Justice Prevails in Encinitas!

Jerome Stocks Jerome Stocks 19 Comments

Justice prevails in Encinitas as the bullies blinked under the intense public scrutiny they received this past week or so. Encinitas City Council Member Kristin Gaspar will, by a second unanimous City Council vote, become the city’s last appointed Mayor preceding the November general election when the voters will decide the Mayoral matter. And thank God for that! My thanks …

Encinitas: Silly Season Mail call

The Smiling Spotlight The Smiling Spotlight 1 Comment

As a Smiling Spotlight I get plenty of campaign mail, as we all do this time of year. My informants tell me that retiring Councilman/Mayor/Elder Statesman James Bond of Encinitas coined the phrase, “the silly season” which it is, and he nailed it with that moniker. Mr. Bond also served as Board Chair of the San Diego County Water Authority, …

U-T San Diego endorsement for Encinitas City Council

Jerome Stocks Jerome Stocks 48 Comments

It is an honor to once again receive the endorsement of our San Diego County daily newspapers. It reads in part as follows: “In the crowded and hotly contested race for three seats on the Encinitas City Council, we endorse incumbent Jerome Stocks, appointed incumbent Mark Muir and candidate Kevin Forrester. “This trio represents the best possibility for the city …

Do Sun Glasses “Sit on your Face”?

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A recently placed, then fairly quickly removed, “SPY” sunglass company billboard in Encinitas caused some buzz this week. Some thought it was funny or clever, others not so much. The Outdoor Advertizing Company which owns the billboard claims to have received complaints, but my office did not. So, does this fall under the 1st Amendment, or is it prurient in …

North County Coastal update

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The North County Coastal region will be bidding farewell to some local elected leaders who have chosen to step aside rather than run for re-election. In all the cities where one or more incumbents have failed to file papers for re-election, non-incumbents folks have until August 15 to file and become a candidate  instead of the normal cut-off which is …

Senator Mark Wyland Endorses Rocky Chavez

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Press release through the transom this morning, Republican State Senator Mark Wyland has endorsed fellow Republican Rocky Chavez in the open 76th Assembly District race. Wyland, who represents all of the communities within the re-drawn 76th Assembly District, was elected to the State Senate in 2006 and re-elected in 2010. Senator Wyland is the latest in a growing list of …

Bribery, Money Laundering, and Public Corruption

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One might think you would read about the ongoing criminal investigation of the Sweetwater Union High School District, but this is about politics in the normally quiet coastal community of Carlsbad. Recently, Rostra ran a series of posts questioning the personal finances of Carlsbad City Councilwoman Farrah Douglas, which became an issue in her campaign seeking election to the California …

North Korea’s Kim Jong-il has nothing on Encinitas!

The Smiling Spotlight The Smiling Spotlight 3 Comments

If a fairly creepy “Cult of Personality” is what you’re into, there’s no need to go to North Korea because we have our own right here in San Diego County. Just look to Encinitas where some artists want to plaster 101 banners with the likeness of a recently deceased city council woman and hang them on light posts along public right of way on …

Recent Encinitas Council Drama

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Somewhat newly minted Council Woman Kristin Gaspar (November 2010 first place vote getter) has been a real worker on the Encinitas City Council. In addition to her other obligations she agreed to serve on a Sub-Committee with Council Woman Barth along with some other folks (Barth came in 2nd behind Gaspar in 2010 even though she was the incumbent…) dealing with our …

Encinitas City Council Appoints Mark Muir to Maggie Houlihan Vacancy

Jerome Stocks Jerome Stocks 4 Comments

Tonight the Encinitas City Council voted 3-1 to appoint Encinitas Fire Chief Mark Muir as the candidate to fill the City Council vacancy created by the death of Council Member Maggie Houlihan. Encinitas is blessed with a very involved and active electorate and as such pulled 13 great applicants for this position during the two week window when people could …

Risky Sports

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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 …