Seaside Courier — November 2015

Holiday Basket volunteers, program come full circle Maggie

Avants

ALSO INSIDE

Editor

S

ome moments stick out in an 8-year-old girl’s memory.

For Gabriela “Gaby” Baes, now 42 years old, it was a Christmas gift.

Baes, an Encinitas resident whose parents worked in the agricultural nurseries and fields of North County, said Christmas gifts were uncommon in her family because there was hardly enough money. Instead, she said, the holiday was marked by food and spending time with family— which is why she remembers a certain Christmas so well.

“There were these two white ladies who came to my little casita in Solana Beach and dropped off a turkey and a wrapped gift that said, ‘Girl, 8 years old,’” Baes said. “I remember thinking, ‘Wow, what is this?’”

The gift was a doll that had been delivered by two volunteers with the Community Resource Center’s Holiday Basket program.

Twenty-something years later, Baes, in her capacity as an educator with the San Diego County Office of Education’s Migrant Education Program, began bringing her students to volunteer for the program.

“Lo and behold, I ended up starting to work with the Migrant Education Program and started collaborating with Resource Center,” said Baes, who earned a degree from California State University, Long Beach. “I saw an opportunity to sign up families for the holiday baskets and then have some of my students help with distributing items.”

By the time Baes came on board, the program had morphed from bags of gifts being delivered to coastal North County families to a production that took months and many volunteers to plan.

“We are targeting 1,700 families this year,” said John Economides, co-chair of the Holiday Baskets program, who started volunteering with the program in its infancy.

On Dec. 3, Community Resource Center will move into a 30,000-square-foot facility underneath the west grandstand at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. There, CRC will begin setting up “Costco-like” shopping experience for the families.

SEE VOLUNTEERS PAGE 17

LOCAL NEWS Encinitas Turkey Trot

"Big John" Haedrich (left) and Carlton Lund (right) are pictured near the Kindness Walk at the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center. (Courtesy photo)

Carlsbad restaurant owner, realtor team up for a campaign of kindness Thomas K.

Arnold

“

Contributing writer

Big John” is at it again. “[He] is my hero,” said longtime Carlsbad realtor Carlton Lund, of John Haedrich, the founder and owner of the iconic Tip Top Meats.

Known by many locals as Big John, Haedrich has agreed to team up with

Lund on an ambitious “kindness” campaign that seeks to raise money for several Carlsbad charities in the spirit of kindness, understanding and good will.

The campaign launched in October, in partnership with Kids for Peace, with the installation of two “smart” parking meters at the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center on Cannon Road, on either end of a half-mile “Kindness Walk” adorned with inspirational signs.

The meters, capable of accepting quarters as well as credit cards, are the same ones that are being rolled out by the city of San Diego to eventually replace all 4,700 of the city’s coin-only meters.

The meters, manufactured locally by the IPS Group of Sorrento Valley, will only be used to collect donations.

One-hundred percent of all proceeds from one meter will go directly to the SEE KINDNESS PAGE 5

More law enforcement for Encinitas still in question Ruarri Serpa

Contributing writer

W

hether the number of sheriff’s deputies will permanently increase in Encinitas has yet to be decided, but the results of a summertime hike in law enforcement presence yielded positive results in the city’s downtown area.

Beefed-up patrols by code enforcement and sheriff’s deputies resulted in greater parking availability for downtown businesses, fewer people camping in their vehicles A sheriff's patrol car is parked at Moonlight Beach during the and increased citations for public disturbances, according Moonlight Beach Fest on Oct. 24. (Photo by Maggie Avants) to a report to the City Council on Oct. 28.

The report looked at the results of six action items the “It clearly had a positive effect,” said Deputy Mayor City Council requested in July to address various issues Catherine Blakespear. “I would be in favor of trying to mainalong Coast Highway 101, specifically related to parking and tain that, if the new captain thinks that’s a good idea.” late-night noise disturbances. One outcome was the creation The Council action in July resulted in the creation of a pilot of a two-man beach team, that patrolled in the evenings at the height of summer.

SEE ENFORCEMENT PAGE 13

3,000 participants will be trotting on Thanksgiving Day. Page 2

LOCAL NEWS Veterans news

We salute our vets who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Page16

INDEX Around Town ............................... 5 Opinion Page ............................... 6 Home & Garden .......................... 8 Carlsbad Village .........................10 Rich Cook on Wine ....................14 Health & Fitness .........................15 North County Notables ..........19

CONTACT US Advertising (760) 456-7075, ext. 146 sales@seasidecourier.com Editorial / Letters (760) 456-7075, ext. 124 Maggie@seasidecourier.com

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LOCAL NEWS

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015

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Encinitas Turkey Trot organizer Steve Lebherz (right), his wife, Kristie, and the Encinitas Turkey are pictured at the inaugural event in 2014. (Courtesy photo)

Lebherz gives flight to Encinitas Turkey Trot Seaside Courier staff

A

fter hosting the popular Cardiff Kook Run for just two years, staff members at the city of Encinitas successfully persuaded Steve Lebherz to host another seaside race.

In its inaugural year, the Encinitas 101 Turkey Trot attracted 2,500 participants on Thanksgiving Day in 2014.

This year, Lebherz expects nearly 3,000 participants to come out Nov. 26.

But the 64-year-old didn’t just wake up one day and decide to host races in an effort to give back to Encinitas.

Lebherz — who works in the insurance industry — is actively involved in Encinitas, which he has called home since 1976.

He co-founded the Encinitas Soccer Cup and Cardiff Mustangs Soccer, and is past president of the San Dieguito Youth Soccer and the Cardiff Adult Softball Association. He’s also been involved in the Encinitas Little League and Patrons of Encinitas Parks.

Lebherz said the 101 Turkey Trot has bigger goals ahead. The race fundraises for the San Diego Food Bank but Lebherz plans to establish a long-term relationship with the charity.

“There is a real need for feeding the needy in San Diego North County,” Lebherz said. “The San Diego Food Bank is a wonderful organization, and we hope to grow our gifts through matching funds with their many wonderful partners.”

This year, the race will donate 25 complete Thanksgiving meals to military families in need with the help of Encinitas business VG Donut & Bakery.

“We hope to maintain our close ties to the SD Food Bank and Camp Pendleton

for many years to come,” Lebherz said.

But the race isn’t a one-man show.

Lebherz said with the help of his wife, Kristie, three children and six grandchildren — who all live in Encinitas — the race has seen success.

“My wife, Kristie, is very supportive,” Lebherz said. “We enjoy doing things to make Encinitas a better community. The grandkids love getting wristbands, hats and shirts.”

And this year, grandchild Chloe Lebherz-Galland, who attends San Dieguito Academy, will sing “America the Beautiful” before the race.

“We would love to make it an annual event for many years to come,” Lebherz said. “So long as the community and its elected officials approve, we will do everything in our power to put on an event to make every citizen proud. In five years,we would like to be a Thanksgiving tradition in every home.”

The Encinitas 101 Turkey Trot includes a 5K and 10K, along with a Costume Contest that has a cash prize. The course starts under the “Encinitas” sign on the historic Coast Hwy 101 and loops past the famous “Cardiff Kook” statue, and down to Cardiff State Beach.

Registration is $44 for the 5K and $54 for the 10K. Each participant receives a T-shirt and finisher’s medal. Water stations are also provided throughout the course.

The 10K race start is 7:30 a.m., while the 5K and Costume Division race start is 8 a.m. Welcome and introductions take place at 7 a.m. with an awards ceremony at 9:30 a.m.

—For more information on the event or to register, visit Encinitasturkeytrot. org. ■

Encinitas Turkey Trot organizer Steve Lebherz kicks off the inaugural event in 2014.

(Courtesy photo)

LOCAL NEWS

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015

Director sees benefit concert as melding of visions Faye Mankowske Contributing writer

T

he voices of San Diego North Coast Singers women’s chamber ensemble, Sorelle, will rise in unison to support a program that helps at-risk girls.

In benefit of Girls Rising, Sorelle will present “Anglo Tango: Songs from Latin America and the British Isles," at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 15 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of San Dieguito, 1036 Solana Drive, in Solana Beach.

The mission of Girls Rising — to empower at-risk girls to recognize their value and to pursue higher goals through a community of women mentors — fits well with the mission of Sally Husch Dean, founder and artistic director of San Diego North Coast Singers youth choirs and now, Sorelle San Diego.

Dean said she formed Sorelle in fall 2013 after becoming inspired at an American Choral Directors Association conference seminar on the history of women’s choruses — such as how they formed from a background tradition of boys singing treble parts.

“I got completely inspired,” Dean said. “The room was packed. It piqued my interest in a big way, and I felt that this was an emerging genre.”

Dean’s goal with Sorelle was to create a select chamber chorus of devoted choral singers who are immersed in choral arts and come from a wide age range.

“I wanted to gather women from their

20s to their 70s together into a diverse community,” said Dean, who grew up in St. Louis in a family that sang together for fun.

Since then, reaching out to organizations that serve girls and women in San Diego has become a vital part of Sorelle’s mission, and Dean said she is excited that the upcoming concert is their first event to do so.

“We are honored to be a voice to help these organizations, to increase awareness for them, and to support their initiatives,” Dean said.

The concert will feature a piece, “Anadyomene,” based on a poem written by American lyrical poet Sara Teasdale. Teasdale won the first Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1918. Anadyomene sings of Aphrodite rising from the sea, and says Dean, symbolizes the empowerment and transformation of the girls who are a part of Girls Rising. The dynamic choral piece was composed by Kevin Memley. Sorelle will be joined by a female string quartet, Quartet Noveau.

“This is a sophisticated concert, and it’s going to be a rich experience,” Dean said. “I encourage philanthropic groups, musicians, and others to come out and use this event as an opportunity to celebrate an evening together.

“Some people don’t consider going to a choral concert — they would consider a chamber music concert of instruments, but they wouldn’t know that they would enjoy a choral concert.

I want to fill the house.”

Dean envisions the concert as marking the beginning of a long relationship

(above) San Diego North Coast Singers perform during the “San Diego Sings!” festival at the Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park; (right) Sally Husch Dean is founder and artistic director of San Diego North Coast Singers and its women’s chamber chorus, Sorelle.

(Photos by Bill Dean)

between the San Diego North Coast Singers and Girls Rising. She mentioned that North Coast Singers has invited members of Girls Rising and their mentors to their winter Youth Chorus concert on Dec. 6 and plans more collaboration between the two groups.

Girls Rising helps at-risk girls achieve higher goals by setting them up with intensively selected mentors who provide them with positive support.

The nonprofit organization hosts group events throughout the year that are focused on education and new experiences. Dean explained that Girls Rising currently has 40 girls in the program

who are paired with intensively selected mentors, then build a community within the organization.

“I was struck by the fact that Girls Rising has a 100-percent high school graduation rate. None of the girls in this program have dropped out, which is phenomenal.”

Dean mentioned a Girls Risingled college tour as an example of the kind of explosion of possibilities that the nonprofit stimulates in its members' lives.

“At the beginning of the tour, very few or none of the girls had considered college,” Dean said. “When they were

3

asked the same question at the end of the tour, almost every single girl was thinking about attending college. It just instilled the idea that this was a possibility for them.”

Looking back on her own life, Dean said she discovered choral music in middle and high school, and fell in love with it. She would go on to incorporate singing into her education during the 1970s at University of California, San Diego.

It was at UCSD where she found lifelong mentors in David Chase, the choir director, and his wife, Ann. David is the director of the La Jolla Symphony Chorus, and Ann produces “Caberetcaccia” at the Encinitas Library.

“Both of them have encouraged me to follow this path,” said Dean, who has been singing with the La Jolla Symphony Chorus since she attended UCSD. Before founding San Diego North Coast Singers 23 years ago with Capri Elementary School music teacher Jill Metzner, Dean directed various choirs, including the San Diego North Coast Singers Youth Chorus, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of San Dieguito Choir and the choirs at Palomar College.

These days, North Coast Singers is composed of four choirs for youth in grades second through 12th and an allboys choir, Raggazi del Coro.

“Choral music in San Diego is now starting to push boundaries and get exciting,” Dean said.

Sorelle — which Dean said was designed for members who are busy but who still want to sing — currently gives two concerts a year.

Tickets for “Anglo Tango” are $20 for general admission and $15 for students and seniors, and can be purchased online at SorelleSanDiego.eventbrite.com. ■

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LOCAL NEWS

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015

(above left) inewsource reporter Chris Young editing a video for a TV story, while behind him data journalist Joe Yerardi works at his desk; (middle) Young editing a video for a TV story, while in front of him news editor John Cannon reviews copy at his desk; (right) Young recording audio for radio at a public meeting. October 2015. (Leo Castaneda, inewsource)

Award-winning news nonprofit serves the county Lorie Hearn

W

hen the lights went down at an awards banquet in New York City’s palatial Gotham Hall recently, a small, scrappy San Diego news organization was there to collect two national awards named for the famous CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow.

It wasn’t the first time this group had traveled to New York to accept honors for its in-depth reporting. In fact, inewsource has received five national awards in 2015 for its investigative exploration of end-of-life issues in California. The recognition included a national Emmy nomination.

The award-winning project was a nine-month, multimedia investigation called “An Impossible Choice,” and it brought to light for the first time a medical system that keeps people alive at all costs. The piece aired on the PBS NewsHour. inewsource serves the region with credible, reputable, deep-dive journalism. The public service journalism nonprofit was started six years ago by Lorie Hearn, a former editor at The San Diego Union-Tribune. She wanted to find a way to fill the void in accountability journalism that was caused by the downsizing of traditional media.

Based at San Diego State University, inewsource shares space in the newsroom of KPBS, the local public radio

and television station. It is a 501(c)3 that is run separately from KPBS and supported by foundations and contributions from people who value this kind of journalism.

The organization employs four fulltime reporters, including a data analyst.

Hearn is the editor. The board of directors is chaired by former UnionTribune Editor Karin Winner. inewsource likes to say it’s a new journalism model with old-fashioned values. It focuses primarily on investigating issues of health, environment, education and government accountability. Most of its work is based on data. That means the inewsource website is full of maps and searchable databases that enable

the community to participate in the reporting process. inewsource has already made a difference in people’s lives. Here are some examples: lA project investigating special property taxes called Mello-Roos that are paid by homeowners resulted in refunds for overpayments. lTaxpayers received a $140,000 settlement for conflicts of interest uncovered in an investigation of a wellknown San Diego environmental and public-interest lawyer who has made a name for himself suing government agencies and developers l Medicare proposed covering end-of-life discussions with patients, some 10 months after inewsource published “An Impossible Choice,” which focused in large part on the consequences of not having the “last

wishes” conversation. linewsource put the national debate over when doctors should retire in perspective recently. Its reporting found the percentage of doctors who continue practicing beyond the usual retirement age has quadrupled since the mid 1970s. linewsource takes pride in its relationship with SDSU, particularly its School of Journalism & Media Studies.

Hearn is a journalist in residence and teaches a course in investigative journalism. inewsource employs interns who are interested in learning skills integral to in-depth reporting.

Signing up for the inewsource newsletter is free and ensures you’ll be up-to-date on its latest work. For more, go to inewsource.org.

—Contributed content ■

LOCAL NEWS / NORTH COUNTY CALENDAR

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015 KINDNESS, FROM PAGE 1 foundation’s educational programs.

Funds from the other meter will go to Carlsbad Charitable Foundation, which last year doled out $104,000 in grants to seven local charities, including Carlsbad-based Kids for Peace, a nonprofit that emphasizes youth leadership, cross-cultural experiences, arts, service and caring for the earth.

Lund — longtime realtor, civic and business leader and onetime “Citizen of the Year” — and his wife, Sandy, partnered with IPS Group’s chief operating officer, Chad Randall, to sponsor the meters and the installation.

Two additional meters have been installed outside Tip Top Meats, benefiting the Carlsbad Charitable Foundation and the Carlsbad Educational Foundation. Those meters will be dedicated at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 8 at Tip Top Meats.

Up next: meters at the two Boys & Girls Clubs of Carlsbad locations, in the village and in Bressi Ranch, with donations going to benefit the club.

“These are all such good causes,” Haedrich said. “I’m so happy to be able to help out.”

Though Haedrich has a long resume

of community involvement, many may not know how and why he originally came to Carlsbad. It was several years after he left his hometown of Bad Biba in East Germany in 1949, at the age of 20, leaving everything behind in his escape to West Berlin.

His parents had owned a butcher shop, but because of shortages due to the war and regulations in a government-controlled business, there was no future for the development of a free business. After earning his master craftsman’s certificate in 1953, Haedrich answered an ad in a German trade paper for a German meat sausage maker in Springfield, Ill., but before he could move to the Midwest he met people from California who advised him to move to the Golden State, instead.

He followed their advice, went to California and after a series of jobs started his own business in Glendale, where he went on to become director of the Chamber of Commerce, Optimists Club and YMCA. He ultimately ran two meat markets, winning two citizenship awards and, in 1976, was named Citizen of the Year.

After 10 years in Glendale, Haedrich moved his business to

AROUND TOWN DON’T MISS

THESE UPCOMING

EVENTS AROUND NORTH COUNTY

The city of Solana Beach and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5431 will hold a Veterans Day ceremony from 11 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at La Colonia Park, 715 Valley Ave. in Solana Beach.

Information about the new Veterans Honor Courtyard will be available. Light refreshments will be served.

NOV. 11

American Legion San Dieguito Post 416 is hosting the Moonlight Open, a surfing session for Wounded Warriors at 9 a.m. at Moonlight Beach. See our story on page 16 for more details.

NOV. 11

Carlsbad, where he saw more opportunity. He had stumbled upon the city while driving to San Diego for a vacation; he saw the potential, bought 2.7 acres from the old Hadley’s Orchard and set up shop in his present location.

His civic involvement blossomed. Haedrich became a director at the Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA in Encinitas, the Chamber of Commerce and the Tri-City Hospital Foundation, where he served two years as president of the board of directors. He also was involved with St. Patrick’s Catholic School and Tri-City Christian School. He was active in the local 4H and FFA organizations, supporting youth and seniors.

Along the way, he has won numerous awards and honors, including the Carlsbad Citizen of the Year Award; the Paul Ecke Community Hero Award from the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce; the Ronald Reagan Award for Businessman of the Year; Best Butcher honors from San Diego Magazine; and two gold medals for best German restaurant.

“I am so blessed and grateful that I could do all of this,” he said. ■

(l to r) Michelle Ginn, CEO of the Carlsbad Educational Foundation, Carlton Lund and Patty Johnson, director of development, Carlsbad Educational Foundation are pictured at a reception for the donation meters. (Photo by Marcus Lara)

Association is proud to host an official cheering and water station with En Fuego Cantina & Grill, 1342 Camino Del Mar, in support of the nearly 4,000 people who participate in the event.

The Encinitas Fall Festival Street Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 22. With 450-plus booths to visit, plus dozens of unique downtown Encinitas retailers, get a head start on your holiday shopping. Enjoy the music of popular local bands in The Lumberyard Courtyard and dance, music and other entertainment on the Community Stage next to Ace Hardware. Kids Zone & Dog Zone for some fun activities.

NOV. 22

The 10th annual PMCU O’side Turkey Trot event, sponsored by Kinane Events, begins at 6 a.m. in downtown Oceanside. For more information, visit Osideturkeytrot.com.

NOV. 26

The second annual Encinitas Turkey Trot starts at 6:30 a.m.

Thanksgiving Day under the Encinitas sign on Coast Highway 101. See our story on page 2 for more information.

NOV. 26

The Encinitas Holiday Parade and tree lighting will be held on Saturday, Dec. 5. The lighting begins at 5 p.m. in the Lumberyard near Starbucks on Coast Highway 101 downtown Encinitas. The parade starts at 5:30 p.m. along Coast Highway 101. The theme of this year’s parade is Encinitas Life. Free shuttles start running at 4 p.m. from Ecke Family YMCA and Scripps Memorial Hospital, where parking is available. Those interested in participating in the parade as an entry (float, vehicle, walking group or other entry) can email nbuck@encinitasca. gov or call 760-633-2760.

D E C. 5

Solana Beach Sunset 5K (Courtesy photo)

NOV. 14

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month and the San Diego County Medical Society Foundation will be hosting its second annual Solana Beach Sunset 5K at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14 at Fletcher Cove, 111 South Sierra Ave. Proceeds benefit San Diego County Medical Society Foundation’s diabetes prevention efforts. The event kicks off at 2 p.m. with a wellness expo featuring free goodies, kids’ activities and live music — all designed for to make fitness fun for San Diegans of every age. Register at Sb5k.org or Sdcmsf.org/5k.

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18, stop by Carlsbad Village Faire for Carlsbad Cares & Shares. There will be music, dancing and prizes as Girlfriend’s Care, a nonprofit, collects items to help the hungry, homeless and hurting in North County.

Bring new socks, new toys and sundries for women’s gift bags or lap blankets for seniors.

NOV. 18

From 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 20, the 3-Day Walk for Breast Cancer in San Diego will once again sweep through Del Mar Village on the first leg of their 60-mile journey. The Del Mar Village

NOV. 20

The 31st annual Rotary Club of Carlsbad Holiday Tree Lighting will be held from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6 in the Village Faire South parking lot. Santa arrives at 2:45 p.m. and a holiday program with music, refreshments runs from 3:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., with the tree lighting officiated by Mayor Matt Hall at 4:30 p.m.

D E C. 6

From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6, the holiday season will come to life at the annual Santa by the Sea in Del Mar. During this magical celebration, the L’Auberge Del Mar Amphitheater will be transformed into a festive holiday wonderland, featuring sweet treats from local restaurants, carolers performing seasonal tunes and free pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus (must bring own camera). The ceremonial tree lighting commences at 5 p.m.

D E C. 6

The Solana Beach Parks and Recreation Commission will hold its annual holiday tree lighting at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6 at Fletcher Cove Park. Enjoy cookies and live music while waiting for Santa’s arrival at 5:20 p.m. ■

D E C. 6

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OPINION

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015

Publisher's note: Opinions expressed on commentary pages are not necessarily the views of the Seaside Courier.

Letter to the editor:

SB Council rejection of wood carving is travesty

Solana Beach Council recently reviewed a proposal for a wood carving in a Torrey Pine tree stump in the Coastal Rail Trail. They received strong expressions of support from the public, Garden Club, the Public Arts Commission and the artistic community. However, the Campaign Manager for two of them gave strict instructions the proposal must be rejected. So Council employed a previously unknown, unwritten policy against accepting Donated Art to sink the proposal. Who knew Tammany Hall was alive and well and thriving in Solana Beach.

—Jim Nelson, Solana Beach ■

MAYOR'S MINUTE Kristin

Gaspar

Mayor of Encinitas Commentary

Didn’t that bubble burst?

Alice Jacobson Publisher

We should never let politicians buy real estate.

The city of Encinitas’ purchase of the abandoned Pacific View Elementary School site for $10 million may be a done deal, but one of the architects of that purchase, Councilman Tony Kranz, continues to blast critics who claim the city overpaid for the 2.8-acre site, squandering taxpayer money so egregiously that the deal won an award for the city and the Encinitas Union School

District, the “Golden Fleece” award, from the San Diego County Taxpayers Association.

When Mayor Kristin Gaspar, in her October “Mayor’s Minute” column in Seaside Courier, wrote, “While I opposed the $10 million purchase price for Pacific View because the appraised value of the property was only $3.3 million, now that we own the property we must consider the best future use that will enrich our community,” Councilman Kranz promptly shot back with an angry rebuttal in which he alleged the mayor “knows that the city had another appraisal putting the value at $7.3 million and that the school district had an appraisal done that put the worth at $13.5 million.”

Sure enough, when Seaside Courier asked EUSD Superintendent Tim Baird for a copy of the appraisal for $13.5 million, he promptly provided us with one.

It was prepared by the Arens Group Inc. of Solana Beach, and based on “highest and best use” — the assumption that the site would be home to “single-family homes, attached town homes, a freestanding office building and residential condominiums over first-floor offices.”

And, oh yes, it was given to the school district in July 2007, a year before the housing bubble collapsed.

Baird also sent over an “estimate of value” worksheet “that we had put together that in July of 2013,” he wrote in an email. The unsigned document arrived at the same value, based on the assumption that pricey homes costing as much as $4 million each would be

built on the site.

Strange. We thought the bubble had burst by then.

Moreover, in February 2014, Councilman Kranz attended a bidder’s interest meeting at the EUSD offices and commented several times that as a Council member he could say that “you’ll never get your return on your investment because the Pacific View property will never be up-zoned.”

So why is he now parroting the district’s inflated value, a value based on housing bubble home prices and a zoning change he himself said would never happen?

Could it be buyer’s remorse? Initially, $4.3 million was the city’s best and final offer. But when the school district threatened to auction off the site to the highest bidder and a citizens group pressed the council to act at any cost, a Council majority — at the time, Kranz, Lisa Shaffer and Teresa Barth — panicked and raised the price to $10 million, $500,000 above the minimum bid price of $9.5 million.

That the Council majority would agree to this purchase at such an inflated price is an insult to every tax-paying citizen in Encinitas. Deep down, we believe Councilman Kranz knows it.

He and Councilwoman Shaffer are reminded of that fact every time the city is unable to fully fund basic services, such as road repairs, public safety and open-space acquisition.

It’s also in direct contradiction to the cardinal rule of public policy: What’s right isn’t always popular, and what’s popular isn’t always right. ■

The Oct. 28 Council meeting certainly raised a lot of eyebrows and was the most disappointing meeting during my tenure as mayor. At the same time, it reminded me of why I ran for Council in the first place — to bring practical leadership developed during my years of building a successful business and to place the citizens’ priorities first in my decision-making.

Among those top priorities is the provision of law enforcement services, that was ranked by 85 percent of our citizens as “extremely important” or “very important” in the last city-conducted survey of Encinitans.

Last week, the Council had its third public hearing on law enforcement staffing where sheriff’s Capt. Theresa Hydar once again advised us that the city ideally needs five additional deputies to address the public safety needs of the city, with the immediate need for one new deputy to complete a two-man beat for each of the five beats within the city. Encinitas typically fields only one deputy per beat, unlike many other local cities, which have two deputies per beat. Councilman Mark Muir previously brought forward a compromise proposal in an attempt to secure the council majority’s support to hire just one additional full-time deputy designated to beef up the Downtown/Moonlight Beach beat due to repeated community outcry related to downtown noise, a growing homeless problem, an increasing drug problem, illegal overnight parking, and a troublesome upward trend in crime. I supported Councilman Muir’s proposal, but it was rejected by the council majority (Blakespear, Shaffer, Kranz). The majority rejected this proposal even after our captain assembled a temporary two-man team for downtown using overtime — time-and-a-half pay — resources to demonstrate the potential of the team.

By all accounts, there was good success from this demonstration. Capt.

Hydar presented her findings to the council and again asked for the immediate hiring of just one additional deputy for downtown.

The additional annual cost to provide a two-man round-the-clock beat for downtown is approximately $250,000.

It is also important to note that while our Sheriff's Department contract costs about $12.7 million a year, this only provides one deputy on duty patrolling each of the five city beats.

Unfortunately for the citizens of Encinitas, the proposal to add just one of the five deputies recommended failed, with only Councilman Muir and myself voting in favor of adding the new deputy. The council majority voted to bring the item back for a fourth hearing. It is now clear that Council members Blakespear, Shaffer and Kranz keep trying to get the

answer they want on this item — a reason to not hire an additional deputy.

This situation is eroding the close partnership we currently enjoy with our public safety officials. It is my hope that the entire council will take the advice of our public safety experts, putting politics and personal feelings aside in favor of what should be the No. 1 priority of the City Council — preserving and enhancing public safety (fire and police protection) in our city.

The last item of the evening was related to a proposed at-grade rail crossing at Montgomery Avenue in Cardiff. I voted no on the item because public outreach first needs to be conducted to discuss with the surrounding community the impacts associated with this proposal and the demand for this crossing.

Community outreach into Cardiff is critical due to the trade-offs associated with this project. Currently, the train already sounds its horn 52 times per day at each at-grade crossing. Adding the proposed at-grade crossing would double the train horns to sounding over 100 times per day and would expand the area of sounding by at least a halfmile. The future double-tracking of the railway corridor will further increase this number. In the end, Council members Blakespear, Shaffer and Kranz voted to proceed at a cost of approximately $600,000 to study and develop plans for a crossing that would likely cost over $2 million. In doing so, the council majority is circumventing the standard process the Council uses to prioritize the many unfunded projects the city already has in line for funding.

Regrettably, there is a growing philosophical divide on the Council as to the proper way to govern our city. Rather than govern based on best practices, standard procedure, sound budgeting and citizens’ priorities, the Council Majority is pushing an agenda that supersedes all else. This micro-managing has become disruptive to the orderly working of our city government, destabilizing its efficient operation and undermining the authority and professional advice of those we have put our trust in to keep us safe and our city running smoothly.

The city has become plagued by low staff morale, early retirements and the departure of key-department heads.

This destructive behavior must cease.

With a new city manager in place, we have an opportunity to turn this situation around. I am as committed today, as I was the day I took office almost five years ago, to leading this city in a positive way. However, it will take at least two additional Council members to join this effort.

Councilman Muir is also solidly committed to this effort and we invite members Blakespear, Shaffer and Kranz to commit to a change in moving the city forward in a positive direction. Together we can best serve the citizens of Encinitas, restoring the effective and orderly operation of the city government.

Have a great November and Happy Thanksgiving!

Yours in service, Kristin Gaspar, mayor of Encinitas ■

OPINION

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015

California’s affordable housing paradox Seawater and play together — from the corporate execu- desalination project tives dining at, say, the Omni La Costa Resort Arnold to the general manager who runs it, to the busboys and dishwashers who are trying to eke out in homestretch Thomas K.

Commentary

The wrangling in Encinitas over how to comply with the state’s Density Bonus law, which lets developers build more units than normally allowed if they agree to set aside a certain number for lowincome residents, once again puts California’s affordable housing mandate in the spotlight.

There are those who say the state should keep its nose out of the housing market entirely, and let the free market dictate prices. They note the enormous amount of money cities spend in trying to comply with state affordable housing laws — and maintain this compliance merely drives up prices for market-rate homes.

But others say the state needs to be involved because otherwise, only the wealthy will be able to live on the coast. That would not only create a socio-economic divide that goes against everything this country stands for, but also wreak havoc on our transportation and social services networks. People need to live where their jobs are, supporters of state affordable housing laws insist — otherwise, you add to congestion and pollution. You also create pockets of poverty that put an unnecessary burden on the inland cities.

The state of California got involved in housing issues in 1969, when the Legislature enacted, in its original form, what’s known as the Housing Element law. According to the state website, the law “mandates that local governments adequately plan to meet the existing and projected housing needs of all economic segments of the community.

The law acknowledges that, in order for the private market to adequately address housing needs and demand, local governments must adopt land use plans and regulatory systems which provide opportunities for, and do not unduly constrain, housing development.”

I understand the reasoning behind the law, and I also happen to believe very strongly that it is a good one — for practical reasons. We all work

a living at the minimum wage and can’t afford to commute more than a few miles each way.

Drying up the local labor pool is foolish and selfdefeating, so the only logical recourse is to figure out some way to bring down the cost of housing.

And this is where I have a big, big problem: Not with the law and its desired effect, but with its implementation, which is left up to individual municipalities. Instead of cumbersome incentives and irksome formulas — if you price one of your homes at half price so a poor family can afford it, we’ll let you build an extra two homes and sell them at market price — why not bring down the actual cost of housing?

Follow the smart-growth philosophy — of situating new housing near major transportation corridors and shopping facilities — and jack up the density. A low-income family doesn’t necessarily want to live in a 3,000-square-foot house: the cost of upkeep is too great and simply not worth the extra space. Recognize that the one of the two biggest factors behind the high cost of housing in our coastal cities is the value of land, and that’s not going to change no matter much you try to legislate it. Let developers build smaller homes, and encourage them to explore more mixed-use options — condos and apartments on top of retail stores.

The other big factor behind the high cost of housing is the regulatory environment. On the local level, city ordinances “regulating the use of land, the growth of the housing stock, and the type of growth permitted may all contribute to high housing prices,” according to a 2004 University of California at Berkeley study.

“Explicit growth controls, such as urban service boundaries or growth moratoria, reduce the quantity of developable land and thus the ability of housing supply to adjust to changes in

SEE HOUSING PAGE 11

Mark Muir

Vice Chair, San Diego County Water Authority Commentary

After nearly three years of work, construction in Carlsbad of the nation’s largest seawater desalination plant is winding down as the final testing phase ramps up. Following completion of performance tests, the plant will produce enough drought-proof water to annually serve approximately 400,000 people.

While it might seem like the $1-billion Carlsbad Desalination Project was a response to the historically hot and dry conditions over the past four years, that’s not the case. The project has been under discussion and development for two decades as part of the San Diego County Water Authority’s water supply diversification strategy to make sure our region has enough water for current and future generations.

That strategy includes securing independent and highly reliable water transfers from the Colorado River, increasing regional water-use efficiency and developing local sources such as groundwater, surface water and recycled water.

Completion of the Carlsbad project will keep the Water Authority on pace for meeting its diversification goals for 2020.

The Carlsbad project is the result of a 30-year Water Purchase Agreement reached in 2012 between the Water Authority and Poseidon Water for the purchase of between 48,000 and 56,000 acrefeet per year of desalinated seawater. The project includes three main components: the desalination plant, the pipeline and upgrades to Water Authority facilities for distributing the desalinated water throughout the region.

Poseidon Water developed the plant and pipeline with joint-venture contractor Kiewit Shea Desalination. The project will deliver about 50 million gallons a day of drought-proof, highly reliable

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water that will be a core, day-to-day resource for the region. The desalination plant will produce high-quality water that meets all state and federal standards. It also will be lower in total dissolved solids than imported water supplies. In addition, the plant will make the region’s water supplies more reliable by reducing dependence on imported water from the Los Angeles-based Metropolitan Water District of Southern California – water that is vulnerable to droughts, natural disasters and regulatory restrictions.

Based on electricity cost estimates in late 2015, the Water Purchase Agreement sets the price of water at $2,131 to $2,367 per acre-foot in 2016, depending on how much water is purchased. For the first full year of desalinated water deliveries in 2016, typical monthly costs will be about $5 per household, at the low end of the Water Authority’s 2012 forecast.

The Carlsbad Desalination Project will meet rigorous environmental standards set by state and local agencies, including the California Coastal Commission. By boosting the project’s energy efficiency, offsetting greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing coastal habitat, the project is among the most environmentally friendly projects of its kind in the world.

As the Carlsbad project nears the finish line, the Water Authority and its member agencies continue urging state regulators to refine their emergency drought response rules so that the region gets credit for water from the plant toward meeting water-use mandates. The state’s current emergency water-use regulations limit water use regardless of whether water agencies are adding new drought-proof water supplies, such as desalinated seawater.

The result is that even though our region’s investments have produced enough water to meet virtually all current demands, the state is requiring a 20-percent reduction in water use in the San Diego region. That approach undermines investments in water supply reliability and the ability of water agencies statewide to prepare for drought conditions – a shortsighted policy given the need for other regions to develop their own local supplies that can help them down the path toward sustainability. ■

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HOME & GARDEN

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015

Gardening with Evelyn: Tips for longer-lasting poinsettia, pansy plants Evelyn Weidner Columnist

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he two Ps, poinsettias and pansies, both belong in November.

Poinsettias are the Christmas flower, and November marks the beginning of this special season. For more than 75 years, Encinitas was home to the Ecke family and its poinsettia ranch.

This is where the poinsettia became the world’s best-selling holiday plant.

This makes the poinsettia extra special for local folks — it’s our home flower.

With the right care, poinsettias will stay looking beautiful well past the holidays. Here are some tips for successful long-lasting poinsettias.

1. Buy a fresh poinsettia that has not been sitting in a packing box in a dark warehouse.

2. Letting your poinsettia dry out is the No. 1 cause of falling leaves and ugly poinsettias. Make a watering schedule and stick with it. Using ice cubes to water your plants makes it easy. Four to five ice cubes equals about half a cup of water. The smaller the pot, the more frequently it will need water. For small, 3-inch pots, try a turkey baster of water, three times a week. For the most popular 4-inch or 6-inch pot, try four to six ice cubes three times a week. For big plants, feel a pinch of soil and it will tell you if your plant needs a drink. If the soil is cool and moist, your plant is fine. If it’s warm and a little dry, it’s time for a drink. Outside plants dry out much more quickly than indoor plants. Turn up the heat, and your plant wants a drink more often. Wet roots sitting in water are the other extreme. Roots need air. Water-soaked soil drives out the air and the roots begin to rot, leading to premature poinsettia death.

3. Cut off those blooms around St. Patrick’s Day. Your plant cannot begin its journey to blooming again next year unless you cut off the old blooms. Next month, I will tell you everything you need to know to make your poinsettia bloom again the next season.

Pansies are the No. 1 easiest winter bloomer. Pansies love cool weather.

Planted now, they will bloom all fall, all winter, all spring and well into summer. Here are some hints to help you get the most from your pansies.

(top) Pansies can be picked twice a week for use in bouquets; (bottom) Potted poinsettia plants should be kept in moist soil. (Photos by Evelyn Weidner)

1. All pansies love the sun but will be OK in part sun.

2. Pansies love to eat, just like you!

They need a drink of water when they get a little dry, just like you!

3. Pansies love attention, just like you! (This means picking the nice fresh flowers and picking off the dead ones, too.)

4. Rabbits love pansies too, just like you! If rabbits feast in your garden, plant your pansies in raised pots or baskets.

5. Pansies or violas? That is not

important. Usually the smaller pansies are called violas and the larger-faced ones go by pansy. Don’t worry about unimportant details.

6. You cannot over-pick a pansy, so go ahead, pick two bouquets a week.

Since pansies have short stems, look for small, low vases. Start with a filler foliage, such as the mirror plant or ferns.

Use five to seven short pieces of that to fill the spaces between your cut pansies.

If your pansies get too tall or raggedlooking, cut them back, feed and wait.

They will soon be back into bloom. ■

ADVERTISEMENT

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015

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CARLSBAD VILLAGE

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015

Rotary’s traditional tree lighting set for Dec. 6 Seaside Courier staff

O

ne of Carlsbad’s best-loved annual traditions returns to the heart of the coastal town’s quaint downtown village on Sunday, Dec. 6.

With a nod to the old-time Christmas celebrations in small towns across America that inspired the great artist Norman Rockwell, the Rotary Club of Carlsbad’s 31st annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place from 2 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. in the south parking lot of the Carlsbad Village Faire shopping center at 300 Carlsbad Village Drive.

The afternoon will feature the 2:45 p.m. arrival of Santa in an antique fire engine, followed by a program of entertainment featuring such popular local performers as Carlsbad High School’s Lancer Dancers and the Moonlight (formerly Encore) Youth Theater’s Holiday Show Choir.

Free cookies, coffee and cider will be served. Children will be able to enjoy storytelling courtesy of Carlsbad Library’s Learning Center, plus free visits — and photo ops — with Santa.

Then, at 4:30 p.m., Carlsbad Mayor Matt Hall will officially light the tree, a 19-foot-tall specimen that for the next three weeks will be one of the city’s most-photographed landmarks.

Event organizer Thomas K. Arnold, a former planning commissioner and current Seaside Courier columnist and reporter, said the event was created to give all children in Carlsbad and their families the chance to enjoy an old-fashioned holiday festival “where everything is free.”

“Not everyone can afford to take the kids to the mall for a $15 photo,” said Arnold, a member of the Rotary Club of Carlsbad and a past sergeant of arms for the club. “That’s why, from the very start, the Rotary Club of Carlsbad has produced this event, in recent years with our wonderful partners here at the Village Faire, with the mandate that everything is free.”

Arnold said in prior years, Santa’s “elves” took Polaroid shots, and, most recently, digital photos that were printed onsite.

“But now, just about everyone has a cellphone so we are letting people take their own photos,” Arnold said.

“We started this last year and people seem to like it a lot better — this

Rotary Club of Carlsbad has been sponsoring Carlsbad Village’s holiday tree for 31 years. (Photos by Thomas K. Arnold)

way, they get a digital copy to post on Facebook or email to the relatives.”

Lisa Snyder, general property manager for Village Faire, said the center has hosted the tree-lighting ceremony since 2006.

The Seaside Courier is among this year’s event sponsors. ■

CARLSBAD VILLAGE

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015

Carlsbad Village merchants welcome you to shop local I

t is hard to believe it is already time to start thinking of preparing Thanksgiving dinner and shopping for holiday gifts when we haven’t even had a chance to cool off from our long, hot summer. But, have no fear, the village is here, and its merchants can easily accommodate all of your shopping needs.

Did you know that if every family in the U.S. spent just an extra $10 at a locally owned, independent business per month instead of a national chain, $9.3 billion would be directly returned to our economy? This Black Friday (Nov. 27) and Small Business Saturday (Nov. 28) and even Cyber Monday (Nov. 30), get a jumpstart on your holiday shopping and consider a merchant in Carlsbad Village.

Gift certificates are always a treat.

They are also a way to help friends and family try some of your local favorites without breaking the bank. This season, consider gift certificates from some fantastic village restaurants such as Senor Grubby’s and Craft Burger. Who doesn’t love one of Grubby’s famous street tacos or Craft Burger’s decadent

bleu cheeseburger? And while you’re out shopping, don’t forget to fuel up yourself at the Daily News Café, just steps away from the iconic Carlsbad archway with a Belgian waffle or any number of dishes, served all day, from its breakfast menu.

Looking for a unique gift? Give the gift of comfort this Christmas with a pair of recovery sandals worn by top athletes everywhere from the Coolest Shoes in California. Or, how about a duo of ultra-premium extravirgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar from Humble Olive Oils?

While you are there, be sure to sample the dark chocolate balsamic.

For that beach lover in your life, the Raw Skin Surf Shack can make you a hero by finding that perfect pair

HOUSING, FROM PAGE 7 Opinion demand. Moreover, minimum quality standards, large lot zoning (intended to reduce density), and ‘fiscal zoning’ (designed to minimize the fiscal impact of land use), are likely to restrict further the supply of housing.” The study analyzed data and concluded that housing prices and rental rates are roughly 30 percent to 50 percent higher in the most regulated cities than in the least regulated cities.

And that’s before we even get into state laws, which largely in the interests of protecting the environment and slowing climate change are among the strictest in the nation. We also have an expensive labor pool, thanks at least in part to the state’s pro-union stance. According to a May 2015 report from the Legislative Analyst’s Office, Sacramento’s nonpartisan fiscal and policy advisor, “Construction labor is about 20 percent more expensive in California metros than in the rest of the country.

California’s building codes and standards also are considered more comprehensive and prescriptive, often requiring more expensive materials and labor. For example, the state

of board shorts, killer sunglasses or even a wetsuit, to put under the tree.

Visit Dancin’ Soul, a boutique celebrating one year of inspiring dancers with everything from ballet shoes to pointe shoes, baby tap to adult tap, tights, leotards, shorts, T-shirts and more.

A gift that lasts an entire year can be found at Viz Art Ink Gallery in its unique, colorful, one-of-a-kind 2016 wall calendar, with a list of hidden objects and words to search for in each month’s image.

Men and women alike love to be pampered; whether it’s a gentlemen’s facial, a contouring body wrap, or even a blowout membership, Jayden Presleigh salon and spa can deliver with customized services all wrapped up in one convenient gift certificate.

It’s no surprise that when people shop local, more dollars stay in our local economy, which provides a huge boost to other local businesses, workers and families in the area.

Shopping local just makes sense.

Come enjoy what Carlsbad Village small businesses have to offer. To keep up with everything happening in the village, visit our website at Carlsbad-village.com and subscribe to our email newsletter.

—Sponsored content ■

requires builders to use higher quality building materials — such as windows, insulation, and heating and cooling systems — to achieve certain energy efficiency goals.

Additionally, development fees — charges levied on builders as a condition of development — are higher in California than the rest of the country.”

Digest all of this and you’ll be as puzzled as I am by the paradox: Government wants developers to build more affordable housing, but then does everything in its power to make it difficult for them to do so.

Even the LAO concludes, “We advise the Legislature to change policies to facilitate significantly more private home and apartment building in California’s coastal urban areas. Though the exact number of new housing units California needs to build is uncertain, the general mwagnitude is enormous. On top of the 100,000 to 140,000 housing units California is expected to build each year, the state probably would have to build as many as 100,000 additional units annually — almost exclusively in its coastal communities — to seriously mitigate its problems with housing affordability.”

Is anyone listening? ■

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LOCAL NEWS

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015

Oceanside plastic-bag ban fails by 3-2 Council vote Faye Mankowske Contributing writer

M

any cities and counties in California have already adopted bans on single-use plastic bags, but Oceanside will not be among them in the short term.

At a council meeting on Oct. 21, members of Oceanside City Council voted to reject a request by Deputy Mayor Chuck Lowery to begin discussion and implementation of a Single-Use, Carry-Out Bag ordinance. The motion failed with a 2-3 vote, with Council members Esther Sanchez, Jack Feller, and Jerry Kern voting against the request.

The ordinance, a sample document adapted from the County of Los Angeles Plastic Bag Ban, is part of Oceanside’s Zero Waste Strategic Plan. It would originally have been overseen and implemented by the Integrated Waste Commission, an entity that was disbanded five years ago due to budget cuts, said Councilwoman Sanchez.

Oceanside Mayor Jim Wood voted in support of the request.

“This is very disappointing to me,” Wood said, in an interview with Seaside Courier. “I was shocked. I thought we had the votes we needed for the item.”

Wood added that he received numerous personal emails and phone calls in support of the ban, and only two of those were in opposition.

“I believe that we have support in the community for this ban,” he said.

“But after this result, it would need to be brought back to council by one of the three people who voted against it.”

In an interview with Seaside Courier, Sanchez explained that she voted against the motion because she believed that the Utilities Commission, which would have implemented the ordinance as written, should have the input of the public and conduct community outreach prior to implementation of a ban.

“I believe what separates Deputy Mayor Lowery and I on this issue is a matter of process,” Sanchez said. “In the past I have been a champion for zero waste, and I continue to be …

I would like to see us re-establish a commission on zero waste.”

Retailers in Encinitas and Solana Beach are banned from providing single-use plastic bags (pictured), but a similar ban failed Oct. 21 in Oceanside. (Photo/John via Flickr Creative Commons)

Lowery’s aide, Don Green, said Lowery was “disappointed with the result and is committed to the environment” and found Sanchez’s vote “counter-intuitive.”

“We are confused by Sanchez’s vote against this, but her fervor about opposing the Gregory Canyon Landfill,” Green said.

Sanchez said the Gregory Canyon Landfill item — a request for a vote and letter of opposition to the Gregory Canyon Landfill to be submitted to the Army Corps of Engineers prior to Oct. 24 — was a more urgent item that needed immediate action.

Lowery plans to bring back the proposal in the future, and said the Utilities Commission has the authority to move ahead with updating the ordinance to apply to Oceanside, with input from residents and other stakeholders.

“We are planning to work to create a thorough and well-crafted proposal,” Lowery said.

More than 128 cities and counties in California have banned retailers and restaurateurs from providing single-use plastic bags, including San Francisco and Los Angeles, and Encinitas and Solana Beach in North County San Diego, but the issue remains contentious. In May, Huntington Beach’s City Council repealed its plastic-bag ban.

Councilman Mike Posey led the effort to repeal the ban, stating that his opposition was about the ban denying freedom of choice. The Orange County Register reported that Posey said he ran for council specifically to repeal the ban.

“It’s not an environmental issue,” Posey told the newspaper. “It’s a freedom issue.”

Like Posey, Oceanside’s Councilman Feller sees the issue as a restriction of personal choice.

“I’m categorically opposed to removal of single-use bags,” Feller said.

“It’s taking something away from the people of Oceanside. I think that most people have no idea that this is even being considered in Oceanside.”

Feller mentioned the reusability of plastic bags around the house. He also said he sees reusable bags as difficult for large families doing their grocery shopping.

“It is an unwieldy way of operating for families with six or seven kids, to expect the mothers to pack all these reusable bags to the store,” Feller said.

“I’m known for responsible use of the environment — but not for supporting extremist points of view.”

Like Sanchez, Councilman Kern voted no but stressed that his vote does not mean that he is opposed to potentially banning single-use plastic bags in the future. Kern wants to see a solution with uniform legislation applied across the state of California.

“I realize that some communities are passionate about this and have chosen to implement a ban sooner,” said Kern. “But right now we have a hopscotch of rules and regulations for different cities.”

Gov. Jerry Brown signed the first statewide ban, Senate Bill 270, on single-use plastic bags in the nation on Sept. 30, 2014. The ban was put on hold after the American Progressive Bag Alliance submitted more than 504,760 verified signatures, enough to put the ban to a referendum on Nov. 8, 2016.

Kern said he prefers to wait until the issue is resolved at the state level.

“When the citizens of California weigh in on this issue, we will follow their direction,” Kern said.

Though Sanchez voted against the motion, she told Seaside Courier she still wants to see the issue resurrected.

“I want to resume a public process for this issue,” Sanchez said. “Due public process is very important to me. We have staff in place that can drive this issue forward, and have approached members of the community about this issue in the past. I’d like to work with Colleen Foster, and past members of the Integrated Waste Commission, to conduct outreach efforts and get the support needed.” ■

LOCAL NEWS

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015

Encinitas contracts with the San Diego County Sheriff's Department for its law enforcement. (Photo by Maggie Avants)

ENFORCEMENT, FROM PAGE 1 program of increased parking enforcement by the Code Enforcement Office and two sheriff’s community service officers from July 26 to Aug. 21.

The result was 194 parking citations issued during the daytime.

A poll of members of Encinitas 101 MainStreet Association concluded that the parking situation for patrons improved significantly during the time period. But after the pilot enforcement, parking went back to the way it was — people parking all day in the two-hour parking zones, the Council learned.

Outgoing sheriff’s Capt. Theresa Hydar said that although that was effective in opening spots, it used officers who could be enforcing other ordinances, like people camping in vehicles overnight or for more than 72 hours.

“For me it was not the best use of resources, in my opinion, for community service officers to go out and issue tickets,” Hydar said.

Councilman Mark Muir asked if the beach team — which dealt largely with open alcohol containers, public drunkenness, and public and street camping violations — could be extended without adding personnel.

Hydar said that the department has three shifts, and assigned an officer from the overlap shift to the beach patrol for the summer. To make that assignment permanent would permanently increase the chance of overtime hours during day shift, because the overlap-shift officers begin their day as the day-shift officers are ending theirs, according to Hydar. “(The daytime shift) will be held over consistently, they’ll be getting overtime, which unfortunately then is a cost that goes to the taxpayer,” Hydar said. “It’s probably more beneficial to have that extra staff — that one deputy — versus the continual overtime increases that we have there.”

Currently, she said, any extra manpower is being reallocated from downtown to the commercial areas of New Encinitas for holiday watch.

Hydar added that quality of life has suffered with increase of people on the street due to Proposition 47 and Assembly Bill 109, which reclassified some felonies as misdemeanor offenses and released some non-violent offenders.

Another conclusion of the report looked at bars and noise violations.

Four fines for noise violations were issued against two bars, Shelter and The Kraken, between June and August, although the city received eight complaints of loud music.

City Attorney Glenn Sabine said that the city’s entertainment permit could be strengthened, and that it is a “work in progress” to improve the noise requirements of the license.

Mayor Kristin Gaspar and Councilman Muir supported Hydar’s recommendation that the city hire an additional deputy, but were outvoted on the matter by Blakespear, Councilwoman Lisa Shaffer and Councilman Tony Kranz.

Instead, what was approved by a 3-2 vote — Muir and Gaspar dissenting — was for the new captain to bring back another report to Council. The report should contain crime statistics for the whole city, recommendations for allocation of sheriff’s personnel and options for maintaining increased patrols in downtown.

“I think it’s important that we do this in an informed way,” said Kranz, noting that he respected Hydar’s recommendation and had no doubt the new captain would come back with a similar one.

“With that recommendation, I would like to see a report that goes beyond the terms of what’s happening downtown and talks about what’s happening in the city of Encinitas.”

But Muir said it was a public safety risk upon citizens to not immediately hire another deputy, and that Hydar “had no other additional information to provide to the Council that she hasn’t already provided.”

“The sheriff’s captain stated that our city could effectively utilize up to five new officers,” Muir told Seaside Courier. “The mayor and I are only recommending one ... until then, I won’t be supporting any new positions to the city’s payroll.”

Capt. John Maryon, who was recently promoted to oversee the North Coastal Sheriff’s Station in Encinitas, will be charged with reporting back to Council.

City Manager Karen Brust spoke highly of Maryon.

“He has spent much of his career in Encinitas, so he is very familiar with our engaged community and has very similar values of how he manages,” Brust said. “I believe he will be an incredible asset to our community.”

The city, which budgets about $12.7 million annually for its law enforcement contract with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, has had the same number of patrol deputies assigned since 2004. The city contracts for 25.59 patrol deputies, 4.9 traffic deputies, four motor deputies, four Community Oriented Policing Deputies, six detectives and 1.8 gang and narcotic detectives.

—Editor Maggie Avants contributed to this report. ■

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14

ENTERTAINMENT / FOOD & WINE

Rich Cook on Wine:

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015

Pairings for a memorable Thanksgiving Columnist

H 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13: The Good Lovelies at the Museum of Making Music, Carlsbad. $15-$20.

This award-winning Canadian trio returns to MoMM to perform songs from their new album “Burn the Plan.”

The delicate harmonies of the band blended with gentle acoustic and electric strumming creating a lullabyesque quality. “In the Morning” is a sweet ode to singer Kerri Ough’s husband and features a few electronic touches.

Thought they’ve been branded as folk-country, this tune and others from the new album show the range and evolution of the band as they incorporate more pop elements.

Museumofmakingmusic.org.

9 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20: The Tighten Ups at Pour House, Oceanside. Free.

Part soul, part rock and all heart, The Tighten Ups are led by the powerful, passionate vocals of Laura Jane. Between the larger-than-life horn section and jamming guitars, Laura Jane channels great female singers from Janis Joplin to Grace Slick, while maintaining an identity all her own. This hardworking band plays originals along with covers at a variety of venues each month; if you miss them this month, keep an eye on Pour House’s calendar for their next appearance.

Pourhouseoceanside.com.

8 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 22: Lucero at the Belly Up, Solana Beach. $26-$28.

This outfit from Memphis, Tennessee blasts a hard-todefine brand of rock ‘n’ roll inspired by their southern roots, along with a decidedly punk edge. The band’s 11th studio album, “All a Man Should Do,” is just a couple months old; it features singer Ben Nichol’s signature gritty vocals and a range of musical styles. Bold horns and jazzy keys punctuate the album’s first single, “Can’t You Hear Them Howl.”

The intimate setting of the Belly Up should make for a great playground for Lucero tunes new and old. San Diego artist (and Arkansas transplant) Matthew Bradley created the beautiful cityscape cover art for “All a Man Should Do.” Bellyup.com.

7 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 19: Heather Nation at Solace and the Moonlight Lounge. Free.

This rising star in the local scene has a unique vocal style — both tender and commanding. Her songs are as ear catching as any pop song, but possess more raw elements of folk and rock genres. The casual atmosphere of the Moonlight Lounge will be a great backdrop to showcase her compelling voice. Also keep an eye out for Nation’s debut album “Sirens,” to be released this month.

Eatatsolace.com.

Out-of-the-woods pick of the month

Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 12 – 14: San Diego Music Thing at various local venues. $30-$65.

This annual celebration of music features well-known industry panelists and guest speakers during the day on Friday and Saturday at the Lafayette Hotel, 2223 El Cajon Blvd., North Park.

The conference portion also includes pop-up shops, acoustic poolside performances and more. In the evening, nine venues around San Diego, including The Observatory North Park, The Merrow, Soda Bar and more, will host big-name bands along with a smorgasbord of local talent. National headliners this year include Yo La Tengo, Blitzen Trapper, The Joy Formidable, L7 and more. Single-day tickets and three-day passes are available; with this many great shows happening, we suggest the latter. Sandiegomusicthing.com. ■

ere comes Thanksgiving! It’s a time to gather with family and friends and celebrate all that is good in our lives, here in this place at this time.

If you’re a foodie like I am and plan to jazz up the standard turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, it’s a time to break out something special from the wine cellar to go along with the bountiful feast you’re preparing.

So, how do you go about selecting that gem of a bottle that will make the meal all the more memorable? When it comes to pairing wine with food, there are a few strategies I like to use to ensure that both the food and the wine are elevated to a place beyond where they are when they stand alone.

The first thing I look at is acidity. A wine with vibrant acidity accomplishes two things: it cleanses your palate and pops your taste buds open for the next bite of food, and it carries its own fresh flavors that won’t be covered by the food.

Next, I decide whether I want to complement a particular flavor or contrast it with something completely different. Thanksgiving fare gives a lot of options to do both. A bright Oregon or New Zealand pinot noir can serve to compliment the savory character of the turkey, while contrasting the stuffing’s herb and spice qualities. For fun, you can add a dry gewurztraminer from

Mendocino or Alsace to get the opposite effect — with the same foods! Yes, my Thanksgiving table has multiple glasses at each place setting…

So what about dessert? I find that pairing sweet dessert wines with sweet desserts can be disappointing. It’s usually best to go with one or the other.

Pumpkin pie is one of the exceptions to this rule — its savory, spicy and "not-to-sweet" character can pair beautifully with a sauternes or a late harvest riesling from the Finger Lakes region in New York. Or, for something a tad lighter, try a fizzy "moscato d’Asti" from Italy.

Want to go off the usual script and try some more exotic pairings? Sangiovese works very well with roasted birds — try a Chianti Classico, or one of Vino Noceto’s many different bottlings from Amador County.

These are especially nice if you’re working with a limited budget, as they can provide considerably more bang for your buck than pinot noir.

And finally, what celebration is complete without some bubbly? Sparkling wines can deliver the acidity I mentioned above with ease, and pair very nicely with Thanksgiving fare across the board. Fine examples are available across the price spectrum — go with your favorite.

Whatever you choose, cheers to you and yours, and enjoy the feast!

You can find Rich’s reviews of wines

from all over the world at winereviewonline.com. Here’s a sample that will work well on your holiday table.

2013 Villa Maria Pinot Noir, Cellar Selection, Marlborough, New Zealand, 27.00. 94 Points Great pinot noir is all about balance and integration, which can be accomplished across a variety of styles. Villa Maria brings us a fine example of what can be done in the medium bodied style, not sacrificing full rich flavors while keeping things lively on the palate. Bold cherry, leaf and baking spice are joined by notes of cranberry and mild dusty earth on the nose and in the mouth, with a long, mouthwatering finish that won’t quit. Factor in a great price and wide availability, and you’ve got a great bottle — try sliding this into a tasting of Oregon pinot noir.

A Platinum Award winner at the 2015 Sommelier Challenge International Wine Competition.

—We welcome Rich Cook as our newest columnist. He’ll be sharing his unique insights on wine from his vantage point as a wine competition director and taster at winereviewonline.com.

If you have a wine question or topic that you’d like to see addressed in the Seaside Courier, you can reach out to Rich at winewiseguy@me.com. ■

The Retail Beat: Bringing home the bird Katrina Dodson

Guest columnist

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any of us slave over the difficult task of baking a turkey at Thanksgiving. The methods are widely varied and the results can also be equally mixed. Throw into the blend that not everyone is cooking at their home, with all their usual baking instruments, or with the same culinary tastes around the table as in previous years; you could have a turkey disaster on your hands if you are not careful. More people have decided to take the biggest headache out of the big family meal by ordering some or all of a Thanksgiving dinner from an outside source. Below are several great options right here in the North County.

Waters Catering (125 S. Coast Highway 101, Solana Beach) offers a full selection of Thanksgiving items: turkey, stuffing, sides, appetizers and desserts. Their chicken sausage stuffed mushrooms are always a hit, as well as the traditional sage stuffing and the cranberry cheesecake.

Waters takes care to include glutenfree, dairy-free and vegan sides to fit every need.

Seaside Market (2087 San Elijo Ave., Cardiff-by-the-Sea) has a yearround business in its deli and meats section and prides itself on a full menu range for Thanksgiving. Turkeys are available in whole or in halves, and sides include twice-baked potatoes, stuffings and grilled vegetables, and some very good pick-up pies in pumpkin and apple.

Brett’s BBQ (1505 Encinitas Blvd., Encinitas) had a great idea years ago to offer its very delicious smoked turkeys

(ThinkStock Photos)

at Thanksgiving. Brett’s take orders for 240 turkeys, then turns away dozens of people – so order soon! Brett’s smokes 15- and 24-pound turkeys and also offers giblet gravy and cranberry sauce.

Tip Top Meats (6118 Paseo del Norte, Carlsbad) is a longtime North County staple for specialty foods. Tip Top makes traditional roast turkeys, but its big specialty is house-made turduken – a boneless chicken wrapped in a boneless duck, wrapped in a partially deboned turkey. Tip Top also supplies a cornbread stuffing, cranberry sauce and tons of pies. If you want to step away from poultry, the chef suggests trying the sausage and dried fruit stuffed pork chops, bacon wrapped filet mignon, or a prime rib roast. Tip Top also takes special orders if you have something from the “old country” you want prepared to your taste.

Healthy Creations (376 N. El Camino Real, Encinitas) will provide

you with some amazing side dishes if you are trying to stay healthy. On the menu this year is cornbread stuffing, sweet potato mash, mashed potatoes, green bean salad with marcona almonds and cranberry chutney. I am considering ordering Healthy Creations’ pumpkin cheesecake, as it looked delicious on my visit!

Champagne Bakery (162 S. Rancho Santa Fe Road, Encinitas) is your one-stop shop for those of us assigned to “just bring the pie!”

Champagne offers apple pie, pecan pie and pumpkin pie, but you can also pick up an assortment of cookies and chocolate brownies for the kids.

Please see the Rich Cook’s article on what kind of wine to pair with your Thanksgiving feast! You can pick up a great selection of wine at either Seaside Market or Tip Top Meats if you need to do some one-stop shopping for the holiday. ■

xennA latsoP

Rich Cook

HEALTH & FITNESS

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015

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Wellness in North County: Fear of Rolfing?

Chris

Ahrens Contributing writer

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s you may know I am something of a wellness junkie, experimenting with most every health tip that seems safe and sane while offering the hope of a better life. In my quest I have tried a variety of treatments including deep-tissue massage, Hawaiian Power Flow, Super Slow Motion and the Orange Theory. Each of the aforementioned has been beneficial in some way, and has encouraged me to seek further. Then came Rolfing and, for once, I balked at the idea.

Founded by Dr. Ida Rolf more than 50 years ago, Rolfing is a form of bodywork that reorganizes the body’s connective tissues, realigning and balancing the whole body while restoring flexibility, energy and balance. That’s what one website said, anyway. Being true to you, my readers, however, I could not endorse the practice unless I tried it and it worked for me.

While fairly adventurous in the areas of so-called “alternative treatments,” I avoid Rolfing because I was told that it was painful — like, really painful! Having a rational avoidance to discomfort, I tend to eschew anything other than karaoke that will have me involuntarily screaming like a death metal front man.

Rolfing was off the list until I met Michael Mitchell of Body Solutions 101. Mitchell, who has practiced Rolfing for decades, is a licensed holistic health practitioner, a certified structural integrated practitioner

Dr. Michael Mitchell attends a patient. (Mitchell photo collection)

and a licensed massage therapist. He has been tutored by some of the top body workers in the world, and even looks like a doctor. But that’s not what swayed me to try Rolfing. I began to reconsider when it became obvious that he is motivated to help people escape pain, not by creating more of it. To put it another way, he’s a kind, caring, trustworthy person.

He suggested I come in for a session and, out of excuses since his office is in Solana Beach, a mere exit from my house, I agreed to do so. Still, when he asked me when I wanted to see him, we agreed upon a time while I internally yelled “Nev-er.”

When the day arrived, a clean, quiet office and Dr. Mitchell’s gentle, confident manner quickly replaced dreams of bloodletting and leeches. After a brief and painless examination, he explained that I was out of alignment and proceeded to work on me. Gritting teeth quickly ceased and I feel into a relaxation so deep I nearly fell asleep.

The hour went by like a dream, and I

was soon sitting up again, examined again and found that my posture had greatly improved.

Dr. Mitchell suggested I take it easy the rest of the day. Without further instruction, I thanked him, stood up and felt a bit off balance — the result, he explained, of being adjusted after being out of alignment for so long.

Throughout the day and into the following afternoon, I felt slightly off balance with a soreness equivalent of a moderate workout radiating from my hips. By that evening all traces of pain and imbalance had ceased and I noticed that I was more flexible than I had been in some years. I have also continued to notice that my posture has remained more centered than it previously was. If you haven’t tried Rolfing, I suggest it. As for me, all fear of the practice is gone and I will definitely do it again.

YOU INSPIRE US.

LET’S CELEBRATE

YOU.

BRING FRIENDS FREE!

Present this ad in-club for 3-days free* Find a club near you at 24hourfitness.com PASS IS GOOD FOR 3 CONSECUTIVE DAYS, BEGINNING ON YOUR FIRST DAY OF USAGE AT CLUB. PHOTO ID REQUIRED. LOCAL RESIDENTS ONLY. MUST BE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OLD (19 IN NE) OR 12 WITH PARENT. ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS APPLY. SEE CLUB OR 24HOURFITNESS.COM/PASS FOR DETAILS. *

—To learn more about Body Solutions 101 and Dr. Michael Mitchell, visit, Bodysolutions101.com/bio.html. ■

Body in Balance: Suspension Training Dana Nitti Columnist

O

ne of my favorite pieces of fitness equipment is the TRX Suspension Trainer. I use it in almost every single one of my workouts with clients ranging in age from 13 to 75 years old.

The TRX — and other suspension training apparatuses — is essentially two movable handles attached to a non-moving anchor such as a tree, doorframe or TRX structure. The handles can be manipulated to target different body parts, and the resistance can be increased or decreased by simply moving your body closer or farther from the anchor.

What I love most about the TRX is that the core must be engaged throughout the workout to stabilize, adding an extra bonus to your workout.

Other benefits of suspension training exercises include increased strength, balance, coordination, flexibility and joint stability, all with limited chance of injury because you’re using your own body weight.

Below is a beginner, full-body workout. For each exercise, perform three sets of 12 repetitions. Note: keep your abdominals engaged throughout the entire workout.

Squat: Face anchor point with feet a little wider than shoulder width apart. Hold one handle in each hand

with elbows bent and at your side. The handles should be used for stability, not to hold or pull you up. Drop your hips into a squat position, then push up though your heels and return to starting position.

Reverse lunge: Face anchor point with feet shoulder width apart. Hold one handle in each hand with elbows bent and at your side. Again, the handles should be used for stability, not to hold or pull you up. Step back with one foot into a lunge. Push through the hip of your standing and leg return to starting position. Perform all 12 repetitions on one side, and then repeat on the other side.

Chest press: Face away from anchor point with feet shoulder width apart. With one handle in each hand, lean forward and walk your feet back until you’re in a high plank position with your body in line from head to toe. Bend at the elbows and lower into a push-up, bringing the chest down to the same level as your hands, then push back up to starting position.

Row: Face anchor point with feet shoulder width apart. Hold a handle in each hand with your arms straight out in front of your chest. Take a few steps forward, until you’re diagonal with your back towards the floor.

With your body in line from head to toe, pull your chest toward the anchor point, and then lower yourself back to starting position.

Tricep press: Face away from anchor point with feet shoulder width apart. With one handle in each hand, palms down, extend arms overhead and tilt your body towards the floor.

Without moving the rest of your body, bend elbows and bring your hands toward your forehead, then straighten arms and return to starting position.

Bicep curl: Face anchor point with feet shoulder width apart. With one handle in each hand, palms up, extend your arms in front of you and lean your body back toward to floor. Bend at the elbows and curl your hands toward your shoulders, then lower yourself back down to starting position.

Plank: Position yourself on your hands and knees on the floor. Place the top of your feet in the bottom loops of the TRX bands. Using your arms and legs, push your body off the ground so you’re in an elevated plank with your body in line from head to toe.

Hold for 30 seconds.

Your first TRX workout can be a little intimidating. As with any fitness equipment you use for the first time, it is important to use it properly to avoid injury. If you’re unsure, ask the trainer at your gym to demonstrate or feel free to contact me; I’d be happy to give you your first TRX workout for free.

—Dana Nitti, a certified personal trainer, is the owner of Body In Balance

By Dana. (BodyInBalanceByDana. com) ■

7 Things You Must Know Before Putting Your North County Home Up for Sale North County Coastal - A new report has just been released which reveals 7 costly mistakes that most homeowners make when selling their home, and a 9 Step System that can help you sell your home fast and for the most amount of money.

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homesellers make 7 deadly mistakes that cost them literally thousands of dollars. The good news is that each and every one of these mistakes is entirely preventable. In answer to this issue, industry insiders have prepared a free special report entitled "The 9 Step System to Get Your Home Sold Fast and For Top Dollar".

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This report is courtesy of JOG Real Estate, a dba of acclaimed Big Block Realty, Josh Otten CalBRE# 01966398. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. © 2015 SPONSORED CONTENT

16

LOCAL NEWS

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015

Connected Warriors are pictured at San Marcos Vet Center. (Courtesy photo)

Yoga program improves lives of veterans Seaside Courier staff

A

Workshops for Warriors trains, certifies and places veterans and wounded warriors into advanced manufacturing careers such as welding. (Photo courtesy Workshops for Warriors via Facebook)

Program readies retiring Marines for manufacturing jobs Seaside Courier staff

A

fter serving as a Marine for 18 years, an Oceanside resident now has a taste of what he would like to do once he retires from the U.S. military.

Master Sgt. Charles Spencer, 36, is one of 28 active duty Camp Pendleton Marines who are enrolled in a program aimed at giving them the skills needed to enter the manufacturing sector.

The program by San Diego-based Workshops for Warriors offers certifications in various manufacturing disciplines to members of the military.

Hernán Luis y Prado, founder and president of the nonprofit, said the program and its workers fill a demand in the manufacturing industry.

“Manufacturing careers today demand high-tech skills in computers, robotics and information technologies,” he said. “Advanced

Marine Master Sgt. Charles Spencer, 36, is earning certification as a welder through Workshops for Warriors.

(Courtesy photo)

manufacturing is slated to grow by 9,903 jobs — 6 percent — from 2013 to 2018, and will continue to add employment to the region due to governmental economic and workforce initiatives.”

Luis y Prado, who served in the U.S. Navy for 15 years and was recognized as a “Champion of Change” by the White House, said 94 percent

of graduates eligible for employment were able to find jobs in the manufacturing industry.

It’s now an industry Spencer is considering once he is eligible to retire from the U.S. military in two years.

“I hadn’t necessarily given a manufacturing career much thought before Workshops for Warriors but that has changed,” said Spencer, who spent two tours each in Iraq and Afghanistan, among other deployments during his service career.

Spencer said he chose to join the program offered by Workshops for Warriors because he wanted to improve his fabrication skills.

“I’ve become pretty proficient at operating a grinder,” Spencer said.

“My ability to focus has significantly improved as well. My welding techniques are light years better than they were when I began the course.”

He enjoys the program for other reasons, too, he said.

“In my spare time, my passion is being a gearhead,” said Spencer, whose younger brother is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.

“I enjoy all things mechanical. I enjoy welding because it relaxes me — building something from scratch brings me great satisfaction.”

He has also found satisfaction in seeing how his peers have advanced in the program.

“It’s great to see the progress that each and every one of us has made,” Spencer said. “We’re a team. We encourage and help each other every day.”

With the help of Workshops for Warriors, Spencer said he hopes to one day own a race car fabrication shop.

“I look at fabrication as an art form,” said the West Virginia native.

Workshops for Warriors, which is funded through private donations, has certified 124 Marines since it was founded in 2008. Applicants to the program are screened and admitted based on when they’re retiring from the military. Students then divide their time between the program and their duties on base.

—For more information, visit Workshopsforwarriors.org. ■

South Florida woman’s goal of helping veterans live better, healthier lives has made its way to Oceanside.

Connected Warriors, a nonprofit created after yoga instructor Judy Weaver met Marine veteran Ralph Lovino, pairs instructors with veterans for free, weekly yoga sessions. The goal of the nonprofit is to help veterans overcome struggles and find self-awareness.

Eight years after its founding, Connected Warriors is offering free classes nationwide, including in Oceanside. The nonprofit’s Southern California coordinator Diane Williams Callan said classes, which are also offered in San Marcos, Escondido, Fallbrook and Temecula, typically attract more than 20 students per session.

The classes are offered in areas where veterans typically gather, Callen said.

“Our emphasis is to ‘bring the mat to the military’ and offer classes in neutral locations other than studios, like Vets Centers, VA, American Legion, VFWs, colleges and community centers,” Callan said.

But it requires a lot of encouragement to get the veterans to consistently attend the yoga classes.

“It takes time and persistence, but the

payoff can be very rewarding once the class starts to hit a stride,” Callan said. “We meet them ‘where they are at on the mat,’ meaning from beginner to advanced and offer blocks, straps and mats for use.”

Regular students are then given equipment to take home and use.

The benefits are many, Callan said, from mind and body awareness to improving one’s overall lifestyle.

Callan said she’s heard of veterans saying they now sleep better, have reduced their intake of prescription medicine and have better communication with those in their lives.

There’s also a better sense of security and self.

That’s because the yoga instructors are required to do more than just earn their certification. Instructors who volunteer with Connected Warriors are required to take “trauma-conscious” teacher training classes, in addition to earning their 200-hour yoga certification.

Callan said more than 200 yoga instructors have undergone the Connected Warriors training and all are volunteers.

“The yoga teachers are often service members or family members, and this gives them an outlet to continue to serve those who serve from a genuine place of peace and love with grace and compas-

sion,” Callan said. “It is very inspiring and rewarding to know that you are an integral part of the warrior wellness paradigm by offering a safe and secure environment in which to heal and maintain mind, body and emotional wellness.”

Despite the vast number of volunteers, Callan said Connected Warriors could use more support.

Callan said the nonprofit is in need of more yoga instructors and help with fundraising. In the past, they’ve been supported by private donors but hope to earn grants.

They also want support in spreading the mission of Connected Warriors.

“Peace from within can be can be achieved with consistent practice to self and shared with your family, your community and the world,” Callan said. “We are proud to be serve those who have served and welcome any and all to be Connected Warriors. The healing has begun.”

Connected Warriors will host its annual fundraiser at the Elks Club in Escondido from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 16.

—For more information or to volunteer, visit Connectedwarriors.org.

Interested yoga instructors should have their 200-hour yoga certification, be registered with Yoga Alliance and have liability insurance. ■

American Legion to host Moonlight Open on Veterans Day Maggie

Avants Editor

F

rom skydiving appearances to helping wounded veterans surf, American Legion San Dieguito Post 416 is planning a special day of activities for Veterans Day in Encinitas.

The festivities begin at 9 a.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 11 at Moonlight Beach with the Moonlight Open, a surf session for Wounded Warriors and disabled veterans.

At 10:30 a.m., look to the skies because the Flying Leathernecks will skydive to the beach below as Amy Scruggs sings the national anthem.

A catered lunch will then be held at 11 a.m. at Post 416, 210 F St. in downtown Encinitas.

At 1 p.m. at the post, Veterans Day tributes will be given by Mayor Gaspar and Post Commander Steve Lewandowski.

This schedule of activities is in support of the “Save Our Legion” campaign, and falls on a day that is at the center of American Legion’s mission: to serve as a gathering place for veterans, their families and even community members. Post 416 needs to raise between $750,000 and $1 million to construct a new building.

Donations of $15 will be accepted for lunch, the proceeds of which will go toward the Save Our Legion

campaign.

“We have raised $125,000 so far,” said Alan Lerchbacker, retired Navy and deputy chairman for the Save Our Legion committee.

The Veterans Day events have been in the works for about three months, Lerchbacker told Seaside Courier.

“Our goal is to have 400 people on the beach,” he said.

About 20 or 30 of those will be disabled veterans — some who have lost limbs and some who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. American Legion has worked with Balboa Naval Hospital, the Surfing Madonna Foundation and the command at

Camp Pendleton to extend invitations to the veterans, he said.

“We will be working with them out in the water,” Lerchbacker said. “The real goal is to get as many as 100 or 150 community surfers to come out and help.”

Community members are encouraged to come out to the beach to cheer the veterans on, and to enjoy lunch at Post 416. Lunchtime activities will include an opportunity drawing for items such as surfboards and wetsuits.

“We have some phenomenal sponsors,” Lerchbacker said.

—For more information, visit Moonlightopen.org. ■

LOCAL NEWS

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015 VOLUNTEERS, FROM PAGE 1 Tables and stations will be filled with warm clothes, food, toys and many other items in anticipation of the many families who will arrive the weekend before Christmas to “shop.”

Serving as hosts for the families will be about 250 of Baes’ students, many of whom are bilingual.

“Her students are the heart and soul of the program,” said Linda Hayes, co-chair of the Holiday Basket Program. “We can put up to 1,700 families through in three days, and they make it a dignified experience because these kids are compassionate and respectful and just what you would want if you were a client coming to be helped.”

Hayes would know. She has been volunteering with the program for 24 years, when deliveries were still made to families.

“These are all North County residents, most of them are what I would call the working poor,” Hayes said.

“They often have not just one job but two. They are doing everything right — paying taxes and bringing home checks — but they often don’t make very much money so this helps supplement their holiday experience.”

Like Baes, things have come full circle for Hayes, who said she started volunteering for the program when she was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer.

“I thought, ‘I better do something with my life. What if I don’t have time?’ It was a bit of a wake-up call,” said Hayes, a 47-year Encinitas resident.

Looking back, Hayes said it was a blessing to her, her husband and their two sons. These days, her son who lives locally brings his four children to also volunteer.

Holiday Baskets Co-Chair John Economides (left), longtime volunteer Pat Moore (center) and Community Resource Center Director of Programs Rebecca Palmer (right) are gearing up for the Holiday Basket Program. (Photo by Maggie Avants)

“I am really feeling the blessings of life,” Hayes said. “In the end, it becomes a huge blessing because of what you learn to value.”

A blessing has also occurred for Baes during her time spent volunteering with the Holiday Basket Program. A few years ago, she met Hayes. She knew she recognized her but couldn’t quite place it. Then she asked how Holiday Baskets got started and Hayes began describing the deliveries they would make. Suddenly, Baes knew where she had seen Hayes before: as a young girl, Hayes was one of the women who brought gifts to her at Christmastime.

“I tell Linda I remember her spirit,” Baes said. “When I first met her at the CRC, there was something very special and familiar about her. I didn’t know why, I didn’t know what the connection was. But when we started talking it all made sense, it all came together. Her presence was definitely imprinted in my mind.”

Holiday Baskets 2015

As Hayes and Baes and hundreds of other volunteers prepare to help again this year, they can’t help but think of the tremendous number of people reached.

The “baskets” used are shopping carts — some donated by Walmart — and as much as 60 tons of food are given out.

In 2014, 1,594 households were served.

That’s 6,592 individuals, 3,382 of whom were children. Bicycles distributed were 421, blankets donated numbered 1,600 and money raised was $42,000.

According to Economides, the value of a basket for a family of four is $500.

Collection of items such as blankets, warm clothes and bicycles takes place year-round, as are cash donations. Food donations are accepted for two-and-a-half weeks leading up to distribution weekend, with funds from cash donations used to purchase additional food items.

—For more information about volunteering and donations, visit Crcncc. org/hb. ■

Sea Creatures: Local boy making waves Chris

Ahrens Columnist

H

awaii, often viewed as paradise by tourists, has a beastly underbelly that can rival any ‘hood in America in the areas of drugs and violence. It is there, in forgotten neighborhoods of Honolulu such as Kalihi, that children are sometime abandoned and crack babies cry themselves to sleep while big brothers and sisters wonder where they’re going to get enough to eat as they struggle just to survive. Gang life is more common in such places than white picket fences, and few are willing to jump over the barbed wire to the wrong side of that fence to get involved.

Brady Giusta, a surfer, Young Life director, former bad boy and schoolteacher, took that leap several years ago, and now teaches and lives in a place that the Hawaii's visitors bureau hopes you will never see.

Giusta, who grew up in a loving, stable Christian home in Encinitas, rebelled against his upbringing by turning instead to another, darker world.

“My passion is lost kids, because I was a lost kid myself,” Giusta said. “The school where I teach, Farrington High School, is only about seven miles from the ocean, but many of the kids from that town have never been there. The journey of getting them to connect again to their ocean heritage has been crazy, hard and really fun.”

Giusta was a classic troubled kid, running hard in the wrong direction until he stumbled upon his purpose and passion with kids who were making the same mistakes he had.

His vision to help kids didn’t fully

Brady Giusta and the Farrington Surf Team in their winning season. (Giusta photo collection)

gel until he he moved to Hawaii a few years ago, and was adopted by a bunch of latchkey Hawaiian youth at the high school in Kalihi. It took a while for him to gain the trust of the students and their parents, but once they saw he was serious, things began to change. Slowly.

“We decided to start a surf team, but many of the kids couldn’t even swim,” Giusta said. “There were so many obstacles, but they quickly learned to swim and eventually to surf. During our first few surf meets people were saying, ‘Who are these ghetto kids in this contest?’”

There must be something in island blood that naturally gravitates toward the ocean, and once the Farrington team learned to swim and to surf, they not only held their own in the lineup, but also dominated the competition by winning the Hawaiian state championships in 2008 and 2009.

Most stories of kids growing up in bad neighborhoods end with gunshots.

This one ends with another type of bang.

But it’s not over yet. The story of the struggle and the winning seasons of the Farrington Governors is currently being developed into a major motion picture called “Making Waves.” In it is a message of hope in a world where hopeless headlines and teens being gunned down are considered normal.

This piece of history celebrates the underdog while revealing the majesty and beauty of Hawaii.

Part of “Making Waves” is being crowd-funded, so if you want to take part in making your own waves, and restoring paradise, please help. You never know, the kid you help may one day give you a few waves when you visit their island.

To learn more about this project and help fund the movie, please visit: Gofundme.com/ MakinWavesTheMovie.

All I can add to this is “Aloha,” and see you at the movies. ■

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EDUCATION

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015

MiraCosta Matters: Student ambassadors promote student success Dr. Sunny Cooke Superintendent/ president

L

ate fall is a busy time of year for high school and college students as they look to the future with many decisions to make and even more questions in mind.

For this reason, outreach programs are key to help guide students through their higher education journey. At MiraCosta College, our Student Ambassador Program does just that and much more.

Composed of MiraCosta students, the Student Ambassador Program serves the local K-12 system. The program aims to create awareness and provide information regarding all the programs and services available at MiraCosta, such as tutoring, counseling and financial aid.

We recently heard from Kyle Stroud, a second-year student ambassador, who explained that for many prospective or new students, student ambassadors are some of the first people they come in contact with when seeking information about college. He explained that MiraCosta student ambassadors are trained to be knowledgeable about the college so

they can properly direct students to the appropriate departments or people.

The program, now in its 25th year, is not only beneficial for the students it helps, but also for our ambassadors themselves.

Stroud, 19, believes he was very fortunate to have found out about the Student Ambassador Program before enrolling at MiraCosta College. He tells us that without the program, he wouldn’t have known about all the resources available to students, which have personally helped him succeed in his studies.

Another ambassador, Alex Stephens, a third-year MiraCosta College student and military veteran, agrees.

Stephens says the program has been a blessing for him. Indeed, his GPA skyrocketed after he became really informed about all student support like tutoring and our new Veterans Information Center.

Much of the program’s success is due to MiraCosta College Outreach Coordinator Jonathan Gómez, who believes it is important that we present the K-12 community with MiraCosta representatives who actually are part of our student population, since a great way to learn is from others’ experiences.

A lot goes into forming a good group

of students to represent MiraCosta College. The process starts in the summer and students who apply and qualify go through an interview process.

After being chosen to be in the program — a paid position, by the way —ambassadors go through a rigorous week of training where they get an overview of all the programs and services available on campus before going on a three-day retreat where they forge relationships with one another.

During the school year, student ambassadors are assigned to work five mandatory hours at different high schools or other district locations where their skills and knowledge are best suited. There, they provide information and create excitement about higher education.

MiraCosta College student ambassadors are the best reflection of who we are and what we represent as an institution. Gómez has expressed that he is continually impressed with their talents, abilities and accomplishments. They truly are the heart of our outreach department.

—For more information about the Student Ambassador Program, contact Jonathan Gómez at jgomez@ miracosta.edu. ■

Preserving SDA history: The Mustang and more Maureen "Mo" Muir Trustee, SDUHSD Guest columnist

In my last article, I wrote about the homecoming traditions surrounding the SDA Mustang and that it had gone missing. Since then, I have heard from many locals and learned additional information.

SDA, or San Dieguito Academy, has actually been named and renamed three different times. When it opened in 1936, it was called San Dieguito Union High School and was a junior high and high school. Before it was built, students in this area had to go as far as Oceanside for their schooling. In 1954, Earl Warren Middle School was built and the junior/high school was now just a high school. Around 1968, it was was renamed San Dieguito High School. The diplomas reflected that change, but in 1978 — 10 years later. Its final name change came about in 1996, when it was renamed San Dieguito High School Academy — academy meaning school of choice. But all the past and present students lovingly call it SDA. Along with the naming history, I found out more about the SDA Mustang.

The creator of the present mustang is Susan La Forest, a 1981 SDA graduate. Here is where fact and folklore fuse together: rumor has it that Susan constructed and then welded the mustang in metal shop class for a school project. She supposedly used car metal. Unfortunately, La Forest lives out of state and I was not able to verify this with her. I was told, though, that La Forest wants to come back when the mustang is reinstated and that her father drops by SDA every couple of months to check on its progress.

It has been determined that the mustang needs some work to return it to its former glory. It needs to be straightened, sandblasted and stripped of its paint. The San Dieguito High School Alumni Association has taken on the task, and is fundraising to make it happen.

The alumni, knowing how important it is to preserve SDA history and traditions, have also saved and preserved the SDA bell tower. At the center of the passion for preservation is alumni coordinator, Bonnie Wren. The real treasure at SDA, Wren is not only the alumni coordinator,

Mustang territory (Photo by Maureen "Mo" Muir)

but the school historian. She is passionate about preserving history, tradition and respect for SDA. I want to thank her and Class of 1973 Chairman Ken Harrison for reaching out to me with information and dedication for SDA. ■

LOCAL NEWS

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015

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NORTH COUNTY NOTABLES NORTH COUNTY RESIDENTS MAKING A MARK

Oceanside honors Gow as Senior of the Year

Doug Green, named one of California's five teachers of the year Oct. 26, is pictured at a San Diego County awards ceremony held Oct. 12, where he was named one of the county's five teachers of the year, qualifying him for the statewide recognition. (Photo courtesy Carlsbad Unified School District via Facebook)

Carlsbad educator named among California Teachers of the Year A broadcast journalism teacher in Carlsbad was named one of five California Teachers of the Year.

Doug Green teaches students in grades seven through 12 at Valley Middle School and Carlsbad High School, according to the state Department of Education. He will be feted at a gala event in Sacramento in February, along with the four other California Teachers of the Year: — Daniel Jocz, a social studies teacher at Downtown Magnets High School in Los Angeles; — Mitch Bahr, an instrumental music teacher at Foothill High School in Palo Cedro, in Shasta County; — Michelle Cherland, a second-grade teacher at Carrillo Ranch Elementary School in Indio, in Riverside County; and — Ann Park, a fifth-grade teacher at Greenleaf Elementary School in Oakland, in Alameda County.

Jocz was nominated by state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson as California’s nominee for National Teacher of the Year.

“The teachers we are honoring today are dedicated, energetic, innovative and very effective,’’ Torlakson said. “Every day in the classroom they inspire students to learn, excel and realize their full potential. Their work provides a great example for other teachers.’’

Teachers are chosen for the honor based on criteria including rapport with students, classroom environment, presentation skills and teaching methods.

According to the state, Green has been teaching for 24 years, and splits his day between the middle and high school. He began his career as a social worker, helping to tutor students who were struggling with reading. After receiving his teaching credentials, he initially taught eighth-grade language arts, and was later asked to design a broadcast journalism elective course.

“Mr. Green’s work has transformed his students, and led to successful high school, college and career opportunities that were made possible by having him as a teacher,’’ Valley Middle School Principal Tom Bloomquist said. “The work that students are able to do in Mr. Green’s class is truly student-centered and student-driven, with the support of a charismatic and thoughtful teacher.’’

Green’s students and their work have been seen not only on a high school campus, but nationally and internationally. Two stories — one about a 2010 shooting that injured two students at a nearby elementary school and the other a student-led documentary, “Invisible Threat” on the science of immunizations — lifted the young filmmakers and broadcasters onto the national stage.

“I love that my subject area has so much to offer to so many different types of learners,” Green said. “I love that the program is rigorous and that it reinforces life skills — students learn to manage deadlines, deal with technical challenges, and learn to become critical viewers. It is hands-on and academic.”

His students’ commitment and Green’s guidance and support have resulted in the district’s programs being ranked the No. 1 middle and high school scholastic broadcasts in the country.

“I am thankful each and every day that I am a teacher. I love watching my students develop as they become motivated learners, talented journalists and remarkable human beings,” Green said. “My best 12 minutes of the day occur each morning at 9:18 a.m. when my high schools take their broadcast live to a large audience. I stand back, stay out of their way, and watch 34 students work as a team.”

—City News Service and Editor Maggie Avants ■

The city of Oceanside announced the recipient of its Senior of the Year award.

On Oct. 8 during the Senior Expo held at the Oceanside Civic Center, the honor was bestowed on Chris Gow. According to a news release, Gow, a U.S. Army veteran, has lived in Oceanside since 1997. She has been a member of the CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) and has served for Oceanside Police Department Senior Volunteer Program. Gow is a tremendous volunteer for MainStreet Oceanside, having served as a vendor volunteer, ambassador and parade coordinator. She has been volunteering for several years with the Friends of Oceanside Parks, a non-profit fundraising group for Parks and Recreation.

Gow received a proclamation from the city and a gift certificate, and her name has been inscribed on two plaques. The plaques list previous award winners, and Chris Gow is presented the city of Oceanside's Senior of the future awardees names will be added. Year award, Oct. 8. (Photo courtesy City of Oceanside) One will hang at the Country Club Senior Center and the other at El Corazon Senior Center.

The award was coordinated by the Oceanside Parks and Recreation Commission and the Senior Citizen Standing Committee.

Twelve senior citizens were nominated. In addition to Gow, the nominees were: Dick Bartlett, Judy Clarquist, William “Ted” Fritz, Joan C. Horton, Howard LaGrange, Ed Partovich, Sondra Peppe, Anne Speraw, Michelle Ann Stone, Sharon Thomas and Gail Wells. ■

Carlsbad sisters take first place at Mt. SAC Invitational Two sisters from Carlsbad were among a record 25,000 competitors Oct. 16 at Mt. San Antonio College’s 68th annual Cross-Country Invitational in Walnut.

Representing Aviara Oaks Middle School, Skyler and Stormy Wallace both placed first in the two-mile elementary/middle school events: Skyler in the eighthgrade division and Stormy in the sixth-grade division.

It was no surprise because at home in Carlsbad, the Wallace sisters lead Aviara Oaks’ highly competitive cross-country team — part of the after-school sports program facilitated by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Carlsbad at Carlsbad Unified School District’s three middle schools.

Cross country is a no-cut sport, which allows all youngsters the opportunity to be a part of the team, explained Club Athletic Director Nigel Cabral.

“Cross country has made the transition from a small elementary to a big middle school easy for Skyler and Stormy,” Cabral said. “They have met many friends and enjoy showing up to practice and meets ready to compete. Skyler has a simple strategy every time she Mt. SAC winners and sisters, Skyler (left) and competes: ‘Keep up with me if you can.’ Both sisters Stormy (right) Wallace (Courtesy photo) look forward to running at Sage Creek and in college, wherever that may be!”

The Wallace sisters are among thousands of youth served each year by Boys & Girls Club of Carlsbad, a nonprofit organization that is 100-percent funded by donors. For more information about the local clubs’ programs for youth, visit Bgccarlsbad.org. ■

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SPORTS / PETS

SDA girls tennis regains homecourt advantage

Mustangs girls volleyball team sets sights on playoffs Lindsey King Guest columnist

A

Katie Bilse

Guest columnist

S

an Dieguito Academy’s tennis courts are finally finished with construction after three years. We are able to play matches on our home courts for the rest of the season. We are able to get home earlier and balance our schoolwork better because we do not have to drive over to La Costa Canyon High School every day to practice. Instead of traveling to Mira Costa in Oceanside to compete in matches, we will have a home court advantage.

“The new tennis courts have impacted me because now I am able to stay in class longer and balance my academics easier because we do not have to take a bus to every tennis match we compete in,” said senior Alex Weingarten. “It is also better because the team can actually represent San Dieguito Academy on our home courts so we have extra school spirit and motivation.”

Construction began in 2013, and the courts were not finished until recently, mid-season. During construction, we practiced at La Costa Canyon and played home matches at Sage Creek and MiraCosta in Oceanside. Having access to home courts allow us more time to practice. We began moving,

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015

Team photo: San Dieguito Academy girls tennis (Photo by Tracy Weingarten)

communicating and talking to each other more, picking up momentum for the last part of the season.

Our last league match was a tight match against Del Norte on the home courts that came down to the final sets. We defeated Del Norte 10-8, securing our fourth title in a row as league champions.

We are now preparing for CIF playoffs, and are placed as the fourth seed in Division 1. The first team we play against is Carlsbad High School.

Head Coach Joe Tomasi empathizes with his student athletes.

“The students 20 years ago had a lot less on their plate than the students do now,” Tomasi said. “Now, my players have busier schedules and more rigorous classes so it is harder for them to balance academics and athletics.”

He said his favorite part about coaching is when the players “finally get how to play tennis.”

“During the second half of the season, the girls finally started to get it and learn

how to play together and it was so rewarding to watch,” Tomasi said.

Assistant Varsity Coach Knute Syvru also shared what motivates her.

“My favorite part about coaching is installing the love of the game of tennis into players so that they want to play for the rest of their lifetime,” Syvru said.

After the season, SDA Tennis is hosting its fourth annual Community Doubles Tournament and barbeque from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 14 at SDA. Proceeds help pay for the expenses of the season.

We will celebrate the new courts and Tomasi’s 20th year as the head coach of SDA Boys and Girls Tennis. Pre-register for $35 by Nov. 9 at Sdafoundation. com under events. For questions about how to register, contact Caroline Lee at clee032001@yahoo.com.

Senior Karen Bilse is a member of the varsity girls tennis team at San Dieguito Academy and a staff writer for The Mustang.

—Edited by Sports Editor Cydney Melton ■

s the season comes to a close, the San Dieguito Academy Mustangs ended strong with a win against San Marcos on Oct. 29. With only two more games left as of publication time, an away game against San Pasqual on Nov. 3 and a home game, senior night, on Nov. 5 against Del Norte, the Mustangs could see a league title in their future.

The Mustangs have had a great season, with a record of 24-6 overall and 8-0 in the Avocado League East. Led by two new coaches, David and Amanda Savage, previously coaches at Mission Hills, they have exceeded all expectations.

At the beginning of the season, the coaches emphasized playing as a whole.

“On our team we are all individuals but when we are with each other we make a family,” said junior Savannah Casey.

Working together, the girls came up with a covenant: the words unity, respect, hard work and mental toughness were what they all promised to stand by throughout the season.

With the covenant set in place, the Mustangs headed into the Las Vegas High School invitational and came out with a win. Headed home, the girls were undefeated and continued that streak until they faced Torrey Pines High School in the Varsity Challenge. With their first loss, the rest of the season relied on how they would continue afterwards.

As the season continued, the Mustangs had some ups and downs.

Playing against some of the top teams in the nation, they saw their only losses in tournaments. With their crowd, the Stang Gang, cheering them on, the girls seem to be unstoppable on their home turf.

Winning their last two games will secure the Mustangs a spot in CIF playoffs and hopefully, a home game to start it off. ■

Team photo: San Dieguito Academy varsity girls volleyball (Photo courtesy of Infocus photography)

information, call 760-753-6413, visit Rancho Coastal Humane Society at 389 Requeza St. in Encinitas, or log on to SDpets.org. The kennels and cattery are open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day but Tuesday.

Other happenings this month at RCHS

Tickets are available for RCHS’ “Celebration of Second Chances,” to be held Saturday, Nov. 14 at Del Mar Country Club in Rancho Santa Fe. The theme of “Give, Love, Grow” celebrates the first 55 years and the future of RCHS. Visit SDpets.org for ticket information.

Meet RCHS dogs available for adoption from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 22 at the Encinitas Fall Festival. The festival will run six blocks down South Coast Highway 101 in Encinitas. Visit the RCHS booth near H Street. ■ Pono (Courtesy photo)

Pet of the Month

Pono is the Seaside Courier pet of the month at Rancho Coastal Humane Society. He’s a 2-year-old, 58-pound, Labrador Retriever/Hound mix.

Pono is super-friendly and playful.

He needs an energetic family that will give him the time, attention and exercise he craves. He loves playing fetch — especially with his tennis ball.

Pono was transferred to Rancho Coastal Humane Society from the overcrowded Kauai Humane Society in Hawaii through the FOCAS program. He gets along great with other dogs. If you already have a dog and you’re looking for another, you should meet Pono.

The $145 adoption fee for Pono includes medical exam, vaccinations, neuter and microchip. For more

LOCAL NEWS

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015

Caruso plan likely going to voters Thomas K.

Arnold

Contributing writer

T

he future of a proposed development on the south shores of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon is more than likely now in the hands of the voters.

The County of San Diego Registrar of Voters on Oct. 27 verified that a referendum to overturn the City Council’s Aug. 25 decision to approve the Agua Hedionda South Shore Specific Plan has the required number of Carlsbad registered-voter signatures to go on the ballot.

Council members on Nov. 3 certified the signature count.

The referendum needed to have at least 6,523 valid signatures, representing 10 percent of the city’s registered voters.

“We are delighted, and so proud of the amazing volunteers and their effort in spite of overwhelming odds,” said Oceanside environmentalist Diane Nygaard in a Citizens for North County news release. “But, like David, we prevailed. The people of Carlsbad will have an opportunity to decide what happens in their own city. Never have we seen such a concentrated effort against the people’s right to vote as was waged against our referendum effort. But in the end, the citizens of Carlsbad have done what they needed to preserve our rights.

We look forward to the election.”

The Carlsbad City Council’s next step, scheduled to take place during its Nov. 17 meeting, is to decide whether to repeal the ordinance they adopted in August or put the matter on the ballot.

If put on the ballot, the question would be whether to pass the Agua Hedionda South Shore Specific Plan as proposed in the original initiative.

If the City Council decides to put the ordinance on the ballot, which observers say is by far the most likely course of action, it would either be at the next regular municipal election, which is Nov. 8, 2016, or at a special election, which could be scheduled to take place not less than 88 days following the City Council’s decision to call a special election.

Sources say a special election will likely be called in February. The council held off making the call on Nov. 3 because it is still waiting for special election cost estimates from the Registrar of Voters. Insiders expect the tab to be in excess of $550,000.

The Agua Hedionda South Shore Specific Plan proposes a comprehensive plan for future land uses on a 203.4-acre property east of Interstate 5, between the south shore of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon and Cannon Road. The plan, crafted after three years of meetings with community leaders and citizens, calls for developer Caruso Affiliated to buy the property from its present owner, San Diego Gas & Electric, and

build an outdoor shopping, dining and entertainment complex, anchored by a Nordstrom department store, on 26 of the 48 acres zoned for tourist-commercial development under Proposition D, which Carlsbad voters approved in 2006. Rick Caruso, founder and CEO of Caruso Affiliated, also agreed to expand the iconic strawberry fields farmed for years by the Ukegawa family, and turn over the bulk of the property to a conservancy for perpetual maintenance as true open space, with trails and picnic spots.

The conservancy would be funded by a $12 million grant from Caruso.

“I’m looking forward to the community coming forward and discussing this,” said Carlsbad Mayor Matt Hall.

“This is a very important issue, and there’s a lot of energy in the community about this. Hopefully we can come to a decision as quickly as possible to move this forward.”

Hall said he continues to support the plan: “I am on the record for that,” he said.

The Agua Hedionda South Shore Specific Plan initiative, proposed by three Carlsbad citizens but funded by Caruso Affiliated, was signed by enough voters to come before the Carlsbad City Council in August, at which point the council could either adopt the plan outright or schedule it for an upcoming election. The council took the former route, a move met with howls of protest by citizens who demanded the right to vote.

Referendum supporters on Sept. 24 submitted petitions with 9,095 signatures to the city of Carlsbad, which they had gathered in just three weeks.

The Registrar of Voters counted 8,052 signatures before reaching the required number.

With the initial petition drive in support of the plan, Caruso sought to circumvent the normal approval process under the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970 by taking his proposal directly to the public. Caruso solicitors over the spring and early summer collected more than 20,000 signatures, and in July delivered them to the county Registrar of Voters, which subsequently verified the minimum of 9,784, or 15 percent of the city’s registered voters, required to present the initiative to the City Council. The council a month later chose to adopt the measure outright instead of scheduling a costly special election.

Critics maintain many people who signed the initial petition were misled by thinking the measure would go up for a public vote, without realizing the council could adopt it. They also didn’t like the barrage of slick mailers sent out by Caruso that focused on the open-space preservation.

Another citizens’ group, North County Advocates, filed a complaint last month in the Superior Court of California, challenging the Carlsbad City Council’s Aug. 25 approval of the Agua Hedionda South Shore Specific Plan. In the complaint, North County Advocates maintains the initiative “is illegally vague and is beyond the power of the electorate to adopt.” The group wants the court to declare the city’s approval “invalid” and prevent the city from implementing the plan. ■

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BUSINESS

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015

Carlsbad Chamber recognizes small businesses The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce paid tribute to small­business owners at “The Rising Tide” Small Business Awards Luncheon, held Oct. 16 at the Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa. The event celebrated the spirit of entrepreneurship and the perseverance of small­business owners who were able to weather tough economic times to grow their businesses, add jobs and grow the local economy.

The Chamber presented trophies in the following categories: ● Small Business of the Year: Arbor Scientia ● Boots in Business Award (Veteran­-owned business): Niels Norby, SD Trophy ● Community Impact Award: Sustainable Surplus Exchange ● Cornerstone Award (Best company start­up story): Owen Hemsath, Videospot ● E­Commerce Superstar Award: Believe in Signs ● Early Start Award: Carolyn B. Reinmiller, Carolyn B. Reinmiller Public Relations ● Serial Entrepreneur: Brady Chatfield, Higher Power SEO

● Women­-owned Business: (Tie) Sue Loftin, The Loftin Firm, P.C.; Paula Marn, Flowers Forever ● Workplace MVP: Kerry Harmon, WWM Financial The luncheon also featured a keynote conversation between Ralph Rubio, the founder of Rubio’s and George Chamberlin.

The event’s theme was taken from the popular aphorism, “A rising tide lifts all boats,” which originated from a New England chamber of commerce and was popularized by President John F. Kennedy.

NRG Energy, Inc. was the presenting sponsor of the event. Other event sponsors were Grand Pacific Resorts, Inc., Tri-­City Medical Center and Wells Fargo.

The Chamber also posthumously inducted Keith E. Kennedy into the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame. Kennedy, founder of Kennedy and Associates, a street fair consulting company, was the force behind the Chamber’s signature event, the bi­annual Carlsbad Village Faire. ■

(left) Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce handed out nine Rising Tide awards. (above) Arbor Scentia is named Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce's Small Business of the Year (Courtesy photos)

Alfonso’s Restaurant starts new chapter in Solana Beach

A question-and-answer session is held during the Life Sciences Startup Showcase in Carlsbad, Oct. 23, 2015. (Courtesy photo)

Carlsbad biotech incubator showcases life sciences startups The city of Carlsbad and Bio, Tech and Beyond hosted their first Life Sciences Startup Showcase Oct. 23.

Nine life sciences startup companies updated the community and possible investors on the growth of their companies and demonstrated their ideas which included possible new drugs and technologies to help treat cancer, ease pain, diagnose diseases, manipulate DNA and develop new sources of biomass based feedstock.

"Two years ago, the city of Carlsbad launched the incubator with the goal of supporting our city’s life science industry, a core industry cluster and important driver of economic growth," said Christina Vincent, economic development manager, City of Carlsbad. "Today we saw nine startup biotech companies that have passed through the incubator and are contributing to our vibrant life sciences sector, as well as to society with important research and solutions. The city of Carlsbad is proud of our partnership and continued success of Bio, Tech and Beyond."  In 2013, the city of rented a vacant, 6,000-square-foot building to Bio, Tech and Beyond, which was co­-founded by Joseph Jackson and Kevin Lustig. The life sciences incubator pays its own operating expenses and allows anyone with an idea to utilize the space and equipment to research and test that idea for a monthly fee. Besides space and shared lab equipment, Bio, Tech and Beyond offers its members an opportunity to network with scientists and receive advice from business experts on how to take their idea and turn it in to a viable business.

The companies highlighted during the startup showcase event were:

lAomics​is, developing an antibody mediated drug targeted to enhance efficacy of current anti­ cancer drugs on the market. lBiomarker Profiles​, is developing a measurement to quantify the biological components of pain instead of having to rely on a patient’s subjective pain scale responses. lCascade Biosystems​, is working to provide the world with an easy-­to­-use, fast, portable and affordable alternative technology for DNA detection. lGPB Scientific​is, working to bring to market a precision liquid biopsy solution that will recover functionally responsive circulating tumor cells. lEcofeedstock​, is using cutting-­edge technology to explore the boundaries of waste refining processes to develop new sources of biomass based feedstock for the emerging biofuels and bioproducts industry. lExeligen Scientific​is, working to create the highest quality genomic engineering products and services. Genomic engineering involves the manipulation of cellular DNA in order to repair or delete a gene’s function. lKoliber Biosciences​specializes, in statistically guided design of experiments, modeling and advanced data analytics. lTinoro​is, engaged in the design and manufacturing of breakthrough devices for the medical and research industries. The current focus is developing a low­cost, handheld, non­thermal P​CR technology​ (licensed from UC San Diego) that will significantly reduce the time required for DNA amplification. lVanadis Labs​is, a technology company whose primary focus is in the area of protein chemistry and immunology with an emphasis on surveying products for latex antigenic proteins. ■

JLL announced in an Oct. 14 news release that Alfonso’s of La Jolla is moving to Solana Beach, in the Beachwalk Shopping Center, located at 437 Highway 101.

After 44 years on Prospect Street in the Village of La Jolla, Alfonso’s will bring their renowned Mexican Cuisine to the 4,400­-square­-foot restaurant space, with a full bar and open­-air patio.

The restaurant is expected to open in the first quarter of 2016.

JLL Vice Presidents Corinna Gattasso and Bryan Cunningham represented the landlord, Muller Company.

Stephen and Brandon Muller, father-­son partners at the Muller Company, welcome the restaurant team of Alfonso and Jorge Fierro.

“Once I tried Alfonso’s amazing carne asada burrito, I was convinced that Alfonso’s would be the perfect fit for the Beachwalk Center, said Leasing Manager Brandon Muller. “We believe it’s exactly what Solana Beach is missing and will be tremendously successful.”

Principal Stephen Muller, who purchased the 55,000­-square-­foot mixed-use center in 2007, said: “Having Alfonso’s in our focal point building on Highway 101 enhances and complements the tenant mix we have at the Center.“ While the Alfonso’s name remains on the storefront, it is his son Jorge’s vision to expand upon the legacy his father created more than 40 years ago.

“I started as a busboy in the restaurant more

than 20 years ago and have learned all facets of the restaurant industry from my father, who is a well-­respected restauranteur in San Diego County,” said Jorge Fierro. “We explored many options around the county and ultimately decided on Solana Beach because of the outdoor seating, iconic Highway 101 address, and most importantly the onsite parking; one important element missing from our La Jolla Location.”

Alfonso Fierro said it was a difficult decision to move, but that he looks forward to seeing their loyal and supportive La Jolla customers at their new location.

“I remember meeting a lot of our repeat customers when they were children coming in with their parents; now they are bringing in their kids,” Alfonso said. “It’s satisfying to see third and fourth generations enjoying our food. We are proud of the culture that we created, and will be bringing our current staff to the new location.

It’s important to maintain the family atmosphere that we created so many decades ago. Alfonso’s of Solana Beach will be the same delicious food and margaritas with a new look and plenty of outdoor seating.”

To attract a restaurant such as Alfonso’s, Gattasso said they needed to come up with a creative way to renovate the storefront and take advantage of the San Diego weather.

“The architects designed a plan that expands the patio along Highway 101, with roll-up doors to create a fun & inviting atmosphere,” Gattasso said. “We are happy that Alfonso’s is opening in Solana Beach, and anticipate the restaurant will be the new “go­-to” hot spot.” ■

Dr. Lindsey Mcilvena opens practice in Encinitas Dr. Lindsey Mcilvena, a double board­-certified physician specializing in preventive and integrative medicine, announced the official launch of her private practice at 230 2nd Street, Suite 201, in Encinitas.

Mcilvena is devoted to chronic disease reversal and prevention using an approach that combines traditional medicine with proactive, customized treatment plans that focus on addressing the root causes of chronic disease.

“I am tremendously inspired by my patients and very happy to be able to expand my outreach to the San Diego community,” Mcilvena said. “My practice allows me to have a real impact, to help people regain their health and avoid unnecessary medications and procedures.”

The sole focus of Mcilvena’s medical practice is on helping patients slow and reverse chronic lifestyle diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes, through preventive medicine. She subscribes to a strategy of treating the whole person and underlying causes of disease through a synthesis of whole food, plant­-based nutrition and other inteDr. Lindsey Mcilvena (Courtesy photo) grative healing methods including exercise, smoking cessation, and stress management.

As a physician, she is able to provide a full spectrum of treatment at every stage of illness, eliminating the need for multiple practitioners, while personalizing the experience for each individual.

—For more information, visit Drmcilvena.com. ■

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23

Happy Thanksgiving

Let Big John and his staff make your holidays

JOYFUL and STRESS FREE!

Make your holiday the BEST with the FINEST QUALITY meats from Tip Top! We are a Certified Licensed Angus Beef Facility and offer the largest variety of Prime Choice Meats, USDA Choice Lamb and Veal and the Freshest Pork, cut any way or size you like, well trimmed, prepared for oven and seasoned if you wish!

John says,

When you come to Tip Top Meats, You are in the right place. We cater to you to make your holiday extra special!

QUALITY, VARIETY, and VALUE!

PRE-ORDER YOUR DIESTEL TURKEY TODAY! Our poultry and turkey products are all natural and FREE RANGE. Broad-breasted Diestel Turkeys provide excellent value - more meat and less fat than a commodity turkey. Diestel Turkeys are available in 10-40 lbs.

We also offer breasts and legs, and backs and necks for stock.

10-29 lbs $2.98/lb.

30+ lbs. $2.98/lb.

Smoked Turkey $4.98/lb.

HOMESTYLE SAUCES, DRESSINGS AND GRAVY TOO!

Tip Top featured selections include: • Sirloin Tip Roast • Eye of Round Roast • Denver Roast • 7-Bone Roast • Round Bone Roast • Standing Rib Roast • Brisket of Beef • Mild Cured Corn Beef

Enjoy a delicious selection of our House Smoked items: • Mild Cured Bacon • Smoked Butts • Smoked Pork Loin (in Chops or Pieces) • Low-Salt Cured One-Muscle Ham (not pieces pressed together)

If you want Tip Top to cook your Turkey for you, MAKE YOUR COOKING RESERVATIONS EARLY! Cooking Charge is only $10, and includes cooking bag and pan.

Call in your order PLEASE.

TIP TOP THANKSGIVING MEALS Large Portions $12.98 each • Served from 1-6pm TURKEY DINNER

White and dark meat, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mixed vegetables, roll and butter.

PRIME RIB DINNER Thick, dinner slice, baked potato, mixed vegetables, roll and butter, soup or salad.

Enjoy savory TURDUCKEN this holiday featuring a deboned turkey stuffed with a deboned duck & chicken.

A poultry masterpiece!

Serving Breakfast from 6am - noon on Thanksgiving Day

Don’t forget to dress up your holiday feast with German and European desserts, breads and cookies, like Gingerbread Cookies, Mincemeat Strudels, European Imported Stollen and so much more!!!

EUROPEAN DELICATESSEN & GOURMET FOODS

760.438.2620

Please Sign-up for Lyoness & Start Earning Cash Back Today!

6118 Paseo Del Norte • Carlsbad • TipTopMeats.com Open 7 days a week 6am-8pm • Breakfast served 6am-noon We will be open Thanksgiving Day 6am-6pm

GOLD MEDAL 2014 BEST ETHNIC

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SEASIDECOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2015