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Encinitas Advocate Cardif f-by-the-Sea • Leucadia • Olivenhain

Volume I • Issue 29

Community

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7 Encinitas stories to watch in 2015 BY JARED WHITLOCK Here’s an overview of stories likely to define Encinitas in 2015, from urban agriculture to the Encinitas Community Park to the housing element.

■ Local philanthropist on special road. Page 3

January 2, 2015

DENSITY HOUSING FIGHT HEADING TO COURT “Density bonus” housing projects are popping up throughout the city. And neighbors aren’t happy. California’s density bonus law lets developers build more housing on a parcel than normally allowed if one or more of the units is

reserved for low-income individuals. Many residents have stated the law results in overstuffed, communitycharacter killing developments. Responding to public outcry, the Encinitas City Council last summer sought to shrink the footprint of density bonus projects with a number of amendments to the law. That included rounding down on a calculation to reduce the number of homes in a development. But a lawsuit from the Building Industry Association followed in October.

The lawsuit seeks to force Encinitas to rescind the amendments, arguing they fly in the face of state law and hinder affordable housing developers. The battle over density bonus is moving from council chambers to the courtroom in 2015. URBAN AGRICULTURE ALL THE BUZZ In 2014, a council subcommittee planted the seeds for an urban agriculture ordinance. The full council is See 2015 STORIES, Page 15

Count on plenty happening in Encinitas in 2015. PHOTO/JARED WHITLOCK

New high school district trustee hits ground running ■ Quilter creates blanket of memories. Page 8

Maureen Muir says her goal is to help more children get into college

Lifestyle

■ Two find healing through hot sauce. Page 7

ENCINITAS ADVOCATE An Edition of 491 2nd St. Suite 103 Encinitas, CA 92024 858-756-1451 encinitasadvocate.com Delivery issues: subscription@ encinitasadvocate.com

Solana Center officials from left to right: Tricia Pogue, Jennifer Galey, Lisa Ruder, Roberta Walker, Andrea Loyko, Jessica Toth, Mike Murphy. Because the county is likely to sell or lease the land Solana Center is located at, the nonprofit is trying to find a new location. PHOTO/JARED WHITLOCK

Solana Center proactively searching for new home BY JARED WHITLOCK Solana Center for Environmental Education, an Encinitas nonprofit known for recycling and hosting sustainable workshops, is actively looking to relocate. The nonprofit occupies part of a 10.4acre parcel owned by the county. In late 2013, the county stated it would like to sell or lease the plot in the not-too-distant future. Jessica Toth, managing director of Solana Center, said the county’s announcement initially caught her off guard. She was worried that Solana Center could be uprooted with little notice. But more than a year later, Toth has a different perspective on the matter. She said given Solana Center’s ambitious goals,

the county’s plans are “a good thing that kicked us into gear.” “We’re limited in a lot of ways by our current space,” Toth said. “That’s why we want to be proactive and find a spot that can accommodate us for the next 25 years and beyond.” Solana Center’s ideal spot would be 1 to 2 acres, allowing more space for workshops and other educational features. Currently, the nonprofit hosts demonstrations so that residents can learn everything from composting to rain harvesting. Extra space, if in the cards, would also let Solana Center add infrastructure to divert more waste. The nonprofit estimates it keeps 1.3 million pounds of organic See CENTER, Page 4

BY JOE TASH After serving on the Encinitas Union School District board for six years, Maureen “Mo” Muir felt it would be a natural progression to move up to the board that oversees middle and high schools in coastal North County. Muir, the wife of Encinitas City Councilman Mark Muir, declared her candidacy for the San Dieguito Union High School District board and never really looked back. On Nov. 4, in a crowded field of seven candidates for three seats — including three incumbents seeking re-election — Muir was the top vote-getter, defeating 16-year trustee Barbara Groth. Muir credited her strong showing to the name recognition from being married to a councilman and former Encinitas fire chief, as well as her campaign’s message of helping children succeed, whether by going to Maureen Muir college or another career path. “I think what I said resonated with people,” Muir said in a Dec. 19 interview, a week after being sworn in for a four-year term on the San Dieguito board, which oversees a district with four high schools, four middle schools and a continuation high school. “People have asked me why I ran and why I ran so hard,” said Muir, and the reason stems from her childhood in Wisconsin, as one of nine siblings raised by a single mom. “My mom, her dream was for every kid to go to college and make something” of him- or herself, she said, “and it really had an impact on me.” During her campaign, Muir was also critical of the school district on a number of counts, including fiscal accountability, lack of transparency and failing to be responsive to parents and students. When asked about ways that she might seek to shift spending priorities, she mentioned a consultant for a committee that is studying the district’s boundary policies, who she said is being paid $350 per hour. But she also noted that See TRUSTEE, Page 4

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PAGE A2 - JANUARY 2, 2015 - ENCINITAS ADVOCATE

Local rescue ranch a haven for doomed horses •Laughing Pony Rescue has rehabilitated and adopted out hundreds of unwanted horses BY PAM KRAGEN, SPECIAL TO THE ENCINITAS ADVOCATE Although it’s been nearly 25 years since Celia Sciacca first saw the footage of horses being put down in a local slaughterhouse, the haunting images still wake her up at night. “It was so horrifying. I wish I could get those pictures out of mind, but I’ve never been able to,â€? she said. Although Sciacca knows she can’t save every horse, she has spent the past 30 years trying to rescue as many as she can — and that tally now tops 300. With help from volunteers and family members, Sciacca’s rescue headquarters is the Laughing Pony ranch on Via Del Charro in Rancho Santa Fe. “Celia’s amazing,â€? said Stacy Lackey, who volunteers at the ranch with her daughter, Sarah. “This is a passion project for her and she has done it all out of the goodness of her heart.â€? The hilly, three-acre property may be in a chic neighborhood, but it’s clearly a bare-bones operation. Sciacca bought the land 23 years ago when she was a well-paid trainer and exerciser for racehorse breeders including the late Larry Mabee. These days, her brother, Frankie, helps with the mortgage and she cobbles together just enough money to pay the feed and vet bills through donations, the sale of horse-themed greeting cards and what little money she can make offering riding lessons. Laughing Pony Ranch was started five years ago as a place for rescued horses to be rehabilitated. Horses that were destined for slaughter or were neglected, abused or used for medical treatments have a loving home at the Rancho Santa Fe ranch. “I look at each (riding) session as a bale of hay. Little by little we make just enough to feed the animals we’ve got and not much more,â€? she said. Laughing Pony Rescue is now home to 14 rescued horses and ponies. Most stay for about a year before they’re reha-

Celia Sciacca, the owner of Laughing Pony Ranch, works with three of her rescue horses, Gino, left, Johnny Cash and Amigo. The ranch was started five years ago as a place for rescued horses to be rehabilitated. Horses that were destined for slaughter or were neglected, abused or used for medical treatments have a loving home at the Rancho Santa Fe ranch. bilitated and adopted out. Each has its own sad rescue story. Gypsy, a 3 1/2-year-old black and white pony, was discovered two years ago on a ranch in the High Desert. When Sciacca arrived at the property, the pony was hogtied on the ground with a fractured jaw and cuts on her eyelids. She was being used for calf-roping practice and was headed for slaughter. Sciacca paid $100 for Gypsy and has spent the last couple of years trying to heal the animal’s physical and emotional scars. In a stall nearby, 13-year-old Barbie nibbles on hay. The draft/quarter horse mix was rescued eight years ago from a ranch where the urine of pregnant mares was used to make the hormone drug Premarin. At the time, Barbie had delivered four foals in five years and was in a weakened state. Today, the tall chestnut mare is happily retired from childbearing.

In the adjoining stall is the ranch’s oldest resident, Reba, a 23-year-old mare who was earmarked for slaughter because she has delicate feet caused by the disease ringbone. And just down the hill is Bobcat, a 2-year-old quarter horse with a short tail. He was abandoned with his mother last year in the High Desert. She died trying to defend them both from a pack of wild dogs. He survived, but most of his tail was torn off in the battle. It costs about $5,000 a month in feed, vet and maintenance bills to run the small ranch, as well as the work of more than 30 volunteers who put in a halfday or more each week mucking out stalls and feeding, grooming and exercising the horses. Retired attorney Maren Christensen of Rancho Santa Fe started volunteering one day a week at the ranch last year. “I had a horse as a child and when we moved back here a few years ago I decided to get involved,� she said. See HORSES, page 10

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ENCINITAS ADVOCATE - JANUARY 2, 2015 - PAGE A3

Philanthropist on road to support causes, from WWII Museum to children’s advocacy BY JOE TASH As the daughter of a World War II flying ace, Kay Isaacson-Leibowitz got goosebumps when she visited the National World War II Museum in New Orleans in December to celebrate the opening of a new wing. The museum’s exhibits “really brought to life” the experiences of her late father, Brig. Gen. Clayton M. “Ike” Isaacson and his fellow service members, said the Rancho Santa Fe resident. Accompanying her were her husband, Harry; her sister and brother-in-law; and her 91-year-old mother, Kay and Harry with Vietnam Medal of Honor recipient Nona Isaacson. “It was an amazing ex- Jay Vargas and Kathleen Metcall, daughter of World perience. She had a great War II Medal of Honor recipient Walt Ehlers. time, she was the belle of the served their country, which I’m very proud ball,” said Isaacson-Leibowitz of,” she said. of her mother. The new wing is called “Road to BerIsaacson-Leibowitz, co-founder of the World of Children Award for child advocacy, lin,” and houses galleries devoted to the was invited by the National World War II events of the war’s European Theater. “It was educational and emotional,” she Museum’s CEO to serve on the honorary national committee for the celebration. Her said of the celebration, which was attended fellow committee members included former by numerous veterans and their families. “I news anchor Tom Brokaw and a number of want to be associated with the museum the rest of my life. I love every part of it.” top business executives. Isaacson-Leibowitz said her brother-inIsaacson-Leibowitz’s father flew combat missions in World War II and the Korean law is gathering items and memorabilia of War, and his five “kills” landed him on the her father’s, including letters, which will be exclusive list of WWII flying aces. A number donated to the museum as part of its collecof other relatives have also served in the tion. Besides her involvement with the Naarmed forces, including her nephew, a Navy tional World War II Museum, Isaacson-Leicommander. “We have a family of men who have bowitz and her husband continue to oversee

Harry Leibowitz, Nona Isaacson and Kay IsaacsonLeibowitz enjoy brunch at Brennan’s in New Orleans. Master of ceremonies Tom Brokaw the World of Children Award program, which honors people around the world for their work on behalf of children. Since Harry Leibowitz started the program in 1997 (Isaacson-Leibowitz became involved when the couple met two years later), the World of Children Award has disbursed $6 million in grants to its honorees to support programs that help children. The program hosts an annual awards banquet in New York City; the most recent event was held in November, when $1.3 million was raised to support children’s advocacy.

LD SO TLY N E REC

The local couple have a business background: He worked in marketing and ran his own consulting business, while she worked in the fashion industry for four decades, including executive positions at Victoria’s Secret and Banana Republic. Now they devote most of their time to the World of Children Award, and travel each year to countries around the globe to see firsthand the work that their grants support. In March, the couple will visit Laos and Cambodia, where one of the 2014 World of Children Award honorees, Kenro Izu, has built pediatric hospitals. They are inviting people interested in supporting the program to join them on the trip. More information can be found on the organization’s website, worldofchildren.org. In the past, the couple have traveled to Ukraine, India, Nepal and South America to promote and support the World of Children Award. “I have the same reaction every time we go. The selfless work these people do is so much better than I ever could have imagined,” said Isaacson-Leibowitz. “I’m so proud of these individuals and the work they do. We’ve never been disappointed. “It just refuels us every time we go out and see the work.”

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PAGE A4 - JANUARY 2, 2015 - ENCINITAS ADVOCATE

Encinitas city manager’s new job located in Brentwood BY JARED WHITLOCK City Manager Gus Vina is headed to Brentwood in Northern California. Vina resigned Dec. 9 to take a position as Brentwood’s city manager. Upon announcing his departure from Encinitas, Vina said he couldn’t specify which city he’d be working in because he was waiting for Brentwood’s City Council to make the announcement. Brentwood’s City Council officially approved Vina’s contract Dec. 23. Vina’s base salary in Encinitas was $216,000. For his new job, he’ll make

City Manager Gus Vina U-T San Diego file photo

$234,387. Plus, he’ll receive an additional $700 a month as “management incentive pay.” Like Encinitas, his new job will also provide a pension and benefits. As Encinitas’ city manager, Vina was in charge of

day-to-day operations and the city’s 260 employees. Although Vina’s contract calls for 90 days’ notice in the event of resignation, the Encinitas council voted Dec. 17 to let him leave as early as Jan. 16 and as late as Jan. 31. At the Dec. 17 meeting, the Encinitas council directed Mayor Kristin Gaspar and Deputy Mayor Catherine Blakespear to identify interim city manager candidates. And a firm will begin recruiting a long-term city manager. Vina’s new gig starts Feb. 17, according to the contract.

CENTER

continued from page 1 waste away from the landfill annually. And it wants to increase that number with a greater focus on diverting food scraps. Toth said properly disposing of food scraps — composting and distributing them on farmland, for example — conserves valuable soil nutrients, saves landfill space and reduces greenhouse gases. Roberta Walker, the nonprofit’s communications coordinator, said Solana Center pioneered the first comprehensive curbside recycling program in the county more than three decades ago. Likewise, the nonprofit wants to take the lead on county food scrap recycling, she said. Another reason Solana Center wants to move: Its old leaky building is in need of repairs. If the new spot allows for it, the nonprofit wants to construct a new fa-

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cility with sustainable materials and techniques. Besides public workshops, Solana Center contracts with the county, cities and school districts for educational classes and other services. According to Solana Center, its outreach efforts touch 10,000 people annually. So far, Solana Center has spoken with a few possible landlords about a new lease, but talks are early. One challenge: The new spot’s zoning would likely have to be public/semi-public to accommodate the group’s mission, Toth said. Toth said Solana Center, which has been in Encinitas for 25 years, would like to stay in the city. However, the nonprofit is casting a wider net to include surrounding North County areas so it has more options. She noted the county hasn’t stated when it might sell or lease the land. The county’s Department of General Services, which handles real estate deals, did

not respond to a request to comment from the Encinitas Advocate regarding future plans for the property. Solana Center’s 10-year lease with the county expired last March. Last spring, the nonprofit and county inked a new five-year lease, with a clause letting the county cancel the lease with three months’ notice. The contract also gives Solana Center the option to get out of the lease with a month’s notice. Toth hopes Solana Center can find a new home soon, adding the nonprofit is taking suggestions from the community. “I would hope the community recognizes the importance of our role over the years and wants to help,” she said. Those with potential leads for new locations can contact roberta@solanacenter.org. Solana Center is located at 137 N. El Camino Real, just east of the Encinitas Sheriff’s substation.

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as a brand-new trustee, she will have to wait until the board holds its budget deliberations in the coming months before forming opinions on district spending. She met with the district’s chief financial officer to begin to educate herself on financial issues, and plans a tour of district schools and meetings with school foundation officials, and representatives of parentteacher organizations. The purpose, she said, is “finding how I can best serve them, to help them get kids into college.” She is also planning to have coffee with board president Beth Hergesheimer, who reached out to Muir after her election victory. Muir, who was endorsed by the San Diego County Republican Party along with newly re-elected trustee John Salazar, said time will tell whether differences of opinions on the board result in split votes. While she said she knows Salazar well, and that “We’re both fiscally conservative people,” she rejected comments made by Groth at her final board meeting in November. At that time, Groth said the new board would have “two politically-motivated board members,” in an apparent reference to Muir and Salazar. Muir said she has long been involved in children’s and education issues, from serving on the elementary school board and writing

grants for school funding, to volunteering on the county’s First Five Commission, which focuses on programs for children from birth through age 5. “I don’t know how you can misconstrue that as being political,” Muir said. “If you met me, you’d realize I’m passionate about education and kids. I don’t know where that came from.” After a week on the job as a San Dieguito trustee, Muir said she is looking forward to discussions on a number of topics, from the district budget to the findings of a committee set up to look at boundary policies. She also praised Superintendent Rick Schmitt for his communications efforts, and his handling of lockdowns in November at Torrey Pines and Canyon Crest high schools, after online threats. Schmitt calls board members once a week to update them on things going on at the district, and he also puts out his own schedule each week. “That’s great,” she said. When she heard about the lockdowns, Muir said, she called Schmitt, who answered on the first ring. The superintendent gave her a quick briefing, and promised to call back once the situation had stabilized, which he did. Schmitt immediately went to Torrey Pines to deal with the situation. “I thought it was handled really well,” Muir said.

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ENCINITAS ADVOCATE - JANUARY 2, 2015 - PAGE A5

Local writer reaches out to those in abusive relationships through ‘Unchained Feather’ BY DIANE Y. WELCH Shahpar Ostovar has some sage advice to offer those who feel stuck in an abusive relationship: “Don’t give up; don’t fall into a trap of despair.” This advice is born from painful personal experience, when Ostovar found herself at age 15 married to a brutal man. Just released is her memoir, “Unchained Feather,” a story of her liberation and personal empowerment that Ostovar hopes will inspire others to find the strength to change their lives for the better. It retells Ostovar’s life in pre-revolutionary Iran. When her mother expressed a wish for Ostovar, then 13, to marry her music tutor, she agreed as she desperately wanted to please her. Within two years Ostovar was married, but soon she re- Shahpar Ostovar: ‘Don’t alized that she was “chained to a life” she did not want. give up,’ is her advice to “In Iran there is a saying, ‘You enter your husband’s those in abusive home in white, your wedding dress, and you will leave his relationships. Right: The house wearing white, your burial shroud,’” Ostovar said. cover of her book. Consequently, divorce is shameful even under the harshest conditions. Because of that shame, Ostovar endured years of abuse at the hands of her husband, 11 years her senior. But when a chance meeting with a friend opened her eyes to the possibility of higher education, she knew which path she had to take. “I was pregnant with my first baby, being beaten by my husband, but I realized that getting an education was a possible way out of my situation,” Ostovar recalled. With at-home tutoring, she studied for her diploma; then with the birth of her second child, she was able to move to Tehran, where she went to university, graduating with a degree in English literature. Empowered by her attainment at the age of 24, Ostovar demanded a divorce, and within three years it was granted. With the onset of Iran’s cultural revolution in 1980, Ostovar moved with her two sons — by then teenagers — to Italy, where she had a fresh and independent start with a career in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. It took many years to tell her story, said Ostovar. But after having immigrated to the United States in 1998, she found the culture here and her open-minded friends receptive to her recollections. “I got to the point where I wasn’t ashamed any more, and I realized that I should be proud of myself for what I had done,” she said. Her book was written in collaboration with Bertha LaBozetta Leone, a professional writer based in Del Mar. The two women met at Del Mar Toastmasters. “We talked about the

the process. Leone was captivated by the events, people and decisions that led to this turning point in Ostovar’s young life. “I wanted to know more, in much greater detail,” Leone recalled. “Shahpar spoke about events in her life as she remembered them, but soon her fragmented stories began to come together into a cohesive whole in my mind to create the book.” With the book’s release, Ostovar aims to inspire women who are “not in a good position in their lives and they don’t know how to react to their problems,” she said. “We are all free beings and we need to be happy.” Visit http://www.unchainedfeather.com to learn more about the authors and to buy a copy of the book or to contact Shahpar Ostovar about book club discussions and presentations. book in the beginning of 2010,” said Leone, who then later read an excerpt of the manuscript’s first draft at a Toastmasters meeting. “It got such good feedback, and people were so touched, that it gave us the momentum to get the book started.” Bringing the manuscript to its published form took 4 1/2 years, during which time the two women formed a “business partnership of mutual respect that turned into friendship,” said Leone. “I say one sentence and Bertha makes it become one chapter,” said Ostovar about

Author offers two free publishing workshops Jennifer Coburn, author of “We’ll Always Have Paris,” is offering two free two-hour workshops Jan. 7 and 11 on publishing your book with a traditional publisher. She will share tips on what to do —and what not to do — to get your manuscript into the hands of agents and publishers, and ultimately booksellers and readers. You will learn how to find the right agent, how to package your proposal for publishers, how to work with your editor, and how to promote your book once it hits the shelves at Barnes & Noble. (This workshop will not cover information on selfpublishing.) The first workshop is at 7 p.m. Jan. 7 at Barnes & Noble, 10775 Westview Parkway (Mira Mesa Blvd at I-15); the second is at 2 p.m. Jan. 11 at Barnes & Noble, 5500 Grossmont Center Drive (in Grossmont Center shopping mall).

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PAGE A6 - JANUARY 2, 2015 - ENCINITAS ADVOCATE

‘AAUW: Supporting Women & Girls with Scholarships & Fellowships’ event to be held Jan. 10 The Del Mar-Leucadia Branch of the American Association of University Women will present “AAUW: Supporting Women & Girls with Scholarships & Fellowships” at its Jan. 10 meeting from 10 a.m. to noon at the Encinitas Community Center, 1140 Oakcrest Park Dr., Encinitas. The presentation will follow a social time from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The public is welcome. Two women will tell their personal stories of how their AAUW fellowship or scholarship affected their education and goals. Andrea Miller is a recipient of the American Association of University Women, Del Mar-Leucadia Branch Endowed Scholarship (Osher) for a nursing major at Mira Costa College.

After earning her RN in May 2015, Miller plans to transfer to Cal State San Marcos for its 14-month program to complete a BS in nursing. Her goal is to work as a nurse in labor and delivery. She has volunteered in the Hearts and Hands program at UC San Diego where she is trained to assist women with labor, delivery and post-natal attention. She also works locally as a piano teacher. Pari Rosen received a national AAUW fellowship grant when she was working on her Ph.D. at Louisiana State University. She is a micropaleontologist who has worked both domestically and internationally. Rosen recently moved to San Diego and has become

an active member of the Del MarLeucadia AAUW branch. She has volunteered with the American Cancer Society Reach to Recovery where she has met with breast cancer patients and answered their questions. Membership in AAUW is open to all graduates who hold an associate or higher degree from a regionally accredited college or university. The Del MarLeucadia Branch reflects the varied interests of its members with informative, educational monthly meetings and special interest groups such as Great Decisions, Walkabout, dining groups, book groups, film groups, Gadabout, and Theatre trips. Visit www. delmarleucadia-ca.aauw.net.

AAUW Del Mar-Leucadia Branch president Fran Miller and speaker Pari Rosen discuss plans for the January meeting.

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ENCINITAS ADVOCATE - JANUARY 2, 2015 - PAGE A7

Transition mission: Two find healing through hot sauce BY JEANNE MCKINNEY Former Staff Sgt. Mike Hanes transitioned out of the U.S. Marine Corps with an injured psyche. A highly trained reconnaissance Marine, he struggled with the chaos of combat, the poverty he’d seen, and living in the crosshairs. “I was a .50 caliber machine-gunner. I was the one they wanted to shoot,� he recalled. Vivid memories were imprinted as he watched “history in the making� when the 1st Marine Division took Safwan Hill and pushed into Iraq. At the time, making hot sauce was not on his mind. Filomena Spiese wasn’t focused on hot sauce, either, as she stood by her man, Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Melvin Spiese. A mother of three, she was busy at home keeping chaos at bay during deployments, serving on multiple boards for PTA, sports, and Officer’s Wives Club. “With all the commands Mel had, there were social expectations,� she said. She had parties to plan, plus rides to games and Scout meetings to coordinate. Then, when her pre-

Dang!!! hot sauce in Iraq. Photo courtesy Mike Hanes cious three children joined the war, she had faith to muster. Hot sauce had yet to claim dominance with either Hanes or Spiese, as life’s curves and bumps continued. Hanes, a transplant from Georgia, left 8 1/2 years of military service as a

tunein

“honed warrior,� with troubling mental archives and unanswered questions. Transition assistance for him was limited. Tuned into social sciences and the environment, he got a degree from SDSU in those fields. While seeking answers, he slept in Balboa Park and used foraging and survival skills he’d learned as a Recon Marine. Thick brush was his bed and comfort zone. Nightmares and anger spewed out in the form of road rage, and he was unable to mesh at work. When he was diagnosed with PTSD, “Why is this happening?� set in. “Why is this happening?� was sensed by Spiese when huge downsizing cuts thrust her husband’s enlisted Marines into a well of insecurity. “What am I going to do?� “I don’t want to go,� they would say. She knew these Marines were concerned about supporting their families and tried to encourage them as civilians to “stay in the game� and “do something with your life.� Doing something merged Hanes’ and Spiese’s paths at Veterans Sustain-

able Agriculture Training. A Marine Corps vet who had also experienced the war created the program with his wife and another couple to help vets “stay in the gameâ€? through agriculture. VSAT taught Hanes the science of hydroponics, water-based agriculture. “I found that growing plants, particularly coming from a scenario of pain, death, fire, and destruction ‌you’re shifting into becoming a creator — a nurturer,â€? he said. “That constant interaction creates a foundational shift for the better.â€?

Filomena Spiese and Mike Hanes with bottles of Dang!!! hot sauce. Photo by Jeanne McKinney

See SAUCE, page 10

2002 Hawaii Recon Team Dive: Sgt. Anderson, Sgt. Anderson, Sgt. Tillema, SSgt. Guajardo, SSgt. Wells, SSgt. Hanes. Photo courtesy of Mike Hanes

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PAGE A8 - JANUARY 2, 2015 - ENCINITAS ADVOCATE

From beloved T-shirts, quilter creates blanket of memories BY SAMANTHA TATRO Many of us have lots of old T-shirts that we don’t wear anymore, but we can’t bear to part with. One Encinitas resident knows how to put those shirts to good use. Misty Johnson takes old T-shirts — often representing beloved memories — and stitches them into quilts. After her son, Carter Johnson, spent his childhood playing competitive sports, Johnson was left with piles of team shirts. On the one hand, she wanted to keep them. On the other hand, she wanted to throw them away. She compromised and put them together into her first memory quilt. “To me, it was easy to do,” said Johnson, who started sewing at age 10. “I came upon it because my son had all these shirts, and I couldn’t get rid of one thing.” After that, word of mouth spread, and now Johnson is coming up on 15 years doing the quilts. Even after her son graduated from high school and moved to San Jose, Johnson kept receiving calls from mothers and fathers in the Encinitas sports community and nearby neighborhoods, inquiring about the quilts. (Johnson’s son, Carter, played baseball for Encinitas Little League and La Costa Canyon Varsity before receiving a full scholarship to pitch for the San Jose State University Spartans). “People knew I made the quilts, so they just kept calling me, even though they knew my son was off at college,” Johnson said. Since the initial quilt, she has sewn more than 60 for occasions such as loved ones passing away, graduations, sports retirements and college memories. One of the first times Johnson strayed from sports-related quilting was a special request from several mothers. A friend of theirs had lost her 23-year-old son to a heroin overdose. The mothers had heard of Johnson’s quilts, and they asked her to make one using the young man’s sports jerseys. Johnson didn’t know the family, but made the quilt. “When she (the mother) was given the quilt, it was the most unbelievable response,” Johnson said. “Then I just thought, I want to do more of these for others to be able to share that remembrance of their loved ones.” Another customer saw her working on a quilt and asked about it. She told Johnson she and her husband still had fraternity and sorority clothing from college. Johnson made their shirts into a quilt that the customer gave to her husband for Father’s Day. Now, her children ask about the Greek letters and the events on the shirts. In 2015, Johnson said, she’s looking to sew a quilt a week. She asks potential clients to bring in all the shirts they

want to have stitched into the quilt. She then assesses how big or small the quilt can be. Often, older shirts may have holes or stains. That’s OK, Johnson said. “I like to maintain rip holes and stains because they’re not supposed to be perfect,” she said. “They’re supposed to be a memory.” Many families have piles of old T-shirts or sports jerseys in their closets. Johnson said her quilts are a unique way to preserve those memories. “What people tend to do is, they have their kids’ shirts from years of competitive sports and they don’t know what to do with them,” Johnson said. “But they don’t want to throw them away.” That’s where she comes in: Working at a pingpong table in her garage, with her dogs at her feet, she pieces the shirts into quilts that families keep for years to come. The quilts run from $200 to $300. Typically, she said, a twin quilt with backing would run around $200. “They’re great conversation pieces,” Johnson said. “I would love to make one for everyone out there that was going through a transition.” To order a quilt, contact Johnson at misty820@aol. com. For more information, visit quiltqueen.vpweb.com

(Above) Misty Johnson (right) and Kathy Flowers with the horse shirt quilt Johnson made for Flowers’ daughter Hailey. (Left) A graduation blanket made for a volleyball champion from Cathedral Catholic High School. (Below) Another example of Johnson’s work. Courtesy photos

(Above) Misty Johnson (right) with Dionna Mahoney and the bereavement quilt Johnson made for Mahoney’s mom featuring Mahoney’s dad’s surf clothing.

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ENCINITAS ADVOCATE - JANUARY 2, 2015 - PAGE A9

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PAGE A10 - JANUARY 2, 2015 - ENCINITAS ADVOCATE

SAUCE

HORSE

continued from page 7

That shift led to acting on an idea. “I wanted to do a product that was unique (and) super-healthy,” he added. “I’ve got raw organic apple cider vinegar, which increases intrinsic value in your intestinal gut — helps with absorption. Cayenne pepper is considered a top circulatory herb. Combine those two and throw in superfoods (spirulina, maca root and mesquite) and it makes an herbal catalyst for optimal nutrient absorption.” One all-nighter in the kitchen, concocting like a mad scientist, produced Forager Mike’s Dang!!!, a specialty hot sauce. Producing and launching a new product swamped Hanes the forager, who had few resources and VA appointments to keep for his PTSD. Dang!!! was teetering on a ledge when hot sauce worked its way into Spiese’s thinking. “I love the vet and I love their heart,” she recalled. “When Mike asked if I would help …Mel and I invested financially.” As President of Forager Mike’s, Spiese is learning as she goes, saying, “I’m seeing the difficulties I’m going through … so if you’re suffering from PTSD (and) you have these appointments, I don’t see how you do that.” “She saved this company,” stated Hanes. “Filomena, working together, we really balance each other out.” With more time, Hanes can help fight his demons by giving back to other vets with PTSD. He enjoys teaching them how to build hydroponic systems and offers his

continued from page 2

help as they start their own businesses. “We need to create a network support path that these veterans can follow,” he said. Connecting and sharing knowledge is never more important for Hanes than when he’s with his daughter, Raina, whom he takes on plant walks. When they’re alone and he’s teaching her about wild plants, “She’ll give me a hard time.” But when they’re with people, “She’ll get all into it and say, ‘See, this plant — you can use it for this and that.’ She’s getting just as good at edible plants as I am.” For Hanes and Spiese, Dang!!! is more than just mental therapy and health food. “Mike’s mission speaks to my soul,” said Spiese, daughter of Portuguese immigrant nut famers, who tends her own orchard at her Rancho Santa Fe home. “Here is a guy,” she said, “who has the only organic raw-foods hot sauce on the market. He’s trying to help others better themselves physically, mentally and also spiritually — it’s the whole package deal.” Spiese helps others, too, as president of the Veterans Valor fund. She admonishes, “Give vets a chance. It’s these people who have stories and compassion. They want their [own] healing and everyone else to heal. They want to bring everybody together.” For information on Dang!!! Hot Sauce, visit foragermikes.com. For information on the Veterans Valor Fund, visit veteransvalorfund.com.

“I Googled ‘horse rescue’ and found this place. Nobody knows about it but they should. I love coming here. It’s a happy place. All our horses are fat and happy.” Christensen is especially fond of a pair of chocolate-colored Welsh ponies who arrived eight months ago from the San Fernando Valley. Their story has become a common one since the recession. The owner couldn’t afford to feed or care for the animals any longer, so he surrendered them — a brother and sister, both under 5 years old — to Laughing Pony. Christensen said the ponies are so beloved by volunteers that they’ve been named simply Pony 1 and Pony 2, so that nobody gets too attached. “The goal here is to get them adopted, so we don’t want to give them names and have a hard time letting them go when they find new homes,” she said. Volunteer Gabrielle Attig discovered Laughing Pony last year as well. She works with intellectually disabled adults through Employment & Community Options and she brings three of her clients along each Tuesday and Thursday. “They love it,” said Attig, 29. “They pitch in, groom the horses and do some riding. It helps with their anxiety and balance and they like being out here.” Raised in New York, Sciacca got her first horse when she was 10. In her teens

she began breaking, training and exercising horses and has gone only one year of her life (she declines to give her age) without a horse. She moved to San Diego about 30 years ago and her first rescue was Don, an Appaloosa stallion she found at a feed lot. She was a among a team of activists who secretly installed a camera in a horse slaughterhouse in the 1990s and the images were so disturbing that she said the local San Diego news stations refused to air the footage. She regularly drove to Nevada to rescue wild mustangs, and she began offering free horse training to rescue groups about 20 years ago. When these groups couldn’t afford to feed or house the horses themselves, she began running her own rescue service on her own dime. When she went broke six years ago, she turned Laughing Pony into a nonprofit. Sciacca said staying one step ahead of the bills has meant long hours, seven days a week. She hasn’t left the property — except to pick up a rescue animal — in three years, but she doesn’t mind. “I wake up and feel good about coming down here,” she said. “It’s where I’m happiest because horses have been in my blood so heavily. I don’t know what else I’d be doing if I wasn’t here.” For more information, visit www. laughingponyrescue.com.

Your loved one spent a lifetime making an impact in the community. Let us help you honor their memory and share their accomplishments by creating a lasting tribute in the Encinitas Advocate and on legacy.com Call: Cathy 858-218-7237

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ENCINITAS ADVOCATE - JANUARY 2, 2015 - PAGE A11

An anonymous angel unites hearts on Christmas Eve •An orphan puppy and an adopting family receive a surprise gift… This year, Christmas has come one day early for an unsuspecting adopting family and a cuddly pup at Helen Woodward Animal Center. An anonymous donor surprised the family with a very special holiday gift, covering the cost of all adoption fees. Center staff was asked to tell the family that an angel had taken care of the union and to wish them a Merry Christmas. The donor, who had suffered the loss of a beloved family member and a cherished dog within the year, stopped by the Helen Woodward Animal Center adoptions building early one recent morning before business hours. In the midst of such sadness, the individual, who asked to remain anonymous, hoped to give life and happiness to an orphan pet and a hopeful family. The only request placed on the donation was that the family had young children who had always wanted a puppy. The Saxten family from Encinitas fit that description to a tee. Parents Sarah and Graham said that their sons Jonah (age 7) and Wyatt (age 5) had wanted a dog for years. Informed that the boys could look at the Helen Woodward Animal Center website to see if there was a dog they would like for Christmas, the boys picked out Dasher, a female Labrador Retriever puppy. “We all fell in love with her immediately,” explained Sarah. “We dashed down here for Dasher.” The family was incredibly touched and surprised when they were informed that Dasher’s adoption fee had been covered by the anonymous angel. Unable to thank their donor, the family gave the hugs and love to their new puppy instead. Jonah Saxten explained it simply. “Best Christmas present ever!” “I think this individual just really wanted to know that there would be a family and an orphan pet enjoying their Christmas morning together,” stated Helen Woodward Animal Services Manager Ed Farrelly. “They put love out into the world as their way to heal – truly the selfless spirit of Christmas. We are incredibly grateful and so is the family and pup whose lives this person touched.”

Helen Woodward Animal Center pup Dasher finds her forever home with the Saxten family through the generosity of an anonymous angel. (Above) Jonah, Dasher and Wyatt. Courtesy photo For more information on Helen Woodward Animal Center or to adopt an available orphan pet, please contact the Adoptions Department at: 858-756-4117 ext. 1, visit www.animalcenter.org or stop by at 6461 El Apajo Road in Rancho Santa Fe.

Brandeis chapters host University on Wheels Jan. 7 San Diego’s Brandeis National Committee chapters, San Dieguito and Rancho Bernardo, will host Brandeis University’s annual outreach program, University on Wheels, with a Jan. 7 luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 7 at the Bernardo Heights Country Club, 16066 Bernardo Heights Parkway, San Diego. The cost is $40 or $50, to benefit the BNC Sustaining the Mind project. Call 858-309-8348.

Sports broadcaster Dick Enberg to appear at Viewpoints event Jan. 25 Dick Enberg, one of the greatest sports broadcasters of all time, will be appearing Jan. 25 as part of the Village Viewpoints program of the Village Church in Rancho Santa Fe. Enberg’s accomplishments are many. In 2015, he will be returning for his sixth season as the play-by-play voice for Padres television broadcasts. In 2012, he was part of the onair team that helped launch the new regional sports network FOX Sports San Diego. Prior to that launch, he was with CBS Sports for 11 years as the play-by-play voice for the network’s coverage of the NFL, college basketball and the U.S. Open Tennis Championship. He also contributed to coverage of the Masters and PGA Championship broadcasts during that time. Before joining CBS, Enberg spent 25 years at NBC Sports covering countless major events, after having begun his full-time broadcasting career in 1965 in Los Angeles. While in LA, his radio and television coverage of the L.A. Angels, UCLA basketball, and the L.A. Rams earned him the title of California Sportscaster of the Year on four occasions. A nearly 50-year broadcasting career has earned Enberg many accolades, including 14 Emmy awards, nine Sportscaster of the Year awards, the Ronald Reagan Media Award and the Victor Award, recognizing the top sportscaster of the past 40 years. Enberg holds the distinction of being the only person to win National Emmy awards as a sportscaster, a writer and a producer, and in 2000 he received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Emmy award. He is only the fourth sportscaster to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The event will be held in the Fellowship Center of the Village Church on Jan. 25, 2015, with wine and hors d’oeuvres served beginning at 6 p.m. The program will begin at 6:30 and will include time for audience questions. Tickets go on sale Jan. 2 and may be purchased on-line at www.villageviewpoints.com.

Modern Music Festival comes to Athenaeum, Jan. 8-11 FROM ATHENAEUM REPORTS The ninth annual soundON Festival of Modern Music runs Jan. 8-11 at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla (with the exception of the Jan. 9 workshops, which will be held at the Athenaeum School of Arts Studios in University Heights and La Jolla). The four-day festival celebrates emerging voices of the contemporary music scene, modern masters and several cutting edge world premieres. The 2015 program will showcase the vibrant, exploratory edge of modern music’s past and present, performed by San Diego New Music’s ensemble-inresidence, NOISE, founded in 2000. The opening concert, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, will feature Juan Campoverde Q.’s world premiere of “Nocturon/Muna,” as well as Elliott Carter’s “Epigrams,” Sidney Marquez’s “Boquiren Babalyan,” Stuart Saunders Smith’s “Hearts,” James Erber’s “Trattenimen-

soundON will host two community workshops at the Athenaeum’s School of the Arts’ Park Blvd. Studio and La Jolla Athenaeum’s School of the Arts Studio, 6-10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9. Workshop participants will be guided through a range of pieces by NOISE members and prepare to show off their new skills in their own concert the following day.

If you go: A 4-Day Festival Pass is $55 for members, $70 for nonmembers, $25 students; 1-Day Pass and/or individual events are $25 nonmembers, $20 members, $10 students with ID www.sandiegonewmusic. com and www.ljathenaeum.org/new_music. html

Discover Grauer Tours to be held Jan. 8, 21

Members of NOISE include Christopher Adler (pictured), Lisa Cella, Colin McAllister, Mark Menzies, Franklin Cox, Robert Zelickman and Morris Palter. Photo by Lauren Sharon to da Camera” and Jean-Charles Francois’ “Fragments II.” At noon, Saturday, Jan. 10, soundON highlights the community workshop attendees practice with a free public concert at the Athenaeum, and at 7:30 p.m. a full soundOn Festival concert with world premieres of “none but the lonely,” by Mark Menzies and “Etudes, nos. 5-8” by Franklin Cox. Additional performances include James Erber’s “The Ray and its Shadow,” Pierre Boulez’s “Derive,” and Elliott Carter’s “Esprit Rude/Esprit Doux.” The closing day concert of the soundOn Festival, 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 11, features the world premiere of “Fold” by Christopher Adler, Chinary Ung’s “Luminous Spirals,” Nathan Hubbard’s “last (passing) moment,” Brian Ferneyhough’s “Sisyphus Redux,” Rand Steiger’s “For Marnie Dilling,” Mark Sabat’s “Claudius Ptolemy,” James Erber’s “le colonne d’ercole,” Pierre Boulez and Mark Menizes’ “realization of ...explosante-fixe.”

The Grauer School is hosting semi-private Discover Grauer Tours on Jan. 8 and 21 and Feb. 5 for prospective families. The hourlong tours start at 9:15 a.m. “Discover Grauer Tours are a wonderful way to learn about The Grauer School’s programs and view classroom dynamics in action,” said Sandy Merten, associate director of admissions. “If you would like to get an inside glimpse into our school, we encourage you to RSVP for these free, semi-private tours.” Families will meet faculty, students, and parents while touring The Grauer School’s visual and performing art spaces, science labs, robotics workshop, garden, teaching kitchen, and more. The tour includes an overview of The Grauer School’s academics, integrated humanitarian service and global expedition programs. The Grauer School is a grades 7-12 college preparatory school that uses expeditionary learning and Socratic teaching. Its student-to-teacher ratio is 7 to 1. Families are asked to RSVP at www.grauerschool.com or by calling 760-274-2116. Admission applications are due Jan. 30.

SD North Coast Singers holding auditions The San Diego North Coast Singers invites youths in grades 2-12 to join for the WinterSpring 2015 semester. Placement auditions will take place Jan. 5-21 at SDNCS headquarters in the San Dieguito United Methodist Church, 170 Calle Magdalena, Encinitas. To schedule a placement audition, email miel@northcoastsingers.com. The San Diego North Coast Singers is one of the top children’s choruses in San Diego, serving more than a hundred boys and girls in five ensembles. The program is tuition-based, but need-based scholarships are available. Highlighting SDNCS’s exciting 2014/2015 season is a performance with the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus of Jonathan Dove’s grand cantata “There Was a Child” (2009), composed in the spirit of Benjamin Britten and Ralph Vaughan Williams. Visit http://www.northcoastsingers.com.

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PAGE A12 - JANUARY 2, 2015 - ENCINITAS ADVOCATE

Letters to the editor/opinion

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LETTERS POLICY Topical letters to the editor are encouraged and we make an effort to print them all. Letters are limited to 400 words or less and submissions are limited to one every two weeks per author. Submissions must include a full name, address, e-mail address (if available) and a telephone number for verification purposes. We do not publish anonymous letters. Contact the editor for more information about submitting a guest editorial piece, called Community View, at 400 words maximum. We reserve the right to edit for taste, clarity, length and to avoid libel. E-mailed submissions are preferred to editor@encinitasadvocate.com. Letters may also be mailed or delivered to565 Pearl St., Ste. 300, La Jolla, or faxed to (858) 459-5250. LETTERSPOLICY

BY SUPERVISOR DAVE ROBERTS My second year as Third District Supervisor is drawing to a close, and I am proud of the legislative work we have completed and the relationships I have built. By my estimation, our county government is stronger than ever. I attribute that strength, in large part, to our innovation and our commitment to improve county services, secure economic opportunity, protect our environment and provide top-notch public safety and health services. A particular highlight of 2014 was my election to serve as vice chair of the California State Association of Counties, where I will represent our county among more than 50 others as well as with state and federal policymakers. It was also a great honor to be recognized by the Asian American Business Association as its Member of the Year. Innovation and continuous improvement From Day One, I have made myself accessible to the public. Whenever possible, I use the speed and reach of social media to keep you informed. You can stay in touch on my social media pages and through e-mail. Every week, I publish an electronic newsletter. I have embraced a new social media platform, called Goodsnitch, to allow immediate feedback from constituents. Innovation is improving business practices across county government, as more and more county programs and services are accessible online. Look for my office and the entire county enterprise to continue building upon our culture of innovation in government. The county’s lifeblood is its workforce of more than 17,000 employees. All of our workers should feel safe and supported. Accordingly, my office organized and launched the LGBT and Allies Association, the newest of a half-dozen resource groups that serve our large and diverse workforce. Economic development I have found great partners in leaders of regional business groups. Working with chambers of commerce and economic development corporations, I have hosted forums to connect small business owners with government purchasing agents, and in March, Supervisor Greg Cox and I brought forward an initiative to expand procurement opportunities for local businesses. Supervisor Bill Horn joined me in legislation to encourage government buyers to “think local” with their purchases, while Supervisor Ron Roberts and I collaborated in February to highlight our booming life sciences industry with a presentation from the

Dave Roberts Biocom trade group. Tourism fits hand in glove with economic development, and that’s why I have gathered formal support from my colleagues to back bids for San Diego to host the 2017 America’s Cup and the 2024 Summer Olympics. This spring, I will serve as honorary chairman of the national U.S. Police & Fire Championships, which will bring athletic competition and significant visitor spending to the region. Athletes from all 50 states are expected to participate in more than 40 events at nearly three dozen venues across the county. I am also working with Mayor Kevin Faulconer to rebuild the film industry in San Diego County. Motion picture producers should feel welcome to come here to make movies —and support our economy — and government leaders should be the first to make that happen. I applaud Mayor Faulconer and other leaders who are partnering with me on this initiative. Public safety As we lay plans to innovate and strengthen our economy, public safety will always be my most important charge. In 2014, I remained active with the county’s Prescription Drug Abuse Task Force, and in the spring, I brought a resolution to the Board of Supervisors to declare March as Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Month. With support from Supervisor Horn, Sheriff Bill Gore, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and the Golden Door Spa, I have ensured that the Palomar Forensic Center in Escondido will remain open to provide critical assistance to abused women and children. In May, wildfires swept across the county, and in June, Supervisor Horn and I passed legislation in support of tax relief for survivors. In a related action, I joined with my colleagues to approve the procurement of three firefighting helicopters and to partner with the city of San Diego to allow for nighttime firefighting by air. Health services Public safety and health services often overlap. That’s especially true with health and

social service initiatives I have advanced in 2014. Starting in 2013, Supervisor Ron Roberts and I took aim at electronic vapor cigarettes, and with the adoption of legislation in April, “vaping” now faces the same restrictions that regulate tobacco smoking on county property. Switching to mental health, supervisors in March voted unanimously to implement a state policy that allows authorities to extend the amount of time that a severely mentally ill person can be held in custody if the person presents a threat to himself or others. To counter domestic violence, I have partnered with nonprofit service providers and top law enforcement officials to formulate an action plan that draws upon data to build capacity within our systems to prevent, intervene and ultimately save lives. Also in the health arena, Supervisor Dianne Jacob and I have launched The Alzheimer’s Project to fight the disease and provide stronger support for caregivers. The project has brought together San Diego’s top researchers, care experts and others to examine ways to accelerate the search for a cure, improve clinical care, expand caregiver support and boost public awareness. As the adoptive parent of six children, social services become personal for me with foster care and adoptions. On this front, we have made great progress. In partnership with Su-

pervisor Greg Cox, we are working to streamline the adoptions process and make it easier to place foster children with forever families. This year we launched a very successful Exceptional Families Adoption Campaign, which focuses on hard-to-place foster children. Energy and the environment One of our greatest assets is our physical environment and the great natural beauty that surrounds us. All of us can protect the environment by using less water and power. To do my part, I removed 6,400 square feet of lawn from my home in Solana Beach and replaced it with artificial turf. Over the course of a year, that will translate into 264,000 gallons of water saved. I am proud to represent the county on the San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors, and in that role, I inspected the major water infrastructure of our state and have carried a message of water conservation as we face a severe drought. In July, a long and important collaboration with Supervisor Jacob came to fruition: Property Assessed Clean Energy, or PACE, which allows property owners to finance energy- or water-efficiency improvements through payments on their property tax bills. PACE is responsible for hundreds of new jobs throughout the region. Earlier, in April, Supervisor Jacob and I received a unanimous vote — with support from the Building Industry Association — to incorporate “green building codes” into our policies so new structures would be pre-wired for solar panels and electric vehicle charging. And in October, on a 5-0 vote, the Board of Supervisors approved my proposal to expand the resources available to developers applying for complex land-use permits. Elsewhere, the San Dieguito River Park keeps getting better, and as chairman of the river park’s Board of Directors, I take great pleasure in continuing to improve this regional asset. In 2014, an outdoor education center opened in the park, thanks in large part to a Third District Neighborhood Reinvestment Program Grant. A separate grant will expand the park’s trail system in Del Mar. I appreciate the votes of my colleagues to approve my Neighborhood Reinvestment Program recommendations. Just this month, I joined Supervisor Ron Roberts to unveil a dozen electric vehicle chargers in the parking garage at the County Administration Center. For the year ahead, we plan to open 10 other charging stations at county facilities across the region. I love my job and couldn’t do the work at the county without the support of my four colleagues and the help of my dedicated team. We look forward to serving you in 2015! Dave Roberts represents the Third District on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.

Sea level rise: Retreat will be the only real option Regarding future sea level rise in Encinitas, one needs to look to our not-so-distant past. Encinitas used to have a 6th Street. So you’re talking about several hundred feet of erosion to our unstable sandstone bluffs. And if you buy into the catastrophic 3-foot sea level rise then that calls into question the wisdom of the recent multi-million dollar construction of the new bathrooms and snack bar at Moonlight Beach and the upcoming $3 million lifeguard station and possibly the $10 million purchase of the Pacific View property, which is just a stone’s throw from the bluffs. With 3 feet of sea level rise, Moonlight Beach will become Moonlight Bay and Cardiff’s restaurant row will be under water (you might want to consider building a bridge over San Elijo Lagoon). Retreat will be the only real option. You can’t hold back that much sea level rise. Bart Denson

Here’s a solution to illegal crossings by pedestrians: Synchronize traffic lights In the article “Leucadia a ‘problematic area’ for illegal railroad crossings” (Dec. 19), there was mention of illegal crossing of the tracks north of Leucadia Boulevard, NCTD’s identification of this as a “focus point,” a citing of “a heavy number of incidents there,” a noting of the number of fatalities there, a plan for a study for prevention of the problem, and a plan to “work with community partners to identify solutions.” Well, here’s at least a partial solution: Synchronize the traffic lights at the intersection! You’d be tempted to cross the tracks, too, if you wanted to go the 150 feet or so from the west side of 101 to the 7-Eleven or your home on the east of Vulcan, and had to press the button by Leucadia Roadside Park, wait for the walk signal, walk the 100 feet or so to Vulcan, then repeat the push-the-button-and-wait process all over again. Even more absurd is the scenario of trying to get from the corner by Kotija to the public walkway on the west side of Vulcan, an even shorter distance. This time you have to go through the push-the-button-and-wait process not twice, but five times. We need a legal and safe pedestrian crossing on the south side of Leucadia Boulevard. Gerry Rahill

LETTERS POLICY: Topical letters to the editor are encouraged. Submissions should include a full name, address, e-mail address (if available) and a telephone number for verification purposes. We do not publish anonymous letters and there are length limits (400 words maximum). E-mailed submissions are preferred to editor@encinitasadvocate.com. Letters may be edited. The letters/columns published are the author’s opinion only and do not reflect the opinion of this newspaper.

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What’s happening in and around Encinitas G@merZ Lounge Every Friday, the library hosts the G@merZ Lounge, a place for t(w)eens to chillax with video games and cool snacks. Invite your friends and check it out. Part of the library’s expanded programs for teens--help us spread the word! Friday, Jan. 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, 3-4:45 p.m. Encinitas Library, 540 Cornish Drive, Encinitas, 92024. Free. (760) 753-7376, x 03. This Week at San Elijo Lagoon •Guided Walk. Winter shorebirds are here to spend the season, many of which come from the high Arctic. Enjoy the fragrance of sages described along the way, and see the native red “holly” berries of Toyon, offering a splash of color on the hills. Saturday, Jan. 3, 10-11 a.m. San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center, 2710 Manchester Avenue, Cardiff, 92007. Free. •Home Away From Home Family Fun Day. Enjoy interactive activities and guided strolls with a focus on salt marshes for migrating birds. Each winter millions of birds fly along the western coastline of North America to and from breeding grounds. The lagoon is home away from home; a protected place to rest and refuel. Sunday, Jan. 4, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center, 2710 Manchester Avenue, Cardiff, 92007. Free. For more information on all, visit www.sanelijo.org. Families Making History Together: Soap Making Every weekend, enjoy fun activities that revolve around a historical theme. In January, get ready for spring cleaning by making your own soap. Before modern conveniences, homesteaders had to make their own soap out of animal fat, wood ashes, and water over a large kettle. Make your own modern day glycerin soap! Every Saturday and Sunday, noon-4 p.m. San Dieguito Heritage Museum, 450 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas, 92024. Free. Call (760) 632-9711 First Sunday Music Series: Zimbeat Enjoy a spirited performance of the dynamic village music of Zimbabwe, Africa. (Friends of the Encinitas Library) Sunday, Jan. 4, 2-3 p.m. Encinitas Library, 540 Cornish Drive, Encinitas, 92024. Free. Info (760) 753-7376 Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop As part of the Green Living Workshop series, come participate in an hour-long session on how to properly prune fruit trees. The workshop is taught by Ari Tenenbaum, Co-Founder and lead designer at Revolution Landscape. Sunday, Jan. 4, 4:-5 p.m., Solana Center, 137 N El Camino Real, Encinitas, 92024. Cost: $10. Register: www.solanacenter.org/event/fruit-tree-pruning-workshop La Paloma Theatre Now Showing: Gone Girl Awake: The Life of Yogananda Friday Midnight Movie: Rocky Horror Picture Show Tickets: $9, $7. 471 S. Coast Hwy 101, Encinitas, 92024. Show times at www.lapalomatheatre.com or call: 760-436-SHOW (7469).

ENCINITAS ADVOCATE - JANUARY 2, 2015 - PAGE A13

Encinitas Wellness Week set for Jan. 24-31

The Encinitas 101 MainStreet Association presents its fifth annual Wellness Week, Jan. 24-31. Wellness Week is a weeklong program of Plenty of exhibitors and presenters will be offering free events and special offers that product demos and samples. helps people learn about and experience ways to improve their physical, mental and spiritual well-being. The program begins with the Wellness Week Festival at the Encinitas Library from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24. Dozens of exhibitors and presenters will be offering free product demos and samples, free health screenings, free mini-treatments and educational workshops. Food vendors will be on site as well as a variety of kids’ activities. During the rest of the week that follows, all are invited to take advantage of free classes, treatments, consultations and presentations, as well as other community events, from the new Scripps Wellness Week Happy Hour to the Tibetan Bowl and Gong Concert. Visit the Encinitas 101 website for the full schedule of events and the list of special Wellness Week offers: www.encinitas101.com.

Scripps to host Natural Supplements School Jan. 15 Consumers can learn the latest insights into the safety and effectiveness of vitamins, herbs and minerals at the Natural Supplements School, presented by Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine on Thursday, Jan. 15. The interactive seminar, sponsored by Nordic Naturals, will take place from 1-5:30 p.m. at the Paradise Point Resort on Mission Bay, 1404 Vacation Road in San Diego. The public event has an advance registration fee of $99 through Jan. 9. On-site registration after Jan. 9 will be $125. For information or to register, call 858-652-5400, or visit scripps.org/naturalsupplements. The Scripps Natural Supplements School will help attendees understand the basics of supplements, including how to interpret product labels and claims. It will also explore the use of supplements for pain, inflammation, fatigue and heart conditions. The program will conclude with an interactive panel discussion and Q-and-A session with experts.

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2015 STORIES

ENCINITAS ADVOCATE - JANUARY 2, 2015 - PAGE A15

continued from page 1

Council is expected to vote on the agriculture ordinance in late 2015. expected to vote on the ordinance in late 2015, deciding whether it takes root. If approved, the subcommittee’s recommendations would make it easier for residents to sell produce they’ve grown and reduce the buffers for those raising chickens, bees and goats. One recommendation calls for allowing small farm stands in residential areas for up to 12 daylight hours a week without a permit. And city rules currently say beehives must be 600 feet from surrounding homes. Yet for those with two or fewer hives, another recommendation would cut the property line setback to 15 feet. Supporters of an ordinance have advocated for relaxed rules to keep the city’s history of agriculture alive. To make the case for reform, they point to Coral Tree Farm and Nursery. City staff shut down the two-acre farm in 2014 over a permit issue. But it reopened a few months later after city staff reversed course. And then, the council reaffirmed the farm can sell produce without special permitting, striking down an appeal from neighbors concerned with traffic. However, at council meetings, urban agriculture detractors have expressed that more residential farms could spur neighborhood conflicts. A VISION FOR PACIFIC VIEW The historic Pacific View property was slated last March to go to the highest bidder at auction. However, at the 11th hour, a divided council bought the site from the Encinitas Union School District for $10 million. With escrow recently closing, the city is shifting its focus to the future of the site. Many residents have suggested Pacific View should be transformed into an arts or community center. In 2015, a council subcommittee will invite pro-

Encinitas Parks and Recreation Commissioners check out the skatepark at the soon-to-be-open Encinitas Community Park. posals for interim uses to bring in revenue while a long-term plan for the site is developed. The council is also due to get a report on whether the buildings, formerly an elementary school, could be restored or if they have to be torn down to make way for new facilities. And a public cleanup party to celebrate the city acquiring the property, located at 608 Third Street in downtown, is tentatively scheduled for this January. GRAND OPENING FOR ENCINITAS COMMUNITY PARK Perhaps the most asked question in Encinitas this year: “When will the community park open?” Originally, the ribbon was supposed to be cut summer 2014. Yet, the grass on the fields wasn’t mature enough to withstand heavy use, and repairs remained for contractor USS Cal Builders. So, the Grand Opening was pushed back to Jan. 10. Within the 44-acre community park, residents can look forward to a skatepark, the Maggie Houlihan Memorial Dog Park (named after the late councilwoman), multi-use fields and a playground. Following a decade of funding and legal setbacks, the council approved the park summer of 2012. Construction started soon after. The park is located on Santa Fe Drive, just behind the Vons. THE FUTURE OF YMCA FIELDS Encinitas Little League has raised the prospect that it could be uprooted from its longtime home at the Magdalena Ecke YMCA fields. The YMCA owns the fields, with the city leasing and maintaining them. Due to a contract change that recently came to light, the

YMCA could cancel the lease with 30 days’ notice if it needs the fields for its planned expansion. In December 2013, without public or council discussion, the council approved a 10-year extension of the lease, but with the new 30-day clause. Months later, the little league and other sports leagues found out about the 30-day clause, raising concerns they could be kicked off without much heads up. Robert Wade, little league president, told the Encinitas Advocate in November the league is focused on if and when it has to move. He added the league hasn’t been given concrete details about the future of the fields. Wade also said relocating to the Encinitas Community Park is possible. But unlike the YMCA fields, the community park doesn’t have nighttime lighting. So, moving to the park would likely demand the league scale back the number of games and players, he said. Residents at council meetings have questioned why the city and YMCA inserted the 30-day clause. And they’ve requested more information about the YMCA’s expansion plans. The matter is due to appear on a council agenda sometime in 2015. EDUCATION CLUSTER SPROUTING The Leichtag Foundation launched a farm and nonprofit hub in 2014. Across the street on Quail Gardens Drive, the Encinitas Union School District’s 10acre farm is soon to debut. Similar education initiatives are sprouting across Quail Gardens Drive and nearby Saxony Road. To take advantage of their proximity to each other, the Leichtag Foundation, the school district and four other organi-

zations in the neighborhood formed a group called E3 last spring. E3’s goal: share resources, partner on programming and rally around like-minded goals. For instance, E3 pledged support and funds in December for trafficcalming infrastructure on Quail Gardens Drive and Saxony Road. Another example of collaboration thus far: the Leichtag Foundation in September gave a $1 million grant for a planned pavilion at the San Diego Botanic Garden, another cluster member. In return for the grant, E3 members and nonprofits affiliated with Leichtag will rent the pavilion and other spots within the garden at a discounted rate. The three other E3 members: Seacrest Village Retirement Community, the San Dieguito Heritage Museum and YMCA. Count on more E3 collaboration in 2015. HOUSING ELEMENT HEATING UP The housing element won’t go to a public vote until November 2016, but

2015 will be a critical year for the ballot measure. For the state-mandated housing element, the city is looking to rezone select sites for higher density to accommodate 1,300 units. To gain feedback on potential sites, the city debuted an online forum in November that’s since closed. Input from the forum will be shared with the council and planning commission, tentatively in January. A month or two later, the council will develop site maps for environmental review. Later this year or possibly in 2016, the council will pick one or two of those maps for the ballot. As the process moves forward, residents will again have the chance to weigh in, both online and at council meetings. Encinitas has been working on its housing element for years. In 2012, the public attacked a consultant report that proposed clustering housing element units on El Camino Real, resulting in the council rebooting the process. The city has promoted the housing element as a

way to provide diverse housing options for seniors who are downsizing and young professionals who prefer multi-family units near transit and retail centers. Without a housing element, the city is more susceptible to lawsuits from affordable housing advocates. And an approved housing element would also make the city eligible for more infrastructure grants. On the flip side, some residents have raised fears about the housing element creating traffic and other negative impacts. OTHER STORIES TO KEEP AN EYE ON IN 2015 The council is looking for a city manager to replace Gus Vina, who recently took a job in Northern California. And a law firm that unsuccessfully sued the Encinitas Union School District over its yoga program in 2013 appealed, with the case due to be heard sometime in 2015. Plus, the council is due to explore ways to protect coastal infrastructure in the face of rising sea levels.

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PAGE A16 - JANUARY 2, 2015 - ENCINITAS ADVOCATE

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First Payment Waived on most Certified BMWs 1.9% APR On Most ‘11 & ‘12 Certified BMWs 1.9% APR financing on 2011 and 2012 BMW Certified Pre-Owned 1, 3, 5, Z4, X3, X5 and X6 models. Rates available from participating BMW dealers to eligible, qualified customers with excellent credit history who meet BMW Financial Services credit requirements. Other rates and payment terms available. Offer may not be combined with other offers unless otherwise stated. Not all customers will qualify for lowest rate. Subject to availability.

2012 BMW 528i CDW66130 ......................$31,992 2012 BMW 528i xDrive CDW07110 ...........$31,994 2012 BMW X3 xDrive28i CL718289 ...........$32,991 2012 BMW 528i CC594212 .......................$32,994 2011 BMW X5 xDrive35i BL408562 ...........$33,992 2011 BMW X5 xDrive35d BL661832 .........$33,994 2011 BMW 550i BDE82276........................$33,994 2014 BMW 328d EK155744 ......................$36,884 2012 BMW 335i CE803229 ........................$36,992 2012 BMW 535i CC808654 .......................$36,992 2014 BMW 328d EK153435 ......................$37,994 2012 BMW 535i CC808194 .......................$38,992 2013 BMW ActiveHybrid 3 DF483869 .......$39,491 2012 BMW X5 xDrive35d CL670964..........$40,992 2012 BMW 535i CC808363........................$40,992

2012 BMW X5 xDrive35d CL664705..........$42,991 2013 BMW 535i DC819066 ........................$43,881 2012 BMW X5 xDrive50i CL424997 ...........$44,991 2014 BMW 528i ED511313 ........................$44,993 2012 MW 750i CDS99771 ..........................$46,881 2012 BMW 750i ActiveHybrid CC197192 ..$48,771 2013 BMW X5 xDrive35d D0B90863 .........$48,771 2012 BMW M3 Convertible CE784346 ......$49,991 2012 BMW M3 Coupe CE798316 .............$51,991 2012 BMW 750Li CC964743 .....................$52,991 2012 BMW 650i Convertible CDL70090 ....$57,881 2014 BMW X5 sDrive35i E0K45114 ..........$65,442 2014 BMW M6 Coupe ED160477 .............$94,991

MANAGER’S SPECIALS

WAS

WAS

$69,175 2014 BMW X5 xDrive35i Premium Pkg, E0K45114

NOW

$62,994

WAS

$154,850

2014 BMW 760Li M Sport Pkg, EDZ04798

$18,991 2007 Toyota RAV4 2008 Acura TL 3.2 76026798 Moon Roof, Leather, Premium Wheels, 8A020541

NOW

$123,992

$11,991

BMW ENCINITAS 866-219-1776

$156,200 NOW 2014 BMW M6 Coupe Executive Pkg, ED467309

2012 Maserati Qattroporte S C0062354

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$128,991

$58,993

2006 Honda Civic EX 6S011758 ....................................... $10,991 2009 Volkswagen Jetta SE 9M005190 .............................. $10,991 2006 BMW 325Ci Convertible 6PX85590 ......................... $11,991 2007 BMW 328xi 7K033407.............................................. $13,991 2005 Ford F-150 SuperCrew Lariat 5FB33477 ................. $14,771 2010 BMW 328i AA440255 .............................................. $17,991 2007 BMW 335i 7VF52469 ............................................... $18,442 2009 BMW 135i Coupe 9VK79923 ................................... $19,441 2007 BMW 650i Convertible 7CN81405 .......................... $22,991 2010 Mercedes-Benz ML350 AA558228 ......................... $23,883 2011 Jaguar XF Premium BLR8505 .................................. $24,983 2014 BMW 328d EK153754 ............................................. $33,994 2014 BMW 228i Coupe EV256046 .................................... $36,993 2012 BMW M3 Coupe CE797601 ..................................... $52,994 2014 BMW 535d ED691134 .............................................. $56,952 2012 Maserati Qattroporte S C0062354 .......................... $57,954 2014 BMW X5 xDrive35i E0C24725 .................................. $62,993 2014 BMW X5 xDrive35d E0J93820 ................................. $63,993 2014 BMW X5 xDrive35d E0C06542 ................................ $65,993 2014 BMW X5 xDrive35d E0C07397 ................................ $66,942 2014 BMW 640i Gran Coupe xDrive ED452579 ............... $78,992

BMW Encinitas

www.BMWEncinitas.com www.BMWUSA.com

www.BMWEncinitas.com www.BMWUSA.com

All advertised prices exclude government fees and taxes, any finance charges, any dealer document preparation charge and any emission testing charge. Photos for illustration purposes only. Offer ends date of publication. *Limit one per household.

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