San Diego, CA

Vonnie Argen Ruple Jr. – San Diego Union-Tribune

Published

9 months ago

April 24, 2025

Vonnie Argen Ruple Jr. – San Diego Union-Tribune

Vonnie Argen Ruple Jr.

OBITUARY

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing ofVonnie Argen Ruple Jr., known affectionately by many as V.A., Von, and Rip. He passed away peacefully on April 2, 2025, at the age of 93, surrounded by his loving family in Poway, California.

Born on December 1, 1931, in Chualar, California, Vonnie spent much of his childhood in Little Rock, Arkansas. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and soon-to-be great-great-grandfather. His family was the cornerstone of his life, and he will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wifeSybil Davis Ruple, to whom he was married for 67 wonderful years, as well as a brother and sister. Von and Sybil were high school sweethearts, marrying while still students–he a junior, and she a senior–at North Little Rock High School. Together, they built a beautiful life and raised one daughter,Deborah.

Vonnie enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1951 during the Korean War, serving as a plane captain and patrol bomber. Following his military service, Von held a variety of jobs that showcased his hands-on skill and tireless work ethic. He worked as a riveter for a steel mill, a railroad machinist for Missouri Pacific Railroad, and a U.S. Border Patrol officer in Texas. In 1959, Von and his family moved to Poway, California, where he worked as a missile test mechanic for Convair Astronautics until 1961.

That same year, he began his distinguished fire service career as a firefighter engineer for the Poway Municipal Water District. He quickly became known by the nicknames “Rip” and “Taz” for his strength and tenacity. Von was promoted toCaptain in 1963, then toAssistant Chief in 1975, a role he held until his retirement in 1982. Never one to stay still for long, he went on to serve asChief of the Ramona Fire Departmentfrom 1982 to 1983, before his final retirement.

Von was instrumental in the founding and development of the Poway Fire Department and played a key role in training generations of firefighters–many of whom would rise to become captains, assistant chiefs, and even chiefs themselves. His legacy in the fire service is deep and lasting.

In 1967, Von suffered severe burns during wildfires and was hospitalized for over two months, undergoing extensive skin grafts. During his recovery, he was visited by none other thanPastor Billy Graham, a moment that left a lasting impression.

Von’s dedication extended beyond the firehouse. He volunteered with theSan Diego Humane Societyand served as avolunteer sheriff deputyin Poway. A man of deep faith, he read his Bible daily–cover to cover, multiple times–and found great strength in his spirituality.

A true jack-of-all-trades, Von could fix or build anything. His hobbies includedstained glass work, carpentry, gardening, and he was especially proud of hisprize tomatoes.

Debbie fondly remembers frequent family trips to the desert, where they rode dune buggies and made lifelong memories. After retirement, Von and Sybil traveled extensively in their RV, including many trips to North Carolina to visit their eldest granddaughter and great-grandchildren. Remarkably, he made hisfinal solo RV trip at age 86, just shy of his 87th birthday.

Von is survived by his loving sister Jean of Arkansas, his daughter Debbieand her husband Paul Loska of Ramona, CA, and his cherished grandchildren:Robyn Wolfeand husbandCraigof North Carolina;Allyson Bowersand husbandJadeof Utah;Kristyn Coxand husbandWayneof California;Daniel Loskaof Idaho;Shea Loskaof Virginia; andLauryn Loskaof California. He was also blessed with great-grandchildren:Turner and Taelyr Jacksonof North Carolina,Ella and Oliviaof Utah, andKennedy, Anthony, and Lukeof California.

Von’s legacy is one of devotion–to his family, his community, and his faith. He will be dearly missed by his family, his many friends, and especially his dear lifelong friendsAnn Wills, Lavine Powell, Bill Briscoe, Harvey Latshaw and Joanne Herman.

A privategraveside servicewill be held atDearborn Cemeteryin Poway at11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 16, 2025. Apublic celebration of lifewill follow atPoway Fire Station 3at1:00 p.m., and all who wish to honor his memory are welcome to attend.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made in Von’s honor toAlzheimer’s San Diegoand/or theSan Diego Humane Society.

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San Diego, CA

Barricaded individual in custody following police response in Mission Valley

Published

11 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Barricaded individual in custody following police response in Mission Valley

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — San Diego Police responded to a barricaded individual in the Mission Valley area Thursday afternoon, prompting a heavy law enforcement presence.

The Nexstar Media video above details resources for crime victims

The department confirmed around 1 p.m. that officers were on scene in the 1400 block of Hotel Circle North, and are working to safely resolve the situation. Authorities asked the public to avoid the area and allow officers the space needed to conduct their operations.

Police described the incident as a domestic violence restraining order violation. At this time, it’s unknown if the person is armed.

No injuries have been reported.

The suspect was taken into custody within an hour.

Further details about the barricaded person were not immediately released. Police say updates will be shared as more information becomes available.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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San Diego, CA

Padres roster review: Luis Campusano

Published

23 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Padres roster review: Luis Campusano – San Diego Union-Tribune

LUIS CAMPUSANO

Position(s): Catcher
Bats / Throws: Right / Right
2026 opening day age: 27
Height / Weight: 5-foot-10 / 232 pounds
How acquired: Second round of the draft in 2017 (Cross Creek HS, Ga.)
Contract status: Will make $900,000 after agreeing to a one-year deal to avoid arbitration; Will not be a free agent until 2029.
fWAR in 2025: Minus-0.4
Key 2025 stats: .000 AVG, .222 OBP, .000 SLG, 0 HRs, 0 RBIs, 0 runs, 6 walks, 11 strikeouts, 0 steals (10 games, 27 plate appearances)

STAT TO NOTE

1 — The number of plate appearances for Campusano while in the majors between June 1 and June 13 and the one at-bat resulted in a weak, pinch-hit groundout against a position player (Kike Hernandez) on the mound in mop-up duty. Campusano was recalled to the majors four times in 2025 but did not get a real opportunity get settled after he went 0-for-6 with four walks and a strikeout in three straight starts as a DH in early May. Of course, hitting .227/.281/.361 with eight homers over 299 plate appearances after getting the first real chance to start in 2024 likely informed how the Padres viewed his opportunity in 2025.

Down — Called up a final time on the last day of the regular season, Campusano balked at the idea that the season did not go the way he wanted. “I had a great season,” he said as he and his teammates packed for the NL Wild Card Series in Chicago. And he did … for Triple-A El Paso. He hit more home runs than ever (25), drove in more runs (95) and finished with a career-high 1.036 OPS, tops among all qualifying Triple-A hitters. The disappointment inferred in the question posed to Campusano was that he was not able to impact the big-league team in any way in 2025, which began with the team choosing to bring in a 40-year-old Yuli Gurriel a chance on the opening day roster over a homegrown product. Once billed as the catcher of the future, Campusno did not catch a single game in the majors, nor did he get any hits, although the opportunity to play was sporadic after getting three straight starts as a DH in early May (see stat to note). The Padres even lost back-up catcher Elias Díaz to an oblique injury over the final weekend of the regular season, but Campusano — who played out the string for a Triple-A El Paso team that did not make the playoffs rather than participate in the majors as a September call-up — was added to the postseason roster more as a right-handed bat than a third catcher (Martín Maldonado was also re-added to the team for the playoffs as the defensive back-up to Freddy Fermin). Campusano, of course, was not asked to help the team in either capacity before the Padres were eliminated in three games.

2026 OUTLOOK

Campusano is finally out of minor league options this year, so the Padres will either have to carry him on the roster, trade him or expose him to waivers. He has fans in the organization, but two big-league staffs headed by Bob Melvin and Mike Shildt seemingly lost faith in his ability to catch a game and all the responsibilities that come with that. It remains to be seen what impact the arrival of robo umps will have on how new manager Craig Stammen views Campusano’s ability behind the plate, but he’s been a potent minor league hitter who has yet to truly get on track in the majors beyond the second half of 2023 (.875 OPS, 6 HRs). Campusano has dabbled at first base in recent years in the minors (12 starts total), so perhaps he settles into a role as a second catcher/right-handed DH/first base option to start 2026.

Luis Campusano #15 of the San Diego Padres and Nick Pivetta #27 walk to the dugout during a practice before the Wildcard series against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Sept. 29, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

ROSTER RANKINGS

22. C Luis Campusano
23. LHP Yuki Matsui
24. INF Sung-Mun Song
25. RHP Matt Waldron
26. OF Bryce Johnson
27. RHP Ron Marinaccio
28. RHP Bryan Hoeing
29. LHP Kyle Hart
30. RHP Jhony Brito
31. INF Will Wagner
32. OF Tirso Ornelas
33. RHP Garrett Hawkins
34. RHP Miguel Mendez
35. RHP Daison Acosta
36. RHP Ty Adcock
37. RHP Alek Jacob
38. INF Mason McCoy

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San Diego, CA

2 San Diego Eateries Named Among ‘Most Beautiful New Restaurants’ In America

Published

1 day ago

January 7, 2026

Press Room

2 San Diego Eateries Named Among ‘Most Beautiful New Restaurants’ In America

SAN DIEGO, CA — Two San Diego County eateries were named among the most beautiful restaurants that opened last year in the country.

Carlsbad-based Lilo was ranked No. 4 and La Jolla-based Lucien was ranked No. 9 on Robb Report’s list of the most beautiful new restaurants in the U.S. for 2025.

Lilo, which opened in April, features a multi-course tasting menu served around a 24-seat chef’s counter.

The restaurant, co-owned by Chef Eric Bost and John Resnick, earned a Michelin star just months after opening its doors. The eatery was also the only one in San Diego to land on The New York Times list of the 50 best restaurants in America.

Lucien, which opened in July, also offers a chef’s tasting menu, with more than a dozen courses. The 30-seat restaurant, is owned and helmed by Northern California native Chef Elijah Arizmendi, along with partners Brian Hung and Melissa Lang.

“I’m very grateful for the recognition from Robb Report,” Arizmendi told Patch. “Lucien is deeply personal to me, and the space was designed as an extension of my philosophy — one centered on intention, hospitality and the joy of sharing something meaningful to others.”

The list spotlights 21 restaurants in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City and other cities across the country. View the full report here.

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