Carlsbad High choir
Carlsbad High School’s competitive choir teams continued its strong season with its results in April’s Oceanside Sound Off. The intermediate treble choir — Encore — earned first place and Best Showmanship in its division. The mixed advanced choir team — Sound Express — took home top prize and swept Best Musicianship, Showmanship and Soloist for Manuela Prante.
This followed the previous month’s showing at the Cypress Competition where Sound Express took home the first place in its division along with Best Showmanship, Tech Crew and Sweepstakes Soloist honors for Prante. Encore placed second in that competition, but was recognized for Best Showmanship.
In Mom’s footsteps
State Sen. Catherine Blakespear has sponsored Senate Bill 965, which, if passed, would allow students ages 16 and 17 to get library cards without their parents’ signature. Speaking in support of the bill was her son Oliver, a junior at the Grauer School, who presented testimony of a time he was unable to check out a book about a guitar because he did not have a legal guardian present.
“This was a challenge because I have two working parents with busy schedules, and while we still made time, it was inconvenient,” he said. “If this is happening to me, then it is happening to others all over the state as well. It should be as easy as possible for students to access educational resources. We should try to reduce barriers to students’ use of libraries.”
Following the hearing for SB 965, the Senate Education Committee passed the bill by a unanimous vote, sending it to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Peacemaker Award
Chris Ann Sarver received the Encinitas Rotary Club’s 2026 Peacemaker Award. Sarver serves as the clubhouse manager for the Griset and Ocean Knoll locations of the Boys & Girls Club. A former Boys & Girls Club member herself, Sarver has spent more than three decades mentoring youth and developing community.
“Chris Ann embodies the heart and mission of our organization,” said Marineke Vandervort, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest San Diego. “Her extraordinary ability to connect with young people, guide them through challenges, and cultivate a true sense of belonging has had a lasting impact on countless lives.”
Mark Berning, president of the Encinitas Rotary Club said, “Chris Ann Sarver exemplifies what it truly means to be a peacemaker in our community. Her work is a powerful reminder that one person can create meaningful, lasting change.”
Turf meeting surf
Tickets for Opening Day and the summer racing season at the Del Mar Thoroughbread Club go on sale May 8, at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased at DMTC.com. The season kicks off July 17 — including the annual Opening Day Hats Contest and Opening Day Party — and runs through Labor Day on Sept. 7. The $1,000,000 Pacific Classic is scheduled for Aug. 22.
Landscape contest
The Vista Irrigation District invites residents to submit applications for its 2026 WaterSmart landscape content for a chance to win a $250 gift card from a local home supply store. The annual contest recognizes water-wise landscapes based on the criteria of overall attractiveness, appropriate plant selection, design, maintenance and efficient methods of irrigation. For more information or to submit an application, visit landscapecontest.com.
Data collecting hike
The San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy as well as resource ecologist Jonathan Appelbaum and herpetologist Jeff Nordland led an exploration of the San Pasqual Valley in Escondido on April 24. As part of the “BioBlitz” event, participants were encouraged to download iNaturalist to record, share and discuss their observations. The goal was to submit findings to a global effort to document biodiversity called City Nature Challenge.
