I’m pleased to announce that just hours ago, the Ronald Reagan-Coronado Bay Bridge Project surpassed its goal of 1,000 online petition signatures!
This is incredible. I’ve been overwhelmed with the outpouring of community support since I launched this grassroots, independent effort on San Diego Rostra 17 days ago. It’s clear to me that President Reagan touched countless lives in our region…so many people shared wonderful stories about meeting, befriending, and working for Reagan on the petition website, which can be found at www.ronaldreaganbridge.com
A huge thank-you to the key supporters that were instrumental in reaching this incredible milestone: Barry Jantz, Chairman Tony Krvaric, Assemblyman Martin Garrick, Gayle Falkenthal, Craig Denning, Teri Peters, Rick Amato, Marisa Glatzer, and Alec Weisman.
I’m also proud to announce that in addition to the early support of Assemblyman Martin Garrick, Senator Mark Wyland and Councilman Carl DeMaio, the bridge renaming effort has recently picked up the endorsements of Assemblyman Brian Jones & Senator Joel Anderson.
The next step is for legislation to be introduced in the California State Legislature to request the bridge name change. More on this to come shortly.
Let me be clear: this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to recognize the long-standing, documented historical connection that President Reagan had to the San Diego region. History, not politics, drives our efforts. We seek a balanced and measured approach that retains the current name of “Coronado Bay Bridge,” while adding a fitting tribute to a global leader that had such an impact in San Diego over decades of public service.
Bridge renaming supporters: momentum is on our side, but we still need your help! Stay tuned on San Diego Rostra for the next update on the Ronald Reagan-Coronado Bay Bridge Project.
Together, let’s proudly share Reagan’s legacy in San Diego, and win this one for The Gipper!
– Vince Vasquez, Director, Ronald Reagan-Coronado Bay Bridge Project — www.ronaldreaganbridge.com
Comments 13
Well done, Vince! Keep up the good work.
I’m proud to announce that the DON’T rename the Coronado Bridge campaign’s petition also reached 1,000 signatures on Feb 17… doing so in over a week less time and was submitted to the California Assembly. So any momentum the renaming group had just hit a brick wall. Face it, San Diego does NOT want their bridge renamed for Reagan. Go find something else to rename.
And Dan’s objections to Ronald Reagan are…..
Specific reasons, please.
Nothing. I think Reagan was a good president. My objections are with renaming a city landmark that has spent 43 years named the San Diego-Coronado Bridge after the man. He did nothing to contribute to the bridge itself, and his ties to the city of San Diego are not nearly enough to warrant naming one of our largest landmarks after him. Not to mention Mr. Reagan himself was far too humble to want a slew of things named after him.
And from the standpoint of those that are trying to honor Mr. Reagan renaming the bridge after him makes no sense. No one would use the name “Reagan Bridge”. Locals would continue to call it the Coronado Bridge, functionally denying those that wish to honor Mr. Reagan the very honor they’re trying to bestow. They would be better served finding something either new or with a name not so ingrained into San Diego culture to rename if they must name something after him. Because even IF they succeed in renaming the bridge, which I doubt will happen, they’ll have failed anyway since no one will use their new shoehorned name.
That specific enough?
Are you the same person writing under the name
“D.A. Kolodenko” in the current issue of City Beat?
It could be a coincidence, though some of the phrases
in the column (about the Reagan Coronado Bridge ) are
similar.
Nope, I’m not even sure what City Beat is… must be coincidence. Which isn’t surprising since we’re probably both making the same very telling arguments. Remember, the UT poll run on this issue was about 65-35 against the idea of renaming the bridge and so far the anti renaming facebook group has over 1100 members. Hell you’re trying to rename arguably the city’s biggest landmark in a town that wouldn’t even let the city rename a street after Martin Luther King Jr (who you can argue did more for the country than even Mr. Reagan). This town doesn’t like their status quo messed with. Which is why I suggested if you want to rename something, rename something newer or something the city won’t find objectionable to rename, because to do otherwise is just going to anger locals and as I said above deny those seeking to honor Reagan any honor.
“DA” Kolodenko brags on City Beat about 1,000 names on his Facebook page. “Dan” brags here about his 1,000 petition names too. “DA” Kolodenko tells the Left Wing City Beat that Reagan is to blame for Catholic Nuns being killed in Central America, and for the spread of AIDS! But over here at Rostra, “Dan” tells the Rostra audience that Reagan was a good president, but calling it the Ronald Reagan Coronado Bridge is just a bad idea.
We see you working, Dan or “DA”. Maybe you should take your own advice and “Go rename” something, such as yourself.
Accusing others of sockpuppetry and of being “left wing”, the last bastion of those with no actual argument to make. As I said, I hadn’t even heard of “Citybeat” until it was posted on the don’t rename Facebook page this afternoon along with the news the group had reached 1,100 members (I never said it had 1,000, I suggest you read again). And while I support the opposition movement, I don’t blame Reagan for killing any nuns in South America nor am I a “left winger” as you assume I am just because I disagree with you. In fact I have no problem with Reagan or his legacy, as I said he was a good president and were it 1980 I’d vote for him. I’m just vehemently opposed to renaming the San Diego-Coronado Bridge after the man. It is already named for the two great cities it links, and for two men who contributed to the world as we know it. It does not need a third man’s name who did nothing related to that bridge and whose connections to San Diego are minuscule at best shoehorned onto it 43 years after the fact. Particularly in light of the notion that it is not an “honor” and it is not something Mr. Reagan himself would want.
How about attacking the idea rather than the poster. Otherwise you just admit by default that you have no real counter argument…
Let’s not go there, wherever “How do you spell that?” is going with this. D.A. Kolodenko is a moderately known name in journalism circles, many in San Diego journalism would even say well known. Kolodenko would have no reason to use a pseudonym on Rostra, based on a look at writing history and the writer’s willingness to take a stand on issues in several venues, most of which admittedly Rostra readers would dislike as left-leaning. But, the bottom line is the same as always: Dan has a right to post here with whatever real name or singular pseudonym he chooses. Why are we needing to referee unsubstantiated allegations of something, implied or otherwise?
Actually D.A. Kolodenko started the petition and facebook group I referenced. I joined it as soon as I became aware it existed to protest this ill conceived renaming of a city landmark. San Francisco wouldn’t want the Golden Gate or SF-Oakland Bay Bridge renamed, nor does the vast majority of San Diego want our bridge renamed. Find something else to rename to honor Mr. Reagan. There’s no honor to be found in stealing the name of a local landmark and replacing it with a name no local will use anyway.
6 years in the ground, and Ronald Reagan remains an obsession with the Left. Another reason to love our 40th President !
I agree, the left is obsessed with Reagan (as is the right in a different way).However, opposing the renaming of the San Diego-Coronado Bridge is not an issue that is limited to the left or the right. Opposition is coming from people of all political leanings and for the right reasons. This renaming was ill conceived in violation of the state’s own transportation guidelines (something the transportation committee pointed out in their analysis of the renaming bill), does little to nothing to honor President Reagan, dishonors the cities of San Diego and Coronado and their residents (and is opposed to their will based on polls and responses to the respective petitions), and dishonors Saint Didacus and Francisco Coronado.
I’m all for finding a way to honor the late president and the things he did for this country… but shoehorning his name on to a long time landmark that already has an honorable and much loved name is not the way.
Well, there he goes again. It’s kind of nice to be remembered this way, both by those who approved of my time on Earth, and those who wish I’d never been born. The worst thing is simply to be forgotten. So to my friends, and the critics, thanks for listening.