​OCEANSIDE, CA (June 25, 2025) – Mission Marketplace in Oceanside is bringing back the popular shopping activity, Sidewalk Sales, to give consumers an opportunity to save money! The first Sidewalk Sale on June 7 drew many bargain hunters to Mission Marketplace, located at the northwest corner of Highway 76 and College Boulevard at 471 College Boulevard in Oceanside.
 
Mark your calendars for the three upcoming Sidewalk Sales from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. on the FIRST Saturday of the month:  July 5, August 2 and September 6!  Retail stores and other businesses at Mission Marketplace will have special offers on items featured at sales displays on the sidewalk at the open-air shopping center. 

By District Attorney Summer Stephan
​
Auto theft is a common crime in San Diego County that affects victims in many ways. Across the county, there were more than 11,300 auto thefts last year, representing about $140 million in losses, according to statistics from the San Diego Association of Governments. In fact, last year our office filed more than 850 cases against 900 defendants for auto theft-related charges.
 
Thankfully, our region has a Regional Auto Theft Taskforce (RATT), that works to reduce vehicle theft in San Diego County. They have taken down many criminal auto theft rings that have led to prosecutions and ultimately jail time for criminals.

Auto theft uniquely disrupts the victim’s life, especially in a vehicle-centered city like San Diego where almost every aspect of your daily living revolves around your vehicle. From being unable to get to work, school and doctor’s appointments to buying food, the theft of your vehicle can be devastating. But there are ways to be proactive, so you do not become a victim of auto theft. Here are some simple tips that can reduce your probability of becoming a victim of auto theft:
 
·   Do not leave your vehicle doors unlocked. Criminals are opportunists and they will find their way into an unlocked vehicle sooner or later.
·   Do not leave items of any value in plain sight in a parked vehicle.
·   Do not leave your keys in your vehicle.
·   Do not leave keys hanging on a hook in your garage.
·   Do not leave your garage door open.
·   Do not store a spare key in your garage or second vehicle.
·   Do not leave your vehicle unattended while it is running.
·   Do not assume your vehicle is safe to be left unlocked because you live in a gated area or have an enclosed parking garage.
·   Do not leave car keys in a lockbox attached to your vehicle while at the beach or on a hike.
·   To avoid becoming a victim of identity theft in addition to auto theft, do not leave valuable items in your vehicle.
 
The harm to victims is compounded when valuables, wallets, checkbooks, or phones are left in a vehicle, and it is stolen. If a thief gains access to the personal identifying information such as your driver’s license or credit card, they can illegally use your personal information to make purchases and steal your identity. Some thieves may try to re-sell your vehicle, and if you leave the vehicle title in the vehicle, the bad actor can attempt to transfer title or sell your vehicle to an unsuspecting innocent buyer.
 
Earlier this Summer, RATT completed a two-year investigation involving 50 defendants. The undercover operation recovered 172 stolen vehicles, drugs, and firearms. RATT’s mission cannot be fulfilled without the help of the public. If you have tips or information on vehicle thefts, please let RATT know on the anonymous tip line: 1-888-TELLRAT (888-835-5728).
 
As your District Attorney, I’m committed to increasing communication and accessibility between the DA’s Office and the public in order to keep you safe. I hope these consumer and public safety tips have been helpful.
 

(Source: San Diego County District Attorney’s Office) - Over the past several years, I have warned the public of scammers trying to get their hands on your money using a wide variety of methods. But one type of scammer who does tremendous damage is not a faceless stranger who contacts you on the Internet, by text message, or phone call. This threat comes with a friendly, often familiar, face. It's your friendly, neighborhood life insurance agent.

Location matters.  ​
For us, location (where we live and spend our time) is right up there as one of our most important things in life, and I don’t say that lightly.  

I’ve lived in 9 different cities, 3 different states, and 2 different countries since I graduated college.  Each move pursuing another opportunity and honing in on my place. 

Location isn’t everyone’s top priority, and it may not be yours.  No problem, I’m not trying to convince you that you should be like me.  You might choose to do life wherever life takes you.  Or you may prioritize family or friends and decide to live where those people are close by.  That is a-okay.  Yet, location or even broader, your environment matters.  You don’t have to move somewhere different to implement this. 

Give me a Sec to bring this home…  The story goes that at a very young age, I knew and told my parents that I would someday move to California.  I grew up in a small town in Minnesota on a farm that today is a legit wedding venue (shout out to Legacy Hill Farm -- our client and my parents’ business).  At the age of 23, I made it to California, and I’ve never looked back.  I love it here.  California is a huge state, though, and from city to city and region to region, the lifestyle can be drastically different.  I’ve loved every season I’ve had for different reasons, but since moving here, I’ve always been on the hunt to find “THAT SPOT” – the one that would be my city.  
 
In 2020, we found our spot.  We bought a home in Oceanside, CA and have fallen in love with it.  This seaside town has taken our hearts.  It calls out my love for the sun, water, outdoors, and so much more.  

If you aren’t from San Diego County, then you may not even know about Oceanside or at least not know much about it.  Oceanside is the least posh of all the San Diego beach towns in North County.  It’s not cheap to live here, but there are pockets where it isn’t outrageous either.  It has this mesh of young families looking to stake a claim on the Golden Coast where not everyone but the uber-wealthy are priced out — alongside the older generations who purchased back in the 70s and 80s and have had the benefit of large property value appreciation.  For reference, I have some neighbors that work in the local school district that bought their home for less than $100k back in the 80s.  

Oceanside is filled with people from all walks of life, and it is vibrant.  It has the both grunge and the glamour.  We’ve lived in a variety of places that were beautiful fun spots, but where we also felt like we were outsiders.  Not in Oside.  We are welcome here. 
 
Oceanside is picturesque, but it has some other significant things going for it as well.  It has that underdog spirit.  It’s tangible. You can feel it.  New opportunities are around every corner.  New restaurants. New shops. New businesses.  It’s becoming a small business hotbed and it’s ripe for turning into something amazing.  As a small business consulting firm, we are inspired by all the small businesses that surround us here, and we love that our city is fostering, encouraging, and cultivating a place for entrepreneurs to take risks and add to the community. The other thing about Oceanside is that it has that comeback spirit to it that gives you this feeling like tomorrow is going to be even better than today.  You can feel the energy of it all, and we are here for it!
 
If you want to come visit, there are some great places to stay:

• The Green Room - a cool local boutique hotel in South Oceanside
• The Seabird - a new, beautiful beachy hotel near the pier and downtown
• Mission Pacific Hotel - also new and beautiful, a sister hotel to the Seabird, right across the street

 
If you read this far, you can tell by now how much we love Oceanside.  Oceanside sets the “macro” landscape for our location and environment.  I think ideally, on some level, we all could like, appreciate, and hopefully be inspired by the geographic location that we live in.  If you hate where you live, it might be time to switch things up because, as the saying goes – life is too short.  

And also, you can’t possibly love everything about a specific location.  We love Oceanside, but like any place, there are certainly some things that aren’t ideal about it.  Yet, our “big things” are met here, and we see the potential and hope for better days ahead.  

Moving beyond your geography, we also have to address the type of environment you live in day-to-day – your home, your work, where you eat, work out, etc.  These places affect you.  The design and layout of your home and office impact your well-being and your output.  Where you spend your time affects how you think. It will inspire you or demotivate you. It will call you to action or lull you to inaction. It will give you confidence or make you feel unsure. 

In one of Rob Bell’s recent audiobooks, Handling Your Fire, he mentioned the importance of your environment and surroundings. He said something like… “your environment should remind you of who you are and what you are up to.”

I love that.  I want to lean into that.  From the city I choose to live in, to the way I set up my desk.  From the colors in my room, to the plants I take care of.  

We recently put our lock on the Oside heart.  I don’t know what lies ahead, but we don’t plan on leaving Oceanside, CA. 
 
Location and your environment is worth thinking about.  It’s worth being intentional about.
 
Live somewhere you love. Live somewhere you want to put a lock on.