SERVICE AWARD
Bess Bronson received the Oceanside’s annual Martin Luther King Community Service Award on Jan. 20. According to the city, Bronson has been an advocate and supporter of Oceanside youth and education. She’s a member of the North County African American Women’s Association and has volunteered in numerous capacities, including with the Oceanside Pacific Kiwanis and Brother Benno’s Outreach Programs. She is a member of the Oceanside Unified Bond Oversight Committee.
COLLEGE GRADUATE
David Taylor of San Marcos earned a Master of Public Health from Northern Illinois University in December.
DEAN’S LIST
Michael Caterina of Del Mar made the dean’s list at the University of New England and Hailey Mullen of Oceanside made the dean’s list at Hofstra University.
JANUARY CHAMPION
State Sen. Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas) named Paul “Mac” McNamara as the 38th Senate District’s Champion of the Month for January. McNamara, a former Escondido mayor, currently serves as executive director of Brother Benno’s in Oceanside. He is a retired Marine colonel who served during Operation Desert Storm.
NCTD LEADERSHIP
The North County Transit District Board of Directors elected Carlsbad Mayor Pro Tempore Priya Bhat-Patel to serve as board chair and San Marcos Deputy Mayor Mike Sannella as vice chair for 2025. Bhat-Patel has served on the board since 2019 and Sannella since 2022.
EXCELLENT LIBRARY
The Cal State San Marcos University Library received the 2025 Library Excellence in Access and Diversity Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education.
FILM GUILD
The Encinitas Union School District’s Film Guild Program was selected as a recipient of the Golden Bell Award, California’s leading educational honor, for its innovation as a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program for elementary students by the California School Boards Association.
HOCKEY ALL-STAR
Army and Navy Academy Cadet Gabriel Panczuk earned a spot in the 13th Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League All-Star Games, representing the junior varsity division. Panczuk is a founding member and captain of the Army and Navy ice hockey team and member of the Carlsbad United Hockey Team.
SURF WIN
The Grauer School high school surf team finished first overall in Division 5 at the most recent Scholastic Surf Series competition in Oceanside.
NEW FACILITY
Aquacycl, an industrial wastewater treatment company, has added a second, 8,800-square foot warehouse in Escondido across from the company’s headquarters on Andreasen Drive. The new warehouse is designed to optimize workflows by reducing the production timelines on average for treatment systems from six to four months.
PADEL COURTS
The Fairmont Grand Del Mar resort has partnered with Taktika Padel to introduce the fast-growing racket sport to the resort.
