Merchants, residents inconvenienced

Does closing major roads for special events like triathlons mostly benefit participants and promoters? As more of these are held, merchants are losing valuable business hours and folks are wasting time and precious fuel seeking alternate routes. A loss of business also means less sales tax for the city and frustration among people needing to report for work. Who benefits? The paid promoters? The charities? Or the public?

Valley Center uprising

Thousands of dollars are being spent warning about an impending drought and encouraging residents to conserve water while at the same time major developments are moving ahead. Case in point — a plan for approximately 3,000 homes projected to be built east of Valley Center. Busloads of folks showed up recently at a board of supervisors meeting to voice their opposition. They questioned a road that appeared on a general plan map without general knowledge. Supe Bill Horn, who represents the area, sez it’s a fire evac route. Few in the congregation believed it. Result: County staff was directed to evaluate the development sans the questionable access to it.

Thursday breakfasts

Robert Sherman, chairman of a new Solbeach Chamber breakfast mixer the third Thursday of every month, sez his idea is getting great response. Initial one is slated for Aug. 21 at 7:30 a.m. at Sam’s Place, 141 Lomas Santa Fe Drive. Lottsa time for mixing and in addition, Peter House, president of Hwy. 101 Merchants Assn., will speak on “Shop Solana First.” More info by calling (858) 755-4775. Adjournment at 9 a.m. sharp.

Water in plastic

Movement that may be coming to a neighborhood near you is the ban of sale of water in plastic containers. Some cities ban water in plastic in local and state offices. Meanwhile, L.A. will ban plastic bags by 2010 if the state duzzn’t impose a two-bit fee when these are provided to customers at stores.

Jalapenos on the hot seat

No pun intended. These hot chili peppers, popular in spicing up Mexican dishes, have been denounced as possible Salmonella Saintpaul carriers, the illness that has stricken more than 1,200 folks. Meanwhile red tomatoes have received the green light as being OK to eat after all.

Seeks hearing

Leucadian Rachelle Collier, City Council aspirant, is encouraging folks to write to Carlos Gutierrez, head of the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, requesting he reschedule a public hearing on the proposed 241 toll road that slices through San Onofre State Beach. Originally set for July 25 at UC Irvine’s Bren Center, it was cancelled when staff decided the turnout would be too large for that facility.

Surfside City cottage sale

UT columnist Diane Bell reports that Rebecca and John Moores have peddled their Surfside City beachfront cottage for $16 mil. Moores is owner of the Padres. According to Bell, purchaser is Ernest W. Moody, developer of video poker and prez of Action Gaming.

Chair fired

Longtime president of Southeastern Economic Development Corp. Carolyn Smith has been fired following allegations her organization is guilty of lax financial procedures. However, there may be plenty of blame to spread around. Eight of the nine directors on the board have been serving even though their terms have expired. The chairman’s term ended in 2003, but he has continued as head of the organization.

Why blame workers?

The Governator signed a bill to slash wages of state workers until a budget is in place. Why penalize employees becuz he and state electeds have fooled around when they should have passed the budget on time and without robbing other funds to do so? In December, 60 percent of the folks thought the Governator was doing an OK job. That figure now has slid to 40 percent and a recent Fields Poll shows the state elected’s approval rating is 27 percent! Current capers won’t help these scores. Sad for the No. 1 state in the U.S. of A.

No pool complex yet

C’bad electeds have delayed funding for a swimming pool project at least until they have a handle on how much of their money the state electeds are going to commandeer. First phase of the 32-acre project is the construction of three pools.

More copper thefts

Caltrans has reported a wave of wire thefts from freeway installations on safety barriers and traffic control standards. A coppla months ago, residential communication wire was swiped from Rancho Santa Fe homes leaving them without service. More recently, catalytic converters from Toyota trucks and SUVs and copper irrigation stand pipes in residential areas were reported stolen. Suspicious activity should be reported ASAP to the sheriff’s sub-station at (760) 966-3587.

One liners

L.A. County is reported to be the first in the nation to build a major ethanol production plant using paper, yard trimmings, wheat and straw ... A former strip club building is being considered for a permanent surf museum in O’side ... Flower Capital eateries that have sidewalk dining areas are asking for modification of an ordinance to allow them to offer alcoholic beverages outdoors ... Rancho Santa Fe security officers are getting two new vehicles for their operations ... Surfside City residents have until Sept. 15 to vote by mail on a clean water service charge ... San Marcos electeds and some folks in the business community aren’t too happy with a Growth Management & Neighborhood Protection Act that will be on the November ballot becuz approval is likely ... Raggle Taggle, that features all kinds of music from jazz to flamenco, will appear at Quail Botanical Gardens in the Flower Capital on Aug. 17 as part of the summer concert series ... Award-winning investigative reporter Tanya Mannes is now covering the Flower Capital happenings.