As the premier sponsor of the Classroom of the Future Foundation North Island Credit Union Foundation recently presented the organization’s prestigious 2024 Innovation in Education Impact Award to Grossmont Union High School District for its Patient Care Pipeline Program. 

In recognition of the award, North Island Credit Union Foundation provided Grossmont Union High School District with $10,000 to support student participation in its Patient Care Pipeline, a unique program that prepares high school students for a variety of healthcare career opportunities.

By providing access to health pathways, hands-on learning and certification programs, Patient Care Pipeline facilitates social mobility for students, removes barriers for under-represented students and prepares future healthcare workers that are in demand in the region.

Grossmont Union High School District Superintendent Mary Beth Kastan said, “We are honored to receive the Classroom of the Future Foundation’s Innovation in Education Impact Award for the Patient Care Program. This award is a testament to the unyielding efforts of our Career Technical Education leaders and teachers who provide our students with real-world experiences that are preparing them to build the best future.”

The CFF annual Innovation in Education Awards program honors innovative classroom programs, educators, and students in San Diego County schools that model the future of K-12 education. Following an intensive application and selection process, four classroom programs are recognized for their ability to get students excited about learning and enhance outcomes through the effective use of technology. The Impact Award is given to the program that exceeds all others in its ability to impact students and teachers.

In its sixth year as Premier CFF Sponsor, North Island Credit Union and its Foundation have provided $20,000 annually to support the organization’s mission. Since 1997, CFF has united business, community, and educational leaders to create innovative learning environments in San Diego County public schools that prepare students to thrive in a competitive, global society.

Visit ccu.com/foundation to learn more or make a tax-deductible donation, or follow the Foundation on Instagram@northislandcufoundation.

While some high school students will spend this summer doing odd jobs or hanging out with friends, Connor Gray, a student at Coronado High School in Coronado will complete an intensive eight-week U.S. Navy Summer Flight Academy aviation program at Delaware State University, achieving his FAA Private Pilot’s license upon completion of the training.

The program takes place from June 9 – Aug. 2.

Gray is one of 28 high-performing 11th and 12th graders throughout the United States selected for the elite program, established in 2021 by the Commander, of Naval Air Forces to increase exposure to Naval Aviation.

The Navy partners with select universities throughout the country to provide flight training to the participating students. The cost of the program is approximately $28,000/student but is offered at zero cost to the student and with no obligations.

On completion of the program, each student earns a private pilot certification/license and five college credits.

The Department of the Navy sponsors the Summer Flight Academy program for students participating in the Navy and Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. The program is a STEM initiative that was selected for funding by the Naval STEM Coordination Office – located at the Office of Naval Research – which oversees investments in STEM education, outreach, and workforce initiatives.

“The goal of the scholarship program is to inspire and expose exceptional young talent from communities across the nation to a career path in Naval Aviation,” said Tamara Graham, deputy director, CNAF Flight Academy program manager. “Connor Gray has demonstrated incredible potential, and the Navy is honored to play a part in his personal and professional journey.”

During the eight-week Summer Flight Academy, he will receive a minimum of 32 hours of classroom aviation academics and more than 40 hours of flight training in either a Vulcanair V.10 single-engine aircraft or Piper Warrior (PA-28). As part of the certification process, Gray will be required to complete 17 hours of solo flights.

Learn more about these opportunities at Navy.com, and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

There were no tickets sold with all six numbers in the latest drawing of the multi-state Powerball lottery, pushing the estimated jackpot for Wednesday’s drawing to $143 million.

A ticket with five numbers, but missing the Powerball number, was sold in New York and is worth $1 million, according to the Multi-State Lottery Association, which conducts the game.

The numbers drawn Monday were 9, 30, 39, 49, 59 and the Powerball number was 21. The jackpot was $131 million.

The drawing was the ninth since the last time a ticket with all six numbers was sold.

The odds of matching all five numbers and the Powerball number is 1 in 292.2 million, according to the Multi-State Lottery Association. The overall chance of winning a prize is 1 in 24.9.

The Powerball game is played in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.

–City News Service

An eighth grader from Twin Peaks Middle School in Poway advanced Tuesday to the quarterfinals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee by correctly spelling two words and answering a vocabulary question.

Benjamin Evans correctly spelled Gondwana, the great southern landmass that formed as a result of the division of a much larger supercontinent known as Pangea about 250 million years ago. He also chose the correct answer to the vocabulary question, “What is a symposium?” by selecting, “a conference in which people give speeches.”

In the third round, Benjamin correctly spelled lycopene, a carotenoid pigment that is the red coloring matter of the tomato.

The 14-year-old qualified for the national bee by winning by the San Diego County Scripps Regional Spelling Bee in March, with two-time defending champion Mihir Konkapaka finishing second.

Benjamin correctly spelled epihippus — an extinct genus of the modern horse family that lived in the Eocene era, 38 million to 46 million years ago — as the winning word.

Benjamin’s hobbies include playing basketball, football and the piano. He enjoys reading books of all kinds and is a fan of Marvel movies. His favorite subject is math because he sees it as a puzzle. His favorite author is Brandon Mull, best known for his children’s fantasy series, “Fablehaven.”

Benjamin’s favorite athletes are Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy.

The bee began with a field of 245 spellers from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Canada, the Bahamas, Germany and Ghana. The field was the largest since 2019.

Wednesday’s quarterfinals at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland will be streamed on ION Plus, Bounce XL, Grit Xtra, Laff More and spellingbee.com from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

The bee is limited to students in eighth grade or below and who were born on Sept. 1, 2008 or later. Contestants for the 96th edition of the national bee range in age from 8 to 15.

The bee will conclude Thursday. The winner will receive $50,000 from the Scripps National Spelling Bee, $2,500 and a reference library from the dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster, $400 in reference works from Encyclopedia Britannica and a three-year membership to Britannica Online Premium and a $350 prize package from SugarBee Apple, including a SugarBee Apple gift basket and $250 gift card.

San Diego County has produced two national spelling bee champions — Anurag Kashyap in 2005 and Snigdha Nandipati in 2012.

Updated at 3:54 p.m. May 28, 2024

— City News Service

NBA basketball champion and Southern California sports legend Bill Walton died Monday, according to NBA officials. The longtime San Diego resident was 71 years old.

Walton, a La Mesa native whose death came after a long battle with cancer, was a Southern California sports hero who played college basketball for coach John Wooden and the UCLA Bruins, winning three consecutive national college player of the year awards from 1972 to 1974 while helping lead UCLA to the NCAA championships in 1972 and 1973.

Selected as the first overall pick in the 1974 NBA draft, Walton then led the Portland Trail Blazers to an NBA championship in 1977, earning the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award. He won another NBA title in 1986 as a member of the Boston Celtics. Walton was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993.

As a Hall of Fame player, he redefined the center position.

“His unique all-around skills made him a dominant force at UCLA and led to an NBA regular-season and Finals MVP, two NBA championships and a spot on the NBA’s 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stated on Monday.

Walton later became an Emmy Award-winning sportscaster. “Bill translated his infectious enthusiasm and love for the game to broadcasting, where he delivered insightful and colorful commentary which entertained generations of basketball fans,” Silver said.

An outpouring of remembrances were shared on social media Monday, including a message from former United States President Barack Obama.

“Bill Walton was one of the greatest basketball players of all time — a champion at every level and the embodiment of unselfish team play,” Obama wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter). “He was also a wonderful spirit full of curiosity, humor and kindness. We are poorer for his passing, and Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to his family.”

In a statement Monday, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said the city was mourning the death of Walton.

“He was a towering figure in basketball and broadcasting as well as a civic icon who loved his hometown,” Gloria said. “Our city’s thoughts are with his wife, Lori, and the entire Walton family. Godspeed, Bill.”

Walton was born on Nov. 5, 1952, in La Mesa, where he grew up and played basketball at Helix High School.

The San Diego resident is survived by his wife Lori and sons Adam, Nate, Luke and Chris, according to the NBA. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Walton “never strayed far from the city, owning a now-iconic home near Balboa Park and traversing San Diego’s communities on his bike.”

Just last month, he attended the Neil Young and Crazy Horse concert at San Diego State University, along with sporting events, the U-T reported.

Walton considered himself a lifelong San Diegan and had lived in the same home for over 40 years, NBC San Diego reported.

“I love San Diego — this is the greatest place on Earth,” Walton told the California Now blog in 2020.

“It’s a welcoming city with dizzying possibilities and anything and everything that you could want.”

Todd Tibbits, president of the YMCA of San Diego County, said Walton “has left an incredible mark on San Diego by being a passionate force for boundless generosity and unwavering determination to inspire those around him.”

“Our Y team is grateful to have had his light shined upon us,” Tibbits said in a statement. “Today, the YMCA of San Diego County mourns the significant loss of Bill Walton, along with many charitable organizations impacted by the legendary athlete, inspirational community leader, donor, volunteer and charismatic motivator.”

Walton was an active member of the YMCA Mission Valley for many years and leaves a profound legacy at the organization, Tibbits said.

“He always took great pride in fostering community, imparting wisdom, and inspiring individuals of all ages with his words and actions,” Tibbits added. “Members often recall how his infectious enthusiasm and positive attitude had the power to uplift everyone around him.”

Tibbits said that Walton’s “unique sense of humor left an indelible mark” at the Mission Valley YMCA, including an extra-tall showerhead installed within the locker room, complete with a sign per Walton’s request that read, “Only tall people use the shower.”

In recent years, Walton had publicly criticized the city of San Diego for its response to a growing number of homeless in the region.

ln a September 2022 news conference, Walton issued a scathing rebuke of San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria regarding the problem, calling him a “failed mayor” and asking that he step aside to make way for different leadership.

Walton had long been a supporter of the city, but said he could no longer do so as the homelessness crisis worsened.

“Paradise Lost: This is the city of San Diego, a once great city,” Walton said during the Sept. 27 conference with members of the nonprofit the Lucky Duck Foundation. “Sadly, and with a broken heart, I can no longer claim San Diego is the greatest place on Earth.”

Walton said he had been harassed, chased and attacked while riding his bike in Balboa Park near a large homeless encampment he dubbed “Gloriaville.”

In response, a spokeswoman for Gloria said that he is “is clear-eyed and has been completely honest with the public about the enormity of the challenge our city is facing.”

Updated at 4:19 p.m. Monday, May 27, 2024

–City News Service

A shark knocked a surfer off of his board off the coast of San Clemente Monday, prompting authorities to close the water to swimmers and others on the busy Memorial Day holiday.

According to city officials, the ocean water was closed off late Monday morning “due to confirmed aggressive shark behavior” in the water in the vicinity of T-Street Beach.

The beaches remained open, but water access was closed until at least 8 p.m. Monday, “pending no additional shark sightings,” according to the city.

City Councilman Chris Duncan told CBS2 that surfers reported the activity to lifeguards, who reviewed surveillance footage and found video of the surfer being knocked off his board.

According to CBS2, officials from the Long Beach State University shark lab were consulted, and they determined the culprit was likely a juvenile great white shark.

No injuries were reported.

Updated 6:29 p.m. May 27, 2024

— City News Service

Three people suffered smoke inhalation Monday in connection with an apartment fire in the Colina Del Sol neighborhood, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department said.

The blaze was reported just after 7:30 a.m. at the complex at 4321 Winona Ave. According to an SDFD official, the blaze was limited to one room.

The three people injured were not transported to hospitals for treatment, the official added.

Investigators remained on scene Monday to determine what started the fire.

–City News Service

A 3.5 magnitude earthquake close to the Borrego Springs community was reported late Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake struck just before 11 p.m. Sunday, 3.5 miles west of Borrego Springs and 26.9 miles northeast of the San Diego County Estates resort, U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The county Sheriff’s Department hadn’t received any reports of damage, an official said.

— City News Service

One person was killed and one injured during a fire that broke out in a Carlsbad neighborhood Saturday.

The fire was reported early in the afternoon in the 900 block of Pine Avenue, near the intersection of Harding Street, according to the Carlsbad Police Department.

“Harding Street from Oak Avenue to Pine Avenue will be closed for an unknown duration. Please avoid the area while first responders attend to the situation,” the department said.

One death was confirmed, and the injured person was taken to a hospital, Carlsbad Fire Department PIO Holly Gonzalez said.

The cause of the blaze was not immediately known, but the fire has been contained.

The victims’ identities have not been released.

– City News Service

Firefighting efforts continue to improve containment of a commercial structure fire that broke out 10 days ago at an energy storage facility in the Otay Mesa area, officials said Saturday.

Units were dispatched in the early afternoon of May 15 to Lithium Ion Batteries at 641 Camino De La Fuente, a 13,600-square-foot battery and energy storage facility in an industrial part of San Diego County.

“The evacuation order at Grid 0436 has been downgraded to a warning due to improved atmospheric conditions, and the evacuation warning for Grid 0437 has been removed,” Cal Fire officials reported.

A road closure was also in effect at Camino De La Fuente at Paseo De La Fuente, according to Cal Fire.

Firefighters will remain actively engaged in the area, and will continue to monitor the fire closely for increased activity, Cal Fire officials said in an incident update.

A total of 15 personnel are currently assigned to the fire, including one engine and 12 unnamed resources.

Personnel from the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health- Hazardous Materials Division were assisting in the effort.

No injuries have been reported, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

An expected time of full containment has not been reported.

–City News Service