Judge: PUSD violated teacher’s rights

A federal judge has  ruled  that Poway Unified School District violated
the constitutional rights of Bradley Johnson, a Westview High School
math teacher, when he was ordered by the school district in 2007 to
remove banners with the words “God” and “Creator” from his classroom.

In a response to Johnson’s lawsuit, the district said it was concerned
about the use of such words.

Judge Roger T. Benitez said in his ruling Friday that Johnson was
entitled to a declaration that the school district violated his
individual rights protected by the First and Fourteenth Amendments to
the Constitution of the United States, and Article 1, 2 and 4 of the
California constitution.

The judge ordered the school district to pay nominal damages and the
teacher’s legal fees and to allow the banners to go back up immediately.
Johnson hung the banners back up on Friday.
Meanwhile, the judge’s ruling did not surprise the school district, said
Jack Sleeth, counsel for the district.

CIF UPDATE: RB upsets La Costa

The
Rancho Bernardo boys basketball team is still on a winning streak — and
in the
playoffs — after scoring an on-the-road upset against La Costa Canyon on
Friday
during a quarterfinal game.

The
Broncos (19-11 overall) defeated third-seeded La Costa Canyon 54-53,
continuing
their undefeated streak of five games (winning eight of their last nine).
The
win came at the buzzer with a two-point shot by Justin Inman.

The
Broncos now travel to Chula Vista at 7 p.m. Wednesday (March. 3) to take
on the
number two seed, Eastlake (26-4) for a semifinal match. Eastlake moved
on to
the semis by defeating Vista 74-49.

The
win was one of several highlights on Friday for Bronco winter teams currently
taking part
in the playoffs. For Poway, however, Friday games led to exits
for
the girls soccer and boys basketball squads.

Sheriff: Found body likely that of Chelsea King

BULLETIN:  A body believed by Sheriff William Gore to be that of missing Poway teen Chelsea King was found about 1 p.m. today in a shallow grave at the south end of Lake Hodges.

“There is a strong likelihood we have found Chelsea,” Gore told a 4 p.m. news conference at Rancho Bernardo Community Park. King’s parents have been notified, he said.

Gore said  divers in the water spotted something suspicious on the shore and investigated. He said the body was about 10-15 feet away from a tributary leading to the lake and a short distance away from where searchers had earlier found a shoe. The site is about one-half mile from the parking lot where King had parked her car Thursday afternoon to go for a run.

The county medical examiner’s office has been called in, Gore said.

Softball, baseball kickoffs set for Saturday cancelled

The San Diego Section CIF has cancelled exhibition softball and
baseball games scheduled for Saturday due to a forecast calling for
heavy rains.

Rancho Bernardo was scheduled to host the sixth annual Fast Pitch
Softball Classic starting at 10 a.m. with a match between Mt. Carmel
and Point Loma high schools. The Broncos were scheduled to take the
mound later that night.

Meanwhile, RB High’s baseball team was also scheduled to take part in
the fifth annual Baseball “K” Classic at Escondido High School. That
event has also been cancelled due to the rain.

The events will not be rescheduled.

Poway attorney: Don’t comment on Walmart

Poway’s city attorney is advising City Council members and June 8 recall
election candidates not to express opinions on the proposed expansion
of the city’s Walmart store.

Lisa A. Foster is also recommending that council members not meet with
individuals regarding the land-use matter.

“In order to safeguard the City Council’s ultimate decision in a
controversial land use matter from due process challenges,” Foster wrote
in a memo this week, “it is recommended that City Councilmembers avoid
meeting with interested parties prior to the public hearing, avoid
committing to a decision prior to the public hearing, and provide all
documents and other evidence that they receive to the City Clerk so that
it can be made part of the record for the public hearing.

“Additionally, it should be noted that in an election year, City Council
candidates who take a strong public position regarding a particular
land use matter are at risk for being disqualified from participating in
that matter if elected to the City Council,” Foster wrote.

Suspect facing murder, rape charges

Authorities arrested a Lake Elsinore man late Sunday afternoon in
connection with the disappearance of Poway teen Chelsea King.

John Albert Gardner III, 30, was arrested under suspicion of committing
first degree murder and rape, according to the sheriff’s department. He
was booked into San Diego Central Jail shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday.

He was arrested “without incident” around 4:20 p.m. Sunday outside a
restaurant on the 19000 block of Lake Drive in Escondido, according to
Jan Caldwell, San Diego Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman.

He will be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in San Diego County Superior
Court in downtown San Diego.

CIF UPDATE: Poway girls win decisively

The Poway girls basketball team made an impressive playoff debut on
Thursday, defeating Hilltop High School 75-23 in their first-round game
of the CIF section championship tournament.

Poway, the tournament’s top seed, now has a record of 25-3. With the
win, the team advances to the quarterfinals, in which it will host San
Pasqual at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 27.

San Pasqual has a record of 21-7 after defeating Vista 44-39 on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Rancho Bernardo High’s basketball team lost its first round game, falling 62-42 to Torrey Pines.

Story continues with updates on Roller Hockey and boys soccer.

Kennedy Center brings ‘Nobody’s Perfect’ to Poway

On Saturday, the Poway Center for the Performing Arts will present
“Nobody’s Perfect,” a family-friendly show that stresses that no one is
without flaw, no matter what they appear to be on the outside.

The musical, which is presented in both English and American Sign
Language, is based on a children’s book by Oscar-winner Marlee Matlin.
Showtime is 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults and $5 for audience
members 18 and under with the purchase of an adult ticket.

For more information, go to www.powayarts.org.

The show tells the story of Megan, a fourth-grader who is the only deaf
student in her class. She has spent a year planning her “positively
purple” birthday party, and just as everything appears to be right, she
meets Alexis, a new girl who she cannot befriend.

Culture Clash satirizes America with local flavor

It’s become a rock ‘n’ roll cliché, the touring band giving a cursory
nod to their audience, be it Cleveland or San Diego, followed by the
over-enthusiastic display of approval from the hometown crowd.

It’s another thing completely when the artists immerse themselves in the
local culture, when they go out of their way to understand the dynamics
of the community in which they are performing and use the cultural
undercurrents of the society to create their show.

That’s what Culture Clash, the Chicano performance theater troupe that
celebrated its 25th year of creating politically charged, socially
conscious theater last year does with “Culture Clash in AmeriCCa,” which
opened Sunday and plays through March 7 at the San Diego REPertory
Theatre in Horton Plaza.

Faith: Purim party, carnival set Friday

Begin your Purim celebrations with a contemporary musical twist to the
traditional reading of the Megillah at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 26 at
Temple Adat Shalom, 15905 Pomerado Road, Poway. Rabbi David Castiglione,
Cantor Lori Wilinsky Frank, and a fun-loving cast of singers and
performers will incorporate popular Beatles’ songs into the telling of
Queen Esther’s story.

Guests are invited to come in costume — dressed as one of the Purim
story characters or one of the Beatles.

Then on Sunday, Feb. 28, the Men’s Club at Temple Adat will host its
annual Purim Carnival with a costume parade, games, prizes and crafts
from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the synagogue. The carnival menu will include
corned beef, pastrami, and turkey sandwiches, hotdogs, knishes and the
traditional Purim hamentaschen cookies. Tickets are sold at the door.
For details, call 858-451-1200 or visit www.adatshalom.com.