Join us Saturday, June 17th from 2 – 5PM in the beautiful community of San Elijo Hills in San Marcos as we showcase some of the best craft beers, meads, wines (and more) around!
Enjoy live DJ music, plenty of dancing, and awesome food options. Proceeds from this North County Locals’ favorite annual event support our surrounding area schools.(This event is 21+ Only)
Purchase your advance tickets before June 10th to take advantage of deep discounts from our Gate Prices:
General Admission: $50($95 at the Gate)
General Admission w/ Early Entry Pass*: $80 (Unavailable at the Gate)
*Act now to get your hands on one of a limited number of Early Entry tickets entitling you to an additional hour of tasting before gates open to the general public! These passes are first come, first serve. Purchase yours before they run out!
Read the correspondence below from the City’s Traffic Engineering Department regarding the new ‘no turn on red’ sign installed on Schoolhouse Way:
At the request of the school district and to avoid another potentially dangerous situation, a no right turn on red sign has been installed for southbound Schoolhouse Way. Traffic Engineering wanted to move quickly since this location is right outside of two schools where children frequently cross. We are aware that the turn restriction causes additional delays and frustrations to drivers when exiting Schoolhouse Way; however, safety is always the number one concern.
The static signs will remain for the time being, but an order for an electronic ‘blank-out’ no right turn on red sign has been ordered and installation will be expedited once it arrives (see attached picture for reference). Once this new equipment arrives, the static signs will be removed and the blank-out sign will be integrated with the traffic signal to operate at peak times during school pick up and drop off only.
Get ready for a great week of Riding, Crafts, Water games, Fashion Photo Day and more RIDING!
BRING: A good Attitude, long pants, sturdy shoes/boots, pony tails/braids for long hair (I have helmets) and a sack lunch. We have juice/water, pretzels, red licorice and Otter Pops all day long. No candy necessary in their lunches.
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. We are doing more drills and fun competitions. If you’re concerned about the heat, we take care of that with water games and even riding in sprinklers.
PARKING: First day, we’ll direct you to little road below by ring and Camp. It goes thru to other road to my street. Easypeasy. Good way to enter when picking up as well…Take it slow to not scare animals. That is where you’ll park for Friday Show Off Day as well.
Monday and Tuesday: Get here, sign up, Sign Release Form, get your Camp Book and down on to the horses. We Ride twice on these days, definitely. Tuesday evening, Girls: 4-5 braids in hair to sleep in and wear under helmet for first ride on Wednesday. Wild hair a must, for Wednesday.
Wednesday: Ride first, Lunch, then Photo Dress Up Day….I have it all. We’ve morphed into Steam Punk Elves. If you would like to volunteer to help with eyeliner, lipstick and hair…Thank you. I was primarily a professional photographer for much of my careers, so, you score. This all takes time. Sometimes we run a little late.
Thursday: Ride first, (practicing what we’re going to do in Show Off performance), then Lunch then Water Wipe Out Day…Yes, I, the Queen Kay and my loyal Counselors, Wipe Out our Campsters with a royal slide and …well,… water. Bring Bathing Suit or tight shorts to slide, flip flops and TOWEL. We then get on the horses again, bareback pads, helmets (of course) and boots/shoes and ride in their bathing suits.
Friday: Show Off Day. We ride first, then prepare the horses in a special artful way. The parents and Friends come to enjoy a special ‘Show Off’ time of their Campers Riding and after, All in the Camp will be showing off. Parents arrive at 12:30, for the SHOW. The Riders are in groups to ride their horses. You leave with wonderful memories, athletes, and a treasure pile of their crafts. OH! and fab photographs from Queen Kay.
I, Queen Kay and my loyal COUNSELORS/RIDERS are really excited to start Camp. It just gets better and better.
Kay Greenwood BARKING ELF RANCH (One Mile from San Elijo’s last stop sign.) 20722 Elfin Forest Road Elfin Forest, CA 92029 H-760-744-2422/C-760-822-1237 email kay@kgreenwood.com www.barkingelfranch.com
In honor of Public Service Recognition Week, the Vallecitos Water District (VWD) is announcing an event to honor former Board Member Margaret E. “Betty” Ferguson and the 1946 Jeep (Willys) CJ-2A she enjoyed driving. The event will take place on Wednesday June 21, 2023, at 4:00 pm at the VWD Office located at 201 Vallecitos de Oro in San Marcos and will also include an unveiling of the Jeep.
Betty served VWD for 35 years as a member of the Board of Directors, beginning with her election in 1978. Betty had a special place in the hearts of District employees as she was always their champion. Betty fostered a great relationship between the Board and the employees and made it her goal to always show her appreciation for their work.
Betty passed away peacefully on December 14, 2022. She enlisted in the Women’s U.S. Marine Corps on February 2, 1950, and was discharged as a Corporal on March 14, 1952, at Camp Pendleton. After serving in the Marine Corps, Betty had a special connection to the District’s 1946 Jeep.
The Jeep worked for many years bringing pipe, tools, and an air compressor (to run a jackhammer) to job sites. The Jeep was later used as a survey vehicle to get to difficult to reach locations within the District’s service area. In the early 2000s the Jeep was refurbished and repainted to work as a parade vehicle, driven by Board members at community events. Once the Jeep was retired and moved into Vallecitos’ lobby, it was named after Margaret E. “Betty” Ferguson and is affectionately known as “Betty.”
The average home selling price in March 2023 in San Elijo Hills was $1,313,404 and closed for 100.5% of the listing price, down from 110% in April 2022. The average March 2023 market time was 24 days. This is down from just 63 days in February 2023.
The average price per square foot in March 2023 was $492, down from $739 in May 2022. Currently, only 10 homes are for sale in San Elijo Hills, and 12 homes are pending in escrow, with seven homes selling in March, up from 6 homes in February.
10 HOMES FOR SALE IN SAN ELIJO HILLS. This link is live and will update as homes come on the market. A great time to sell with limited competition.
Curious about the new value of your San Elijo Hills home
Are you curious about the new value of your San Elijo Hills home in this current market? I recommend Homebot to track the value of your home and build more wealth with your home and your real estate investments or vacation home.
If you or someone you know is considering making a move, please call/text Ed Philbrick at 760 496-8134
Spring is in the air which means green grasses, blooming flowers, seasonal ponds, and warmer temperatures. Unfortunately, with all this warmth, dense grass, and increased water sources comes a dramatic increase in the number of pests and parasites. As the weather becomes warmer, fleas, ticks, and mosquitos become more and more common, and become increasingly greater threats to our pets.
Parasites are creatures that live in or on another organism, obtaining nutrients from that organism but offering nothing in return. In the case of fleas, ticks, and heartworms, these parasites do more than just feed off our pets – they make them uncomfortable and can even cause disease that can threaten the lives of pets and people.
Fleas
Fleas are the most common external parasite of dogs and cats. They live in the haircoat, biting the pet and feeding off the pet’s blood. Fleas live much of their lives on their host; they feed and breed on the pet, and even lay their eggs in the pet’s hair. These eggs fall off as the pet moves around, allowing them to be deposited all over the pet’s living area, into the carpet, rugs, furniture, or soil.
Once flea eggs hatch, they become tiny larvae which then pupate within a cocoon, where they develop into adults. The un-emerged adult flea can delay hatching from the cocoon for up to 350 days until conditions, such as temperature, humidity, or a suitable host, are just right for them to fully hatch. This can explain why a home can be flea-free for many months and then suddenly have a flea infestation.
In pets, the most common symptoms of fleas is itching. This can be mild to severe, depending on the pet. It is not uncommon for pets to even be allergic to fleas, with a bite from just a single flea causing a significant allergic reaction. Severe flea infestations on a pet can result in anemia (low red blood cell count) from so many fleas feeding on the pet. In addition, fleas are known to be involved in the transmission of tapeworms or even diseases such as murine typhus.
Once a home has a population of fleas, it can take weeks or even months to get under control, even with effective treatment. Since the un-emerged adults can go “dormant,” it can appear that the home is flea-free when, in fact, there are many cocoons just lying in wait. A few days of warm weather in winter can provide the perfect condition for the adults to hatch, leading to a flea population explosion. For this reason, experts recommend that pets be on flea-control year-round, regardless of weather conditions.
Ticks
Ticks are another common parasite seen, especially in dogs. They are more common in some states than others, but have recently been becoming increasingly common in Southern California.
Ticks are not insects they are actually arachnids, like spiders. Ticks eat the blood of their host, attaching themselves firmly to the dog’s skin, and eating voraciously while they are attached. They are attracted to warmth, movement, and the carbon dioxide exhaled by animals, and will wait in long grasses or brush until a suitable host passes by. Many have a “preferred” host species but can be opportunistic when the preferred animal is not around.
While ticks feed, they can transmit many dangerous diseases including Lyme Disease, Ehrlichia, Anaplasmosis, Babesia, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Additionally, a neurotoxin passed in tick saliva can cause a condition called Tick Paralysis. As the name suggests, this is a neurologic syndrome characterized by acute ataxia which can progress to paralysis.
Some years back, ticks were not considered a common pest in Southern California. However, in recent years they have become far more prevalent, and experts believe that 2023 may be one of the worst on record for tick infestations in San Diego County.
Heartworm/Mosquitos
Heartworms Disease is a very serious infection common across the United States. This disease is responsible for many canine deaths and countless sick pets every year. Heartworm can affect dogs, cats, and ferrets, as well as wild mammals such as coyotes, foxes, sea lions, and rarely humans.
Heartworms are transmitted from pet to pet by mosquitos. When the mosquito bites an infected dog, it can pick up immature heartworms known as microfilaria in the blood. These microfilaria are then passed to a different animal when the mosquito feeds again.
Dogs are the “natural host” for heartworms, meaning that the parasites live most of their lives and then reproduce inside of the dog. As these heartworms mature into adults, they take up residence in the heart, lungs, and associated vessels causing severe symptoms similar to heart and/or lung disease. While most infected dogs can successfully be treated, the treatment is both long and can be uncomfortable. In advanced cases with significant clinical signs, it can even be dangerous.
In cats, heartworm disease is very different as the worms do not survive into adulthood. The immature worms lead to a pulmonary condition in cats know as Heartworm Associated Respiratory Disease (HARD). Symptoms of feline heartworm infection include coughing and asthma symptoms, vomiting, lack of appetite, or weight loss. For cats, there is no approved heartworm treatment. Because felines are not “ideal” hosts for heartworms, some infections may resolve on their own. Cats should be treated for symptoms associated with infection and maintained on heartworm prevention to prevent reinfection.
Parasites can cause problems ranging from mildly irritating to life-threatening. More significantly, experts say that problems with parasites in San Diego County are only getting worse, with both ticks AND heartworm on the rise. Diseases caused by parasites can be scary and difficult to treat; additionally, once a parasite infestation has taken hold it can be very hard to get under control. The key to keeping your pet (and yourself!) safe is prevention, and luckily prevention is easy!
In both dogs and cats there are a multitude of safe options that effectively prevent or treat fleas, ticks, and heartworm. These products have been proven safe, easy to administer, and effective. Many of these products help prevent more than one parasite, including some that protect against fleas, ticks, heartworm, and even internal parasites such as roundworms and hookworms.
The key to protecting your pet is to have them on prevention before there is a problem. Don’t wait until your pet has ticks, fleas have infested your home, or until they are actively being exposed to mosquitos. In fact, in Southern California it is now recommended that pets be on protection year-round, regardless of weather.
If you are interested in more information on prevention products for your cats or dogs, please give us a call at (760) 736-3636.
Advanced Veterinary Care of San Elijo
1691 Melrose Dr. Suite # 110 San Marcos, CA 92078 760-736-3636 www.sanelijovet.com
Fishing and hiking are highlights of the new open space
Long-awaited public access to a retired reservoir in San Marcos became a reality today as city and water district officials celebrated the grand opening of South Lake Park.
The 10-acre site is located at 975 Sunstone Drive and includes a mile-long hiking trail around the lake, idyllic spots for fishing, and a small parking lot.
“After years of planning, we are so proud to finally cut the ribbon on this much-anticipated community park and welcome residents to this special location,” said City of San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones. “Today is a shining example of what is possible when you persevere and hold true to your vision.”
The park has been planned since 2005, when the city made a deal to rent the old reservoir from Vallecitos Water District for $1 a year for 50 years.
“When the District’s need for the reservoir ended, the visionary leaders on the City Council and Water Board had the wonderful idea to open this space up to the public,” explained Vallecitos Water District President Jim Hernandez. “Thanks to them, and all those that came after, we can now enjoy this beautiful retreat in our community.”
The lake was built in 1959 and provided drinking water to the Lake San Marcos and Coronado Hills areas until 1984 when Vallecitos Water District decommissioned its use.
At its maximum capacity, Southlake can hold 73 million gallons of water. It is filled with run off from rain and fluctuates with drought conditions. The deepest part of the lake is 50 feet.
Prior to the park opening, the lake was inaccessible to the public and sat behind locked gates. It has served as an emergency water storage reservoir in the past – a role that will continue.
The project is a joint effort between the City of San Marcos and Vallecitos Water District.
For more information, please contact the City’s Parks and Recreation Department at parksandrec@san-marcos.net or at 760-744-9000.
We are so excited to let you know about an upcoming community event. San Elijo Elementary School and its PTO are hosting a Country Fair, Western Dance, and Silent Auction on Saturday, April 22, 2023, from 11 AM to 7 PM. We are excited to be celebrating the 15th anniversary of this school-hosted community event which is open to the public.
This year’s festivities will include climbing, jumping, obstacle courses, inflatable attractions, laser tag, peddle carts, and many other activities, along with carnival games and delicious grub from our fleet of Food Trucks, Bake Sale, and Snack Shack.
Save a bundle when you purchase a Playzone Wristband for unlimited play on our attractions, or buy sets of 20 tickets to use at our Playzone Attractions, Carnival Games, Blue Ribbon Bake Sale Booth, and Snack Shack! Grab your wristbands and tickets here: https://tinyurl.com/SEESCFTickets
Hot Tip: Buy early…Ticket prices increase on April 20!
New this year: We’re excited to announce our first SEES CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT. Sign up in advance for a chance to win some great prizes, including4 Padres Tickets to the May 3, 2023, game, a custom cornhole game set from A/R Worshop, and gift certificates. Sign up today https://tinyurl.com/CFCornHole
Remember about the popular silent auction. You can register today so that you are ready. Text countryfair to 76278 or visit seesfair.com to sign up, view, or bid on all auction items. Bidding starts on April 19, 2023 at noon.
The City of San Marcos is proud to welcome Kevin Ralph as Captain of the San Marcos Sheriff’s Station. Ralphs’ new position with San Marcos will allow him to advance his 20-year career in law enforcement, which began in 2003 with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.
Ralphs’ previous history in law enforcement illustrates his dedication and devotion to serving San Diego communities. Early in his career, Ralph earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice Administration. After graduating from the 66th Regional Police Academy, Ralph went from patrol units and special investigations to most recently serving as lieutenant where he was assigned the Alpine Patrol Station, Border Crimes Suppression Team and Major Crimes Division, managing the Family Protection Detail. From his experience in law enforcement and his previous four years serving the City of San Marcos early in his career, Ralph adheres to maintaining public safety in the San Marcos community.
Ralph said, “I recall experiencing a neighborhood feeling while patrolling the streets of San Marcos. The community was appreciative, involved and invested.”
Ralph has a variation of experience in sergeant and lieutenant roles and prioritizes earning community trust by providing professional law enforcement services. Ralph recognizes the first step to community trust begins with being available and approachable while also listening intently and compassionately to the needs of the community. He notes the importance of following through with proactive and innovative steps to reach success. “I know I have to focus on the development of my staff, so they have the tools and training to be the most efficient and professional representatives of this public safety profession,” said Ralph.
In his new role, Ralph and the San Marcos Sheriff’s Department plan to enhance public safety in San Marcos by listening to community concerns and working closely with the community, in addition to the City, in order to bring resolutions to those concerns.
“I am honored to be entrusted with the responsibility of continuing to make positive changes for the San Marcos community in collaboration with the City,” said Ralph. “I look forward to getting back to my roots here in San Marcos and ardently providing the citizens of San Marcos with the highest quality public safety services expected of today’s law enforcement profession.
