Affordable solar energy
Thanx to 3rd District Supe Pam Slater-Price, county residents may be able to take advantage of a 20-year financing plan for converting to solar energy. She has urged her county colleagues to go along with the concept available under the state’s Assembly Bill 811 that enables folks to convert to solar energy now and pay the tab over a coppla decades. An annual assessment would be added to their county tax bill. Flower Capital electeds recently heard a presentation on forming a Renewable Energy District. Management Analyst Bob McSevency was directed to research such a plan. Berkeley initiated the project and Palm Desert in Riverside County is currently reviewing it.
Hit of the season
Folks who ventured into the Surfside City bizness area to shop and dine or to do both on designated days during the holiday season were overwhelmed when they learned parking was “on the house.” Free, in other words. At least one parker felt whoever came up with the idea should be promoted to the head of the class.
Good news for weenie roasters
Hizzoner Jerry Sanders of the Harbor City has rescinded the order to yank out the fire rings that have served the weenie and marshmallow roasters on the beaches for a lotta decades. An unnamed angel came forward as the first concrete ring was being uprooted and provided the cash (said to be in excess of $259,000) to leave them in place for at least another year.
Free Fridays
Santa Anita race track in Arcadia, the Great Race Place, has announced that admission is free every Friday during the meet that runs through April 19. But wait, there’s more, as the huckster sez on TV. Beer, hot dogs, soft drinks and popcorn are $1 and you can even bet a buck on your favorite steed.
Washington appointment
Former Solbeach mayor and current Councilman Dave Roberts has been appointed to the Advisory Panel on Medicare Education. It advises the secretary of the Dept. of Health and Human Services. According to criteria, Roberts possesses a knowledge of senior citizen advocacy, outreach to minority communities, health communications and other pertinent requirements.
Good news for credit carders
Under new regs, credit card companies will no longer be able to apply higher interest rates on existing balances and late fees can’t be charged without giving consumers a minimum of 21 days to make payment. Bad news, however, is these regs won’t go into effect until 2010 and that gives the banking industry plenty of time to come up with some new fee devices.
The best
Lots was reported during the holidays about airline delays and cancellations but not with Southwest Airlines. On a flight to Tennessee, departure from the Harbor City was on time and reached its destination 20 minutes ahead of schedule. A return flight departed on time and arrived a coppla minutes earlier than scheduled. En route snacks and beverages were compliments of the airline. No charge for baggage and it arrived with passengers. Worth noting.
Skate parks in action
O’side has a new skate park at Martin Luther King Park and it’s getting plenty of action. As a matter of fact, skaters were in line clutching boards even before the ribbon was cut. In Carmel Valley, the facility adjacent to the cop shop on El Camino Real is now fee-free but the downside is it’s no longer supervised.
Not unusual
When the minority becomes the majority on a governing board, changes are expected. Much knashing of choppers at Tri-City Medical Center where the CEO and several other high echelon staffers have been placed on paid leave while the new majority crystal balls the future of the hospital. Controversial decisions are made but that’s the way the cookie crumbles.
Delaware North exits
Delaware North, the outta town outfit that ousted Diane Powers by outbidding her for the franchise to operate Old Town’s Bazaar del Mundo in 2005, now has decided it can’t make a go of it and it’s time to exit the state-owned park. It remains as the prime Petco Park concessionaire. In the 1950s, Delaware North took over the now-defunct Glacier Gardens at the foot of Eighth Street in the Harbor City that was the home of the professional San Diego Shamrocks Hockey Club. It also went belly up. Powers is reported to have been offered the opportunity to return to Bazaar del Mundo. Not interested since she is now operating successful biznesses adjacent to the park.
Water question
El Cajon resident and veteran civil service retiree Rita Hampton in a published article asks how thousands of new homes can be provided with water when residents are being urged to care for their present needs. Good question that deserves an answer without a lotta flim flam from electeds who continue to OK developments.
One-liners
Lotsa calories and how to fund them on Surfside City Mayor Crystal Crawford’s municipal plate, however the funnest of all of them will be the 50th anniversary celebration of the city with a fiesta, party, or ??? … UT turf writer Hank Wesch in his predictions for the year sees a competitor stepping up to challenge the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s bid for the 20-year racetrack lease to be decided this year … Phoenix has joined the cities that now have light rail train service over a 20-mile route … Horizon Christian Fellowship’s living nativity display in Rancho Santa Fe was a major county attraction … Deborah Szekeley, founder of the world famous Rancho La Puerta and The Golden door, and whose husband, Alex, was extremely active on the County Fair board of directors until his untimely demise, will have a book signing of her new cookbook from 2 to 4 p.m. Jan. 18 at The Book Works in the Flower Hill Mall in Solbeach … Palaver around the water cooler is that Chicago Tribune, even though it’s in bankruptcy, likely will buy the UT and that the North County Times may go to publishing five days a week instead of seven.
Hasta la Vista
