Tuesday - Quick Hits

At a PUC hearing in Borrego Springs last night hundreds showed up to protest the Sunrise Powerlink. UT

Council and mayor cannot agree on labor contract, so it is headed to the voters. UT

Court ruling is forcing County Medical Services to cover a larger share of the uninsure. UT

MTS and bus driver union reach an agreement on a five-year contract. UT

County board to consider the merger of two East County fire districts. UT

Wednesday - Quick Hits

Higher education, 96 SDSU students arrested in drug raid. UT NCTimes

Board of Supervisors votes unanimously to lease 3 firefighting planes. UT

One of Aguirre's top lieutenants is leaving office for another job that pays $25K less. UT

City of Oceanside begins looking at $120 million city budget. UT

For the department of the ridiculous, Riverside DA files 47-page appeal to a $5.00 fine! UT

Monday - Quick Hits

Pipe bomb damages Federal Courthouse early Sunday morning. UT

Southbay toll road is meeting its expectations since opening. UT

County Board of Supervisors set to debate the leasing of three firefighting aircraft tomorrow. Debate more lead to broader firefighting policy? UT

City of Carlsbad to consider a smoking ban at all city parks and beaches. NCTimes

Friday - Quick Hits

I'm shocked! Another anti-Aguirre piece in the UT today. UT

The 9th circuit strikes again. Revives defamation suit against Supervisor Dianne Jacobs. UT

From the irony department, the UT decries the partisanship in city council races. UT

More on Art Madrid. Now La Mesa councilmember want county D.A. to investigate Madrid incident. UT

Residents in Kensington a going to court to stop the development of Kensington Terrace. UT

The Sprinter rail service hasn't even started yet, and NCTD to be fined for water pollution violations. UT NCTimes

Thursday - Quick Hits

Because they have done such a good job. Advisory panel recommends a 49% and 66% percent pay raise for the mayor and city council. UT

Navy blame for Chollas creek sewage in 2006. UT

ROV will be open on Saturday for early voting for Tuesday's primary. UT

County Board caves in to developers, lowers fee that was designed to road improvements. UT

Mayor Sanders and Councilmember Atkins endorse report recommendations for new management structure for Balboa Park. UT

City Council postpones decision to tap emergency funds to correct city general fund imbalance for fiscal year. UT

State Senate bill would require climate change to be taught as part of the science curriculum. UT

Over the objections of the planning group, board of supervisors approves controversial Elfin Forest project. NC Times

Wednesday - Quick Hits

CCDC president gets pay raise, but loses out on bonus. UT

City Council moves closer to requiring RVs and trailers to have permit to park overnight on city streets. UT

County moves closer to long overdue countywide fire service. UT

The first of seven workshop on Sunrise Power link held last night. UT

New magnet high school opening in Vista may be delayed due to budget crisis. UT

O.C. Board of Supervisors vote to pursue lawsuit to cut sheriff deputies pensions. UT

County home prices fell by 13.4% in 2007, second highest drop in nation. NCTimes VOSD

Wednesday - Quick Hits

Greg Cox voted chairman of the County Board of Supervisors. UT

Port Commission votes to approve Lane Field projects as waterfront continues to be overdeveloped. UT

Continuation of the nanny state, city of El Cajon to consider making it harder for minors to purchase tobacco paraphernalia. UT

Viejas tribe partners with major concert promoter to delevop amjor concert venue. UT

Business in Oceanside along Sprinter Rail line blame it for flooding. UT

City of San Marcos creates University Village task force. NC Times

Blackwater 5 Recalled!!

Rarely does an election for a planning group make the news. But yesterday anticipated recall election of the Potero Planning Group had been a national story for some time. The planning group's decision last December to recommend to the County Board of Supervisors for approval a proposal that would allow the mercenary outfit Blackwater USA to build a 400+ acre training facility out near the Mexican border attracted protests almost immediately. The ensuing debate over what was dubbed Blackwater West became framed in the overall political debate over the role of mercenary outfits in the war in Iraq.

Yesterday, all five incumbent members of the planning group were recall. The vote wasn't even close, most of the members lost by a margin of 2 to 1 in the mail only ballot.

“It should send a loud and clear message that Potrero does not want Blackwater in the community,” said Carl Meyer, a leader in the recall campaign and an anti-Blackwater candidate.[Link]

In their typical arrogant manor, Blackwater USA vice president Brian Bonfiglio was quoted in the UT that the recall election outcome doesn't effect the company's plans to build in Potero. “I don't care one way or the other,” Bonfiglio said.[Link]

The activists who worked hard in the recall effort must continue to remain vigilant in their efforts. Blackwater USA has deep political connections and will still try to force their way into developing the facility out in East County.

Tuesday - Quick Hits

Continued fallout from Labor Day beach riot, City Council passes 1-year Alcohol Ban on all city beaches. UT VOSD

Trying to profit from the wildfires disaster, the D.A. nabs 8 unlicensed contractors in fraud investigation. UT

General Jack Ripper be on alert, the county moves closer to fluoridating water. UT

As Bush's failed war in Iraq continues, Veterans group seeks holiday donations. UT

Local Paper comes out against crazy Darrel Issa scheme to steal votes. NCTimes

11 city schools honored for improved test scores. VOSD

Reflections on the Wildfires...Part I

For the second time in 4-years San Diego County experienced the wrath of Mother Nature. Santa Ana winds whipped wildfires into firestorms across the county and once again demonstrated that both the county and city are still woefully unprepared to deal with such contingencies as they arise.

For starters the city of San Diego still lacks sufficient fire protection resources that a city of this size needs. As the VOSD reported on Thursday, “San Diego has only one firefighter per 1,466 residents, while Phoenix (997 residents per fire fighter), Dallas (702) and San Francisco (421) employ more favorable ratios.”[Link] Events like the fires this week and the Cedar Fire back 2003 highlight the serious shortcomings in fire protection resources in here in the city. At the county level, the fire protection resources are even in worse condition. The county is still, the largest county in the state without its own fire department. It has been like this since 1974 when the county decided to stop funding for fire services.[Link] While incremental steps have been taken by the county, you would think that the destruction brought on by the Cedar Fire, and the continued development in the back county motivated both the supervisors and city council to act with a greater sense on urgency.

It also appears that the much vaunted “Reserve 911” system has some serious problems. For one it doesn’t include cell phone numbers. A case in point is a co-worker, I know who lives in RB. She is part of the growing number of people who have only a cell phone as their telephone. According to this person, her neighbor who has a standard telephone at home, received a reverse 911 call, but my co-worker did not receive a reverse 911 call. In addition, I heard that the reserve 911 system didn’t make any calls in Spanish; the calls were only made in English. For a county were 1 in 4 residents speak Spanish as their primary language at home, a greater emphasis needs to be made to communicate with non-English speaking residents during emergencies.

California Assembly 78th - Are you in or out?

Rumor has it to the disappointment of the Republican establishment, former City of San Diego Police Chief David Bejarano (R) might be jumping out of the Assembly 78th as quickly as they talked him into the Assembly 78th race. With the possible departure from the crime scene of Bejarano, Chula Vista Councimember John McCann (R) is rethinking his earlier departure from the race. Yet, another disappointment to the Republican establishment, because they worked so hard to find another candidate and forcing McCann out.

Not completely surprised with Bejarano's potential action, because everyone knows he is really interested in the County of San Diego Sheriff 's office. Though, it will be an uphill battle for him, because he will need to take on Under Sheriff Bill Gore. It is speculated that Sheriff Bill Kolendar takes an early leave from office over the much talked about health problems, which allows the County Board of Supervisors to appointment Gore.

The only major issue Gore might face in an election will be explaining while as head of the San Diego FBI office he was active or inactive on tracking potential terrorists over the 9-11 hijacking.