News

Pala Today News – 2/18/26

Written by John Fox on February 18, 2026

The following items are part of the award-winning “Pala Today” newscast heard this day at noon on PALA REZ RADIO™ 91.3 FM in Pala.

In any emergency, knowledge is power. Use our resources to leverage your family’s safety. Email 91.3@palatribe.com to subscribe to our daily M-F e-newsletter. Follow us at www.facebook.com/rezradio and www.twitter.com/rezradioFM. Additional resources at Palatribe.com

LOCAL AND REGIONAL NEWS

City and county crews are dealing with lots of flooding and downed trees from sometimes violent winds and cloudbursts over the past 24 hours. The Country Club Road crossing in Escondido is flooded and closed. The crossing on Cole Grade Road in Pauma Valley is dry and open. All schools in the Mountain Empire district are closed today due to snow.

Here are the local storm totals so far – much of it from thunderstorms. So, there’s lots of variation, even in areas right next to each other …

1.4” in Pala – .54 of it since midnight
1.1” in Oceanside
1.38” in Vista
1.7” in Carlsbad
.36” in Fallbrook
2.02” in Rainbow – almost ¾ of an inch of it since midnight
1.63” in Bonsall
1.59” in Couser Canyon including a half inch since midnight
1.9” in Pauma Valley including ¾ of an inch since midnight
2.63” in Valley Center
2.67” at Lake Wohlford
2.26” in Escondido
No report for Deer Springs
2.25” inches at Rincon with almost an inch since midnight
Four to six inches of snow at Birch Hill
Four to six inches of snow at Palomar observatory
4.05” inches at Lake Henshaw
No report for La Jolla reservation
3.45” inches at Mesa Grande
3.08” inches at Santa Ysabel
2.24”at Warner Springs.
3.1” at Oak Grove
.52” at Borrego Springs
.26” at Ocotillo Wells
1.93” at Temecula
1.24” at French Valley
1.34” at Lake Skinner
1.92” at Anza
1.73” at La Cresta
1.93” at North Lake Elsinore

Lots of storm-related power outages being worked on by SDG&E crews this morning including two in Valley Center and one each in Borrego Springs, Encinitas and Solana Beach. All of them are each affecting several dozen customers. All are expected to be fixed by 1p or sooner. There were reports of outages on Palomar Mountain, but they don’t appear on the SDG&E outage page. https://www.sdge.com/residential/customer-service/outage-center/outage-map

A lightning strike last night set palm trees on fire at the Moon Valley Nursery in unincorporated Escondido. Up to 1k trees were burned or damaged with fire crews remaining through this morning to put out hot spots that did flare up earlier this morning. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/san-diego-county-battered-storms-first-round-rain-strong-winds/3981070/?amp=1

Dodging raindrops, Temecula city officials held ribbon-cutting ceremonies yesterday for the long-awaited extension of Nicholas Road from Butterfield Stage to Joseph Road. The project widened the road and added bike lanes separate from the main roadway. The buildout completes a major link for motorists, as well as connecting the city’s trail system to Sommers Bend and into Wine Country. https://patch.com/california/temecula/nicolas-road-expansion-opens-temecula-drivers

This is Ash Wednesday – the first day of Lent, a 40-day period of prayer, fasting and repentance for Christians preparing for Easter. Mass was held at 8a this morning at Pala Mission Church. Services will be at 5:45p this afternoon at St. Bartholomew’s on the Rincon Reservation.

Pala will have a continued slight chance of additional showers this afternoon and tonight before the next storm rolls in tomorrow. The full forecast is coming up. (below)

SPORTS

At the Winter Olympics – Canada avoided elimination in the quarter finals of ice hockey by rallying to beat Czechia 4-3 today. They lost a major player, Sidney Crosby to a leg injury in the second period. He’s Canada’s oldest and most accomplished player. In other quarter final games, Slovakia beat Germany 6-2.

US skier Mikaela Shiffrin won her third Olympic gold – her first in eight years with a first-place finish in today’s women’s slalom finals. She’s the first American skier to win three gold medals in Alpine skiing. The 30-year old beat her nearest competitor by a huge 1.5 seconds. https://apnews.com/article/milan-cortina-olympics-mikaela-shiffrin-skiing-eee2ed4bf10364e2d922f29273152502

Norway has extended its lead in the medal count with 33 overall including 15 gold. Italy is second with 25 – 9 of them gold. The U.S. is third with 24 – 7 of them gold. https://www.espn.com/olympics/winter/2026/medals

In the NBA – The regular season resumes tomorrow.

The Dallas Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving will miss the rest of the season as he continues to recover from knee surgery eleven months ago. https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/47964482/kyrie-irving-miss-rest-season-eyes-return-2026-27

In the minors – The San Diego Clippers next game is Saturday.

In college basketball – Michigan successfully defended its #1 ranking with a 91-80 victory over #7 Purdue. Arizona State upset #13 Texas Tech 72-67. Unranked NC State routed #16 North Carolina 82-58. Rhode Island topped #18 Saint Louis 81-76. Visiting Grand Canyon beat San Diego State 73-63.

In the NHL – The regular season is on hold until after the Winter Olympics.

In the minors – The San Diego Gulls next game is Wednesday hosing San Jose.

In Major League Baseball – The first games of Spring Training are this Friday.

In the minor leagues – The Lake Elsinore Storm

In soccer – The San Diego Sockers next game is this Saturday at Tacoma.

In lacrosse – The San Diego Seals next game is Saturday hosting Halifax.

Local High School Sports –

Bonsall – no scheduled games today

Great Oak – varsity softball at a tournament in Norco at 3p; boys’ lacrosse at Centennial at 5p

Fallbrook – no scheduled published

Valley Center – girls’ soccer in CIF Division III first round at Escondido at 5p

BUSINE$$

As of midday trading on Wall Street, stocks were up. The Dow gained a third of a percent. The S&P 500 rose seven tenths. And the Nasdaq was up 1%. Gold gained almost $100 on the Comex, trading at $5,005.30 an ounce. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures were up a whopping $2.82 at $65.15 a barrel.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is scheduled to testify today in the landmark social media addiction trial in Los Angeles. The case is seen as a test of social media’s legal responsibility towards users’ mental health due to the allegedly addictive design of platforms. The defense says social media companies are being made scapegoats. https://www.npr.org/2026/02/18/nx-s1-5716229/zuckerberg-social-media-addiction-trial

Netflix has granted Warner Bros. Discovery a seven-day window to reopen deal talks with Paramount Skydance. Netflix has a pending deal to buy portions of WBD. Paramount, who lost in the bidding for that deal had launched a hostile takeover, with an offer direct to shareholders of $30 all-cash per share, which it now says is not its “best and final” offer. A special meeting of WBD shareholders will be held March 20. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/17/netflix-wbd-waiver-deal-talks-paramount-skydance.html

LIFESTYLE / GREEN LIVING

Civil rights leader and two-time Presidential candidate, Rev. Jesse Jackson died yesterday morning at the age of 84 after years of struggling with a neurological disorder. In his seven decades in the public eye, beginning as an aide to Martin Luther King, and continuing through so many generations and so many struggles, the Rev. Al Sharpton called him “a movement unto himself.” Jackson organized boycotts and sit-ins, registered millions of voters. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000. He ran as a Democratic Presidential primary candidate in 1984 when he won five states, securing 18% of the total vote and 80% of the black vote, and again in 1988. The second time, twice as many people voted for him and he won 13 states including five deep south states. He finished the primaries in second place, behind Michael Dukakis. George H.W. Bush won that year’s Presidential election. During that second campaign, at the Democratic National Convention, one of Jackson’s many quotable quotes was, “Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping them up.” He wasn’t without a sense of humor. He appeared on Saturday Night Live in 1991, giving tribute to the recently deceased Dr. Seuss with a hilarious Southern Baptist-style reading of “Green Eggs and Ham”. Jackson’s family includes his wife of 63 years, Jackie, and six children, two of whom have served as U.S. Representatives from Illinois. https://www.usatoday.com/live-story/news/nation/2026/02/17/jesse-jackson-dies-live-updates/88715148007/

On this day in music history – February 18,

1959, Ray Charles recorded “What’d I Say” at studios in New York City. The call-and-response song had evolved in concert. It became his biggest hit to date, reaching #6 on the pop charts and #1 on the R&B.
In 1962, The Everly Brothers, on weekend leave from Marine training, appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in full uniform with regulation haircuts to sing their new single, “Crying In the Rain”.
In 1965, The Kinks were at #1 in Britain with “Tired of Waiting for You” – their second chart topping hit in England. It peaked at #6 in America, besting their first two hits, “You Really Got Me” and “All Day and All of the Night”. But shortly after its release, the group was banned from touring in the U.S. for four years by the American Federation of Musicians union. It’s likely The Kinks would have been even bigger in the U.S. if they’d had more exposure than just on the radio.
In 1966, Beach Boy Brian Wilson recorded “Good Vibrations”, a song he wrote based on his mother telling him as a child that dogs could pick up on “vibrations” from people and would bark at bad vibrations.
In 1972, Led Zeppelin rescheduled a concert in Adelaide, Australia for the following night after a heavy rain left the stage and equipment unsafe. Zep had brought the largest PA system ever seen in that country to produce what was said to be the loudest rock show ever.
In 1990, Freddie Mercury made his final appearance on stage with Queen as they collected the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music in London.
In 1990, ten years after his death, a U.S. court ordered the release of John Lennon’s FBI files detailing his interests and activities including his support for the IRA and Worker’s Revolutionary Party. The British government had wanted the files to remain secret.
In 2008, Carpenters fans objected to plans to have Karen and Richard’s former family home in Downey demolished. It had been immortalized by appearing on the cover of their 1973, “Now and Then” album. The current owners were tired of fans looking in the windows and leaving flower tributes to Karen.
In 2012 an invitation-only memorial was held for Whitney Houston at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark. Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys and R. Kelly performed. Co-star from “The Bodyguard” Kevin Costner read a moving eulogy.
In 2013, Otis Harris, who replaced Eddie Kendricks in The Temptations died at age 62 after 14 year battle with prostate cancer.

Born on this day …

In 1933, Yoko Ono
In 1934, Skip Battin from The Byrds, New Riders of the Purple Sage, and The Flying Burrito Brothers
In 1939, Bobby Hart, singer-songwriter from the duo Boyce & Hart, who wrote and performed on The Monkees first hit, “Last Train to Clarksville”.
In 1941, Herman Santigo from the doo-wop group Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers.
In 1947, Styx keyboardist Dennis DeYoung.
In 1948, Doobie Brothers drummer and vocalist Keith Knudsen
In 1952, country and pop singer Juice Newton
In 1953, Robbie Bachman from Bachman Turner Overdrive
In 1954, John Travolta – better known as an actor, he sang with Olivia Newton-John on the #1 hit from Grease, “You’re the One That I Want”.
In 1965, Dr. Dre from NWA

https://www.thisdayinmusic.com/search/?keyword=&date=18&month=2

Other celebrity anniversaries today …

TV writer/producer Glen Charles is 83. His shows include Taxi, Cheers, and Frazier.
Actress Cybill Shepherd is 76
Vanna White from Wheel of Fortune is 69
Actor Matt Dillon is 62
Actress Molly Ringwald is 58
Among those who’ve passed, actor George Kennedy was born this day in 1925

http://www.davesfunstuff.com/a-mb/2080-date0218.htm

Programming on Rez Radio 91.3 is made possible in part by the Pala Band of Mission Indians and donations from listeners like you. Call 760 742 4200 or email 91.3@palatribe.com for details on contributing to community radio in Pala.

Call the Pala Fire Department at 760 742 1632 before starting any open fires to get the day’s Cal Fire and APCD recommendations. Fire Department permits are required for any burning on Pala tribal land.

Pala seniors’ lunch menu for tomorrow (2/19) – cheeseburger, French fries and dessert

The Pala Band of Mission Indians has employment opportunities including full time and part time. For a list, go to the Palatribe dot com website.

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WEATHER

Pala Weather – a slight chance of more rain with winds gusting up to 25 miles an hour and a high of 55 this afternoon … 53 with continued high winds and up to a half inch of rain likely tomorrow with another quarter inch tomorrow night … up to six inches of snow in the local mountains with the snow level beginning between 3k and 3,500 feet … mostly sunny and 59 Friday … 69 Saturday … 73 Sunday … 76 with a slight chance of rain Monday and Tuesday, when the high will be 73 … overnight lows, 40 tonight … 35 tomorrow and Friday night … 41 Saturday night … 45 Sunday night … 47 Monday night

FIRE PERMITS

Call the Pala Fire Department at (760) 742-1632 before starting any open fires to get the day’s Cal Fire and APCD recommendations. Fire Department permits are required for any burning on Pala tribal land.

PALA

The Pala Band of Mission Indians has a number of part-time and full-time employment opportunities.

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR

The Community Events and Casino Corner portions of this newsletter can be heard three times daily Mon-Sun on Rez Radio, at 7:25a, 12:25p (in Pala Today M-F), and at 5:25p as the “Pala Community Calendar”. Submit items for the calendar to 91.3@palatribe.com at least a week before the event.

You can view the events on the Calendar page.

SHOWS

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RESOURCES

The Pala Band of Mission Indians and Rez Radio gathered this list of resources as a courtesy and offers no guarantee of accuracy. Please contact us if you find an error or if any link needs to be updated.

Check out the list of information on our Resources page.