Podiatrist in Escondido, CA

Are you looking for the perfect beach getaway near Escondido, California? Whether you're in the mood for a quiet day soaking up the sun, an active day of water sports, or a romantic sunset stroll, there's a beach nearby that will fit the bill. From the closest to the farthest, here's a guide to the best beaches near Escondido.

Distance: 13 miles

Moonlight Beach in Encinitas is the closest beach to Escondido, just 13 miles away. This family-friendly beach boasts wide stretches of soft sand, perfect for sunbathing, beach volleyball, and building sandcastles. Surfing, boogie boarding, and swimming are also popular activities here, thanks to the moderate waves and lifeguard patrols. The beach is also equipped with showers, restrooms, and plenty of parking (although it can get crowded on weekends).

Distance: 17 miles

Located just a few miles farther down the coast, Carlsbad State Beach offers a more secluded and less crowded experience than Moonlight Beach. This beach is popular with surfers, thanks to the consistent waves, and is also a great spot for swimming, snorkeling, and tidepooling. The beach is equipped with showers, restrooms, and picnic tables, but parking can be a challenge, especially on weekends.

Distance: 20 miles

If you're looking for a beach with a bit of history, head to Oceanside Pier Beach, home to the longest wooden pier on the West Coast. Stroll out to the end of the pier for stunning views of the ocean, or grab a bite to eat at the pier's restaurant. The beach itself is wide and sandy, with plenty of space for sunbathing and beach games. Lifeguards are on duty during the summer months, and the beach is equipped with restrooms, showers, and a parking lot (although it can fill up quickly).

Distance: 26 miles

If you're willing to drive a bit farther, San Onofre State Beach is a must-visit for surfers and nature lovers. This beach is famous for its consistently good waves, and is also home to a diverse array of marine life, including dolphins, sea lions, and whales. The beach is divided into three distinct areas, each with its own parking lot, restrooms, and picnic tables. Note that there is a $15 entrance fee per vehicle.

Whether you're a local or a visitor to Escondido, California, there's no shortage of beautiful beaches to explore. From the bustling shores of Moonlight Beach to the secluded coves of San Onofre State Beach, there's a beach for every mood and every occasion. So pack up your sunscreen, grab your beach towel, and head out to one of these nearby beaches for a day of sun, surf, and sand.

Two teachers from Rincon Middle School in Escondido filed a lawsuit Thursday challenging district policies on what information officials may share with parents of transgender and gender-nonconforming students.

The lawsuit, filed in San Diego federal court, alleges that the Escondido Union School District‘s policies prohibiting teachers from discussing students’ gender identities with their parents are unconstitutional.

The complaint states teachers are required to use “any pronouns or a gender-specific name requested by the student during school, while reverting to biological pronouns and legal names when speaking with parents in order to actively hide information about their child’s gender identity from them.”

The lawsuit filed on behalf of Elizabeth Mirabelli and Lori Ann West names various officials from the Escondido Union School District and California State Board of Education as defendants.

Representatives with the district’s Superintendent’s Office declined to comment on the lawsuit, which seeks a court order finding that the district’s policies violate the First Amendment.

The complaint alleges that district representatives told the teachers that the policies might be required by state and federal law and referenced a page on the California Department of Education website referencing Assembly Bill 1266, the School Success and Opportunity Act, which was signed into law in 2013.

The website states, “The right of transgender students to keep their transgender status private is grounded in California’s anti-discrimination laws as well as federal and state laws. Disclosing that a student is transgender without the student’s permission may violate California’s anti-discrimination law by increasing the student’s vulnerability to harassment and may violate the student’s right to privacy.”

The teachers’ attorneys are also seeking a declaration finding the conclusions on the DOE’s webpage are unconstitutional and that the district is not required to enforce or implement its “Parental Exclusion Policies.”

In a news release, the Chicago-based Thomas More Society, which is representing Mirabelli and West, identifies them as “devoutly Catholic and Christian, respectively, in their beliefs and consider the school’s policies a violation of their religious liberties.”

Earlier this year, a new bill sought to force California school districts to notify parents should a school employee learn a student was identifying as a gender that doesn’t align with their birth certificate or other official records.

LGBTQ activists railed against the bill, AB 1314, stating it could endanger LGBTQ+ youths.

The Assembly Education Committee’s chair, Al Muratsuchi, announced earlier this month that no hearing date would be set for the bill, stating, “This bill would require educators to `out’ a student to their parents, even when the student does not feel comfortable coming out, potentially forcing them into an unwelcoming or abusive home.”

– City News Service and staff reports

Two Escondido middle school teachers have sued their own school district and the California Board of Education over policies designed to ensure transgender students’ right to privacy.

Rincon Middle School teachers Elizabeth Mirabelli and Lori Ann West believe they should be able to tell parents about their child’s transgender identity, according to the lawsuit.

Escondido Union School District policy and California education guidelines state that transgender students’ gender identities must be kept private, including from parents, unless the students give consent. State officials say that’s in order to protect students from potential abuse.

Mirabelli, who is Catholic, and West, who is Christian, argue that this forces them to go against their religious beliefs, violating their First Amendment religious and free speech rights.

“The policy also forces Elizabeth and others like her to violate faith,” said Paul Jonna, the plaintiffs’ attorney, in an interview. “She has constitutional rights that are being violated by this policy, which is forcing teachers to lie and participate in deception.”

Federal and state authorities prohibit discrimination in schools based on gender identity. Since 2013 California law has required that schools allow students to participate in school sex-segregated programs and facilities consistent with their gender identity regardless of their sex assigned at birth.

California education officials say anti-discrimination laws include a right to privacy. They warn schools that disclosing the fact that a student is transgender may violate California’s anti-discrimination law by making a student more vulnerable to harassment.

Family rejection has been associated with dangerous outcomes for transgender people, including domestic violence and heightened risk of homelessness, suicidal attempts and sex work, according to results from the latest U.S. Transgender Survey by the National Center for Transgender Equality in 2015.

“Revealing a student’s gender identity or expression to others may compromise the student’s safety. Thus, preserving a student’s privacy is of the utmost importance,” the state education department says on its website.

The California School Boards Association, which provides legal advice to school districts and charter schools, says schools must respect students’ wishes regarding disclosure of their gender status.

“(Local education agencies) are required to, with rare exceptions, respect the limitations that a student places on the disclosure of the student’s transgender status and consider the student’s privacy rights and safety associated with this information, including not sharing that information with the student’s parents except with the student’s authorization,” its guidance says.

Escondido Union School District policy aligns with that guidance, holding that teachers and staff are not allowed to disclose a student’s transgender identity to anyone else, including their parents, without the student’s written consent, unless the disclosure is otherwise required by law or to protect the student’s physical or mental well-being.

“The Escondido Union School District is committed to providing a safe and positive environment that enables our students to learn and actualize their unlimited potential and that empowers our teachers to excel as educators,” superintendent Luis Rankins-Ibarra said in a statement Friday. “As part of that commitment to student learning, the district observes all federal and state laws.”

Education

Oct. 11, 2022

The two teachers’ lawsuit, filed in federal court Thursday, names as defendants the members of the Escondido Union school board and Escondido administrators including Rankins-Ibarra, along with Tony Thurmond, the state schools superintendent, and the members of the state Board of Education.

The state education department said it does not comment on pending litigation.

Mirabelli and West say in their lawsuit that they do not believe a gender spectrum exists and that people are innately and permanently either male or female, based on God’s design. They believe that gender dysphoria and gender identity issues should not be left to children to decide on their own.

The lawsuit argues that by using students’ preferred names and pronouns, school staff are reinforcing what they call “the whims of gender-confused children — while denying parents any say.”

“Parents should not be left out of their child’s school life. What parent would want that?” Mirabelli said in an interview.

Jonna, who is part of the Rancho Santa Fe-based law firm LiMandri & Jonna LLP, has filed multiple lawsuits in the last two years regarding California school policies as special counsel for the Thomas More Society, a Chicago-based nonprofit that has long fought for abortion restrictions.

Education

July 24, 2022

In 2021 LiMandri & Jonna sued San Diego Unified on behalf of a Christian student at Scripps Ranch High School, accusing the district of religious discrimination because its student COVID-19 vaccine mandate did not allow for personal belief exemptions. That case effectively ended after the student vaccine mandate was defeated by another lawsuit filed by parents affiliated with Let Them Breathe.

The firm has also previously sued the state education department because its model ethnic studies curriculum contained an affirmation that the firm claimed constituted an Aztec prayer. In that lawsuit, the firm represented Californians for Equal Rights Foundation, a local organization that has been challenging school districts’ racial equity efforts and efforts to support LGBTQ students.

The state education department removed the affirmations from the model curriculum to settle the lawsuit.

In April 2023, the City of Escondido residents and businesses will have the #CleanEnergyAlliance (CEA) as their new power purchasing provider.

CEA buys electricity directly from energy suppliers for residents and local businesses. San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) will continue to manage billing, transmission and distribution.

While customers will be automatically enrolled, due to California Public Utilities Commission law, participation is completely voluntary. All customers within the service area will receive information describing CEA and have multiple opportunities to choose to remain with SDG&E. To learn more about CEA, visit:

thecleanenergyalliance.org/

The Times-Advocate interviewed Barbara Boswell, CEO of Clean Energy Alliance. “CEA is a community choice energy program that was originally created by Carlsbad, Solana Beach and Del Mar,” she said. Later, Escondido and other cities joined the joint powers authority. Escondido joined last year. “SDG&E still delivers the electricity,” she said. “We buy it and SD&GE transmits it on their infrastructure.”

Each city appoints one council member to serve on the CEA board.

“The purpose,” said Boswell, is to enable cities to meet climate action goals by increasing the amount of clean energy they use.”

The rates are competitive. “Our goal is that customers will save 2 percent over SDG&E rates,” said Boswell. “The way the authorization is written, customers are automatically enrolled unless they opt out.”

Customers have been getting notices about this since February and they will continue to receive them after they are enrolled—in May or June.

But if you are a customer you might not notice a change at all. “That’s the interesting part,” said Boswell. “There’s really no change. Their electricity service stays the same in terms of reliability. They don’t have to contact anyone new. They don’t get a new bill. It’s all in the background. We procure a minimum of 50% renewable energy, compared to 40% for SDG&E.”

To learn more, visit Thecleanenergyalliance.org

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While not expected to be as severe as other SoCal regions, excessive rainfall in San Diego County could cause flash flooding.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA — Another powerful atmospheric-river-fueled storm is expected to slam Southern California Tuesday bringing torrential downpours, flooding and snow at higher elevations — but San Diego County may escape the brunt it.

The storm is expected to be far more powerful in Southern California than last week’s, and is expected to hit Ventura and Los Angeles counties hardest on Tuesday.

While the local mountains could receive several inches of rain, coastal and valleys could get nearly 2 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service. The mountains and foothills will receive the highest rates of rain, possibly between a half-inch and 1 inch per hour.

Find out what's happening in Escondidowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Forecasters said there is a 5 percent chance that San Diego County will see rainfall exceeding levels that can cause flash flooding.

“Flood watch in effect for most of southwest California tonight thru early Wed. This is a very wet storm, with a lot of water over already saturated grounds,” the weather service warned. “Expect significant road and creek flooding. Moderate threat of river flooding and burn scar debris flows.

Find out what's happening in Escondidowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Confidence is fairly high that this storm will bring significant widespread heavy rainfall to the region. In fact, it will be a big surprise if it does not do so."

While rain is likely to start falling in the pre-dawn hours in San Diego County, the brunt of the storm is expected to hit the area late Tuesday afternoon through late Tuesday night, according to AccuWeather.

"There will likely be widespread and significant roadway flooding across the region from this storm, but there may also be more significant flooding, with mud and debris flows, rock slides, and some flooding of creeks and rivers," according to the NWS.

Although the storm will be particularly wet, forecasters said the snow level will remain above 8,000 feet, with little to no accumulations anticipated, according to AccuWeather.

Dry weather is expected to return Wednesday night through Thursday night, with another smaller system sliding into the area by Friday and lasting into the weekend although the bulk of that storm will likely remain to the north, resulting in a mostly dry but cool weekend.

--City News Service contributed to this report.