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December 7, 2017
Landmark settlement reached on Santa Margarita River use rights
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Volume 21, Issue 48
Fallbrook High Marching Warriors score new uniforms
Tony Ault tault@reedermedia.com
A landmark agreement on the Santa Margarita River Conjunctive Use project between the Fallbrook Public Utility District and Camp Pendleton Marine Base promises to be signed Dec. 11, after 66 years of litigation in the U.S. courts. The FPUC board of directors will meet with Camp Pendleton commanders and representatives from Rep. Duncan Hunter’s and Rep. Darrell Issa’s office at their regular Monday, Dec. 11, meeting to witness the expected signing of the agreement. The agreement will finally settle a critical portion of the U.S. v. FPUD lawsuit that has been in the federal courts since 1951, according to a news release from FPUD. While the anticipated signing of the lawsuit involving the water interests on the western side of the Santa Margarita is nearing agreement in San Diego County, long-standing litigation on the river’s upper regions water rights between the Cahuilla and Romona Indian Tribes and Anza Valley residents in Riverside County remains in the San Diego U.S. District Court pending further settlement negotiations. Those
see RIGHTS, page A-11
thisweek Announcements �������������������������A-2 Business ���������������������������������������D-5 Business Directory ���������������������C-8 Calendar........................................A-2 Classifieds..................................C-11 Dining & Food ������������������������������B-5 Education.......................................D-4 Entertainment ������������������������������B-6 Health & Fitness ��������������������������B-2 Home & Garden �������������������������C-1 Legals..........................................C-10 Obituaries �������������������������������������A-8 Opinion �����������������������������������������A-5 Real Estate �����������������������������������C-2 Sheriff’s Log ���������������������������������A-8 Sports.............................................D-1 Wine................................................D-6
Members of the Fallbrook High School Marching Warriors Band perform in their new uniforms while leading off the 36th annual Fallbrook Christmas Parade Dec. 2. Tom Ferrall tferrall@reedermedia.com Strike up the band – the Fallbrook High School Marching Warriors have new uniforms. Less than four months after being named the new band director at Fallbrook High, Derek Lee achieved his first stated major goal: replacing the band’s 20-yearold uniforms. Lee was horrified upon learning the band hadn’t had new uniforms since 1997 and immediately went
on the offensive, spreading the word about the need for donations to correct the sad situation. One of Fallbrook’s most noted nonprofits, the Angel Society, responded with a donation of $10,000. Since new band uniforms cost $300 to $400 each and Lee was looking to buy 100 of them, the Angel Society’s donation figured to be a good down payment on a new set of duds. Lee, however, made that $10,000 do so much more. While contacting band uniform manufacturers, Lee
received a suggestion that he reach out to professional drum corps, major league competition marching bands that turnover their uniforms on a regular basis. “So I started researching all the drum corps that have our similar color schemes,” said Lee. “One that I reached out to, the Boston Crusaders, emailed me back within two hours of my email and completely agreed that they would help us out.” When asked what the school was willing to pay for the gently-
Christmas Parade spreads joy
Shane Gibson photo
used uniforms, Lee played his poker hand like a pro. “I told them that we roughly have $10,000,” said Lee. “They said, ‘cool, we’ll do the full 150 for the $10,000.’ And that’s how it happened.” It was the bargain of all bargains – 150 uniforms, cleaned and ready to use, with shipping from Boston included. “It’s an absolute steal for the cost,” said Lee. “What should
see UNIFORMS, page A-4
Fallbrook roads undergo a facelift Karen M. Ossenfort villagestaff@reedermedia.com
Shane Gibson photos
Village News
USPS Residential Customer
Sophia Ortiz, 7, and her brother Roman, 10, wave from a float during the 36th annual Fallbrook Christmas Parade Dec. 2.
Friends of the Fallbrook Community Air Park tow an airplane decorated with Christmas lights in the Fallbrook Christmas Parade. See more photos on A-6
Fallbrook roads are getting a facelift, and you may have been caught in some traffic as a result of it. According to Mario Arellano, a spokesman for the County Department of Public Works (DPW), the “AC Overlay 16/17” project launched on South Mission Road at Clemmons Lane to West Fallbrook Street. That first portion started Nov. 27 and was completed Dec. 1 and accounted for 1.1 miles of road. Arellano explained the second portion of the project. “A utility agency needs to repair their lines on the remaining portion (of the project),” said Arellano. “We will resume the road treatment Dec. 11 to Dec. 15 between Fallbrook Street and West Mission Road. We will have message signs and a traffic-control plan in place to minimize the impacts to the community.” Gov. Jerry Brown approved the transportation funding April 28 to specifically repair roads in California communities. It’s called the “Road Repair and Accountability.” On May 2, the County Board of Supervisors gave staff the goahead to use part of the DPW’s $538 million (in new funding spread across the next 10 years for road maintenance) for resurfacing projects designated under the pavement condition index (PCI). The index for the county is PCI 60. The goal is to increase that number. Fallbrook Community Planning Group and sponsor group members
see FACELIFT, page A-10