GRADUATES
The following students graduated from their respective schools: Efan Wu of San Marcos from South Dakota State University; Serena Herold of Encinitas, Yasmina Torres of San Marcos, Karen Bei and Ivan Li of San Diego from Tufts University in Massachusetts; and Kaiden Edelbrock and Reagan Roy of Encinitas, Davis Fowler, Jake Genewich and Charlie Struhs of Carlsbad, Feixuan Wu of Oceanside, Ilana Goldklang of Rancho Santa Fe, Greta Boatcher, Ella Carlson, Gabby Leaming, Mia Mansukhani, Alexandra Nicholas and Audrey Tharp of Solana Beach from University of Wisconsin-Madison.
PRESIDENT’S LIST
The following students made the president’s list at their respective schools: Amanie Falol of San Diego at Ohio University, and Arunraj Jeyaprakash of San Diego and Leah Ensign of Camp Pendleton at Youngstown State University in Ohio.
DEAN’S LIST
The following students made the dean’s list at their respective schools: Carlyn Ereso from Encinitas at Linfield University in Oregon; Brandon Pho of San Diego at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Metropolitan Campus in New Jersey; James Farthing and Duncan Wallace of Carlsbad at Kettering University in Michigan; and Van Coughlin of Solana Beach and Tyler Massey of Rancho Santa Fe at College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts.
PROVOST’S LIST
Stephanie Alvarez and Jaqueline DePaul of Oceanside and Svetlana Semenova of San Diego made the provost’s list at Ohio University, which recognizes high-achieving part-time students.
BAIT AND TACKLE
North County Bait and Tackle has opened in Encinitas, marking it as the first tackle shop to return to the city in decades. Previously, North County residents had to go to either Oceanside or Mission Bay for tackle along the coast. Local married couple Morgana Taylor and Marc Meyers own the shop at 120 Encinitas Blvd., open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
WOMEN’S FUND
The Rancho Santa Fe Women’s Fund, a collective giving organization that has awarded nearly $6.8 million in grants to 188 local nonprofit organizations, is preparing to launch its new membership season and grant cycle beginning Aug. 1. Nonprofits that provide women’s, children and youth services may submit letters of intent forms to the women’s fund website, rsfwomensfund.org.
BOARD MEMBERS
The American Association of University Women Carlsbad-Oceanside-Vista branch recently elected new board members for the 2026-2027 year: Leslie Clark, Debby Parks, Eleonore Lavender, Maggie Wolf-Johnson, Sharlene Bergert, Faye Capps, Nelle Hefner, Suzan Westmoreland, Mardi Musick, Alana Myles and Dennis Capps.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY
Carlsbad has launched a the Family-Friendly Certified Program, a zero-cost framework created by Mayor Pro Tem Priya Bhat-Patel and administered by the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, that celebrates and designates businesses that welcome parents, young children and caregivers through their physical and operational features. The program is completely voluntary for businesses.
MIRACOSTA FOUNDATION
The MiraCosta College Foundation recently welcomed four new board members: Bryan Fletcher, Gina Mancuso, Jacqueline Pierson and Rod Freeman. According to the foundation, they bring a wide range of expertise, spanning finance, entrepreneurship, healthcare and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
WATERSMART WINNERS
The Vista Irrigation District Board of Directors recognized Heidi and Martin Leonard as the district’s 2026 WaterSmart Landscape Contest winners. After moving into their Vista home in 2022, the couple transformed their unhealthy lawn with overgrown shrubbery into one with a crushed rock pathway bordered by colorful succulents, deergrass, and three fruitless olive trees.
SPIN OUT
Potters and ceramic artists gathered for a “Spin Out” on July 19 at the Carlsbad Inn Beach Resort to demonstrate their work. Laguna Clay Company, a California clay manufacturer, sponsored the event and donated all of the clay for participants. Additionally, Michael Totah, the owner of The Wheel Stoneware, donated the shipment of clay from the factory. The special event also helps to promote Art on the Green, which is held every weekend by the Carlsbad Oceanside Art League and the beach resort.
