Looking Back

Photo: NCTimes

Found this quote from the UT archives. It is about a council race, like 10 years ago. I had forgotten that Andreen once ran for city council.

"Leading money-raiser among council challengers is candidate Mike Andreen, a marketing consultant.

In preparing for his run, Andreen has attended nearly every council meeting during the past two years. "I have a firm grasp on all the issues," he said. "I'd be ready to go on day one."

He criticized the current council as "not being well-briefed . . . Much of what they do is all for show."

He sees the city's future as working well only if it puts emphasis on its coastal roots, rather than continuing to develop its inland areas. "This council needs a beach person, someone who will work to put sand back and re-energize downtown," he said. "There's been a drop in (tax) receipts as the sand disappeared. We need to bring it back."

Somethings have changed, other things haven't.


See Also: NCTimes New Chamber Sprouts

Weathering the Weather

It's amazing how this storm has created so much activity around town.
SDG&E trucks, Cox cable, AT&T, city of Encinitas vehicles, tree
trimmers and others are out in force dealing with the storm carnage.
Be careful out there, the gnarly clearing winds can be worse than the
storm itself.

Marco to Leucadia

We're going to send I-5 traffic back the the 101!

From the NCTimes:
There will be a fight over plans to expand Interstate 5.

That much was clear last week when roughly 50 coastal residents and several land use attorneys united in Del Mar to outline their efforts to block the planned widening of I-5 from Oceanside to La Jolla.

Transportation officials say the multibillion-dollar expansion ---- which would add up to four carpool lanes ---- is needed to alleviate I-5's traffic crunch. Opponents say it would invite even more congestion.

"We have the experience and we will be going after every (legal) hook we can ... to try to stop this," said Marco Gonzalez, an environmental attorney and cofounder of the Encinitas-based Coast Law Group...

Glimpse of Noah's Ark

Fred Caldwell found this eerie youtube video of a road trip down the southern California coast. Proof that Noah's Ark in Leucadia is not an urban myth.
Bonus photo, the 101 back in the good 'ol days when there was no traffic.

Another RSP tree goes down

I assume this afternoon's super storm will finish off the lone
survivor. I say don't replant until the streetscape plan is finalized.

Leucadia gets a round of applause

San Diego Union Tribune columnist Logan Jenkins wrote about the Leucadia Streetscape on Sunday. It's a nice piece except he blows the "Hey, we are not trying to turn Leucadia into Bird Rock, we are doing our own thing here." argument by noting that now Leucadia will be just like Bird Rock.

Read: Leucadia plan gets a round of applause by Logan Jenkins
Bird Rock.

Swamis Meeting

Linda Benson gave an inspiring presentation. The contest is going to be good fun, and there is little doubt her contest won't trash Swamis. She is doing it for the community and is not taking a salary for her efforts.

The contest will be combined with a festival on K-street with 50 or so vendors. They will mitigate parking issues and she is going to have an Olympic village atmosphere. Coastkeeper is helping to green the contest and will be there to make sure the place is improved by the contest.

Benson said something close to, "Many worry about more contests at Swamis. It is not a good place for a contest unless it is were very small." The WWLC contest won't be big because there will only be 64 contestants. According to Benson the contest normally draws only a small crowd and its a very congenial group.

Commissioner Goad had a good comment, "It's really a contestant's event and not a spectator's event."

A bunch of people who know the promoter validated the claim that the contest was going to be small.

The contest will cost $130,000 to run and if any extra revenue comes in that goes to charity.

Tim Fields, a lawyer type, did a good job of supporting the contest. He also said that the number of contests should be limited, provide a public benefits, and go beyond serving just the local community by drawing people into the neighborhood.

Scott Bass spoke too. He spoke about how the absence of contests at Swamis made it a gem and that contests displace citizens from the beach. But a contest will bring more people to the beach and give people an opportunity learn about Swamis and its history.

Michelle X made a great case that Cardiff would be a great venue for a surf contest, but Cardiff is not a world class longboard break and you can't turn it into an Olympic village.



The goal of the contest is to provide opportunity for women surfers and to provide economic stimulus to the community. The whole thing will be a celebration of the spirit of women's surfing and beach culture.

The contest will be open to ALL women surfers, but there will be limited openings. Qualifying rounds will be at Moonlight.

Commissioner Valios asked Benson if her contest would truly be a world championship. I was convinced by Corri Schumacher that the pros would accept the WWLC winner as the true world champion even if the ASP crowns a world champion too.

Commissioner Greene asked a pressing question about the possibility of getting the genie back in the bottle after allowing nonreservable spots to be reserved. She asked Benson how many contests should be held at Swamis. I think this was the most troubling aspect of their presentation. Benson didn't really justify a number, but said that places like Malibu and Trestles have 3-4 contests a year.

Benson also noted that when two groups want the same permit slot at those surf breaks they are selected on their merit. As to the number of contests, she said there should definitely be a limit on the number of contests. Why limit or ban more contests? If one can be justified why not more? What if we can find sponsors for 5, 6, or 7 contests? If one helps the community why not help the community 7 times?

I think the whole community could get behind the contest. First, let's decide if we should have contests at Swamis, the criteria for issuing permits, and then issue permits based on a competitive approval process. I'm certain that all the supporters of the contests have no fear that the WWLC can come out on top. Going that route would win over the community, which is critically important to the success of the contest.

Tornado Warning Issued for Encinitas

The National Weather Service just issued a tornado warning for
Encinitas. This not a hoax.

Sent from my groovy iPhone
www.surfysurfy.net

Pacific View Declared Surplus

A committee declares Pacific View surplus.

Here is the article.

Here is their report.

There is a School Board meeting tonight on the subject.

Swamis Meeting

R.d. Cummins, Swamis

The Parks and Rec Commission has Swamis contests on its agenda tonight. Here is the agenda. There is no associated staff report on the P&R webpage. The important part is this:



Actually, that is the only information the city has published on the P&R webpage. Actually, Swamis contestS are not on the agenda. The agenda looks more focused just on the single contest. I agree with Doug Long, that a discussion about contests policies for Swamis should precede a discussion about a particular event (I spoke with Doug about a month ago). Can you determine if a contest meets the treshold if no thresholds have been set?

It is rumored that the P&R staff want the Commission to make a recommendation tomorrow night. That seems weird because the public and most of the commission have no idea about details of what is being proposed. There is no outline of the event. No background. No information on the regulations and rules for reserving Swamis. I hope they did their homework. They could be heading toward making some big mistakes.

Mayor Dalager recently made a bold statement about taking sides on an issue before knowing all the facts. Because of that statement, many of us had hoped this issue would be the most transparent issue ever to come to Encinitas. If they vote tonight, with only 10 words in the agenda about the issue, that sure would be the Encinitas Way of doing things.

Or, it could be a new day in Encinitas and tonight the promoters will describe what is going on and then the commission and the public will be given time to digest what they have learned. The commission will make their recommendation at a later meeting and allow the public to comment on what is actually being promoted.

For all those interested in this issue, we will have people at the meeting taking notes on what happened. It is more important that you be there when the City Council makes a decision on the contest.

Rain

MLK

Today the country recognizes Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King was one of America’s greatest citizens and greatest leaders. What he did was heroic.

Martin Luther King’s legacy serves to remind us that America is not honorable, just or free by default.

Martin Luther King’s legacy serves to remind us of the greatness of the American ideals of freedom and equality.

The promises of America are not realized without the actions and risks taken by an American citizenry who stand for justice. Because we have citizens who take personal risks to move us forward, the USA can reach its promise.

Here is one of the greatest speeches of all time. Watching it is a great way to start this day.

Leucadia family needs our help!

The following email concerns some friends of mine, Billy and Sabrina Reynolds. You know Billy as Mr. Reynolds from Oak Crest Jr High School. Please read!

Dear Family and Friends,

Many of you know that on Christmas night 38 year old Sabrina Reynolds, mother of two girls ages 3 and 7, suffered a brain hemorrhage on the left side of her brain. After 10 days in the hospital with multiple tests and medications administered, Sabrina was released believing this was a one time event that would be treated on an out patient basis. Well since last Friday, January 8, 2010, Sabrina has suffered several types of seizures and had another bleed in the front of her brain and is again in ICU for more testing to determine the course of treatment.

Since these two episodes happened in 2009 and now in 2010 Billy and Sabrina Reynolds have incurred two annual deductibles with a myriad of other co-payments. They are facing hospital bills in the 10's of thousands of dollars even with PPO insurance. We have set -up a bank account at California Community Bank (in The Lumberyard) at 851 South Coast Highway 101, Suite 300, Encinitas, CA 92024. This is a new community bank and Ann Lim, New Accounts Representative, has waived the fees for this bank account to accept donations for the family. The bank is open from 9-5 Monday through Thursday and 9-6 on Friday.

Many of you have asked how you can help and this is how....you may make a direct deposit into the account, checks made payable to Billy Reynolds, you do not even need the account number since the staff has been alerted that donations will be forthcoming. You may also mail checks to Billy Reynolds, Care of Judi or John Finkbiner, 140 Range Street, Encinitas, CA 92024 and we will deposit these checks into this account. CHECKS MUST BE PAYABLE TO WILLIAM REYNOLDS AND NOT SABRINA since the bank was unable to identify Sabrina in person.

The bank can also accept ACH or wire deposits please just contact me via e-mail for the wiring and ACH instructions.

Please consider making even the smallest donation since you will be helping a family in your own community. Billy has taught many of the children in this community as a History Teacher at Oak Crest Middle School. Sabrina has also touched many of your children's lives as the Treatment Coordinator at Rawlings & Hydo Orthodontics in Encinitas and Solana Beach.

This has been an unbelievable event that has occurred to this famliy and we appreciate any help you may give. Billy was a bit hesitant of "being
on the dole" so to speak and suggested that you could also help the family by purchasing his educational CD titled "Professor Presley" on www.cdbaby.com/cd/professorpresley which is a rockin' way to learn historical facts. Also, you may purchase his band’s CD, Lo-Fi Nipple available at www.cdbaby.com/cd/lofinipple

Thank you for your continued prayers and positive thoughts for Sabrina and please feel free to forward to other angels!

Sincerely

Judi and John Finkbiner

I know that money is tight after Christmas and that you probably already donated your grocery money to the Haiti disaster, but please help the Reynolds if you can. Thanks!

NCTD Arborist Report

Last year JP and I ran a bunch of blog posts about tree removals along the HWY 101 corridor. Recall,

• The Four Arborists
• Seven Points
• Tree Trimmers
• Internal Anatomy of Trees Exposed.
  

The city was ready to chop away. Happily, some of the key trees that were slated for removal by the contract arborist/tree trimmer were saved.

Many of the public trees that provide the foundation for Leucadia's aesthetic infrastructure are/were in the NCTD right of way. Back in September we posted a letter in response to Fred's inquiry at the NCTD. The letter says they plan on cutting down more trees based on the "most recent arborists survey."

I did a little research. What they planned on cutting down should not have been a surprise. It turns out the most recent arborist's report dates back to 2007. I've posted it up here for everyone to take a look. Does anyone know if the NCTD's arborist was also paid to remove trees (like they do here in the City of Encinitas?)

I think our next project should be to see if the NCTD will allow us to plant something along the RR corridor.