Don’t forget to set your clocks back at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 6!
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ENCINITAS, CA 92024 PERMIT NO. 94
THE COAST NEWS
.com MAKING WAVES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
VOL. 36, N0. 44
NOV. 4, 2022
SAN MARCOS -NEWS
Early votes in .38th beat CA average
com
Independent THE returns lag, Dems VISTA top count,NEWS says poll
Carlsbad teen helps families pay for youth sports
.com
By Stephen Wyer
made the claim that this decision was purely for budgetary reasons, but subsequently, more than 200 employees – not teachers – were then hired. So the claim that this was a necessity for budgetary reasons just doesn’t hold water.” Just earlier this month, Vargas and the Vista Unified school board voted to rehire the SROs that were fired three years earlier, which Franklin calls a politically-calculated stunt intended to obscure his op-
ENCINITAS — While many anticipate a lower overall voter turnout for this year’s midterm election, ballots cast in California’s 38th State Senate District race between Democrat Catherine Blakespear and Republican Matt GunRANCHO derson have exceeded stateSFNEWS wide averages, according to recent data. As of Monday, approximately 18% of voters in District 38 have already returned their ballots, compared to a statewide average of 11%, according to data collected by Political Data Intelligence, a polling organization that tracks statewide election results. So far, 42% of voters who have returned ballots are registered Democrats, while 34% are Republicans, according to the data, with 24% of voters having returned ballots being registered as independent or other party affiliations. Blakespear, who currently serves as the mayor of Encinitas and chair of SANDAG, and Gunderson are both running for the 38th District seat, vying to replace State Sen. Pat Bates (R-Laguna Niguel), who has been termed out of office. Paul Mitchell, a political data consultant for Redistricting Partners, said it’s difficult to make any
TURN TO CANDIDATES ON 10
TURN TO VOTING ON 11
HS senior Gavin Mestler started Ludus Pursuit to help keep kids playing. Page 12
Food & Wine
Celebrating La Jolla Art+Wine Festival Taste of Wine visits popular event featuring food, drink and 160 artists. Page 21
.com
ART LOVERS
THE FIRST artist open house will be held at 6 p.m. on Nov. 5 at the Brooks Theater Gallery in Oceanside to introduce a new exhibition highlighting 14 artists’ visual interpretations of romance. The free event will feature live music, an artist working on a current art piece and refreshments. Courtesy photo
Vista mayoral candidates spar over public safety By Stephen Wyer
VISTA — Two mayoral hopefuls in Vista are publicly accusing each other of dishonesty after one candidate’s policy decisions raised questions about his commitment to law enforcement and public safety. Deputy Mayor John Franklin and Trustee Cipriano Vargas, of the Vista Unified School District, are both hoping to replace outgoing Mayor Judy Ritter. According to a website launched earlier this month and statements
MAYORAL CANDIDATES Cipriano Vargas, left, and John Franklin seek to replace Judy Ritter. The Coast News graphic
made to The Coast News, Franklin’s campaign took aim at Vargas’ record on law enforcement, accusing
the school board official of diminishing security at Vista schools by terminating three school resource
officers (SROs), whom he reportedly referred to as a “school to prison pipeline.” Franklin also alleged Vargas made other inflammatory anti-police statements, calling law enforcement a “resource to intimidate the community,” and proposed “cuts of $54.9 million from local police budgets,” according to the website. “(Vargas) is running from his record on public safety,” Franklin said. “I start with the fact that he made the motion and cast the deciding vote fire SROs out of schools in 2019. He
Bruce
Ehlers For Encinitas City Council District 4
I'm Bruce and I stand for
• Local land use control • Transparency at City Hall • Public Safety www.BruceForEncinitas.com Bruce@BruceForEncinitas.com • 760-944-9482
PAID FOR BY FRIENDS OF BRUCE EHLERS FOR ENCINITAS CITY COUNCIL 2022, FPPC #1448196
V OTE!
As Mayor of Encinitas, Cindy Cremona will... Defend Local Control
Prioritize Infrastructure
Address Homelessness
Restore Transparency
Encinitas must control its zoning, not Sacramento Enforce laws and engage partners
YOUR VOICE – YOUR CHOICE
Residents deserve safe, uncongested streets Cindy will earn back residents’ trust
cindycremona4mayor.com Paid for by Cindy Cremona for Mayor of Encinitas 2022 FPPC #1445136