News Archives

A New Patrol in Town 
San Diego Union Tribune (12/05/2007)

After more than a decade of planning, the first sheriff's substation in 4S Ranch is finally open for business.  Deputies are still settling into their new, $2.2 million digs, which include locker rooms, an armory and three holding cells. ...  More ...

Shelter in Place Kept Flames at Bay
San Diego Union Tribune (12/02/2007)

When the order came to evacuate his home near Rancho Santa Fe, Emil Costa already had made up his mind to stay, despite his wife's frantic pleas. Why should he flee, the retired physician reasoned, when he lives in one of the nation's few “shelter in place” communities, an enclave where residents can feel protected in a wildfire? ...  More ...

4S Ranch Street Fair This Sunday
Rancho Bernardo News-Journal (11/29/2007)

Thousands of locals will be getting into the holiday spirit at 4S Ranch on Sunday, Dec. 2 during the Rancho Bernardo Holiday Festival at 4S Ranch. ...  More ...

Development Gets Governor's Award
San Diego Union Tribune (11/21/2007)

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger honored Black Mountain Ranch LLC of San Diego County yesterday with one of his 2007 Environmental and Economic Leadership Awards. ...  More ...

Sheriff’s Substation Opens in 4S
Rancho Bernardo News-Journal (11/20/2007)

There will be a more visible sheriff’s presence in 4S Ranch now that the sheriff’s substation is complete and open to the public. As of Friday, Nov. 23, sheriff’s deputies will no longer have to travel to the Poway sheriff’s station to write reports and interview suspects.  ...  More ...

Symphony To Perform Free Concert For Wildfire Victims
10News.com (11/09/2007)

The San Diego Symphony will perform a free concert in Rancho Bernardo next week and a picnic will be held for area residents who were impacted by the wildfires, it was announced Friday. ...  More ...

Confusion Mars Journey Home
San Diego Union Tribune (10/25/2007)

The last communities in the city of San Diego were cleared for residents to return Thursday, but in other parts of the county, some people struggled to learn whether they could enter their neighborhoods or if they had to move to different shelters. ...  More ...

Exclusive Homes Emerge Unscathed as Fire-protection Concept is Tested
San Diego Union Tribune (10/25/2007)

As the Witch Creek fire raced through some of San Diego County's priciest neighborhoods and crept to the edge of others north and east of Rancho Santa Fe, not a single home in the five subdivisions that have implemented the strategy was lost, fire authorities said. ...  More ...

One-stop Assistance Center Opens in Rancho Bernardo
San Diego Union Tribune (10/24/2007)

The first of an anticipated five one-stop centers to help area residents rebuild from the devastating wildfires opened Wednesday afternoon in Ranch Bernardo. ...  More ...

Witch Fire Roars Across Northern San Diego County
San Diego Union Tribune (10/22/2007)

The Witch fire, pushed by strong Santa Ana winds, roared west Monday morning across northern San Diego County, forcing an estimated quarter-million people to flee their homes. ...  More ...

4S to Hold Pumpkin Fest Saturday
Rancho Bernardo News-Journal (10/17/2007)

The glow of 2,000 jack-o-lanterns on a 60-food scaffold will fill the evening sky Saturday in 4S Ranch. Lighting the pumpkins — carved earlier in the day by locals — will be the highlight of the second annual Life is good Pumpkin Festival in Patriot Park near Monterey Ridge Elementary School, 17117 4S Ranch Parkway.   ...  More ...

Poway Presses on with Schools
San Diego Union Tribune (10/17/2007)

Poway Unified will open two elementary schools next year in the growing west side despite delays in the state approval process for one of them. ...  More ...

Preschoolers Call High School Home in Poway Unified
San Diego Union Tribune (10/05/2007)

One of the most popular classes at Westview High School usually has a waiting list, and the children like it so much they sometimes cry when it's time to go home. ...  More ...

Homestyle Memphis Barbecue Comes to 4S Ranch
North County Times (09/27/2007)

The clock has just struck noon in the Town Commons shopping plaza in the community of 4S Ranch, and the line at Brett's BBQ is starting to snake out the front door. ...  More ...

Deal with District on Landfill is Upheld
San Diego Union Tribune (09/21/2007)

The Olivenhain Municipal Water District did nothing wrong when it entered into an agreement last year with the developers of a proposed North County landfill to provide billions of gallons of recycled water over a 60-year period, a Superior Court judge tentatively ruled yesterday. ...  More ...

Trustees Hear Update on School Projects
San Diego Union Tribune (09/12/2007)

As the first wall of a new high school goes up, walls in old elementary schools come down. It's all part of Poway Unified's building program, including major modernization projects at several schools. ...  More ...

4S Library Offers New Program for Teens
Rancho Bernardo News-Journal (08/29/2007)

Reading will become an interactive experience at the 4S Ranch Library, now that a teen book club and adult lunchtime group are on the horizon. The library staff has also made several children’s programming changes for the fall.  ...  More ...

Stone Ranch Welcomes New Principal
Rancho Bernardo News-Journal (08/08/2007)

A lifelong love for all things school-related led to Stone Ranch Elementary’s new principal, Cindy Venolia, pursuing a career in education. ...  More ...

Redevelopment Craze
San Diego Union Tribune (08/05/2007)

The transformation taking place in Rancho Bernardo's business community might best be seen at the corner of West Bernardo Drive and Via Del Campo. ...  More ...

District's Vacant Lot Could Be Swapped
San Diego Union Tribune (07/15/2007)

The land is off Avenida Venusto and Bernardo Heights Parkway, one of Rancho Bernardo's main thoroughfares. A chain-link fence surrounds the 10.9-acre lot, which appears unremarkable. ...  More ...

Opening of 2 Roads to Ease Commutes
San Diego Union Tribune (07/12/2007)

The roads are extensions of major byways through the rapidly growing suburbs. Officials say the roads will help relieve traffic snarls in Black Mountain Ranch, Del Sur, Santaluz, 4S Ranch and Rancho Peñasquitos. ...  More ...

Ranch House at Del Sur Named One of the World’s ‘Greenest’
Press Release (07/09/2007)

The Ranch House at Del Sur, the information center for the newly opened master-planned community by Black Mountain Ranch LLC in north San Diego, last week was awarded a Platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, a program of the U.S. Green Building Council and the most widely recognized standard worldwide for sustainable, high-performance, low-energy-use buildings. ...  More ...

Pipeline Progress Raises Concerns About Water Quality at Lake Hodges
North County Times (07/07/2007)

The San Diego County Water Authority's progress in building a pipeline between Lake Hodges and Olivenhain Reservoir makes long-standing concerns about treating Hodges' sometimes green water more urgent, water officials said last week. ...  More ...

4S Ranch Sheriff’s Substation Delayed
Rancho Bernardo News-Journal (07/11/2007)

The budding 4S Ranch community will be getting a new sheriff’s substation, but not in early summer as originally announced. Lt. Mark Elvin, the substation’s commander, said design modifications led to construction delays. ...  More ...

A Glimse of the Future for Green Construction
San Diego Union Tribune (07/07/2007)

Set in the rolling hills of northern San Diego as part of a new master-planned community, the house provides a glimpse into the future of residential construction as cities nationwide start to require “green” building practices. ...  More ...

Carmel Valley Road to Open Soon
San Diego Union Tribune (06/27/2007)

When motorists look at Carmel Valley Road between Rancho Peñasquitos and 4S Ranch, an obvious question comes to mind: What's taking so long? ...  More ...

Library Built, Stocked by Developer, Opens to Crowd
San Diego Union Tribune (04/28/2007)

There are 25,000 brand-new books, just-unwrapped music CDs and untouched DVD films sitting in a spanking-new shopping center in North County's newest suburb, free for the taking. All you need is a library card – and the promise to return the stuff when finished with it. ...  More ...

Del Sur in Full Swing
The Daily Transcript (04/27/2007)

Connecting roads to ease traffic and commute times are a major focus of infrastructure projects under way at Del Sur, a new master-planned community of 2,500 homes just north of state Route 56 in the city of San Diego. Open-space preserves and neighborhood parks also are prominent features ...  More ...

4S Ranch Library Opens Today
North County Times (04/25/2007)

Sandy Housley is living her dream, and residents of this developing community will get the chance to join her in it today. Branch librarian for the new 4S Ranch facility, Housley is among several county and community representatives scheduled to celebrate the opening of the $2.5 million facility in the 4S Commons shopping center. ...  More ...

4S Ranch Takes Shape
San Diego Union Tribune (03/25/2007)

The huge new community of 4S Ranch just west of Rancho Bernardo finally has its center – the 265,000-square-foot 4S Commons Town Center. The shopping complex is the centerpiece of the sprawling development, which is expected to have 4,700 homes and 10,000 residents by 2009. ...  More ...

Schools Chief Gets Regional  Accolade
San Diego Union Tribune (03/10/2007)

During his five years as Poway Unified superintendent, Don Phillips has made it his mission to take the high-achieving district from “good to great.” Phillips' leadership and success in increasing academic achievement for all students and providing new and improved school facilities have earned him recognition as superintendent of the year for San Diego and Imperial counties. ...  More ...

San Diego Cops Open New North Shop
San Diego Union Tribune (03/10/2007)

A small army of workers was busy this week finishing the $19.1 million, 21,000-square-foot Northwestern Division Substation [of the San Diego Police Department] on El Camino Real at Elijah Court.  Officers in the station will cover 31 square miles including Carmel Valley, North City, Del Mar Heights, Torrey Preserve, Sorrento Valley, Black Mountain Ranch and Torrey Highlands. ...  More ...

County Planners Discussing "Shelter in Place"
North County Times (02/15/2007)

New fire protection guidelines for developers proposed by San Diego County's planning department are creating a stir. ...  So far, the Rancho Santa Fe fire district is the only agency in San Diego County to officially adopt shelter in place. It only applies to five newer developments: The Bridges, 4S Ranch, Cielo, Santa Fe Valley and The Crosby, which were built to stringent 2000 codes.  ...  More ...

Attendance Areas Set for Del Norte High School
San Diego Union Tribune (02/14/2007)

Del Norte High School is years away from opening, but boundaries were approved this week for Poway Unified's newest high school. Under the plan approved by Poway Unified School District trustees Monday night,students from 4S Ranch, Del Sur and Santaluz would attend Del Norte.  ...  More ...

Olivenhain Water to Cost 4% More
San Diego Union Tribune (02/10/2007)

Customers of the Olivenhain Municipal Water District [which includes the community of 4S Ranch] will pay an average of 4 percent more for water effective March 1. ...  More ...

A Subdivision Off the Old Block
Voice of San Diego (02/08/2007)

With neighborhoods named Cabrillo and Kensington, it's quite plain what muse Del Sur master developer Fred Maas invoked when dreaming up a sales pitch for this 3,050-home planned community north of State Route 56 -- old-school San Diego neighborhoods. ...  More ...

Poway Unified Dedicates Monterey Ridge Elementary
North County Times (02/05/2007)

Brightly colored monarch butterflies lifted off small hands and fluttered out into the world Monday as students, teachers and parents dedicated Monterey Ridge Elementary School. The delicate insects are a mascot for the six-month-old primary-grade campus, which is operated by the Poway Unified School District. ...  More ...

Del Sur Nominated for Prestigious "Green Building" Award
San Diego Business Journal (02/05/2007)

Del Sur, a planned community being built near Rancho Penasquitos and Rancho Santa Fe, has already won several regional green awards, and an educational facility on the property is in line for the highest level of certification by the U.S. Green Building Council for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. ...  More ...

A Ralphs Grocery for Ralphs Ranch
North County Times (01/30/2007)

Maxine Ralphs-Robinson remembers that years ago, when she was relaxing at the vast Ralphs family property south of Rancho Bernardo, there wasn't a grocery store for miles. Today, many residents will be able to travel a few hundred feet to go grocery shopping. ...  More ...

4S Ranch Starting to Develop its own Identity
North County Times (01/27/2007)

One of North County's newest communities, 4S Ranch, was virtually unheard of outside a relatively small area along the Interstate 15 corridor two years ago. Now more than halfway complete, the seven-year-old community is starting to emerge as a distinct development with its own identity. ...  More ...

San Diego Community a Model for Green Building
Press Release (01/25/2007)

Del Sur, a new development of 2,500 homes, represents the next era of responsible community planning: an amenities-rich community built with environmental accountability. Planned over nearly 20 years by Black Mountain Ranch LLC ...  More ...

P. F. Chang's Opens Second North County Pei Wei
North County Times (01/24/2007)

North County residents can now get a taste of P.F. Chang's with a shorter drive, faster service and a lighter bill. The national chain of gourmet Chinese restaurants opened a sister diner, Pei Wei, ...  More ...

PUSD Board to Discuss School Boundaries
North County Times (01/12/2007)

Parents in the Poway Unified School District will get a chance to weigh in on proposed attendance boundaries for its fifth comprehensive high school Tuesday night at Morning Creek Elementary School in Sabre Springs.  More ...

Work Begins on Del Norte High School
Rancho Bernardo News-Journal (12/13/2006)

Poway Unified School District’s fifth comprehensive high school is one step closer to reality now that grading has begun on the site in 4S Ranch. Del Norte High School — expected to open in August 2009 — will sit on a 62-acre site and feature the latest in technology ...  More ...

Latest San Diego Community Establishing Its Identity
San Diego Union Tribune (12/10/2006)

Santaluz is an emerging community in northern San Diego with million-dollar homes, a golf course and a clubhouse. The development started five years ago on 3,800 acres. More ...

Grading Begins at Del Norte High School Site
San Diego Union Tribune (12/02/2006)

The future home of Del Norte High School is still a large expanse of dirt, but grading has started on the 62-acre parcel and the campus is on track to open for classes in August of 2009. The new school is expected to enroll students from throughout the Del Sur and 4S Ranch communities, although attendance boundaries won't be decided until early next year. More ...

Holiday Home Tour to Benefit Students
North County Times (11/29/2006)

A Holiday Home Tour benefitting Oak Valley Middle School will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 4. The tour will feature seven homes in the 4S Ranch area festively decorated for the holidays. Oak Valley students will play holiday music on violin or piano at each of the homes along the tour. Tickets cost $20 each and include a map to the homes, all of which are off Camino del Norte within a one- to two-mile radius of each other. For more information, call Kris Meyers at (858) 243-7781.

Water Plant Closure to Limit Usage
San Diego Union Tribune (11/22/2006)

Portions of San Diego County are about to get squeezed by an 11-day shutdown of a major water treatment plant east of Temecula, prompting calls for conservation in several districts [including one serving the residents of 4S Ranch]. More ...

Family-Run Hardware Store Finds Niche in Vases, Votice Candles
San Diego Business Journal (11/20/2006)

Move over hammer and nail, decorative vases and votive candles are moving in on the hardware business. Griffin Ace Hardware, a small chain of family-owned shops in San Diego, has introduced a boutiquelike house and giftware section at its newest location, 10511 4S Commons Drive in the new 4S Commons Town Center. More ...

4S Ranch Festival Expected to Draw 15,000
Rancho Bernardo News-Journal (11/01/2006)

Over 15,000 residents from the Inland Corridor will be converging on 4S Ranch Sunday to participate in an ever-growing popular community tradition. The third annual Rancho Bernardo Fall Festival at 4S Ranch will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 5 on Camino del Norte between Dove Canyon Road and 4S Ranch Parkway. More ...

Geppetto's Takes on a Whale of a Job
San Diego Business Journal (10/30/2006)

Homegrown toy retailer Geppetto’s may be, as the company’s slogan goes, “a child’s fantasy,” but it also happens to be a dream come true for owner Brian Miller. ... Next month, he expects to open his seventh [store] in 4S Ranch ... More ...

4S Ranch Fall Festival is November 5
Rancho Bernardo News-Journal (10/26/2006)

If you’ve been wondering what 4S Ranch has to offer, the third annual RB Fall Festival at 4S Ranch is the place to find out. Thousands of locals throughout the Inland Corridor are expected to attend the festival from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 5 on Camino del Norte between Dove Canyon Road and 4S Ranch Parkway. More ...

Pumpkin Festival a Success
San Diego Union-Tribune (10/26/2006)

The pumpkin festival held at Linear Park [in 4S Ranch] on Saturday raised about $45,000 for two children's charities. The amount exceeded the goal of $30,000 set by the festival's organizers. More ...

4S Ranch Fest to Draw Thousands, Slated for November 5th
Rancho Bernardo NewsJournal (10/11/2006)

The San Diego North Chamber of Commerce is predicting a bumper crop of visitors when the third annual 4S Ranch Fall Festival moves to its new Camino del Norte location on Sunday, Nov. 5. More ...

4S Ranch Retail Center Nears Completion
Rancho Bernardo NewsJournal (10/04/2006)

The first stores in 4S Commons Town Center will open in two weeks, signaling the impending completion of a long-anticipated major shopping complex at Rancho Bernardo and Dove Canyon roads in 4S Ranch. More ...

Six Candidates Competing for Three Seats in Poway School District
San Diego Union-Tribune (09/30/2006)

It's called Poway Unified, but two-thirds of its schools are in San Diego and two candidates for school board argue at least one trustee should be from a San Diego community. More ...

K. D. Stahl Completes Library Framing
San Diego Daily Transcript (09/07/2006)

K. D. Stahl Construction Group has just completed the framing for a $2 million library in North County known as 4S Ranch Library. The 7,200 square-foot, single-story facility is expected to open in early spring 2007. More ...

Monterey Ridge in 4S Ranch Goes Solar
San Diego Union-Tribune (08/18/2006)

When Monterey Ridge Elementary opens later this month, the new campus will be more than a place for students to learn reading, writing and fractions. With 20,000 square feet of solar panels strategically arrayed on a sloping strip of land behind the school, Monterey Ridge will be a producer of electricity and the first solar-powered campus in Poway Unified. More ...

Four Fire Agencies Studying a Merger
San Diego Union-Tribune (07/06/2006)

Whether it is a case of poor relatives looking to the wealthy cousin for help, or one of common-sense mutual assistance, the cash-strapped Solana Beach, Del Mar and Elfin Forest/Harmony Grove fire departments and the well-funded Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District are considering a merger. More ...