by The Editors on November 19, 2008
Former Boys & Girls Clubs of Carlsbad’s Youth of the Year Toni Brown recently joined the staff at the La Costa Branch, and immediately put her leadership attributes to good use by organizing Torch Club, a service club for members ages 10-12. First order of business? Electing officers in a fiercely contested campaign complete with slogans, debates, and ballots.
Since then, the “Torchers” have been hard at work organizing activities for the younger members, implementing fundraising ideas (including selling great healthy snacks like smoothies!), and building leadership skills. Their first big event was the Family Fun Festival held on November 6.
“Torch Club helps meet the special character development needs of younger adolescents,” said Unit Director Jim Salvia. “Toni’s background is a perfect fit; she’s a cool mentor for the tweens.”
Pictured (L to R): Back row: Toni Brown, Reily Jacobucci, Erick Lara. 2nd row: Seienna Papini, Misha Scott. 1st row: Hale Ambrose, Jon-Jon Dittoe, Griffin Salmon.
[Link: Carlsbad Boys & Girls Club]
by The Editors on November 19, 2008
Barbara Novelich, 67, the Tamarack Beach Resort employee who was assaulted and had her car stolen during a robbery at the hotel early on the morning of November 16, 2008, was found dead Monday on the boat that was her home, according to a story in the North County Times.
On Monday at about 11 a.m., a friend checking on Barbara Novelich found her dead on a bed on the small sailboat where she had lived alone for a few years, according to the friend, 47-year-old Michelle Gill. . . It was unclear Tuesday whether Novelich died as a result of the injuries she suffered in the robbery.
Our thoughts are with Novelich’s family and friends.
[Link: North County Times]
by The Editors on November 18, 2008
The pension plan that makes working for the City of Carlsbad so attractive may not be around after 2010 if Mayor Bud Lewis has his way, according to a Barbara Henry story in the North County Times.
The mayor said his rough proposal calls for decreasing retirement benefits that the city will eventually pay to any city employees hired after 2010 —- employees hired before then wouldn’t be affected. . . . Instead of a “3 percent” plan, the new city employees could end up with a “2.5 percent” or a “2.7 percent plan,” he said. . . . In Carlsbad, general city employees are eligible for a “3 percent at 60” plan, meaning that if they retire at age 60, they receive an annual pension equal to 3 percent of their highest yearly salary, multiplied by the number of years they were employed by the city. . . .Firefighters and police get the deal at age 50.
Many cities are finding that cost of pension plans can get extremely costly down the road. In some cases contributing to the city filing for bankruptcy protection. That is apparently not the case in Carslbadistan, however, those is want the good pension plan better get on with the City before 2010.
[Link: North County Times]
by The Editors on November 10, 2008
The City of Carlsbad is expected to approve a $718,169 bid by McCarthy Building Companies Wednesday night to move the arsenic-laced dirt from the Carlsbad High School football field, according to a story in the North County Times.
Clean-up work is expected to start Nov. 24 and take less than a week. Once the soil is removed, work is expected to start on a new stadium on the campus. . . . District officials expect to be done with the renovation work in 2011.
And to think: our parents always said there were better things to do than spend our days digging in the dirt. If we’d known we could make three quarters of a million dollars a week hauling dirt we never would have wasted time learning to type.
[Link: North County Times]
by The Editors on November 9, 2008
Get ready to say hello to Carlsbadistan’s McClellan-Palomar Airport’s new terminal and good-bye to free parking, according to a Steven Mihailovich story in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Due to open Nov. 17, the terminal will mark a new era for one of the busiest single-runway airports in the country, where more than 215,000 takeoffs and landings occurred last year by private planes, corporate jets and airline commuter flights.
Nice that we will be saddled with paying off the $13 million Federal Aviation loan with our parking fees. Free parking was about the only reason we liked flying out of Carlsbadistan.
[Link: San Diego Union-Tribune]
by The Editors on November 7, 2008
Carlsbad’s James Arthur Handman, 80, went out on a five hour walkabout this morning and was returned unharmed thanks to a utility crew, according to story on 10news.com.
. . . Handman left his house in the 7400 block of Neptune Drive around 9:30 a.m. to take a walk and failed to return, Carlsbad police Lt. Matt Magro said.
Handman suffers from Alzheimer’s and we’re glad he made it home safely. It often doesn’t turn out that way.
[Link: 10 News]
by The Editors on November 2, 2008
According to a report released this week by the San Diego Association of Governments, crime in North County is on the run. Violent crime in Carlsbadistan is down 46 percent and property crime was down 6 percent, according to a story in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The agency found that property crime across the county dropped in the first half of 2008 compared with the same period last year. Most North County cities mirrored the regional crime trends.
But just wait. With all the hard economic times experts say crime is bound to rebound.
Carlsbad Police Department spokeswoman Lynn Diamond said she was worried that people would become complacent about locking doors and windows because of the region’s continued drop in crime. She agreed with SANDAG that the poor economy could cause an increase in crime.
So remember: lock your doors. There are going to be some desperate holiday shoppers this season.
[Link: San Diego Union-Tribune]
by The Editors on November 1, 2008
The Sea Life Aquarium that just opened at Carlsbad’s Legoland on August 11, 2008 is shutting down on November 11, 2008 and will remain closed until December 26, 2008 while the park “updates” the attraction.
Modifications being made to the Aquarium include adding an interactive LEGO sand castle building area; enhancing the LEGO animation in the Lost City of Atlantis display; adding décor to the Lake Tahoe area; remodeling the front and Park-side SEA LIFE entrances; and improvements to the interactive audio/visual technologies currently being used throughout the Aquarium.
Sounds like someone didn’t get this project done right the first time.
by The Editors on October 30, 2008
Carlsbadistan’s Beatrice Patten turns 100 year old today and the San Diego Union-Tribune is helping her celebrate with a profile in the paper.
When people ask me how I’ve lived so long, I just tell them I don’t let things bother me,” said Patten, who celebrates her 100th birthday at her home in Carlsbad today. . . . “I deal with problems immediately, then I don’t bother with it anymore. I just go on my merry way. Stress is what kills people.”
We agree entirely. For more tips from Beatrice click the link.
[Link: San Diego Union-Tribune]
by The Editors on October 30, 2008
Carlsbadistan Halloween fan Wayde Gilliam is setting up his UFO crash landing site for the second year in a row at 7972 Grado El Tupelo, according to a story on NBC San Diego.
Visitors from as far as Los Angeles came to see the spectacle. Last year the UFO sighting drew more than 1,000 visitors and this year Gilliam is expecting many more. . . . The idea was thought up by Gilliam and his friend, Andy Konopacki, after a number of years of attempting to provide a different, more effects-oriented experience for Halloween. . . . The UFO project takes about a week to design the spacecraft and then another couple weeks to construct it. Gillian and Konopacki also use a number of lighting, fog and audio special effects to enhance the experience.
Wayde’s neighbors must be very happy.
[Link: NBC San Diego]
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