Preliminary State Senate Maps — Toni Atkins now has a Rocky Road to the Upper House — Republicans could regain SD 39

Jim SillsJim Sills 14 Comments

Last January 31,  SD Rostra foresaw a Republican takeover chance in  mid-county’s 39th State Senate District.  That prediction looks pretty good in preliminary maps (see above) issued this week by the State Redistricting Commission’s staff.  The area now served by Chris Kehoe would add Republican strongholds like Rancho Bernardo, Penasquitos, San Carlos, Tierrasanta, and Scripps Ranch. The maps also seem to show El …

Preliminary North County Assembly Maps— Rocky Chavez vs. Sherry Hodges on The Coast— Marie Waldron now the Inland District Republican frontrunner

Jim SillsJim Sills 8 Comments

The State Redistricting Commission will view these draft maps drawn by their staff this week.  View all of them here for the entire state: http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/meeting_handouts.html If they are adopted (no certainty!) here’s how they appear to affect North County’s Assembly districts.  Caveat:  These analyses are written on the fly, and the Maps may well be changed later. First,  the COASTAL …

Other San Diego Assembly Maps — Martin Block’s AD 78 is “dismembered” — and GOP gets pick-up Chance on Coast

Jim SillsJim Sills 4 Comments

If the preliminary California Staff-prepared maps stand up, here are the remaining SD County Assembly maps, and they all spell T-R-O-U-B-L-E for Assemblyman Martin Block (D), and an OPPORTUNITY for Republicans to win a Coastal district from Democrats. http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/meeting_handouts.html Block faces 3 options: (1) stay in his current East SD home and challenge popular GOP incumbent Brian Jones in a …

Heidi Klum’s Take on the San Diego Mayor’s Race

The Libertarian Lass, Gayle FalkenthalThe Libertarian Lass, Gayle Falkenthal 14 Comments

Do I know what will drive Rostra reader traffic, or what? While Mrs. Seal hasn’t technically made any direct comment, her admonition to contestants on her reality show “Project Runway” applies nicely. As in fashion, in politics one day you’re in, and the next day you’re out. In a few short days on June 5 when fundraising can begin, all …

Regional MSCP report coming on the 29th

Jerome StocksJerome Stocks 2 Comments

This email came from the County Dept of Parks and Recreation. I thought some may find it useful information: The San Diego Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) Annual Report Workshop will be held on Wednesday, June 29th from 9:00am-noon at the Balboa Park Club Ballroom.  The workshop is a collaborative effort between local jurisdictions, state and federal agencies to highlight …

Christine Kehoe for Mayor! She wants to (again) screw up San Diego

Richard Rider, Chairman, San Diego Tax FightersRichard Rider, Chairman, San Diego Tax Fighters Leave a Comment

Hoh boy! Christine Kehoe, has decided she’d like to return to city hall and again screw up the city. During her city council days, she backed the unjustified, retroactive pension increases — including a lame duck session where she granted herself a pension to start IMMEDIATELY after she was termed out of her city office. This will be fun! Well, …

Congressman Hunter says charter schools make sense for parents and teachers

Kimberly DvorakKimberly Dvorak Leave a Comment

A Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education hearing yesterday examined the possible role of charter schools in the nation’s failing education system. “Republicans on this committee have been strong proponents of charter schools for many years, as we recognize the opportunities they offer parents and students,” said Committee Chair Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA). “Charter schools empower parents to …

Fun Police Take Away Firecrackers, Lollipops are Next!

Erica HollowayErica Holloway 25 Comments

Ooooooh! Aaaaaah! Oh, would ya’ look at the pretty firecrackers. Uh-oh. The Fun Police just arrived. I’m sorry, kids. Gonna have to take your happiness. I’ll be back later for your lollipops and American flags. And while the fireworks debate goes national, as the San Diego Union-Tribune notes so (melo)dramatically, my hometown of Flint made the FBI’s list for most …

Afghan Heroin and Mexican cartels are a recipe for disaster

Kimberly DvorakKimberly Dvorak Leave a Comment

There’s no doubt about the wreckage that illegal drugs and their pushers leave behind. In Mexico’s case, the five-year narco battle with the cartels has taken 40,000 lives, but to make matters worse, Afghanistan, the central battlefield for the “War on Terror” has company — the Mexican drug cartels. A recent El Universal story confirmed that “Mexican narco-traffickers operate like …

Is Fletcher About to Enter the Race for Mayor?

Mr. MurphyMr. Murphy 18 Comments

I got an email today from a friend that seems to be in pretty close touch with Nathan Fletcher and company. She will remain nameless, but I thought it was worth publishing. I’ll skip the chatter back and forth and just hit the part I thought was important: “Yes I think NF is going to be in. I hear in …

Howard Dean’s Mouth: A Potential Substitute For One Of The Seven Wonders Of The World

Bob SiegelBob Siegel 4 Comments

Written by Bob Siegel and originally published by Washington Times Communities, 5-26-11.  Used by permission. SAN DIEGO, May 26, 2011 —The mouth is a wonderful gift: Communication throughout history would have been so difficult without it. After all, the ability to text was not available in ancient times. Still, one cannot help but dream of a world where politicians use …

Rostra and Albondigas Get MSM Shoutout

The Libertarian Lass, Gayle FalkenthalThe Libertarian Lass, Gayle Falkenthal Leave a Comment

San Diego Union-Tribune city columnist Tom Blair gave a shout-out to San Diego Rostra and the latest Albondigas Meatball Poll on the San Diego Mayor’s race in Sunday’s column. It’s the last item. I’m not sure what I’m more amused by: the fact that these decidedly unscientific poll numbers saw newsprint time, or that I was identified as a “political …

Some Politicians Are Real Twits

The Libertarian Lass, Gayle FalkenthalThe Libertarian Lass, Gayle Falkenthal 9 Comments

The Huffington Post reported last week on President Obama’s appointment of Jesse Lee to the position of “Director of Progressive Media & Online Response” to work with new media and serve as the White House’s liaison with the online community starting this week, working on outreach, strategy and response. He’s got a shiny new social media sword with which to …

To Whining CA Community College Students: Pay Up!

Richard Rider, Chairman, San Diego Tax FightersRichard Rider, Chairman, San Diego Tax Fighters Leave a Comment

Across the state, California community college officials and student activists have been holding coordinated protests. With the usual claimed victim status, they demand higher taxes to subsidize their academic fantasyland. But these bureaucrats fail to tell the full story. It’s the CA community college STUDENTS (who benefit the most from the education) who should be paying more for their education …

Freedom Station shines the light on wounded warriors

Kimberly DvorakKimberly Dvorak Leave a Comment

From 1775 to the present Americans have courageously fought and lost approximately 1,343,812 soldiers. The cost of freedom is never free and no one knows that more than the U.S. military. This is their day. “As flags are flown throughout the country to honor the valor and courage of the brave men and women who gave their lives defending our …

Your Alternate Weekend News Sources — To Keep You Current

Jim SillsJim Sills

Here are some useful news sources for SD Rostra fans: with enjoyable weekend reading.  Batting lead-off for you is  Matt Potter, who is   the best investigative reporter in San Diego…  and the best this town has seen since the immortal Harold Keen in the 1960s and 1970s  on Channel 8 and San Diego magazine.    Harold Keen was the undisputed King. SAN …

Color Thor Surprised: Marquez is Registered in San Diego

Thor's AssistantRostra Administrator (Thor's Assistant) 9 Comments

We received a tweet from TwoCathedrals a bit ago saying, “So, when will we see the promised post about the City Attorney & Registrar of Voters refuting SDGOP residency accusation?” This was in response to a Twitter exchange about a week ago, which culminated in Rostra (Thor & Co.) noting, “…if Marquez has proof or a statement, we will post.” …

Major Settlement in 2007 Wildfire Debris Removal Case

Carl DeMaioCarl DeMaio Leave a Comment

Holds Contractors Accountable and Recovers Taxpayer Funds Due To Alleged Over-Billing by City Contractors Today I announced a major settlement agreement that recovers $900,000 for taxpayers stemming from alleged over-billing by city contractors for debris removal after the 2007 Wildfires.  Today’s settlement not only recovers taxpayer funds, but it sends a message that we will hold city contractors accountable for …