Dear Friend:
Test Your
Mettle
Have
you ever wondered what it is like to be a police
officer? Do you think you have what it takes? Test
yourself at a special interactive program called
Inside San Diego Police Department.
Here is your opportunity to learn
about the latest crime-fighting techniques,
experience use of force, firearms training scenarios
and vehicle stops.
Meet Police Chief William Lansdowne and members of
the SDPD who will share their expertise and talk
about their experiences as well as the challenges
officers face on the street.
This unique presentation takes
place on March 8, 2008 from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00
p.m. at Miramar College. The cost is $20 ($15 for
seniors and students over 18).
The deadline to register is March
5, 2008 and you may
click here
for the registration form.
For more information, please call
(858) 453-5060 or email to
info@sdpolicefoundation.org.
Free Smoke Alarms
Qualified seniors in San
Diego County may sign up to have a free smoke
alarmed installed in their home. San Diego County
seniors who are 65 years or older, own their own
home and do not have a working smoke alarm qualify
for this free life-saving program. Burn Institute
staff and volunteers will install up to 150 smoke
alarms on Saturday, March 15, 2008 as part of the
Burn Institute’s Senior Smoke Alarm Program.
Smoke
alarms are invaluable in saving lives. Experts say
having a smoke alarm decreases the likelihood of
dying in a house fire by 50 percent. This is
especially important for seniors. National safety
statistics indicate that adults are 65 and older are
twice as likely to die in a home fire than any other
segment of the population.
March 7th is the deadline
to apply for the March 15th event. Qualified seniors
who apply after the March 7th deadline will be
scheduled to have free smoke alarams installed in
April. This program is available to seniors
year-round.
Click here
or call (858)541-2277 ext. 17 for more information.
Graffiti Wipe Out
Graffiti,
unfortunately, seems to be a persistent problem. No
sooner do you remove graffiti from one location than
it pops up at another site. At times it is a
constant battle as those who frequent the San Carlos
Recreation Center know all too well. The Rec Center
has been hit four times since last December. Here
are photos showing the most recent hit. My office
has worked with City staff to expedite addressing
the problem. Last month a primer coat and a second
overlay coat was applied to the Rec Center’s brick
surface.
My office is paying for additional surveillance
cameras after the bid process is completed. They
will be positioned to scan the outside area of the
Rec Center. Rosemary Billburg, Manager of the San
Carlos Rec Center, is encouraging anyone who sees a
vehicle parked after midnight in the Center’s
parking lot or in front of the building to note the
license plate and report it. If you see anything
suspicious, please call the City's Graffiti Hotline
at 619-525-8522.
A New
Fire-Rescue Helicopter
Last month the City Council
voted to approve purchasing an additional and much
needed helicopter for the San Diego Fire-Rescue
Department. This second helicopter will be staffed
with a pilot, crew chief and firefighter paramedic
around the clock the same as Copter 1 is. The
benefits of having a second helicopter include
increasing the likelihood that at least one
helicopter will be available at all times and
increasing the ability to handle multiple,
concurrent emergency missions.
This
new helicopter is expected to be in service by
August 2008 - before the time when Santa Ana winds
create dangerous conditions that can cause fires. A
second Air Operations Base will be established at
Otay Mesa Fire Station #43 where one of the two
helicopters could be staged as needed. Public safety
is a priority for San Diego and I believe the City
Council’s actions affirm our commitment to keeping
the residents of San Diego safe.
Under Construction in
Allied Gardens
My
office has received a number of inquires as to
what’s going on in Allied Gardens. They have noticed
activity at the lot located at the northwest corner
of Orcutt Avenue and Waring Road. This lot used to
be a gas station and has been vacant for several
years. It definitely was an eyesore, however, all of
that is changing.
A new 7-Eleven store is under construction and
already you can see that they’ve made progress. The
7-Eleven should be completed in late May or early
June. This amenity will be an additional convenience
for the people of Allied Gardens and the surrounding
communities.
Community Projects and
Programs
I am pleased to announce
that I have allocated money from my Council District
7 Infrastructure Fund to assist with some wonderful
community projects and programs.
I allotted $3,500 to the
Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol (RSVP) so that they
could purchase supplies such as traffic cones and
Polaroid cameras to aid them with traffic situations
in the field.
The American Red Cross
asked me for assistance in purchasing a new disaster
services vehicle. I was pleased to be able to
allocate $30,000 to that end. The Red Cross did such
a wonderful job helping those in need during the
devastating wildfires last fall, and with this
additional vehicle will be able to help even more
people in need in the wake of natural disasters.
The long-established
community of Darnall has reclaimed its heritage and
taken back its historic name: Redwood Village. In
order to complete the transformation, Redwood
Village community leaders asked me for assistance
with a wonderful community project - installing new
community identification signs.
The total cost of the
project is $15,615.87. The community secured a
$7,920 grant from the County of San Diego. Thank you
to Supervisor Ron Roberts for his contribution. I
allocated the balance of the funds needed to
complete the project - a total of $7,695.87.
It gives me great joy to be
able to partner with community leaders and service
organizations to improve the safety and general
quality of life in our neighborhoods. Thank you to
RSVP, the American Red Cross, and the Redwood
Village Community Council for all that you do for
our communities.
A Tip of the Hat
Congratulations and job
well done to Tierrasanta resident Cathy Hopper who
retired after 31 years of service operating the
Senior Center in North Clairemont. The San Diego
City Council honored her at a City Council meeting
on March 4th. Congratulations, Cathy.
Get Ready for the Next
Extreme Home Makeover
Saturday, May 3, 2008 is
the date for the College Avenue Baptist Church’s
Extreme Makeover. This is the fifth annual event and
will take place from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and
finishes with a "Thank You BBQ" steak and chicken
dinner. The event focuses on getting homes ready for
foster children.
Last year’s event included
440 volunteers working on 48 homes throughout the
county. More than 225 bags of trash and seven truck
loads of debris were removed. Allied Waste and EDCO
deserve credit for providing 14 dumpsters free of
charge.
Organizers are seeking
companies who want to donate their services,
especially fence companies and general contractors
as well as volunteers to help. The deadline for
applications from homeowners, companies and
volunteers is March 30.
For more information visit
their web site at and click on
Extreme Home Makeover
or call Bob Thomas at (619) 203-8604.
From The
In Box
From time to time in my eNewsletter I enjoy
sharing with you an assortment of emails I have
received at City Hall. Here are a few on various
topics:
Dear Jim,
Thank you for all of your work on behalf of the
Redwood Village community. Our community
council greatly appreciates it and we are so pleased
with the resolution unanimously passed in City
Council today. We also want to recognize Marisa and
Don for their support and guidance in this endeavor.
We appreciate their follow through on our community
projects. A special thank you to Marisa for her
diligent work in walking us through the "Welcome to
Redwood Village" monument sign process. This is
indeed a great year for Redwood Village.
Kind regards
A.O.A.
Jim:
Thank you very much
for your continuing support for the work that your
office has put into making this much needed
transportation solving project. It not only helps
solve back-ups in the Fashion Valley Mall area but
helps my community of Linda Vista. The new
interchange will help solve many traffic problems in
Mission Valley and modernize an area that has been
long neglected as shopping malls in this area
produce needed tax income for our fair city. This
engineered SR 163 & Friars Road interchange will be
a legacy for your work on many transportation issues
over the years.
D. B.
Dear Mr. Madaffer:
As an American
Airlines captain, I flew in and out of Lindbergh for
25 years. Based at Lindbergh, I experienced the
same surface access problems as everyone else.
Lindbergh's problem is people access, not airplane
access. One runway is a problem for politicians, not
pilots. Everything you say in your letter is exactly
right. Keep up the good work.
Sincerely,
D. L.
Jim;
A GREAT big 'Well
Done' to City of San Diego for expediting getting
the graffiti removed from the Rec Center building.
We were very happy the City thought it important
enough to handle immediately.
Thank you.
R.S. and S. S.
Dear Councilmember Madaffer,
How could the Airport
Authority put a stranglehold on access to Airport,
by blocking lanes so the wealthy can valet
park?...it's currently a mess at peak times, now
will be brutal at best.
Thanks.
R. T.
Mr. Madaffer:
I recently viewed the
Mayor’s terminal expansion plans for the San Diego
International Airport and am disheartened by what
I’ve seen. It is clear a lot of thought went into
these renderings. However, I don't understand why a
city like San Diego which is a tourist destination
for not only Americans but international tourists as
well, would put all of this money into a new
terminal for a one-runway airport. This is small
minded thinking and in the long run a waste of
taxpayer money.
I’ve had the pleasure
to live in various cities including New York City
and Dallas, Texas, and it is clear that those cities
understand the impact of an airport on the region.
DFW airport with seven runways and Dallas Love Field
with three create billions in revenues for the
metroplex. Imagine the impact that a well thought
out airport in San Diego County with larger capacity
could have on the region.
It is time that San
Diego spends money wisely and considers the future
needs of the area. This new terminal would
certainly be grand and is needed, but it leaves
little room for expansion in 10-15 years. If you
look at the rendering featuring the gates, you see
that there is no room to expand. Why waste this
money to expand or build elsewhere again in 2020?
I implore you to
reconsider your stance on this expansion and work
with others in the city to bolster support for a new
airport which can handle today’s needs, as well as
of those of our children. I know this was turned
down once before; however, if presented in the
correct fashion, people can change their point of
view (i.e. Gaylord Project).
Sincerely,
A.S.
Dear Mr. S. –
Thank you for your email. I appreciate you
writing me. Could you please tell me where you
might suggest we build a DFW type airport in San
Diego County? Thirty-five years of studies have
failed miserably to identify a site, voters have
twice rejected Miramar and I doubt more land is
available today than there was back then.
Thanks,
Jim.
Happenings
in the District
From time to time I include a few community
events taking place throughout the District. Here
are a few you may be interested in:
March 6-16
– The 15th annual Latino Film
Festival takes places at the UltraStar Mission
Valley Cinemas at the Hazard Center on Friars Road
near SR 163. The event is hosted by the Media Arts
Center. For ticket information
check their website
or call (619) 230-1938.
March 8 –
Inside the SDPD program takes place from
9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at Miramar College. For
more information see the above article and call
858-453-5060 or email
info@sdpolicefoundation.org.
March 8 –
There will be a free workshop titled
“Learning Disabilities from A to Z” that takes place
from 9:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at the Carmel Valley
Library located at 3919 Townsgate Drive. The
workshop is presented by the San Diego Branch of the
International Dyslexia Association.
For more information visit
their website.
March 8 –
A Guacamole Cook-Off will take place from
10:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Balboa Park Club near
the international houses. Come out and taste some of
the best guacamole in town. All proceeds benefit
Sports for Exceptional Athletes and the City’s Park
and Recreation Department’s Therapeutic Recreation
Services (TRS). The event is sponsored by TRS and
the Disabled Services Advisory Council, Inc.
(DSAC). For more information call (858) 565-7432.
March 9 –
The annual Purim Carnival will take place at Temple
Emanu-El located at 6299 Capri Drive in Del Cerro.
The event is from 11:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. and
includes astro jumps, games, prizes, food and
music. Admission is free and tickets may be
purchased for all activities and food. Attendees are
encouraged to come in a costume. For more
information, click
here, or call the Temple office
at (619) 286-2555.
March 13 –
There will be a public forum to explore the
possibilities for San Diego’s Civic Center Complex.
The forum will take place at 6:30 p.m. at Qualcomm
Stadium, Club Level, located at 9449 Friars Road.
The Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC) on
behalf of the City of San Diego is hosting this
discussion. If financially feasible, the
redevelopment would provide new administration
facilities to the City and the opportunity for an
exciting high-density urban mixed-use complex.
Representatives from the two finalist development
teams, Gerding Edlen and Hines, will attend. The
public is invited to provide input on how City Hall
can better serve its citizens. The discussion
topics include background and history, current
statues, potential cost savings to the City and
development opportunities. For more information
click here.
March 15 –
The California Friendly Plant Sale takes place from
9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. at the Water Conservation
Garden at Cuyamaca College located at 12122 Cuyamaca
College Drive West in El Cajon. There will be
activities for children, conservation tips, garden
lectures and tours, compost demonstrations and a bin
sale. Beautiful water-wise plants are on sale just
in time for spring planting. Admission, parking and
activities are free. Major sponsors include The City
of San Diego, San Diego County Water Authority and
Cuyamaca College.
Click here
for more information.
March 20 – The Senior Talent Show
takes place form 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. at the
War Memorial Building. Seniors 55 years and older
may apply as professional or amateur contestants in
different talent categories. For more information
or to register call (619) 236-6905.
March 30 –
The 12th Annual Rolando Street
Fair takes place at Rolando Boulevard and El Cajon
Boulevard from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. This is a
great community-oriented event in the residential
streets of Rolando Boulevard perpendicular to El
Cajon Boulevard. There are children’s rides,
several musical bands, vendors, crafts and food
vendors. The Street Fair is hosted by the Rolando
Community Council with the College Area Business
District as a sponsor. For more information contact
the BID office at (619) 582-1093.
March 31 –
The third annual Greater Navajo Area Business
Association (GNABA) Business Mixer takes place at
5:30 p.m. at the Mission Trails Regional Park
Visitor Center located at One Father Junipero Serra
Trail off of Mission Gorge Road. The event provides
a casual forum for companies to promote their
business as well as learning about opportunities to
become more involved in the community. For more
information please send an email to
event@mtrp.org or call
(619) 668-3280.
March 31 –
The City of San Diego will observe Cesar
Chavez Day. City of San Diego offices will be
closed and there will be no trash or recyclable
collection on Monday but will instead be picked up
on Tuesday, April 1, 2008. Trash and recyclables
will be picked up one day later this week and return
to the normal schedule on Monday, April 7, 2008.
April 7 –
The deadline to enter San Diego’s 5th
Annual California Friendly Landscape Contest is
April 7, 2008. Regional winners will receive a $500
gift certificate to an area nursery, an honorary
paver at the Water Conservation Garden as well as
recognition. For more information
click here.
April 12 –
Patrick Henry High School is holding a pancake
breakfast from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at St.
Dunstan’s Church located across from the high school
at 6556 Park Ridge Boulevard. The $5 all-you-can-eat
breakfast is served by the Lake Murray Kiwanis Club
to benefit PHHS Grad Night 2008. For more
information call the school at (619) 286-7700.
May 1 –
Last day to register for the Emergency
Medical Services (EMS) golf tournament at the
Doubletree Resort. Check in time for the fundraising
event begins at 10:00 a.m. and the shotgun start is
at 12:00 p.m. You will be placed on a team if you
don’t have a foursome. Participation includes a golf
cart, practice area and complimentary dinner as well
as a free round of golf at the Doubletree Resort.
For more information or to register,
click here
or call (619) 787-1563 or email to
rickyboy44@cox.net.
Reverse
911 - Register Your Cell Phone Too
City of San Diego
residents can register their cellular phones to
receive emergency alerts – such as an evacuation
notice – from the city's Reverse 911 system. Go to
www.sandiego.gov/ohs/reverse911/index.shtml.
Residents will need to provide their cell phone
number, home address and e-mail address.
The County of San
Diego also offers an outstanding webpage on disaster
preparedness. You can visit that page here:
www.sdcounty.ca.gov/oes/ready/
You can sign up
for the County’s Reverse 911 system by visiting this
link. I would suggest you register for both the
City’s and the County’s system.
www.sdcounty.ca.gov/oes/ready/signup.html
Dial 511 For Traffic Updates
Did
you know that you can now dial 511 for Roadside
Assistance on our roads and highways? If you get
stranded in a non-emergency situation, you may use
your cell phone to dial 511 to be connected to the
Call Box Answer Center for assistance. To find out
more about this, visit SANDAG's 511 web site at
on issues by sending email to
