Local Girl Scouts troop debuts butterfly exhibit

By Samantha Nelson

OCEANSIDE — A local Girl Scouts troop has created a new exhibit that teaches young kids everything they need to know about the life of a butterfly.

For most of the last school year, the girls in Troop 1545 have been putting together their “butterfly nook” at the Buena Vista Lagoon Nature Center, just underneath the staircase leading to the center’s second floor.

The girls, all fifth-graders who attend either Coastal Academy or Ivey Ranch Elementary, spent a total of 20 hours designing, painting, decorating and breaking down important facts about butterflies into easy-to-understand bits of information that children ages of 2 to 8 can learn.

The project is meant for the troop’s Bronze Award, which is the highest award a Junior-level scout can earn through completion of a community service project.

The troop members brainstormed different ideas for a Bronze Award project earlier in the school year. CC Sullivan was partly responsible for the butterfly nook idea, which got the most votes among the troop members.

Part of Sullivan’s inspiration for the project was to create something that would benefit the Oceanside community directly, which is how the troop ended up connecting with the nature center. Now, the butterfly nook joins the center’s various displays of native animals.

“We’re loving this,” Joan Bockman of the nature center said about the display.

Bockman noted that the nature center’s gardening group even planted milkweed, which is the only thing monarch butterflies eat, in congruence with the troop’s project. Without milkweed, monarch larva would not be able to develop into butterflies.

The project was also a learning experience for the troop members, who had to conduct their own research, design the project and even create their own budget to put it all together.

“We used creativity and learned how to help others,” said Kiara Sottile, one of the troop members.

Though the girls ended up choosing the butterfly nook as their project, Sottile also had a good idea to put more trash cans around her community after noticing how much trash was on the ground without a lot of trash cans nearby. The troop even spoke with city staff to figure out what they could do to help their community.

“We didn’t just search pictures up on the internet,” Sullivan said. “We worked as a team to create it, because it wouldn’t really work if only one person was doing it.”

Along with fun facts about butterflies, the troop’s butterfly nook also has its own “cocoon” hammock seat, books and costumes for fun.

Now that the project is finished, the girls must send in their report for the project to Girl Scouts of the USA to be considered for the Bronze Award. Next year, the girls will be bumped up from Juniors to Cadettes.

Although the girls won’t always be Junior-level Girl Scouts, they will always remember the butterfly nook they worked to create whenever they visit the nature center.

“We’re leaving a legacy for future Girl Scouts,” said troop member Riley Kakalik.

GIRL SCOUT Troop 1545 created a new “butterfly nook” exhibit at the Buena Vista Lagoon Nature Center about the life cycle of butterflies. Above, from left: Maddie Phelps, Kiara Sottile, Avery Walker, Riley Kakalik and CC Sullivan. Kakalik, above right, opens one of the displays in the butterfly nook the

troop created. Photos by Samantha Nelson

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www. coast news group .com Letters to the Editor

We miss you already, Rose

One of the most important people in my life died last month.

Rose Sleigh was best known in this area as an extraordinary teacher for thousands of students at San Dieguito and Torrey Pines high schools between the late 1960s and late ’80s.

In the 10 years prior to her arrival on our shores, Rose changed lives and made lifelong friends among the students of Box Elder High School in Brigham City, Utah.

Rose was my teacher from the fall of 1976 to the spring of 1977. She was a fantastic teacher, deeply engaged in the world of literature and the work of writing, fully present for her students, always challenging us and regularly affirming our efforts and achievements.

Rose was, however, much more than that. She was the most curious person I have ever known, interested in everything, from elephants to esoteric ideas.

At the same time, she had an intensity of caring that I’ve rarely found in other people.

Her antennae for detecting children in trouble were impeccable. I can’t begin to tell you how many stories I have heard from former students about the lengths to which she would go to attend to a young person in crisis or depression or in withdrawal from the world.

Extraordinary teacher, yes. But more important in my mind, Rose was an extraordinary human being who took it upon herself to see as many youths through the treacherous shoals of adolescence as possible. There are plenty of people alive today because she gave a damn.

I want to say that we were friends for an additional 45 years. Yet somehow the term “friend” doesn’t quite capture what we were to each other.

She was in some sense a soul mate of mine, a steady presence, an honest and entertaining conversationalist, a friend to my mother and my wife, a grandmother to my son, a center of sanity in this not-sane world.

As she entered her 90s and faced myriad health issues, I had the honor of assisting her through difficult times, just as she continued to help me in navigating my own years of parenting and working and aging.

I initiated a GoFundMe campaign for Rose when she had to leave her home of many years.

The publicization of that campaign led to an extraordinary thing: scores of former students and peers getting in touch and sharing with Rose what an extraordinary effect she had had on their lives.

Rose was surrounded by love and deep appreciation in this last period of her life. That was a gift.

A little less than two years ago, in this newspaper, Rose wrote a ‘Thank you’ to the students she had taught here, and to their parents. I’d like to leave those of you who knew and loved Rose with her final words in that piece:

“I have always loved words. And I have loved you. Watching you move through the arc of your lives has filled my heart and enriched my life. And I thank you.” No Rose, we thank you. We miss you. And we love you.

Joshua Lazerson Encinitas

Redlining alive and well in Encinitas

When under fire over her affordable and fair housing practices, we hear Mayor Catherine Blakespear invariably try to deflect with a red herring reference to Encinitas’ history of redlining.

Expressing shock and horror over the long-outlawed practice, she apparently is blind to current discrimination happening on her watch.

Yes, redlining was reprehensible. Even worse, though, is claiming revulsion over the practice while enabling it today.

Mayor Blakespear sits idly by while city staff “interpret” affordable housing law to benefit developers in conflict with Encinitas municipal code and in violation of state and federal housing law.

In the seven months since the federal fair housing discrimination lawsuit was first filed against the City of Encinitas on Sept. 30, 2021, the mayor has taken zero action to remediate the city’s discriminatory practices.

Homes designated “affordable” are sold not to low-income homeowner hopefuls but instead become investment opportunities for corporate investors who purchase them at a fraction of their market value.

Approximately 73% of the affordable homes that have been built in Encinitas are owned by corporations rather than low-income residents. On this inequity, the mayor is oddly silent.

Blakespear apparently has no problem relegating qualified low-income earners to a lifetime of renting and being barred from the opportunity to build equity and generational wealth, the kind that Blakespear and Councilmember Kellie Hinze, both Equity Committee sponsors, ironically, benefit so hugely from.

The mayor’s only response to the lawsuit is that the city has done nothing wrong. Except it has, both morally and legally.

In actuality, there is no difference between past redlining discrimination and Encinitas’ current policy of excluding those less privileged, in favor of corporations, from enjoying the same opportunities as the more fortunate.

Remember this the next time Mayor Blakespear tries to throw up the smokescreen of exclusionary housing practices from nearly a century ago to cover up current city practices.

Doubt removed: Oil refiners gouging us

There was some room for doubt back in February, when gasoline prices rose precipitously: Until the oil companies who refine most California gas unveiled their first-quarter profits, it would be impossible to be sure the spike stemmed from price gouging.

That was because the pump price increase from about $4.30 per gallon to nearly $6 (and more in some places) came just as the United States announced a boycott on Russian oil as a punishment for the invasion of Ukraine.

Price gouging seemed the logical explanation for the hike. Russian oil amounted to less than 3% of California’s supply; why should its sudden disappearance cause a price hike of 12 times that much?

Doubt about this should now disappear from the minds of consumers. They were taken advantage of by oil companies in a systematic, cartel-like manner as every gasoline refiner raised prices at the same moment.

That is now clear from the very eagerly awaited quarterly financial reports. They show profits of the five major firms making 96% of this state’s gasoline all rose dramatically in the first quarter.

Because the price gouging did not begin until mid-February, it had no effect for fully half the first-quarter time period.

The five companies include Chevron, Marathon, Valero, PBF Energy and Phillips 66.

Their results, says Jamie Court, head of the Consumer Watchdog advocacy group, “show that the Golden State Gouge is real. Oil refiners exploited the crisis in Ukraine to make a mint from California drivers.”

Yes, they also profiteered in the rest of America, but not like they did here.

One difficulty in measuring this stems from the fact that most big California refiners do not break out their California profits from what they make worldwide.

An exception is PBF Energy, owner of refineries in New Jersey, Delaware, Louisiana, plus those in Martinez and Torrance that formerly belonged to Shell and Exxon Mobil.

PBF’s profits from its Torrance facility grew from $15.75 per barrel in 2021 to $32.84 this year, returning more than twice the previous take.

That meant PBF, which markets to name brands, smaller chains and unbranded gas stations, made about 78 cents per gallon in profit this year compared with 42 cents last year.

While other refiners here don’t break things down by state or individual refinery, Chevron made a $480 million profit in the U.S. in this year’s first three months, compared with a loss of $130 million last year.

The other big refiners reported similar huge increases in profitability, the obvious result of their price gouging.

When he announced the ban on Russian oil, President Biden warned them not to gouge, but they did it anyway, with no penalty.

Partly, that’s because most refiners effectively hide their per-gallon profit margin. This could end in California if the Legislature this summer passes a bill known as SB 1322, sponsored by Democratic state Sen. Ben Allen of Santa Monica.

Allen’s measure would force the Big Five refiners in this state to report how much gas they make and sell here and the margins they net from each gallon sold to drivers.

Many Californians habitually blame the fact that pump prices here are nearly the highest in the nation on California’s higher-than-usual fuel taxes.

But those levies only account for about 60 cents per gallon, and the difference between the average price in California and elsewhere is about $1.30.

For sure, drivers here deserve to know why they pay an unexplained 70 cents more per gallon than folks just across state lines.

Says Court, “California has been an ATM for oil refiners for too long.” He suggests that if oil companies had to report their per-gallon profits on a regular basis, they would feel some pressure to hold the line on prices better than they have.

So a lot of money hangs on the fate of Allen’s bill, which passed its first Senate committee test unanimously.

That’s money that could help a lot of families now forced to choose between buying gas or food or shoes.

california focus

tom elias

6 Can’t shake feeling something’s wrong

small talk

jean gillette

Idon’t know what worries me the most. The fact that I haven’t felt most of the earthquakes in Southern California or that they are getting more frequent.

How could I not feel the 3.0 quake Friday in Valley Center? And on May 4, California had nine quakes of magnitude 2.0 or above. There were also 108 quakes below magnitude 2.0. It just never seems to stop.

I remember barely feeling the Northridge quake from here, which has led me to believe my house is built at the tip of a giant underground granite mountain.

That’s mildly reassuring, but I don’t feel earthquakes at work and I haven’t felt them when I was driving. I think my personal seismometer may be broken.

I fear I’ll be walking along watching houses crumble and think, “Gee, what do you suppose caused that?”

My ability to stay in Southern California-denial mode comes and goes. Nearby faults and ancient calderas notwithstanding, I want very badly to believe all these “smaller” quakes are letting off steam, preventing a really big one.

But I just want to say to whatever or whoever might be handling these things — enough. I get the message. I have most of my supplies ready.

When the kids were little, I had it all squared away. I even had a stash of cash. At worst, we could use it for kindling. I gathered up all the usual stuff — water, canned food, first aid kit, snacks, blankets and a pair of shoes by our bed at night.

I still keep shoes handy. I learned that from my dear friend who was at home in bed in Northridge during the Northridge quake.

Meanwhile, years went by and I forgot to check on our supplies, which managed to leak, mildew and generally get yucky. I plan to check on them more often.

Maybe I’ve watched too many volcano and earthquake movies. Maybe I just don’t trust the dog to leap up and alert me like

TURN TO SMALL TALK ON 13

water spot

chris ahrens

It seems strange to contemplate now, but in 1990 there were no surf films concerning what I have termed the “Longboard Renaissance.”

Longboards, which had basically evaporated from surf lineups for years in response to a hard surf media push toward shorter boards, were again the rage.

Some of them that had been stored in the rafters for decades had been dusted off by legends like Donald Takayama, Dale Dobson and Herbie Fletcher.

That’s when I dropped in again, in the early to mid’70s. I had just returned from an extended stay in Australia and New Zealand, where the surf was generally more powerful and less crowded than it is here.

To compensate for SoCal crowds and ride the little summer waves that dribble into North County, I bought a Jacobs Donald Takayama Model for 10 bucks and began the process of relearning to ride it — left-go-rights going right, drop-knee turns going left. Cross stepping to the tip. It was really like another sport.

There were no longboard blanks being made yet, but Takayama had a few in storage along with his old templates. My friend Pat Becket had a board shaped by Donald and I had one made by my then-roommate, Bahne Surfboards shaper Steve Morett.

Life moved far slower in those pre-internet years, and it took about 15 years for someone to notice that there was nobody covering longboarding.

All that changed after a conversation between my lifelong friend Steve Cleveland and me. Steve and I had both grown up riding longboards and while I never got much beyond average, Cleveland was making a name for himself among a noteworthy South Bay crew, before boards went short and he faded from the mainstream and moved to Maui.

I don’t remember the exact conversation, but it ended with Steve saying he would get funding to make a video. It was maybe two weeks later when he called to say, “Bingo!” And that was it.

We settled on the title, “On Safari to Stay,” contacted a then-unknown kid named Joel Tudor and signed him up along with Robert “Wingnut” Weaver. Greg Weaver shot footage of Malibu, Cabo, Cardiff and Oceanside on Super 8 film and we were about to wrap with a big party Donald was throwing at San Onofre.

Either Cleveland or I was driving that old, borrowed VW Van. Joel and Wingnut were in the back when Joel, with a screechy voice that had yet to drop into the lower regions shouted, “We’re on fire!” By the time we pulled over to the rest area, smoke had enveloped the interior of the van. We rescued our precious surfboards, stood back and watched the van burn up.

About that time, Donald’s nephew, Michael Takayama, pulled up and gave us a lift to San O where some of the best longboard surfers in the world had gathered to ride a few waves and be filmed for the first longboarding film of that era.

The experience helped launch the careers of both Wingnut and Joel. It sent me into the world of surf magazines and helped kick-start the journey of Steve Cleveland, who continues his fine art under the name SurfCraft Media Productions.

What’s the next revolution, Steve? Call me.

THE VAN borrowed for shooting the first modern surf movie, “On Safari to Stay.” Illustration by Wade Koniakowsky for the novella, “Behold What Is Greater Than Thyself.” Courtesy image

Who’s

NEWS?

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

NEW OAKMONT COMMUNITY

Oakmont Senior Living has opened its new community, Santianna, at 2560 Faraday Ave., Carlsbad. The community has been created with a movie theater, fitness center with swimming pool, on-site beauty salon, fire pit, bocce ball and pickleball courts, workshops, classes and social programs among its amenities, and new industry standards design. Santianna is the latest in Oakmont’s Signature Living portfolio.

WATER CENTENNIAL

The San Dieguito Water District celebrated 100 years of service to residents of the city of Encinitas May 10, at a Centennial Celebration at the city community center. San Dieguito Water District has been serving coastal Encinitas since 1922, providing clean water to the communities of Leucadia, Old Encinitas, Cardiff and portions of New Encinitas; the remainder of Encinitas served by Olivenhain Municipal Water District.

VOLUNTEER

JOIN THE NORTH COASTAL SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT SENIOR VOLUNTEER PATROL

The Senior Volunteer Patrol of the North Coastal 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 communities of Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar.& 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. Training includes a two week academy plus training patrols. The minimum commitment is 24 hours per month, & attendance at a monthly meeting. Interested parties should call (760) 966-3579 to arrange an information meeting.

SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS

• Libby Norlander of Carlsbad was inducted May 6 into Ohio Wesleyan University's chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. • Neve Brown of Del Mar was initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, all-discipline collegiate honor society. • Melissa FitzGibbon of Oceanside received her degree from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania on May 8. • Salt Lake Community College recognized Crystal Guerra of San Marcos for earning a Certificate of Achievement in Certified Nursing Assistant. • Shane Whittaker of San Marcos earned a bachelor of science degree May 7 from Concordia University, Nebraska. • North County spring of 2022 graduates from Dixie State University included Drake Benner from Carlsbad, Hayden Helfrich and Isabel Helfrich from Encinitas, Lauryn Ward and Melanie Goetz from Oceanside and Curtis Nisbet and Megan Ward from San Marcos.

JAZZ STANDOUTS

The MiraCosta Music Department has received two 2022 Student Music Awards from jazz magazine, DownBeat. The MiraCosta Oceanside Jazz Orchestra, more commonly known as MOJO, was named the top large jazz ensemble in the community college category. In addition to MOJO being recognized, guitarist Adam White received an award for Outstanding Performance for a Jazz Soloist in the community college category.

TRI-CITY AWARDS

The Tri-City Medical Center External Affairs team took home 23 awards at the Health Care Communicators of Southern California’s Finest Awards May 8, including Best in Show. Director Aaron Byzak’s OpEd in the Coast News titled “Colorectal cancer awareness, screening saves lives” took home the gold award in the Op-Ed/Editorial Writing category.

DOGS CHANGE LIVES

Oceanside’s Canine Companions celebrated the graduation of 11 people May 7, as they formally received their new expertly-trained service dogs in a ceremony at Mission San Luis Rey, Oceanside. Graduation ceremonies represent the culmination of hard work, love and dedication of hundreds of people, including puppy raisers, instructors, volunteers, Canine Companions staff members and graduates. Each dog’s volunteer puppy raiser, who raised the dog for the first 18 months of the dog’s life, will formally hand the dog off to the graduate who will begin his or her journey toward a more independent life.

BASEBALL STANDOUTS

The Cal State San Marcos baseball team placed four on the 2022 CCAA Baseball All-Conference Team, the league office announced May 10. Earning second team honors for the Cougars were shortstop Luke Reece, starting pitcher Garrett Apker, utility player Ethan Rivera and third baseman Kevin Van Linge.

NEW BUSINESS IN VISTA

Businesses were welcomed to the Vista Chamber of Commerce including Path Finance Group, 170 Eucalyptus Ave. May 10; Legal Shield and Bay City Mechanical, 2401 Dogwood Way, May 13 and Sabor a Vida Cafe & Deli at 3:30 p.m. May 20 at 735 Shadowridge Drive, Vista.

COMMUNITY SHOWCASE

The Palomar College Foundation hosted its third annual Community Showcase at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido May 4, highlighting the 75th anniversary of the college. During the event, Star Rivera-Lacey was officially installed as superintendent/ president of the college.

NEW PRESCHOOL

The Rhoades School in Encinitas announced that it will open a new preschool campus to accompany the school’s current elementary and middle school locations. The newly renovated school, which is scheduled to open in August 2022, will be enrolling children from 2½ years old through pre-K.

NFCA STAR

Cal State San Marcos first baseman Paige Donnelly advanced to the exclusive 2022 Schutt Sports/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II National Player and Pitcher of the Year Top 25, announced by the association May 9.

Pet of the Week

Blue is pet of the week at Rancho Coastal Humane Society. She’s a 15-month-old, 54-pound, female hound mix.

Blue and her two siblings were transferred to RCHS from Mexico. Blue was adopted, then returned. She never really settled in. She’s going to need a quiet, calm home and lots of positive encouragement.

The $145 adoption fee for Blue includes medical exam, spay, up-to-date vaccinations, registered microchip, and a one-year license if her new home is in the jurisdiction of San Diego Humane Society’s Department of Animal Services.

For information about adoption or to become a virtual foster, stoop by RCHS at 389 Requeza St., Encinitas, call (760) 7536413, or visit SDpets.org.