Ecke family, Koch donate to collection

By Staff

SAN MARCOS — A erty was stolen per day in Oceanside in 2022. and 14% increase in larcenies. Per the report, the city had 14 domestic violence incidents but no violent crimes against seniors, no arsons and no hate crimes reported.

Stone Brewing co-founder and a prominent North County family have donated to the special collections expansion project at California State University San Marcos.

Stone co-founder Greg Koch and the Ecke family, famous for its legacy of floriculture in the region, are the lead funders for a plan to build a new public services area on the fifth floor of Kellogg Library. The donations kick off the fundraising for a project expected to cost $2.5 million.

“In a short time, we’ve made great strides to preserve the history of our region, especially that of North San Diego County, and this space will allow our communities to converge around a common purpose: to keep community stories alive,” said Jennifer Fabbi, dean of the university's library.

The Special Collections Department at CSUSM, which houses collections that are irreplaceable or rare, has existed for about five years in a space on the first floor of the library.

The vision of the 8,200-square-foot renovation project, designed by San Diego architecture firm LPA, is to broaden the footprint of Special Collections and create a permanent and accessible center on the library’s fifth floor.

The new space will open with a grand entrance from the fifth-floor elevator. Off the main entrance will be the exhibit gallery, where physical and digital collection elements will be on display. The gallery will flank a central event space that can be set up for seminars, presentations or community gatherings and celebrations.

Since its inception, the Special Collections Department has grown to include major archives like the Brewchive, a comprehensive archive of San Diego’s “third wave” craft brewing history from 1980 to the present; the Paul Ecke Ranch, Inc. Business Records and Family Papers, which features three generations of materials documenting the influence of the Ecke family on North County, and more.

Oceanside also saw 807 domestic violence incidents, 103 violent crimes against seniors, 44 arson cases and eight hate crime events.

REGION

— Violent crime rates rose and property crime decreased in the San Diego region in 2022 compared to the previous year, according to a report published May 9 by the San Diego Association of Governments.

“Despite the increase, the surge in violent crime was relatively low compared to other metropolitan cities in the U.S. The San Diego region is still among the safest in the country,”

SANDAG Principal Criminal Justice Researcher Octavio Rodriguez Ferreira said in a statement. “That is why it’s important we continue to work together collaboratively and creatively with communities to prevent and address crime.”

The report — 43 Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1980 Through 2022 — also found a 9% decrease in homicides in the San Diego region.

According to the findings, 84 of the 107 homicides had an identifiable motive, the most common being an argument, found in 51% of the cases, followed by gang-related activity at 15%. The most common weapon used in violent crimes was a firearm, cited in 60% of the cases.

Property crime rates were 5% lower in 2022, compared to the prior year, reaching the second-lowest level in the past 43 years, according to the report. In terms of financial value, more than $304 million worth of property was stolen in the San Diego region in 2022, which is an average of about $833,000 per day.

The SANDAG report also found a 9% jump in hate crime reports, a 10% jump in robberies and a 2% rise in motor vehicle theft. Violent crimes against senior citizens increased by 8%. In North County, the majority of cities had lower violent crime rates while several had higher property crime rates compared to the regional average.

Oceanside

In Oceanside, both the violent crime and property crime rates were higher than the regional average.

In terms of violent crime, the city had one additional homicide in 2022 than the previous year for a total of seven homicides, meanwhile robberies increased by 3% and aggravated assaults increased by 8%. Rape cases were down by 33%.

As for property crime, the city experienced a 16% increase in burglaries, an 8% increase in motor vehicle theft and a 4% decrease in larceny. Approximately $34,000 worth of prop -

Carlsbad

Carlsbad had a lower violent crime rate than the regional average but a slightly higher property crime rate.

The city had zero homicides in 2022 compared to the two that occurred the previous year.

Rape cases were also slightly down and aggravated assaults decreased by 9%, however robberies increased by 26%.

Burglaries increased by 6%, meanwhile larceny decreased by 3% and motor vehicle theft decreased by 19%. About $20,000 worth of property was stolen per day.

Carlsbad had 503 domestic violence incidents, 30 violent crimes against seniors, 13 arsons and four hate crime events.

Encinitas

Encinitas saw lower violent and property crime rates than the regional average. The city didn’t experience any homicides and only 4 rape cases compared to the 16 reported in 2021. Robbery was also slightly down and aggravated assaults decreased by 10%.

There were also slightly less burglaries and a 3% decrease in larceny, but an 8% uptick in motor vehicle theft. About $13,000 worth of property was stolen per day.

The city had 134 domestic violence incidents, six violent crimes against seniors, one arson and one hate crime event.

Solana Beach

Solana Beach also had a lower violent crime rate than the regional average but a higher property crime rate.

The city also did not experience any homicides, only two rape cases, five robberies and just slightly more aggravated assaults. Burglary was down by 28% meanwhile larceny jumped up by 13%. Per the SANDAG report, the city had 23 motor vehicle thefts in 2022 compared to 32 in 2021.

The city also had 31 domestic violence incidents, one violent crime against a senior, no arsons and one hate crime event.

Del Mar

In Del Mar, violent crime was lower meanwhile the property crime rate was nearly double the regional average. There were no homicides, only one rape case, two robberies and two aggravated assaults, meanwhile there were slightly more burglaries, 18 motor vehicle thefts in 2022 compared to the five in 2021,

Vista

Vista had slightly lower violent crime and property crime rates than the regional average.

The city had only two homicides, 21 rape cases and a 11% decrease in robberies with a 13% increase in aggravated assaults. Burglaries increased by 27%, larceny by 14% and motor vehicle theft by 15%.

Around $17,000 worth of property was stolen per day.

Vista had 606 domestic violence incidents, 30 violent crimes against seniors, eight arsons and one hate crime event, according to the report.

San Marcos

In San Marcos, both violent and property crimes were lower than the regional average. The city had zero homicides, 14 rape cases, a 45% increase in robberies and a 6% decrease in aggravated assault.

Burglaries were up by 14%, larceny up by 12% and motor vehicle theft decreased by 2%. Approximately $11,000 worth of property was stolen per day.

Per the report, the city had 313 domestic violence incidents, 20 violent crimes against seniors, six arsons and a hate crime event.

Escondido

Escondido had a slightly lower violent crime rate than the regional average but a higher property crime rate.

There were only two homicides but a 25% increase in rapes, a 5% decrease in robberies and an 11% decrease in aggravated assaults.

Burglaries were up by 26%, larceny was down by 2% and motor vehicle theft increased by 1%.

About $38,000 worth of property was stolen per day. There were 1,027 domestic violence incidents, 43 violent crimes against seniors, 19 arsons and one hate crime.

City News Service contributed to this report.