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Articles written by Jeff Pack


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  • Clayton Cranford

    Riverside County hosts virtual human trafficking conference

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer|Updated Mar 1, 2021

    Touching on a wide variety of topics relating to human trafficking and the prevention of human trafficking in Riverside County, the 2021 Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Virtual Conference was hosted by Riverside County DPSS – Children's Services Monday, Jan. 11, through Thursday, Jan. 14. The event kicked off with a keynote speech by Ashley Hanson, a senior transition age youth peer support specialist with RUHS-Behavioral Health who was a survivor of commercial sexu...

  • Nathan and Dawn Ashbrook

    Couple describes ongoing battle with COVID-19

    Jeff Pack, Special to Village News

    Dawn and Nathan Ashbrook don't know where they caught COVID-19 and they thought they were doing all the right things to prevent themselves from getting it. They got it anyway and it very likely could have cost one of them their life. The Ashbrooks own and operate Whispering Oaks Terrace, a wedding and special events venue east of Rainbow. Nathan, specifically, is a tall, strapping man who does physical work in maintaining the property for guests and clients. He said he's...

  • protest

    Athletes, parents rally to reopen sports

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer

    A few dozen athletes and parents gathered at the corner of Ammunition and Mission roads in the evening of Friday, Jan. 15 for a Let Them Play Rally, hoping to gather support for allowing youth and high school athletes to return to competition. "All the kids want to play," Ryan Farrish said. "And we as parents support them. We think it's in their best interest to be able to play the sports that they're playing. A lot of these guys and girls, it's their last season. It's their...

  • swimmer

    Swimming and Diving season moved up to Season 1, can start Feb. 1

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer|Updated Jan 20, 2021

    In a letter addressed to member schools on Wednesday, Jan. 13, the California Interscholastic Federation San Diego Section announced changes to the season schedule for high school sports within the county. The most significant news included that swimming and diving, previously slated to begin in March as part of Season 2 of the truncated high school sports season for 2020-21, has been moved up to Season 1 and can begin their season with cross country on Feb. 1. "In order to...

  • chart

    FUHSD board hears proposal for added year of math for graduation

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer

    During the Monday, Jan. 11 meeting of the Fallbrook Union High School District Board of Trustees, the board heard a presentation from staff outlining the addition of one year of math, three in total, to be added to graduation requirements for incoming freshman students. "This pathway, if approved, the 3-year math, would start with our incoming freshmen and we would like to start communicating and educating our parents on it as soon as possible," FUHSD Superintendent Ilsa...

  • hamburger

    VFW Post 1924 hopes to raise funds with Special Burger Night

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer|Updated Jan 20, 2021

    The Charles E. Swisher Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1924 is hosting a Special Burger Night Monday, Jan. 25, in hopes of raising much needed funds for the post, which has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The takeout only event will take place from 4-8 p.m. at the VFW post located at 1175 Old Stage Road in Fallbrook. Members of the community can drive up, place an order and take their orders to go. The veterans organization has been instrumental in providing food to...

  • girls running

    CIF clarifies high school sports that could start on Jan. 25

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer|Updated Jan 14, 2021

    The California Interscholastic Federation, on Tuesday, Jan. 5 provided further information on guidelines that will provide a roadmap as to which teams could theoretically begin competition on Jan. 25. Depending on where each county lands on impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, certain sports would be allowed to compete while others would not. A few months ago, CIF changed the 2020-21 school year athletic calendar to be conducted in two seasons, instead of the traditional three....

  • computer screen with zoom meeting

    FUHSD board covers governance protocols and standards in special session

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer|Updated Jan 13, 2021

    The Fallbrook Union High School District Board of Trustees on Monday, Jan. 4 held a special meeting via teleconference for a work-study session to review and learn about governance protocols and standards. Because of the special meeting designation, no public comments were taken. Led by former interim superintendent Dr. Lou Obermeyer, the work-study session covered ground-level topics such as the board's commitments and obligations, public service, effective governance,...

  • school

    Bonsall Unified pushes back in-person learning

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer|Updated Jan 13, 2021

    Students attending Bonsall Unified School District schools were anticipating a return to classrooms utilizing a hybrid model on Monday, Jan. 11. According to a letter released to parents on Thursday, Jan. 7, that won't happen until later this month. "At this time, based upon our case rate data in the BUSD school community and the required time to quarantine, along with CDPH guidance criteria on case threshold, we are concerned with our schools being negatively impacted with...

  • hamburger

    VFW hosting special burger night to raise much-needed funds

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer|Updated Jan 13, 2021

    The Charles E. Swisher VFW Post 1924 is hosting a Special Burger Night on Monday, Jan. 25 in hopes of raising much needed funds for the post, which has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The veterans organization has been instrumental in providing food to those in the community in need over the holidays for several years now and just this past season, delivered or provided more than 1,300 free Thanksgiving and Christmas Day meals, no questions asked. In normal times, the...

  • FUHSD board covers governance protocols and standards in special session

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer|Updated Jan 9, 2021

    The Fallbrook Union High School District Board of Trustees on Monday, Jan. 4 held a special meeting via teleconference for a work-study session to review and learn about governance protocols and standards. Because of the special meeting designation, no public comments were taken. Led by former interim superintendent Dr. Lou Obermeyer the work-study session covered ground-level topics such as the board's commitments and obligations, public service, effective governance,...

  • Bonsall Unified pushes back in-person hybrid learning

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer|Updated Jan 8, 2021

    Students attending Bonsall Unified School District schools were anticipating a return to classrooms utilizing a hybrid model on Monday, Jan. 11. According to a letter released to parents on Thursday, Jan. 7, that won’t happen until later this month. “At this time, based upon our case rate data in the BUSD school community and the required time to quarantine, along with CDPH guidance criteria on case threshold, we are concerned with our schools being negatively impacted with the staffing to support in-person instruction,” said...

  • Lila MacDonald

    Chamber CEO reflects on the year of COVID-19 and local business

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer|Updated Jan 6, 2021

    Looking back on 2020, Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Lila MacDonald says one word comes to mind when she thinks about how the town handled the pandemic and all that came with it. "The word that keeps coming to mind is resilient," she said in a phone interview. "When I went back and thought of everything, I think that we kind of forget things that we even went through. Especially in the beginning of 2020, when you look back at all the turmoil, not just...

  • boys water polo

    Restart of high school sports season up in the air as of Monday

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer|Updated Jan 6, 2021

    If all had gone to plan, the Fallbrook Union High School Warriors varsity football team would be playing it's first game of the season on Friday, Jan. 8. Unfortunately, not much has gone to plan in San Diego County, Southern California and the rest of the state with the COVID-19 pandemic running rampant. An expected update from the California Department of Public Health regarding the restart of high school sports competition had not yet been publicized, as of Monday, Jan. 4....

  • Life and stories locally carry on despite COVID-19 shadow

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer|Updated Dec 30, 2020

    While the 2020 conversation was seemingly dominated by COVID-19, Black Lives Matter, and the 2020 National Election, there were plenty of stories Village News covered and wrote about during the year that were important as well. From closures to landmark birthday celebrations to new ways of doing things, life in Fallbrook, Bonsall and Rainbow carried on. Jan. 9 Myrtle Creek Botanical Gardens & Nursery, a Fallbrook landmark settled in the late 1800s which had been transformed...

  • 'Alexandra's Law' to be introduced by Sen. Melendez in January

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer|Updated Dec 30, 2020

    Just a day before the anniversary of Alexandra Capelouto’s death by fentanyl poisoning, California State Sen. Melissa Melendez’s office announced Tuesday, Dec. 22, the senator would present legislation called “Alexandra’s Law” to legislators in January. Alexandra was the 2017 graduate of Great Oak High School who was found dead by her family Dec. 23, 2019. She was home visiting for the holidays from Arizona State when she obtained what her father, Matt Capelouto, said was believed to be oxycodone but turned out to be a street...

  • boxed meals

    Fallbrook VFW to give out Christmas dinner to those in need

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer

    Chris Ingraham, Post Commander of the Charles E. Swisher Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1924, is anticipating a big Christmas day for the post and its members and volunteers. "Even though we were basically shut down, we provide Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners to the community," Ingraham said. "We normally only do about 250 to 300 meals for Thanksgiving. We did 731 meals, and they were all delivered and take out. "With this current COVID stay at home order, we think we will...

  • teleconference

    FUHSD board approves MOU with teachers outlining reopening plan

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer

    During its Monday, Dec. 14 meeting, the Fallbrook Union High School District Board of Trustees approved a contract between the district and Fallbrook High School Teachers Association and a memorandum of understanding between the two, despite voiced objections from parents and students surrounding the details in the MOU that would set hybrid learning for limited students to begin only when San Diego County returns to the red tier and for more students when the county hits the...

  • FUHSD board approves MOU with teachers outlining reopening plan

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer|Updated Dec 19, 2020

    During its Monday, Dec. 14 meeting, the Fallbrook Union High School District Board of Trustees approved a contract between the district and Fallbrook High School Teachers Association and a memorandum of understanding between the district. Despite voiced objections from parents and students surrounding the details in the MOU that would set hybrid learning for limited students to begin only when San Diego County returns to the red tier and more students when the county hits the orange tier of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s framework f... Full story

  • Fallbrook VFW to give out Christmas meals to those in need

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer|Updated Dec 18, 2020

    Chris Ingraham, Post Commander of the Charles E. Swisher Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1924, is anticipating a big Christmas day for the post, its members and volunteers. "Even though we are basically shut down, we provide Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners to the community," Ingraham said. "We normally only do about 250 to 300 meals for Thanksgiving. We did 731 meals and they were all delivered and take out. "With this current COVID stay a home order, we think we will have ev... Full story

  • video of truck

    Fallbrook woman killed in hit-and-run on Gird Road

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer

    A 60-year-old Fallbrook woman died Thursday, Dec. 10 after authorities said the driver of a pickup truck veered onto the shoulder of Gird Road, struck her and drove off in Fallbrook as her husband watched. By Sunday evening, a suspect was in custody. The collision, reported at 4:58 p.m., happened on the northbound side of Gird Road with the nearest cross street being Laketree Drive. "A middle-aged woman was struck and succumbed to her injuries," North County Fire Capt. John...

  • boys playing water polo

    FUHS athletic director gives update, CIF commissioner answers questions on future of high school sports

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer|Updated Dec 17, 2020

    On Dec. 9. California Interscholastic Federation Commissioner Rob Wigod took questions from athletes and high school teams regarding yet another delay to the 2020-21 high school sports seasons. The Q&A session came on the heels of the Dec. 3 news regarding the postponement of Season 1 Sports in the CIF statewide and within the CIF -San Diego Section. "As of today, the Official Start Date for Season 1 Sports is on hold (TBD) until the point updated Youth Sports guidance is...

  • pie graph of budgeted funds

    Bonsall Unified meets in special meeting on budget talks

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer|Updated Dec 16, 2020

    The Bonsall Unified School District Governing Board met Wednesday, Dec. 9 to address some budget issues regarding the current school year. The board first approved the district's First Interim Report for the fiscal year 2020-21. Laura Castro, executive director of Business and Administrative Services for the district gave the presentation. She reported that the district's general fund revenue projected is $28,820,800, which includes the one-time COVID-19 funding. She said...

  • swearing in ceremony online

    NCFPD swears in new directors, selects new leaders

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer|Updated Dec 16, 2020

    Newly-elected Board Directors were welcomed to the North County Fire Protection District meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 8, and all three were sworn in at the beginning of the meeting. Cindy Acosta and Jeff Egkan ran for their seats unopposed, but David Kennedy beat out Lee De Meo for the seat. The board also selected Director John Van Doorn to serve as president and Director Kennedy to serve as Vice President during his first year on the board. The board also approved the consent...

  • homing pigeons

    Bonsall man finds joy in his flock of white pigeons

    Jeff Pack, Staff Writer

    Michael Casteneda doesn't raise and care for his white pigeons because he hopes to make a buck. He doesn't do it for the competitions. He raises his 40 or so birds for the sheer joy of it. "They are a joy to watch," he said. "They give you calm feelings. My neighbors are always stopping me when I'm out in front. They tell me how beautiful and how much they enjoy coming home in the evening after work, you know, fighting with the public and doing whatever they do at work. And my...

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