News

Legoland Brick-or-Treat Starts Sept. 17

by The Editors on September 15, 2022

It’s that time of year again at Legoland. And the monsters have arrived for the annual Brick-or-Treat festivities.

Brick-or-Treat is included in a general admission ticket and select annual passes. The Halloween festivities begin Saturday, Sept. 17 and continue every Saturday through Oct. 29 and Sunday, Oct. 30. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.legoland.com/california.

For the official word from Legoland, please follow the jump.
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Carlsbad Taps $2 Million For Traffic Safety

by The Editors on August 31, 2022

Have a problem that needs a solution? First thing you need is money. And thanks to a vote by the Carlsbad City Council last night (August 30, 2022) the City of Carlsbad, through its “state of emergency” proclamation, now has $2 million more to put toward making our streets safer for everyone. . . even entitled, belligerent drivers who believe that anything on the road that is not a speeding car is a nuisance.

According to the City, the money will be immediately spent on the following:

Increasing traffic enforcement by the Police Department
Buying more message boards and speed feedback signs
A new traffic safety training program offered by the city
A safe driving and riding education program
Projects to change the striping on roads to allow more space for bikes and increasing the visibility of bike lanes and crosswalks

Sure, some will argue that emergency proclamations simply allow a city to get around all kinds of red tape when it comes to spending money, but it is great to see the City moving forward on street safety. And really, who doesn’t want more money going to the hard working men and women of law enforcement? For the official word from the city of Carlsbad, please follow the jump.

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Local Emergency Declared For Traffic Safety

by The Editors on August 23, 2022

After an apparently huge increase in the number bicycles being hit by cars (233% increase since 2019) the City of Carlsbad, California has declared a local state of emergency. Here’s how City Manager Scott Chadwick explains it.

“The exponential increase in ridership, especially among young people, has significantly changed how people are using Carlsbad’s roads,” Chadwick said. “In addition to adding miles of new bike lanes, we’ve passed new laws, promoted awareness and ramped up enforcement. Despite these efforts, we continue to see collisions, including two tragic fatalities within the past 17 days.”

As much as the Carlsbad Police Department seems to like blaming bicyclists for these collisions, the truth is that the distracted driving of automobiles plays a very large part. While the digital sign board on Carlsbad Boulevard reminds people that the Police are “enforcing all bicycle laws,” there is much more that needs to be done to enforce all laws of the road, including the 3-foot rule that protects cyclists.

We will all need to work together to make Carlsbad’s streets safer for everyone. If you drive, put your phone down and drive slower. If you bike, do you best to be visible and make your intentions known ahead of time. And it great that the City is taking action.

For the official word from the City of Carlsbad, please click the link.

[Link: City of Carlsbad]

 

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CEF Awards $50,000 In College Scholarships

by The Editors on June 3, 2022

The Carlsbad Educational Foundation awarded 11 scholarships totaling $50,000 to seniors from the Carlsbad Unified School District (CUSD) who best demonstrated how an education in the public schools paved the way for them to further their education at a leading university or college. Carlsbad High School’s Josephine Dominguez (pictured above with Jeff Campbell and Laura Pitts) took top honors with the $15,000 Judith Campbell Educational & Community Foundation scholarship. 

“These outstanding students have not only found their passion but have also embraced the opportunities presented to them. We are thrilled to help them pursue the next steps in their education,” said Chief Executive Officer Laura Pitts. . . $50,000 is the highest amount ever awarded in senior scholarships from Carlsbad Educational Foundation in a single year since the awards were established in 2016. Half of the scholarship funding was provided in partnership with the Judith Campbell Educational & Community Foundation, a new nonprofit that helps high school students and grants to charitable organizations in San Diego County. Two scholarships were sponsored by Viasat and awarded to Science Olympiad participants.

Congrats to everyone involved. For the full list of scholarship recipients, please follow the jump. [click to continue…]

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Carlsbad Lays Down The Law On E-Bikes

by The Editors on March 25, 2022

The City of Carlsbad is apparently cracking down on the roving gangs of e-bikers who continually swerve through our city streets by adding some new rules of the road for the underage electric motorcycle riders.

What are these new rules? Well, things like “always ride with care,” no passengers “on handlebars,” don’t ride “on sidewalks,” and rather than scaring the bejeezus out of dog-walking pedestrians by blasting past them on the city’s trail systems, e-bikers must now “get off their e-bike on trails less than 5 feet wide when they’re within 50 feet of a pedestrian.” Get out your tape measures.

It will be interesting to see how the Carlsbad Police department will enforce these new rules. For the official word from the City along with a list of e-bike info sources, please follow the jump.

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Legoland Facing Lawsuit For Labor Violations

by The Editors on January 7, 2022

Legoland California is reportedly being class action sued by the San Diego employment law attorneys at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP for allegedly violating the California Labor Code.

The complaint alleges Legoland California, LLC failed to compensate employees for all the time they were under Defendant’s control. Employees were from time to time allegedly required to work longer than four hours without being provided their ten minute rest periods. Additionally, employees were allegedly required to work for more than five hours without receiving an off-duty meal break.

We didn’t call Legoland for comment, but we’re certain a Legoland spokesperson would tell us that they are diligent about following all the laws of the State of California and that they don’t comment on current litigation. For all the official details, please click the link.

[Link: WFMZ]

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Inewsource has a great, in-depth story by Cody Dulaney about how San Diego County Police Departments are using the data they collect from license plate reading cameras illegally–including, but not limited to, our own Carlsbad Police Department. 

inewsource found police in Carlsbad, Coronado, Escondido, La Mesa and Oceanside had been sharing location data collected in those jurisdictions with hundreds of other agencies across the country. Small police departments in states like Florida, New York, New Jersey and Illinois have been given access to information about drivers in San Diego County. State law says license plate data can only be shared with agencies in California.

To their credit it appears that the Carlsbad Police Department has changed several of their policies after being questioned about them. But still, if you care about how Carlsbad police are using technology to follow you around 24-7, then you really should read this report.

[Link: Inewsource]

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Carlsbad Libraries Out of COVID Rapid Tests

by The Editors on December 30, 2021

Before we even knew that Carlsbad’s Libraries were helping the County of San Diego distribute COVID rapid tests (The library got .01 kits per City of Carlsbad resident) we’re getting word that the Libraries of Carlsbad are already out of the kits. No real surprise there.

Here are all the details from the City of Carlsbad:

Carlsbad libraries out of COVID-19 test kits

Carlsbad libraries have given out their full supply of free COVID-19 rapid test kits provided through a partnership with San Diego County. The county provided 1,500 rapid test kits to Carlsbad libraries Monday, Dec. 27, as part of a program that distributed kits to libraries throughout the San Diego region.

When and how to get tested

The California Department of Public Health issued updated testing guidance Dec. 17. It recommends testing in the following circumstances:

If you have symptoms
Vaccinated or not, get tested immediately if you’re feeling any COVID-19 symptoms.

If you were exposed
Vaccinated people should get tested within 5-7 days of exposure.
Unvaccinated people should test immediately, and again 5-7 days after.

If you go to a high-risk event
Unvaccinated people should test before and 3-5 days after.
For mega-events of more than 1,000 people, all attendees should test within 1 day (antigen test) or 2 days (PCR test) and bring proof of negative results. Children under 2 are exempt from testing.

If you travel
Unvaccinated people should test 1-3 days before travel, and 3-5 days after.
Vaccinated or not, anyone entering or re-entering California should test 3-5 days after arrival.

Read more in CDPH’s testing fact sheetPDF and travel guidelinesPDF.

To find a testing location, visit the San Diego County COVID-19 website.

Yes, it’s rather comical that we are here on the edge of 2022 in the leading country in the world and no one can figure out how to make COVID testing both FREE and EASY. Because, 1,500 kits for the City is a joke. And trying to get tested through one of the County of San Diego FREE sites is a cluster of bureaucracy that we’ve so far been unable to plow through. 

If you really need to get a test for your kids (and they attend a Carlsbad Unified School district school) you can schedule a test by clicking here. For everyone else, check in with Walgreen’s. They offer free drive through testing if you make an appointment.

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Playing Poker, You Know, For the Kids

by The Editors on November 29, 2021

The La Costa 35 Athletic Club, a local nonprofit organization, hosted its 10th Annual Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament on November 13, benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Carlsbad.

Begun in 2011 as a way to give back to the community, the first poker tournament was held at the then under construction Bressi Ranch Boys & Girls Clubhouse. Since its inception, the event has nearly tripled in attendance and raised nearly $400,000. . . “There were 15 poker tables and close to 150 players,” said Tournament Director Rob Holzman. “In the end, it’s the kids who win. Over $41,000 in net proceeds was raised for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Carlsbad!”

For the official word, please follow the jump.

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Museum of Making Music To Reopen

by The Editors on May 14, 2021

After several years of planning and a complete remodel of the Museum of Making Music’s physical space, guests are invited to celebrate the museum’s grand reopening to the public on JUNE 15!

The Museum of Making Music is an inviting and engaging place for families and individuals alike. It’s a destination. A place of inquiry. A place of discovery. A place where the creative relationship between people, musical instruments, and music is explored. And a place where your imagination takes flight.

On June 15, 2021 normal hours of operations will resume. The Museum will be open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, but will be closed on Mondays and major national holidays. But reservations will be required and youncan make one starting June 1, 2021. For all the details please click the link.

[Link: Museum of Making Music]

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