… South Bay Guide for California’s Primaries, and 308-Space Parking Structure Built In County’s Most Walkable City
By Barbara Zaragoza
I was gone last week covering the anti-Trump protests in the “Free Speech Zone” across the street from the Convention Center. A few news items were particularly newsworthy that I’ll cover now along with what happened in the South Bay this week.
- There is less than a week until the California Primaries, South Bay. How will you vote? Here’s a useful guide:
- Hilary Clinton visits Balboa Park’s Prado to speak about national security, following up her husband’s visit to Bonita and Rancho Santa Fe in support of Clinton’s presidential run. (NBC 7 San Diego)
- Alarmed by Donald Trump’s proposals for mass deportations, a continuous wall on the U.S. southern border and for rolling back NAFTA, Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto is pushing back with a campaign that places value on strong border ties. Sandra Dibble at the Union Tribune has the report.
- Bernie Sanders calls for comprehensive immigration reform during his visit to San Diego’s Friendship Park. (Times of San Diego) Additionally, National City ‘feel the Bern’ when thousands of followers attend his rally at Kimball Park. (Los Angles Times)
More Young Women Treated As Prey — Again
- The attempted kidnapping of a 15-year-old girl in San Ysidro shows us over and over again that young women are not to be mentored, respected and taken seriously as the future generation of young professionals and leaders of their families. Instead — they are considered prey. Other examples include the Mar Vista High School sexual misconduct cases in April. (Imperial Beach Patch)
Chula Vista — Worst Place For A Staycation, Ha!
Chula Vista ranked last at #150 for good places in the U.S. to have a Staycation. The ranking was at a website called WalletHub and Voice of San Diego’s Randy Dotinga mentioned it in his morning report on Thursday. Clearly, WalletHub and Randy haven’t yet discovered South Bay Compass, where staycation opportunities are up-and-coming. There’s also a lot more to come within the next few years. Check out my articles about Chula Vista’s Eastern Expansion and The Millenia Project.
Saburo Muraoka Elementary School Breaks Ground & Other Quick Chula Vista Hits
- The Chula Vista Elementary School District broke ground on the Saburo Muraoka Elementary School on Wednesday, June 1. It is the first school to be named after a Japanese-American resident within San Diego County. The school is set to open July 17, 2017. Muraoka was a prominent South Bay resident who started out as a farmer and went on to contribute greatly to the region.
- The community group Crossroads II sent out an informational email this week, alerting residents that: “Currently our City Council is involved in creating “Community Facilities Districts” in western Chula Vista, the purpose of which is to create higher densities than currently exist in the older parts of Chula Vista. As a resident of western Chula Vista, I don’t ever voting for such a change. Then why this effort? City Manager, Gary Halpert, made it clear at a recent Council meeting. The discussion was about how so many businesses fail in western Chula Vista because people are shopping at the malls now. So how do we help our struggling businesses? By “putting more feet on the street,” said City Manager Halpert.”
- The Chula Vista City Council voted 4-1 to place a sales tax increase on the November ballot. (SD Union Tribune) The blog Focus on Chula Vista had an immediate response about why this isn’t such a good idea: Chula Vista’s Half-Cent Tax: Going About the Problem the Wrong Way.
- The City of Chula Vista voted on May 24 to accept the proposed budget for fiscal year 2016-17. According to a news release by the Office of Communications, “The proposed budget includes a General Fund operating budget of $146.5 million and a Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget of $20.8 million. While the proposed FY 2016-17 budget is balanced, the City’s financial outlook is more strained than it has been in recent years.” The final budget will be considered for adoption on Tuesday, June 7.
National City Opens a ‘Live Well Center’ and Parking Spaces Deter Sustainability At An Affordable Housing Complex
- Supervisor Greg Cox’s office sent out a news advisory explaining that a new Live Well Center had its grand opening in National City. Located at 401 Miles of Cars Way, “the 84,000-square-foot facility will house 400 employees and combine numerous County services under one roof, including a Family Resource Center for residents seeking medical insurance coverage and food and nutrition assistance, Child Support Services, Aging & Independence Services and a Military & Veterans Resource Center to connect veterans and their survivors to benefits.”
- Voice of San Diego reported that National City is one of the most walkable places in the county. When the affordable housing complex, Paradise Creek, started construction, the idea that residents could use the nearby trolley station and other public transportation seemed to be part of the region’s push for greater sustainability models. But instead, a large 308 parking structure will be built. Read the full story here.
Imperial Beach’s Spooner Board & Other Snippets
- The Union Tribune reported that a 28-year-old man from Imperial Beach was killed in a drive-by shooting. Victor Vega was standing at Brookhaven Road and Sears Avenue at about 10pm when he was shot by someone passing in a car.
- And here’s a fun article about Randy Putland’s invention, the Spooner board, which combines the skills for surfing, skiing and snow boarding. (Imperial Beach Eagle & Times)
- The Cannyoneers discovered Border Field State Park this week at The San Diego Reader. It’s a hiking hotspot of international importance.
Barbara Zaragoza is a freelance writer who covers the South Bay, San Diego. She recently published a photographic history of San Ysidro and the Tijuana River Valley and also writes about arts, culture & activism at SouthBayCompass.com. Barbara is a multiple award winner of the Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego chapter, 2016 Journalism Awards.
