PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ENCINITAS, CA 92024 PERMIT NO. 94
THE COAST NEWS
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VOL. 38, N0. 30
July 26, 2024
Solutions com inks.Vista land deal SAN MARCOS -NEWS
THE VISTA NEWS
Sale sinks county plans for Green Oak Ranch site By Laura Place
AND THEY’RE OFF Jockey Umberto Rispoli atop Formidable Man breezed across the finish line to claim the Oceanside Stakes on July 20 for Opening Day of the 85th summer racing season at the Del Mar Racetrack. The sold-out event drew over 20,000 to the seaside oval, many adorning elaborate hats and eager to wager bets. Story on 30.
Alleged human smuggler arrested By City News Service
Thousands visit Cardiff Dog Days This year’s event attracted a crowd of visitors and their furry friends, raising money to help rehome rescue animals. 18
SAN DIEGO — A man accused of leading a Tijuana-based human smuggling organization responsible for bringing thousands of migrants into the United States through Mexico was arrested and charged in a grand jury indictment unsealed this week. Abdul Karim Conteh, 42, of Sierra Leone, is accused of running a group that smuggled migrants from various countries, some of whom
paid tens of thousands of dollars to be brought in. The indictment states the smuggled migrants hailed from nu me r ou s c ou nt r ie s, including Iran, Afghanistan, CONTEH Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Somalia, Cameroon, Senegal, Mauritania, Ethiopia TURN TO SMUGGLER ON 31
Welcome back, summer.
PADDY’S GOAL
Pacific Ridge alum Patrick “Paddy” O’Donnell has battled a terminal brain cancer diagnosis since 2022, effectively ending his hockey career at the University of Utah. But the Carlsbad resident keeps a positive outlook throughout his ordeal, aiming to give other cancer patients hope. Story on 14. Courtesy photo/Pacific Ridge Hockey
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VISTA — The real estate trust that owns Green Oak Ranch in Vista has entered into a purchase agreement with homelessness nonprofit Solutions for Change for its use of a 110-acre parcel of the property, RANCHO dashing the county’s SFNEWS hopes of using the land for a proposed sober living and be- MEGISON havioral health facility. The contract signed Thursday morning is a 10-year lease with an exclusive purchasing right option to Solutions for $10.5 million. Solutions CEO DESMOND and founder Chris Megison said they hope to purchase the land sometime in the next three years. The nonprofit will take possession of the land in the first quarter of 2025 and will use it to expand its Solutions Academy for families experiencing homelessness, specifically for additional housing and workforce development training. “We’re really grateful to the Green Oak Ranch land board for selecting us. We’re at 25 years of transforming lives for families that we help, and we’re gonna be able to help a lot more families over the next many years,” Megison said. The 110-acre parcel of the 142-acre ranch was put up for sale almost a year after the passing of the land’s former owner, Arie de Jong, last April. The parcel currently houses a popular summer camp and retreat center, an RV park, and a residential men’s re-
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TURN TO GREEN OAK ON 21
World-class Thoroughbred racing, great dining and entertaining events are happening all summer long. Come out on Saturday, August 10 for Tacos & Tequila*. And get a free Breeders’ Cup travel tumbler on Saturday, August 17, with full paid admission. See the ad inside for a complete listing of activities or scan the QR code for more details.
JULY 20 - SEPTEMBER 8
* Paid ticketed event.