January 2008

NCTD Bus Gets A Sunset Tow

by The Editors on January 31, 2008

Bustow

A broken down North County Transit District bus got a needed tow from the top of the Carlsbadistan sea wall tonight a about 5:25 PM. We wondered how a bus gets towed. Now we know.

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La Costa QB Set To Freeze Ass Off

by The Editors on January 31, 2008

La Costa Canyon quarterback Jose Mohler announced Monday night that he will be accepting a full scholarship to North Dakota State University, in Fargo North Dakota.

“I just hit me all of a sudden,” Mohler said. “I was sitting on the plane and I thought, ‘I can totally see myself playing there. . . . “It was quite frigid when I went there,” Mohler said. “But other than that, it was a great fit. The players were all really great, they play in a dome and the coaches said I’d have a chance to contribute pretty soon. I can’t wait to get started.”

Mohler doesn’t even begin to know what cold is. Seriously.

[Link: North County Times]

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Old Man In Standoff With Police

by The Editors on January 31, 2008

After holding police at bay in his Spoonbill Lane home for nearly four hours yesterday afternoon an 82-year-old Carlsbad man finally collapsed on his bed and was taken to the hospital for evaluation.

It all began with a confusing 911 call from the man, who said he was in trouble and needed help, Cain said. . . Dispatchers determined the man was possibly suffering from dementia and eventually got his wife on the phone, and she told them he had just pointed a handgun at her, Cain said.

Thanksfully, no one was hurt and because of the situation police do not plan on filing criminal charges.

[Link: Fox6.com]

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Carlsbad Winemaker Selling Grapes

by The Editors on January 31, 2008

Christopher Van Alyea, 35, has been making wine for almost two years out of the Witch Creek Winery on the corner of Carlsbad Boulevard and Grand. Recently, the 35 year old has been gaining notoriety for selling more than his wine according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The budding winemaker, whose creations are gaining a foothold in North County, supplemented his income last fall by selling surplus grapes from the family’s Sonoma County vineyards to wine hobbyists. . . With the grapes priced from $1,800 to $2,400 per ton (depending on the variety) 20 area winemakers bought Van Alyea’s entire stock of more than 9 tons of grapes. At least one Oceanside wine hobbyist said he is hoping to buy more this season.

Personally, we’d rather let someone else make our wine for us.

[Link: San Diego Union-Tribune]

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Carlsbad Doc Sits In First Lady’s Box

by The Editors on January 29, 2008

The list of people who were sitting with First Lady Laura Bush last night during George W. Bush’s final State of the Union Speech included Carlsbad Navy physician Dr. Bill Krissoff. We guess we would have seen him on TV last night if we’d taken the time to watch the address, but we didn’t want to spend the evening angry. Here are his vitals:

Dr. Bill Krissoff was commissioned Lieutenant Commander in the Navy Medical Corps on November 17, 2007, at the age of 61. His decision to apply to the Navy Medical Corps to care for Marines came in response to the death of his oldest son. In December 2006, his son First Lieutenant Nathan Krissoff, USMC, who was serving as a Counterintelligence Officer with the 3rd Recon Battalion in Iraq, was killed in combat. Inspired by his son’s commitment and dedication to serving his country, Dr. Krissoff decided to apply himself. Initially told by his recruiter that it was very unlikely that he would qualify because of the age limit, Dr. Krissoff did not give up. During a private meeting with President Bush in Reno, Nevada, Dr. Krissoff asked for assistance on an age waiver for the Navy Medical Corps. The wavier was soon granted so that he could begin the application process. Now commissioned, he is preparing for deployment as an Orthopedist in a Forward Resuscitative Surgical System (FRSS), a Level II combat surgical team treating injured Marines in the field. Dr. Krissoff has closed his private practice, and he and his wife, Christine, have relocated to the San Diego, California area, where he is assigned to the 4th Medical Battalion, 4th Marine Logistics Group. In addition, the Krissoff’s youngest son, Second Lieutenant Austin Krissoff, USMC, is stationed at Camp Pendleton, California.

[Link: Washington Post]

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Carlsbadistan Going Huge In Homes

by The Editors on January 27, 2008

Fred BiggsWe’ve noticed that more and more people are building monster homes in Carlsbad. And some of them actually look well designed. But not everyone is happy about this according to a Barbara Henry story the North County Times.

In a two-year period, Carlsbad resident Fred Briggs has watched two houses — each bigger than 5,000 square feet — go up near his Basswood Drive home. . . . One is so tall and wide, he said, that it blocks the afternoon sun from his backyard even though it isn’t next door to him. . . . Now, three more “McMansions,” as Briggs refers to them, are proposed for land north of his 2,000-square-foot, Spanish-style home in Old Carlsbad — and he is clearly not happy about it.

Oddly, one Realtor said that big homes are for people who want to show off. He says people want them to “prove to others that they have been successful in life.” Really? Is that it? Maybe they just have big families? Or, lots of furniture. Yeah, Thane did you ever think of that?

[Link: North County Times]

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Fidel’s Family Fued

by The Editors on January 26, 2008

Norte

Admittedly, we were the last to notice that as of January 1, 2008 there is no longer a Fidel’s on the Fidel’s Norte sign above the front door, on the menu’s, nor on the servers shirts. Now they all simply read: Norté. But if you’re slower to the news that we are (and we hope none of our readers are) then here is a bit of the story.

Dad took his name back from the kids,” said a Norté service worker. “The kids have owned this restaurant for a while, but Dad decided that he wanted it back. And when the kids wouldn’t give it back, he decided they couldn’t use his name. They haven’t spoken in years.”

We’re sad for the family, however, we’re glad that Norté is still where it has been for over 30 years and that the food remains exactly what we crave at least once a week.

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Ron Paul’s Final Carlsbad Push

by The Editors on January 26, 2008

Img 1491
Ron Paul supporters Mellissa Ingram, Mike Ladda, and Eric Ingram.

Carlsbad Ron Paul meet-up members were out in force at the corner of Coast Highway and Carlsbad Village Drive today reminding people to Google Ron Paul. The fact that Ron Paul’s chances of winning anything are extremely slim did nothing to deter this group

“To me it doesn’t matter if we win or lose, this is the first time I’ve been able to get behind any politician so I wanted to do what I can,” said Elton Tidwell. “If the media is not going to get his name out there then this is the only thing we can do.”

According to Eric Ingram there will be a big Ron Paul rally at Balboa Park on February 2, 2008 and “Ron Paul just might be there,” he said.

More photos after the jump.

[click to continue…]

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Vallas Exits Resort Business

by The Editors on January 26, 2008

21 08 171 25 08Ted Vallas, 87, has been a North County business mover for over 50 years, but now he is moving on according to a story in the North County Times.

For the last 57 years, Vallas has operated approximately 40 different businesses throughout the world. In addition to the Carlsbad resort, his other Southern California ventures have included the El Camino Real Country Club in Oceanside, the former Whispering Palms Country Club (now Morgan’s Run) near Rancho Santa Fe, the Imperial Valley Resort in El Centro and the Olympic Resort of Palm Springs.

He recently sold his Olympic Resort & Spa for $12 million and is now working on a business that will allow him to share some of the skills he’s acquired. It’s called U.S. International Consultants

[Link: North County Times]

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Ummel vs. Little: The Today Show Inteview

by The Editors on January 25, 2008

Ummel TodayAs a Carlsbadistan.com commenter pointed out yesterday Marty Ummel and her husband Vernon are taking their fight against local Realtor Mike Little to the media with a vengeance.

Yesterday, Marty appeared in a feature story on the Today Show then she and Vernon sat down on the couch with Ann Curry for an extended interview.

This story is getting even more legs because, as everyone knows, the entire real estate industry is incentivized by getting buyers to pay as much as possible for property. If Realtors representing buyers were paid a commission based on the amount of money they saved their clients vs. the asking price, then they would likely be more interested in getting the best deal possible for their clients. But then, of course, they would get paid a lot less.

[Link: The Today Show]

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