The deadline is nearing to contribute $1,000 so you can have a plaque installed in Rancho Bernardo’s Pathway of Pride this year.

Pathway of Pride located in Rancho Bernardo's Webb Park

Donations must be received by Monday, June 3 in order to be included in the Saturday, June 29 unveiling ceremony in Webb Park. To purchase a plaque, contact Jeff Shea at 619-417-3117.

The pathway, which outlines the sidewalk that winds through the park, is a way to support the Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation’s grant program and be honored — or honor an individual, business or group — permanently in the community.

Since 1988, the foundation’s grants program supports projects and organizations that focus on senior services, youth activities, recreation, the arts, educational enhancement, civic enhancement and community protection. They are presented in November at the Rancho Bernardo Thanksgiving Luncheon.

The $1,000 donations required for a plaque purchase are tax-deductible because they go to the foundation’s endowment that was created in 1993 and now exceeds $1.25 million.

Shea, the Pathway of Pride chairman, said there are 255 plaques in the pathway and he anticipates at least 15 more will be added this year.

In addition, he said this year’s ceremony will be “very special because we are honoring (the late) Bob Wells with a huge plaque at the entrance,” Shea said. Wells was a longtime civic leader and foundation member who died last September.

Chris French has experienced plenty of pain on the track throughout his career at Poway High. He broke his left arm during a 110-meter hurdle race as a freshman and then broke his right arm during a 4×100-relay race as a junior.

Poway High’s Chris French has a chance to qualify for the state meet in four events at Saturday’s section finals. Photo by Sherri Cortez

But each time French picked himself up, healed and found the courage to get back on the track without any fear of breaking another bone.

And now the senior hurdler is entering the CIF San Diego Section finals, which begin Saturday at 10 a.m. at Mt. Carmel High School, with a chance to qualify for the state championships in four different events.

“It’s crazy now to think that I can qualify in four events,” said French, who was part of the Titans’ 4×100 relay team that advanced to the state meet last year. “I cannot even imagine having to do four events at the state meet.”

The top three finishers in each event at the section finals will advance to the CIF State Track and Field Championships, which will be held May 31 and June 1 at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Clovis.

French, who played receiver and safety on the football team, has a chance to qualify in the 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles. He is also part of the 4×400 and 4×100 relay teams, which have a chance to reach state.

The 6-foot, 2-inch, 171-pound French posted the fifth-best time at the prelims in the 110 hurdles (15.38 seconds) and the No. 3 time in the 300 hurdles (39.09). The Titans’ 4×100 relay team posted the top time (42.25) and the 4×400 qualified for the finals with the No. 4 time (3:23.88).

French could easily opt to drop two events in order to save his energy for only a few races at the finals Saturday, but that thought has not crossed his mind once. He is chasing a goal much bigger than himself.

“I am motivated to help the team win a CIF title,” he said. “If I qualify for state then I qualify for state, but I am more focused on taking first or second place in my races for the team. A lot of kids are sacrificing by doing multiple events because we want that section title.”

Poway came up just short of a Division I championship last year to El Camino.

“That is definitely a motivator for us,” French said.

There are several other local athletes that have a chance at qualifying for the state meet. Rancho Bernardo’s Alex Grigoriev is looking to reach the state championships for the first time in the 800. He enters ranked No. 1 in the section. On the girls side in the 800, the Broncos’ Katie Sammer is tops in the section and qualified with the third-best time in the prelims (2:15.46).

The Titans’ Brandon Lucas has a chance to qualify in three events. He ran the third-best qualifying time in the 100 (10.86) and second-best in the 200 (21.69) at the prelims. He is also part of the top-ranked 4×100 relay team.

Sam Ozenbaugh and Derek Babiash are potential qualifiers in the 400 and Charlie Bush in the high jump and pole vault for the Titans.

Rancho Bernardo’s Jessica Garcia ran the fourth-best time at the prelims in the 300 hurdles (44.58) and Brandi Walker also has a strong chance to qualify in the shot put. Ivy Adair had the fourth-best qualifying mark in the boys long jump (22-feet, 6-inches) and could qualify for state.

Del Norte’s Tyler Nelson will be battling for a spot in the 110 hurdles. The junior qualified with the No. 3 time at the prelims (14.99).

Acting Capt. Joseph Ramos is the new leader at San Diego Police Department’s Northeastern Division.

ACTING CAPT. JOSEPH RAMOS

The Rancho Penasquitos-based division covers the city’s North Inland region from Miramar to San Pasqual. By geographic size, it is the largest of SDPD’s nine divisions, serving almost 235,000 residents within 103.8 square miles.

Since 1988, Ramos’ entire police career has been in San Diego. He began as a patrolman in Logan Heights, later advancing to patrol sergeant, gang suppression team sergeant, service area lieutenant in Southeastern Division, SWAT member for 19 years — including commanding officer from 2007-12 — and most recently field lieutenant before becoming Northeastern’s acting captain last month.

The Los Angeles native said many police officer relatives influenced his decision to pursue the career. He graduated from San Diego State University with a bachelor of science in criminal justice, but had other security jobs before entering the police academy.

Since graduating, he has been an instructor with the San Diego Regional Academy and San Diego Community College District. In 2001 he developed San Diego’s active shooter and rapid deployment plan and trained thousands of local, state and federal officers on responding and managing these incidents. He also works with amusement parks, schools, churches and hospitals to help them prepare for an emergency response.

“I have been very fortunate with my opportunities and experiences,” Ramos said, adding the years he commanded SWAT were the “most meaningful to me.”

When asked on what Northeastern’s residents should focus, Ramos said parents need to be aware of the possibility their children use prescription and illegal drugs, which leads to committing violent crimes like armed robberies “due to that addiction and the desperation it causes.”

Ramos said, “Parents need to realize that while on the surface the area is (relatively) crime free (compared to other parts of the city), nothing is foolproof … so they need to stay educated (about the risk).”

As the father of three adult daughters plus two young children, Ramos said he knows how important it is to be proactive and know who your children associate with and their plans. He said school resource officers can help parents when it comes to social media, where the department is increasing its presence via Facebook and Nextdoor.com.

Technological improvements have changed the way police officers work, Ramos said, recalling how when he began they wrote down radio call information on a note pad one incident at a time and now pull up an entire area’s activities on a computer to get the latest updates on a situation.

“You start to recognize patterns and trends,” he said, praising crime analysts for compiling data in various configurations, such as time, day, location and vehicle type. “With fewer of us, we have to be more efficient.”

That need carries over to Northeastern, where despite its size Ramos said there are only 93 sworn officers, 63 of whom are assigned to patrol.

Ramos said while he enjoys being in a leadership position, his first love is field work and interacting with the community.

When not on duty, Ramos said he trains for and organizes athletic events, such as the Baker to Vegas race that attracts law enforcement personnel worldwide. He also enters triathlons, marathons and other races, an activity dating back to his high school and college years.

I’m writing this opinion piece with the caveat that I am drawn late to this question, although it is certainly a hot topic of conversation in the Poway Unified School District.

Allen Hemphill

California education problems are enormous. The most pressing is the collapse of the previously vaunted K-12 program to the point where it ranks 47th among states over the past decade, in testing by the U.S. Department of Education. In the most recent test, California ranked only above the state of Mississippi in science.

This is unreported by a fawning press which rides on both the popular belief that all California school children are residents of Lake Woebegone — where all children are above average — and fear of the power of a well-funded and huge teacher union that even managed to silence the Los Angeles Times.

(After publishing the names and evaluations of thousands of Los Angeles teachers, the Times promised the publishing of thousands more. A noisy demonstration and threatened boycott resulted in the promised future publication being cancelled. The protruding nail was hammered down.)

Everyone wishes to improve the education of our students. The question remains, how?

Opposition to the Common Core Standards abounds because there is no appreciation of the severity of the problem on the part of the media and the school industry, and because there is a natural objection to multiple states developing the solution when history and law have determined that schooling should be a state-by-state issue.

Opponents of the proposed Common Core Standards make a number of points, including:

“California’s locally developed academic standards have been judged at least as good as, if not significantly better than, the Common Core Standards by one of the strongest advocates for the Common Core: the Fordham Institute.

“In English language arts, Fordham awarded the California standards an ‘A’ while the Common Core received only a grade of ‘B+.’ Similarly, in mathematics, Fordham gave California’s standards an ‘A,’ while the Common Core received a score of ‘A-.’ Other national organizations have also judged California’s standards to be among the very best.”

If this is true, how do you explain that when tested by the U.S. Department of Education, California ranks 47th (on average) among states, and in science ranks only above Mississippi?

Without delving into the complaints and cross-complaints, I admit that my initial reaction is to support some Common Core Standards. California students do not just attend California schools – some go to Duke, or Northwestern. There is a great body of common knowledge that they must know. I remember when I went through many tests for Annapolis I discovered that certain questions were on every exam: The Quadratic Equation, and “Who wrote, ‘A rose, is a rose, is a rose…’” (Gertrude Stein).

I would be happier if the “common core” was developed and pushed by a consortium of universities, or by the group that devises SAT tests. I understand that my fellow libertarian/conservatives believe that this is an attempt to get Washington’s fingers into of the pie, and so do I, but I must admit that the only successful forces pushing school reform these days are liberal Democrats, because, like Nixon to China, only they can.

Reader comments, through letters to the editor or online at pomeradonews.com, are encouraged.

The long wait for the Rancho Bernardo High boys golf program to produce a team strong enough to advance past the CIF San Diego Section championships is over.

The Broncos, led by Brandon Mai’s two-round score of 1-under 143, shot a 754 and finished in second place at the section championship Wednesday at Admiral Baker Golf Course, earning the final qualifying spot into the CIF SoCal Regional Championships.

It is the first time in school history Rancho Bernardo has broken through the section championship barrier. The Broncos, which went to the state championships last in 1999 (before there was a regional), will compete in the SoCal Regional Championship along with first-place finisher Torrey Pines (734) on May 30 at Brookside Golf Club.

“All year we knew these kids were good and had a chance to do it,” Rancho Bernardo coach Rich Deem said. “All they had to do was play their game and they did.”

Nobody played better than Mai for the Broncos. The junior was part of a five-man playoff for the individual section crown. He and La Jolla’s Ben Doyle were the lone two to advance past the first playoff hole with birdies. Doyle then proceeded to capture the title on the third playoff hole.

Franklin Huang, who fired a 3-under 69 in the opening round, struggled in the second round but still finished with a two-round total of 148. Freshman Tai Negishi fired a 153, while Derek Chi (154), Jonathan Mulvany (159) and Patrick Norris (162) rounded out the scoring for the Broncos.

“It was a great performance,” Deem said. “We cannot stop smiling. Even though we finished second to Torrey Pines, we have had a grin on our face since finding out we advanced.”

Poway’s Max Alcorn fired a 1-under 143 to advance as an individual. The University of San Francisco-bound senior was also part of the five-man playoff for the individual section crown.  He shot a 70 in the first round and followed it up with a 73 on Wednesday.

The Titans, which captured the Palomar League banner for the first time since 1999, entered the final round tied for third place and hoping to earn their first trip to the regional. But they finished with a team score of 762 – eight shots behind the Broncos – and in fourth place.

The cutoff to advance to the SoCal Regional as an individual was 148. The Titans’ Mason Schulze just missed out, finishing with a 149. Drew Oslance (151) and Ellis Messian (152) were also just off from qualifying.

The top three schools and nine individuals not on an advancing team at the SoCal Regional qualify to the CIF state championship, which is slated for June 5 at Quail Lodge and Golf Club.

One big swing and another gem by Matt Osborne put the Rancho Bernardo High baseball team into the second round of the CIF San Diego Section Open Division playoffs.

Matt Osborne throws a pitch during Wednesday's CIF San Diego Section Open Division first-round playoff game against Rancho Buena Vista. Photo by Jon Dickstein

Drew Davis belted a two-run homer over the right-field wall in the second inning and Osborne delivered his seventh straight complete-game victory, as the top-seeded Broncos blanked No. 8 Rancho Buena Vista 2-0 Wednesday in the opening round of the double-elimination playoffs at Rancho Bernardo High School.

“It is a relief to come out here and get this first win,” said Davis, whose two-run shot was a no-doubter. “Now we can just go out there and play and not worry about anything.”

The Broncos will host No. 4 Vista Friday at 3:30 p.m. The Panthers edged No. 5 Poway 4-3 in another first-round game Wednesday. Rancho Bernardo fell to Vista 6-1 on March 28 in the two teams’ only meeting of the year.

Osborne rolled right through the Longhorns’ lineup on 87 pitches. The senior right-hander started 21 of the 26 hitters he faced with a strike and allowed just three hits on the way to his fourth shutout of the year.

“I would have never guessed that I would throw seven straight complete games,” said Osborne, who had five strikeouts and only allowed one base runner to reach second base. “I am kind of feeling tired, but once I get out there in the moment the adrenaline takes over and keeps me going.”

The Broncos’ defense was also brilliant, as shortstop Matt Jervis and second baseman Gosuke Katoh each made a few spectacular plays in the field. Catcher Alex Jackson backdoored a runner and Osborne even picked off a runner at first.

“It is definitely nice as a pitcher to have such solid defense behind me,” Osborne said.

Rancho Buena Vista starter Kellen Sheppard also went the distance and aside from the one pitch to Davis threw well. The senior right-hander allowed just four hits and struck out six in the tough-luck loss.

Casey Henderson stroked a one-out single before the left-handed Davis stepped into the box in the second inning. Davis then launched the first pitch he saw over the right-field wall to put Rancho Bernardo up 2-0.

“Gosuke kept a notepad on what (Sheppard) throws to lefties and it said first at bat he likes to throw fastballs and that was what I got,” Davis said. “I knew it was gone right after it came off the bat.”

The Titans fall to the elimination bracket and will travel to No. 2 Rancho Buena Vista Friday for a 3:30 p.m. game. Meanwhile, Vista travels to No. 1 Rancho Bernardo for a 3:30 p.m. game Friday.

DEL NORTE

The second-seeded Del Norte High baseball team fell 12-10 to No. 10 Canyon Crest Academy Wednesday in the opening round of the CIF San Diego Section Division III playoffs.

The Nighthawks drop to the elimination bracket and will host their next game on Friday at 3:30 p.m.

Del Norte High's Nick Meisberger scored three goals in Wednesday's semifinal playoff game at Marantha Christian. Photo by Sherri Cortez

The ninth-seeded Nighthawks (7-11) completed its historic run through the top half of the playoff bracket with a 10-6 victory over No. 5 Maranatha Christian Wednesday to advance to Saturday’s Division II championship game.

Andrew Dickinson delivered six goals and Nick Meisberger had three to lead Del Norte, which has won three straight playoff games – two against higher-seeded teams – to advance to the title game.

The Nighthawks will face the winner of tonight’s No. 7 Serra at No. 3 Francis Parker match for the championship on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Torrey Pines High School.

No boys team in Del Norte history has won a section crown, although, technically the winner on Saturday will be called the Division II champions and not a section champion.

The cost was also up 3.6 percent over the previous quarter, which covered the final three months of 2012, according to the First Republic Prestige Home Index by First Republic Bank.

The average cost of a luxury home in the San Diego region in the first quarter of this year was $1.7 million, the highest since the end of 2010, according to the index. That compares to $2.1 million in Los Angeles and $2.8 million in San Francisco.

“Limited inventory exists in many areas, and buyer demand is accelerating for properties in the most desirable neighborhoods,” said Katherine August-deWilde, the bank’s president and chief operating officer. “Many homes have received multiple offers and are selling over the asking prices.’’

Cody Steele, of Steele Realty in Cardiff, said luxury homes turned into a sellers market around San Diego at the beginning of this year.

“There is a lot of money moving out of stocks into real estate and other tangible assets,’’ Steele said. “We’ve seen many cash deals. It seems like there are about 20 buyers for every listing.”

Scott Aurich of Sotheby’s Pacific Coronado said the big money is coming off the sidelines and heading into real estate.

In San Diego County, the index tracks sales of luxury homes in Carlsbad, Coronado, Del Mar, Encinitas, La Jolla, La Mesa, Poway, Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego and Solana Beach.

First Republic Bank produces the Prestige Home Index each quarter with Fiserv CSW Inc., which provides automated property valuation services and home price metrics to U.S. financial institutions.

May 18

• Vehicle break-in/theft – 14100 block Tobiasson Road, 8 p.m.

• Misdemeanor vandalism ($400 or less) – 14500 block Kennebunk Street, 6:30 p.m.

• Misdemeanor DUI alcohol/drugs – 11500 block Creek Road, 5:58 p.m.

• Misdemeanor vandalism ($400 or less) – 12700 block Cherrywood Street, 3 a.m.

• Misdemeanor drunk in public: alcohol, drugs, combo or toluene – 13300 block Poway Road, 2:35 a.m.

• Misdemeanor DUI alcohol/drugs – 13300 block Poway Road, 2:28 a.m.

May 17

• Misdemeanor battery on person – 13000 block Civic Center Drive, 8 p.m.

• Misdemeanor DUI alcohol/drugs – 13200 block Civic Center Drive, 1:07 a.m.

May 16

• Misdemeanor exhibit deadly weapon other than firearm – 13700 block Frame Road, 4:20 p.m.

May 15

• Misdemeanor DUI alcohol/drugs – Stowe Drive/Parkway Centre Drive, 10:39 p.m.

• Felony assault with deadly weapon: not firearm – 13400 block Poway Road, 9:53 p.m.

• Other sex crime (not rape, prostitution) – 14100 block Powers Road, 7:30 p.m.

• Felony vandalism ($400 or more) – 13300 block Poway Road, 5:32 p.m.

• Residential burglary – 14700 block Kalapana Street, 10:50 a.m.

May 14

• Two incidents – Commercial burglary – 12200 block Scripps Poway Parkway, 4:35 a.m.

May 13

• Fraud – 13000 block Sudan Road, 12 p.m.

• Felony take vehicle without owner’s consent/vehicle theft – 12500 block Oak Knoll Road, 11 a.m.

• Fraud – 12700 block Monte Vista Road, 8 a.m.

• Manufacture/sell/possess dangerous weapons/explosives/etc. – 13300 block Neddick, 7:50 a.m.

• Residential burglary – 15200 block Crestview Court, 7:45 a.m.

• Residential burglary – 14000 block Painted Desert Road, 6:20 a.m.

• Felony possession of narcotic controlled substance – 14200 block Poway Road, 3:34 a.m.

May 12

• Vehicle break-in/theft – SR-67 Poway Road, 6:30 p.m.

• Misdemeanor petty theft (from building) – 14800 block Pomerado Road, 9 a.m.

• Commercial burglary – 12800 block Gregg Court, 3:46 a.m.

May 11

• Misdemeanor DUI alcohol/drugs – Sunrise Ranch Road/Poway Road, 11:25 p.m.

• Misdemeanor petty theft (shoplift) – 12600 block Poway Road, 6:55 p.m.

May 10

• Felony vandalism ($400 or more) – 13700 block Utopia Road, 10 p.m.

• Felony vandalism ($400 or more) – 13300 block Poway Road, 9:08 p.m.

• Vehicle break-in/theft – 16200 block Espola Road, 6:40 p.m.

• Commercial burglary – 12200 block Poway Road, 6 p.m.

• Commercial burglary – 13400 block Pomerado Road, 12 p.m.

• Misdemeanor DUI alcohol/drugs – Carriage Road/Poway Road, 2:30 a.m.

Crimes reported in Rancho Bernardo, 4S Ranch, Carmel Mountain Ranch, Sabre Springs and Black Mountain Ranch

May 20

• Felony sell/furnish marijuana/hashish – Camino San Bernardo/Arriba Linda Avenue, 1:36 a.m.

May 19

• Vehicle break-in/theft, 16900 block Dove Canyon Road, 4:30 p.m.

• Misdemeanor drunk in public: alcohol, drugs, combo or toluene – 10600 block Berryessa Lane, 3:26 a.m.

May 17

• Commercial burglary – 10400 block Reserve Drive, 10:15 p.m.

• Vehicle break-in/theft – 10800 block La Alberca Avenue 9 p.m.

May 16

• Vehicle break-in/theft – 15300 block Maturin Drive, 12:30 a.m.

May 15

• Fraud – 11500 Block Windcrest Lane, 6 p.m.

• Petty theft – 12400 block Horado Road, 5 p.m.

May 14

• Residential burglary – 11400 block Turtleback Lane, 8:15 p.m.

• Vehicle break-in/theft – 16700 block Bernardo Center Drive, 6 p.m.

• Petty theft – 11900 block Carmel Mountain Road, 2 p.m.

• Fraud – 13900 block Capewood Lane, 12 p.m.

May 13

• Residential burglary – 15900 block Avenida Villaha, 12 p.m.

• Theft – 11800 block Stoney Peak Drive, 8:30 a.m.

• Fraud – 16500 block Road to Utopia, 8 a.m.

May 12

• Residential burglary – 18000 block Cotorro Road, 11:30 p.m.

• Residential burglary – 17900 block Sencillo Drive, 9 p.m.

• Residential burglary – 12000 block Tretagnier Circle, 7 p.m.

• Assault – felony battery with serious bodily injury – 11500 block Carmel Mountain Road, 6:23 p.m.

• DUI alcohol and/or drugs – 10200 block Scripps Poway Parkway, 1:40 a.m.

May 11

• Disorderly conduct: alcohol – 17100 block West Bernardo Drive, 8 p.m.

• Assault – felony battery with serious bodily injury – 17100 block West Bernardo Drive, 7:33 p.m.

• Petty theft/theft of personal property/shoplift – 10100 block Rancho Carmel Drive, 4:10 p.m.

• Vehicle break-in/theft – 9000 block Maranatha Drive, 3:15 p.m.

• Vehicle break-in/theft – 18600 block Wessex Street, 1 p.m.

• DUI alcohol and/or drugs – 16500 block Bernardo Heights Parkway, 2:45 a.m.

• Felony battery with serious bodily injury – 17500 block Bernardo Oaks Drive, 12:10 a.m.

• Vehicle break-in/theft – 18700 block Caminito Pasadero, 12:01 a.m.

May 10

• Vehicle break-in/theft – 18700 block Caminito Pasadero, 8 p.m.

• Vehicle break-in/theft – 12400 block Highland Valley Road, 4:30 p.m.

• Grand theft: money/labor/property over $950 – 17100 block Via del Campo, 2:20 p.m.

• Vehicle break-in/theft – 11800 block Carmel Mountain Road, 1 p.m.

• Fraud – 14100 block Via Alisal, 12 p.m.

• Assault – felony battery with serious bodily injury – 14800 block Waverly Downs Way, 8 a.m.