Eye on the Coast

Traffic from C’bad issue
C’bad has agreed to share costs for road improvements as mitigation for traffic coming into the Flower Capital from Ponto Beachfront Village that is proposed to be built between Batiquitos Lagoon and Ponto Drive. It will include 664 rooms and 126 time-share units. Traffic from there is expected to utilize La Costa Avenue for getting on I-5 and travel south on Highway 101 through Leucadia.
Fire finance plan
County electeds are scratching their heads trying to figure out how to finance an inland area fire service agency. A hastily developed initiative that appeared on the ballot was shot down in flames (no pun intended) by the voters.
Competition brewing in governor’s race
No less than three prominent Democrats are testing the waters to run for governor in 2010. The Governator is termed out and will have to seek another job. State Attorney General Jerry Brown, a former Cal governor, indicated months ago he’s interested in moving back into the governor’s manse. L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa sez he’ll announce his intentions soon. In the meanwhile he has been adding plenty of cabbage to his campaign sack. His highly publicized involvement last year with a television news reporter could be a negative. The early odds-on favorite if she sez “yes” is U.S. Sen. Diane Feinstein, a highly popular former San Fran mayor. No activity yet from the other parties.
Tattoo parlors in malls?
Report in the Wall Street Journal about the growing acceptance and popularity of tattoos with young people and adults is sparking the possibility they soon will be available in malls. According to the WSJ, some 30 percent of young folks between the ages of 18 to 25 think tattoos are cool compared with 10 percent during their parents’ generation.
Decline to state
Voter registrars are noting that while political parties are attracting new voters, a significant percentage are also enrolling as independents or “decline to state.” That category now is in excess of 20 percent.
MiraCosta lineup
Folks are hoping the new lineup of the MiraCosta board of trustees will end the acrimony that has existed for the past coppla years. Election of George McNeil is seen by some as a positive move. First major action of the board will be to name a college president. Seat has been vacant since Victoria Munoz Richart was written a check for $1.5 mil. and her contract was terminated last June.
Tax plan
The Governator has tossed out all kinds of ideas for balancing the out-of-kilter budget that is between $3 bil. and $10 bil. depending on the day of the week. No more mention of the “lock box” he touted when he was running to unseat Gray Davis. Trouble with that idea was that he gave everyone a key to the box and when he opened it to pay the bills all there was in it was a bunch of I.O.U.s.
Holiday parade
Time is running out for folks who want to sign up to participate in the Flower Capital’s Holiday Parade Dec. 6 at 5:30 p.m. Parks & Rec Dept. has apps and more info at (760) 633-2740.
E.coli cases
Supe Pam Slater-Prices’s office reports a coppla students from Carmel Creek Elementary School in Carmel Valley are recovering from the E.coli infection.
Derby dolls bow
San Diego Derby Dolls debuted their third season with an exhibition bout Nov.8 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The Dolls are a pro roller skating team and are reminiscent of the Roller Derby outfits that were popular in the l950s and 1960s. They mix it up on a banked track. Info is available at www.derbydolls.com.
Proposed power plant
A proposed power plant adjacent to the Encina power station in Ponto appears to be facing an uphill battle. Its site is opposed by C’bad. City has suggested inland alternate locations. Several hundred interested folks showed up at a recent hearing. Meanwhile, NRG Energy, the proposer, has applied for a permit from Cal Energy Commission — the ultimate decider.
Circulation downtrend
Major daily newspapers continue to reduce their workforce as circulation and ad revenue slides downward. Only the Wall Street Journal has shown an improvement of 2.4 percent. Among others are Washington Post, -2.5 percent: New York Times, -3.5 percent; USA Today, -4.1 percent; L.A. Times, -5.5 percent; Chicago Tribune, -7.3 percent; and Boston Globe, -9.8 percent.
One-liners
Friends of Cardiff Library is having its annual Book & Bake sale Dec. 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. …Vegas casinos, usually the last to be affected by tuff times, are feeling the pinch … Surfside City is receiving proposals for its Del Mar TV services operation … Speculation continues that Sheriff Bill Kolendar will retire before 2010 and turn his badge over to Undersheriff Bill Gore so he can run as an incumbent … Folks on Lomas Santa Fe would like golf carts to be made street legal so they can use them to tool around … Izzn’t a cart license fee a good idea for the Governator’s money-raising effort?
Hasta la Vista