On December 25, 2022, and January 3,9 and 10, 2023, the same male suspect destroyed property at a church in the City and was caught on camera each time. On January 10, a churchgoer saw a male that he thought looked like the same man from the surveillance video. An officer detained the man and arrested him on unrelated charges. On January 11, Detective Michael Martinez, a crimes of property detective; through investigative leads and the use of a photo lineup, was able to identify the suspect in all four vandalism cases. The suspect was identified as the same man that had been arrested on the unrelated charges the night before. The man was booked in to jail for felony vandalism and burglary charges; based on video from the four incidents.
Lake Wohlford Road Closure
On Sunday, January 15, a landslide caused by the recent barrage of atmospheric rivers forced an indefinite closure of Lake Wohlford Road between Valley Parkway and Oakvale Road. City of Escondido Public Works crews were dispatched to clear the road, but inspections revealed
large boulders presenting imminent fall hazards.
The risk to the public was deemed severe, and a contractor was secured with the capabilities to stabilize the hillside and safely remove the boulders. The contractor has been mobilized but needs to acquire materials to complete the task. While repairs are made, travelers of Lake Wohlford Road should use Woods Valley Road to Valley Center Road.
The City will be able to open the road once repairs are made, and inspections are passed.
Vista Irrigation District to Sponsor Scholarship Contest
Vista Irrigation District invites local high school seniors to compete for scholarships from the district. Up to six scholarships may be awarded in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $3,000. The purpose of the scholarship program is to encourage students to learn more about how water related issues influence our daily lives.
Students who compete for a scholarship must complete an essay and provide a personal statement related to their background and/or goals. Selection criteria also include community involvement or volunteer service and letters of recommendation from high school faculty.
Students may download an application package from www.vidwater.org, or contact Brent Reyes at (760) 597-3107 or breyes@vidwater.org to have the materials sent to them. Applications are also available through high school counseling offices. Applications must be received via e-mail or at the district office by 5:00 PM on Friday, February 24, 2023. Eligible students must live or go to school within the Vista Irrigation District’s service area.
January Youth Enrichment Service (YES) Collaborative Hears Update from Superintendent Dr. Ben Churchill
By TR Robertson
Dr. Ben Churchill, Superintendent of the Carlsbad Unified School District, presented a midyear update of the accomplishments and goals of the district to the attendees at this month’s YES Collaborative. He began with a power point presentation that highlighted this year’s theme of Moving Forward Together. CUSD is the fifth largest employer in the City of Carlsbad. The overall objective of the district is to provide extraordinary education in an inspiring environment. The Graduate Profile the District wants to accomplish is to have students that are Effective Communicators and Collaborators, Lifelong Learners, Critical Thinkers, College, and Career Ready Scholars, Ethical and Responsible Citizens, and Self-Directed Individuals. These goals are on posters hung in every classroom in the district. CUSD has over 11,000 students and 1,129 staff members. The high schools have a 96% graduation rate and were ranked #2 in the nation as a public school.
The district has around 20% of the school population that is disadvantaged assisted in a variety of ways. On the CUSD web site (www.carlsbadusd.k12.ca.us) is a Top 10 List those interested can go to and see a few accolades the district has accomplished over the years. These include an Award-Winning District, Award Winning Schools, Award Winning Staff, Award Winning Programs, Championship Teams, Outstanding Graduates, National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists, Construction Milestones (beginning Phase 2), Safety Milestones, and New Board Leadership. Specific details are listed for each one. The Carlsbad Unified Connections weekly newsletter is also a good way to say connected with what is going on in the schools around the district.
Dr. Churchill listed his three “Big Rocks” on what he would like the district to accomplish. These are Academic Achievement and Growth, Health and Wellness in the areas of Mental and Emotional – Physical Health – Campus Safety and Security, and Positive storytelling about what is happening in each school. One reference to test scores in the areas of English language and arts and math showed scores for students in higher income families scored higher on tests. Relating to Mental Health the district now has Elementary School counselors, Mental Health Therapy Wellness Together therapists for middle and high schools, a Mental Health Assessment system and a successful PALS program at Carlsbad and Sage Creek High School. Students also have access to a P3 Tip Line and San Diego County Crime Stoppers.
The Superintendent also showed sections of surveys students had taken both for Grades K-5 and Grades 6-12. For the sections we saw it showed for K-5, 89% of the students felt they were connected with their schools, 85% felt good about themselves, 84% felt the school climate was positive and 75% felt schools were a safe place. In Grades 6-12, 89% felt schools were safe, 80% felt there was a positive climate at the schools, 79% felt they had a connectedness with their schools and 74% felt they had a positive emotional mental health. Dr. Churchill pointed out that January 23-27 would begin the Great Kindness Challenge sponsored by the Kids for Peace. Both the program and the group began in Carlsbad Unified. All the schools will take part in this program. He also showed portions of the Career Pathways Technical Education Plan Handbook used in middle schools and high schools.
The Mission of YES is to be instrumental in creating a positive environment and safety net for young people in Carlsbad and the surrounding community to flourish and grow by collaborating with agencies and organizations that help young people thrive and resist negative influences. The February YES meeting will feature a presentation by Assistant Carlsbad Police Chief Christie Calderwood.
Upcoming Events:
Saturday, February 11 – 7-10 pm – Amped Music and Arts Throwdown – www.carlsbadconnect.org
Saturday, February 25th – 12-3 pm – Love Your Heart Community Fair – Ramona Library sponsored by Live Well San Diego
Hiring for Summer Camp Staff – sponsored by the Carlsbad Recreation Department and City of Carlsbad – www.governmentjobs.com/careers/carlsbad
California’s Disastrous Universal Mail-in Election Lost 10 MILLION Ballots in 2022!
BY VICTORIA TAFT 4:17 PM ON JANUARY 18, 2023
The results are in for California’s Emergency! COVID excuse to toss out most in-person voting and go to universal mail-in ballots. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s experiment to help Democrats worked, but was utterly disastrous if you consider election integrity to be important.
The Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) surveyed the results of California’s 2022 primary and general elections and discovered that the state lost ten million ballots. The situation gets even worse, but more on that in a moment. Let’s pause on the 10,000,000 lost ballots for a moment.
Gavin Newsom’s universal mail-in voting system to advantage incumbents and Democrats, but I repeat myself, lost more ballots than the populations of 40 of America’s 50 states. For the record, I included Michigan even though it has 10,135,438 residents — basically a rounding error. If you think it’s an insult to refer to 135,438 people as a rounding error, then congratulations — you’re beginning to see the gravity of losing a number of ballots nearly equal to the population of one of the most important states in the union.
In my opinion, that’s a feature, not a bug in this rigged system.
Indeed, Newsom hastily made permanent the Democrat-endorsed universal mail-in system when he signed into law AB 37 in 2021. He did so without knowing the impact, except to advantage Democrats and vote cheats. The November 2022 election was the first big test.
California has a population of 39,000,000. And the California Secretary of State’s Office says 21,940,274 of those people were registered to vote by October 2022. That’s close to the World Population Review estimate of a 55% voter registration rate in the state. Interestingly, PILF reports that California sent out a total of 22,184,707 ballots, of which 9,781,328 were accepted (see what ballots were tossed out below). And ten million went to parts unknown and never came back.
Three Simple Ways to Help Avoid the Tripledemic of Respiratory Illnesses
“We are seeing an increase in the number of patients diagnosed with COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus or RSV and the flu this year,” said Reyzan Shali, MD, a board-certified internist at Tri-City Primary Care. “During the pandemic, we all stayed indoors and wore masks out in public, which lowered our exposure to these types of respiratory illnesses. Since we did not build up our natural immunity to them over the past two years, we are now seeing a viral surge because we are no longer so isolated. Now, it’s more important than ever to follow three basic preventive measures to stay healthy.”
Dr. Shali recommends washing your hands, wearing a mask and getting vaccinated to reduce the risk of getting one of these viral illnesses, as well as a cold. “Each of these is mainly spread through droplets, which are expelled when a person sneezes, coughs or talks. If you touch your mouth, nose or eyes immediately after touching keyboards, doorknobs or other surfaces that have leftover droplets from someone else or shake hands with an individual who has a virus, then you may introduce the virus into your own body.”
“As we resume travel, gather in large groups and attend big events like concerts, we increase our exposure, which is why wearing a mask is still important,” added Dr. Shali. “I know that many people have vaccine fatigue but staying up-to-date with your flu and COVID-19 vaccines not only reduces your risk of getting sick, but also makes symptoms milder should you get one of these airborne diseases.”
According to WebMD and GoodRx Health, COVID-19, RSV, the flu and the common cold all have similar symptoms such as fever, cough, stuffy/runny nose and congestion. However, there are specific symptoms that differentiate each of these respiratory viruses. With COVID-19, the sudden loss of taste and smell and shortness of breath are key indicators, as fatigue, muscle pain/body aches, a sore throat and headaches overlap with the flu. “One of the most important things to pay attention to is a high fever, which is more often a symptom of COVID-19 and the flu, rather than a cold,” said Dr. Shali. “Just as important is a cough. Children and older adults with RSV have a distinctive whistle sound or wheezing to their cough and may also have trouble breathing.”
As there are overlapping similarities to symptoms, patients should be tested to determine the illness and best supportive treatment. According to LabCorp, individual at-home collection kits are available for COVID-19, the flu and RSV, as well as a single-panel test, which is available to patients through their doctor, hospital or authorized healthcare provider.
“Testing is important as all of these viruses are highly contagious,” said Dr. Shali. “Unfortunately, people may have already spread the illness before experiencing symptoms. This makes it tricky when trying to determine if you should send your child to school or attend a family gathering if a test is negative or there are no symptoms, or they have passed.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms for COVID-19 appear two to five days after infection, one to four days after infection for the flu, and four to six days for RSV. Even someone with the common cold may be contagious one to two days prior to symptoms. “Patients with any of these viruses are also contagious for various lengths of time after symptoms develop and have subsided,” added Dr. Shali.
“For all of these respiratory illnesses, antibiotics do not work as they are viral, not bacterial infections,” said Dr. Shali. “Treatment is supportive care, meaning rest, hydration and medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen for fever and body aches. I also encourage patients to take Vitamin C.”
“Anyone who is experiencing an airborne illness should contact their doctor,” said Dr. Shali. “At TCPC, we offer telehealth visits and open appointments spots in our schedules to be sure that patients can be seen the same day. If you or your child is experiencing shortness of breath, call us right away so we can immediately determine the best course of action. We are here to serve our community during this tripledemic, and our goal is to keep everyone healthy.”
To learn more about the Primary Care Services offered at Tri-City Medical Center, call 855-222-8262 to be referred to a Tri-City Primary Care physician.
Ask The Realtor, Rebecca the Realtor
Q. We would like to know the real value of our home in today’s market. We may sell this year or we may wait a few years. Are online estimates correct on our home value?
A. Great question, online valuations are never as accurate as one you will get from a professional that has seen your home inside and out. If you live in an area of tract homes where all are similar it can be closer. The problem is they can not see if you have tile or quartz counters, Paid Solar, Dual pane windows, upgraded bathrooms etc. They can also not see the inside of the homes around you, were they rentals for years? Upgraded? Filled with animals etc. There are many areas such as East Vista, Bonsall, Fallbrook to only name a few that in one mile you have manufactured homes, castles and custom homes. This makes valuations and appraisals difficult. We personally offer all of our clients a no obligation annual home review which they can file away. It is good to know when you are considering selling and also to make sure you have the correct insurance coverage.
Please reach out with your questions.
Rebecca Monge DRE #01961244
Professional Realty Services International
Tanksleymongeteam.com
760-912-4731/rebeccamonge1965@gmail.com
CSU San Marcos to Begin Homestand Against East Bay, Dominguez Hills Men’s Basketball
SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos men’s basketball team (8-7, 7-3 CCAA) will begin a four-game homestand by facing Cal State East Bay (4-12, 2-8 CCAA) on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and Cal State Dominguez Hills (8-8, 4-6 CCAA) on Saturday at 3 p.m. in The Sports Center.
LAST WEEK
The Cougars earned a 78-63 win at Sonoma State last Thursday behind Greg Milton III’s 22 points.
CSUSM capped off the road trip with a 68-63 victory at Cal Poly Humboldt with Quinn Denker leading the way with 21 points.
The Cougars moved into a three-way tie for second place in the CCAA standings with Cal Poly Humboldt and Sonoma State.
COUGARS BY THE NUMBERS
CSUSM has the 12th-best 3-point field goal percentage in Division II at 41.1.
The Cougars are forcing the most turnovers in the CCAA and rank 29th nationally.
Sporting a turnover margin of 3.1, CSUSM ranks second in the conference and 37th nationally.
With a team assist/turnover ratio of 1.25, the Cougars lead the CCAA and rank 43rd nationally.
CSUSM has the best scoring defense in the league at 67.5 points allowed per game.
The Cougars have the second-best team field-goal percentage at 47.2.
Outscoring the competition by 1.7 points per game, CSUSM has the third-best scoring margin in the CCAA.
Jayce McCain’s assist/turnover ratio of 2.59 ranks second in the CCAA and 31st nationally.
Greg Milton III continues to lead the CCAA in minutes per game at just over 35 while scoring the fourth-most points at 18.9.
Coming down with 8.3 rebounds per game, Joel Mensah ranks third in the league while also maintaining the conference’s second-best field-goal percentage at 56.7.
GAME 16 | CAL STATE EAST BAY
Date Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023
Time 7:30 p.m.
Location San Marcos, Calif.
Venue The Sports Center
Records CSUSM (8-7, 7-3 CCAA)
CSUEB (4-12, 2-8 CCAA)
Live Stats SideArm Stats
Live Video ($) CCAA Network
Tickets HomeTown Ticketing
THURSDAY AGAINST EAST BAY
East Bay ranks last in the CCAA standings at 2-8 and has lost its last five games.
This past weekend, the Pioneers fell 53-49 to San Francisco State before taking a 70-67 loss to Cal State Monterey Bay.
When playing East Bay in San Marcos, CSUSM is a perfect 6-0 and leads the all-time series at 9-3.
Last season, both games were each decided by two points as they each won on their home floors.
Four of the last five games against the Pioneers have been decided by four points or less.
Leading CSUEB at 15.3 points per game is Grady Lewis, who also leads the team in field-goal percentage (61.6%), rebounds per game (6.6) and blocked shots (11).
The Pioneers have the third-best field-goal percentage defense in the CCAA at 42.8.
East Bay ranks last in the CCAA for scoring offense (65.1) and scoring margin (-5.9).
GAME 17 | CAL STATE DOMINGUEZ HILLS
Date Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023
Time 3 p.m.
Location San Marcos, Calif.
Venue The Sports Center
Records CSUSM (8-7, 7-3 CCAA)
CSUDH (8-8, 4-6 CCAA)
Live Stats SideArm Stats
Live Video ($) CCAA Network
Tickets HomeTown Ticketing
SATURDAY AGAINST THE TOROS
Prior to Saturday’s game, Dominguez Hills will face Cal State LA on Thursday.
The Toros are currently tied with LA for eighth in the CCAA standings.
CSUDH is coming off a weekend that saw the Toros defeat Cal State Monterey Bay 75-64 last Thursday before falling 78-75 in overtime against San Francisco State on Saturday.
The Cougars and Toros are knotted at 5-5 in the all-time series and are 3-3 when playing in San Marcos.
CSUSM won last year’s lone meeting in The Sports Center by a score of 79-41 – the largest margin of victory in the series.
Dominguez Hills has the eighth-best 3-point field-goal percentage defense in the nation at 29%.
The Toros’ 3.1 blocks per game rank second in the CCAA.
CSUDH has the third-best scoring defense in the conference at 70.4 points allowed per game while having the fourth-best scoring offense at 71.2 points per game.
Damien Miller’s assist/turnover ratio of 3.35 ranks sixth nationally and leads the conference.
DJ Guest leads the team in scoring at 13.8 points per game while teammate Cameron Barry is just behind him at 13.4.
Guest also leads the Toros with 8.3 rebounds per game.
A NEW CAMPAIGN
The Cougars were voted to finish second in the 2022-23 CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
Nine Cougars return from the 2021-22 team, including All-CCAA first-teamer Jayce McCain and second-teamer Greg Milton III.
CSUSM is joined this year by five transfers, including sophomore Quinn Denker (West Valley College), redshirt junior Edwyn Collins (Riverside City College), graduate Zack Perlstein (Cal State East Bay), redshirt junior Bing Huang (Johnson County CC) and redshirt junior Chris Howard (Palomar College).
Rounding out the Cougars’ roster of 15 is lone freshman Jermaine Rogers II (Ruben S. Ayala HS).
THE FOSTER FILE
Head coach B.J. Foster enters his sixth season in charge of the CSUSM Men’s Basketball program after taking over the head position in 2016.
Under his leadership, the Cougars earned their first CCAA Tournament Championship in 2022 and made their first NCAA West Regional appearance.
Prior to becoming head coach of the Cougars, Foster was an assistant coach with the team from 2013 to 2016.
Foster has tallied a career record of 87-66 (.569).
Landes Community Center Improvements
The John Landes Community Center in Oceanside’s Tri City neighborhood has been reactivated with renovations, new services and programs, the addition of a Library, and new skate area elements will be coming soon to the park.
After the expiration of a lease agreement with Mira Costa College in June, and with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, the John Landes Community Center facility received fresh paint throughout the building, new flooring in select rooms, a Library area, computers for community use, upgraded restroom fixtures, and new fencing and lighting. Additional facility improvements included a shade structure in the patio areas and an upgrade to the patio play area is to be completed by Spring 2023.
The first programming reactivated at the facility was Parks and Recreation’s “Sunsational Summer Camp” program. Additional activities added is an after school program, recreational programs such as dance and tumbling, and adult programs like Aikido and Aerobics. The Landes Community Center is located at 2855 Cedar Road and is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
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