Cal Trans is making progress on traffic relief along the 15 corridor!

Caltrans widening freeway ramps

Workers prepping for express lanes

By Angela Lau
STAFF WRITER

November 28, 2008

ESCONDIDO – Caltrans has begun widening the Interstate 15 ramps at West Valley Parkway to prepare for the construction of express lanes in the freeway median.

Residents puzzled by the construction work at the ramps now have an answer.

“A lot of people have been calling City Hall to ask what we are doing there,” said Joyce Masterson, Escondido's spokeswoman. “We are not doing any work there. It's Caltrans.”

The project is part of Caltrans' $1.3 billion project to install 20 miles of express lanes in the median of I-15, from state Route 163 in the south to state Route 78 in the north.

When completed in 2012, the express lanes are expected to ease the commuting pains of North County as its population continues to expand.

Now, 170,000 to 290,000 cars travel on I-15 every day, resulting in daily delays of 30 to 45 minutes during commuting hours.

It isn't just the troops deployed overseas who miss their familes on the holidays -- this story talks about the recruits and drill instructors here in San Diego.

Marching drills, then feasting

Marine recruits take break from routine to eat holiday meal

By Steve Liewer
STAFF WRITER

November 28, 2008

SAN DIEGO – One by one, 3,000 future Marines stepped up to the glass door of the mess hall for yesterday's midday meal. Pivoting smartly, each recruit snapped off his brimmed camouflage cap and barked “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen!” as he entered.

Then they waited in line as cafeteria workers heaped turkey, ham, roast beef, mashed potatoes with gravy, corn and fruit salad on a cafeteria tray.

A pumpkin pie dessert? Nope, that's for civilians. Marines eat crisp green apples instead. Later, it's back to the parade ground for more marching drills.

Welcome to Thanksgiving at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.

On a day when the nation gorged on turkey and kicked back to watch football, Sgt. Attikus Piper rousted the members of Recruit Platoon 2145 at 5:30 a.m. and marched them around the open fields.

This article does a good job of walking through the impact Prop 13 had on revenues to the state.  After a one time drop in revenues after its passage, property taxes have continued to grow, but have done so on a more steady and reliable projection than pre-prop13.

Daniel Weintraub: Property tax revenue might be next domino
By Daniel Weintraub
dweintraub@sacbee.com
Published: Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2008 | Page 15A

California's financial free fall is likely to get much worse before it gets better, spreading from the statehouse to every other level of government, including schools, cities, counties and the special districts that fight fires, maintain parks and levees and run libraries.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state lawmakers are already grappling with an expected drop in revenue from taxes on personal income, sales and corporate profits. Since they adopted the budget in September, the state's revenue estimate for the current year has dropped by $11 billion, or about 10 percent, with no prospect for a recovery in sight.

Bringing down the house is a great read -- the true story of Kevin Lewis -- a brilliant MIT student during the week and high rolling Vegas card counter on the weekends.  The story became better known in the last year with the release of the movie version of the book -- 21.  As with almost every case, the book is much better.  If you didn't see the movie get the book first.  If you saw the movie, then get the book to know the real story.  This book contains all the elements of a classic fiction book:  drama, danger, excitement, love story (with an NFL cheerleader no less) and yet it is all true.  It leaves you thinking anyone can make money at blackjack -- which I suspect the casinos appreciate.

Check out this website for updated information on California fires.

Today, the Union Tribune did a Sunday feature on Nathan.

Hot seat: Nathan Fletcher

November 23, 2008

Nathan Fletcher, assemblyman-elect for the 75th district, talks about the challenges he will face in Sacramento:

You ran on a platform emphasizing a strong opposition to higher taxes. Now that the budget debacle has grown even worse, are you still as firm on this issue?

Raising taxes in a down economy will do more harm than good and compound our current problem. We must do the following to restore our economy:

Create jobs. With the third-highest unemployment rate in the nation and declining revenues, the worst thing we can do to our economy is increase the burden on Californians. It would slow consumer spending and send more California jobs to surrounding states. We must take action to stimulate economic growth, encourage entrepreneurship and promote job creation in California.

Budget reform. While the state's tax revenues have risen by 40 percent over the last four years, there has been a 44 percent increase in state spending. The state needs structural budget reform to control spending growth during the boom years and save that excess to provide funds in economic down cycles.

This story walks through the unfortunate reality of economic uncertainly—companies have to save money and states must become more competitive to retain their jobs.

From story:  “I can't speak for everybody in the company, but for those I've spoken to in Oakland, I would say some are shocked, some are disappointed," Zampa said. "But it seems to be understood that given the downturn in global trade, if we don't take action (to cut costs) our company could be in trouble."  The company did not say where it plans to move its headquarters, only that it would be a more "cost-effective location." Zampa said those details likely would be announced next month and did not expect a change in plans. …Zampa cited the Bay Area's high costs for office space, residential real estate, labor, transportation and fuel as factors that affect the company and its workforce…….Metro Furniture recently announced it is closing its East Oakland manufacturing facility, where it employs 100 workers, and transferring the operation to Texas. Coca-Cola announced this month that it is relocating its Oakland offices to San Ramon. About 90 workers will leave Oakland as a result.

From this editorial: What money is left over often is spent in downright flippant ways. In San Diego County, that has meant providing belly-dancing classes for pregnant women. In San Bernardino County, that meant paying for a play area at the local Mexican consulate. In the Bay Area, according to a memorable San Francisco Chronicle story, that meant “everything from children's ice-skating lessons and Monterey Bay Aquarium field trips to supplies for Halloween parties and chartered buses to the Jelly Belly factory in Fairfield.”

Surfers, seals and federal regulations all collide in this story as the federal government revises regulations that cover a variety of topics including tow in surfing at one of the world's biggest breaks.

Revised rules at marine sanctuaries allow tow-in surfing at Mavericks

During high-surf advisory days, watercraft can be used at the famous riding spot in the Monterey Bay marine sanctuary. Other regulations are altered at the Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank sanctuaries.

By Kenneth R. Weiss
November 21, 2008

After seven years of soul-searching, federal officials on Thursday agreed to allow tow-in surfing at California's most famous big-wave riding spot, known as Mavericks, as part of a major expansion of federal rules governing three marine sanctuaries.

The revised rules ban chumming for great white sharks around San Francisco's Farallon Islands for thrill-seeking divers in cages and photo-snapping tourists -- rules that have long been enforced closer to shore in waters colloquially known as the Bloody Triangle for their history of shark attacks.

The new management plan also expands the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary by 775 square miles to offer permanent protection for the Davidson Seamount, an enormous undersea mountain about 70 miles off Big Sur that is full of sea life found nowhere else on Earth.

These plans will also prohibit ocean cruise liners from dumping partially treated sewage and other wastewater into the protected waters of the Monterey Bay, Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank national marine sanctuaries.