Four on tap
Residents have four opportunities to view and provide input on an I-5 draft environmental report for the North Coast corridor HOV/managed lanes project. Proposed is widening of the highway to 14 lanes between La Jolla and Oceanside. One option will be to relocate 112 homeowners and 13 commercial establishments.
The first meeting was held July 27 at the Encinitas Community & Senior Center. Others are set for Aug. 17 at the C’bad Faraday Center, 1635 Faraday Ave.; Aug. 24, Solbeach Skyline Elementary School; and Sept. 9, O’side High School auditorium. All sessions are from 5 to 8 p.m. Project is estimated to cost in the neighborhood of $40.5 billion and will take more than six years to build. It’s still a long while after the EIR process is completed and approved. Several years at best.
xLess jabber and some action
The more time high-speed rail proponents spend talking about it the more unpopular it becomes. It’s projected between San Fran and San Diego. In 2008, voters passed a $42 billion bond for something akin to a shovel-ready project. Now it has developed the shovels haven’t even been procured and more studies are needed. It spells more gloom than glee. Time is long past for some action and less jawing.
Five-star salute
Flower Capital city has learned Public Works/Engineering Department is now fully accredited by American Public Works Association. It is the only one in So Cal to be so honored and 59th in the country. How about that? A four-member evaluation team spent three days on site delving into department operations and policies.
Passing era?
Baldwin Park, the city recognized as being the first to have drive-in eateries when it introduced the In-N-Out fast food operation, now is in the process of banning any more of them on the premise they are causing traffic problems and are encouraging the consumption of foods that cause obesity. Not likely this trend will spread.
Why the delay?
Flower Capital council candidate Tony Kranz has urged the city to release a paid report on the condition of streets and roads that it has been suppressing for several weeks since it was completed.
Tax on ballot
Harbor City voters will decide in November whether to approve what is tagged as an Emergency Teacher Retention & Classroom Education bond. It will require two-thirds voter OK. San Diego School District trustees are aware folks aren’t in the spending mood but say this is really important for the good of the kids.
Same ole, same ole
Not unexpected, O’side council electeds were split on how to proceed with the recently approved charter. A committee was suggested.
Recently elected Chuck Lowery was divided on some of the provisions but when it came to a vote he decided it was time to go along with voters’ overwhelming decision of approval and appoint a committee later.
Deserving of accolades
Solbeach Assemblyman Martin Garrick due plaudits becuz he has declined per diem payments while his colleagues dither with the state budget. Three other electeds have taken the same stance. Folks pay a stiff penalty if they are late with their IRS or credit card payments so why not impose a similar late fee on the lawmakers when they fail to have a balanced budget on the due date becuz they were junketing around the world when they should have been tending to budget bizness?
Liza in the Harbor City?
Liza Minnelli will be the headliner for the 15th annual Salk symphony fundraiser on Aug. 28. The talented singer is remembered for participating in the Surfside City’s Stars For Parks benefit in 1972. At that time she was appearing on Broadway and Desi Arnaz arranged for her to fly out for the event then she took the Red Eye Special the same night back to New York. All on Desi’s tab.
Nifty banner
A series of street banners sponsored by Downtown Encinitas Main Street 101 Assn. feature a half dozen environmental issues such as plastic in the ocean, water saving and native plants. These colorful banners are the works of local artists. Check ‘em out in historic downtown Encinitas. Neat idea.
xHome delivery cut back
A coppla Detroit daily newspapers have reduced home delivery to Thursday, Friday and Sunday as a cost-saving measure. No report on what other departments are affected.
Fluoridated water
According to an account by CN reporter Bianca Kaplanek, the Surfside City’s potable water will be fluoridated by year’s end. That’s becuz it receives its water from the Harbor City and three of its plants will fluoridated. Dentists and others in the know about fluoridation say it helps to eliminate tooth decay in kids, however a lotta folks still oppose it.
Desal water
In Australia, where you can’t dig a hole and get water, more than $13 billion is being invested to build desalination plants and water will come from the ocean where there’s plenty of it. Poseidon Resources has been in the process of doing likewise for years at Encina and is finally able to move forward barring any unexpected court dates.
Do as I say
Supe Bill Horn, who has no problem putting his signature on laws residents must abide by involving permit procedures and fees, apparently feels he is exempt from them. Example: Additions to a barn at his Valley Center ranch were made sans permits or fee payments.
One-liners
Latest report on the Governator’s approval rating according to a Field Poll stands at 22 percent … Kathy Brombacher, Oliver Clark and Charles Hausladen, the latter two deceased, have been added to Vista’s Historical Society’s Hall of Fame … Assistant Supe Dena Whittington at Del Mar School District has departed for a position at San Ysidro School District … Esteban Nunez, who allegedly bragged that he wouldn’t be severely punished when he was involved in a fatal altercation in the Harbor City becuz his dad was an Assembly speaker, has been sentenced to 16 years in the clink … A really contemporary version of Bing Crosby’s “Where the Turf Meets the Surf” ditty is now airing on TV … Lowe’s home improvement store is coming to C’bad and will offer competition to Home Depot.
Hasta la Vista
