Tale of two Garrick's: RSF GOP Assemblyman stung by Bee for DUI yet perseveres (somehow)

(Garrick, the pride of Solana Beach, pled guilty to being twice as drunk as the legal limit while trying to drive into the state Capitol one balmy day last summer. Yet, he continues to serve out his term with...honor??? Just end it buddy -- Ah-Ha)

Editorial: Lawmakers who break our laws shouldn't get a break

Californians should expect their lawmakers to not only make laws, but follow them. Lately, several in the Legislature have been accused of serious breaches – a trend that is generating far too little alarm in the Capitol.

 In June, Assemblyman Martin Garrick, a Republican from Solana Beach, was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.

A blood test later found that Garrick had a blood- alcohol level of 0.15 percent – nearly twice the state's legal limit for driving.

(Photo left: Garrick at Mille Fleurs fundraiser where they served mixed drinks and wine and he drove home.)

In October, Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi, a Democrat from Castro Valley, was arrested on suspicion of felony grand theft. She has pleaded not guilty to stealing $2,500 in clothing from a San Francisco department store, claiming she absentmindedly stepped outside with merchandise while taking a cellphone call.

Then, on Wednesday, Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, a Republican from Twin Peaks, was cited on a misdemeanor charge of carrying a loaded .45-caliber handgun into Ontario International Airport.He faces a maximum punishment of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine, and could face larger fines from the Transportation Security Administration.

We're sorry. If you are unaware you are carrying a loaded gun, you shouldn't be carrying one in the first place.

Donnelly is also being less than forthright about whether he had a concealed weapons permit. San Bernardino County officials say they have no record of such a permit. Donnelly needs to answer the question: Did he have a permit or not?

Garrick pleaded no contest to the DUI charge, losing his license for four months. Hayashi and Donnelly will have their day in court.

Yet regardless of outcomes, these recent arrests raise questions about whether authorities are giving California lawmakers preferential treatment.

When Garrick was pulled over, the California Highway Patrol cited and released him, allowing the lawmaker to avoid a night in jail – the usual outcome for misdemeanor DUI suspects. Donnelly also avoided arrest and jail, unlike Shaun Rogers, a Cleveland Browns nose tackle, who was taken to jail in 2010 after the TSA found a handgun in his carry-on bag at an Ohio airport.

Lawmakers who drive drunk, take merchandise out of stores or bring a loaded gun into airports shouldn't be treated lightly.

If authorities want to deter normal citizens from breaking laws, they should set an example with lawmakers who take oaths to uphold them.

Bonnie Russell On: Dumanis’ continued reluctance to prosecute inactive attorney P. Gregory...

Bonnie Dumanis’ continued reluctance to prosecute inactive attorney Patricia Gregory remains a mystery to those aware of Dumanis’ preference for being handed evidence by crime victims. This makes Dumanis’ latest refusal to prosecute an open and shut case against an about to be disbarred attorney, more than a little strange.   

But first, a brief history on internet crime

A decade ago, then San Francisco columnist Reynolds Holding, wrote The State Bar should Crack Down on California Lawyers” in a column featuring one of California’s worst attorneys, Ron Lais.  The column stated State Bar response to client complaints was sluggish at best, considering the bar had ten years worth of complaints regarding the Ron Lais "performed."  Eventually though, the State Bar forced Lais’ resignation, until he paid his now former clients restitution.

Lais promptly filed bankruptcy, which immediately discharged the State Bar’s restitution order.  Lais then promptly incorporated Child Custody Legal Network and continued offering legal services online as an International Child Custody Consultant, (and sued me four times for warning potential victims not to use him).  The Orange County DA charged Lais with double-digit felony counts regarding the Unauthorized Practice of Law online, and Lais went to prison for a while.  (He's now out and touting himself as an International Law Professor on Twitter.) 

But Lais got me thinking as the problem of non-attorneys or former attorneys practicing on-line has increased.  Most recently in San Diego.  But at least there is some good news. 

The first being the State Bar is now acting a little quicker, and the second being an easy solution to prevent the public from being duped online by former attorneys with a cash and moral problem.  More on that later, as the original problem remains.

San Diego’s blind eye to unscrupulous, former attorneys

San Diego North County family law attorney Patricia Gregory is now listed on the State Bar site Ordered Inactive – Not Eligible to Practice Law.”   

The back story is Gregory had dipped her hands into the trust account of her client, Luwain Ng, to the tune of 80k.  Gregory later admitted the money was gone and made arrangements to repay Ng.

Plans went awry. Nine months later Ng had still not been paid in full. Eventually Ng complains to the State Bar.  This prompts Gregory to fire a snarky email to Ng in which Gregory advises she will discontinue interest payments, before ading as if she was somehow a victim,

“If you wanted to punish me you have succeeded.  I am destroyed.  You have a $20,000.00, a ridiculously low legal bill and my obligation to pay $80,000.00.  I have nothing.  Seems a bit unfair, no?  But you did get your revenge.  Hope it was sweet.” 

Gregory’s  website remains active, announcing:  CARLSBAD DIVORCE ATTORNEY representing clients in divorce, custody, support, and domestic violence cases in San Diego County. 

The solution to protect the public from those who practice law on-line who shouldn’t, was well received by the State Bar president after it popped into my head last week.  He suggested I mention it to a State Bar prosecutor, who also seemed to like it.  (The prosecutor's email after our conversation indicated he forwarded my suggestion to the intake office.)

As it now stands, since Patricia Gregory refuses to remove her website from the Internet in spite of the State Bar’s repeated requests, Gregory is likely going to face additional charges.

(Interestingly,  Gregory's legal website remains in full working order - including the claim:  “She currently teaches graduate level courses in Business Law and Ethics”).  However, a second problem slipped to the forefront.

The second problem being District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis' tolerance for white-collar crime

In spite of a request from Patricia Gregory’s former client to charge Gregory, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis refuses to prosecute.  Or say why she won't.  This is puzzling as the case is very straight-forward.  Gregory admitted to her 80k raid on Ng's account; and Ng provided much in the way of proof along with her request DA Dumanis charge her.  

Sound of crickets chirping.

Calls to the DAs office remain unreturned.

The silence of San Diego's District Attorney is problematic as Bonnie Dumanis has spent an enormous amount of tax payer dollars in an unsuccessful effort to have her perceived stalker tried and convicted for writing what Dumanis considered a threatening letter.  This would be months after declining to prosecute Diana Gonzalez’ husband, after he kidnapped and raped Gonzalez.  After which Diana was found butchered to death in a college bathroom.  (Diana’s husband promptly disappeared).

Additionally, after Dumanis’ alleged stalker was acquitted in Riverside County, Bonnie Dumanis received 24/7 law enforcement security for herself.  She then spent time and energy maneuvering to have the guy prosecuted in federal court at additional taxpayer expense. 

The jury deadlocked.

Unfortunately the public receives no such service from San Diego’s current DA and mayoral candidate for a relatively easy-to-prove, white collar crime.

The solution?

As a preventive measure, until Dumanis brings charges against Patricia Gregory, or her site goes dark, Gregory will be listed on the "Do Not Hire” portion of  Familylawcourts.com.

Meanwhile I just received an invitation to join Bonnie for a day at the races on August 28.  I wonder if I should bet on whether Bonnie answers my questions if I go.

Jake DeRaadt's Last MOO-RAH: Harmony Grove to Lemoore to Del Mar Fair Odyssey of Cows...

Since there’s no place like home, Jake DeRaadt came down from Lemoore with just enough cows to save the day for this year’s San Diego County Fair dairy exhibit. It's the last 'moorah' for the effervescent Harmony Grove native. Satisfied others will take up the challenge in future fairs, and wanting to devote more time to family matters, this is DeRaadt's final year leading the cornerstone dairy exhibit. 

“This is going back home for me,” said DeRaadt, 49. “June is fair month. I’ve been involved with this for 35 years. They got plenty of people milking in the valley at valley fairs. You’re preaching to the choir ‘cause many up there know the ag industry. Hardly anybody is left down here in San Diego.”

The DeRaadt family were dairy mainstays for decades in Harmony Grove, between Escondido and San Marcos. Dairy production once was big business in North County with well over 100 dairies as late as the 1970s producing the equivalent of $80.6 million in Year 2000 dollars. County milk production fell to an all-time low of $12.4 million in 2003.

But, changing times ended the local dairy industry for all practical purposes. With urbanization and environmental challenges costing local dairies too much money and energy, DeRaadt joined the migration north to the Central Valley in 2000 where he could expand his herd and work in an environment more amenable to dairy production.

“I came down two summers ago and was kind of disappointed hearing that zero dairy cattle were going to be at the fair,” DeRaadt said. “There were just no cows here. I talked to (livestock coordinator) Kim Jacobson and said  if we can get the dairy display going, I’ll get you the cows if you get someone to milk them. I just can’t be at the fair the full three weeks.”

Deal made. DeRaadt brought kids Arie, 15; Eileen, 16; and Katrina, 18, back home for the fair where they tell other kids on 4H Club barn tours about raising cows. Dairy Council of California educators hold several milking demonstrations a day – with DeRaadt’s imported cows. 

All three DeRaadt children take unique roles at the fair. Katrina, 18, creates visual displays; Eileen, 16, loves working with the school children; and his youngest, Arie, at 15, seems to share especially in the joy of showing the cows. He's even conducted a few milking demonstrations for smaller crowds. "It's a family tradition," said Arie. "Cinnamon rolls in the morning, our cousins coming out to watch on Fridays and Saturdays ---- it's just a lot of fun. "And you can hear Grandma in the back of the stands cheering us on, too," he added with a smile.

It’s all more than good for DeRaadt who combined a healthy dose of nostalgia for his old Escondido home with the practical business of acquainting urban youth with their farming roots. As if to punctuate this point, DeRaadt flew the family dairy’s old sign  – Eden Vale 2531 Country Club Rd., Escondido – above his Lemoore, Kings County, cows at the dairy barn.

“The reasons we’re here are multi-pronged,” DeRaadt said. “It’s a lot of fun and a great experience for the kids. We’re also educating the public that for the most part is fairly urban or far removed from the farm.”

 DeRaadt’s dairy cows have saved the day for this important, and historical, element of the county fair, said Efrain Valenzuela, Southern California education manager for the Dairy Council of California who has been conducting the daily milking demonstrations.

”Jake DeRaadt has been very helpful as far as bringing the animals to use,” Valenzuela said. “It’s harder and harder finding animals to bring to the public. He’s been there for us when cows have gotten sick. We called him and he said sure, he’d bring another one up. It’s tough finding cows to use.”

The industry has all but disappeared as land became more valuable and stringent environmental rules regarding cow manure and clean water took effect. Most dairies were forced to close long ago or to relocate to Central California. In 1948 and 1949, San Diego County Farm Bureau Executive Director Eric Larson said, milk was the main agricultural product here. That was supplemented later by beef, then avocados, and since the mid-70s, nurseries. “It’s just the reality of what happened,” Larson said. “I think it’s great we still have a few dairies here, but I don’t see anyone opening a new one. “You have to be fairly large in the dairy industry, and to get larger they had to move out of the county.” Only four dairy farms remain and one milk processing plant. They owners of the farms for the most part keep a low profile since the milk they produce is processed out of the county and not marketed locally.

The milking demonstrations have proven quite popular with dozens of students and even adults at each show.

“You get that wow factor,” Valenzuela said. “There’s nothing like seeing that little squirt come out and it lights up their faces.  Ag is slowly moving out little by little, so we’re happy to bring the farm to them.”

Part of that farm at the fair is the barn tour, this day conducted for a second year by Nicolina Prestininz, a Fallbrook 4-H member. She tells a group of elementary school students that only six dairies remain in San Diego County. Arie and Eileen DeRaadt show off their cows, explaining how they care for the animals.

“How many of you think chocolate milk comes from a brown cow?” Prestininz asks. Several students raise their hands. Jake DeRaadt laughs. That’s what he’s talking about.

OK, Fried Kool-Aid Balls at Chicken Charlie's, Del Mar Fair, Is Breaking News Across The USA...

It's a little hard to ignore, maybe a slow news day, but the damn fried kool-aid balls apparently are more than just a new San Diego County Fair hit. They are getting traction across the nation with social network bizz and news coverage.

The balls look like red donut holes, and while some say they also taste rather like donut holes, other fair attendees seem to like the new junk food. One customer of fried Kool-Aid told Sign on San Diego, "It starts off tart and tangy, and then finishes really sweet... I love this stuff."

Boghosian is no stranger to fried candy concoctions. He claims to have invented more than 100 deep-fried treats to serve up at county fairs. In previous years he has created fried fare such as fried Klondike Bars, fried Pop Tarts, and fried Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies.

The tangy red dough balls have really taken off, doing much better than Chicken Charlie's previous new products. Over the fair's opening weekend, the food stall quickly went through its first 150 pounds of Kool-Aid powder and 1,500 pounds of flour - though the rest of the ingredients are top secret.

Boghosian, who weighs about 300 pounds, said he has sold 100,000 fried Klondike bars last year and 2 million fried Oreo cookies over the past decade. But the $5.95 fried Kool-Aid is quickly becoming his top seller.

"It's been huge," Boghosian said. "People are loving it."

Deep-fried Kool-Aid in its finished form is like a pastry, first sweet and then tangy, according to delighted tasters.  The recipe is top secret but it involves a whole lot of Kool-Aid powder, flour, powdered sugar and hot oil. 

"It's really good, different, but a little more like a doughnut than Kool-Aid," Angelyn Lucia told the North Caroline Times after polishing off a serving of deep-fried cherry Kool-Aid.

Another taste described it as a "New Orleans  Hushpuppy with Kool-Aid flavor. 

Boghosian's fried fare has gained him a cult following as well as appearances on the Travel Channel and CNN. He said that his latest invention was a runaway success, outselling his other deep-fried items two to one.

"That's because it tastes so darn good," Boghosian said.

Fried foods of the sort served up at county and state fairs get the thumbs-down not just from obesity specialists but also cardiologists. The American Heart Association urges people to limit their intake of deep-fried foods, noting that they contain saturated and trans fats that can raise the risk for heart disease by increasing levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Citizens commission releases first draft of California redistricting map...

(Editor's Note: The Center for Investigative Reporting, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious nonprofit investigative news organization, newest venture is California Watch, a major new reporting initiative to produce in-depth, high impact multimedia journalism specific to California and to engage the public on issues of critical importance to the state. For more visit: http://californiawatch.org/)

An issue that in the past has been a source of contention among lawmakers — the task of drawing the more than 100 Congressional, Assembly, state Senate and Board of Equalization districts — now rests solely with the newly formed commission. After some discussion on how many state Senate and Assembly districts to group together in what is commonly referred to as "nesting," the 14-member commission voted unanimously to approve the draft Friday.

Chairman Gabino Aguirre said the maps were merely the first of three drafts the group will produce, adding that he intends to place no cap on the number of changes made to the next draft, due out July 7. Aguirre said he expects to receive more public input on the process in the coming weeks, a major goal when voters passed what became known as the Voters First Act in 2008. The measure sought to realign communities and make district seats more competitive.

"Based on the interest we've had to this point, I fully expect to be getting more input," Aguirre said, adding that he's received hundreds of e-mails per day on the subject. Aguirre said the group finalized the first draft of the maps Thursday night and was optimistic that it would meet its Aug. 15 deadline to submit the maps to the secretary of state for approval.

"Absolutely," he said. "We've made a commitment to follow through with this."

A major component of the process is the 11 public hearings the commission will hold across the state in the next month. So far, the group has held more than two dozen hearings, fielding comments from more than 1,500 people.

"Our No. 1 priority at this point is to give every single person in California a political voice," Aguirre said. "That's why we're going back to these areas again and again."

While much may change in the revised versions of the maps, early implications point to a future shakeup for both parties. Sacramento-based Redistricting Partners, led by political consultant Paul Mitchell, put out its own version of the maps Friday, with a preliminary breakdown of voter registration in districts, many of which could change significantly.

Other highlights included Assembly districts with multiple incumbents living in them, as well as others with none. The changes ultimately will lead to greater competition, said Dan Schnur, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at the University of Southern California. Schnur said a reduction in the number of strongholds could have significant implications for the future, potentially reducing the bipartisan stalemates that have plagued California most of this year.

"If this redistricting turns out the way it could, you're going to make it a lot easier to get things done in Sacramento,” he said Thursday, adding that while it is impossible to make all of the more than 100 districts competitive, the addition of a dozen or so relatively competitive districts would be a huge benefit. "That could fundamentally change things in the future," he said.

Kurt Bardella GONE WILD - You can't keep a fired Issa-Bilbray aide down...and other San Diego County GOPisms...

 Wow. Politics is crazy, but it is a semi-free country and political junkies need their fixes. In this bizarre case, the notorious Kurt Bardella (photo left) came back with a fury this week, going all bloggy over the newly proposed congressional district boundaries for San Diego County. To find out more about the actual details visit our aggregated story through this link.

When last we saw, Bardella was fired with extreme prejudice by Issa in March. This is what Politico roared:

 Kurt Bardella's downfall: Ambition and ego

 "It’s a story as old as power politics: The staffer who forgets he’s a staffer.

"It rarely ends well. And to people who know him best, that was Kurt Bardella’s downfall — ego and a self-promotional streak that finally cost him his job as deputy communications director for the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

"The turning point: POLITICO’s revelation that Bardella had been forwarding other reporters’ e-mail correspondence to Mark Leibovich, a reporter for The New York Times who recently wrote a Bardella-heavy Issa profile and is working on a book about Washington’s political culture."

 He's back. And forth. Just like Bardella went from Bilbray to Issa to Bilbray to Issa's employment over the span of a few years - you know, GOP staffer trading, should come with bubble gum and trading cards -- I'm not sure what to make of it either. Guess it's an addiction. Bardella resumed issuing press releases, but this time FOR BOTH ISSA AND BILBRAY AT THE SAME TIME. He did it on Rostra, the GOP Tea Party blog site.

Take it for what it's worth. The scallawag of a Bardella and some of the other Tea Party bloggers are all up into it over the newly proposed congressional districts that appear to reflect the area more accurately than in the past, which is bad news for the Republicans apparently, at least judging from the early whining.

First, a bit more of the Politico coverage of Bardella's indiscretions, followed by the latest in GOP-(Think?) on the congressional redistricting etc for Rancho Santa Fe and North County courtesy of local GOP guru Jim Sills.

 Enjoy!

-- Dan Weisman, founder/editor Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News

THE NEW WAVE BARDELLA FILES ETC.:

BILBRAY TO RUN IN NEWLY FORMED DISTRICT THAT UNITES PAST AND PRESENT

BILBRAY TO RUN IN NEWLY FORMED DISTRICT THAT UNITES PAST AND PRESENT

Friday, June 10, 2011

posted by Kurt Bardella

Press Release Just Issued from Congressman Bilbray’s camp:

(SAN DIEGO, CA) – Congressman Brian Bilbray released the following statement on the new congressional district boundaries proposed by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission:

“The preliminary maps released by the Citizens Redistricting Commission have ensured that communities of interest are not divided and that political partisanship is not a factor in the districts created to represent San Diegans.

This is a preview of “Bilbray to Run in Newly Formed District that Unites Past and Present”. Read the full post (203 words, estimated 49 secs reading time)

ISSA PLANTS FLAG IN OC-NORTH COUNTY DISTRICT

Friday, June 10, 2011

posted by Kurt Bardella

From Issa Camp:

VISTA, CA – U.S. Congressman Darrell Issa (R-Vista) today released the following statement on the first draft of Congressional district boundaries made public today by the Citizens Redistricting Commission:

“Taking the redistricting process away from state legislators and backroom deals is something I have long supported. While I recognize these maps are not final and there may yet be legitimate questions or revisions, I thank the members of the Citizens Redistricting Commission for their hard work in this process.

This is a preview of “Issa Plants Flag in OC-North County District”. Read the full post (219 words, estimated 53 secs reading time)

REDISTRICTING MAPS ROUND 1 RELEASED…

Friday, June 10, 2011

posted by Kurt Bardella

Here is a link to the draft maps:

http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/maps-congress-1st-draft.html

WHO WANTS TO BE A REPUBLICAN CONGRESS MEMBER? — JUNE 7 MAPS CREATE THE “GOLD” ONE SHOWN HERE …… POWAY ROGER TAKE NOTE !

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

posted by Jim Sills

Oh Doctor!  Overnight the State Redistricting Commission posted their June 7th revised maps, and voila, a no-incumbent Republican  congressional seat appears!   (Susan Davis is in the “blue” district.  Other incumbents are to the North, East and South.)   The “new” district has Rancho Bernardo, Point Loma, Penasquitos, La Jolla, Mira Mesa, Clairemont, Bay Park, Scripps Ranch and the City of  Poway. This district, if adopted,  is a lock to elect a Republican member of Congress next November.

So what are you waiting for, Poway Roger?  Opportunity is knocking, and loudly no less!

This is a preview of “Who wants to be a Republican Congress Member? — June 7 maps create the “Gold” one shown here …… Poway Roger take Note !”. Read the full post (206 words, 1 image, estimated 49 secs reading time)

NORTH COUNTY UPDATE — NEW JUNE 7 MAPS STILL FEATURE ROCKY CHAVEZ AGAINST SHERRY HODGES ON THE COAST, WITH MARIE WALDRON OF ESCONDIDO THE INLAND FRONT-RUNNER

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

posted by Jim Sills

Greetings, Redistricting fans!  Overnight the Calif. Citizens Redistricting Commission published draft new State Assembly maps, and in North County they still create a Coastal district (Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas), and an Inland seat (Escondido, Fallbrook, Ramona).  If adopted, this map means a potential Rocky Chavez (of Oceanside) vs. Sherry Hodges (of Encinitas) GOP race along the Coastline.  It is also very good news for Escondido City Councilwoman Marie Waldron as the clear Republican leader now on the Inland side.  Her district would absorb much rural territory now held by termed-out Riverside State Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries of AD 66.

Stay tuned to SD Rostra for further late-breaking coverage of the State Redistricting Rodeo and Strawberry Festival.   You can also follow the festivities at this link as well:  http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/meeting_handouts.html

PRELIMINARY NORTH COUNTY ASSEMBLY MAPS— ROCKY CHAVEZ VS. SHERRY HODGES ON THE COAST— MARIE WALDRON NOW THE INLAND DISTRICT REPUBLICAN FRONTRUNNER

Friday, June 3, 2011

posted by Jim Sills

The State Redistricting Commission will view these draft maps drawn by their staff this week.  View all of them here for the entire state: http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/meeting_handouts.html

If they are adopted (no certainty!) here’s how they appear to affect North County’s Assembly districts.  Caveat:  These analyses are written on the fly, and the Maps may well be changed later.

First,  the COASTAL District:  Runs north/south from Oceanside to Carlsbad to Encinitas and Solana Beach, also Vista to the east.  That means recent  State Veterans Secretary Rocky Chavez of Oceanside competing with legislative aide and ex-school board member Sherry Hodges of Encinitas for the GOP nod to succeed Martin Garrick.

This is a preview of “Preliminary North County Assembly Maps— Rocky Chavez vs. Sherry Hodges on The Coast— Marie Waldron now the Inland District Republican frontrunner”. Read the full post (273 words, 1 image, estimated 1:06 mins reading time).

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve Fund Raising Event, Sunday, May 15, 2011

(Photo: Rancho Santa fe Art Guild leader Toni Williams painting at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve.)

Enjoy spring wildflowers in full bloom, watch artists capture the beauty of nature on their canvases, experience the Reserve with family and friends, and breathe in the fresh ocean air while supporting the preservation of one of San Diego’s unique natural environments.

The Torrey Pines Natural Reserve Docent Society and Torrey Pines Association present the second annual Art in the Pines to be held Sunday, May 15, 2011 from 10am to 5pm. The Festival is free and open to all.

Art in the Pines is an all-day event featuring a professionally judged Plein Air contest with an awards ceremony; artists’ booths exhibiting nature-inspired art for sale in a variety of media such as painting, pastels, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, and photography; food and live music; children’s nature and art activities; an opportunity... (more)

No. 6-Ranked San Diego State Men's Golf Plays Co-Host To San Diego Intercollegiate Tournament this week...

                  (Photo: Redshirt sophomore Evan Emerick plays his first tournament of 2011 in Chula Vista.)

The sixth-ranked San Diego State men's golf team will play its next two tournaments in the county limits, as it first co-hosts the 2011 San Diego Intercollegiate Classic, presented by TaylorMade Golf and Lamkin Grips, March 14-15. The 54-hole event will take place at the par-72, 7,050-yard San Diego Country Club in Chula Vista, Calif.

The Aztecs will be among a field of 12 schools which includes three other local squads in fellow host No. 19 USD, Point Loma Nazarene and Cal State San Marcos. Two other Mountain West Conference foes in Air Force and Colorado State will also make the trip, as will Fresno State, Hawai'i, Long Beach State, Nevada, SMU and Texas-Arlington.

Seven SDSU golfers will compete under head coach Ryan Donovan<... (more)

Devon Brown (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif./Cathedral Catholic) sets the tone for Northwestern University Wildcats in 2011 Lady Puerto Rico golf...

(Editor's note: This coverage courtesy of Northwestern University's Athletic Department. For more on Brown and Northwestern Women's Golf follow go here...)

Devon Brown recorded pars on 15 of 18 holes in the opening round of the Lady Puerto Rico.

Brown was consistent throughout the afternoon for Northwestern, recording par on 15 of 18 holes with just three bogeys -- 

2011 Lady Puerto Rico
Result:  Northwestern sits in eighth-place (19-over 307) after round one
Site: Rio Mar Country Club • Rio Mar, P.R.
Top Performers: Lauren Weaver, Devon Brown (3-over 75) tied for 16th
Up Next: Lady Puerto Rico Round Two • Monday, Feb. 14 • 7 a.m. CT

2011 Lady Puerto Rico Round One Results 

Wildcats Sit Eighth After Opening Round of Lady Puerto Rico

Weaver, Brown sit atop the Wildcat scorecard at 3-over

RIO MAR, P.R. -- ... (more)

Tracy Emblem Takes On Higher Education Funding Cuts: What Would Thomas Jefferson Do? Californians Benefit from Funding Higher Education...

For years, California has had the best publicly funded colleges and universities in the nation, which fueled the state's innovation and thriving economy.  However, budget deficits have caused our state-funded colleges to shoulder painful funding cuts. Currently, the UC and CSU systems and our state community colleges are facing $1.4 billion in funding cuts.

Californians Benefit from Funding Higher Education 

Tax-and-spend rhetoric leaves voters to ask why taxpayers should help fund someone else's college education.  The answer is simple: California's taxpayers benefit -- both directly and indirectly -- from publicly funded education, and our communities are strengthened from these institutions.

For example, in San Diego County, Cal State San Marcos generates an impact of $228.6 million on the regional economy, and more than $327.5 million on the statewide economy. For every dollar invested by the state, CSUSM generates $5.43 for California's economy. That's a huge return on the taxpayers' investment.

 California community colleges also impact California's economy. For every dollar invested in community college education, the state's revenue is increased by $3. More than 70 percent of California's higher education students are enrolled in community colleges, which results in great dividends for the job market.

Community colleges are a bargain because they help turn out a better trained, higher paid work force. Many jobs today require specialized skills, more than a high school education but less than a four-year degree. Community colleges offer courses to upgrade job skills with vocational certificates, which many need for job opportunities.

California's community colleges provide job training certificates in more than 175 different fields. Community colleges train workers in the fastest growing segments of the economy: health care, information technology, energy and the environment.

The business community also partners with California's community colleges to train workers. Students can be employed during the day while attending night school classes to upgrade their education and job skills.

Community colleges have a general education transfer program that allows students to attend and transfer to a four-year university. For many local families, particularly now during the economic downturn, this allows their children to live at home while attending school.

 

 

Higher-paying employment in our communities means more disposable income, which then enters the stream of commerce and is spent in our local economies. Additionally, taxpayers benefit when more people become self-sufficient and no longer need government aid.

 Thomas Jefferson understood and fought for public education. His belief that all Americans should have the opportunity through attending public schools to obtain an education contributed to the success of our nation.

Unfortunately, with the state's proposed budget cuts, an estimated 350,000 students statewide will be turned away next year at the community college level, weakening our competitiveness in the work force.

UC San Diego contributes $7.2 billion to California's economy.  In 2009, U.S. News and World Report ranked UC San Diego the seventh-best public university in the nation. UC San Diego's Jacobs School of Engineering is ranked 17th among engineering schools, and the university's biomedical engineering department is ranked fourth in the nation. UCSD also enrolls quality medical research students who conduct groundbreaking research for drug therapies, medical equipment and devices, and advancements in patient care that benefit everyone.

California taxpayers should carefully consider the cost-benefit analysis, because when we cut public funding for these institutions, we cut our state's economic advantage and future prosperity.  California's economy is the eighth largest in the world. We need to continue funding higher public education to maintain our workforce.

In slashing higher education budgets, we destroy what it means to be the best and the brightest. Even though we were in a recession in the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan invested heavily in science and education and it kept America on top. We must continue that tradition by funding higher education in California.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tracy Emblem is an appellate attorney who has lived in Escondido since 1964. She received her law degree from National University School of Law in 1989, after working at the California Attorney General’s office, writs and appeals division.

Working closely with her longtime husband, attorney Thor Emblem, she supervises the civil research on the firm’s major cases and has authored numerous civil and criminal writs and appeals which have been published in the California courts. Known for solving seemingly impossible cases, special writs of habeas corpus.

Tracy ran as a candidate in the June 2010 California Democratic primary for the 50th Congressional District's nomination and lost despite building many coalitions and receiving many state and national endorsements for a first time candidate. 

News the politically inclined can use: Bilbray votes, Garrick y Reagan, Wyland et Hoover...

Recent House Votes

Non-Security Discretionary Spending Limit - Vote Passed (256-165, 13 Not Voting) The House approved this resolution directing the chair of the Budget Committee to reduce non-security spending to 2008 levels for the remainder of the 2011 fiscal year. The Budget Committee sets spending levels but does not appropriate funds. The continuing resolution currently funding government operations expires on March 4, 2011. Rep. Brian Bilbray voted YES......send e-mail or see bio  Presidential Campaign Fund Termination - Vote Passed (239-160, 35 Not Voting) The House voted to end a program put in place in 1976 that provides taxpayer funds to presidential candidates and the major parties for their nominating conventions. The bill's future in the Senate is unclear. Rep. Brian Bilbray voted YES......send e-mail or see bio

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CELEBRATING THE LIFE AND LEGACY

WWW.ASM.CA.GOV/GARRICK

 ASSEMBLYMEMBER.GARRICK@ASSEMBLY.CA.GOV

This Sunday, I am proud to celebrate with you the 100th anniversary of the birth of Ronald Reagan - one of the most influential Californians in state history, a remarkable man who served as the 33rd Governor of California and the 40th President of the United States.

As California's governor, Ronald Reagan worked tirelessly to make California a better place for future generations and change business as usual in state government.

Although he began his first term with a $200 millionbudget deficit, he was able to submit a budget with a $1 billion surplus seven years after he took office.

As the President of the United States, President Reagan's dedication to freedom shaped the future of our nation and the entire world.  His vision of "peace through strength" led to the end of the Cold War, the reunification of Germany, the destruction of the Berlin Wall, and the democratization of the USSR.

Over the course of his presidency, he worked in a bipartisan manner to enact his bold agenda of restoring accountability and common sense to government, which led to an unprecedented economic expansion and created 20 million new jobs.

While there have been many great public servants in the histories of both California and the United States, no single individual in my view has made a bigger impact on the people of this great state than Ronald Reagan. From winning the Cold War to turning around an economy in severe recession, few individuals have left as meaningful a legacy for our nation as Ronald Reagan.

I was honored last year to have authored AB 1911, legislation to help celebrate Ronald Reagan's life by honoring, promoting, and remembering his achievements for this state and country.

This legislation establishes California's Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission.  In keeping with President Reagan's ideals, the commission is advancing programs to help teach future generations about Reagan's character, optimism and enduring legacy without the use of taxpayer dollars.

As California honors the legacy of Ronald Reagan on his birthday, I hope you will join me in taking a moment on Sunday to remember President Reagan and his accomplishments which helped shape our great state, our nation and the entire world.

To learn more about the official Reagan Centennial celebrations, visit the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library at reaganfoundation.org.

Thank you for the honor to serve you as the California State Assemblyman representing the 74th District.

The state Senate Rules Committee appointed Sen. Mark Wyland, who represents Rancho Santa Fe and the area's 38th Senate District, to the Little Hoover Commission, a nonpartisan agency studying major issues and delivers reform recommendations to the governor and Legislature.

The Solana Beach Republican said he plans to use his role to attack barriers to jobs growth.

“I am particularly looking forward to the commission’s work on regulatory reform so we can revitalize our economy and create more jobs in California,” Wyland said in a statement.

The unpaid commission's most recent reports focused on charter school and water project governance.

Briefly politico: Rancho's Sen. Wyland, R-38th Dist. gets assigned; Bilbray v. health care

Wyland gets state Senate committee-assigned

It's Will I Am time in the California Senate as in 'It's a New Day' meaning -- Ta-da -- new committee assignments. State Senate pro tem Darrell Steinberg announced the assignments.

Republican Mark Wyland, who represents the 38th Senate District, which includes Rancho Santa Fe and surrounding communities, made it on to the Appropriations Committee, Governmental Organizations, Labor & Industrial Relations, as well as the Business, Professions & Economic Development Committee.

In an interesting sidebar, Wyland's 'Latest' blog latest entry on Jan. 21 called "Why are Taxpayer Dollars Still Being Wasted?" was running on a state-of-the-art web page design financed by, ah, taxpayer dollars. Not to mention health insurance paid for by, er, taxpayer dollars.

Or this video...

Opening Message from CA Senate Republican Caucus on Vimeo.

But we digress. For more fun facts about state Senate assignments, visit: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/01/steinbrg.html

 Bilbray finally votes for something -- repealing health care reform

In this MegaVote for California's 50th Congressional District: Recent Congressional Votes Upcoming Congressional Bills Editor's Note: NOTE: The Senate and House will meet in a special session January 25, 2011 at 8:35 p.m. to hear President Obama's State of the Union speech.

Recent House Votes

Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act - Vote Passed (245-189, 1 Not Voting) The House voted to repeal the 2010 health care law. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has vowed to block the bill in the Senate. Rep. Brian Bilbray voted YES......send e-mail or see bio

Upcoming Votes

Filibuster rules overhaul - S.RES.10 The Senate is scheduled to continue debating this resolution that would overhaul its filibuster rules. Non-security spending cuts - H.RES.38 This House resolution would require the Budget committee chairman to reduce non-security related discretionary spending to 2008 levels. Presidential election fund - H.R.359 The House is scheduled to consider this bill that would end taxpayer financing of presidential campaigns and party conventions.

Talk of Carlsbad: Hilton Carlsbad Oceanfront Resort & Spa breaks ground Friday, Jan. 21 for 2012 opening

Hilton Carlsbad Oceanfront Resort and Spa will be located at the corner of Carlsbad Boulevard and Ponto Drive in Carlsbad, California. For More information or to make reservations, contact Robert Moore at 760-476-4001or email Bob.Moore@Hilton.com.

 Official platitudes aside -- and there's a whole romper room full of 'em -- ground broken Friday paves the way for the giant $75 million Hilton Carlsbad Oceanfront Resort & Spa at South Carlsbad State Beach.

“Today is really a beginning for a new tomorrow,” said Carlsbad mayor Matt Hall.

Said Gary Barberio, the city’s director of Community & Economic Development: "This project is a great example of the city and business community working together, during a touch economic time, to bring a quality project to Carlsbad."

Yeah, right. Whatever.

But in economic terms, The $75 million resort will feature 215 guest rooms, a 5,900-square-foot restaurant, a 5,000-square-foot day spa and 15,000 square feet of meeting space just steps from South Carlsbad State Beach. Private cabanas and swimming pools will nestle among outdoor gardens of lush native plants.

The project is anticipated to be complete in 2012.

Located at Carlsbad Boulevard and Ponto Drive, the project is a major development in the city’s South Carlsbad Coastal Redevelopment Area.

Wave Crest Resort, the developer, began to acquire land for the project in 1998 and received City Council approval to build in 2009. It is the first oceanfront hotel project in San Diego County since...Well, who knows, leave a comment thread below if you do.

 “As a hotel developer you couldn’t ask for too much more than to have a location on the coast in Carlsbad,” said Bill Canepa, Wave Crest owner.

Robert Moore, the general manager of the Hilton Garden Inn, which also is owned by Wave Crest, will manage the new Hilton Carlsbad Oceanfront Resort & Spa.

“This new hotel will be a great addition to the Carlsbad area,” said Moore. "It will provide oceanfront luxury amenities in a family and business-friendly setting, while placing guests in a central location perfect for taking advantage of the countless activities and attractions Carlsbad has to offer.”

 The project secured $60 million in financing from UBS Realty Investors, marking a strong endorsement of the Hilton Carlsbad Oceanfront Resort & Spa’s future success and of Carlsbad’s economy.

Wave Crest Resorts has developed three other projects in Carlsbad:  the Tamarack Beach Resort, a combination hotel and time share, at Walnut Avenue and Carlsbad Boulevard, in 1985; the 161-room Hilton Garden Inn at the foot of Palomar Airport Road on Carlsbad Boulevard, in 2000; and Laguna Point Condominiums at State Street and Laguna Drive, in 2006.

Rancho Santa Fe News Brief iN FrEE FOrm: Money, some schoolin' goes to Garden Club

Heady Times for the Rancho Santa Fe Garden Club

 Hey look the Rancho Santa Fe Garden club over for longtime residents Jere and Joyce Oren gave the club $25,000 with the promise of another $75,000 to come.

(Photo: Jere and Joyce Oren, right; Helen and Steve Dizio of the Garden Club.)

Jere Oren said the club was a valued part of the community they wanted to continue for future generations. The room will honor Libby Sanger and helen gordon dudley, according to Oren.

This comes on the heels of a $20,000 donation the philanthropist couple gave last October to the Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA in Encinitas to help build a new pre-school room.

The Orens came to Rancho Santa Fe in 1979. The Garden club arrived at the very beginnings of the community in 1926 and has a storied past.  Donations and bequeaths, rental of its facilities, sales in its thrift shop, and membership dues fund the club.

Rancho Santa Fe Garden Club

And that's not all. the club goes intellectual this spring with Cal State San Marcos' Osher Lifelong Learning Institute presents:

 The Jews of Europe in the Middle ages: A  Story of Survival 

"Few people have a history more filled with triumph and pain than the Jews of Europe. After the fall of the ancient state of Israel, the Jewish  people moved in great numbers to the west. Here they found friendship, opportunities and  persecution. What did the medieval world of Judaism involve, and what did the people of that  era create? How and why were Jews persecuted? This is a story which historians and archaeologist are only now bringing to light. Come and  explore a story of defiance and triumph in  the face of persecution and oppression."

•  Course No.:  OSH10021010JE 
•  Date:  Thursdays Feb. 10 – Apr. 14 

BREAKING NEWS 5:30 P.M. - Rancho Santa Fe's new $37 million Rowe School evokes awe, pride at its grand opening day, Sept. 7, 2010. Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News video, exclusive coverage of opening day.

Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.'s new $37 million 21st Century state-of-the-art R.Roger Rowe School passed its opening day test drive on Sept. 7, 2010 as students, parents and staff went ga-ga over this new age educational experience that retained an undeniable new school smell.

For more see the Ah-Ha Rancho Santa fe News story below or visit http://tiny.cc/uzqnq

Rancho Santa Fe's new $37 million Rowe School is cool -- Check it out, many families already did so this weekend

Who here thinks Rancho Santa Fe's brand new $37 million, two-story R. Roger Rowe School opens on the first day of "official" classes on Tuesday, Sept. 7?

You thought wrong.

 Gaggles of gangs of families trouped through the community's 21st Century state-of-the-art facility to test drive this new age educational experience that retains an undeniable new school smell.

Maintenance workers put the finishing touches on the school Sunday. Books, furniture and teacher's supplies still stacked outside some classrooms, despite the Aug. 30 beginning of classroom set-up.

 Some final brushstrokes remain, literally to be painted although mainly landscaping, painting and miscellaneous exterior sprucing. However, classroom facilities are ready to rumble on Tuesday with the sounds of some 410 elementary school students  and 175 seventh and eighth grade students setting sight on their new state-of-the-art accommodations.

The new school is cool, for sure, an incredble, attractive facility paying testimony to the skills, and vision, of Trittipo Architectiure & Planning who provided architectural services along with Gafcon, Inc., the project manager .

The new school features a single, centralized drop-off/pick-up area in front of the facility, enhanced traffic circulation features to reduce congestion in the area and additional campus parking for parents and staff.

 Other construction highlights, according to school officials, included:

•  Replacing all portable classrooms and restrooms with three new two-story permanent buildings 

•  Renovating or replacing five aging permanent buildings to bring up to modern standards 

•  Constructing a new performing arts/multi-purpose building with two learning courtyards 

•  Providing a new technology center, science labs and music rooms 

• Upgrading utilities, equipment and furnishings 

 •  Replacing existing administration building with a new two-story  building to house both District and school administration staff 

•   Improving traffic circulation around the school 

•  Providing additional on-campus parking and ensuring safe access for parents, students and staff 

•  Renovating playgrounds and the sports field to improve safety and usability

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"About Us" from the Rancho Santa Fe School District

Visit http://www.rsfschool.net/ for more information...

Conceived in 1927, with roots dating back to a single schoolhouse in 1905, our rich and treasured history reflects a deep commitment to the families of the Rancho Santa Fe Community. Today, the Rancho Santa Fe School District provides a high-quality, innovative education to nearly 800 students in grades K-8. Our students enjoy small class sizes (1:20 ratio school-wide), as well as a wide range of unique program offerings and exceptional extracurricular activities.

From those indelible moments of the past to the cutting-edge teachings of today, Rancho Santa Fe School District has always prided itself on an invaluable partnership with the community and families it serves. In fact, it is the efforts, dedication, and contributions of our many devoted parents that create the quality environment we so enjoy. Our Foundation is responsible for funding programs and staff that otherwise would not be available to us. In addition, our families are active and involved in programs and events that take place both in the classroom and out.

The partnership with our community is the ideal compliment to the on-going endeavors of our highly-qualified staff, devoted administrators and tireless board members. The mission of Rancho Santa Fe School District is to ensure each child masters the knowledge and skills necessary to become a contributing, productive citizen. We strongly believe it is the harmony between all respective stakeholders that continues to make this vision a reality.

 As an ever-growing, vital part of the Rancho Santa Fe community, our attractive, well-maintained campus is located just steps away from the quaint downtown of Rancho Santa Fe on the corner of La Granada and Avenida De Acacias.

The great migration at R. Roger Rowe School, Rancho Santa Fe School District's one, and only, K-8 school, begins in earnest Monday, Aug. 23, according to school officials.

Even as dozens of construction workers scramble to complete new facilities, district offices, and oficials, begin moving to new digs that day. The plan is to have teachers follow around Aug. 30, setting up their brand, spanking new classrooms.

Then, it's onward, and upward, quite literally in the case of the new high-rise school, on Tuesday, Sept. 7, the date Rancho Santa Fe education has with destiny. That's the first official day of school at a new facility that continues to be constructed at breakneck speed this week to meet the coming storm of students.

 School officials hope to have every nook, and cranny, in order at the $37 million reconstructed facility by the opening of school sessions.

More-or-less, anyway. The performing arts center has been lagging a bit, but officials say it will be usable enough at first with carpeting, furniture and curtains.

It won't be for lack of effort, either, as workers in mass quantities this week put the finishing touches on the project that was funded through two bonds passed by district voters as well as state matching funds and private donations.

 Gafcon, Inc. was project manager with Trittipo Architectire & Planning providing architectural services. The new school features a single, centralized drop-off/pick-up area in front of the facility, enhanced traffic circulation features to reduce congestion in the area and additional campus parking for parents and staff.

Construction highlights, according to school officials, included:

•  Replacing all portable classrooms and restrooms with three new two-story permanent buildings 

•  Renovating or replacing five aging permanent buildings to bring up to modern standards 

•  Constructing a new performing arts/multi-purpose building with two learning courtyards 

•  Providing a new technology center, science labs and music rooms 

• Upgrading utilities, equipment and furnishings 

•  Replacing existing administration building with a new two-story  building to house both District and school administration staff 

•   Improving traffic circulation around the school 

•  Providing additional on-campus parking and ensuring safe access for parents, students and staff 

•  Renovating playgrounds and the sports field to improve safety and usability

Misty Morning Surf -- Ben Sever, Ah-Ha Photo Editor

More of Ben's photos may be viewed at:

http://tiny.cc/1yr1p 

South Carlsbad State Beach

Park Information

This San Diego beach features swimming, surfing, skin diving, fishing and picnicking. The large bluff-top campground is very popular, especially in summer. Stairs lead to the beach.

Location-Directions 

The beach is located 3 miles south of Carlsbad on CARLSBAD BLVD.
Take INTERSTATE 5, exit POINSETTIA LN.  
Go west to CARLSBAD BLVD.  Turn Right (north) onto CARLSBAD BLVD.
Make a legal U-Turn at Breakwater Rd. (First Light).  
Drive SOUTH on CARLSBAD BLVD.  Continue to campground entrance on right.

Campground Address
7201 Carlsbad Blvd.
Carlsbad, CA 92008 
NOTE:  The campground entrance is not accessible directly from Poinsettia Ln.  Drivers must continue NORTH on CARLSBAD BLVD and make the first legal U-Turn at Breakwater Rd.