by The Editors on September 3, 2007

Carlsbad’s new $12.5 million Pacific Ridge School in the Bressi Ranch development opens Wednesday with a seventh and ninth grade class and 108 students.
Built on 7.3 acres in Carlsbad’s Bressi Ranch development, the secular, nonreligious school took two years to plan and build, said Ellen Mullady, the head of the school. The idea for the school came from two local families who wanted a better education for their children. They attracted other families, eventually raising $7.4 million in donated seed money to build the school.
According to the North County Times the classes at Pacific Ridge will be limited to 15 students. The classes will be taught around a large oval oak table so all the teachers and students can see each other during class and “create conversations among students on any topic.”
One look at the school’s staff showed us that Pacific Ridge is not messing around when it comes to educational horsepower. This school is serious.
[Links: North County TImes and Pacific Ridge School]
by The Editors on September 2, 2007
The Carlsbadistan poll proves it: Carlsbad hates tourists.
In our last poll we asked you what Carlsbad could should to do to attract more visitors. A full 67 percent said that we should not nothing because “too many tourons here already.” And only 17 percent thought more brand name shopping would help.
Apparently, no one has been to South Dakota’s leading tourist attraction: Reptile Gardens. Anyone who’s paid a quarter to lose a game of tic-tac-toe to a chicken in a glass box would have voted for Carlsbad’s own version of The Gardens.
And it figures, if we hate tourists then why build them any upscale hotels on the beach. That answer tied with Reptile Gardens with only eight percent.
As for turn out at the polls, we didn’t fair so well. We tried to improve voter turn out by leaving the question up for a full month. But we still didn’t see much participation. That tells us a few things:
- We don’t have many readers
- Our questions are apparently the opposite of compelling
- The readers we do have aren’t interested in sharing their views
- We need to update the poll a lot more often. Weekly for example.
Well this week were going to change all that. There is nothing people love more than talking about themselves so we’re going to do a little market research and find out where our visitors are dialing in from. Look over in the right column under the words “What Do You Think” and let us know what you call home.
by The Editors on September 1, 2007
Carlsbad’s new $6 million library complex located on Eureka Place just behind Holiday Park is coming along nicely according to a North County Times story.
Walking around the rough timber frames that mark what will become a $6 million library complex, Deputy Library Director Suzanne Smithson couldn’t stop smiling Friday morning. “This is the first time I’ve been in here in awhile. Pardon me if I seem a little excited,” she told several people as she gave them a tour of the long-planned Carlsbad City Library Learning Center.
For more on the library complex and the programs that will be housed there, read the rest of Barbara Henry’s story by clicking the link below.
[Link: North County Times]
by The Editors on September 1, 2007
An unnamed Carlsbad Police officer was apparently injured when she hit her head on the door of her own patrol car while exiting the vehicle, according to a story in the North County Times. The officer was responding to a bike vs. car accident on Carlsbad Village Drive at approximately 2:55 p.m on Wednesday August 29.
When the officer arrived a few minutes later and began exiting her patrol car, the door of the car struck her in the head, Sgt. Keith Blackburn said. . . The officer was in some pain and was taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital, where she was examined for signs of a concussion, said Blackburn.
We’re glad she’s okay, but we’re wondering how she feels about her new nickname: Doora.
[Link: North County Times]
by The Editors on September 1, 2007
Here’s a big no-duh: online gambling is huge. And one of the largest sites is the Antigua-based newBodog.com. They’ve recently announced that a Carlsbad resident will be traveling to Europe with five other Bodog players for a seat at the World Series of Poker Europe in a “£10,000 buy-in Main Event:”
Twenty-nine-year-old Heather Wells of Carlsbad, CA. is a model and the mother of a 5-month-old baby. By winning her WSOPE seat Heather is keeping a Bodog family tradition alive since her husband played for Team Bodog at the 2007 Las Vegas WSOP.
A family that plays together, stays together.
[Link: Bodogbeat]
[Editors’ Note: Check out the latest news on Bodog.com and it’s founder Calvin Ayre right here. Ouch.]
by The Editors on August 31, 2007

Carlsbad’s anti-development forces will likely shift back into high gear as the Planning Commission meets next Wednesday to discuss the environmental impact report on what’s called The Ponto Beachfront Village Vison Plan.
The plan envisions 180 hotel rooms and 126 time-share condo units in a resort overlooking Batiquitos Lagoon; a 215-room Hilton at Poinsettia Lane and Carlsbad Boulevard; and a third 269-room hotel on Ponto Drive where the storage units stand.. . The plan also proposes 128 attached condominium units in a mixed-use project on Carlsbad Boulevard north of Avenida Encinas.. . . Interspersed would be shops, restaurants and a wetland interpretive park all linked by a trail, and a pedestrian underpass to South Carlsbad State Beach.
Wow, Carlsbad’s stretch of Coast Highway could look just like Newport Beach’s. Joy.
[Link: San Diego Union Tribune]
by The Editors on August 31, 2007

As much as we hate the idea of blowing out our favorite local breakfast spot, we would be remiss is we didn’t mention the cleanest, smoothest, warmest spot for morning meals in Carlsbad: Don’s Country Kitchen located at 2885 Roosevelt St. in The Village.
The first thing to know is that there is no Don. So don’t ask for him. Up until six and a half years ago there was a Bob, but then Bob and his wife sold the restaurant to Roberto Sanchez. And Roberto did the right thing: he left the menu untouched and kept rolling with the same great tasting food. Click the link for rest of the story.
[click to continue…]
by The Editors on August 31, 2007
According to the North County Times, a liquor store was robbed in “the 2700 block of State street” last night at 8:57 PM. We’re going to hazard a wild guess and say that it was most probably the Fiesta Liquor and Deli at 2700 State St.
The gunmen [was there more than one?] fled with cash, authorities said. No other information was available Thursday night.
[Link: North County Times]
by The Editors on August 31, 2007
Want to test out 15 different Carlsbad restaurants in one afternoon without being a total pig? Then roll up to the 11th Annual Taste of Carlsbad on September 22, 2007 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Armada Drive above the Flower Fields.
Participating restaurants include some of our favorites: Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant, Knockout Pizzeria, Tuscany Ristorante, Pelly’s Fish Market and Café, Lola’s Mexican Market and Deli and the startlingly tasty Tri-City Medical Center Cafeteria (no, we’re not kidding.)
Tickets cost $20 and are on sale now at the Carlsbad Educational Foundation office 5651 Palmer Way, the Carlsbad Unified School District office at 6225 El Camino Real and the Convention and Visitors Bureau at 400 Carlsbad Village Dr. or to order tickets call: (760) 929-1555.
[Link: Taste of Carlsbad]
by The Editors on August 30, 2007
Carlsbad-based weight management company Jenny Craig, is happy to announce that after three years pursuing a “consulting career” Jim Kelly is back as CFO (a position he held at the company from 1999 to 2003). Yes, consulting is fun, but even accountants realize that there’s nothing better than a steady paycheck.
[Link: PR Newswire]