Remembering Patti Krebs … Councilman Ed Struiksma and David Lewis lead Tributes to a beloved San Diego figure

Jim SillsJim Sills 4 Comments

Rostra readers are invited to add their favorite Patti Krebs memories in the Comments section… SD City Councilman  Ed Struiksma (1981-89, Dist. 5)  and Business leader David Lewis paint a portrait of the woman respected and loved by so many. Councilman & interim Mayor Ed Struiksma:  “I was shocked to hear the devastating news of Patti’s death.  Before my election to office Patti …

Dumanis Opposes City Property Tax Hike to Bail Out San Diego Unified

D.A. Bonnie DumanisD.A. Bonnie Dumanis 2 Comments

SAN DIEGO – District Attorney and San Diego mayoral candidate Bonnie Dumanis today issued the following statement opposing any city property tax increase to bail out the financially troubled San Diego Unified School District. “The financial situation at San Diego Unified has reached a crisis stage, and San Diego taxpayers should not be asked to bail out the district with …

Risky Sports

Jerome StocksJerome Stocks 2 Comments

A credible shark sighting was reported today in Leucadia, a community of the City of Encinitas. The weather has been great and the water has been mostly glassy, making the beach a wonderful place to play. But be careful out there, and (hopefully) this was not just a Halloween spoof! Here’s the incident report I received: To Council and Administrations, Today at 14:58 hours, a surfer …

Esther Sanchez’ Council Aide Fired in Oceanside? Organized Occupy Event on Friday

Greg LarkinGreg Larkin 17 Comments

After organizing last Friday’s Occupy Oceanside event, rumors are running rampant this morning that Kyle Krahel-Frolander has been fired by Deputy Mayor Esther Sanchez. Neither Krahel-Frolander nor Sanchez could be reached for comment as of this posting, although multiple sources have confirmed the information. It is unknown if Krahel-Frolander’s recent activities with Occupy Oceanside are connected with the rumored dismissal, …

SJ Mercury News: Cal cities take pension reform to the ballot

Carl DeMaioCarl DeMaio Leave a Comment

San Diego Councilman Carl DeMaio, a mayoral candidate who is making that city’s initiative his campaign centerpiece, has crafted one of the most aggressive plans in the state. His initiative not only would transition new hires to defined contribution, or 401(k), plans, but also “picks the lock” of existing pensions by increasing the amount city employees must contribute to their own plans and freezing the salaries used to calculate their pension benefits for five years, possibly longer.

“You see it happening up and down California,” DeMaio said. “The reality has sunk in that government, lifelong guaranteed pensions are not sustainable.”

Weekend Thoughts?

Thor's AssistantRostra Administrator (Thor's Assistant) 6 Comments

UT columnist Tom Blair notes the other day that former state GOP chairman Ron Nehring is consulting the Bonnie Dumanis for Mayor campaign… http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/oct/26/tom-blair-some-people-are-just-born-salesmen/ Reader thoughts? Post a comment below. Also, take part in the Rostra Facebook survey… Which GOP candidate loses the most from the Log Cabin Club endorsement of Nathan Fletcher for Mayor? http://www.facebook.com/sdrostra

Occupy Oceanside . . . Filling In The Ellipsis

Bradley J. FikesBradley J. Fikes 1 Comment

The “Occupy” movement came to Oceanside yesterday. And as with all the “Occupy” movements, the question is, what’s their purpose? A brief preview story in the San Diego Union-Tribune provided this tantalizingly elided quote from an Occupy Oceanside press release: “The big banks, multinational corporations and unscrupulous billionaires … have far more influence on the democratic process than ever intended …

While others Cut their Hours, GOP’s Ernie Dronenburg calmly restores them — His Offices are open to the Public till 5:00 pm again

Jim SillsJim Sills 3 Comments

SD County court offices now close at 3:30 pm … Library, fire station and recreation center hours are cut back, but somehow San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/Clerk  Ernie Dronenburg still  bucks the trend.  First, Ernie reopened the Kearny Mesa and Chula Vista  offices closed to the public under  an appointed Democrat predecessor toppled in last year’s election.  Now Ernie has expanded public hours too, keeping doors open until  …

Log Cabin Club Endorses Nathan Fletcher for Mayor

Greg LarkinGreg Larkin 1 Comment

From the Log Cabin Republicans: We know many will be puzzled by the Log Cabin Republicans’ endorsement of Nathan Fletcher. With two LGBT candidates in the race it does seem a bit puzzling at first glance. However, we are a Republican organization first and an LGBT organization second. When it came time to endorse we asked ourselves, “Who is best-positioned …

CA Supreme Court Strikes Down Redistricting Challenges

Assemblymember Marie WaldronAssemblymember Marie Waldron Leave a Comment

The following press release was issued today from the California Citizens Redistricting Commission addressing two lawsuits filed in opposition to the new State redistricting maps for State Senate and for Federal Congressional districts. The Commission asked the court for the dismissal as they claimed the lawsuits did not clearly prove that any wrongdoing by the commission had been proved. Now …

“Let’s Build the Navy Headquarters”

Carl DeMaioCarl DeMaio 2 Comments

As Major Coastal Commission Vote Looms, DeMaio Issues a Call-to-Action to Urge Support for Stalled Navy-Broadway Project Calling it the “single most important military project proposed in San Diego in decades,” Councilmember Carl DeMaio today called on the California Coastal Commission to drop its efforts to block construction of the much-anticipated new Navy Headquarters in San Diego.  “The importance of …

San Diego Rostra and Gayle Falkenthal collect 4 Awards at Last Night’s annual “San Diego Press Club” dinner

Jim SillsJim Sills 5 Comments

The prestigious San Diego Press Club held its annual awards dinner last night in Mission Valley, and for a 2nd straight year, San Diego Rostra and Gayle Falkenthal received multiple honors.  Gayle took home a 1st Place  for Daily Newspapers & Websites, Headline Writing, and SD Rostra a 2nd Place for Website News and Opinion.  (The 1st-place site discusses Real Estate, so …

SD POA: Criticism from taxpayer advocacy groups over AB 2510 unjustified

Guest ColumnGuest Column 14 Comments

Following the organization’s endorsement of mayoral candidate Nathan Fletcher last week, San Diego Police Officers Association President Brian Marvel noted to us via Twitter that recent analyses of AB 2510 by columnist Steve Greenhut and radio host Chris Reed, some repeated on Rostra, were inaccurate, stating the references as “a perfect example on the right of trickle down laziness.” He …

MTS to Consider a “Large” Police Force this Thursday

Steve GrammSteve Gramm 1 Comment

The Metropolitan Transit System board of directors this Thursday will consider putting in place a police force. State law allows transit agencies to employ police officers, meaning in addition to security personnel (the latter of which MTS clearly has in place). These officers must have the same training as sworn cops with any police department. Item 31 on this week’s …

San Diego’s Mayor Race Relationship Status: It’s Complicated

Erica HollowayErica Holloway 8 Comments

Originally posted on the Flash Report. The 2012 San Diego mayor’s race began like other love affairs – lots of hope and promise for the future. Then, the sparkle and shine of courtship faded quickly into the same old dull routine. No more flowers. No more moonlight and love songs. Seems I’m not the only one who noticed our romance …

RAND Corp. recalls study that crime increased after pot shops closed

Kimberly DvorakKimberly Dvorak Leave a Comment

A controversial study published by the RAND Corp. that claimed crime increased in Los Angeles after medical marijuana dispensaries were closed was officially retracted. The RAND study was published in September, linking increases in various crimes to the closure of dispensaries. The report prompted public safety advocates to question the study. A Santa Monica think-tank reviewed all the data used …

AD 77 race Update. There IS a Democrat running for the Nathan Fletcher seat …. Dustin Steiner and Maienschein for GOP

Jim SillsJim Sills 8 Comments

Commenting on  the Dustin Steiner v. Brian Maienschein GOP primary in AD 77, Rostra regulars Erik and Alger wondered if a credible Democrat would  run here.  If not,  the two Republicans could battle all the way to November.  Well,  the Secretary of State’s website shows a credible Democrat is running:  Ruben Hernandez.  He has an active website as well, and resides in the redrawn 77th State Assembly seat. …

Closing schools? The bigger issue is Sacramento

Poway RogerPoway Roger 1 Comment

Regarding San Diego Unified, see the UT’s “School closure plan draws ire, skepticism“… So what do you do when the population gradually moves out of an area? The district has avoided this topic for years and it looks like it is finally forced to act. The issue could have been addressed a long time prior, but decision-makers were afraid. Think of …

DeMaio Jobs Forum Outlines Strategies for Preparing San Diego’s Workforce for the 21st Century Economy

Carl DeMaioCarl DeMaio Leave a Comment

Outlines “Hire-A-Youth” Job Training Program for 5000 Students and Proposes Stronger Partnerships Between City, Colleges/Universities, Veterans Groups, and Businesses Key to Equip San Diego Workers with Skill Sets] Councilmember Carl DeMaio wrapped up his latest “Job Creation Summit” today by issuing a call to action to “make San Diego’s workforce the most innovative workforce in the country.”  DeMaio pledged to …