PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ENCINITAS, CA 92024 PERMIT NO. 94
THE COAST NEWS
.com LOCAL, INDEPENDENT, TRUSTED
VOL. 38, N0. 33
Faith, courts & vaccines
Aug. 16, 2024
SAN MARCOS -NEWS
.com THE VISTA NEWS
Ex-workers recount city’s denial of religious objections to mandate
.com
By Jordan P. Ingram
ENCINITAS — In the wake of a former employee’s federal lawsuit against the City of Encinitas over its refusal to grant a religious exemption request to its now-defunct COVID-19 vaccine mandate, other former workers are sharing similar accounts, raising questions about whether the city crossed a line between zealous advocacy of public health and constitutional overreach. In October 2023, Scott Vurbeff, a Christian and former city environmental project manager, sued the city after being fired for not complying with a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy for employees. The city denied Vurbeff’s religious exemption request, prompting his dismissal after over 20 years of employment. Since The Coast News published news of the lawsuit last month and in the face of anti-vaccine social stigma, several former employees at the City of Encinitas have come forward claiming that, like Vurbeff, their legitimate requests were denied, forcing them out of their positions and into unemployment, early retirement, or difficult job searches. Most, if not all, faith-based exemption requests to the city’s vaccine requirement were denied without accommodation or much explanation, according to former employees and internal city emails obtained by The Coast News. The phenomenon, however, was not isolated to San Diego County. An increasing number of U.S. workers have claimed to experience religious discrimination related to vaccine requireTURN TO FAITH ON 14
RANCHO SFNEWS
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LIGHTING A FIRE
Carol Valenzuela was one of several participants in a wildfire training exercise on Aug. 9 in Vista as part of the Ignite Your Potential program. The empowerment summit introduces young women to potential careers in the fire service through hands-on firefighting experience. Story on 5. Photo by Laura Place
Teacher pleads not guilty to sex charges By City News Service
Mosaics unveiled at El Portal
A series of mosaic art panels created by studetns and local artists were unveiled last Saturday at the El Portal undercrossing. Story on 12.
ESCONDIDO — An Escondido High School teacher who allegedly engaged in sex acts with two underage students pleaded not guilty Tuesday to more than two dozen felony counts. Kyiri Tisdale, 31, was arrested Friday on suspicion of multiple sex crimes involving two alleged victims who have since graduated, according to the Escondido Union High School District.
The Escondido Police Department says it first received a report concerning Tisdale last month. Tisdale faces nearly 20 years in state prison if convicted of all 26 charges filed against him, which include 22 counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. Tisdale remains in custody on $250,000 bail. He was also served with protective orders forbidding contact with the victims.
ABOVE THE RIM
CSUSM Director of Athletics Morod Shah, a driving force behind the Cougars’ recent rise to prominence among the DII ranks, finds inspiration in his father and their Afghan heritage. “I want to help the next generation of student athletes cultivate their journeys through athletics.” Story on 30. Photo by Greg Siller
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