by The Editors on April 8, 2009
While we were out chasing runners around Carlsbadistan at the Carlsbad 5000, The Office’s Steve Carell, his wife Nancy along with their daughter Annie and son Johnny spent the day at Legoland, according to a story on Entertainment Tonight.
. . .they enjoyed attractions such as Land of Adventure, Miniland USA, Knights’ Tournament and Dino Island.
Nancy even ran into an old high school friend at the park, proving that Miniland USA at Legoland really is a small world!
Apparently, Hollywood stars get to go tromping through Miniland like Godzilla. Next time we’re there we’re just going to go for it. You should, too.
[Link: Entertainment Tonight]
by The Editors on April 7, 2009
After close to three weeks on paid administrative leave Carlsbad’s Chief of Police Thomas Zoll is back on the job, but just why he was put on that leave is still a complete mystery according to a story in the North County Times.
City spokeswoman Kristina Rey declined Monday to say what transpired during Chief Thomas Zoll’s leave, including whether there was an investigation and what prompted his reinstatement. . . City officials repeatedly have declined to say why Zoll, 58, was placed on leave on March 18, citing state laws that limit the release of information on a police officer’s performance. . . Zoll said Monday that he preferred not to comment on the situation.
According to the San Diego Union-Tribune Zoll said he would have been back last week, but that he said he “went on vacation.”
Whatever it was, apparently it is over for now, and we hope Zoll used his paid leave well.
[Link: North County Times and San Diego Union-Tribune]
by The Editors on April 7, 2009
It is rare that Carlsbadistan gets a real literary treatment. But, as several readers have pointed out, the April 6, 2009 issue of The New Yorker magazine features a piece of fiction by writer Brad Watson titled Visitation. Watson, who is a creative writing professor at the University of Wyoming, placed his sad story of an estranged, unemployed father visiting his young son right in the heart of Carlsbadistan.
The fictional father and son stay in a local motor lodge (with some Gypsies) and walk the “wide beach at Carlsbad. Carlsbad was far too cool, but what could you do?” While on the beach they watch a military helicopter nearly crash land. Later the two go to Pizza Port for dinner. Here’s how Watson describes it:
The place was crowded with people who’d been at the beach all day, although Loomis recognized no one they’d seen when the helicopter had nearly crashed and killed them all. He’d expected everyone in there to know about it, to be buzzing about it over beer and pizza, amazed, exhilarated. But it was as if it hadn’t happened.
The long rows of picnic tables and booths were filled with young parents and their hyperkinetic children, who kept jumping up to get extra napkins or forks or to climb into the seats of the motorcycle video games. Their parents flung arms after them like inadequate lassos or pursued them and herded them back. The stools along the bar were occupied by young men and women who apparently had no children and who were attentive only to one another and to choosing which of the restaurant’s many microbrews to order. In the corner by the rest rooms, the old surfers, regulars here, gathered to talk shop and knock back the stronger beers, the double-hopped and the barley wines. Their graying hair frizzled and tied in ponytails or dreads or chopped in stiff clumps dried by salt and sun. Their faces leather brown. Gnarled toes jutting from their flip-flops and worn sandals like assortments of dry-roasted cashews, Brazil nuts, ginger root.
Visitation is a great piece of short fiction, but Watson’s story isn’t the only Carlsbadistan reference in the issue: on the back page in the Cartoon Caption Contest (one that we should have won at least once already) Carlsbadistan’s own Ben Russak has a caption (one of three finalists) that we believe will be the winner.
Damn him.
[Link: The New Yorker]
by The Editors on April 3, 2009
Carlsbad resident and former newspaper publisher Robert L. Huttenhoff died on March 27, 2009, according to a story in The Salinas Californian. He was 88.
An advertising man when he first joined the newspaper’s staff in 1950, Huttenhoff lived in Salinas until 2001. After stepping down as publisher, Huttenhoff served another year as president of Salinas Newspapers Inc. before retiring in 1985.. . In retirement, Huttenhoff maintained a display of newspaper memorabilia that included his first Speidel paycheck. . . “He really was part of the growth of the industry,” daughter Roni Leonard said. “He was just an advertising sales person, then he was advertising sales director, then publisher. Salinas changed his life. He became way more than he ever thought he would be.”
Huttenhoff, who had just renewed his drivers license this year, had back surgery on March 6 and was in rehabilitation. His death was sudden and unexpected.
[Link: The Californian]
by The Editors on March 27, 2009
Lisa Snyder, the general manager of the Village Faire Shopping Center, was rooting around in the attic above Carlsbadistan’s Ocean House Restaurant when she found a tube containing a long-lost “22-foot-long, 6-foot-high painting that once hung on the wall” of the restaurant, according to a Michael Burge story in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The painting was one of three that had been tacked up in the old restaurant, which was known in its heyday as “The Twin Inns.” . . .The canvas – yellowed and slightly misshapen – shows a bosky, pastoral scene and has a signature in the bottom right corner: “J. Morton Patterson, 1/25.” . . . Snyder said the owners haven’t decided what to do with the rediscovered treasure. . . . “It’s more of historic significance than monetary,” she said.
We’ve always wondered what was in those haunted upper rooms.
[Link: San Diego Union-Tribune]
by The Editors on March 27, 2009
Carlsbadistan’s Police Chief Tom Zoll, 58, has been placed on administrative leave “pending an investigation” according to a story in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Capt. Mike Shipley has been the acting chief since March 18, Kristina Ray, the city’s communications manager, said yesterday. . . . “It’s a personnel matter, and the city cannot comment,” she said. . . .Councilman Keith Blackburn, a former Carlsbad police officer, said, “All I know was our chief was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.” . . .Zoll’s stewardship of the Police Department has seen little to no public controversy since he was hired in 2003. He is known for an easygoing style and dry sense of humor. . . .Contacted at his Carlsbad home yesterday afternoon, Zoll politely said he had no comment.
Guess we’ll find out more as the story develops.
[Link: San Diego Union-Tribune and San Diego 6]
by The Editors on March 22, 2009
According to a story in the North County Times, “Chelsea Streano (left) was crowned Miss Carlsbad 2009 and Madeline Spellerberg (right) was chosen Miss Teen Carlsbad 2009 in the 55th annual pageant sponsored by the Carlsbad Lions Club on Saturday at the Cultural Arts Center.”
Chosen first princess in the Miss Carlsbad contest was Caitlin Davis; second princess, Tracie Powers; third princess, Kathryne Lowman; Miss Congeniality, Kate Edgecombe; and Miss Photogenic, Kathryne Lowman. . . . Chosen first princess in the Miss Teen Carlsbad contest was Natasha Maldi; second princess, Olivia Bellow; third princess, Jesslan Hovis; Miss Congeniality, Veronica Quezada; and Miss Photogenic, Madeline Spellerberg.
We’re not exactly big fans of beauty pageants in general, but it’s not easy doing what these girls do no matter how you look at it. Congrats.
[Link: Miss Carlsbad via North County Times]
by The Editors on March 21, 2009
There’s nothing that makes us feel older than realizing the theme park we voted against has been in Carlsbadistan for 10 years already. March 20, 2009 was Legoland California’s official 10th Birthday in Carlsbadistan and while we may disagree with some of their recent expansion plans we have been amazingly surprised by what good neighbors they have been for the past decade. The place is virtually invisible and we like it that way.
Yesterday, in a private after-hours birthday party (which we were not invited to) workers busted out a 10-foot-tall birthday cake made entirely of cake and frosting. . . gotcha. No, the cake was not-surprisingly made entirely of Legos.
The model took 13 model builders weeks to create and features LEGO replicas of some of the Park’s most popular attractions sitting atop five tiers. Some of the models are animated including a moving pirate ship, turning dinosaur head, and illuminated candles. Guests can marvel at the giant LEGO birthday cake all summer long and view birthday-themed fireworks every Saturday.
Happy 10th Birthday Legoland. Don’t change a thing.
[click to continue…]
by The Editors on March 18, 2009
Glenn Sundby, founder of International Gymnast magazine and the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame, died on Wednesday, March 18, 2009 . He was 87. Sundby had spent the last year in an assisted living facility in Carlsbad.
Sundby was known and loved throughout the gymnastics world for the tireless and numerous contributions he made to the sport. He was a gentle but determined man, loyal to the core and was never one to give up on his ideas. Gymnastics has truly lost a humble legend and faithful friend.
According to the story on the International Gymnast Magazine website, “A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 28 at 10 a.m. at Coastline Baptist Church, 557 Vista Bella, Oceanside, Calif.”
[Link: International Gymnast Magazine]
by The Editors on March 17, 2009
The Carlsbad Police Department’s Gypsy Hunter, Detective Patty Parra, spent the past four months looking for a pair of men who were preying on elderly women, and now that hard work has paid off according to a story on CBS8.com.
Handcuffed in court, police say 35-year-old Sonny Mitchell is a traveling gypsy who preys upon elderly women. Detectives say Mitchell and his accomplice trick senior drivers into pulling over, then after setting fires in their trunks, the scammers would allegedly convince the seniors that their cars needed immediate repair for their own safety.
Thanks to Parra’s work Mitchell is being held on $500,000 bail and his accomplice who was found in Reno, Nevada is in the process of being extradited.
[Link: CBS8.com]
While we were out chasing runners around Carlsbadistan at the Carlsbad 5000, The Office’s Steve Carell, his wife Nancy along with their daughter Annie and son Johnny spent the day at Legoland, according to a story on Entertainment Tonight.
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