by The Editors on April 2, 2008
As North County Times staff writer Pam Kragen says, “Describing “Frozen,” a play about a pedophile serial killer, as “beautiful” may sound like an oxymoron, but not to Stephen Elton, who directs a reading of Bryony Lavery’s drama in Carlsbad on April 7.’
Frozen” won London’s Barclay Award for Best New Play in 1998. It’s the story of an American research psychologist named Agnetha, who travels to London to interview Ralph —- a British pedophile imprisoned for the rape and murder of seven young girls, including 10-year-old Rhona, over a 25-year period. Agnetha is working on a thesis that serial killers are ill, not evil, and she meets with Ralph to test her theories.
The reading stars “multi-award-winning actor” Ron Choularton as Ralph. If you’re in the mood to spend Monday evening with a pedophilic serial killer, then bring your $5 to the New Village Arts theater at 2787B State St., Carlsbad. Frozen begins at 7:30 PM.
[Link: North County Times]
by The Editors on April 2, 2008
Each summer, we’d look forward to pretending that Carlsbadistan is an Ivy League city by donning our tennis whites and attending a slew of tennis matches at the Acura Classic at the La Costa Resort & Spa. So last year we learned that the event had been sold to the Women’s Tennis Association, we were bummed. Now it all makes sense.
The WTA Tour purchased the event from Raquel Giscafre and Jane Stratton, the officers of Promotion Sports Inc., whose rationale in divesting themselves of the tournament was that they thought they had taken it as far as they could. Having acquired the Acura, the WTA, acting to realize the vision of Larry Scott, its chairman and CEO, sold the tournament to tennis interests in Beijing.
How do you say, “Cool,” in Mandarin?
[Link: San Diego Union-Tribune]
by The Editors on April 2, 2008
On Thursday April 10, 2008 the California Coastal Commission was scheduled to hold a hearing (and vote) regarding the The California Department of Parks and Recreation‘s request to install a “mechanical fee collection device at Carlsbad State Beach Parking lot” at Tamarack Surf Beach where State Parks hopes to charge a flat rat of $8.00 per day to park in the lot. The hearing has now been postponed according to the Coastal Commission .
We mentioned this the first time on November 17, 2007 when the pending permit notice went up on the Tamarack sign. Now, it looks like it will proceed, as the Coastal Commission staff is recommending approval.
Staff is recommending approval of the project with various special conditions. . . Special conditions include the requirement for a monitoring program to document any impacts to public access, or the development of additional public trails down the coastal bluff. A further special condition has been recommended to approve the parking fees on a trial three year basis.
Obviously, we believe this is a terrible idea for several reasons, most importantly being that it is going to simply push all the people up into Carlsbadistan. When parking on the streets is free and it costs $8.00 to park at the beach, where are people going to park? That’s right: in our neighborhood. We think it is completely selfish of the California State Parks to try to raise funds by packing our streets even more than they already are.
We have contact the Carlsbad City Managers office and will report back as soon as we have any more information.
by The Editors on April 2, 2008
In a recent list of the 100 Best Places to Live and Launch Fortune Magazine listed Carlsbadistan as number 32 (right between Leesburg, Virginia and Hamden, Connecticut) as a great place to live and launch a new business.
Carlsbad’s fun-based economy includes booming tourism, thanks to LegoLand, adventure sports outfitters, and major manufacturing of golf equipment. . . . Biotech and golf-related ventures dominate the list of businesses in the self-proclaimed “golf manufacturing capital of the world,” but action sports companies like Reef and No Fear have recently relocated to the area.
On the con side they said we had “an aversion to growth.” And it’s true. Luckily, we have the Pacific Ocean to protect us on the west side.
[Link: CNNMoney.com via City of Carlsbad]
by The Editors on April 1, 2008
Carlsbad, CA (April 1, 2008) After only seven months in business and weeks of negotiations with civic leaders the City of Carlsbad has decided to take The Crossings At Carlsbad private.
“We just weren’t seeing enough revenue,” said Carlsbad Mayor Bud Louis. “Math mistakes were made. At currently usage and pricing ($100 a round) it would have taken us nearly 147 years to break even. And obviously that is not a workable solution. It’s an unfortunate necessity of the times.”
What had once been hailed as the finest municipal course in the world will now cost more than $120,000 to join and upwards of $350 a month to play. But that is not seen as a problem by The Crossing’s management. “The majority of Carlsbad residents don’t even golf, but they do enjoy driving by the rolling grassy fairways, and dinning in our award winning Canyon’s Restaurant,” said General Manger Geoff Parry. “None of that will change.”
Many are happy about the change. “There were just too many hacks out on the course,” said course pro Stevie Von. “A $75 million course is wasted on the average golfer, so I’m glad we’re kicking them out.”
Cec Vaurnet has lived in Carlsbad for 14 years and he couldn’t care less. “Golfers are a–holes,” he says “If the City can take more money from those idiots I say go for it. Then they can take the money and build a proper skateboard park near the Village.”
The Crossings at Carlsbad becomes The Crossings Country Club on April 15, just into time for taxes.
by The Editors on April 1, 2008
Carlsbad, CA (April 1, 2008): After nearly ten years of entertaining the kids, a popular Carlsbad theme park has teamed up with Vivid Entertainment on a new 17 acre, $28 million themed attraction whose main thrust will be adults.
Modeled after the back streets of the San Fernando Valley, the all-new 18-and-over Pornoland, will feature rides and services to thrill even the most hardened theme park aficionado. “After several market research studies we found that while people will spend a hell of a lot of money on their kids, they will spend even more on sex,” said Liam Andleson, VP of Product at Mervin Entertainments. “What better way to succeed than by collaborating with the leading brand in adult entertainment.”
Vivid sees this as just one more way to legitimize their business. “We are very excited to have been chosen to help design and staff this new park feature,” said Steve Hirsch, President of Vivid Entertainment. “Like us, the park’s staff have proven that they know the ins and outs of the business and are deeply interested in satisfying their customers.”
While many of the new attractions will remain under cover until opening day, Carlsbadistan has seen tentative plans for several of the new rides.
In one feature called “Coed Pool Party” visitors will float in condom-shaped canoes down a river lined with dioramas (made entirely out of colorful interlocking blocks) re-inacting scenes from some of Vivid’s most memorable videos. Another attraction called “Bangkok Nights” will celebrate the street markets of Thailand, while giving visitors a chance to interact with (and even film) some of the park’s hottest characters.
“When it all comes down to it, we have bent over backwards to provide quality entertainment,” Andleson said. “Now, with attractions for the adults we’ll no longer be known as just a kids park. With Pornoland we’ll be able to focus on the family.”
The park plans to open June 9, 2008.
by The Editors on March 31, 2008
Special Carlsbadistan thanks going out to who ever dumped their prized used oil collection into a storm drain this afternoon.
A city employee working on a sewer project in the area of Chinquapin Avenue and Long Place first reported a pollutant running from a storm drain at 1:30 p.m. this afternoon, Carlsbad Public Works Department Supervisor Don Wasko said. . . . A few gallons of what looks like used motor oil have so far drained into the lagoon, Wasko said, with much of it being absorbed by special filters that clean-up crews have put in place.
Luckily, if the person was dumb enough to get caught, they’ll be paying for the Agua Hedionda Lagoon clean up. It’s possible.
[Link: North County Times]
by The Editors on March 31, 2008
On January 23, 2008 we told you the story of how home-owner Marty Ummel, 60, was suing her Realtor Mike Little because he “hid the information that similar homes in the neighborhood were selling for less because he feared she would back out and he would lose his $30,000 commission.” Eventually, Ummel and her husband even appeared on NBC’s Today Show.
Here is the update:
Tomorrow, Vernon and Marty Ummel, who purchased a $1.2 million home in Carlsbad three years ago, will try to convince a jury that their real estate agent defrauded them when he failed to inform them that similar houses on the same block were selling for more than $100,000 less than what the Ummels had paid. . . . Jury selection is expected to begin tomorrow morning in the Vista courtroom of Superior Court Judge Lisa Guy-Schall.
This should be interesting. Especially for the Real Estate industry.
[Link: San Diego Union Tribune]
by The Editors on March 31, 2008
A 29-year-old man drowned March 30, 2008 when he fell from an unstable dock while fishing in a Carlsbad Pond.
His friends told police they tried to rescue the man, who could not swim, but had trouble finding him in the murky water.
The pond is located at 3004 Sunny Creek Road.
[Link: Fox6.com]
by The Editors on March 30, 2008
The California Association of Realtors just released their home sales number for the month of February and turns out that Carlsbad is number 11 on the top 10 list for cities with the highest median home sales price. Number one was Santa Barbara at $1,150,000 and we came in right behind San Francisco with a median price of $675,000. We were also fifth on the top 10 list of cities whose median home prices grew the most over February of 2007.
Home sales decreased 28.5 percent in February in California compared with the same period a year ago, while the median price of an existing home fell 26.2 percent, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) reported today.
When you look at how the state did as a whole, we’d say we’re doing pretty well here in Carlsbadistan. Indeed.
[Link: Sierra Star]
As North County Times staff writer Pam Kragen says, “Describing “Frozen,” a play about a pedophile serial killer, as “beautiful” may sound like an oxymoron, but not to Stephen Elton, who directs a reading of Bryony Lavery’s drama in Carlsbad on April 7.’
RSS Feed-Posts