Stories

Bilbray-Saldana (Peters, Stahl) square off in first debate for new 52nd. Cong. Dist.(spans La Jolla to Rancho Bernardo)

The newly redrawn 52nd Congressional District offers candidates a challenge: its voters are neither predominantly registered Republicans nor Democrats.

The four main candidates in the 52nd Congressional District race talked gas prices, illegal immigration, small business and bailouts during a debate at the Country Club of Rancho Bernardo on Tuesday.

The lunchtime crowd at the Country Club of Rancho Bernardo provided a welcome setting for Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-Carlsbad), who is competing against Democrats Scott Peters, a port commissioner and former president of the San Diego City Council, and Lori Saldaña, a former state assemblywoman and educator.

The debate, hosted by the Conservative Order of Good Government, brought together three challengers—Peters, Saldaña and John Stahl—and the incumbent, Bilbray, who is fighting to retain a seat after redistricting shifted him out of his current District 50.

The new 52nd covers several communities. In addition to Rancho Bernardo and nearby Poway, it reaches west to include La Jolla and Coronado.

Bilbray was at the center of several barbs against Washington, with all of the challengers arguing it is time for someone different to head to the nation's capital.

Bilbray, who first ran for Congress in 1995, has been in and out of the House for more than a decade. He lost his seat to Democrat Susan Davis after redistricting in 2000.

But in 2006 he won the 50th congressional seat after Randy Cunningham resigned, and he has represented it ever since.

"We need a new approach in Washington," said Democratic candidate Scott Peters, a former city councilman who represents San Diego on the Board of Port Commissioners. "Let's get the right person and stop worrying so much about the party."

The candidates answered a series of questions on a variety of topics, with one-minute each to respond. A couple of questions were targeted for specific candidates, with one providing Peters the chance to respond to Bilbray's characterization of him as the "father of San Diego's pension mess."

Peters, who admitted he made mistakes as a councilman, said the pension problems didn't begin with him but rather in the 1980s. Since then, he has worked to end pension underfunding and make city employees pay more for their benefits, he said.

Saldaña, a former Democratic state assemblywoman, focused on education and green energy during the debate, arguing that investing in education and reducing costs for small businesses by better energy efficiency are the keys to protecting the American Dream and turning the economy around.

Stahl, a Republican who served in the U.S. Navy and worked in the semiconductor industry, said he will work to balance the federal budget within the next three to five years and reduce the nation's dependency on foreign oil by the end of the decade.

"I have lived the American Dream and I'm not going to watch it die," Stahl said.

On illegal immigration, the candidates agreed that something must be done.

"If we do not have the rule of law in this country, we have nothing," said Stahl, who said benefits should not be provided to people who are not citizens.

Bilbray said while many focus on border security in illegal immigration talks, it is not the problem; it's just a symptom of the real problem which is people hiring illegal immigrants and the government providing benefits for them. 

Peters said the U.S. needs to be "tough, fair and practical" with its illegal immigration and border policies, making legal crossings more efficient and looking at the income disparity between this country and Mexico which entices people to come here.

Saldaña said there needs to be an improved path to citizenship, with deportation for those who break the law, as a way to bring in the high-tech expertise this country does not have because of a subpar education system.

On gas prices, which recently climbed above an average of $4 per gallon locally, Peters said anyone who claims an ability to lower prices quickly isn't being honest. It's going to take a while, he said, so the focus should be on developing an alternative energy plan and creating incentives for conservation.

To raucous applause, Bilbray said the government needs to permit a pipeline between Canada and the U.S. to bring in oil, a nod to the stalled Keystone Pipeline project recently delayed by President Barack Obama.

As for the 2008 bailout of the financial industry, Bilbray proudly said he did not vote for it because of the financial burden it would place on his grandchildren.

While Saldaña argued that she didn't like the rushed process to create the bailout plan, most of the money has been paid back, she said.

"The process was flawed, but the outcome remains to be seen," she said.

Peters said he was surprised no one has gone to jail in connection with the fiscal crisis, and the government needs to regulate banks in a new way.

"No more bailouts," Peters said.

Stahl, who said he would not have voted for the bailout, said it wasn't right that banks made bad bets but still got their money back.

San Diego gas prices HIT NEW LOWS while reaching new seasonal HIGH, HIGHER, HIGHEST PRICES...

(EDITOR'S NOTE; WE HAVE ADDED A LOWEST GAS PRICE WIDGET TO THE MARGIN TO HELP IN THE QUEST FOR CHEAPER GAS.)

The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in San Diego County rose today to its highest amount since May 24, increasing 1.2 cents to $4.071.

The average price has risen for 26 consecutive days and is 20.3 cents more than one week ago, 34.2 cents higher than a month ago and 50.9 cents more than a year ago, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service.

The average price has risen 31.4 cents over the past 26 days, including 2.5 cents on Sunday.

Analysts have cited increasing oil prices and the closure of some refineries that supply California customers as reasons for the rising gasoline prices.

Crude oil costs account for two-thirds to three-quarters of the price of a gallon of gasoline, according to Tupper Hull of the Western States Petroleum Association, a trade association representing oil companies in six western states.

THIS JUST IN FROM CHARLES LANGLEY, SAN DIEGO UCAN.ORG FUEL TRACKER. FOR MORE VISIT HERE...

 In the last 48 hours, gas prices in San Diego have surged by nearly 10¢ a gallon. At $4.07 a gallon, San Diego's gas prices are the highest on record for any February in County history, including the year 2008, when gasoline prices hit an all-time record high of $4.64 a gallon on June 13, 2008. This trend is paralleled by a a national average of more than $3.54 a gallon, which is also the highest price on record.

Since last Monday, San Diego prices have increased 17.6¢ a gallon.

According to a report published in Businessweek last Wednesday, two major Southern California refineries have shut down for maintenance in order to comply with State and Federal clean air mandates.  These annual shutdowns are famous for causing shortages and price spikes.  Every spring, refineries must change their gasoline formulation to accommodate seasonal changes in air quality. The summer blend is more expensive to produce and requires a shutdown of the refinery. Refiners must then buy their fuel on the "spot market."

How the spot market affects your gas prices

When a refinery shuts down, it will often buy the fuel it needs from other refiners, who sell it for cash on the spot.   This is where the term "Cash on the barrel head" and "cash on the spot" come from, and it is where the term "spot market" originates. 

Spot fuel is surplus fuel.  In San Diego, there are a large number of gas stations that sell surplus fuel at deep discounts. These stations are the independents that aren't affiliated with a major brand such as Chevron, Shell, Arco, etc.  Normally, unbranded independents are the most competitive players in San Diego's retail gas market. Usually, an unbranded station will charge as much as ten or twenty cents a gallon less for its gasoline than a brand-name competitor.  Brand name retailers, on the other hand, must pay a predetermined "rack price" for their gasoline, which is almost always higher.

Because the unbranded stations are intensely competitive, they tend to force the prices down. But right now, surplus gasoline is hard to find.  On Thursday, we reported that average retail price in San Diego was $3.96 a gallon, but our estimate of the price an independent dealer must charge to break even was $4.06 a gallon, which is more than many brand names stations are charging as their retail price.  This phenomena, where unbranded dealers pay more for their gasoline than brand-name dealers is called a "rack inversion," and in our experience, rack inversions are always accompanied by higher gas prices on the street.

San Diego North County Japanese-Americans recall World War Two internments

 In all, 120,000 Japanese-Americans were interned in the camps. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation apologizing for the internment on behalf of the U.S. government. More than $1.6 million in reparations to surviving interned Americans and their heirs was later disbursed.

In San Diego County, which had a population of 2,076 Japanese-Americans in 1940, families were sent to Poston, 12 miles south of Parker, Ariz. Poston was one of 10 internment camps created during World War II after an executive order authorized the Secretary of War to designate specific areas as military zones and excluded certain people from living in them.

President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 on Feb. 19, 1942.

In San Diego County and other Pacific coast communities, the reverberating terror of the Pearl Harbor attack by the Japanese in 1941 fueled fear of conspiracies, treason and espionage from within.

Historian... (more)

Doggone for it at Del Mar Fairgounds Saturday, Feb.26 for Silver Bay Kennel all-breed show

San Diego's annual dog spectacle, the Silver Bay Kennel Club Dog Show, sets up at the Del Mar Fairgrounds on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 26-27, 2011. And what better way to spend the weekend than to check out all the amazing breeds: small, large, huge, cute, ugly, prim, sloppy...but they're all lovable. And the best thing is that admission is free.

'What Fresh Hell Is This?' Failure on the 763, first morning Amtrak San Diego train to LA

 For more tales from the Surfliner on Amtrak's front lines, visit here....

A failure in management

Things have been rough for those of us on Pacific Surfliners 763 lately.  This is the first train out of San Diego, and is very heavily used by commuters.The big stop is Irvine, but a surprising number of us are power commuters going all the way to LA on a daily basis. 

From LA, 763 goes on up to Goleta, where it turns around and comes back down as train 784.  This is the 5.10 departure out of LA and is also a heavily used commuter service.  Of course, if 763 is late going out, 784 is late coming back. 

For the last few weeks 784 has been a disaster, mainly due to trackwork north of LA.  Finally, Amtrak decided to have 763 terminate in LA, and use the Amtrak coaches to bring everyone down from up north.  (This was suggested by one of the regular tweeters some days before they did it.... did Amtrak listen to him?)   That helped. Now the trackwork is done and 763 is again going up to Goleta.

But 763 has been having problems.  There have been cancellations, mechanicals, and a trespassing incident last week (= railspeak for fatality, probably suicide) .  This last caused me to get a ride to Irvine from a fellow commuter, D;  he dropped me at the Irvine station so I could get on Metrolink.  My mother would be horrified that I'm getting into cars to drive 50 miles with men whose last names I don't know!  ;-)

Monday this week 763 was 30 min late which had me really peeved.  But yesterday, it exceeded even that, by throwing a mechanical just before it reached the LA river, about 15 min outside of LA Union.  We came to a stop and sat waiting.

Normally, if there is a locomotive failure, they sweep it up by coupling the dead train to the next Amtrak coming by, making a double-length train that limps the rest of the way into LA.  The yard is there and they can swap out the engine.

Foolishly, we assumed that since we were at most 2 miles from the yard, they would just send out a locomotive and pull us in.  Right?

Wrong!  Turns out the worst place it could have happened was near the yard.  We waited, and waited, and waited.  Apparently they drove some mechanics over who couldn't fix it.  They offered to let people off and walk them to the street, but we were in industrial east LA/Vernon, in the middle of the freight yards-- not exactly a place where you can catch a cab, and not easy to direct a colleague with a car.  We watched as Amtrak 599 (the express) went by an hour later, and then, another hour after that, we saw 567 go by. Finally, FINALLY, a rescue locomotive arrived and took us into LA Union, 2.5 hours late.

A conductor told me today that the problem was that the rescue locomotive didn't have a conductor and they had to have one to leave the yard. (Conductors are the commanders of the train; the engineer is the driver).  If that is the case, why didn't they just hook us up to 599 when it came through, and go in together?  Yes, 599 would have taken a 20min delay to do that, but the hundreds of people on 763 would have gotten to LA much earlier and 599 is often late anyway. 

Whose brilliant idea was it to leave 763 sitting there stranded for 2.5 HOURS?   

The first goal should be to get passengers where they are going.  Especially for 763, which is not full of vacationers, but full  of people trying to get to work.  I should have been at work at 9.15;  I needed to be at work by 10;  I got there at 12.

If we'd thrown the mechanical in San Juan Capistrano, we would have been to LA by 10 and I'd have been to work by 10.30--not good, but not nearly as awful as it was.

Every morning when I get on 763, I feel like Dorothy Parker:  What fresh hell is this?

Carmel Valley to Solana Beach & Hwy 56 corridor bus line considered for region's wish list

You probably won't see a rapid bus line along the Highway 56 corridor overnight.

But on Friday, plans for a $70 million line connecting Sabre Springs with Solana Beach inched forward, gaining a recommendation from a regional transportation committee.

The catch is, the bus line was recommended for addition only to the region's unfunded transportation plan or "wish list."

An article in the North County Times on Thursday incorrectly reported that the bus line was to be considered for inclusion in the 2050 Regional Transportation Plan, a nearly $200 billion plan transportation officials not only want but say there is money for.

Jerome Stocks, chairman of the San Diego Association of Governments, the agency that plans the region's transportation projects, said Friday's endorsement of the bus line is still significant.

SANDAG's board of directors will decide later whether the bus line should actually join the wish... (more)

Rancho Santa Fe hotel tax revenues rise in 2010-11; overall San Diego County Transient Occupancy(Hotel) Tax revenue rises...

Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) revenue collected from Rancho Santa Fe rose from $514,730.79 to $591,131.42 

Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) revenue for the County of San Diego increased both countywide and locally from fiscal year 2009-10 to fiscal year 2010-11.

The countys overall TOT collection revenue increased from $2,423,811.31 in 2009-10 to $2,448,836.43 for 2010-11. The tax money collected in Fallbrook rose from $256,328.20 to $282,087.11 while the revenue from Bonsall lodging facilities grew from $25,880.00 to $26,798.85.

The Transient Occupancy Tax is collected from occupants of hotels, motels, bed and breakfast venues, mobile home parks, private campgrounds, and other structures occupied or intended for occupancy by non-residents for lodging or sleeping purposes. A timeshare unit used by an ownership partner is not subject to the TOT, although if that unit is rented to the general public it is subject to the tax for that period. Campgrounds at the eight county parks with such facilities are exempt, as are lodging facilities on Indian reservations or other areas where the County of San Diego has no taxation power.

A Federal or State of California officer or employee on official business is exempt from the tax, as is any foreign government officer or employee exempt under Federal law or international treaty. The tax is not collected if the rent is four dollars a day or less or if the lodger receives a free room where the only consideration received is publicity for the lodging site. If the unit is occupied or rented for more than 30 consecutive days, it is not subject to the TOT.

The Transient Occupancy Tax is currently eight percent of the lodging unit rate. Payment to the county is on a quarterly basis; the facility operator must submit the payment by the last day of the month following the end of the calendar quarter (if the facility ceases operation the payment must be made within 30 days after the operator ceases doing business).

Although the Transient Occupancy Tax is only collected from lodging facilities in the unincorporated portion of the county, the revenue is used for the countys Community Enhancement funding which may be given to organizations in incorporated cities as well as in unincorporated communities. Community Enhancement funds are intended to promote tourism, including visitors from other parts of the county, and are allocated as part of the countys annual budget process.

The 2010-11 totals changed Fallbrooks rank among unincorporated communities from fourth to third, as revenue from Borrego Springs fell from $296,616.81 to $261,431.49. TOT revenue collected from Rancho Santa Fe rose from $514,730.79 to $591,131.42 while revenue collected from facilities in unincorporated Escondido dropped from $334,696.61 to $294,776.23. Julian has ranked fifth in both of the past two years, collecting $174,923.77 in 2009-10 and $191,395.21 in 2010-11. Bonsall ranked twelfth among the 22 communities in both years, behind Ramona and ahead of Pauma.

Countywide first-quarter TOT revenue increased from $642,450.92 from July 2009 through September 2009 to $647,410.93 during the corresponding 2010 period. Fallbrook saw a first-quarter growth from $74,150.91 to $76,737.55 while Bonsalls first-quarter collections dropped from $8,387.00 to $7,195.00. Fallbrooks first-quarter revenue ranked third in the county both in 2009 and 2010 while Bonsall had the twelfth-highest figure for both years.

The countys second-quarter revenue, covering the October through December period, declined from $538,624.02 in 2009 to $511,275.69 in 2010. Fallbrooks second-quarter collections grew from $61,092.33 to $66,002.76 while Bonsalls revenue gained from $4,608.00 to $4,801,48. The second-quarter decline was attributable to decreased revenue in the northeast part of the county; although Julians collections increased from $54,449.41 to $60,875.43, revenue declined in Borrego Springs from $97,206.54 to $43,413.21, in Warner Springs from $24,294.61 to $18,560.67, and in Pauma from $6,438.49 to $5,471.56.

Unincorporated Escondidos revenue dropped from $63,232.25 to $58,909.17, allowing Fallbrook to move from fourth to third among the countys communities. Bonsalls second-quarter revenue ranked 13th both years.

The county saw a third-quarter growth from $583,052.94 to $651,889.01. Fallbrook experienced an upswing from $46,683.56 to $59,122.85 for the January through March period while Bonsall collected $5,547.00 in 2010 and $6,552.89 in 2011. Rancho Santa Fe revenue grew from $108,338.49 to $152,812.22 while Alpine also saw a significant gain by collecting $28,884.56 in 2010 and $37,561.30 in 2011. Jamul saw the greatest third-quarter increase in terms of percentage, increasing from $1,217.06 to $2,626.34. A decrease in unincorporated San Marcos collections from $51,763.00 to $38,927.99 moved Fallbrook from fifth to fourth in the year-to-year community rankings while Paumas drop from $5,695.35 to $5,529.08 moved Bonsall from 13th to 12th.

Overall fourth-quarter county TOT revenue dropped from $496,999.43 in 2010 to $467,057.83 for 2011. Fallbrooks April through June collections of $74,401.40 ranked third in the county in 2010, while an increase to $80,223.95 in 2011 coupled with unincorporated Escondidos drop from $119,270.00 to $69,196.14 placed the Friendly Village second behind Rancho Santa Fe in terms of fourth-quarter 2010-11 revenue. Bonsalls fourth-quarter revenue grew from $7,338.00 to $8,209.48, which ranked twelfth in both years.

Sniff Sniff Pounce Seize: San Diego County Crime Dog Stops Ag Pests In Their Tracks...

 (Dog handler Jeremy Partch and his 4-year-old Labrador retriever, Friday, work conveyor belts at county shipping centers in San Diego and North County five days a week, looking for plant and animal material that might be carrying crop-killing insects from out of town.)

The San Diego County Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures recently seized 10 Kaffir lime trees from Florida after detector dog Drake discovered them in an unmarked box at a North County commercial shipping terminal.

Detector dog Drake and his handler, Ted Olsen, found the shipment two weeks ago during a routine inspection of packages coming into San Diego County. Each tree had leaves, roots and soil which increase the potential for pests to be present. The shipment was in violation of federal domestic quarantines that guard against the importation of plants that may carry certain agricultural threats. Those include citrus canker, citrus greening and the Asian citrus psyllid, imported fire ant, citrus black spot, and sweet orange scab. Quarantine violations against burrowing and reniform nematodes and other citrus pests were also cited in the case. If introduced into local agriculture, any one of these pests could have a serious impact on San Diego County’s $78.5 million citrus industry.

“Kaffir lime from the state of Florida is prohibited,” said County Agricultural Commissioner Lisa Leondis, “This one shipment of trees violated seven different quarantine requirements, and is a perfect example of how valuable our detector dogs are in protecting the County’s $1.652 billion agriculture industry.”

San Diego County has two United States Department of Agriculture-trained detector dog teams that are part of a statewide network of 13 teams coordinated by the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Our first team, Jeremy Partch and Friday, came on board in January, 2009 followed by Ted Olsen and Drake in January, 2010. Last year, the two teams inspected 10,571 marked packages and found 747 unmarked packages containing fruit, plants and live animals. Unmarked packages of illegal plants and certain live animals represent a route of entry for unwanted, damaging pests.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture are handling the investigation regarding the origin and intended destination of the shipment. After testing for other pests, the trees will ultimately be destroyed.

For more information about the county Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures and its role in protecting county agriculture, visit the department's website.

Smart Meters A'int So Smart; La Mesa Peeps Are Suing SDG&E About Dat, D'uh...

LOCAL GROUP FILES PROTEST WITH CPUC OVER SMART METERS, WHICH REMAIN MANDATORY IN SAN DIEGO

43 COUNTIES IN CA HAVE VOTED TO OPPOSE SMART METERS -- AND 10 HAVE BANNED THE DEVICES

The Center for Electrosmog Prevention in La Mesa along with Californians for Renweable Energy, Inc. filed a protest July 6 with the California Public Utilities commission (CPUC) against San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E).

The complaint seeks to stop expansion of  “a dangerous, large scale, radiation-emitting mesh network of wireless smart meters (automatic readers)" that have already been installed at many homes and businesses locally.

In Califiornia, 43 counties have gone on record opposing smart meters--and 10 have banned them completely. But San Diego’s Supervisors have not taken any such action. (View the list of counties .)

Opponents who filed the CPUC protest contend that the mesh network is “a vast indoor and outdoor area that... (more)

LISA LEONDIS NAMED SAN DIEGO COUNTY AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER/SEALER

              (Photo: Lisa Leonids, left, with Tina Thomas and San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob)

Lisa Leondis has been selected to be the permanent director of the County of San Diego Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures, and to serve as the County’s new Agricultural Commissioner and Sealer of Weights and Measures. Leondis was named as the department’s interim director in June, when Commissioner/Sealer Bob Atkins retired.

“We are delighted to have Lisa Leondis as the new County Agricultural Commissioner and Sealer of Weights and Measures,” said Sarah Aghassi, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for the Land Use and Environment Group.

“Lisa’s vast experience in the field, along with her expertise in pest management and plant protection will help ensure the viability of our agricultural community; and her displayed levels of professionalism and dedication... (more)

NuEzzY BRieFs for Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. area: Coast Police Get Tough; Ag Commish Gets Going; Cardiff Parade Coming and Going...

  Coastal deputies getting tougher on patrol this summer, captain says 

Uh-Oh, mind your P's and Q's or you'll be sorry as ABC. OK?

San Diego Sheriff's Department officials said they were getting tough on crime this summer, believe it. A new coastal enforcement program is going to be more intense than in the past, according to Encinitas Sheriff's Capt. Sherri Sarro.

"Our focus, obviously, is on crime in the area, but not just that," Sarro said to Encinitas council members at their recent June meeting.

Teams of six Encinitas deputies and two Solana Beach deputies will work the coast on foot and in patrol cars. They will blend in, kind of for "You may see a deputy in shorts or a T-shirt" keeping an eye on the crowds, Sarro said.

In addition to extra police presence along the coast, the Sheriff's Department has increased its networking with business groups along the Coast Highway 101 corridor, Sarro said. Deputies are doing this to help spot emerging trends in criminal activity, such as the start of a spike in car burglaries in a given area, Sarro said.

San Diego County Ag Commissioner Bids Farewell

San Diego County Agricultural Commissioner and Sealer of Weights and Measures, Bob Atkins, recently retired after 38 years of service to the agricultural communities of Los Angeles and San Diego.

In 1975, Commissioner Atkins found the first Mediterranean fruit fly in California and later worked to eradicate the same fruit fly in a series of five quarantines in San Diego County from 2008 – 2010. He also led a local, cooperative effort to eradicate the Mexican fruit fly and Japanese beetle, and battled the insidious Asian citrus psyllid and light brown apple moth. 

County Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Sarah Aghassi, has appointed Agriculture, Weights and Measures Assistant Director, Lisa Leondis, to serve as Interim Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer while the County searches for a permanent replacement. Ms. Leondis possesses all of the required licenses to be qualified to act as the Commissioner/Sealer and has  more than 20 years of experience with the department.

 Happy Days! Cardiff Marks Centennial with Parade, Festival

The Cardiff 101 Main Street association celebrates the community's centennial from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday with a 100-Year Birthday Celebration in Glen Park.

Festivities will begin at 10 a.m. with a parade down Newcastle Avenue from the Cardiff Post Office (2027 Newcastle) to Glen Park (2149 Orinda Drive). 

The parade's grand marshal will be a television and stage celebrity with deep local roots, "Happy Days" star Marion Ross, who grew up in San Diego and made her professional debut at the Old Globe Theatre in 1948.

Once the parade arrives at Glen Park, the festival will begin, featuring vendor, food and game booths, educational exhibits, music and children's activities.

 Parking is limited, but free shuttle service will be offered from Encinitas City Hall at 505 S. Vulcan Ave. every half-hour from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more info, call 760-436-0431.

Wild Pigs and we ain't talking Weinergate; ABC News investigates San Diego County feral pigs and gthe people who would kill them...

 (ABC News this week produced an interesting look at the feral pigs of San Diego County. Story by CHRISTINA NG. For more...)

It looks as if San Diego County is far from becoming hog heaven for theferal pigs in the area that potential eradication.

With no natural predators and voracious breeding habits, hunters in California cannot keep up with the expanding population of these wild pigs that weigh between 250 and 350 pounds. Even though they are not dangerous to humans, the hefty creatures, with their dark fur and large tusks, are a sight to see. They have also been known to make deep grunting sounds.

Many landowners view these pigs as a destructive nuisance. "They tear up property, tear up landscape and tear up habitats," said Andrew Hughan, the public information officer at the California Department of Fish and Game.

Now the federal... (more)

Guess who's coming to Del Mar Fairgrounds June 10 to July 4: YOU, ME, THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY FAIR...

 The 2011 San Diego County Fair’s wheels are in motion to "Race to the Fair" for 22 days starting Friday, June 10, through Monday, July 4. (The Fair will be closed the first three Mondays, June 13, 20 and 27.)

The theme for this year's Fair is everything about cars, Cars, CARS! Southern California is a mecca for car clubs and car enthusiasts from around the world. There's no better place to celebrate automotive history and car culture than at the San Diego County Fair! Featured throughout the Fair are exotic cars, luxury cars, "star" cars, muscle cars, low riders, Southern California car culture and lots more! And, true to the mission of the 22nd District Agricultural Association, the 2011 San Diego County Fair will highlight agriculture, farmers, 4H, FFA and Grange.

Of course, the Fair will have more than 100 food vendors, great commercial exhibitors, thrill rides and attractions, the Paul Ecke Jr. Flower and Garden Show, a fun and educational Theme Exhibit, and a fantastic lineup of headliner entertainment with the Toyota Summer Concert Series on the Heineken Grandstand Stage, the Paddock Concert Series, The Solid Gold Series, the Chevrolet Del Mar Arena, and so much more! 

Gates open daily at 11 a.m., Tuesdays through Fridays, and 10 a.m., Saturdays, Sundays and Monday, July 4. Admission is $13 for adults; $7 for ages 6-12 and 62 and older; and free for ages 5 and younger.

The San Diego County Fair is the largest annual event in San Diego County and the sixth largest fair in the United States. The 2010 Fair hosted more than 1.3 million guests and hit an all-time attendance record.

www.sdfair.comwww.facebook.com/sdfairtwitter.com/sdfairm.sdfair.com

(The mobile phone link only works when accessed on a mobile phone.)

www.delmarfairgrounds.com

It's exciting canine action at the 2011 San Diego County Fair, presented by Albertsons/Sav-on, as the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge returns to the Chevrolet Del Mar Arena the first weekend of the Fair, June 10-12. 

San Diego-area dogs have the opportunity to qualify to participate in two of the events – Incredible Diving Dog and Incredible Freestyle Flying Disc. Qualifying is open to all dogs from around the San Diego area to try to dive for distance into a 19,000-gallon pool of water or catch a flying disc with great accuracy and speed. Top qualifiers win the chance to demonstrate their skills during the competition on June 11 at the Chevrolet Del Mar Arena. 

The schedule for registration and qualifying competition:

Friday, June 10

10 a.m., Qualifying Sign-Up and Registration at the Fair’s Stable Gate off Jimmy Durante Blvd. near the intersection with Via de la Valle

11 a.m., Incredible Diving Dog Qualifying

Noon, Incredible Freestyle Flying Disc Qualifying

Saturday, June 11

12:30 p.m., Incredible Diving Dog Competition

2:45 p.m., Incredible Freestyle Flying Disc Competition

Top dogs from around the country and their handlers will participate in a host of other competitions before and after these events. More great canine performances will take place in the Chevrolet Del Arena on Sunday, June 12. The performances will be recorded and aired on San Diego 6 — The CW on Sunday, July 31, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. 

Encinitas, Calif. is Funky Town - The View from AspenSpin.com, Living the Dream Since 2006...

(AspenSpin.com has been documenting the over-the-top ski-town lifestyle in Aspen since 2006.  For more, visit here...)

Encinitas is Funky Town

Encinitas, California might just be the funkiest town in the United States.  The small coastal berg which is pushed up against the Pacific Ocean is home to about 60,000 residents many of whom are living in their vans.  Encinitas is made up of 5 distinct neighborhoods.  Historic Encinitas which runs along the famous 101 and borders the ocean. It's a small and super-funky beach inspired downtown.

New Encinitas is East of I-5 (so we've never  really been there) and is basically like any other suburban, strip mall lined town (Target, Bed Bath and Beyond , Walgreen's etc.)  Olivehain is also a bit inland and is mostly olive groves and has a more rural ranch-like setting.

Bordering the 6 miles of pristine coastline are&... (more)

State of California-mandated Solana Beach affordable housing is not just a river in Egypt, according to officials...

(Photo: Solana Beach-supplied artist's conception of "The Pearl" proposed mixed-use affordable housing project.)

Faced with state of California-mandated affordable housing requirements, Solana Beach officials Wednesday unveiled a mixed-use development project proposal called "The Pearl" that would add 10 apartments and 1,300-square foot market. The apartments would house an estimated 44 residents.

That leaves only another 130 to 135 affordable housing units to go before 2020.

Solana Beach officials held a sparsely attended workshop detailing the first small steps towards affordable housing for Solana Beach-kind. The proposed site at South Sierra Avenue, just north of Via de la Valle is a parking lot on the bluffs above Highway 101.

A public-private development partnership with developer Ginger Hitzke will go threesies with a cherry on top with three each of 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, 3-bedroom apartments topped by the exclusive -- albeit "affordable" -- 4-bedroom suite. Families of four who make between $27,500 and $48,700 per year would be eligible to apply. Solana Beach’s is $78,500.

As per the general Solana Beach NIMBYism, a few residents of the neighborhood kind called the project "completely inappropriate for our neighborhood."

Interim City Manager David Ott -- he "retired" in September 2010 -- was quoted as saying, “Low-income housing has to be throughout the community to integrate with the whole community,”

Said councilman Dave Roberts, according to sources, the project was a “gift that fell into this community’s hands that would help the city avoid costly lawsuits for violating state housing rules as well as provide housing for local teachers and police officers.

MORE ON DAVID OTT'S INTERIM CONTRACT WITH SOLANA BEACH

Solana Beach City Manager David Ott, who announced last month that he would retire at the end of the year, has agreed to stay on into 2011 to help the city transition to his eventual replacement.

Ott, 56, said last month that “personal circumstances” led to his decision to leave his position as of Dec. 30. He will serve on in an at-will, interim basis from Jan. 1 through June 30. His agreement has the potential for two 180-day extensions. Ott will earn $78 an hour, have a monthly vehicle allowance of $450 and a cell phone allowance of $50. He will not receive any medical, dental or retirement benefits, saving the city an estimated $84,000.

Encinitas, Cal. Erases Monster Art But Not The Surfing Madonna To Date...

(Report courtesy of KPBS, public radio in San Diego. For more visit the source, or so they say, here.)

The city of Encinitas speedily erased a painting that appeared on a bridge over the San Elijo lagoon. The city wants to prevent graffiti from springing up in the wake of a surfing Madonna mosaic that appeared mysteriously last month. There was no sign on Friday of a large painting of a monster, which appeared in a photo in a local media outlet as a colorful image filling a smooth concrete wall below Highway 101 near Cardiff state beach.

Enlarge this image Photo by Alison St John Above: Veronica Gianecolla walking her dogs by the bridge next to Cardiff State Beach where the city removed the monster painting from a concrete space below Highway 101. May 27th 2011.)

The city is already grappling with what to do about another piece of unsolicited public art that appeared overnight under a bridge off Encinitas Boulevard.... (more)

Producing and Eating Produce from Local Sources, Not Just a Fad Anymore...

(Editor's Note: Helen and Richard Nielsen-Eckfield are actively retired living in Carlsbad in North County. His career has been in city management and teaching public administration. Helen is the former co-owner of Carlsbad Ranch Market, which continues as a community icon for fresh produce under her son Vincent's owners. Photo beow: Lemon Twist farm stand on Del Dios Highway.)

Producing and Eating Produce from Local Sources, Not Just a Fad Anymore.

Eating locally grown, organic foods has become quite the fashion in San Diego County. But to those following global economic issues and contemporary events in urban living, the producing and eating of locally grown foods has a dramatically serious side well worthy of your consideration.

 Food availability is fast becoming the new driver of world politics, contends Lester Brown in the lead article "The New Geopolitics of Food" in the May-June issue of Foreign Policy Magazine. Brown,...(more)

4S Chinese Bible Church of San Diego school project continues to generate controversy...

For more backgrund and coverage visit '4S Ranch haters of proposed Chinese Bible Church of San Diego school project sound off.' San Dieguito Planning Group chairman Paul Marks, has said the issue will be taken up before the official county planning advisory group sometime this summer.

Chinese Bible Church of San Diego held two meetings to educate the community about its plans and incorporate locals’ thoughts into the final design. The May 18 meeting at 4S Ranch Library attracted more than 100, while one on May 22 at the church’s main campus in Carmel Mountain Ranch had around 75 present, said Ron Harper Jr., church spokesman.

Harper said the meetings’ main goal was “to listen to the community. We had stations that dealt with traffic, architecture, landscaping and engineering that allowed (attendees) to talk with the experts, church members and leaders.”

He said comments received from... (more)

Soap opera continues at Whispering Palms, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. now playing in EIR form at San Dieguito Planning Group on June 9.

Whispering Palms soap opera continues due to play out, or act out depending on one's viewpoint -- This time before the San Dieguito Planning Group following an appearance at Vista Superior Court...

 It is the neighborhood controversy that will not die. Whispering Palms once again goes center stage at yet another agency as local planners consider Richard Cavanaugh's long-standing plan to build something, anything, at the giant vacant lot at his luxury development. However, his demeanor, past history of conflict with homeowners, and controversial plans to put in condos, rental units and even continuing care facilities has raised hackles, lawsuits and the usual suspicions.

The latest: Cavanaugh's environmental impact report for the project, attached here in pdf form. Interested parties have until June 15 to tell planners what the heck they think.

"If you have any interest in the environmental consequences of the proposed project, you should follow up with the county.  I anticipate this matter will be on the planning group’s agenda at our next meeting on June 9

^th, although input directly to the county will be more valuable than providing us the information at that meeting."

Paul Daniel Marks

Attorney at Law

Certified Specialist, Family Law

www.divorceandmediation.com 

The Wild Wild West of Deadwood and Dodge City had nothing on Whispering Palms.

Perhaps a Joseph Heller screenplay with a splash of Thomas Pynchon novel tossed in the mix could do the place justice.

Move over Peyton Place, Pine Valley and Port Charles. Whispering Palms is in da house. And this time, there’s no Erica Kane on a forklift to clear the way.

In the latest chapter of 'As Whispering Palms Burns,' Vista Superior Court Judge Earl H. Maas III ruled controversial Whispering Palms developer Richard Cavanaugh's long-desired mixed-use project at the vacant 4.3-acre lot at the community's entrance had to go back to ye olde drawing board.

Prompted by a 2007 lawsuit from Whispering Palms residents at odds with Cavanaugh, Maas ruled the project lacked a full environmental impact report, despite the project's approval by San Diego County Supervisors. Maas found the traffic impact section of the report to be inadequate.

Cavanaugh's attorney Wayne Bechtel said the developer would prepare that report although the previous report was done properly.

Cavanaugh’s proposal to develop the final 4.3-acre open space parcel at the community’s only entrance/exit includes a mixed-use commercial center featuring 9,600-square-feet of retail space, 19,500-square-feet of office space and 54 apartments, each 900-square-feet.

Before the mixed-use proposal, Cavanaugh sought to build an assisted living facility at the vacant lot raising the community's wrath and opposition. County officials rejected this concept.

The property as now constituted represents a prominent eyesore dating back to the inception of the development in the mid-1960s.

The parcel has been zoned commercial for quite a while. All Cavanaugh lacks is that environmental report which will allow him to secure a grading permit before he can proceed.

Well, a grading permit and the cooperation of Whispering Palms residents who threaten noisy opposition and litigation should he proceed with plans.

Not that residents oppose development of that hallowed piece of empty ground. Indeed, they want it to become something useful and attractive in the worst way.

There’s just this Cavanaugh thing. Residents say he promised a smaller commercial development at Palma de la Reina with fewer, larger homeowner-owned condominiums rather than his proposed rental apartments. Cavanaugh says whatever he proposes will be opposed by residents because they hate him.

Although the judge focused on traffic impacts in his ruling, Brechtel said the environmental impact report will have to address all aspects of the project, along with public comments. That draft report was submitted to the San Dieguito Planning Group and will be considered June 9, 2011.

4S Ranch haters of proposed Chinese Bible Church of San Diego school project sound off

Opponents of a proposed new church between 4S Ranch and Santa Fe Valley expressed frustrations following the first of two informational sessions, held Wednesday night, and plan to be back Sunday for more.

(Photo: Open house attendees mingled outside the 4S Ranch Library during Wednesday night's event .)

A second open house is set for 2-4 p.m. this Sunday at the Chinese Bible Church of San Diego’s current location, 12335 World Trade Drive, Suite 2 in Carmel Mountain Ranch.

Several residents at the Wednesday meeting said they expected a “sit-down” discussion to ask church officials about specific details, but instead experienced a standing-room-only social gathering, not conducive to fact finding, said Tony Cesario.

Cesario, a Santa Fe Valley resident and member of the Mega Project Abatement Coalition, said the proposed Chinese Bible Church is not the right fit for the rural zoning where it would be constructed... (more)

RANCHO SANTA FE WIKILEAKS: County allegedly stiffs local planning group, fire dept. CONTINUED....

Look below for last week's e-mail chain and issue backstory. Or visit http://tiny.cc/9mkqb

I just received a call from Vince Nicoletti from the contracts section at DPLU.  He was very apologetic about the e-mail to which I responded, and he’s agreed to find a solution.

He recognizes that I shouldn’t be signing a contract with the fire department, for example, that I agree to indemnify it for any riots that break out, and he assured me that a minor charge per meeting is not a big deal to them, they just need to figure out a way to structure any arrangement.

In the meantime, we may need to continue to explore other venues, as the 911 people will ultimately be taking over the space, as he understands it.

He also agreed that planning groups serve a valuable purpose, saving the county huge amounts of staff time gathering input.

Another squeaky wheel gets greased.

Paul Daniel Marks

Attorney at Law

Certified Specialist, Family Law

www.divorceandmediation.com

"Celebrating Solana Beach" Arts Alive Banners honor 25th Anniversary of city's founding 

Arts Alive BANNERS

 "Celebrating Solana Beach"

The 2011 Arts Alive Banners now hanging on streetlight poles along Highway 101 and Lomas Santa Fe Drive display reflections of life in our community of Solana Beach.

This year's banner theme, "Celebrating Solana Beach," is in honor of the City's 25^th anniversary on July 1, 2011. These colorful banners were painted by students, professional and future artists, as well as few moms and dads.

The imaginative images and visual messages about Solana Beach are resourceful and entertaining. It is worth a stroll along the Coastal Rail Trail on Highway 101 or a drive on Lomas Santa Fe to see these unique banners.

The Arts Alive Banners will adorn our fine City throughout the summer and then will come down for the Arts Alive on the Coastal Rail Trail event (CRT Event). This year the award winning CRT Event is scheduled for Sunday, October 2, 2011; so mark your calendar and plan to attend.

 The Arts Alive Program is a popular and successful art and cultural community program sponsored by the Solana Beach City Council and hosted by the Public Arts Advisory Commission (PAAC). For more information about the Arts Alive Program or the banners please contact Anita Edman at (858) 720-2454.   

The 2011 Arts Alive Banners that are now hanging on the streetlight poles along Highway 101 and Lomas Santa Fe Drive display reflections of life in our community. This year's banner theme, "Celebrating Solana Beach," is in honor of the City's 25^th anniversary which will occur on July 1, 2011. These colorful banners were painted by students, professional and future artists, as well as few moms and dads. The imaginative images and visual messages about Solana Beach are resourceful and entertaining. It is worth a stroll along the Coastal Rail Trail on Highway 101 or a drive on Lomas Santa Fe to see these unique banners.

The Arts Alive Banners will adorn our fine City throughout the summer and then will come down for the Arts Alive on the Coastal Rail Trail event (CRT Event). This year the award winning CRT Event is scheduled for Sunday, October 2, 2011; so mark your calendar and plan to attend.

The Arts Alive Program is a popular and successful art and cultural community program sponsored by the Solana Beach City Council and hosted by the Public Arts Advisory Commission (PAAC). For more information about the Arts Alive Program or the banners please contact Anita Edman at (858) 720-2454.   

Arts Alive Banners 2011

Solana Beach gets jiggy with street banner art...

How 'Bout That Weather Dudes? KSWB-TV's Loren Nancarrow gets hailed around Encinitas virally while Chrissy Russo takes a stab at it (as usual)...

Seriously, the weather has been wacky. Why not tell it like it is? Blame the supersized moon or climate change, but here's a Thursday look at what the hell is happening around here lately.  Fox 5/69, KSWB-TV's Loren Nancarrow captured the Wednesday hail storm real-time by Belly-Up Tavern, Cedros Design District, Solana Beach, Calif. 92075, Earth, Milky Way, Space, Wherever. In a related clip, KSWB's Chrissy Russo kind of discusses stuff including, you know, like there's more rain, and things, coming like soon.

Breaking news 4 p.m. -- It's Friday, why is stuff always happening to make traffic worse?

Just some kind of bad moon rising, or doublemoon or whatever you calls it. A vehicle fire just past Via de la Valle at Interstate 5 around 3:30 p.m. reduced already slowing Friday p.m. drive-times to a robust 15 to 20 miles per hour from Del Mar Heights Road north to Santa Fe Drive, Encinitas. Don't expect to hit 60 mph until just before Carlsbad where it then slows down again before the Highway 78 interchange.

 Other worries earlier this afternoon included a hit-and-run accident at Carmel Valley Road by the freeway exchanges. For CHP details on each hassle, see below:

Surfrider Foundation Solana Beach says don't pollute beaches with your butts, fools...

The Surfrider Foundation wants to put in ASHCANS!!! as part of the “Hold-On-To-Your-Butt” campaign. People have put in more than 100 cylinder ash cans at Cardiff, Carlsbad, Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, and La Jolla. Point Loma, Hillcrest and Imperial Beach are communities awaiting ASHCANS FOR STINKY, POLLUTING CIGARETTE BUTTS WHAT IS THE OCEAN YOUR PERSONAL ASHTRAY soon.

For the most current 'HOTYB' info visit our blog: www.holdontoyourbutt.blogspot.com  Cigarette butts are the most littered item in The United States and the world. This type of litter is not just found on streets and in urban settings; the number of cigarette butts found on beaches and nearby areas is overwhelming--typically accounting for nearly one in every three items collected during our cleanups. Cigarette waste discarded miles inland compounds the problem as it can end up in stormdrains that flow to streams, rivers, bays, lagoons and ultimately the ocean. To make matters worse, lighted cigarette butts flicked into California’s dry arid environment can spark deadly and costly wildfires.  Hold Onto Your Butt Awareness Day this summer will involve activists, volunteers, and friends of the environment gathering at three of San Diego County's busiest traffic intersections near the beach. There, Surfrider activists will hold signs, pass out personal ashtrays, stickers and graphically demonstrate to motorists the problem that we are so concerned about. We will encourage motorists and beachgoers to dispose of cigarettes safely, and explain that cigarette butts thrown on the ground can eventually end up in the ocean and affect marine life, including surfers and swimmers. Volunteers will also clean the surrounding area, keeping track of how many cigarette butts and other items they find.

Our Chapter, along with American Lung Association, the American Heart Association and other organizations fighting cigarette litter, held a press conference with the Californian Highway Patrol (CHP) and San Diego Fire Department to announce that the CHP is cracking down on smokers who throw their butts out the car window while driving. The CHP joined our coalition efforts by setting up a hotline number that people can call if they see cigarette butts being tossed onto our streets and highways. After the phone call is received, the CHP will send a warning letter to the alleged violator. The hotline number, 1-877-211-BUTT, has already been successful! Our Chapter has been working on our Hold On To Your Butt campaign for years and we are delighted to be part of such a broad-based coalition. DID YOU KNOW? Cigarette butts are the most littered item in The United States and the world. Over two billion cigarette butts get tossed everyday. That's an average of two cigarette butts daily from each of earth's 1.2 billion smokers. It is estimated that Americans toss more than 175 million pounds of cigarette butts out every year. These butts are frequently cast onto the sidewalk and streets and then pushed into storm drains that flow to streams, rivers, bays, lagoons and ultimately the ocean. At beach cleanups, cigarette butts are the most common form of trash found (typically accounting for one in every five items collected). The cigarette filter was designed to trap the toxic chemicals in the cigarette smoke from entering the smoker's body. When submerged in water, the toxic chemicals trapped in the filter leak out into aquatic ecosystems, threatening the quality of the water and many forms of aquatic life. Cigarette butts may seem small, but with an estimated 4.5 trillion butts (worldwide) littered every year, the toxic chemicals add up! Over 99% of cigarettes are now smoked outside. 18% of all litter dropped to the ground is washed into streams, rivers, lakes and the ocean by storm water runoff. Cigarette butts, are little and lightweight and are the first to get carried away into our waterways.0 Studies indicate that since we have enacted indoor smoking bans, more cigarette butts are being tossed directly into the environment. Unfortunately, this means that ecosystems have a higher chance of being affected by cigarette butts. Biologists have found butts in the stomachs of young birds, sea turtles and other marine creatures. Cigarette butts can cause other environmental problems, such as fires. For example, a cigarette butt was the possible cause of an 11,000 acre fire in San Diego in January 2001. Many smokers incorrectly believe that cigarette filters are made of biodegradable cotton. In fact, cigarette filters are made of plastic cellulose acetate, and can take 15 years to decompose. Ultimately, the Surfrider Foundation is calling for better enforcement of laws against cigarette butt littering; additional taxes on tobacco products specifically earmarked for clean-up efforts; more effort on the part of tobacco companies to improve the biodegradability of filters, reduce packaging waste and educate consumers about the impacts of tobacco waste on the environment; and more local involvement from governments and businesses to reduce cigarette littering by supplying ashtrays and other "disposal mechanisms" at building entrances.