Pala Today News – 12/18/25

by John Fox – 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 and worldwide online … click here to listen live.  Listen on a smart speaker by asking it to “play KPRI”.  Some portions of today’s newscast are only available in the live broadcast and not included in this transcript which is also available an hour or two after broadcast at www.RezRadio.FM . 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

At least one person was injured when an SUV plowed into the garage of a home in Vista yesterday afternoon around 2p.  It happened on twisty part of Hillside Terrace.  The SUV first hit a power pole, then missed a turn, hitting the home.  The residents were not home at the time.  It could have been a lot worse with children coming home from school just minutes later. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/video/videos/suv-crashes-into-vista-home/3948279/?amp=1

The California Highway Patrol will be conducting a sobriety checkpoint at an undisclosed location in Bonsall today.  They also aren’t saying what the hours of the checkpoint will be.  It’s the first of a number of DUI checkpoints planned by local and county law enforcement during the holidays over the next 2 ½ weeks. https://thecoastnews.com/chp-to-conduct-sobriety-checkpoint-today-in-bonsall/

A contentious plan to add a gas station to the Lake Elsmore Walmart Supercenter has been denied by the city’s Planning Commission.  They voted unanimously on Tuesday to reject the plan for 29360 Central Avenue citing traffic issues. https://patch.com/california/lakeelsinore-wildomar/lake-elsinore-rejects-embattled-walmart-gas-station-proposal

The Palomar College governing board has appointed Assistant Superintendent and Vice President of Instruction Tina Recalde as the school’s interim president.  She succeeds Dr. Star Rivera-Lacey who’d taken a job as Deputy Chancellor/Provost at Riverside Community College, effective December 1.  The board also elected its officers for next year.  Dr. Holly Hamilton-Bleakley from Area 4 was elected Board President.  Area 2 Trustee Yvette Marie Acosta will be Vice President.  Area 1 trustee Dr. Judy Patacsil will be Board Secretary.  Students on campus had been rallying for change in recent days.  https://www.palomar.edu/news/palomar-college-governing-board-appoints-interim-superintendent-president-and-elects-officers/

Speaking of 2026 public appointments, current Temecula mayor pro tempore, Jessica Alexander was unanimously elected by the city council to the role of mayor for 2026.  Council member Matt Rahn will replace her as mayor pro tem. https://myvalleynews.com/blog/2025/12/10/jessica-alexander-voted-in-as-mayor-of-temecula/

Pala will have continued sunny and warm weather through the weekend.  Rain likely Tuesday night through at least Christmas Eve.  The full forecast is coming up. (below)

 

Mass at Pala Mission Church is broadcast live on Rez Radio 91.3 and streamed live on the Rez Radio App every Sunday at 8a. 

 

SPORTS

In the NFL – Week 16 begins tonight with the Rams at Seattle on Prime Video. 

The Chicago Bears are looking to relocate – and it may be out of state.  In addition to Arlington Heights in Cook County, where the team owns a 326-acre property, they’re looking at possibly moving to Northwest Indiana.  They say it’s not a negotiating tactic, but that it’s just bee too difficult to get the project rolling in Illinois.  They’re currently at a property tax impasse with the state over Arlington Heights.   https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/47340940/bears-again-expand-stadium-search-including-illinois

College Football – 2025 Bowl Game schedule

Sat 12/13 – Bucked Up LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium – Boise State 10, Washington 38

Tue 12/16 – Salute to Veterans Bowl in Montgomery, AL – Troy 13, Jacksonville State 17

Wed 12/17 – StaffDNA Cure Bowl in Orlando – Old Dominion 24, S. Florida 10

Wed 12/17 – 68 Ventures Bowl in Mobile – Louisiana 13, Delaware 20

Thu 12/18 – Xbox Bowl in Frisco, TX – Missouri State v. Arkansas State at 6p on ESPN2

Fri 12/19 – Myrtle Beach Bowl in Conway, SC – Kennesaw State v. Western Michigan at 8a ton ESPN

Fri 12/19 – Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa, FL – Memphis v. NC State at 11:30a on ESPN

Mon 12/22 – Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise, ID – Washington State v. Utah State at 11a on ESPN

Tue 12/23 – Bush’s Bowl of Beans in Boca Raton, FL – Toledo v. Louisville at 11a on ESPN

Tue 12/23 – New Orleans Bowl in New Orleans – Western Kentucky v. Southern Miss at 2:30p on ESPN

Tue 12/23 – Frisco Bowl in Frisco, TX – UNVL v. Ohio at 6p on ESPN

Wed 12/24 – Hawai’i Bowl in Honolulu, HI – Cal v. Hawai’i at 5p on ESPN

Fri 12/26 – GameAbove Sports Bowl in Detroit – Central Michigan v. Northwestern at 10a on ESPN

Fri 12/26 – Rate Bowl in Phoenix – New Mexico v. Minnesota at 1:30p on ESPN

Fri 12/26 – First Responders Bowl in Dallas – Florida International v. UTSA at 5p on ESPN

Sat 12/27 – Military Bowl in Annapolis, MD – Pittsburgh v East Carolina at 8a on ESPN

Sat 12/27 – Pinstripe Bowl in Bronx, NY – Penn State v. Clemson at 9a on ABC

Sat 12/27 – Fenway Bowl in Boston – Uconn v. Army at 11a on ESPN

Sat 12/27 – Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando – Georgia Tech v. BYU at 12:30 on ABC

Sat 12/27 – Arizona Bowl in Tucson – Miami OH v Fresno State at 1:30p on CW

Sat 12/27 – New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque – North Texas v. San Diego State at 2:45p on ESPN

Sat 12/27 – Gator Bowl in Jacksonville – Virginia v. Missouri at 4:30p on ABC

Sat 12/27 – Texas Bowl in Houston – LSU v. Houston at 6p on ESPN

Mon 12/29 – Birmingham Bowl in Alabama – Georgia Southern v Appalachian State at 11a on ESPN

Tue 12/30 – Independence Bow in Shreveport, LA – Coastal Carolina v Louisiana Tech at 11a on ESPN

Tue 12/30 – Music City Bowl in Nashville – Tennessee v. Illinois at 2:30p on ESPN

Tue 12/30 – Alamo Bowl in San Antonio – USC v TCU at 6p on ESPN

Wed 12/31 – ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa – Iowa v. Vanderbilt at 9a on ESPN

Wed 12/31 – Sun Bowl in El Paso, TX – Arizona State v Duke at 11a on CBS

Wed 12/31 – Citrus Bowl in Orlando – Michigan v Texas at noon on ABC

Wed 12/31 – Las Vegas Bowl – Nebraska v. Utah at 12:30p on ESPN

Fri 1/2 – Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth – Rice v. Texas State at 10a on ESPN

Fri 1/2 – Liberty Bowl in Memphis – Navy v. Cincinnati at 1:30p on ESPN

Fri 1/2 – Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, NC – Wake Forest v Mississippi State at 5p on ESPN

Fri 1/2 – Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego – Arizona v SMU at 5p on Fox

College Football Playoffs

Fri 12/19 – #8 Oklahoma v. #9 Alabama at Norman, OK at 5p on ABC and ESPN

Sat 12/20 – #10 Miami v. #7 Texas A&M at College Station, TX at 9a on ABC and ESPN

Sat 12/20 – #11 Tulane v. #6 Ole Miss at Oxford, MS at 12:30p on TNT

12/20 – #12 James Madison v #5 Oregon at Eugene, OR at 4:30p on TNT

Quarterfinals

Wed 12/31 –Cotton Bowl in Arlington, TX – Miami-Texas winner v. #2 Ohio State 4:30p on ESPN

Thu 1/1 – Orange Bowl in Miami Gardens – Madison-Oregon winner v. #4 Texas TEch at 9a on ESPN

Thu 1/1 – Rose Bowl – Alabama-Oklahoma winner v. #1 Indiana at 1p on ESPN

Thu 1/1 – Sugar Bowl in New Orleans – Tulane-Ole Miss winner v #3 Georgia at 5p on ESPN

In the NBA – Just two games yesterday.  Chicago beat the Cavaliers in Cleveland 127-111.  And Memphis over Minnesota 116-110.  Twelve games tonight including the Lakers at Utah and the Clippers at Oklahoma City.

In hockey – Last night’s winners were Florida, Utah, St. Louis, Carolina, and New Jersey.  Ten games tonight including the Kings at Tampa Bay.

In the minors – Last night at Henderson, the San Diego Gulls lost to the Silver Knights 1-0.  The Gulls’ next game is tomorrow at Calgary.

In Major League Baseball – The Washington Nationals have hired Ani Kilambi as their new general manager.  He’d previously been assistant general manager for the Philadelphia Phillies and spent five years with Tampa Bay before that.  He replaced Mike Rizzo who’d been GM for about 15 years, but was fired in July as the Nationals suffered through their sixth consecutive losing season. https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/47340275/ani-kilambi-31-named-nationals-gm-sources-say

In lacrosse – The San Diego Seals next game is January 3 hosting Calgary.

Local High School Sports –

Bonsall – girls’ basketball hosting High Tech North County at 3p; boys’ basketball at Classical Academy at 6:30p

Great Oak – no scheduled games today

Fallbrook – boys’ soccer hosting El Camino at 4p; girls’ basketball against Steele Canyon at Christian at 7:30p

Valley Center – boys’ soccer at Vista at 4:30p; girls’ basketball against La Jolla at Monte Vista at 4:30p; girls’ water polo at Poway at 4:45p; wrestling hosting Crawford at 5p

 

BUSINE$$

As of midday trading on Wall Street, stocks were up on all three major U.S. indexes.  The Dow gained 6 tenths of a percent.  The S&P 500 was up 1.2%.  And the Nasdaq rose 1.8%.  Comex gold was down $7.50 at $4,366.40 an ounce.  The benchmark West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures were up 48 cents to $56.42 a barrel.

Inflation cooled slightly last month to an annualized 2.7%.  That puts it just a tenth above its highest point in the first Trump administration.  It was 3% for the 12 months ended in September.  (There was no inflation report from the Labor Department for October.)  Even with falling inflation, 7 in 10 Americans say they’re barely able to pay their bills.  As a result, Trump’s economic approval rating has fallen to just 37% of voters.  Wages gains are now outpacing inflation, but the rate of gain is slowing. With a softening job market, workers no longer have the bargaining power to demand much more pay. https://www.npr.org/2025/12/18/nx-s1-5647510/inflation-economy-prices-affordability 

Warner Bros. Discovery’s board of directors is urging shareholders to reject Paramount’s hostile takeover bid, saying the Netflix offer is better.  The board says Paramount’s offer has “gaps, loopholes, and limitations” that would put the company at risk.  They also say Paramount is being misleading about its financing, which included Middle East sovereign wealth funds and the private equity firm, Affinity Partners, founded by President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.  Affinity pulled out of the deal on Tuesday. www.morningbrew.com

There’s chance that Tesla sales in California may be halted by the DMV, who announced this week that a federal judge ordered a 30-day suspension of the EV-maker’s sales license in the state over allegedly misleading marketing of the Tesla Autopilot feature.  Regulators have been challenging Tesla’s claims over Autopilot’s safety and abilities for years.   Even before the judge’s decision, Tesla had claimed freedom of speech in its Autopilot marketing materials, and since then has said “sales in California will continue uninterrupted.” Tesla now has 60 days to either comply or appeal the order.  California is the largest market for car sales in the U.S.  About 11% of all Teslas sold worldwide in the first three quarters of this year were in California.   www.morningbrew.com

 

LIFESTYLE / GREEN LIVING

Four House Republicans broke rank and sided with Democrats to force a vote on extending Affordable Care Act tax credits for another three years before they expire at the end of this month.  The vote won’t happen before early next year, and even if the bill passes in the House, it’s unlikely to make it past the Senate. www.morningbrew.com

Starting in 2029, the Academy Awards will stream exclusively on YouTube.  The Oscars have been on ABC every year since 1976, but that ends when the current contract expires in 2028.  In a statement, the Academy said the move will allow the awards show to reach “the largest worldwide audience possible.”  Though it’s moving to a streaming platform, the good news is, you won’t need a YouTube subscription to see it.  www.morningbrew.com

A 60-year old album is currently #8 on Billboard’s Hot 200 album chart.  “A Charlie Brown Christmas (Soundtrack)” is a perennial favorite around this time of year.  This year’s popularity is thanks to viral publicity about this being the 60^th anniversary of the TV special no one in the industry thought would succeed.  In late spring of 1965, CBS commissioned Lee Mendelson to come up with a Christmas special – very short notice for an animated feature.  He and Charles Schultz, creator of the popular Peanuts comic strip wrote the script in a weekend and set out to create the first animated Peanuts special.  When they presented it to the network, executives hated it.  They disliked the minimalist animation, the adult themes of commercialization and overt consumerism, the religious tone of Linus’ monologue quoting scripture, the use of actual children instead of actors for the voices, and they especially didn’t like the jazz soundtrack.  It was only because of the network’s commitment to the sponsor, Coca-Cola that it even aired.  But when it debuted on December 9, 1965 audiences and critics loved it.  “A Charlie Brown Christmas” won an Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Program the following spring.  Bay Area jazz composer and pianist Vince Guaraldi’s Grammy had won a Grammy the year before for “Cast Your Fate to the Wind”.  That and the fact that Charles Schultz loved jazz was the reason the Vince Guaraldi Trio was chosen for the Charlie Brown soundtrack.  It too was a rush job, with Mendelson deciding the lilting opening track “Christmas Time is Here” needed lyrics.  So, he dashed them off and organized a local boys’ choir to add them to Guaraldi’s composition.  Though the soundtrack album didn’t win a Grammy, it was voted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007.  It was certified 5 times platinum in 2022 when it rose to #2 on the album chart that year – and that doesn’t include modern-era downloads.  There are now about 50 Peanuts TV specials.  All of the ones done until 1976 included music by Vince Guaraldi, who passed away that year at the age of 47.   https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cbs-executives-thought-charlie-brown-christmas-would-fail-180953728/

On this day in music history – December 18,

• 1961, The Tokens began the first of three weeks at #1 with “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” – sometimes referred to as the weemawa song. 
• In 1966, a close friend of Rolling Stones Mick Jagger and Brian Jones died when his Lotus Elan collided with a parked truck in South Kensington, London.  The death of Tara Browne was immortalized in The Beatles’ song, “A Day in the Life”. 
• In 1971, T. Rex released their 6^th album “Electric Warrior” which included two of the group’s most popular songs, “Get It On” and “Jeepster”.  It became T. Rex’s first #1 album. 
• In 1972, Bob Dylan began filming his role in the movie, “Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid”.  He also composed the score and most of the songs for the film, including “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”. 
• In 1982, Hall & Oates began the first of four weeks at #1 with “Maneater”, the duo’s fifth #1 hit. 
• In 2003, Michael Jackson was formally charged with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of giving liquor to a minor.  The alleged victim’s identity was not revealed.  Jackson was out on bail at the time. 
• Also in 2003, James Brown and Loretta Lynn were among those recognized for their contributions to American culture at that year’s Kennedy Center Honors.
• In 2004, a Gibson SG guitar used by George Harrison for three years including the recording of the “Revolver” album and by John Lennon during the “White Album” sessions sold at auction for $570k. 
• In 2015, a medical examiner said former Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland died from a toxic mix of drugs including cocaine, alcohol and ecstasy.  He’d been found dead in his current band’s tour bus two weeks earlier. 

Born on this day

• in 1938, Chas Chandler, bass player with The Animals and later, Jimi Hendrix’ manager. 
• In 1943, Keith Richards and sax player Bobby Keys who appeared on recordings by The Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Who, Harry Nilsson, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker and others. 
• In 1953, Elliot Easton from The Cars. 
• In 1980, Christina Aguilera. 
• In 2001, Billie Eilish, who became the youngest female solo artist ever to top the British album chart with “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” at the age of 17

https://www.thisdayinmusic.com/search/?keyword=&date=18&month=12

Other celebrity anniversaries today …

• Movie director Steven Spielberg is 79
• Actor Brad Pitt is 62
• Actress Katie Holmes is 47
• Among those who’ve passed, actor Ray Liotta was born in 1954

https://www.famousbirthdays.com/december18.html

 

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 (12/19) – pizza, chicken wings 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.

Go to Facebook.com/RezRadio for community events and news affecting, or of interest to Pala and inland North County.

Listen to Rez Radio just about anywhere and access all of our assets with the free Rez Radio App, available at Google Play and the Apple App Store.

A transcript of this newscast will be available at our website, Rez Radio dot FM and on the Rez Radio App an hour or two after broadcast.

 

WEATHER

Pala Weather – sunny with a high of 87 this afternoon … 80 tomorrow … 76 Saturday … patchy morning low clouds and fog, clearing to mostly sunny and 77 Sunday … 76 Monday … mostly cloudy and 71 with a chance of rain Tuesday … 70 with rain likely Wednesday … overnight lows, 52 tonight … 47 tomorrow night … about 49 Saturday and Sunday night … 47 Monday night … 50 with rain likely Tuesday night

---

LISTEN TO REZ RADIO

Rez Radio Website – Listen to Rez Radio 91.3 through your browser at RezRadio.fm.

iHeartRadio Website – Listen to Rez Radio 91.3 through your browser at iHeart.com.

iHeartRadio Apps – Download the free iHeartRadio music app for iOS, Android, Windows, and participating car, home, and portable devices. Once the app has been downloaded, search for “Rez Radio” and save us as your favorite.

TuneIn Website – Listen to Rez Radio 91.3 through your browser at Tunein.com.

TuneIn Apps – Download the free TuneIn music app for iOS, Android, Windows, and participating car, home, and portable devices. Once the app has been downloaded, search for “Rez Radio” and save us as your favorite.

AudioNow – Provided by AudioNow, listen to Rez Radio 91.3 anywhere there is phone service by dialing (712) 775-5748.  There is no cost for the service, but calls will use mobile plan minutes. If you’re calling from a landline, normal long distance charges will apply.

---

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

You can find a wide-range of Pala Rez Radio programming on our Shows page.

---

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.