REMEMBERING ROSA
In December 1955, Rosa Parks was riding home from a long day at work by bus in Montgomery, Alabama, when she refused to give up her seat to white riders so they could sit down. To commemorate Rosa Parks’ birthday, and all she stood for, North County Transit District is joining other public transportation agencies around the country in recognizing Feb. 4 as “Transit Equity Day” and offering free rides on all NCTD modes — Coaster, Breeze, Sprinter, Flex and Lift — for the entire day.
GREAT GRADS
Aaron Nickolas Salazar, Allie Bigger, Kevin Ohm, Tyrece Miguel Moore, Juan David Ramirez, Lindsey Ortiz, Rico M. Young, Christopher O. Desamours, Melody Begay-Betonie, David Nicholas Nero, Sandra Newman and Soniya Kim Stoddard, all of Oceanside; Ethan Knowles and Roger Renschler, both of Carlsbad; Ashtyn Rybecca Lamb of Vista; and Abrahan Ramirez of San Marcos graduated from the University of Maryland Global Campus in fall 2022.
STAR SCHOLARS
• Anna Nguyen of Carmel Valley was named to the Siena College president’s list for the fall 2022 semester.
• Ariane Rouffignac of Carmel Valley was named to the Mansfield University fall 2022 dean’s list.
• Hofstra University congratulates Ashley Castaneda of Vista and Hailey Mullen and Alexis Friedman, both of Oceanside, named to the fall 2022 dean’s list for outstanding academic achievement.
• Preston Buscher, Adyson Baker and Luke McLellan, all of Carlsbad, and Brianna Burg of Carmel Valley were named to the Miami University dean’s list.
• Makena Kronemyer of San Diego and Ella Chambers of Solana Beach were named to the Miami University president’s list.
• Delaney Diltz and Delaney Nickerson of San Diego were named to the dean’s list at the University of New Hampshire for the fall 2022 semester.
TOP FACULTY HONOR
Cal State San Marcos history professor Alyssa Goldstein Sepinwall has been honored with the most prestigious award for faculty in the California State University system. Sepinwall is one of five winners of the Wang Family Excellence Award for “unwavering commitment to student achievement and advancing the CSU mission through excellence in teaching, scholarship and service.”
MISSION FED GIVES GRANT
Mission Federal Credit Union, a member-owned, not-for-profit financial institution serving San Diego County, received $25,000 in grant funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco’s 2022 Access to Housing and Economic Assistance for Development (AHEAD) Program. Locally, the grant was awarded to The Urban Corps of San Diego County (Urban Corps) to provide direct financial assistance to its corps members.
FINDING LOST PETS
Before your pet goes missing, consider San Diego Humane Society’s launch of Lost2Found to help people reunite with their lost pets faster. The cell phone texting program provides automated texts with step-by-step instructions to help people search for their missing pets. Lost2Found is a one-way communication system that texts tips and support at strategic intervals to support owners and provide resources as they search for their lost pets. Pet owners are sent 28 messages over a 60-day time period.
PROTECTING THE PORPOISE
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society debuted its new ship, Seahorse, on Jan. 24 in Operation Milagro to protect the Vaquita porpoise. In Operation Milagro, Sea Shepherd and the Mexican government protect the Zero Tolerance Area of the Vaquita Refuge by keeping the illegal fishing gear that ensnares the world’s most endangered marine mammal out of the UNESCO-recognized protected zone.
