Seaside Courier — March 2016 by Maggie Avants

Olivenhain woman on turning 100: I’ve lived an ‘absolutely, fantastically good life’ Maggie

Avants Editor

ALSO INSIDE

he can remember when eavesdropping on one’s neighbors was commonplace because telephones were party lines, what a “miracle” the invention of television was, and the shock and sadness of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. She doesn’t own a cellphone or a computer, but she does have an iPad, which she uses for reading novels in order to keep up with fellow book club members.

NOTABLES Peacemaker award

Homemade signs by opponents of Measure A were a common sight during the campaign. (Photo by Thomas K. Arnold)

No lagoon mall: Measure A fails at polls Seaside Courier Staf

A Julia MacWhinney, a centenarian born March 4, 1916. (Photo courtesy MacWhinney family)

Born March 4, 1916, longtime Olivenhain resident Julia MacWhinney is celebrating her 100th birthday. “The iPad is a wonderful invention, my goodness how marvelous it is,” said MacWhinney, in an interview with Seaside Courier. “I do think the new technology has changed the world — it has changed our lives completely; it certainly makes things very fast.” MacWhinney, whose maiden name is Nanasy, was born in New York City to two Hungarian immigrants. One of her irst memories was from the age of 3, when she watched a parade down Fifth Avenue in celebration of the return of U.S. Army Gen. John Pershing and other veterans from their victory in Europe. That was World War I. Then came World War II, and a couple of decades later, Kennedy’s assassination. “It was a very sad thing, it was a dificult time,” she said. “He was just a breath of fresh air in Washington. But we have weathered it as we always do weather catastrophes … we’ve had SEE MACWHINNEY PAGE 12

controversial proposal to build an outdoor mall on the south shores of Agua Hedionda Lagoon in Carlsbad has been defeated by voters. The San Diego County Registrar of Voters ballot count released Tuesday — a week after the Feb. 23 special election — showed Measure A lost, 52.08 percent to 47.92 percent, with a total of 20,535 votes against the measure to 18,897 in favor. Only ive ballots still

needed to be counted as of press time. In anticipation of a defeat, the Carlsbad City Council, which had both supported and campaigned for the proposal to let developer Caruso Afiliated build a mall on the southern shores of the lagoon, just east of Interstate 5 and north of Cannon Road, a day after the election issued a conciliatory statement that read, in part, “This election has clearly demonstrated how strongly our residents value Carlsbad’s excellent quality of life and community character.” Early results, released shortly after the polls closed at 8 p.m. on election night,

suggested the ballot initiative would easily pass, with a margin of victory of nearly 10 percent. But as the night wore on, the smiles and high-ives at the Caruso Afiliated party at the Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa grew less enthusiastic as each updated tally came in and by the end of the night, when the “No” side was ahead by 186 votes, several volunteers were in tears. Caruso’s campaign staff and city oficials initially held out hope that the estimated 7,100 absentee and provisional

Rotary Club honors Amy Silveira with 2016 Peacemaker Award. Page 3

SEE MALL PAGE 7

Fresh Hawaiian fare served up foodtruck style Page 14

Rancho Coastal Humane Society hopes to break ground on expansion this year

RESTAURANT REVIEW The Lanai Leucadia

INDEX Business Notes ............................ 4 Around Town ............................... 5 Opinion ........................................... 6 Carlbad Village ........................... 9 Education .......................................10 Health & Fitness .........................13 Pet of the Month ........................15

Advertising (760) 456-7075, ext. 146 sales@seasidecourier.com

Editor

lans to build a 5,000-square-foot medical facility and a 3,000-square-foot humane education building are moving forward at Rancho Coastal Humane Society in Encinitas. “During this last year, RCHS has been making some big strides into the future,” said John Van Zante, public relations director for the animal shelter. Tucked away on a nearly 5-acre parcel off Requeza Street, the animal shelter that celebrated its 55th anniversary in 2015 is still based in the “the little yellow house” it opened in in

SEE EXPANSION PAGE 8

Editorial / Letters (760) 456-7075, ext. 124 Maggie@seasidecourier.com

ONLINE SeasideCourier.com facebook/ seasidecourier.com Nick Winfrey, vice president of planning and development at Rancho Coastal Humane Society, is pictured in a play yard with one of the dogs currently up for adoption. (Photo by Maggie Avants)

twitter/ @seasidecourier

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — MARCH 2016

NORTH COUNTY NOTABLES

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — MARCH 2016

Carlsbad police announce annual award recipients T he city of Carlsbad Police Department, during a ceremony held in February, named its 2016 Police Officer, Police Supervisor and Civilian Employee of the year. Oficer Samantha Alexander was named the 2016 Police Oficer of the Year. Alexander, a nine-year veteran of the department and patrol oficer, was honored for her continued superior performance. Alexander regularly exceeds all expectations in pursuit of the department’s goals to reduce crime and ensure the utmost quality of life for those that live, work and play in the City of Carlsbad. Alexander embodies the true spirit of a patrol oficer as she goes out on patrol each day and provides the highest level of service to the community of Carlsbad and her fellow oficers.

Police Supervisor of the Year

Interim Lt. Kevin Lehan was named the 2016 Police Supervisor of the Year. Lehan, a 19-year veteran of the department, was honored for his professionalism, dedication and tireless efforts to promote and encourage those he supervises. Lehan leads by example as he works hard and is dedicated to motivating those around him. He is a gifted instructor and takes the time to help others gain the training and resources they need to reach their goals.

Encinitas Rotary Peacemaker award honors animal-human bond to reduce violence

Police Officer of the Year

Carlsbad Police Department's 2016 award recipients are pictured from left to right on Feb. 4: Capt. Paul Mendes, Oicer Samantha Alexander, Interim police Chief Neil Gallucci, Network Engineer Sean Reese, Interim Lt. Kevin Lehan and Capt. Mickey Williams (Courtesy photo)

Station Volunteer of the Year

Linda Padilla was named the 2016 Station Volunteer of the Year. Padilla was honored for her dedication to the department. Padilla is described as always being ready, willing and able to volunteer when needed. Padilla helps with the Juvenile Justice Program and is committed to the ideals it advocates.To Padilla, no assignment is too big or too small when Civilian Employee of the Year Network Engineer Sean Reese was named it comes to ensuring the effectiveness of the the 2016 Civilian Employee of the Year. diversion program to inluence the future of Reese, an eight-year veteran of the department some terriic kids. who works with the Information Technology Department, was honored for his technical Senior Volunteer Patrol expertise, persistence and pride in solving Member of the Year Senior Volunteer Patrol Staff Sergeant even the smallest of problems. Reese is tirelessly committed to supporting the technical Rosa Knight was named the 2016 SVP Member needs of the department, which are essential of the Year. Since 2007, Knight has donated to its mission. Reese provides exceptional over 3,000 hours of service to the department. service with a positive attitude, industrious Knight is a gifted, natural leader who demonpersistence and an unmatched patience for strates unparalleled guidance and knowledge that is invaluable to the volunteer patrol. Knight is those he assists.

professional, courteous and always demonstrates the values of the Police Department.

Also honored at the ceremony were:

Auto Theft Recovery Oficer of the Year –Patrol Oficer Cody Green DUI Oficer of the Year - Patrol Oficer Jody Knisley Lifesaving Awards – Patrol Cpl. Travis Lambert and Patrol Oficer Edward Ramirez “We congratulate this year’s award recipients and we are grateful for their exceptional service,” stated interim police Chief Neil Gallucci. “We are proud of all the men and women who have chosen a career in service and who work hard every day to ensure the Police Department can provide the best possible service to the community of Carlsbad.” — News release submitted by the Carlsbad Police Department ■

he 2016 Encinitas Rotary Peacemaker Award honored Amy Silveira of Rancho Coastal Humane Society for her work with the Animal Safehouse and Healing Species programs. “Peacemaking comes in many forms,” said Encinitas Rotary President Niko Sougias. “The Encinitas Rotary Club Peacemaker Award recognizes community members who have made a signiicant difference in promoting tolerance, understanding, conlict resolution and peace, locally or globally.” Sougias said Silveira was recognized with the award because of her efforts to “restore peace to families in our community, restore peace of mind to our veterans, and help kids break out of the cycle of violence.” Silveira is director of Rancho Coastal Humane Society’s Animal Safehouse and Healing Species programs that help victims of domestic violence and their families, including their pets. She works with children and adoptable animals to teach empathy and break the cycle of domestic violence. She is also active with local law enforcement agencies, schools, social workers and the Veterans Administration. The Animal Safehouse program provides a temporary refuge for pets, so victims of domestic violence can escape their situation and attempt to bring peace back into their lives. Silveira also works with military victims of post-traumatic stress disorder. These warriors may need to enter a live-in treatment program but don’t because they don’t have anyone to watch their comforting pets. The Healing Species program is based on the concept that compassion reduces violence. It works with the children of domestic violence cases, as well as other at-risk kids. Healing Species teaches the necessary life skills to become healthy and happy members of society. The format is used across the country, but this is the irst time it’s been implemented in Southern California. Healing Species intercepts the cycle of violence and teachers children and adults how to rise above hate-for-hate, violence, and poverty “Whether we realize it or not, we all know a victim of domestic violence,” said Rotary Peace Chair Robert Blumberg. “People wonder why they don’t just leave. But it’s not that easy. Even if victims can ind a domestic violence shelter that will take them and their kids, the shelters aren’t equipped to care for pets. Pets left behind become the new targets. So the human victims stay. They endure. In most cases, they survive. Sometimes they don’t.” ■

BUSINESS NOTES

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — MARCH 2016

Business Notes

Tri-City Medical’s Tim Moran named region’s ‘Most Admired CEO’ Tri-City Medical Center’s CEO, Tim Moran, has been named 2016’s “Most Admired CEO” by the San Diego Business Journal. The annual award from the publication recognizes dynamic business leaders and role models, selected for their achievements and contributions to San Diego companies. Moran received the award during a gala held on Feb. 18 at the Town and Country Resort & Convention Center in San Diego. He was recognized among more than 130 inalists for his outstanding leadership in the business nonproit category. According to a news release from Tri-City, Moran, in less than two years in his role, has achieved groundbreaking advances at the medical center in Oceanside. “Under his steady hand and clear vision, Moran spearheaded Tri-City Medical Center’s exclusive, long-term afiliation with UC San Diego Health; acquired the most advanced computerized tomography (CT) scanner on the market; and built a cooperative,

CEO Tim Moran (Courtesy photo)

patient-focused culture that empowers employees to consistently deliver the highest quality of care,” according to the news release. “He has also concentrated on operational discipline. As a result, the hospital’s inancial performance has improved over the previous year in his irst full inancial year as CEO and acquired its third, fourth and ifth

‘A’ ratings for patient safety from the Leapfrog Group. “Additionally, Moran has helped advance Tri-City Medical Center’s long tradition of giving back to the community. The hospital awarded 22 nonproits a record $475,000 in Community Health Alliance Committee grants last year.” Jim D’Agostino, chair of the TriCity Healthcare District board, stated: “After more than 50 years serving patients, thanks to Tim’s leadership, Tri-City is better positioned than ever to eficiently and expertly meet the diverse and vital healthcare needs of our community.” Moran said the recognition was a “great and unexpected honor.” “It has been a rewarding and productive two years and I have been supported by a stellar medical, nursing and administrative staff,” Moran said. “I am very proud of where TriCity Medical Center stands today and look forward to its continued success and service to our patients and the community.” ■

A ribbon-cutting signiies the grand opening of Dunn-Edwards Paints at 237-245 El Camino Real in Encinitas. (Courtesy photo)

Dunn-Edwards Paints opens a new store in Encinitas Dunn-Edwards Paints hosted a grand-opening event and ribboncutting ceremony Feb. 24 for its new Encinitas store location. The store at 237-245 El Camino Real — one of more than 120 company stores in the Southwest — has a complete line of architectural paint, painting supplies and equipment, free delivery services with

no minimums, will-call services and credit accounts. Dunn-Edwards Paints is “the onestop paint shop for both contractors and do-it-yourselfers, offering everything a painter needs for projects large or small,” according to a company statement. “Known for its premium quality, it is the paint preferred by professional painting contractors;

and designers prefer Dunn-Edwards' great selection of colors.” The company said it is also committed to protecting and preserving the environment. Dunn-Edwards is the only major paint manufacturer to have removed ethylene glycol from its paints, which it did voluntarily more than 20 years ago. The eco-friendly paint is manufactured in the world’s irst LEED® Gold-certiied factory, located in Phoenix. Based in Southern California, the company is composed of approximately 1,500 employees. ■

CALENDAR

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — MARCH 2016

AROUND TOWN DON’T MISS

THESE UPCOMING

EVENTS AROUND NORTH COUNTY MARCH 1 - M

AY 8

It’s that time of the year again, when 50 acres of colorful ranunculus grace the hillsides of Carlsbad with the opening of The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch, 5704 Paseo Del Norte in Carlsbad. The Flower Fields is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily throughout the months of March and April, plus a week in May. There are special events on the weekends, including live musical performances and photography workshops for all attendees. The Flower Fields provides two free parking areas, restroom facilities and accessibility for people with disabilities, and for the irst time, free Wi-Fi for the convenience of visitors. Admission is $14 for adults, $13 for seniors 60 and older, $7 for children 3 to 10 years old and free for children younger than 2. Season passes and group tours are also available. For more information, visit Thelowerields.com.

M A R C H 12

The Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation will hold its Tip Top Run at 8:30 a.m., followed by its annual World Water Day Festival from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Discovery Center, 1580 Cannon Road in Carlsbad. Runners can choose from a 5K or 10K route. The festival is free and open the public. For more information and to register for the run, visit Lagoon.aguahedionda.org. The Encinitas State of the City address will be hosted by the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Encinitas Community and Senior Center, 1140 Oakcrest Park Drive. The public is invited to attend. Following a social hour with hors d’oeuvres and a no-host bar, there will be presentations by community representatives, an update from the chamber and a keynote speech from Mayor Kristin Gaspar. Tickets are $25 and may be purchased by visiting Soc.encinitaschamber. com or calling 760-753-6041. Early ticket purchase is encouraged to secure a seat at this annual sold-out event.

M A R C H 22

Egg hunts will be held in coastal North County cities at various times and locations: Solana Beach: Children’s Spring Festival and Egg Hunt for at 10:30 a.m. at La Colonia Park, 715 Valley Ave. An egg hunt for children in third grade and under begins at 10:30 a.m., followed by games and refreshments from 10:45 a.m. to noon. For more information about this free event, call 858-720-2453. Oceanside: The annual Easter egg hunt for children 4 to 11 years old will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at Buddy Todd Park, Mesa Drive and Parnassus Circle. There will be prizes, a magic show, vendors and bounce houses at this free event. For more information, call 760-435-5041. Carlsbad: EGGStravaganza Spring Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Poinsettia Community Park, 6600 Hidden Valley Road. Carlsbad’s largest egg hunt features the Egg Scramble activity where kids race to collect candy-illed eggs among several other fun activities, including face painting, crafts, soak the bunny, cookie decorating, fun zones and more. Wristbands and activity cards are required for some of the activities and can be purchased presale or at the event. For more information, call 760-931-6528 or visit Carlsbadca.gov. Del Mar:Young Del Mar will host an Easter Egg Hunt from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Seagrove Park on Coast Boulevard in Del Mar. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. and is required to participate. For more information, visit Delmarfoundation.org. Encinitas: The annual Spring Egg Hunt will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Encinitas Community Park, 425 Santa Fe Drive. This is a free event. For more information, call 760-633-2740. ■

M A R C H 26

PRESENTS

MARCH 12

tip to

p run

ENTRY FEE AHLF Members: $30 Single | $50 Dual | Kids Klub: $15 Prospective AHLF Members: $50 Single | Dual $75 | Kids: $25 INCLUDES E R AT: GIST - T-Shirt - Bib RE - Swag Bag - Medals - Admission to World Water Day Festival - Lunch courtesy of Tip Top Meats - One Beer courtesy of Coronado Brewery Beer Garden (21 and older)

HED

IONDA.

5K 10K RUN WALK AND WORLD WATER DAY FESTIVAL Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation Discovery Center | 1580 Cannon Rd | Carlsbad CA 92008 | 760.804.1969

OPINION

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — MARCH 2016

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

Commentary

Cartoon

Measure A fight was really a battle over transparency Thomas K. Arnold Commentary

Perhaps the most tragic thing about the whole MeasureAcontroversy is how it has ripped apart Carlsbad’s once-harmonious zeitgeist and split the city into factions, neither one of which understands the other. As one respected longtime resident posted on Facebook, “My sadness is not prompted by the defeat of [Measure]A, but, rather, by the fact that the social fabric of my beloved city has been rent asunder. May we find a way to bind it back together.” MeasureA, of course, is the proposal by developer Rick Caruso to build a 27-acre mall on 48 acres of land on the south shores of Agua Hedionda Lagoon, long reserved for development, east of Interstate 5 and north of Cannon Road. As part of the deal, he’d buy the entire parcel, along with another 155 acres set aside as permanent open space under 2006’s Proposition D, and turn all this non-developable land over to a land trust for perpetual preservation as agriculture and open space. At publication time, Measure A appeared headed for defeat, with only a few thousand absentee and provisional ballots remaining to be counted and unlikely to chip away much, if any, of the “no” side’s 51.52 percent majority. To proponents, it was a deal made in heaven, another example of how smart and sensible our city leaders are in holding developers’ feet to the fire and wrangling concessions out of them that benefit the city as a whole. Carlsbad, to many outsiders, has become a shining example of smart growth, a city where developers have had

to build plenty of schools, parks and roads in return for getting their projects approved. But while opponents of Measure A presented all sorts of reasons for voting “no” on the Caruso project, including its size and fears of traffic congestion, at the very heart of this opposition was a desire for more transparency and the chance to be directly involved in the planning and development of the project. Had Caruso not sidestepped the traditional municipal planning process and taken the initiative route, the citizens of Carlsbad would have had that opportunity — and that, really, is at the heart of this issue.As one ardent critic of the project messaged me, “We are in an era in which you have to work with the community in an earnest, honest and transparent way or you end up with nothing.... Yeah, you don’t get everything, but the compromise is a win/win.” Supporters of the project were content that the project had been thoroughly vetted by the city’s planning and legal staff, and that the mayor, entire City Council and a cadre of past city leaders had given it their enthusiastic support. They believe our elected leaders should make the hard choices, the difficult decisions, and that they deserve our trust because they represent we, the people, who voted them in. But in a reflection of what’s happening on the national level, with the repudiation of “establishment” leaders like Jeb Bush and, to a lesser extent, Hillary Clinton, a majority of Carlsbad residents — at least, among those who voted in the Feb. 23 special election — no longer has that level of trust. It’s not that they are against this specific project, or any development, on the lagoon. It’s really more about the way it was handled. ■

Letter to the Editor

Blakespear, Kranz and Shaffer’s $574,000 mistake From the beginning, the council majority has ignored the concerns of the Cardiff community regarding the Coastal Rail Trail. The price tag of disregarding residents’ voices will be upwards of $574,000, paid for by Encinitas residents. Here’s why. The Cardiff community was promised an underground railroad crossing at Montgomery Avenue, similar to the successful Santa Fe under-crossing. However, council members Catherine Blakespear, Tony Kranz and Lisa Shaffer, in their rush to get the Coastal Rail Trail built on the east side of the railroad tracks, changed the longstanding Montgomery plan to an at-grade crossing. In October 2015, they approved $574,000 for design of an at-grade crossing without consulting the community. After learning that trains would be required to blow their horns every time they approach the crossing, they assured everyone there would be no noise because a train “Quiet Zone” would be included. After the last council meeting, it became clear there will be no quiet zone. The city’s design consultant said, “At a minimum, wayside horns will be required.” This means wayside horns will be mounted on steel poles at the crossing, which will sound off every time a train approaches, rather than the train engineer activating the train’s horn. Although wayside horns are more directional, the sound

will undoubtedly be loud and disruptive, which even the proponents of the CRT ind unacceptable. Why did the council majority ignore concerns about additional noise when approving the $574,000 contract? Unfortunately, because of their disregard, the consultants continue to work on plans that the community ind unacceptable. And the Montgomery at-grade crossing is just one of many faults of the current CRT plan. While the council majority has promised to protect the open space, endangered plant communities, sandstone and preserve beach parking and access, their plans to pave over the rail corridor do just the opposite. In light of the ease with which three council members walked away from past promises to build an underground crossing, how can anyone believe their promises to protect open space? It’s not hard to see that the community prefers an underground crossing. This will require time and effort to fund. The Rail Trail planning on the east side of the tracks should be put on hold until the Montgomery underground crossing is funded and ready to proceed. Better yet, the Rail Trail Plan should be moved to Highway 101, where it belongs. Keep it natural! —Ed Thielicke, Cardiff resident ■

Commentary

San Diego region rises to water challenges with planning, cooperation Mark Muir Vice Chair, San Diego County Water Authority Guest commentary

As an extraordinarily hot and dry February gives way to what we hope will be a much wetter March, it’s worthwhile to take a few steps back and consider how well-prepared our region is to thrive even in drought. There are many factors, of course, but long-term planning and cooperation are big reasons why we have adequate supplies when other parts of the state are struggling. That’s an accomplishment worth celebrating during one of the driest periods in California history. It’s also a legacy that we need to pass on to future generations — a San Diego County with adequate water resources to sustain its economy and quality of life. To that end, the San Diego region has been awarded $31.1 million in grant money by the state Department of Water Resources for a variety of projects that will increase local water supplies, decrease water demands, improve water quality, manage stormwater, restore habitat and enhance species. The awards are part of the inal round of Integrated Regional Water Management grants from Proposition 84, approved by voters in 2006. Since 2008, the San Diego region has been awarded more than $89 million in IRWM grants through Propositions 84 and 50. The newly announced grant awards will be paired with other funding sources to advance more than $190 million in proj-

ects countywide — a itting way to cap 10 years of San Diego IRWM program accomplishments. The San Diego IRWM plan addresses management of water resources, water quality and habitat in the heavily populated area of San Diego County where tributaries drain to the Paciic Ocean. The plan was prepared under the direction of a management group composed of the San Diego County Water Authority, the city of San Diego and the county of San Diego, with input from an array of water management agencies and nonproit groups. The Water Authority is the regional lead agency for IRWM grant applications and administration. Grant funds will be used on 13 projects in the region, including a Regional Drought Resiliency Program that includes retroitting a correctional facility with water-eficient ixtures, expanding the Water Authority’s WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Program, expanding the Sustainable Landscapes Program and additional drought education, outreach and conservation activities. With this project and others, the San Diego region will continue to meet the challenges in years ahead with long-term planning and cooperation. For more information about San Diego IRWM, go to Sdirwmp.org. ■

PUBLISHER Alice Jacobson Alice@SeasideCourier.com EDITOR Maggie Avants Maggie@SeasideCourier.com

What Our Readers Said In response to “Latest Registrar count puts ‘No on A’ further ahead “

I guess the “overwhelming” majority in favor of this never really existed after all. — Don Burton via SeasideCourier. com (March 1)

In response to “Commentary: Measure A was really a battle over transparency” I don’t think “our elected leaders should make the hard choices, the dificult decisions” in situations like this….. In fact, it’s the people of Carlsbad, the ones whom this project would affect, who should, and DID make the decision….I think that’s democracy. — sunngirl67 via SeasideCourier.com (March 1)

In response to “Commentary: Measure A was really a battle over transparency” The one really great thing about this whole travesty is that now we know whom we can trust and whom we need to keep a very close eye on! I’d call that transparency in spades! — Addie via SeasideCourier.com (March 1) ■

ADVERTISING Leslie Talley 760-456-7075 Leslie@SeasideCourier.com Gary Sagunsky 760-802-7200 Gary@SeasideCourier.com

ART DIRECTOR Todd Kammer Todd@SeasideCourier.com WEB / SOCIAL MEDIA Jen Van Tieghem Jen@SeasideCourier.com

OPINIONS/LETTERS: Seaside Courier encourages letters to the editor and guest editorials. Please email either to maggie@seasidecourier.com and include your phone number and address for verification. We reserve the right to edit letters for brevity and accuracy. Letters and guest editorials do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or staff.

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — MARCH 2016

Editorial

Encinitas City Council set to repeat costly mistake The quote is widely attributed to Winston Churchill, but in truth it came from George Santayana, the celebrated Spanish philosopher. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” Santayana wrote in his 1905 book, “Life of Reason.” In light of this wise old adage, the Encinitas City Council appears to be suffering from short-term memory loss. In a 4-0 vote, with Mayor Kristin Gaspar unable to vote because of a conflict, the council in February voted to fight a Superior Court lawsuit filed by DCM Properties, a local land entitlement consulting company. The suit accuses the city of continuing to throw obstacles in the way of builders trying to utilize the state’s density bonus law, enacted to promote the construction of affordable housing by offering builders incentives to incorporate below-market rate units into their projects. Just a few months ago, Encinitas voted to settle rather than fight a similar lawsuit brought against it by the Building Industry Association of San Diego. In that suit, the BIA charged that the council made changes to its own long-standing density bonus policies, severely hampering the ability of builders to implement the state’s density bonus law. The city settled that suit at an estimated cost to the taxpayers of $350,000, agreeing to craft a new ordinance in compliance with the state law. Yet the new ordinance, the DCM suit charges, is not much better than the old policies the BIA sued over. The Encinitas City Council was wrong in October 2014 when it enacted policies contrary to the state law and had to subsequently retract them to settle the expensive BIA lawsuit. Now its newly adopted ordinance, at best, fails to embrace the spirit

MALL, FROM PAGE 1 ballots that failed to make the count would shift the balance back in their favor, but the opposing side's lead in the voting. Measure A asked Carlsbad residents whether they wanted to approve adoption of the Agua Hedionda South Shores Speciic Plan. Under the plan, Caruso Afiliated would buy a 203.4-acre property from San Diego Gas & Electric Company and build an open-air shopping, dining and entertainment complex. Anchored by a Nordstrom department store, the mall would be built right next to the freeway on 27 out of 48 acres zoned for commercial development. Caruso would donate the remaining 155 acres for perpetual preservation as agriculture and open space. Carlsbad’s iconic strawberry ields would be moved eastward and expanded to more than 60 acres. The rest of the land — currently off limits to the public — would be open space, with native vegetation restored and trails put in. The plans were approved last year by the city council, but opponents — concerned about the size of the proposed buildings, worsening trafic congestion and the fact that the project had not been reviewed under provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act — collected enough petition signatures to force it to a public vote. The group opposing Measure A, Citizens for North County, was heavily outspent in the campaign, with a war chest estimated at about $123,000 — $75,000 of which came from Westield Corporation, the Australian shopping

and intent of the state law, and was passed even with a credible threat of once again being sued. DCM Properties sued Encinitas once before, in 2009, over what were then the city’s density bonus policies. In that case, a more pragmatic city council quickly saw the light, settling the suit at minimal cost to taxpayers. Now, having once again been called on its erring ways, the council has compounded that wrong by deciding to ight the new suit — instead of learning from the past to simply craft a smart, sensible law that clearly conforms to state law and thus avoid further litigation. Perhaps we are seeing all sensibilities go out the window, as this is an election year, with four of five council seats up for grabs. It appears most of the council members are less concerned over the cost of this losing lawsuit, likely to be in excess of $500,000, than they are about saving their seats by currying favor with the vocal activist minority who are against any development and, in particular, affordable housing in our community. Our prediction: Encinitas will either wind up settling once again right after the November election at great cost to the citizens of Encinitas, or lose in court at an even greater cost and embarrassment to the city. Maybe this incident will earn the council another Golden Fleece award from the San Diego County Taxpayers Association, just like the one it earned last year — alongside Encinitas Union School District — for the highly inflated purchase of the Pacific View Elementary School site. In either case, taxpayers will be doomed to fork over more money for the council’s stubbornness and seeming inability to “remember” what happened with the previous lawsuit. Again, those who do not learn from the past are destined to relive it. Maybe the voters will do better, remembering this mess in the fall by not re-electing the selfserving incumbents. ■ center operator that until months ago owned a mall in Carlsbad and considers Caruso a rival. “…Carlsbad has done it,” Citizens for North County said in a statement. “We have protected our lagoon. We have protected our city’s General Plan and award-winning development process. We set an example for the entire state and rejected efforts to use a legal loophole to allow development of our coastline.” Caruso Afiliated spent about $5 million on the campaign, and about $11 million since irst proposing the project, CEO Rick Caruso told Seaside Courier on election night. “… Yes, we’ve spent a lot of money but it also showed how committed I was to getting the facts out and letting people make the right decision,” Caruso said. Following Measure A’s loss at the polls, the ordinance approving the plan must be rescinded within 10 days of city council’s certiication of election results. The land-use designations will remain as they are today. Caruso Afiliated can resubmit its plan via the traditional development process, but the city council may not approve an ordinance for the Agua Hedionda South Shore Speciic Plan for 12 months following its election certiication. The campaign was one of the most divisive in Carlsbad history, even more so than the battle over Legoland in the early 1990s. A new factor this time around was social media, with supporters and opponents of Measure A blasting each other on Facebook and Nextdoor, the neighborhood chat room. Along the campaign trail, there were numerous reports of sign thefts and vandalism from both camps. ■

OPINION / LOCAL NEWS

LOCAL NEWS / CARLSBAD VILLAGE

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — MARCH 2016

The current medical facility at Rancho Coastal Humane Society. (Photo by Maggie Avants)

7 Things You Must Know Before Putting Your North County Home Up for Sale

EXPANSION, FROM PAGE 1 1960, but since then it has added kennels, a cattery and other outbuildings. Now, with the launch of its “Help Us Grow” campaign in 2014, RCHS has been abuzz with refurbishment projects large and small. “For 50 years we have worked on our mission; right now we are focused on our model,” Nick Winfrey, vice president of planning and development, told Seaside Courier during a recent tour of the property. A weeks-long kennel refurbishing project was under way, and the shelter’s Rabbitat was closed for renovation and expansion. In addition to rabbits, RCHS houses roughly 30 dogs and 30 cats at any given time. While many of the animals are hand-selected from public shelters, others are relinquished to RCHS. Still others come to the shelter through the Animal Safehouse program, which provides a temporary refuge for the pets of domestic violence victims. Every animal receives medical attention, including vaccines, spaying, neutering and microchipping, which is why excitement is growing among the shelter’s staff of roughly 50 — plus hundreds of volunteers — about the new medical building. “With the next expansion, we will be able to do everything in-house,” Winfrey said. “We will have two surgical rooms, an intake room, and a serenity room for people relinquishing their animals or needing to euthanize their animals. We’ll have a full radiological room where we can do all the imaging in-house. “And then we’ll open it to the 198plus rescue groups here in San Diego County for at-cost services. We’ve

The dog kennels at Rancho Coastal Humane Society. (Photo by Maggie Avants)

found that when you work together, you can do a lot more than when you’re working against each other.” The medical building will be built on the site of the Humane Education building at the southern end of the property, where RCHS holds day camps for children. Prior to that, a new education building will be constructed at the northern edge of the property, where a pet food bank for those in need is located. “We end up turning away children for our Humane Education programs,” Van Zante said. “So we’ll be able to bring more kids in — we won’t have to tell them no because we don’t have enough space.” For the nonproit, private shelter that has expenses of $2 million each year — the bulk of which is funded by contributions, gifts and grants, in addition to its thrift store in Cardiff — the total cost of the expansion could

cost upward of $10 million, according to Winfrey. “This is the biggest thing we’ve ever done in the time I’ve been here — that a lot of people have been here,” said Winfrey, who was worked at RCHS for seven years. For the shelter that has a four-star rating — the highest possible — from Charity Navigator, the hope is to raise enough money to complete the expansion projects. “Our Humane Education center used to be a barn,” Van Zante said. “One of the original volunteers told me a couple years ago, ‘That place was way out in the sticks when it opened in 1960. It was a long hike up a dirt road to get there from Moonlight Beach.’ Since then, a community has grown around us. RCHS has worked hard to keep up with the neighborhood. Now we’re asking the public to help us grow." ■

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CARLSBAD VILLAGE

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — MARCH 2016

Carlsbad Village Art Walk returns fourth Thursday of each month Christine Davis Carlsbad Village Association

ith longer days starting midMarch, the Carlsbad Village Association is pleased to announce the return of a much beloved event. Originally called Thursdays on the Coast, the new Carlsbad Village Art Walk will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. the fourth Thursday of every month, beginning March 24, in collaboration with Cruising the Art Scene held at the Village Faire Shops. This self-guided tour will introduce you to the wonderful stores, galleries and even restaurants throughout the village that feature art by local and regional artists. The evening will include original

art in Carlsbad Village’s permanent galleries as well as village merchants acting as temporary “phantom” galleries. Several locations, including the Village Faire Shops, will also feature live music. Participating merchants will feature artwork ranging from sculpture and oil painting to photography and mixed media, and everything in between. With brochure in hand, you can stroll the village and visit as many or as few locations as you’d like, enjoy meeting the artists, learning about their talent and even watching art demonstrations. Participating merchants will also be offering light snacks and refreshments. To help with the self-guided tour, brochures will be available throughout the Village at participating locations, the Visitor’s Center and hotels, complete with an easy-to-follow map identifying each Art Walk location and where music or demos will be taking place. The brochure will also indicate what type of art each participating location will be featuring to better help you customize your walk. While strolling the streets, you can also take a visual journey of the Village’s rich culture and artistic talent through the lens of nearly a dozen

murals adorning numerous buildings. From large playful pieces seen from the center of the Village to hidden works adorning alley walls, read about the tales behind the art, including the people, places and artists themselves, in the self-guided tour brochure.

Farmers’ Market Don’t forget that this month we will also start enjoying a longer, four-hour farmers’ market once daylight saving time begins. Starting with the market on Wednesday, March 16, the new, expanded hours will be from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Shopping for fresh, local produce and homemade delicacies is easy at the State Street Farmers’ Market! March is shaping up to be a beautiful month in the Village. Come shop, dine and play with us in the heart of Carlsbad. The Carlsbad Village Association is a 501c6 nonproit organization whose core purpose is to lead the continual improvement of Carlsbad Village, making it the premier gathering place in North County San Diego. For more information on programs, events or merchants, visit Carlsbad-village.com or email info@ carlsbad-village.com. ■

Carlsbad company hosts ‘Kindness’ celebration

o celebrate this year’s participation in the Great Kindness Challenge — founded at the Carlsbad Uniied School District — ViaSat, a Carlsbad-based company and major sponsor of the challenge, hosted a celebration Feb. 16 to honor Carlsbad schools and their students. The event was emceed by Kids for Peace youth and included Kindness Certiied School certiicates presented by CUSD School Board President Claudine Jones, CUSD Assistant Superintendent Rob Nye and CUSD principals. The Great Kindness Challenge, an activity of Kids for Peace, began in 2012 at three Carlsbad schools, and quickly spread nationwide. Millions of students participate in the inspiring week dedicated to creating a culture of kindness on campus. It is a week where students do as many kind acts as possible, choosing from a 50-item checklist. Local businessman Carlton Lund, a staunch supporter of the Kindness campaign, reintroduced the Kindness Meter and invited everyone to help

At a Feb. 16 celebration hosted at ViaSat, Carlsbad realtor Carlton Lund reintroduces the Kindness Meter. (Courtesy photo)

carry on the movement by placing a monetary donation in the meter. Thank-you gifts for local sponsors were presented and entertainment was provided by Kids for Peace founding member, Hana Craft.

As an added bonus, guests from the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus joined the festivities and honored students for their important peacemaking work. —Contributed content ■

EDUCATION

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — MARCH 2016

MiraCosta Matters: Going green a way of life at MiraCosta College Dr. Sunny Cooke Superintendent/ president

MiraCosta College is taking sustainability to a new level. From installing “cool roofs” that relect heat from the sun and lessen the demand for air conditioning, to utilizing a computer-controlled centralized irrigation system that measures moisture in the air before activating any sprinklers, to completely shutting down heating and air conditioning systems during school breaks, MiraCosta College is saving energy, saving water and saving money while doing its part to save the planet. The district recently took its efforts a step further with the addition of a new energy conservation program manager who began working from the Oceanside campus in mid-December. Madeleine Falco is working with the college through a district contract with Cenergistic, an energy conservation consulting irm whose clients include K-12 systems and community colleges across the country. “MiraCosta College has had a longstanding record in sustainability and going green, whether it’s through water conservation, recycling, or becoming more energy eficient,” said Tom Macias, MiraCosta College’s director of facilities. “We are proud of the efforts we’ve taken, and we’re committed to being a leader

in this area.” Macias, who chairs the college’s Sustainability Advisory Committee, plays a critical role in helping the college reach its goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2050 and sending zero waste to area landills. MiraCosta College diverted 832 tons of solid waste from area landills as far back as 2003 and 1,090 tons — or 70 percent of all solid waste produced — in 2007. Today, almost all waste is recycled or repurposed. The MiraCosta Community College District’s Strategic Plan states that among its institutional objectives is to “integrate sustainability into the college environment, culture and experience, and extend outreach into the communities we serve.” And from 2002 through 2008, the district saved $243,000 on its utility bills by reducing its energy usage by nearly 1.7 million kilowatt hours and reducing its natural gas usage by nearly 37,000 therms. What’s more, the savings resulted in some $375,000 in SDG&E conservation incentive rebates. During the recent 10-day, annual winter break shutdown, the district exceeded all expectations and consumed 25 percent less energy than in 2014 for a savings of approximately $17,000 by turning off all chillers, heating and air conditioning systems, and unplugging all computers, ofice mini fridges and more. “You’ll hear a lot of people saying, `It’s just a mini fridge, what difference does it make?’” said Falco. “But how

many mini fridges are on campus? Twenty? Thirty? Fifty? That’s a lot of energy you're wasting when nobody’s even around.” Falco makes the same point about computers, which use about 4 cents of electricity, daily on average. “That may not seem like much, but how many computers are there throughout the district? Over a 10-day period, the savings adds up,” Falco said. More savings are on the way. Proposition 39, also known as the California Clean Energy Jobs Act, recently a funded $378,000 for new LED lighting in every district parking lot and roadway, $240,000 for making more energy-eficient three chillers that operate more energy eficient that provide the district’s air conditioning and cooling systems for the theater, concert hall and creative arts buildings, and $100,000 for a new freezer and refrigerator at the Oceanside campus cafeteria. MiraCosta College, meanwhile, is offering courses in lean manufacturing — the systematic method for eliminating waste within a manufacturing system — at the Technology Career Institute in Carlsbad, and solar PV Installation at the Landes Recreation Center in Oceanside. “There has been a cultural shift to where people realize conservation and sustainability is just the right thing to do, and we take our role seriously,” Macias said. ■

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — MARCH 2016

Jen Van Tieghem Contributing writer

This month's not-to-miss live music events 9 p.m. on Friday, March 11: G. Burns Jug Band, The Liquorsmiths and The Heart Beat Trail at Pour House, Oceanside. Free. Pour House once again has put together a terriic lineup for a Friday night barnburner. G. Burns Jug Band — as you may have guessed — plays old-fashioned jug band and folkcountry types of tunes. Its fun-loving, sing-along style features everything from banjo to iddle to washboard — and of course, jug. The Liquorsmiths and The Heart Beat Trail both fall on the folk side of the spectrum but each it in its own unique ways. The Liquorsmiths take a more traditional approach with catchy beats and gentle guitar strumming. The Heart Beat Trail gives folk a soulful side with darker tones and a bluesy feel. Check out “La Llorona” for a taste of guitarist-vocalist Lia Dearborn’s haunting voice. PourHouseOceanside.com. 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 16: Candye Kane beneit concert: “Brawley’s Blues Ball” at Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach. $13 - $23. This special concert will raise funds for the medical bills of local award-winning blues artist Candye Kane and feature artists whom

MUSIC / LOCAL NEWS Kane has worked with throughout her lengthy career. Kane has battled neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer since 2008 while continuing to play music, tour and run a nonproit, United by Music. Recently, she has spent two months in and out of Cedars-Sinai’s intensive care unit with internal bleeding. The night will kick off with Casey Hensley, whose band features Kane’s son, Evan; jump blues band Blue Largo will follow; and local songstress Nena Anderson will perform with her honky-tonk band, Brawley. Finishing the night will be Grammynominated artist James Harman with his “Bamboo Porch Revue,” featuring Nathan James and the Rhythm Scratchers and Bonedaddy Tempo. This event features tons of talent and will raise money for one of our local music icons. Don’t miss it! BellyUp.com. 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 19: Adrienne Nims and Spirit Wind at Mr. Peabody’s, Encinitas. Free. With passion and energy, multiinstrumentalist Adrienne Nims and her talented band will dazzle you with contemporary jazz tunes. Nims plays soprano, alto and tenor saxophones along with traditional flutes, Native American flutes and percussion — how’s that for multitalented?! A groovy undercurrent to several of the band’s songs gives it a Latin feel with various other styles incorporated. And the breakneck pace of the music will leave you breathless; something you have to see to believe. PeabodysRocks.com. 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 27: Plow at Solace and The Moonlight

Lounge, Encinitas. Free. Described as “American roots music,” Plow’s style incorporates several classic genres from bluegrass to country. Its instrumental jams are feverishly fast and dynamic with room for improvising. Slower ballads feature warm lead vocals by Chris Clarke and a tiny twang. Both sides of its sound are equally pleasing and a great way to wrap up the weekend in Solace’s welcoming lounge. EatAtSolace.com/music.

Out-of-the-woods pick of the month: 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 26: ListenSD presents: Swimm, The Verigolds, The Gloomies and Pearl Charles. $8. While this lineup is stacked with talent, we’re most excited about the fact that this also serves as a CD release show for The Verigolds. The psychedelic-rock outfit has found firm footing in the local music scene anchored by its entrancing live shows. Vocalist-keyboardist Jenna Cotton embodies the spirit of a ‘70s flower child with her laid-back vibe and ethereal stage presence. The Verigolds’ music is danceable and accessible, yet layered with solid musicianship from all the band members. Check out its video for “Crossfire” for a mind-bending and beautiful visual journey accompanied by some of the prettiest vocals and trippiest sounds you can find in Southern California. Can’t wait to hear its new release! MusicBoxSD.com. ■

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — MARCH 2016 MACWHINNEY, FROM PAGE 1 plenty of dificulties as a country growing up.” During the 1930s as the country sank into the Great Depression, MacWhinney, though she dreamt of being a dancer in the theater, worked as a secretary to support her parents and brother. In 1936, she met and soon married James “Jim” MacWhinney, an art teacher who later worked as a graphic artist for Holiday Magazine. The couple had quite the circle of friends in New York, including artist José Bartoli, children’s author Ludwig Bemelmans and Antonio Benedetto, the famous singer who is better known by his stage name, Tony Bennett. MacWhinney said she remains close friends with Bennett, now 89 years old. “My husband was his art teacher in public school in New York,” she said. “He is a still close friend of mine … He sings to me over the telephone.” As MacWhinney looks back on her nearly 100 years of life, she said she has no regrets. “I haven’t lived a perfect life but I have lived an absolutely, fantastically good life,” she said. “I have enjoyed so much of it and in the later years, after I retired, I did so many things I had wanted to.” Her two children, a son, who is now 70, and a daughter, who is now 68, along with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, planned to be in town to help celebrate with a birthday party on March 5. Her daughter, Maura Harvey, didn’t have to travel far for the occasion. Harvey, who lives in Rancho Santa Fe, is a former mayor of Encinitas, having serving in the position from 1990 to 1994. According to Harvey, the current mayor, Kristin Gaspar, planned to pres-

ent a proclamation to MacWhinney at her 100th birthday party. The party was to be held at MacWhinney’s home in Olivenhain, where she has lived for 28 years after moving to the area to live near her daughter and her family. When MacWhinney and her husband irst moved west, it was in 1948 to Scottsdale, Ariz. She recalled that her husband drove their two-seater sports car cross-country while she and the children lew from LaGuardia Airport to Phoenix, with six stops along the way. “Airplanes were slower back then,” she said. They then moved to Prescott, Ariz., and later to Redlands. MacWhinney enrolled at UC Riverside at age 39 to obtain her bachelor’s degree in education before embarking on a 23-year teaching career. In the years since her retirement, MacWhinney has been active in the League of Women Voters, the American Association of University Women and the San Dieguito Heritage Museum. These days, she receives 24-hour care in her two-story home, which has been outitted with an elevator since the late 1990s when her husband’s health began to fail. In addition to being a member of four book clubs, she enjoys watching episodes of “Downton Abbey” on PBS and indulging in Russian blinis made by her Russian caregiver, reminding her of those made by her Hungarian mother. She is a faithful subscriber of The New Yorker and enjoys occasional chats with her grandson, Ross and his family, who now live not far from her childhood home in Queens. “I think it was just a very normal life that a person leads and it has been good so far — good and satisfying,” MacWhinney said. ■

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — MARCH 2016

Wellness in North County:

Waterless surf training Chris Ahrens Columnist

onventional wisdom holds that the only way to improve suring is by suring. I believed that until I moved to Maui in 1969 and encountered what has been termed “the Swell of the Century.” The surf was massive and perfect and I was in great shape, or so I thought. Turns out suring had left me in good condition to paddle all day, but I was lacking in core and leg strength, and in the cardio department. This became apparent when facing maxed-out Honolua Bay that year, where my legs shook as I dropped in and I found myself unable to hold any sort of turn off the bottom. After making a shaky drop on a beast of a wave, half the misnamed Paciic unloaded on me. From there I was sent to the bottom, and put into a rinse cycle like nothing I had ever before encountered. Lungs bursting, I eventually surfaced to a world of foam that appeared more like soft snow than water. Clearing that away, I fought for air, took in a lungful and was forced beneath another set wave. After nearly drowning, I made shore to ind my board in two pieces. So much for conventional wisdom. Today, anyone wanting to ride big waves realizes the value of conditioning. Surfers run, swim, stretch and eat right, or pay the price for not doing so.

Surfers hit the gym to strengthen their legs, core and endurance. Extreme surfers even go so far as to run with boulders underwater. With all that, I had never seen anything speciically designed to train a surfer for the challenges of riding waves. That recently changed. I irst heard about the Surf-Fit Performance Mat last summer. I was quick to dismiss the product as something that would do little or nothing to help improve the suring experience. After a single demonstration, I realized I was wrong. As a surf PE teacher, I understand the challenges of helping surfers improve. I also realize that busy schedules rarely allow for hours a day of surf time. Still, I doubted that surfing could be learned at home. Minutes after the Surf-Fit Performance Mat was unrolled, I changed my mind. I am now convinced that the inventors, Nate and Christy Goodson, have, with the help of other surfers like big-wave legend Ken Bradshaw, cracked this dificult code and come up with a portable, inexpensive product perfect to improve suring. The mat looks like a yoga mat, with a surfboard drawn on it and some numbers placed in various squares. These had no immediate signiicance to me, but quickly began to make sense once I realized they were the result of reverse engineering the surfing experience and isolating various muscles required to do it. While the mat does many other

HEALTH & FITNESS

things, I immediately noted two items of great importance to suring: paddle power and stance. First, paddling: It’s obvious that if you can’t catch a wave, you can never ride it. And, while it is true that suring builds up paddle muscles, part-time or seasonal surfers can have problems in that department, especially after injury or a long layoff. The mat is designed to teach proper body and hand placement while developing muscles speciic to paddling a surfboard. Any surfer could beneit from using this regularly. The second thing that nearly all surfers need help with is their stance and placement on their surfboards. Ever wonder why you can ride a wave well one time and the next feel like you are just learning? It’s probably because of your stance. Standing up quickly and in the right spot can be the main difference between getting a good ride or going over the falls. The smaller the board, the more precise its “sweet spot” is. Stand with your feet near the rails and you will be unstable throughout the ride. Stand too far back and you’ll stall out; too far forward and you will encounter other problems. This mat trains a surfer to stand up in the right spot, time and again. (Stance will vary from board to board, but disciplining yourself to pop up in the same spot each time is essential to consistently good suring.) While the video presentation is still in development and needs work, the product, in my opinion, is lawless. I recommend it as a great workout and for improvement of your suring, regardless of your ability. Surf better, or simply get in great shape. Check it out on YouTube by searching, “Pro Trainer Surf Pre Launch Teaser.” ■

Shingles vaccine to the rescue Maureen Martin Columnist

hose of us born before 1995 missed the chickenpox vaccine during childhood that would have prevented those itchy red spots that ran through school populations like California wildires. Whether you were immunized or not, did you know that the chickenpox virus comes naturally, or through a vaccine, remaining dormant in our body’s nerve cells, forever? The virus can become reactivated, as shingles, at any time during our lifetime. While not a life-threatening condition, the symptoms are often painful, lengthy and debilitating. According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately one in three Americans will develop shingles during their lifetime. Shingles — or herpes zoster — starts with a tingling sensation and burning pain along the nerves on one side of the body. Within days, painful, luid-illed itchy blisters

develop, lasting several weeks from start to inish. Most people typically have one episode in their lifetime. However, a complication of shingles is postherpetic neuralgia, resulting in viral damage to the nerve cells, lasting for months to years. According to Massachusetts General, 50 percent of patients over age 70 experienced PHN for at least one year. Fortunately, there’s a shingles vaccine, Zostavax, to boost the immune system and help control or suppress the virus. The primary beneit of the vaccine is reducing the risk of developing shingles — or reducing the severity of symptoms — and reducing the PHN outcome. The vaccine reduced the risk of shingles by 51 percent and PHN by 67 percent (per CDC, among those 60 or older). A later study showed eficacy of 70 percent in preventing shingles in 50 to 59 year olds. The vaccine was approved for healthy individuals 50 and older. Discuss the vaccine risks and beneits with your health care provider, including: if you have close contact with infants; exposure to someone unvaccinated for chicken pox; or live with someone with a weakened immune system. The vac-

Shingles — or herpes zoster — starts with a tingling sensation and burning pain along the nerves on one side of the body.

cine should not be administered to pregnant individuals, those with suppressed immune system, or persons allergic to gelatin or neomycin. Most insurers, including Medicare Plan D, cover the vaccine. Maureen Martin has over 30 years of experience as a registered nurse, working with diverse populations across varied medical specialties including public health and community training programs. She shares this expertise as an independent writer for California newspapers and magazines. ■

DINING / LOCAL NEWS

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — MARCH 2016

Sea Creatures: Riding Finnegan’s wake Chris

Ahrens Columnist

W The Lanai Leucadia's Hawaiian-style Cuban sandwich. (Photo by The Lanai Leucadia via Instagram)

Restaurant Review: The Lanai Leucadia serves up fresh Hawaiian fare Katrina Dodson Columnist

ucked away in a Leucadia-funky street mall is a delightful Hawaiiinspired food truck causing huge excitement among local food blogs. The Lanai, at 1114 N. Coast Highway 101, has freshened up your Hawaiian food offerings with tangy lavors and a foodie lair. My table tried several items, but started with the house poke, which includes avocado. This was served to order and included veggie chips made onsite. The ish was top-shelf fresh, the avocado was generous, and the spices and lavors were spot on. If you like it spicier, they offer several poke versions to knock your taste buds back a few notches. We also ordered the Kalua pork

plate lunch, which includes white rice, bok choy kimchi and macaroni salad. The pork was tender and lavorful, as was the bok choy. The teriyaki chicken came on two skewers and included the same sides. The teriyaki lavor on the chicken was evident but not overpowering. I ordered the Hanapaa (fresh catch) Sando (sandwich) which was a Waloo mini-steak on a sweet bun with slices of pickled ginger, avocado, cabbage and pineapple pieces with garlic aioli, served with veggie chips. Moist and lavorful, sweet and tangy, this sandwich provided a perfect bite each time. The Lanai is now serving from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, but soon it will be open to offer breakfast items. It is also available for private events and catering. Seating is outdoors. TheLanaiLeucadia.com.■

illiam Finnegan is not a surfer who writes, but a writer who surfs. His hard, chiseled sentences reveal the inner workings of tribe few outsiders know anything about. I have never met Finnegan, but I know quite a bit about him since we have lived nearly identical lives at times. Here are some of the similarities: He lived in Diamond Head in 1966. I lived up the road, in the Waikiki jungle in 1967. He lived in Lahina, Maui at Kobataki’s in 1972. I lived in Lahina, Maui at a dive called Animal Farm in 1969. He surfed in Guam in 1978. I lived and surfed in Guam in 1972. He visited New South Wales in 1979. I lived in New South Wales in 1973. He chased waves and wrote about surfing for much of his early adult life. I chased waves and wrote about suring for much of my early adult life. Also, like Finnegan, I am an outsider in the world of surf literature — neither of us, to my knowledge, are listed in the “Encyclopedia of Suring” and both of us, in my opinion (please don’t take this to sound egotistical), should be. He is veteran staff writer for The New Yorker and an award-winning international journalist. I am … OK, so that’s where the similarities end — I edited a minor league surf mag once. I irst became aware of him in the

early 1990s when a neighbor dropped off a clipping from The New Yorker. “A surf story in the New Yorker? Couldn’t be any good,” I thought to myself. Yet there it was and I, reluctantly at irst, read “Playing Doc’s Games” as the writer revealed the agony and ecstasy of riding some of the most challenging waves on the West Coast. Instead of

the cutesy stench of surf lit, here was an honest portrayal of an everyday surfer’s battle with the ocean and himself. He was not portrayed as a hero and neither was the main character in the piece, Dr. Mark “Hazard” Renneker. Within 15 minutes of beginning to read the story, this unknown (to me) writer had become my favorite surf writer of all time. He had done something rare

in the suring world — told the truth in plain English. Not that Finnegan’s was unique truth, or that he was the irst to attempt telling it. No, he simply told it better than anyone before him, and, so far, after him. Another trait I share with Finnegan is that neither of us have much stomach for the surf magazines. His stated reason for avoiding them is that the surfwear companies tend to dictate the content. My reason is that I rarely read original work in mainstream surf mags, and I detest how they exploit the privacy of a suring world they are responsible for shrinking. I wish I had met Finnegan years ago on the road to nirvana when I irst aspired to nothing greater than to write for a certain Dana Point surf publication. I wonder if he realized then that his irsthand knowledge of suring would become a gift for the college educated. My latest surf book, “Behold What Is Greater Than Thyself,” will be released early this month. It is iction but, hopefully, true in revealing the inner workings of a suring life. Finnegan’s “Barbarian Days: A Suring Life” was published in 2015, and is noniction. It reveals the inner workings of a suring life lavored with high doses of adrenaline. Having read his book and ridden in Finnegan’s wake, I feel uniquely qualiied to say: This is an honest encounter with waves and those who face them. If you’re a surfer, you owe it to yourself to read this book. If you’re not a surfer, you will want to become one after reading it. ■

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — MARCH 2016

Peppermint Butler (Courtesy photo)

eppermint Butler is the Seaside Courier pet of the month at your Rancho Coastal Humane Society. He’s a 7-year-old, 15-pound, Short Hair Tabby. He’s named after the butler in the television series, “Adventure Time.” He’s a big, lazy cat who loves to get comfy on his bed and take long naps. If you’re looking for a quiet kitty for your home or ofice, you will probably want to meet Peppermint Butler. He was transferred to Rancho Coastal Humane Society through the Friends of County Animal Services program. The $100 adoption fee for Peppermint Butler includes medical exam, vaccinations, neuter and microchip. For more information, call 760-753-6413, visit Rancho Coastal Humane Society at 389 Requeza St. in Encinitas, or log on to SDpets.org. Kennels and Cattery are open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day but Tuesday.

Other happenings this month at RCHS Your Rancho Coastal Humane Society will participate in the

third annual Encinitas Mile on Sunday, March 20 on Vulcan Avenue in downtown Encinitas. Day-of-event registration for the “Dog Mile” begins at 9:45 am. To pre-register, log on to Encinitasmile. com/dogmile. For a 10 percent discount, go to the last page and enter the code RANCHO10% (case sensitive). Visit the Rancho Coastal Humane Society booth at the “Dog Corner” at the Encinitas Farmers Market parking lot just west of Vulcan at F Street. Spring Animal Camp at your Rancho Coastal Humane Society is illing up fast and we will soon be taking reservations for Summer Camp. Spring Camp runs March 28 – April 1 and April 4 – 8. Summer Camp will run June 20 – Aug. 19. At Animal Camp, children learn lessons in humanity. Animal Camp is an investment in their future, and in the future of the planet. For more information, call 760-753-6413, visit your Rancho Coastal Humane Society at 389 Requeza St. in Encinitas, log on to Sdpets.org or send an email to Lizzie at education@sdpets.org.■

PETS

SEASIDECOURIER.COM — MARCH 2016