PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ENCINITAS, CA 92024 PERMIT NO. 94
THE COAST NEWS
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INLAND INFERNO
VOL. 31, N0. 48
DEC. 15, 2017
SAN MARCOS -NEWS
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THE Fast-moving wildfire brings VISTA NEWS destruction to North County
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this place and how beautiful REGION — Bridgette it was. “This is a gorgeous park, Conboy said the magnitude of the past week didn’t hit and now it looks like a war her until yesterday when her zone,” Conboy said. Across 4,100 acres of bu9-year-old grandson made it colic countryside in Bonsall crystal clear. Conboy is the longtime and Fallbrook, the scene office manager at the Ran- is repeating itself, as thouof residents return to cho Monserate Country sands RANCHO as firefighters Club. On Dec. 7, she and their homes SFNEWS have nearly extinthe hundreds of guished the Lilac residents of the se- MORE fire. nior mobile home The swift-movpark fled the park INSIDE ing fire has amid swift-moving flames, Santa Ana Complete coverage claimed 157 structures, damaged 64 winds and billow- of the Lilac Fire. Pages A5-9 others, injured six ing black smoke. people and killed They returned dozens of horses, many of days later to ruins. “I was good up until yes- the animals unable to esterday, when my grandson cape the blaze at the San came to see me and he said, Luis Rey Downs Training ‘Nani, I want the park to be Center, forced school cloback the way it was,’” Con- sures in a dozen districts and boy said. “And I broke down. TURN TO LILAC FIRE ON A3 It’s tough, he’s used to seeing By Aaron Burgin
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Firefighters battle a house fire at the Rancho Monserate Country Club trailer park near Fallbrook on Dec. 7. Photo by Jeff Hall/Cal Fire
Oceanside mayor resigns a week after returning to job By Promise Yee
OCEANSIDE — Mayor Jim Wood handed in a letter of resignation effective Jan. 1, 2018. In part, the letter said, “My sincere hope was to continue my current term in office, however, I now need to focus on my health full time.” Jim Wood Wood suffered a stroke in Oceanside mayor will resign after suffering May and took an extended excused absence from office to a stroke in May.
recover. He returned to lead the Dec. 6 council meeting. At that time, city staff said Wood would continue to serve as mayor though the end of his term in 2020. Councilman Jerry Kern said he saw the resignation coming after witnessing how visibly demanding the last council meeting was on the mayor.
“He wanted to finish his term,” Kern said, adding that it became too difficult. “Fate and health does that to you.” Deputy Mayor Chuck Lowery said he breathed a sigh of relief when the mayor handed in his resignation to focus on his health. Lowery said the schedule of filling in for the mayor at public appearances and city and county meetings
SELL WITHOUT LISTING NO SIGNS, NO OPEN HOUSES, NO HASSLE.
is nonstop. “No one will be able to do as much as he had been doing,” Lowery said. “It’s a tough decision for him after working 40 (plus) years for the city. He made the right choice to take care of himself.” Councilman Jack Feller said his prayers are with the mayor and his family. He credits the mayor for doing the
right thing for his health and his family’s peace of mind. In addition to his resignation the mayor sent a letter to fellow council members on Dec. 12 recommending City Clerk Zack Beck or former City Manager Peter Weiss be appointed as mayor to save the city the cost of an election or TURN TO MAYOR ON A22
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Matt Battiata
FIREFIGHTERS and First Responders for protecting our communities during the Lilac Fire