There is a race for the seven seats up for election for the Valley Center Community Planning Group. Nine candidates seek the seats. They include incumbents Lisa H. Adams, a civil engineer;u00a0 Vlad Anthony Ciupitu, a navy government contractor; Susan Fajardo, retired registered nurse; James Garritson, a teacher; Steve Hutchison, LaVonne Norwood and Matt Matthews, veterinarian. Challengers are Mordi Iheme, a retired chemical engineer, Andrew Noll, a retired commercial banker. Fire Boar...
Halloween Spooktacular The 7th annual Valley Center Halloween Spooktacular will be held at Valley Center Elementary Schoolu2019s parking lot, Friday, October 30, 6:30 p.m. u2013 8:30 p.m.u00a0 The safe Halloween event is organized by The Valley Roadrunner with the partnership of the Valley Center Business Association and the Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District. Palomar Health/UC Sanu00a0 Diego Health town hall Diane Hansen, president and CEO of Palomar UC San Diego Health and P...
Editor, Roadrunner: For almost six years, the Valley Center Community Planning Group (VCCPG) has been led by two chairs, Dee Chavez-Harmes (2020u20132025) and Dori Rattray (2025u2013present). Both are competent people. In fact, I voted for Dori when she ran for reelection as chair last January. But things soon went off the rails. Dori got into a public spat with The Roadrunner. She invoked her official title in an effort to derail the paradeu2019s event permit. She issued a so-called u...
At Octoberu2019s Valley Center Community Planning Group meeting, members Bob Littlejohn and Mary Hodson, feel they were bushwhacked by a coordinated attack where Delores Chavez-Harmes and Chairwoman Dori Rattray read prepared statements that accused Littlejohn of being a misogynist, of violating county Policy I-1 and violating the Brown Act.u00a0 As Littlejohn prepared to talk about his agenda item on missed meetings, Chavez-Harmes and Rattray began reading their prepared statements. T...
SDG&Eu2019s proposed 500-kilovolt Golden Pacific Powerlink (GPP) transmission line could be coming to Valley Center and just in case it might be, Save Valley Center has formed to fight it. It joins a handful of similarly titled organizations (Save Pauma Valley, Save Palomar Mountain, Save Warner Springs)u00a0 who all have the goal of stopping the 190 foot towers from marching across their communities. Editoru2019s note: see our article about Save Pauma Valley else in this weeku2019...
The rebuilt Cal Fire Station 70u00a0 on Hwy 76 is rising from the soil. The Cal Fire station closed its doors in April 2025 after being in continuous service for more than 50 years. The station was no longer equipped with modern wildland firefighting equipment.u00a0 The replacement project includes modern apparatus bays, updated living quarters designed for larger rotational crews (typically accommodating 8 to 18 personnel depending on incident severity and fire season readiness), and ...
Local tribal leaders, state lawmakers, and transportation officials gathered Wednesday morning to officially dedicate a significant stretch of State Route 76 as the Payu00f3mkawish Highway, honoring the Luiseu00f1o people who have inhabited the region for over 10,000 years. Hosted by the Rincon Band of Luiseu00f1o Indians, the unveiling ceremony marked the culmination of a 15-year effort to publicly recognize the ancestral trail that the modern highway now occupies. Long before it was ...
On October 18, a group of nearly 150 residents from Pauma Valley and Valley Center met at St. Francis Church for an informational meeting about SDG&Eu2019s proposed 500-kilovolt Golden Pacific Powerlink (GPP) power line route. The South Mountain Alternative, if approved could affect residents on Palomar Mountain and throughout Pauma Valley and potentially parts of Valley Center.u00a0 The meeting was created for residents, by residents, led by Lara Lanfriedu2014one of the founders o...
A woman accused of masquerading as a retired Los Angeles attorney so the victimu2019s foster son could claim her estate pleaded not guilty to a dozen felony counts of identity theft and forgery. Kimberley Anne Pifer entered her plea in San Diego County Superior Court, answering charges tied to the death and financial exploitation of Nadine Jett, a foster mother and retired attorney whose remains were discovered buried on her rural 20-acre property in Valley Center. According to prosecu...
The Valley Center Art Association announces their annual open Art Show on Friday, November 20 & 21 at the Valley Center Library. u00a0 This is an opportunity for all local artists to exhibit their artwork to the community. The show is open to adult members and non-members alike.u00a0 Entry fees will apply: Members $10- 1st entry, $5.00 each for additional entries; Non-members $15- 1st entry, $5 each for each additional entries.u00a0 High school students are also invited and no entr...
With postseason play arriving and several Jaguar teams enjoying successful seasons, it’s time once again for the Jag Wire to catch readers up on the latest happenings on the Valley Center sports scene. So, letu2019s not hesitate in making way for the Wire to come alive and fill you in.u00a0 Football u2013 This Friday night will loom large for the Jaguars (5-4, 2-1) when they host Palomar League leader and rival Ramona. If coach Bill Dunckelu2019s crew can defeat the favored Bulld...
Editor, Roadrunner: u00a0Once again, SDG&E is proposing to transform our landscape under the polished name of the Golden Pacific Powerlink. Much like the original Sunrise Powerlink proposal, this new transmission project raises serious concerns about the route and its potential impact on our region. The proposed route would cut through Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, cross the Warner Springs area, skirt Palomar Mountain, and continue toward Temecula, reportedly to help supply elect...
LIGHT OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH The Sound of a Bell, the Promise of Hope Have you ever heard a bell ring and paused to listen? There is something special about its sound. It calls us to attention, marks an important moment, or invites us to remember. At Light of the Valley Lutheran Church, All Saintsu2019 Day is one of those meaningful moments. During our observance, the names of loved ones who have died during the past year are read aloud, and a bell is rung for each one. With eve...
The Kiwanis Club of Valley Center will hold their annual Kiwanis Charity Golf Tournament Thursday, November 19, with registration opening at 7 a.m. and a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. The tournament will be held at Native Oaks Golf Club, 14616 Woods Valley Rd. I spoke to Kiwanis co-chairs Jim Dorschel and VC-Pauma school Supt. Mark Hailwood about the tournament, and its beneficiaries: local students who are awarded scholarships from the funds raised. u201cThis is a great tournament,u201d ...
Scott Peters, congressman of the 50th District, visited Valley Center last week and sat down for an interview, the first time since most of this community became part of his district after redistricting. The rest of VC is in the 48th District, which Jim Desmond is running to represent. He brought along his chief of staff, MaryAnne Pintar. Since Valley Center has not been part of his district before, I asked for some background. Peters was first elected to Congress in 2012. Californiau2...
