The Coast News INLAND EDITION
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VISTA, SAN MARCOS, ESCONDIDO
VOL. 7, N0. 22
OCT. 28, 2022
Vista city manager resigns
23 charged in Escondido gang probe By City News Service
ESCONDIDO — Nearly two dozen defendants have been charged with narcotics and firearms-related offenses following an 18-month investigation into various gangs operating in and around the Escondido area, it was announced Tuesday. Dubbed “Operation Devil’s Den,” the investigation centered on suspects accused of making firearms — including by using illegal devices that converted them from semi-automatic to fully automatic weapons — then selling those guns. All but two of the charged defendants have been arrested and some of the defendants have already pleaded guilty to various charges. Of the 23 people facing charges, 18 are from Escondido, two from Coachella, one from San Diego and two were not identified. The operation — conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Escondido Police Department — resulted in 113 guns and 19 machine gun conversion kits seized, as well the seizures of methamphetamine, fentanyl, ecstasy and cocaine. The joint operation targeted some of the most violent street gangs in Escondido including the Diablos, Westside and Florencia 13, according to a press release. According to the ATF, undercover officers and TURN TO GANGS ON 9
Council move on hiring authority prompts decision By Laura Place
his faith, Steinecke earned his high school diploma — among the top students in his class — and graduated magna cum laude from Cal State San Marcos. Today, he works for the tech start-up Clusive, which emphasizes computer and tech accessibility for the visually impaired. Steinecke also has a YouTube channel to empower the blind community and is an amateur photographer. “My dreams are different, the way I interact with
VISTA — Patrick Johnson has announced his resignation as Vista’s city manager after nearly 11 years in the position, in opposition to a new policy that removed his sole authority over the depa r t ment head hiring process. Johnson informed the city of his involu ntar y re s ig n at ion in an Oct. 13 letter, stating JOHNSON that he made the decision following the City Council’s adoption of a code change in September that required him to appoint department heads in consultation and agreement with a majority of the council for the coming six months. Johnson, who recently clocked in his 24th year serving as a city employee, said the new policy had resulted in a material change to his contract without his consent, thus triggering his ability to tender his involuntary resignation and be placed on paid administrative leave through March 2023. “This was a fundamental change in the City Man-
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TURN TO CITY MANAGER ON 9
BLAKE STEINECKE, 23, of San Marcos, is legally blind after starting to lose his vision during his junior year at San Marcos High School. He was diagnosed with Leber hereditary optic neuropathy, which causes the optic nerve to atrophy. Steinecke is a member of the U.S. Blind Hockey team. Courtesy photo
Thriving on US Blind Hockey team By Steve Puterski
SAN MARCOS — The game of ice hockey has opened new doors, experiences and friendships for a legally blind San Marcos resident. Blake Steinecke, a 23-year-old tech professional and member of the U.S. Blind Hockey Team, was shocked to learn his vision was getting worse during his junior year at San Marcos High School. At 16, Steinecke enjoyed playing baseball, hockey and lacrosse, all while maintaining a grade-
point average greater than 4.0. However, just weeks after his vision problems began, Steinecke was diagnosed with Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON), a rare mitochondrial genetic disease causing the optic nerve to atrophy, leading to blindness. “I got the diagnosis and knew I would lose central vision in both eyes,” Steinecke tolad The Coast News. “It’s just so shocking to expect something like that. I was facing this challenge in the future, and I had this initial shock.”
Once gifted with 20/15 vision (an individual is able to see something from 15 feet away that others with 20/20 vision can see from 20 feet away), Steinecke now has 20/800 vision. (For reference, an individual is legally blind if their central vision is 20/200, several magnitudes stronger than 20/800 vision.) Despite a life-changing diagnosis that caused him to question everything from future employment to dating, Steinecke forged a successful career as a student-athlete. Leaning on
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