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Village News Fallbrook & Bonsall
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October 19, 2017
BUSD accepting applications for advisory committee
D e L u z , R a i n b ow, C a m p P e ndl e t o n , Pa l a ,
Volume 21, Issue 41
Palomar College celebrates groundbreaking for its North Education Center Tom Ferrall Staff Writer
Joe Naiman Village News Correspondent
The Bonsall Unified School District is soliciting applications for members of a committee which will identify and analyze sites for a new high school campus. The BUSD board’s Oct. 12 meeting addressed the application and selection process for the committee members. Applications to serve on the committee must be received by the superintendent’s office no later than Oct. 31. A 4-1 BUSD board vote Sept. 14, with Erin English opposed, approved the creation of the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee. The committee as proposed was called the Superintendent’s School Site Advisory Committee, but the removal of the word “site” allows BUSD superintendent David Jones to utilize the committee for other activities if warranted. “I could deploy the committee for different purposes, and right now the committee’s task is high school site selection,” Jones said. Completed applications will be forwarded to each BUSD board member on Nov. 2. “All five board members will
Palomar College officials get ready for a traditional photo at the conclusion of a groundbreaking ceremony held Oct. 13 for the college’s North Education Center.
Shane Gibson photo
Tom Ferrall Staff Writer
Shane Gibson photo A glass sculpture by Nic McGuire is on display at the Fallbrook Art Center’s Galaxy of Glass show which runs through Oct. 22. The center is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 3 p.m. See more photos on page A-10.
Pala Casino Spa & Resort breaks ground on $170 million expansion project
Kim Harris Managing Editor
USPS Residential Customer
see PALOMAR, page A-11
firefighters help out in Northern California
thisweek
Village News
Dr. Joi Lin Blake, superintendent/ president of Palomar College, quoted the lyrics of the Sam Cooke song “A Change Is Gonna Come” in welcoming guests to the Oct. 13 groundbreaking ceremony for Palomar’s North Education Center, which is being built in Fallbrook on an 80-acre site northeast of Interstate 15 and State Route 76. “It’s been a long time coming,” said Blake, noting that Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” is one of her favorite songs. “We have been anticipating this event today because this ceremony serves as a reminder of Palomar’s commitment to provide access and to extend educational opportunities to all regions of our district in North San Diego County.” Palomar College used funds from the passage of Proposition M (a $694 million bond) in 2006 to
Galaxy of Glass show ends this weekend Local
see BUSD, page A-8
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Dignitaries and hundreds of interested parties gathered at Pala Casino Spa & Resort early Tuesday, Oct. 17, for a ceremonial groundbreaking honoring the commencement of the resort’s $170 million expansion project that when completed will bring more than 200 new employment opportunities to Pala’s current team of 2,000 team members. Pala Band of Mission Indians Chairman Robert Smith provided a keynote address at the groundbreaking ceremony. Other speakers included Pala’s Chief Executive Officer Bill Bembenek, California’s 71st District Assemblyman Randy Voepel, California’s 80th District Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez-Fletcher and California’s 75th District Assemblywoman Marie Waldron. Held near the Starlight Theater and outdoor pool area at the Resort, the event included Smith using a bulldozer to demolish the roof and awning of a 15-foot by 17-foot brick kiosk to officially break ground on the renovation and expansion project which will include the addition of a new, 349 room hotel tower, the construction of unique hotel suites which will
Kim Harris photo Pala Band of Mission Indians Chairman Robert Smith uses a bulldozer to demolish the roof and awning of a 15-foot by 17foot brick kiosk poolside at Pala Casino Spa & Resort to officially break ground on the resort’s $170 million expansion project Tuesday, Oct. 17. overlook the Starlight Theater event lawn, and a new pool and entertainment complex. Other amenities that will be brought to life as part of the expansion, which will be completed in two phases, will include the conversion of the existing resort pool into a multipool and entertainment resort complex; expanded gaming and casino bar space; a parking garage expansion; a completely remodeled restaurant promenade; a complete refresh of the entire
casino interior and a complete refresh of the entire existing hotel tower. In an interview immediately f o l l o w i n g t h e c e r e m o n y, Bembenek said that while he couldn’t give exact numbers on the economic effect the expansion would have on the area, increasing his staff by 200 people and adding 400 construction jobs over the next two years would be beneficial to the community as a whole. He said
see PALA, page A-8
Eleven firefighters from the North County Fire Protection District are among the thousands of firefighters battling the fires burning across Northern California, considered among the deadliest in state history. North County Fire Chief Steve Abbott said two fire engines – one out of Station 2 and the other out of Station 5 – and a smaller Type 6 truck ended up traveling to Napa after first being deployed to Anaheim Oct. 9 to assist with the Canyon Fire. On Oct. 11, the North County Fire personnel was released from the Canyon Fire and reassigned to the Northern California fires. “You can keep resources for 14 days, so when they’ve got resources that are already assembled in a strike team and they’ve got a lot of time left, they’ll often redeploy them,” said Abbott. Abbott said there are two geographic area coordination centers (called “GACCs”) in California – a Southern and a Northern – that coordinate the distribution of resources for fire operations. “In Southern California, each county is its own operational area,” said Abbott. “The operational area will determine what resources from that area will go, and then the GACC will determine how many resources are needed from each operational area.” Abbott said the fire engine out of Station 5 is an OES (Office of Emergency Services) engine that is always on call to be sent out of town. “That’s an engine the state of California provides to agencies,” said Abbott. “It’s a nice benefit. You get a free fire engine. You are simply obligated to staff it and send it to these types of fires when requested.” Abbott said the firefighters on the road check in daily. “They’re required to check in every day to just let us know what’s going on and what their needs are – right down to does their family have any needs at home,” said Abbott. “These guys are gone for two weeks at a time and things happen at home.”
see HELP, page A-8