February 2011

We Like Traffic Lights, We Like Traffic Lights. . .

by The Editors on February 24, 2011

120709  7After spending nearly 40 minutes trying to get up Elm CVD through all those dragging, lagging Village of Carlsbadistan traffic lights following the Carlsbad Marathon we’re all for any kind of intelligent traffic light upgrade that would speed the flow. The City of Carlsbad is apparently all over it.

Traffic engineers plan to replace the city’s current control system, which is limited to a small number of traffic signals, with a new system over five years. The citywide network will enable staff to observe an entire corridor and adjust signal timing to optimize traffic flow based on real time conditions. . . .“This new technology won’t improve traffic flow by itself, but it will give us a much more advanced and efficient way to make changes as needed to keep cars moving,” said Bilse. “Traffic is a big concern out there. This is a great example of using technology to make a noticeable improvement in the lives of our community members.”

Sounds great aside from the five years part. Follow the jump for more details. [click to continue…]

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The Riehl World: Unions Not A Carlsbad Problem

by Richard J. Riehl on February 24, 2011

Labor unions have been credited with the rise of America’s middle class. In the 1950’s about 40 percent of the nation’s workforce were union members. Today that number has dropped to less than 7 percent of private sector workers and about a third of public employees. Economists now warn of a disappearing middle class and the income gap between labor and management employees has widened.

In the five years from 2002 to 2007, 65 percent of all income growth in the U.S. went to the wealthiest 1 percent of the population, according to researchers at UC Berkeley and the Paris School of Economics.

Politicians have jumped on the bandwagon of union bashing for ruining state and local economies. Carlsbad’s new mayor built his successful campaign on a promise to prevent a union takeover on the council that would threaten the city’s future prosperity.

Follow the jump for the rest of the story.
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Carlsbad High Debate Team Scores

by The Editors on February 23, 2011

Speech Debate

Just as a warning: Do not get into an argument with any of the Carlsbad High students shown in this photo. You’ll likely lose. They are trained debaters and according to some recent performances they’re pretty good at it, too.

Winter Debate Tournament, held January 28 and 29 at Helix Charter High School, saw 16 schools competing in four different debate categories. Carlsbad’s team walked away with a 2nd place overall, including first places in the parli and public forum categories. . . La Costa Canyon hosted a Winter Individual Event tournament on February 5, where 11 schools competed in 12 different events. Winning top honors – 1st place sweepstakes – was Carlsbad’s powerhouse team, who took first place in six of the twelve events. . . “I am impressed with our rankings, and proud of our team’s accomplishments,” says Coach Minnia Curtis. “This team started with a handful of members just four years ago. We are now over 100 strong and true contenders!”

Carlsbad will host the State Qualification Tournament March 4 and 5, 2011. Coach Curtis is also looking for volunteers to judge future debates and/or help support the team. For more information follow the jump.
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BMXing Somewhere In Carlsbad

by The Editors on February 21, 2011

This spot looks kind of familiar. . .

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Lancer Dancers Bring Home Hip Hop Title

by The Editors on February 16, 2011

Lancer Dancers Hip Hop Dance

Carlsbad High School’s Lancer Dancers brought home a Hip Hop National Championship and a bronze medal in Jazz from The National Dance Team Championships held February 6-7, 2011 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. But it wasn’t all easy. No, no, no. Let’s just say there were issues.

The Lancer Dancer’s early morning flight on Thursday was cancelled, and the team was told they wouldn’t be able to get another flight for their large group until just hours before the competition would start. Everyone scrambled and the team ended up having to change airlines and carpool up to Orange County in order to get a flight late on Thursday. Due to so many flight cancelations, the flights that could get out were so full, the team’s carry on bags with their costumes in them had to be checked in. Captain Lani Yamanaka said,” The storm was a nightmare! We didn’t know if we would make it in time for the competition or if our costumes would get lost. I was thinking, we might be competing in what we had on at the airport.”

But they made it. Congrats to the Lancer Dancers. Follow the jump for all the details on their spectacular trip. . .
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Body Found In Oak Ave. Apartment

by The Editors on February 15, 2011

Screen Shot 2011-02-15 At 5.39.27 PmA police investigation is in progress in the 900 block of Carlsbad’s Oak Avenue (behind Albertson’s) after the body of an elderly man was discovered in an apartment building this afternoon (February 15, 2011) according to a story on 10News.com.

Police were notified by a member of the apartment’s management. . . Police are conducting an investigation and said the death is considered suspicious.

[Update February 16, 2011: Police now say there were “no signs of foul play” in the death of the elderly man found yesterday afternoon, according to CBS8.com]

[Link: 10news.com and CBS8.com]

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The Bressi Ranch Poetry Vandal

by The Editors on February 14, 2011

Img 6694

“Your Dream homes are my heart aches.” Guess our big question is, “Who gave the disgruntled maid a can of Krylon?”

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Austin Ganz Holds It Down For UCSB

by The Editors on February 11, 2011

Austin Ganz

Former Carlsbad High surfer Austin Ganz helped lead the University of California Santa Barbara surf team to a win the NSSA West Coast College Surfing Season 2010-11 Title, by finishing 4th in the Men’s Short Board on Monday, January 17th at D Street in Encinitas.

When asked about this, Ganz said, “Surfing and education go hand in hand, competitive surfing teaches you to work hard for something you want like a college education.”

Austin was one of only 3,600 new Freshmen admitted to UCSB this year. Austin’s degree at UCSB is declared as Marine Biology (Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology EEMB).

In the future Austin will be supporting UCSB as a scientific scuba diving and underwater researcher for Santa Barbara Coastal Long Term Ecological Research program.

“Carlsbad is a great place to grow up, it has given me a great appreciated for our oceans, and I look forward to continuing my education and one day being a Marine Biologist,” Ganz says.

We can’t say we disagree with Austin. Congrats!

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New Village Arts’ Enchanted Garden

by The Editors on February 9, 2011

Galasavethedate

On Saturday evening April 30, 2011 Carlsbadistan’s New Village Arts Theatre will transform The Flower Fields into an Enchanted Garden Masquerade Ball as part of their annual gala.

Escape to a magical garden where your story is what you make it. Who will you be?

Tickets are $150 per person or $1,350 for a table of 10. And if you don’t have a mask, then be sure to attend NVA’s Family Fun Mask Making Event on Sunday April 3, 2011. Click here to buy tickets for the mask making party, or click the link for more information.

[Link: New Village Arts]

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The Riehl World: City Goes Back To The Future?

by Richard J. Riehl on February 9, 2011

Grand PromonadeAs neighboring cities in North County struggle with budget cuts and fee increases for public services, Carlsbad’s city council members spent the lion’s share of their January 25th meeting listening to a proposal to set aside $4 million to redevelop its downtown.

Gary Nessim, Vice President of the Carlsbad Village Association, laid out a plan that would create a pedestrian promenade the entire length of Grand Avenue, from City Hall to the beach. Mayor Matt Hall and Councilmember Mark Packard excused themselves from the discussion since they both own property in the area to be developed.

The presentation reminded me of my seven years in the Midwest. My wife and I, both west coasters in our early years, relished our afternoon drives on weekends in search of small towns that flourished many years ago. Each had a town square, dominated by a City Hall protected by a couple of Civil War era cannons, and surrounded by a drugstore, a department store, some specialty shops, a restaurant and a gas station. They’re sad scenes today. Boarded up windows replace bustling streets as their main feature.

The words “back to the future” came to mind as Nessim described a future Grand Promenade, linking City Hall to the heart of the downtown district, creating a bustling central gathering place for residents and visitors alike.

Follow the jump for the rest of the story.
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