

FUNDING FOR NCTD

The North County Transit District announced Dec. 23, the appropriation of $7 million in Fiscal Year 2023 Community Project Funding for its Sprinter Corridor Service Improvement Project. The funding, requested by Rep. Mike Levin (CA49), will allow NCTD to further the modernization of signals on the Sprinter corridor, an initial phase of the multi-year Corridor Service Improvement Project. The project seeks to increase the speed and frequency of Sprinter service with an ultimate objective of reducing the time between departures from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes.

THE SOUND

The Del Mar Racetrack and Fairgrounds will open a new, 1,900-capacity concert venue. The Sound opens in February 2023 with Ziggy Marley as the first act and will be operated by the same folks who book the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach.

SD AT LEGOLAND

America's Brightest City is about to become the biggest little metropolis on the block, as Legoland California unveils the world's first Lego-constructed city of San Diego, coming this spring to the Carlsbad theme park's Miniland U.S.A.

HORTON PLAZA MAKEOVER

This downtown shopping center will reopen this year in a vastly different guise — an ambitious, multipurpose tech, retail, entertainment and residential hub. The new Horton Plaza is expected to have 50-60 shops (including a grocery store) as well as flexible office and research space, event venues, even a gym.

NEW COASTER COMING

SeaWorld will launch what it calls the fastest and longest "straddle coaster" on the West Coast: the Arctic Rescue in Spring 2023. You'll ride this one snowmobile-style at speeds of up to 40 mph on more than a halfmile of track.

COPLEY HALL REDONE

The San Diego Symphony's indoor performance home is set to reopen in Fall 2023 after a $125 million renovation. The downtown center's 1929-vintage Copley Symphony Hall has been outfitted with stateof-the-art digital sound and lighting, and can seat up to 1,750.

County gas prices rise again

By City News Service

REGION — The average price of a gallon of selfserve regular gasoline in San Diego County rose 1.4 cents Wednesday to $4.557, its 12th increase in the last 13 days.

The average price has increased 13.3 cents over the past 13 days, according

to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service.

It is 8.8 cents more than one week ago, but 27.3 cents less than one month ago and 7.3 cents cheaper than one year ago.

The average price has dropped $1.878 since rising to a record $6.435 on Oct. 5.

Tri-City CEO Dietlin announces retirement

By Samantha Nelson OCEANSIDE

— TriCity Healthcare District president and CEO Steve Dietlin will retire at the end of March after spending more than a decade in leadership at the hospital.

Tri-City board chairman Rocky Chavez accepted Dietlin’s letter of retirement “with deep regret” on Dec. 30, praising his leadership over the last 10 years.

“Steve has been an outstanding, transformational leader for our hospital and community,” Chavez stated in an official announcement of Dietlin’s retirement. “He will be sorely missed.”

Dietlin first joined TriCity as the chief financial officer in 2013. Over the next few years, Dietlin was responsible for a positive turnaround of the hospital’s financial status. Dietlin

was named president and CEO in 2016. He has more than 30 years of health care management experience.

During Dietlin’s time as CEO, the hospital launched several initiatives to im-

prove the region’s health care, including the creation of a new inpatient psychiatric health facility in partnership with the county as well as an almost-finished new MRI suite and an upcoming emergency room remodel.

Dietlin also helped to secure funding for the hospital and to establish TriCity as a leader in community engagement through its COASTAL Commitment outreach initiative, partnering with more than 80 local organizations to focus on regional issues like access to health care, community and social support, economic security and education, and homelessness and housing instability.

Dietlin was a stabilizing force for the hospital through his calm and thoughtful approach to

leadership, according to healthcare district officials.

In his retirement announcement, Dietlin expressed his pride over the hospital’s accomplishments during his tenure.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the communities of Carlsbad, Oceanside and Vista over the past decade,” Dietlin said.

“Leading and working side-by-side with thousands of dedicated Tri-City team members and community leaders to deliver our mission to advance the health and wellness of our community has been a rewarding experience that I will always carry with me.”

The Tri-City Healthcare District board of directors has formed an ad hoc committee to find Dietlin’s replacement.

Vista Irrigation District offering scholarships to high school seniors

By Staff

VISTA — Vista Irrigation District invites local high school seniors to compete for scholarships from the district.

Up to six scholarships may be awarded in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $3,000. The purpose of the scholarship program is to encourage students to learn more about how wa-

ter-related issues influence our daily lives.

Students who compete for a scholarship must complete an essay and provide a personal statement related to their background and/or goals. Selection criteria also include community involvement or volunteer service and letters of recommendation from high school faculty.

Students may download an application package from vidwater.org, or contact Brent Reyes at (760) 597-3107 or breyes@ vidwater.org to have the materials sent to them.

Applications are also available through high school counseling offices.

Applications must be received via e-mail or at the district office by 5 p.m.

Feb. 24, 2023.

Eligible students must live or go to school within the Vista Irrigation District’s service area of the city of Vista, and portions of San Marcos, Escondido, Oceanside and unincorporated areas of the county of San Diego.

The district provides water service to more than 133,000 people.

San Marcos Chamber

GrandCare Systems Innovative Health Care

GrandCare is a remote monitoring technology which addresses the staffing crisis for aging & disability service providers. Using a large interactive touchscreen and activity/ health monitoring sensors, GrandCare’s large touchscreen at the loved one’s residence provides check-ins, daily tasks, reminders, entertainment, family connection and a secure one touch video chat.

GrandCares CEO Laura Mitchell talks about the company and the impact it has on our community. What services and/or specialty products do you provide?

GrandCare’s 17 inch interactive touchscreen is a locked-down appliance in the resident’s home. Caregivers can remotely add the daily schedule, tasks, to do checklists, medication reminders, cognitive assists, and communications including pictures, messages and video instructions. The resident may use the device to communicate back, video chat with family and caregivers, listen to music, play games and more. Optional wireless telehealth and activity sensors can monitor and send alerts if something seems amiss or extra support is needed. Residents can request support from the touchscreen at any time and “check in’’ at designated times to ensure that all is well.

What sets you apart from others in your industry?

GrandCare Systems was founded in 2005 by an MIT grad and a small group of visionaries who are still with the organization today. GrandCare was one of the very first technologies in the world to offer this type of touchscreen and sensor-based Hardware-as-a-service technology to the aging & disability population. GrandCare has been featured worldwide for its innovation, pioneering and

thought leadership. Throughout its existence GrandCare has leveraged cutting edge technology in the service of keeping people independent, healthy, and safe.

What question are you asked most frequently by clients?

How hard is it to set up and does it require any technical expertise from the resident/loved one? It is incredibly easy to set up and requires only a source of power and a dedicated Internet connection. The loved one needs zero computer experience and the touchscreen is specifically designed with that demographic in mind.

What motivated you to join The San Marcos Chamber?

GrandCare has always been heavily involved in the community, especially in our home city of West Bend, Wisconsin. As we have recently made the move to open a west coast office in Southern California, we wanted to get to know our community, the community leaders and give back however we can.

Business website: www.grandcare. com/ Business Instagram handle: grandcaresystems

Business Facebook page: www.facebook.com/GrandCareSystems/

LAURA MITCHELL CEO Courtesy photo

STEVE DIETLIN joined TriCity in 2013 and became board chairman and CEO in 2016. Courtesy photo

The Coast News’ biggest news stories of 2022

Mission Hills High School principal placed on leave

(32,844 views)

By Laura Place

SAN MARCOS — Mission Hills High School principal Cliff Mitchell has been placed on leave as the San Marcos Unified School District reviews a “concern” shared with administrators, district officials confirmed.

According to San Marcos Unified spokesperson Amy Ventetuolo, the district was made aware of

a concern on Sept. 29 and immediately placed Mitchell on leave the following morning.

Superintendent Andy Johnsen advised the Mission Hills community of Mitchell’s leave on Tuesday, and emphasized the matter does not appear to involve any harm to a student.

Officials declined to share any further details, stating that personnel matters are confidential.

Investigations continue into Vista football players

(27,481 views)

By Laura Place

VISTA — The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and Vista Unified School District have each launched investigations into recent allegations of misconduct by members of the Vista High School football team in the school locker room, with head coach David Bottom on administrative leave for the time being.

On Tuesday evening,

officials with the Sheriff’s Department and school district shared that they have determined that the incident did not involve a sexual assault, but that they are continuing their investigations.

Vista High School officials first sent a letter to parents on Sept. 7, stating that they had received “deeply disturbing” allegations about misconduct between football players in the locker room that oc

Woman gets life without parole for Carlsbad murder

(27,563 views)

By Jordan P. Ingram & Steve Puterski

CARLSBAD — A transient woman who pleaded guilty to the killing of a Carlsbad resident who was stabbed more than 140 times was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Feb. 4 in Vista Superior Court.

Last fall, Malissa James, 29, admitted to the March 11, 2019, murder of

Marjorie Gawitt during a pre-dawn home invasion robbery at the victim’s home on Outrigger Lane.

James’ co-defendant, Ian Forrester Bushee, has entered a plea of not guilty and is scheduled for trial in May.

James pled guilty to avoid the death penalty, waiving her appellate rights and admitting to each of the special circumstances in the crime....

More businesses shuttering at Escondido’s Westfield mall

(24,243 views)

By Stephen Wyer

ESCONDIDO — Store closures are increasing at Westfield North County in Escondido, with business owners citing the pandemic, departure of major retailers and mall ownership’s poor management as contributing factors.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, regional economic experts say that the mall has suffered from a marked

increase in tenant vacancies, along with a substantial reduction in foot traffic at the shopping center.

From larger department store chains to smaller retailers and singular establishments, a sizeable number of the mall’s businesses are being forced to close or are on the brink of shutting down, according to Erik Bruvold, CEO of the San Diego North Economic Development Council.

MISSION HILLS HIGH SCHOOL principal Cliff Mitchell was placed on leave for an unknown concern not involving law enforcement. Courtesy photo

AN INCIDENT involving alleged misconduct by members of the Vista High School football was investigated over the summer. Photo by Laura Place

MALISSA JAMES, pictured here in 2019, was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the murder of Carlsbad resident Marjorie Gawitt. The Coast News/File photo

SINCE THE BEGINNING of the pandemic, regional economic experts say the mall has suffered from a marked increase in tenant vacancies. Courtesy photo

Carlsbad woman’s bizarre photo brings UFO conversation home

(19,927 views)

By Jacqueline Covey

OCEANSIDE — At approximately 4 a.m. in May 2014, Carlsbad photographer Ann Patterson’s intended subject was the moon, but her camera appeared to capture something unseen by her naked eye: a fluorescent bellshaped object teetering over the Oceanside pier.

While it remains unclear what exactly the photo portrays (lights...

New Restaurant Row owner proposes new project at site

(18,130 views)

By Laura Place

SAN MARCOS — The new owner of the Old California Restaurant Row property in San Marcos has applied to develop over 200 housing units and 10,000 square feet of new commercial space on a portion of the site still home to several businesses.

Located along West San Marcos Boulevard and Via Vera Cruz, Restaurant Row has been a ...

Ocean Kamp project headed to O’side Planning Commission

(18,804 views)

By Samantha Nelson

OCEANSIDE — A giant mixed-use development with a wave lagoon proposed to take over the site of the old drive-in theatre and area swap meet is soon heading to the Oceanside Planning Commission for approval.

Ocean Kamp will turn the 92-acre site located at 3480 Mission Avenue into a mixed-use development with 700 homes....

Carlsbad strawberry fields attractions in jeopardy

(18,116 views)

By Steve Puterski

CARLSBAD — The Carlsbad Strawberry Company’s iconic farmland along Interstate 5 has long been known for its tasty strawberries, pumpkin patch, corn maze and other agricultural enticements.

However, some of owner Jimmy Ukegawa’s latest attractions, including bounce houses, apple cannons, a mechanical bull, face painting and ...

Record UC applicants make for finicky application process

(18,186 views)

By Anna Opalsky

ENCINITAS — As this year’s college admissions process draws to a close, not all recent high school graduates are secure in their commitment to a campus.

The number of applicants to colleges in the University of California system has reached all-time highs, according to Gary Clark, undergraduate admissions director at UCLA...

Body of missing Oceanside woman Sara Otero found

(18,044 views)

By Steve Puterski

OCEANSIDE — The body of 28-year-old missing woman Sara “Celeste” Otero was found by law enforcement on Feb. 8 near Camp Pendleton, according to the Oceanside Police Department.

Earlier this morning, Sara’s father Greg Otero shared the news of her death on social media after writing that his daughter “decided that she had ...

A 2014 PHOTO reportedly depicting a bell-shaped object over the Oceanside pier by Carlsbad photographer Ann Patterson. Photo courtesy of Ann Patterson

THE OLD CALIFORNIA Restaurant Row property along West San Marcos Boulevard could be the site of a new commercial and residential development. Photo by Laura Place

A RENDERING of the sprawling Ocean Kamp project in Oceanside. Courtesy photo

CARLSBAD STRAWBERRY Company owner Jimmy Ukegawa challenged a city decision regarding attractions at the Strawberry Fields along Cannon Road. Photo by Steve Puterski

UCLA RECEIVES the highest number of applicants in the nation. This year, the college reported an increase of 10,000 applications from the previous year. Courtesy photo

SARA ‘CELESTE’ OTERO went missing on Jan. 28 in Oceanside. Her family reported the discovery of her body in February. Courtesy photo

For holiday travelers, lumps of coal

The holiday from hell. That’s how many will remember Christmas 2022.

A history-making blizzard, record-low temperatures, antiquated airline computer systems and the urge to be with loved ones after two COVID Christmases all aligned to create the perfect storm.

Consider the plight of Leola Powers of Vista.

Her disastrous homeward-bound tale is epic. The nearly weeklong saga starts Dec. 25 at Nashville International Airport after visiting family.

“I had Christmas breakfast with my mother in Nashville and planned to have Christmas dinner with my husband in Vista,” said the MiraCosta College professor.

Powers’ complicated narrative includes hopes raised and dashed; four airline tickets, three of them for canceled flights; flight crews that didn’t (and couldn’t) show; mistimed and erroneous texts from Southwest Airlines; two rental car reservations; and finally, a twoday, 28-hour, 2,000-plus-mile drive from Nashville to Vista, with an overnight in El Paso.

“If you do the math, you’ll know I was speeding,” she confessed, “but I was motivated.”

Powers arrived home Dec. 30.

One idea she contemplated then rejected was a one-way ticket to San Diego from Nashville on American

hit the road

e’louise ondash

Airlines for $2,818. Nevertheless, she still racked up $2,500 in expenses, despite “buying cheap” the necessities she needed because her luggage had disappeared. As of 3 p.m. Jan. 1, Powers had not yet been reunited with her suitcase.

Nikki Prichard and Robert Hetherington consider themselves lucky. They still made it home Christmas Day, although seven hours late. The Vista couple had flown to Boise to visit Prichard’s family.

“It was about 1:30 p.m. when they notified us that they were waiting on the crew for the 1:40 p.m. flight with Southwest,” Prichard said. “We sat around for a while before (the gate attendant) told us they didn’t know how long it would be, and (said), ‘If it were me, I’d go back home.’”

Nevertheless, the couple stayed and a crew finally appeared.

“By this time, probably half of the other passengers had gone home,” Prichard said. “The worst part was the lack of communication, but we were so happy to have a flight. We finally got home at 10 p.m. It could’ve been worse.”

They celebrated Christ-

mas the following day with leftovers and gifts with Hetherington’s family.

Larry Dyke and Lorraine Farrar were optimistic about their flight from San Diego to Nashville when they left their Vista home Christmas Day.

“We were sitting waiting and the plane pulled up to the gate,” Dyke said. “Then they told us it had been canceled. They wouldn’t help us (rebook) at the gate. We had to go and check out our bags, then get in the reservation line again. We looked at the line. It was a two- to three-hours’ wait, so we went home.”

Before leaving, they had to retrieve their luggage from a sea of bags and parcels set out on every square inch of the airport’s open space and in no particular order.

Back home, Dyke connected both his and his wife’s cellphone to chargers, then called Southwest.

“I stayed up all night with two telephones on hold,” he said. “I was on hold from 10 p.m. to 4:15 a.m. before someone answered at reservations.”

The couple managed to get tickets for Dec. 29., and they are probably lucky. According to various reports, Southwest reinstated only about a third of its flights the week following Christmas.

Dyke and Farrar finally arrived in Tennessee on Dec. 29.

Passengers weren’t the only ones to miss out on

Christmas with loved ones. Airline crews weren’t going anywhere either.

Kristen Armstrong’s husband, a pilot for a major airline (not Southwest), got stranded in Buffalo after several delays and cancellations that kept both checking and rechecking airline apps.

“It was a lot of yo-yoing,” said Armstrong, a Pacific Beach resident. “I felt like a bungee cord. I cried a

lot.”

Her husband not only missed Christmas with his wife and children, but his mother had flown from Boston to San Diego to be with the family.

“It was the first time we’d be together in years for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day,” Armstrong said.

The family also canceled their daughter’s 2nd birthday celebration, and Armstrong’s mother-in-law

flew home Dec. 26. Her husband arrived home three days later.

“At least he was able to fly in to Buffalo and made so many people’s dreams come true,” Armstrong said. “I’m just grateful he’s home…and that we’ll have Christmases in the future.”

Want to share tales of travel? Email eondash@ coastnewsgroup.com. Also visit www.facebook.com/ elouise.ondash.

Since 1998, Belmont Village has safely delivered an unparalleled senior living experience for thousands of families. Collaborations with experts from the nation’s top healthcare institutions and universities, including UC San Diego and UCLA, have established our national leadership in demonstrably effective cognitive health and wellness programs. Combining the highest levels of hospitality and care, our communities make life worth living.

THE SCENE at baggage claim — and everywhere else in the San Diego airport — after Vista residents Robert Hetherington and Nikki Prichard arrived home from Idaho seven hours late on Christmas Day. Photo by Robert Hetherington

Food &Wine

Vista’s Inzane Brewing joins North County beer scene

By Jeff Spanier

Being a member of the Vista community is something Mike Zane, owner and head brewer of Inzane Brewing, takes seriously.

Even after saying he’s “born and raised here in Vista,” he felt the need to self-correct (his first two weeks of life were spent in San Diego). A technicality to most, but not to Zane despite 42 years as a resident in Vista.

In October, Zane and his wife, Ewa, opened their neighborhood brewery in the heart of downtown Vista. Inzane Brewing is on Main Street in what is quickly becoming a North County hot spot.

Cheers: Why was it special for you to open up here?

Mike Zane: My mom had a business just two doors down from here. And now I have a place on Main Street too, in the town I grew up in and live in. And there’s something special about having a business on Main Street anywhere, right?

Ewa Zane: This is home. We’ve watched the downtown grow and now we are a part of it. And we live a 20-minute walk from here. Of course, we spend more time here than at home now — we just sleep at home.

***

The Zanes have taken a do-it-yourself approach since they secured the venue formerly occupied by Wavelength Brewing. In the summer, with the grand opening some time away, I found the Zanes hard at work redesigning the interior of the brewery.

They looked both exhausted and delighted, which I took as a sure sign that they loved the work

they were doing. I came back shortly after their grand opening to see how things had turned out.

Cheers: Congratulations on your grand opening!

Mike: Thank you. It was a long time coming, that’s for sure.

Cheers: You are serving a lot of different beer styles. Where do your inspirations come from?

Mike: Most of my cre-

ations come from friends who want to make or drink something. When I get a beer suggestion from a friend who had a beer style they liked, I play around in my own little laboratory and try to come up with something on my own.

Cheers: How long were you “playing around in your laboratory” making beer for your friends?

Mike: 20 years. I was making 35-gallon batches,

so I made a lot of friends.

Cheers: What were some of the first beers you brewed that got you thinking about opening a brewery?

Mike: California Common was my very first beer recipe and one of the first beers I brewed. It’s rich, malty with hints of toast and caramel. A dry finish. Very drinkable.

Cheers: Anything special brewed for the holidays?

Mike: Our nitro line is up, so we have an oatmeal stout on nitro. Also, our Belgian Tripel will be released this week.

Cheers: How long was the owning a brewery in the plans?

Mike: We’ve been discussing it for eight years. I had a few partners for the first planning stages. We watched the beer industry plateau for a while, and decided the time wasn’t right. I went back to brewing for fun. When COVID hit, most of the partners backed out. We decided to do it.

Cheers: You described yourself as an introvert before we started this interview, but it sounds like you’re a risk taker at heart.

Mike: I am a risk taker at heart. I can be a little shy, but when it comes to business, I want to go all in if I’m going to do some-

thing. When this location became available, I wanted to grab it, but my last partner bowed out. My wife and I decided to do it ourselves.

Cheers: People will recognize the exterior with the great windows, but once you walk in it’s totally different. Very light and welcoming.

Mike: Ewa is the designer and architect. She told me what to do, and I did it. We didn’t have the budget to bring in anyone, so we did it all ourselves. We wanted to improve the acoustics also, so we reworked the entire wall and stage area.

Cheers: What are the plans for the stage?

Mike: We will have live entertainment for the community. We want to have music, open-mic nights, stand-up comedy, whatever we can think of. Whatever we can put on a stage, we wanted to have it here.

Cheers: Your sense of humor can be seen everywhere in your brewery: the shirts, signs, coasters…

Mike: Yes, one thing we don’t do is take ourselves too seriously.

Cheers to that!

To hear more of my interview with Inzane Brewing, check out I Like Beer the Podcast. You can follow Jeff Spanier on Instagram @ ilikebeerthepodcast.

RAIN, WIND, AND FIRE...

“The three menaces to any chimney, fireplace, or stove.”

Every year there are over twenty thousand chimney / fireplace related house fires in the US alone. Losses to homes as a result of chimney fires, leaks, and wind damage exceeds one hundred million dollars annually in the US.

CHIMNEY SWEEPS, INC., one of San Diego’s leading chimney repair and maintenance companies, is here to protect you and your home from losses due to structural damage and chimney fires.

Family owned and operated and having been in business for over 30 years, Chimney Sweeps Inc. is a fully licensed and insured chimney contracting company (License # 976438) and they are certified with the National Fireplace Institute and have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

For a limited time, readers of this paper will receive a special discount on our full chimney cleaning and safety inspection package with special attention to chimney water intrusion points in preparation for the rainy season.

CHIMNEY SWEEPS, INC SERVING SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOR OVER 30 YEARS

MIKE ZANE, owner and head brewer of Inzane Brewing, with his wife, Ewa. Inzane Brewing opened in October on Main Street in Vista. Photo by Jeff Spanier

Food &Wine

The need for local journalism has never been more important than it is today. Misinformation, biased reporting and fake news impact your ability to make informed decisions. The Coast News needs your help to continue honest communitybased reporting you can trust. Just like many of you, our team at Coast News Group has also been impacted by the coronavirus. In order to continue our mission to provide quality local journalism, we are now accepting reader donations. We appreciate all your support during this time of need.

Just a few more drinking resolutions

Ididn’t know it was New Year’s Eve when I sat down with my morning coffee. I knew we were close, but I honestly didn’t think it was already here.

When I found out, my first thought was, “Well, heck, I should add some holiday cheer to this cup of coffee.” My second thought was, “Did I meet all my beer-drinking resolutions in 2022?” Let’s recap:

Drink Less Beer, but Drink Better Beer

I failed, yet succeeded. I did not drink less beer. I’d say I drank quite a bit more. However, it was consistently better beer. Primarily, this was because when I found an enjoyable beer — like Pure Project’s Rain Lager — I stuck with it. I drank it repeatedly.

Repeat

This means I achieved my second goal! I weened myself away from having Beer-Fomo. I wasn’t missing out on all the great beers I didn’t drink. I was living the dream and drinking great beer after great beer.

Leave My Beer Stereotypes Behind

This one focused chiefly on hazy beers. I’m sad to say my stereotype has most-

PROJECTS

ing roads and crosswalks, and installing new lights.

• The North County Transit District will receive $7 million for its Sprinter Corridor Service Improvement Project. Funds would complete the design of phase two of the project, which will modernize the Sprinter signal system.

The broader project seeks to increase the frequency of service from 30-minute headways to

cheers! north county ryan woldt

ly been reinforced over the past year. I’m sure good hazy beers exist.

I’ve even had a few, but I’ve learned that the wild variations in the style are too risky for my palate. I’m out…unless you know of one.

Be Brand Aware

The stories of toxic workplaces petered out in 2022. I don’t for a moment believe they don’t still exist, but I am willing to consider that things did get better. I think the brands that were already treating people well continued to do so, and a bunch of brands that weren’t necessarily toxic but weren’t top-notch upped their game.

Thank you to the brands working to be better or even great. Keep it up. Those are the brands I want to support with my consumer dollars and whatever platform this column allows.

Go to the source

Huge success! I went out to the source a billion

15-minute headways by improving the rail signals and double tracking 9.5 miles along the corridor.

• San Diego County will receive two grants, one for $4.48 million for its Mobile Crisis Response Team and one for $3.75 million to purchase a twin-engine firefighting helicopter.

The requested funding would enhance mobile crisis response by adding overnight and weekend coverage for four mobile crisis teams seven days per week.

Each unit compris-

percent more often in 2022.* More importantly, I connected with the essential people in my life. My wife and I already spent a boatload of time together, and the early days of COVID amplified that experience.

2023 Resolutions

Create experiences

This is inspired directly by the past few weeks in the mountains. Each night I would make a batch of peppermint schnapps and hot chocolates, and my wife and I would wander the early evening looking at the holiday lights. Some nights it snowed. Some nights we walked and shared the lights via video chat with our family.

Even now, I’m smiling, remembering the connectedness and warmth I felt (despite the cold). In 2023, I’ll resolve to create more experiential drinking opportunities.

Make more toasts

Toasts can be self-indulgent or seem pretentious, but I hope that by making more toasts — the simpler, the better. I’ll attempt to create more opportunities for myself and those I raise a pint with to appreciate the moment. If only for a brief time, we’ll collectively

es one clinician, one case manager, and one peer and administrative support specialist and would cost $1.12 million, including salaries, benefits, and associated operational/indirect costs.

A twin-engine helicopter allows for firefighting day and night and increases the amount of water deployed with each drop. In cases of engine failure, a single engine significantly increases the risk to the crew and anyone being hoisted during a rescue.

According to Levin,

drink with intention.

Celebrate the makers

When I find a brewer, distiller, or winemaker I like, I’ll make more of an effort to share them with fellow imbibers who may love them too. I hope not to scream widely into the void but rather to target my recommendations more efficiently than your favorite social media platform.

Nate loves Mexican-style lagers and people who follow their dreams. I bet he’ll love Del Mar’s Viewpoint Brewing’s Mexican Tornado.

Beyond the taste, a portion of the proceeds is dedicated to getting local offroad motorcycle rally racer Edgar Cota to the Dakar Rally — “The holy grail of rally races.”

I encourage you to make a few drinking resolutions of your own. At the very least, take an extra moment while drinking to appreciate that someone combined a bunch of strange things and then put it in their mouth. What a hero.

Stream the classic episodes of the Roast! West Coast coffee podcast on the Coast News Podcast page, and follow Cheers! North County on Facebook and Instagram.

there are also over 100,000 structures in the designated high-fire risk area in the county. As a result, more than 80% of the area qualifies as a disadvantaged community.

These forests and communities have suffered from devastating wildfires, and fire risk is only getting more severe. During the past two decades, he said that over 600,000 acres have burned, nearly 5,000 homes have been destroyed, and dozens of lives have been lost.

HAPPY BEER YEAR! Share your beer resolutions on Instagram: @cheersnorthcounty.

SDG&E says higher bills due to natural gas prices

By City News Service

REGION — San Diego Gas & Electric on Wednesday cited a dramatic increase in natural gas prices over the past year as a major reason ratepayers will likely see a large jump on their bills this month.

New gas and electric rates went into effect Jan. 1. According to SDG&E, the cost per unit of natural gas — known as a therm — more than doubled over the past year, increasing from $2.36 per therm in January 2022 to $5.11 per therm in January 2023.

The increase means residents who had a peak winter gas bill of about $105 last January can expect the January 2023 bill to be around $225.

Customers who are enrolled in the CARE bill discount program could see their January gas bills increase from around $60 to $130.

Natural gas is not just used for heating and cooking, it’s also used to generate 40% of the country’s electricity.

A typical SDG&E residential customer who receives both electric delivery and electric generation as a bundled service from SDG&E may see their average monthly electric bill increase by around $25 from $160 to $185 starting this month, according to the utility.

“We understand the challenges customers are facing as the cost of goods and services across the board continues to increase,” said Dana Golan, SDG&E vice president of customer services. “While not good news, we want to make sure our customers are prepared for significantly higher winter bills, and more importantly, that there are tools and resources, including financial assistance available, given the severity of natural gas market conditions.

“Please know that we are here to help and work with our customers who may be struggling financially,” she said.

According to the utility, more than 90% of the increase in the overall gas rate is driven by the market price for gas — the amount SDG&E pays suppliers to buy the gas on behalf of its customers.

SDG&E leaders said they do not charge any markup for natural gas — if the utility pays $1 for natural gas in the commodity market, that’s what customers pay. SDG&E began alerting customers about rising gas prices and anticipated rate changes in October so they could be better prepared.

The reasons for the spike in prices are varied, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, including widespread, below-normal temperatures; high natural gas consumption; reduced natural gas flows; pipeline constraints, including maintenance in West Texas; and low natural gas storage levels in the Pacific region.

The utility offered some suggestions for relief and how to save money these winter months, including a variety of assistance programs, including bill discounts, debt relief, payment plans and energy efficiency programs.

Some tips to reduce costs include:

— Using caulk and weather-strip around drafty doors and windows, using a door sweep, door sock or towel at the bottom of doors with a gap;

— Checking furnace filters once a month and replace them regularly. A dirty air filter can increase your energy costs and cause problems with your equipment;

— Using warm water instead of hot water to cut a washing machine’s energy use in half; using cold water will save even more; and

— Lowering the thermostat water heaters to 120 degrees, if possible.

Customers can visit sdge.com/MyEnergy for bill-saving and energy management resources.

SENIOR VOLUNTEER PATROL

The Senior Volunteer Patrol of the Vista Sheriff’s Station performs home vacation security checks, assists with traffic control, enforces disabled parking regulations, patrols neighborhoods, schools, parks and shopping centers and visits homebound seniors who live alone for the community of Vista & portions of the county’s unincorporated areas. Volunteers must be at least age 50, be in good health, pass a background check, have auto insurance, a valid California driver’s license, and be a US citizen. Training includes a mandatory two-week academy plus training patrols. The minimum commitment is 6 hours per week & attendance at a monthly meeting. erested parties should contact Administrator Jim Baynes to arrange an information meeting. (760)

VISTA BUSINESSES INVITED TO SUPPORT INTERNS

“Workforce

Proposed class-action suit filed in San Diego against Southwest

By City News Service

REGION — A proposed class-action lawsuit was filed against Southwest Airlines on behalf of two San Diego County residents who bought tickets for flights that were canceled during the airline’s scheduling-system meltdown over the holidays.

The suit was filed Friday, Dec. 30, in San Diego Superior Court on behalf

of local residents Carla Hill and Cameron Youssef.

Hill purchased a ticket at an “exorbitant” cost to fly her son from Ohio to San Diego for the holidays, but his flight was among the widespread cancellations of Southwest flights nationwide, according to the lawsuit.

Youssef and his spouse were stranded in Nashville, Tennessee, for several days

and unable to return to San Diego “due to SWA’s malfeasance,” the lawsuit alleges.

The lawsuit alleges that regardless of weather conditions, Southwest “knew or should have known it could not perform due to woefully inadequate staffing and complete inability to provide services as promised.”

The cancellations of thousands of flights during

the holiday season led Southwest to issue an apology, including a televised statement from Southwest CEO Bob Jordan, who said the carrier would “make good” with affected passengers.

The airline said that on Dec. 28, it launched a website (southwest.com/ traveldisruption) to assist customers with requesting refunds.

This past summer, the Vista Chamber of Commerce launched the Velocity Summer Internship Program, in which 42 students from local high schools had the opportunity to work for local companies based on their interests. This program will be brought back for summer 2023. If your business is interested in obtaining an intern for the summer at no cost, complete the form at vistachamber.org (under

Development”). The internship is for 100 hours, and each student’s wages are covered by the Chamber thanks to an APRA grant from the city of Vista Courtesy photo

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ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Make a start on that new workplace challenge. But get more information before you find yourself too deeply involved without knowing in which direction you should go.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) You might find things becoming tedious as your schedule slows down after the holidays. Use this time to get information about a possible post-New Year job change.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) The creative Twin finds outlets for his or her ideas in the early part of the week. The practical Twin takes it a step further and rallies support to turn the ideas into reality.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) It’s time to stop being intimidated by someone’s negative behavior. Start taking positive steps on your own to help strengthen your position down the line.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) Look closely at that so-called golden opportunity. Best to be a cautious Cat who approaches things slowly, rather than one who pounces without knowing where you’ll land.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Your apology can resolve that personal situation before it overshadows the start of your new year. You’ll feel better, even if you’re only partly to blame for what happened.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Avoid overtaxing yourself, even if your energy levels are high and you feel that you can do it all. Best to pace yourself so you won’t run yourself down.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Your sense of humor helps get you through a stressful period. Some of your quick quips can take the edge off any remaining negativity being aimed at you.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Your artistic talents not only help you express yourself these days, but they also set up a line of communication between you and someone very special.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) It’s fine to appreciate the importance of having a “proper form” for doing things. But relax a bit in order to allow newcomers on the project to feel less intimidated by you.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Use your boundless reserve of optimism to persuade others to work with you so that you can resolve a difficult workplace problem before it ruins the dynamics in place.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) You brim over with self-confidence as you begin to tackle a new challenge. And, before you know it, you’re not alone: Others have taken the plunge with you.

THIS WEEK:

have a highly defined sense of commitment to others. You would make a fine social worker.

What irrational fear is represented in the condition called ablutophobia?

ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a baby turkey called?

EVENTS CALENDAR

JAN. 6

APRIL AND FUNK JUNKIES

Join April and the Funk Junkies Happy Hour to benefit La Colonia Community Foundation. 5:30 p.m. at Belly Up, 160 S Cedros Ave, Solana Beach.

GEM FAIRE

America's Best Gem & Jewelry Show. Free-$7, 12 to 6 p.m. Jan. 6 at Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2236 Jimmy Durante Blvd, Del Mar.

DECEMBER ART SHOW

Every artwork in the Summation 2022 Escondido Arts Partnership exhibition tells a story. 5 p.m. at Escondido Arts Partnership , 100 E Grand Ave, Escondido.

VISTA GARDEN CLUB

Garden Hand Tools will be the topic of a presentation at the Vista Garden Club meeting. 12 to 2:30 p.m. Jan. 6 at Gloria McClellan Vista Senior Center, 1400 Vale Terrace Dr, Vista.

NERD COMEDY NIGHT

Clever comedy and a smart audience make this Carlsbad tradition one-of-akind. $15, 7 p.m. at Harding Community Center, 3096 Harding St, Carlsbad.

THEA THE BAND

Live Entertainment. 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. Jan. 6 at Mr.

Peabody's Bar and Grill, 136 Encinitas Blvd, Encinitas.

THEATER CLASSES

New Village Arts Theatre is offering a host of acting classes in from January through March. 5 p.m. at New Village Arts Theatre, 2787 State St, Carlsbad.

PECHANGA POWWOW

Pechanga Tribe hosts a free, three-day event in-

cluding tribes from across North America. 5 p.m. at Pechanga Resort, 45000 Pechanga Pkwy, Temecula.

WOMEN'S MUSEUM

The Women's Museum of California has added more open hours to its Education Center. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 6 at Women's Museum of California, 404 Euclid Ave, San Diego.

JAN. 7

CALL FOR ARTISTS

January 2023 show, “Discovery,” open to all artists and media. Free. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 7 at Artist Gallery, 121 W Grand Ave, Escondido.

GEM FAIRE

America's Best Gem & Jewelry Show. Free-$7, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 7 at Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2236 Jimmy Durante Blvd, Del Mar.

PECHANGA POWWOW

Pechanga Tribe hosts a free, three-day event including tribes from across North America. 5 p.m. at Pechanga Resort, 45000 Pechanga Pkwy, Temecula.

PET LOSS SUPPORT

Rancho Coastal Humane Society offers free, one-on-one, 20-minute telephone consultations for people who recently lost pets plus upcoming counseling sessions. 9 to 11 a.m. Jan. 7 at Rancho Coastal Humane Society, 389 Requeza St, Encinitas.

KOKEDAMA WORKSHOP

San Diego Botanic Garden teaches Kokedama, a traditional Japanese Living Art form where moss is used as a container for a plant. 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Jan. 7 at San Diego Botanic Garden, 300 Quail Gardens Dr, Encinitas.

CYCLE CLUB

North County Cycle Club rides every Saturday morning. 8 a.m. at San Marcos Restaurant Row, 1020 W San Marcos Blvd, San Marcos.

JAN. 8

CYCLOVIA ENCINITAS

BCycle Encinitas/Trek/ Electra on historic Coast Highway 101. Explore Downtown Encinitas via bike, on foot or other means of self-powered transportation, free of cars. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 8 at Downtown Encinitas, S Coast Highway 101, Encinitas.

CHASE MORRIN TRIO

Chase Morrin is a prolific pianist and composer. 2 to 3 p.m. Jan. 8 at Encinitas Library, 540 Cornish Dr, Encinitas.

SYNTHETIC ICE RINK

Visit the Fleet Science Center's Winter Paradice synthetic ice rink as you celebrate winter, San Diego-style. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 8 at Fleet Science Center, 1875 El Prado, San Diego.

FARMERS MARKET

Best local foods and fresh produce in North

County, every Sunday!. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 8 at Paul Ecke Central School, 185 Union St, Encinitas.

PECHANGA POWWOW

Pechanga Tribe hosts a free, three-day event including tribes from across North America. 5 p.m. at Pechanga Resort, 45000 Pechanga Pkwy, Temecula.

JAVA JOE’S REUNION

San Diego Folk Heritage presents a San Diego Folk All Stars team of musicians. $30, 4 p.m. at Pilgrim United Church of Christ, 2020 Chestnut Ave, Carlsbad.

WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS

Catholic Widows and Widowers of North County hold a general meeting and potluck. Reservations required at (760) 696-3502. 5 p.m. at Saint Margaret Parish , 4300 Oceanside Blvd, Oceanside.

‘TEMPTATIONS’ MUSICAL

The new, smash-hit Broadway musical follows The Temptations' extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. 1 to 5 p.m. Jan. 8 at San Diego Civic Theatre , 1100 3rd Ave, San Diego.

JAN. 9

MUSICAL THEATER DANCE

Explore different styles of dance in musical theater at New Village Arts. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 9 at New Village Arts Theatre, 2787 State St, Carlsbad.

BONSAI BASICS

Gary Jones and Ken Bross introduce the basics of Art of Bonsai and some of the principles of how to create a bonsai. 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Jan. 9 at San Diego Botanic Garden, 300 Quail Gardens Dr, Encinitas.

JAN. 10

NOTRE DAME CONCERT

University of Notre Dame Undertones are a 12-member all-male a cappella group. 7 p.m. at Encinitas Library, 540 Cornish Dr, Encinitas.

EL CAMINO QUILT GUILD

Jan Krentz will look at the traditional 8-point star designs, ranging from Lone Stars, Hunter Stars, and the new Diamond Quilts. 9:30 a.m. at El Corazon Senior Center , 3302 Senior Center Dr, Oceanside.

MASTER SHAKESPEARE

Performance-based acting class will offer students an advanced approach at mastering the works of William Shakespeare. 4:30 to 6 p.m. Jan. 10 at New Village Arts Theatre, 2787 State St, Carlsbad.

GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

Genealogy Librarian Mary Von Orsdol will pres-

ent “Civil Births, Marriages, Deaths” in hybrid format.Registration is necessary if attending on-line at nsdcgs.org. 10 to 11:30 a.m. Jan. 10 at Faraday Administration Building, , 1635 Faraday Ave, Carlsbad.

JAN. 11

‘BLUES IN THE NIGHT’

North Coast Repertory Theatre presents “Blues in the Night” by Sheldon Epps. $63, 7 p.m. at North Coast Repertory Theatre, 987 Lomas Santa Fe Dr, Solana Beach.

JAN. 12

JAMES ALLEN

Live Entertainment. 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. Jan. 12 at Mr. Peabody's Bar and Grill, 136 Encinitas Blvd, Encinitas.

WHEELCHAIR SKILLS

This class is for manual wheelchair users to learn and practice skills such as wheelies, ascending/descending ramps, curbs and stairs, and transferring from the floor to their wheelchair. Each class is led by a Doctor of Physical Therapy and begins with a shoulder warm up to help reduce and prevent shoulder pain. This class is sponsored by... 12 to 1 p.m. Jan. 12 at NeuroLab 360, 2146 Encinitas Blvd, Encinitas.

JAN. 13

THE PETTYBREAKERS

Tom Petty Tribute. 9 p.m. at Belly Up, 160 S Cedros Ave, Solana Beach.

SWEDISH JAZZ

"Live! at the Brooks" presents Swedish jazz musician Gunhild Carling to start its 2023 Oceanside Music series. 8 to 11 p.m. Jan. 13 at Oceanside Theatre Company , 217 N Coast Hwy, Oceanside.

THE LINKS

The Links are an alternative band from Louisiana, exploring sounds & genres from psychedelic to surf rock to fuzz. 12 to 3 p.m. Jan. 13 at Petco Park, 100 Park Blvd, San Diego.

SALSA FESTIVAL

BIG Salsa Festival San Diego is a four day Latin event featuring some of the greatest names in Salsa music. 10 a.m. at San Diego Marriott Mission Valley, 8757 Rio San Diego Dr, San Diego.

JAN. 14

KIDS IN THE GARDEN

Learn about the Wonderful World of Wormsamazing compost helpers. Enjoy a Garden walkabout and find plants, animals, and water features. Fee is $5. 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Jan. 14 at Alta Vista Botanical Gardens, 1270 Vale Terrace Dr, Vista.

‘BLUES IN THE NIGHT,’ a musical revue featuring blues and jazz standards, opens Jan. 11 at North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach and runs through Feb. 5. Above, performers Karole Foreman, Ciarra Stroud, Elijah Rock and and Anise Ritchie. Photo by Aaron Rumley

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