March 2012

Defending Champion Returns To Carlsbad 5000

by The Editors on March 28, 2012

This Sunday, April 1, 2012, the Carlsbad 5000 will take to the streets of Carlsbadistan for the 27th time. And this years field promises to be the best yet. Ethiopia’s Dejen Gebremeskel, the defending champion and last year’s 5,000-meter bronze medalist will be leading the field. But there’s more:

Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge, the 2011 Carlsbad runner-up who was ranked No. 1 in the world over 5,000 meters in 2010 and has silver and bronze medals in the 5,000 from the past two Olympic Games; and Ethiopia’s Tariku Bekele, a former world champion over 3,000 meters indoors and with a best of 12:54.45 over 5,000 meters.

For the official word on the world fastest 5K, including the full list of invited elite athletes, follow the jump or click here for previous Carlsbadistan coverage of the Carlsbad 5000 including photos from 2010, 2009. [click to continue…]

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City of Carlsbad Kids’ Science Camp

by The Editors on March 26, 2012

Flask GirlWant smart kids? Exposé them to the wonders of science. On April 9, 2012 kids ages 4 to 12 can have fun while learning about the natural world through Carlsbad’s spring science camps. A part of Carlsbad Parks & Recreation’s Spring Camps, Wonders! Science Camp #6 runs Monday through Thursday, April 9 – 12, 2012 for 3 hours, (kids under 6 go in the morning, afternoon classes are for 6 and over) at Magee Park’s Heritage Hall. Here’s what’s in store for attendees:

Explore robotics, make pinhole cameras, make and launch amazing water rockets, build barometers, split water, collect fossils, fire balloon rockets, make oil tornados, hollow out pennies, create foot long lighting, split light, fly remote controlled dragonflies, and much, much more. $20 materials fee is due to the instructor the first day.

Students will get to do all those cool & messy projects most parents don’t want to deal with at home. Sign them up online or in person at any of the Carlsbad community centers and don’t miss out on this great learning opportunity.

Residents pay $125, those not fortunate enough to live in Carlsbadistan, pay $135.

[Link: Science Camp]

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Carlsbad’s Free Neighbor Mediation Service

by The Editors on March 23, 2012

At war with one of your neighbors? Tired of their dogs leaving massive piles on your lawn, parking in your space, painting “artistic” murals on your walls, or blasting dubstep at all hours of the day and night? The City of Carlsbad has a solution: mediation. Don’t take your neighbors to court, sit down and talk about it.

As the city says, “It’s free, quick, confidential and conducted by professionally trained mediation volunteers who are members of the Carlsbad community.”

[Link: Carlsbad Mediation Services]

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The Riehl World: Don’t Blame Schools for Cuts

by Richard J. Riehl on March 22, 2012

Sage CreekCarlsbad school officials are getting lots of advice lately about how to save money without hurting students. But it amounts mostly to blaming the victims of a budget crisis they didn’t create: the teachers union for selfishness and protecting bad teachers from layoffs, administrators for wasting money on frills.

Those who think unions are “wicked,” the word used by one community columnist, often praise teachers for their good work as individuals. But when they organize to improve their profession, they’re accused of putting their own interests ahead of kids. Using that logic, you might say the same about parents who follow flight attendant instructions to put on their own oxygen masks before helping their kids with theirs.

Teachers face obstacles to their effectiveness when they work in overcrowded classrooms, have to buy their own teaching materials, and are given little time to collaborate on lesson plans. Union efforts to reduce those obstacles are truly in the best interests of students.

Common sense might suggest a “keep the best and fire the rest” layoff policy. But in this case common sense doesn’t make good sense.

Here’s why. The best and worst teachers often stand out. But it’s much harder to rank those who fall in between. Evaluating teachers on test scores alone ignores learning that can’t be measured by multiple choice. Congeniality and budget savings could become the primary criteria if administrators alone make the call. Most would agree that popularity isn’t the best measure of teaching excellence. [click to continue…]

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Celebrate World Water Day At Agua Hedionda

by The Editors on March 21, 2012

Wwday2012Logo

This Saturday, March 24, 2012 the Lagoon Discovery Center on the Agua Hedionda Lagoon is celebrating World Water Day with a full day of activities and fun for the entire family.

This year’s World Water Day will kick off with a kayak lagoon clean up from 10am – noon. Participants provide their own boat. Like to participate? Contact us to sign up! . . . The World Water Day Festival will feature water-related speakers , water-themed exhibitors, the awesome SPLASHMOBILE, games, crafts, free face painting, and much much more! Family Fun Day…..Free!

The Lagoon Discovery Center is located at 1580 Cannon Road in Carlsbad, California. For more information call 760-804-1969 click to email info@aguahedionda.org or follow the jump for a complete schedule of the day’s activities. [click to continue…]

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Carlsbad Company Suing Facebook

by The Editors on March 21, 2012

27871 Sambreel-LogoSambreel, Carlsbad based social media company, has filed an antitrust lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California lawsuit against Facebook for unfair competition and interference with contract.

“We believe that Facebook engaged in a pattern of anticompetitive behavior in order to drive a competitor out of the market,” says Arie Trouw, CEO and President of Sambreel. “Although we attempted to work with Facebook to address each other’s concerns, those discussions did not progress, so we are moving forward with litigation. In addition to violating the law, we think Facebook’s actions — particularly its gating — violate its own first guiding principle: ‘People should have the freedom to share whatever information they want, in any medium and any format, and have the right to connect online with anyone — any person, organization or service — as long as they both consent to the connection (http://www.facebook.com/principles.php).'”

According to a story on the Courthouse New Service, Sambreel “offered a product known as PageRage, which challenged Facebook for sale of Internet display ads through the web browser add-on platform Yontoo.” For the rest of Sambreel’s side of the story, follow the jump. [click to continue…]

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Cannon Art Gallery’s Exquisite Garden

by The Editors on March 21, 2012

Joebrubaker 03Beginning April 1, 2012 Carlsbadistan’s William D. Cannon Art Gallery will be hosting a new installation led by the work by Bay Area sculptor Joe Brubaker titled The Exquisite Gardeners.

The Exquisite Garden installation process first took shape at the Donna Seager Gallery in San Rafael, California in 2008 and was soon followed by a second, expanded collaboration at the Bakersfield Museum in 2009. For two weeks prior to the opening of the exhibition. Carlsbad will host the core group of 12 “gardeners,” comprised of sculptors, stonemasons, carpenters, painters, writers and students, as they collect and reuse throwaway materials from our culture, much of it rescued from the waterways and shorelines. Bringing their own tools, materials and expertise to the site, Joe Brubaker and the Exquisite Gardeners will create a thematic installation from this raw material. Participating local artists include Carlsbad muralist Ron Juncal, Vista sculptor Elon Ebanks and students from MiraCosta College. At the end of the exhibition, the installation is carefully dismantled to leave no trace behind and create no new waste.

For the official word, follow the jump. [click to continue…]

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Savory’s Vignau Named Hilton Executive Chef

by The Editors on March 16, 2012

Hiton ChefPascal Vignau, the founder of Encinitas’ Savory Casual Fare (one of our favorite restaurants) has been a named executive chef of The Hilton Carlsbad Oceanfront Resort & Spa.

Passionate about food that is both comfortable and approachable, Pascal Vignau specializes in simple yet contemporary international and home-style cuisine. “I look forward to presenting the next generation of ‘Simple Food, Simply Prepared’ at Chandler’s Restaurant,” said Vignau. “With our spectacular oceanfront setting, I can think of no better place to introduce a major new restaurant for San Diego County. . . With ocean views available from much of our 25,000 square-feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, it will be a pleasure to present visually stunning dining experiences. . . ”

The hotel is scheduled to open this July and we’re looking forward to checking out his new food creations. For the official word, follow the jump. [click to continue…]

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Pacific Rim Keeps On Food Truckin’

by The Editors on March 13, 2012

Food Truck Flyer 1-Sm

On Friday evening, March 16, 2012 from 5 to 8 PM the Friends of Pacific Rim School is hosting the Pacific Rim Elementary’s first ever food truck festival. Choose food from Flippin Pizza, Mangia Mangia, Super Q BarBQ, Sushi Ninjas, Two for the Road, Sweet Treats plus more. It’s a food-truck-a-palooza. But that’s not all pro vert skateboarder Pierre-Luc Gagnon will be signing posters and raffling off a signed skateboard!

Bring a great appetite because 20 percent of total sales from the trucks will go to Friends of Pac Rim Foundation. Pacific Rim Elementary school is located at 1100 Camino del los Ondas in Carlsbad.

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The Riehl World: Impact Of Prison Reform

by Richard J. Riehl on March 8, 2012

It took a federal court ruling and a $28 billion budget deficit for California to finally do something about its obsolete prison system. San Diego County’s Chief Probation Officer, Mack Jenkins, told the Carlsbad City Council last month that implementing AB 109, the Public Safety Realignment Act will be “the most significant change in California’s correctional system in at least 30 years.”

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last May that conditions caused by crowding 167,000 inmates into buildings built for 90,000 were in violation of the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Now it’s a question of how to reduce the prison population while protecting the public and reducing the deficit. San Diego County’s community corrections plan is on track to do all three.

Contrary to a wealth of misinformation, no state prison inmates are being transferred to local jails. Those who’ve served their sentences, are at low risk for re-offending, and are eligible for parole are being assigned to local probation officers who will engage in far more proactive follow up than the state parole system. Jenkins said it will include both announced and unannounced visits and more careful tracking.

Only four of the 1,000 parolees shifted to San Diego County to this date reside in Carlsbad. Vista has 61, Escondido 55, and Oceanside 41. Carlsbad Police Chief Gary Morrison reported there’s been no increase in the city’s crime rate. [click to continue…]

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