Coastal Community News Briefs for Friday, Oct. 10

By North County Times | Friday, October 10, 2008 12:18 AM PDT ∞

Seniors gather to dance

OCEANSIDE ---- The Oceanside Senior Center will hold a ballroom dance for those ages 55 and older, featuring music by The Vidals from 2-4 p.m. Oct. 12 at 455 Country Club Lane. Cost: $5. Call (760) 435-5250.

Party held for mayoral candidate

OCEANSIDE ---- A party for mayoral candidate Rocky Chavez, "Rhumba for Rocky," will be held from 1-3 p.m. Oct. 12 at Azafran restaurant, 1001 S. Coast Highway. Visit www.rockyforoceanside.com.

Tri-City Computer Club to meet

OCEANSIDE ---- The Tri-City Computer Club will meet from 1-3 p.m. Oct. 14 at the Salvation Army Community Center, 3935 Lake Blvd. The club will demonstrate Linux, the operating system for older computers. Call (760) 433-8097.

Friends of O'side Dog Beach to meet

OCEANSIDE ---- Friends of Oceanside Dog Beach will meet at 7 p.m. Oct. 14. Anyone interested in establishing a dog beach in Oceanside is welcome. Directions and information: (760) 415-2344; hugfol@cox.net; www.friendsofoceansidedogbeach.org.

NARFE to meet

OCEANSIDE ---- The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, Oceanside Chapter 706, will meet from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Oct. 16 at the Oceanside Senior Center, 455 Country Club Lane. President Tom Buggie will discuss his trip to the National Convention in Louisville, Ky. During the convention, the delegates from Region VIII chose Helen Zajac of California to represent them on the 14-member NARFE National Executive Board. Call (760) 757-5559.

VFW Post open for meals

VISTA ---- Vista VFW Post 7041 is open to the public for special meals four times a week at 1717 E. Vista Way. The special dinner from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Oct. 10 is pork chops, veggies and salad for $7. Regular menu items also are available. Special dinners for the week are:

-- Oct. 11, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Grandma's half-pound burgers and fries, $4.

-- Oct. 12, 8:30 a.m.-noon, scramlettes.

-- Oct. 14, steak and baked potato, $6.50.

-- Oct. 15, sandwich plate, $3.50.

Proceeds are used for the post's many veterans programs. Call (760) 724-7041.

TOPS to celebrate anniversary

VISTA ---- TOPS Club Vista will celebrate its anniversary with a party and open house from 5:45-7:30 p.m. Oct. 15 at Corona del Vista Clubhouse, 1501 Anza Drive. The free event will include door prizes, light refreshments, a quilt raffle and short sample program. Call (760) 613-8628.

Senior center holds dance

VISTA ---- A dance will be held from 2-4 p.m. Oct. 16 at the McClellan Senior Center, 1400 Vale Terrace Drive. Music will be by George Mozes, Palomar smooth jazz instructor. Cost: $2. Call (760) 639-6160.

Travel group to see musical

VISTA ---- The McClellan Senior Center's travel group, Culture Caravan, will visit Upland to see "Menopause the Musical" Oct. 15. The motor coach leaves at 10:45 a.m. and returns at 6 p.m. Lunch is included at the Souplantation before the show. Cost: $88. Call (760) 643-2828.

Gem and Mineral Society to meet

VISTA ---- The Vista Gem and Mineral Society will meet at 7 p.m. Oct. 16 at the McClellan Senior Center, 1400 Vale Terrace Drive. Members will hold 'shoe box' demonstrations on their phases of lapidary.

The society will hold its biannual Gem Show from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 11 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 12 at the Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum, 2040 N. Santa Fe Ave. Call (760) 724-0395.

Oktoberfest benefits kids

VISTA ---- The Eckert Family will sponsor an Oktoberfest to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Vista from 4:30-9 p.m. Oct. 18 at the club, 410 W. California Ave. There will be bratwurst, cabbage, pretzels, strudel, beverages, German music and dancers. Tickets are $50 per person, $95 per couple. Children ages 7-18 are $25; ages 6 and under, free. Information: (760) 724-6606; cindy@bgcvista.com.

League to register voters Oct. 11

CARLSBAD ---- The League of Women Voters North Coast will register voters from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 11 at Westfield Mall, 2525 El Camino Real. A voter may also change registration if a name or address has changed, or if the voter wants to become a permanent absentee voter. A driver’s license or ID card is required. A voter notification card will be mailed by the Registrar's office to confirm registration. The deadline to register to vote in the November election is Oct. 20. Call (760) 736-1608.

Report illegal disposal of cigarettes

CARLSBAD ---- During what is historically the hottest time of the year in San Diego County and when fire risk is at its peak, the Carlsbad Police Department would like to remind citizens to properly dispose of cigarettes, and asks them to report when they see people throwing cigarettes from their vehicles. Not only is that a violation of the California Vehicle Code, it is also a significant fire hazard. Citizens caught throwing lighted or unlighted cigarettes from vehicles will be cited and fined. The fine for a first-time offense is $100 with a mandatory court appearance; the second offense is $500. Citizens are asked to call the 24-hour Cigarette Butt Hotline sponsored by the San Diego County Surfrider Foundation at (877) 211-BUTT (2888). When calling, be prepared to report:

-- Vehicle license number, make, model and color; date, time and location of incident

-- Who threw the cigarette (driver or passenger), male or female

Call in to 911 any other suspicious activity related to possible fires.

Monthly bird count at Batiquitos Lagoon

CARLSBAD ---- The Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation will offer the easy, docent-led bird count walk at 7:30 a.m. Oct. 10 and every second Friday of the month, starting from the Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation Nature Center parking lot, at the end of Gabbiano Lane. The purpose is to count the birds seen and heard at the lagoon and report the numbers to the Audubon Society. Bird counts are done monthly at many San Diego locations such as Batiquitos Lagoon. Bring binoculars. Information: (760) 931-0800; www.batiquitosfoundation.org.

Library to host 'Speak for Success'

CARLSBAD ---- Carlsbad City Library will host “Speak for Success,” an interactive program with professional speaker and trainer Dana Bristol-Smith, from 10:30 a.m.-noon Oct. 11 at the library’s Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium, 1775 Dove Lane. The free workshop is aimed at helping people get past their fears and discomfort of public speaking. Information: (760) 602-2012; www.carlsbadlibrary.org.

Family concert slated for library

ENCINITAS ---- The Hutchins Consort of Encinitas will begin a free Family Concert Series the second Saturday of each month at the Encinitas Library, 540 Cornish Drive. The first concert will be at 10 a.m. Oct. 11 and will feature Iraqi singer and oud (Arabic lute) legend Saadoun al-Bayati. The concert series is funded by the city of Encinitas, Mizel Family Foundation and San Diego County Library. Visit www.hutchinsconsort.org, www.encinitaslive.com.

Church holds gala/auction

SOLANA BEACH ---- The Solana Beach Presbyterian Church Gala/Auction that will take place at the church at 5 p.m. Oct. 18 at 120 Stevens Ave. The theme is "The Beat Goes On" featuring music and decor from the '40s, '50s and '60s. Proceeds will help fund the church Chancel Choir's mission trip in 2009 to Central and Eastern Europe. The 70-person choir will travel to Hungary, Ukraine and Russia to put on a series of concerts. Call (858) 509-2580.

Art institute seeking volunteers

ENCINITAS ----- The Lux Art Institute is expanding its volunteer docent group to accommodate increased attendance. Those with an interest in art and personal interaction are invited to apply at the Lux Art Institute, 1550 S. El Camino Real. Information: (760) 436-6611; education@luxartinstitute.org.

Encinitas to host preschool prep

CARDIFF ---- The city of Encinitas Parks and Recreation Department will offer its Little Learners class from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning Oct. 14 at the Scout House in Glen Park, 2149 Orinda Drive. The course is for children ages 34 months to 46 months who are potty-trained and able to participate independent of their parents. It provides opportunities to meet other children, explore a new environment, and provides an introduction to reading readiness and other preschool prep activities. Children will work on pre-reading and pre-writing skills, and supervised open play, snack and art will be included. Parents are welcome to stay anytime and will be required to help with at least one class during the session. Call (760) 633-2759.

Woman’s Club to meet Oct. 14

ENCINITAS ----- The San Dieguito Woman's Club will meet at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 14 in the Community Room in the San Diego National Bank, 131 N. El Camino Real. The speaker will be Joy Lane of the League of Women Voters, who will discuss the pros and cons of the 12 statewide propositions. Call (760) 632-9768.

Rancho North Coast Dems to meet

ENCINITAS ---- The meeting of the Rancho North Coast Democratic Club has been rescheduled to Oct. 16 to accommodate the last presidential debate, which takes place Oct. 15. The meeting will include a review of ballot propositions, including club votes to endorse "no" on Propositions 4 and 8. There also will be presentations by local campaign representatives and a discussion on the debates.� Social time is 6:30 p.m., with the meeting at 7. The club meets at 454 Requeza St. Call (760) 230-6263, (760) 436-7100.

Irrigation District to hold drought response hearing

RANCHO SANTA FE ----- The Santa Fe Irrigation District Board of Directors will hold a public hearing to receive and consider public comment on the proposed Santa Fe Irrigation District Drought Response Policies and Procedures during a regular meeting at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 16 at the district offices, 5920 Linea del Cielo. The policies and procedures, being adopted by area water agencies, are intended as a tool to achieve reductions during shortages, and to provide regional consistency in the event of necessary reductions. The Santa Fe Irrigation District Drought Response Policies and Procedures have four levels of drought response, determined by specific existing conditions, from a voluntary 10 percent reduction of water usage up to a mandatory 40 percent or more reduction. The district’s intention is to inform customers in advance of official notice of the Drought Condition Levels, so they can prepare for reductions and consider water use changes that could be implemented now.

Submit written comments to General Manager Michael J. Bardin at P.O. Box 409, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067-0409. After the close of the public hearing, the board of directors may consider adoption, revision or modification of the Drought Response Policies and Procedures.

Information: (858) 756-5672; www.sfidwater.org.

Elfin Forest kicks off fall photo contest

ENCINITAS ---- The Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve’s third annual photo contest for amateur photographers is under way. The reserve offers about 11 miles of hiking, mountain biking, equestrian trails, primitive picnic areas, and scenic mountain viewing points full of native plant communities such as oak riparian, oak woodland, coastal sage scrub and chaparral. The contest is open to photographers of all ages and the winners will have their photos publicized.

Photos must be taken within the reserve from any authorized trail or have the reserve as their subject. Photographers can visit www.omwd.com and click on the "Reserve" link for a trail map, contest details and a downloadable entry form. Submit photos by mail or drop off at the Olivenhain Municipal Water District office, 1966 Olivenhain Road, now through Oct. 25. Winners will be announced on Nov. 3.

Park Rangers conduct guided group tours and student exploration programs to help promote environmental awareness and preservation of local watersheds. Call (760) 632-4212.

First name only. Comments including last names, contact addresses, e-mail addresses or phone numbers will be deleted. Attempts to misrepresent your identity or impersonate any person will not be approved. All comments are screened before they appear online, so please keep them brief. Comments reflect the views of those commenting and not necessarily those of the North County Times or its staff writers. Click here to view additional comment policies.