Latest news with #Escondido
Forbes
7 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Wildfire Prepared Neighborhood Offers Resilience, Insurance Benefits
The nation's first Wildfire Prepared Neighborhood is located in Escondido, California, a suburb of ... More San Diego. A great kitchen! Great schools! Great location! These have all been highly sought-after attributes by prospective homebuyers for decades. Fire resilience? That attribute is new, sparked by recent wildfires across the country – especially the devastating blazes in Los Angeles this past January – and insurance companies cancelling policies for high risk regions. A new Wildfire Prepared Neighborhood program from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, building on its successful Wildfire Prepared Home program, is betting that fire resilience will be an important new attribute for home buyers. The nation'sfirst certified community, KB Home's Dixon Trail, is located in Escondido, California, a suburb 45 miles northeast of San Diego. The latest 2025 Cal Fire map puts the upscale 64-home single family development in a high risk zone. So it's not surprising that the first feature mentioned on the Dixon Trail website is 'Wildfire Prepared Neighborhood.' 'We view this as an important research and development project to better understand the benefits,' shares Steve Ruffner, KB Home Coastal's regional general manager. Dixon Trail will serve as a model for the company's wildfire mitigation efforts, he added. Ruffner's team saw a demonstration of the WPH fire resilience features at a 2024 conference, which led to conversations about bringing those attributes to an entire KB Home community. Dixon Trail had just broken ground at the time, 'so timing and location made it an ideal choice for this pilot program,' he notes. The certified neighborhood program had just been finalized, so that Dixon Trail was the first community building to that standard, notes an IBHS spokesperson. 'What we see in Escondido at the Dixon Trail development with KB Home is what we need to see replicated across the West. When new construction is occurring, we need to build homes that are survivable and insurable. Wildfire Prepared Home and Wildfire Prepared Neighborhood are exactly the pathway to those ends,' declares Roy Wright, IBHS' CEO. The trade organization is getting inquiries from other builders and developers to potentially get their neighborhoods certified. How does a development qualify as a Wildfire Prepared Neighborhood? Only homes in California and Oregon are currently eligible for the designation, though other states will be added soon, an IBHS spokesperson says. All homes must be spaced a minimum of 10 feet apart, have a Class A roof, have a homeowners association and build each residence to Wildfire Prepared Home standards. (Depending on the neighborhood's location, it will require Plus or Basic levels for the individual homes.) 'KB Homes worked closely with IBHS to pre-designate the homes in that community based on the model designs and landscaping,' notes Ivan O'Neill, a Sonoma County-based WPH certification reviewer and wildland firefighter. 'Once homeowners purchase the home, they will be required in the HOA CC&Rs to get the designation, and it's all set up for them to create an account and get it done,' O'Neill explains. These are the criteria for getting Wildfire Prepared Home certified to Basic or Plus levels. In addition to the peace of mind in having a home built to greater fire resilience than most resale homes and a community planned on that basis, there are insurance benefits for WPH owners in California. The state mandates discounts for specific fire resilience features and requires carriers in the state to advise homeowners of their property's wildfire risk score. 'To drive forward wildfire safety, the Department of Insurance created the nation's first insurance discount program for mitigation actions called Safer from Wildfires,' comments CDI's deputy insurance commissioner Michael Stoller. WPH mirrors the state program's criteria in many important ways, he notes, though it is separate. Insurance companies can provide added discounts beyond the state's requirements, he says. Some of them are doing exactly that for the IBHS programs. State Farm provides the state required discounts, and an additional discount for both WPH levels, a spokesperson shares. 'Depending on the combination of discounts a customer qualifies for, the total maximum wildfire mitigation discount a customer can receive for their homeowners policy in California is between 6.3% and 10.1%.' 'Generally, Farmers customers in California are eligible for discounts of up to 8% on their wildfire peril premium, depending on the number and types of risk mitigation measures implemented and the characteristics of the property. An inspection arranged through the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) is one way that customers may validate the specific measures which have been successfully implemented and may qualify for a discount,' notes a spokesperson from that carrier. 'We've proposed discounts of up to 39% for IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home Plus (applies only to the wildfire peril premium) in our pending rate filing with the California Department of Insurance,' comments an executive with Mercury Insurance. 'We don't know when that will be approved, however, so there is no timeline of when these will be available to Mercury customers and California consumers.' Another challenge for California homeowners is policy cancellations. Thousands occurred in 2024, just months before the devastating LA fires. These impacted both individual owners and their homeowner associations. Many scrambled to find new coverage, often with much higher premiums and deductibles. Mercury also notes, 'Homes that have been certified as a Wildfire Prepared Home or Wildfire Prepared Home Plus are excellent risks and it's highly likely that Mercury would renew these customers. Other factors are also considered when offering renewals, but we believe homes that achieve these designations are significantly better wildfire risks and would therefore be much more likely to be renewed.' 'I think this is the future of most (or all) new housing developments in California that are located on the outskirts of existing communities,' O'Neill predicts. The cost difference is minimal when planned ahead, he points out. 'Developers need to follow KB Homes' lead and build to the WPH Plus level standard from the beginning and ensure that their future homebuyers will have access to more insurance options.' ***Note: All interviews were conducted by email in May 2025.
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Operation Sindoor takeaways: How India can sharpen its edge over Pakistan
Operation Sindoor , the political decision to mount it, and the armed forces' ability to execute it, are commendable. India deserves better than to live under the shadow of terror. But apart from raising tempers, does Trump's offer to mediate on Kashmir compromise India's sovereignty? Outside powers play a role in conflicts that have a potential to destabilise an entire region and radiate instability farther afield. Peace was secured in the 1965 war at Tashkent, not quite a Delhi suburb. Bill Clinton saved face for Nawaz Sharif to end the Kargil conflict in 1999. Is Russia's sovereignty under threat from Trump's role in trying to end the Ukraine war? Trump's offer, complete with his reference to a '1,000-year' conflict between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, is a reflection of his ignorance, not of compromised Indian sovereignty. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Escondido: Unsold 2025 Cruise Cabins Now At Reduced Prices (See Offers) FavoriteSearches | Search Ads Learn More Undo India began the operation to punish Pakistan. Only the TV channels dreamt up pictures of war and destruction. India does not want to escalate, but will rebuff any Pakistani attempt to attack India - that was the official position. It was Pakistan that wanted an external intervenor to save face, after its retaliation was suppressed. Trump was willing to chip in. He'll probably send someone to Stockholm to lobby for a peace Nobel, for averting a nuclear showdown. The surgical strike after Uri did not stop Pulwama. The Balakot attack in retaliation for Pulwama did not prevent Pahalgam. Will Op Sindoor guarantee there will be no further Pakistan-sponsored terror attacks? India has been able to strike inside Pakistan and disable air defence systems and bases. Such ability is a function of military superiority. Can military superiority be taken for granted, and relied on to guarantee future deterrence? Live Events Pakistan's defence capability has never really been Pakistan's. When it used to be an American ally, its arms were supplied by the US. Now it buys 80% of its arms from China. Beijing has supplied it with its 4.5-generation fighter aircraft, advanced missiles and air-independent propulsion-powered submarines, which can stay submerged for long periods, housing nuclear missiles representing second-strike capability. American officials reportedly have said that Pakistan's China-made J-10 aircraft shot down an Indian Rafale. India has not confirmed loss of any aircraft, but merely said that 'all our pilots are back home'. But if a Chinese warplane firing a Chinese missile brought down a Rafale, that would be a vital technology demonstration for Beijing. Pakistan's more than happy to serve as Beijing's force multiplier, tying down a portion of India's armed forces, and harassing India on and off, as required. If Rawalpindi is also willing to offer up combat testing of Chinese military hardware, Beijing might well be willing to pour newer and more advanced weapons into Pakistan's outstretched palm. India would have to acquire superiority of military hardware over China to maintain military superiority over Pakistan. India needs more than military capability to remove Pakistan as a threat. India needs to undermine the two-nation theory that makes Pakistan see itself as the secure homeland of South Asian Muslims and India as a threat to that security, giving the Pakistani army its legitimacy in the eyes of Pakistanis, even as the state collapses all around them. That calls for India to move away from sectarian politics internally, and to provide governance that secures prosperity and dignity for everyone, regardless of faith. A couple of decades of such progress would undermine the two-nation thesis, and remove the rationale for Pakistan and its armed forces' legitimacy. But that will take time, apart from a paradigm shift in Indian politics. Meanwhile, India needs to build better defence capability to match and surpass anything China has. It is cheaper and more reliable to build such capability in India. It calls for startups to work in tandem with the established defence industry. Problem areas must be worked out, possible solutions outlined, their hardware and software components spelt out, and multiple startups identified to tackle the different parts of each. One emerging challenge presents itself. Right now, an aircraft or a missile identifies the location of a target using active radar - sending out signals that bounce back from the target to enable locating its position. But active radar permits the target to discover it is being targeted. Suppose the target's location and signature are determined by satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO), and passed on to the attack unit. The target would be caught unawares by an attack unit that uses only passive radar, which makes use of radio waves that exist independent of that attack unit. Ukrainian drones already do something like this, using Starlink. Target-locating satellites need to be in LEO, a mere few hundred kms high, unlike geostationary satellites that are nearly 36,000 km away and make for lags in communication, or 'latency'. China could integrate satellite-based targeting into their ordnance, using LEO satellites and AI. India needs to develop this capability. It calls for tech entrepreneurship, seed money and lots of venture capital. GoI could provide the seed capital, besides using the ₹1 lakh cr R&D corpus announced in 2024 to set up fully equipped contract R&D centres. Pension funds - EPF and NPS - could allocate, say, 5% to venture capital for strategic tech, with the savers' permission. India Inc should chip in. Braggadocio will not keep terror away. That calls for systematic build-up of domestic capacity.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
Santa Fe restaurant serves as landing path for former inmates reentering society
SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) –From serving time to serving members of our community in a unique way, a Santa Fe restaurant is helping inmates reentering society one dish at a time. When lunchtime hits, you'll see Isaac Sork in the kitchen serving up orders as a cook at Escondido in Santa Fe. 'I've been working here about sixty days so far,' said Sork. Story continues below Education: 'Distraction-Free Bill' to curb cell phone use in schools set to go into effect Crime: Santa Fe man accused of killing wife during an argument Resources: How New Mexico families can get money for groceries this summer He came to the restaurant straight from the state prison, dropped off with nothing more than a bag of belongings and the shirt on his back. 'They brought me here, introduced me to the Escondido family, we ate,' said Sork. He landed the gig while still in prison. He had signed up for a culinary course brought in by the new non-profit, Entrepreneurial Institute of Northern New Mexico. The non-profit was created by three-time Food Network Champion Chef Fernando Ruiz and his business partner, Ralph Martinez. 'We go into the prison three nights a week, 6:00-10:30 p.m. We always walk out just as inspired as the participants that we teach,' said Martinez. He said the inmates who participate in the course are usually close to their release. While a restaurant was never part of the plan, the cooking course brought the perfect ingredients to open Escondido in August. 'It was right on time for us to start capturing individuals coming out of our cohorts, that graduated from our cohorts, and using this as a landing path,' said Martinez. It's a fragile transition, both Martinez and Chef Ruiz know all too well. 'I went to prison for trafficking guns and drugs in Arizona twice. I've been shot, I've been stabbed,' said Chef Ruiz. He said it was food and cooking that helped him turn his life around. For him, this is a way to give back to people reentering to the outside and break the cycle of ending back up on the inside. 'He has no family support, no money, no ID, no bank account. Where do you think he's going to be in the first two weeks or thirty days?' said Chef Ruiz. 'We know where he's going to end up.' More than half of Chef Ruiz's staff share a similar story. 'I mean, I got guys walking around with ankle monitors. Their probation officers show up and have dinner, just check on them. We hang out with their POs and let them know how they're doing,' he said. 'It's a restaurant but it's become a little more than a restaurant.' This time around, Sork said he feels accepted. 'It's like a God sent. This time I've had so much support,' he said. 'These people have accepted me with open arms. At the end of the day, I'm really happy I stayed in Santa Fe.' Sork and Chef Ruiz noted how the Santa Fe community has received this restaurant and why it's important to support inmates reentering the community. 'You're going to interact with these people, they might move into your same neighborhoods…just to be more empathetic and support things like this, because it does help the community as a whole,' said Sork. So, when lunchtime hits at Escondido in Santa Fe, you'll see cook Sork in the kitchen. But if you look a little harder, you'll see what they're really offering: redemption and hope. 'Most definitely, I'd call this a second chance…this is the best opportunity I've ever had. like they've walked me into success,' said Sork. 'You know, the sky is the limit.' Chef Ruiz said the restaurant is named Escondido because it means hidden in Spanish, which was a pillar of his lifestyle when he was in drugs. He also liked that it had the word 'con' in it. Chef Ruiz and Martinez are also working to expand their culinary courses to more prisons in the state. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Letters to the Editor: Trump is betraying the Ukrainians fighting for their freedom
To the editor: The words of Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr. and Ronald Reagan have inspired millions worldwide. We bravely fought for the ideals expressed in those words. ("Trump cedes to Russia on Ukraine, but the bigger victim may be NATO," Feb. 13) We endured the Civil War to end slavery and helped defeat the Nazis. We also helped tear down the Berlin Wall, liberate Kuwait, defend Ukraine and more. Given a surrender ultimatum by the Nazis during the Battle of the Bulge in 1944, Army Gen. Anthony McAuliffe famously replied, "Nuts!" But last week, President Trump all but gave Putin everything he wants in Ukraine. He betrayed the brave Ukrainians fighting for their freedom, our allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the rules-based international order that has kept much of the world safe and prosperous since World War II. I am deeply ashamed. Fellow citizens, no matter who you voted for, let's return our country to being a respected force for good in the world. Ken Bodger, Whittier .. To the editor: Do we want peace in Ukraine? The only way to get it is to stop the war. Russia is many times the size of Ukraine and will eventually win this war if it goes on long enough. I love Ukraine, but it will have to give up some areas with high Russian populations. Trump is not giving arms or money to Russia, so it's misleading to say he is "backing" Russia. If he were, Russia would get Ukraine. He is backing a solution that would create peace. Jerry Marcil, Palos Verdes Estates .. To the editor: In May 2020, Trump negotiated the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan without including the then-government of that nation. We all saw how that turned out. Last week, he had an initial phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin about "ending" the war in Ukraine, giving concessions before negotiations even begin. Again, he is not including government officials of the nation nor the leaders of NATO countries. I think we all know how that will turn out too. Scott Wrisley, Escondido .. To the editor: So, this is the art of the deal? Flatter Putin and capitulate to Russia before entering into negotiations for peace in Ukraine? Negotiate with the country that invaded its sovereign neighbor without that neighbor's presence at the table? Ukraine has been bombed relentlessly and has lost a large portion of its territory, but we are telling it to cede part of its country and forget about joining the West? With Trump talking to Putin, Pete Hegseth leading the Department of Defense and Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence, it appears that our ally is Russia and not NATO. Tony Baker, Rancho Palos Verdes This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
