… Tijuana Shelters Overflow With Asylum Seekers, and Developers See Otay Mesa As Solution to Housing Shortage
By Barbara Zaragoza
An undercover narcotics investigation took a bad turn on Tuesday, June 14, at about 2 p.m. when a federal agent was threatened and fired on a suspect, who was taken to the hospital and later pronounced dead.
After the shooting, two suspects sped away in a car, but crashed the vehicle a short distance away and were apprehended. A fourth suspect was found hiding inside a vehicle trunk. (Imperial Beach Patch)
During the ordeal, residents were told to take shelter-in-place and keep their doors locked. Many took to the Internet to get live coverage and others took to social media. On the Facebook page Revive Shops at San Miguel Ranch, many expressed concern at the Ranch’s open warehouse space that continues to be an eye-sore and a creator of economic hardship for the mom-and-pop businesses surrounding it.
They asked why federal agents would be conducting a drug bust in this area, given that San Miguel Ranch is surrounded by housing and a school, Thurgood Marshall. Children are everywhere around this area. Residents wondered if this drug bust would’ve happened at all had the empty warehouse already been occupied by a grocery store.
An Albertson’s store used to sell groceries in the building. They went out of business years ago, and in 2015 Joe Little at News 10 reported the space still hadn’t been leased to a new business. Little said Vons owns Albertson’s and doesn’t want another grocery store to compete. As a consequence, the other mom-and-pop businesses aren’t happy that their businesses are located right by the empty eyesore. Last year, Councilman John McCann started an on-line petition for residents, but the space still remains empty.
Otay Mesa Is Just Building, Building Away
Otay Mesa is a predominantly industrial area with warehouses jutted up against the U.S.-Mexico border. Besides large corporations, Donovan State Prison, the Otay Detention Facility and Auto Wreckers are located in this area. Besides that, there’s land — lots of it.
Developers see Otay Mesa as an area that could help with the regional housing shortage. Business groups, however, believe the industrial-rich area can bring good paying jobs to the South Bay.
Mar Vista Students Attended Donald Trump Rally
The Imperial Beach News reported that several students attended the Donald Trump rally on May 27. One student, Garrett Conder, said he went because he wanted to show people he did not agree with Trump’s message. While at the rally, he booed when other people cheered and then suddenly found himself being escorted out by security. Read his full report here.
Unprecedented Number of Asylum Seekers at the Border
Sandra Dibble at the Union Tribune reports that a large number of asylum seekers from Haiti, Ghana, Pakistan and Mexico have been seeking entry in the U.S. these past few weeks. Tijuana’s shelters are overflowing. Read the story here.
Short News Bites
- Kimball Skate Park opened in National City and to celebrate, professional skater, Chris Lambert visited. (San Diego Union Tribune)
- Planed Parenthood on Broadway in Chula Vista expanded to serve the growing health care needs of the community. (San Diego Union Tribune)
- A decomposing body was found along Interstate 5 in San Ysidro on Wednesday night. (Imperial Beach Patch)
- On Monday morning, a woman walking on the I-5 in National city was struck and killed. The victim was walking in the northbound freeway lanes north of West 8th Street. (Imperial Beach Patch)
- The Chula Vista Woman’s Club, a historic building erected in 1928, is in a dilapidated state. Owned by the City, it was contracted to fix the building, but renovations are now upwards of $1 million and nothing has been done. (San Diego Reader)
Don’t Miss the Schwingfest at the Swiss Club
Yep, that’s right, the Swiss Club in Chula Vista will hold its annual Schwingfest on Saturday, June 11th. Schwingen beings at 11am. Here’s all the information you need.
Those Chula Vista Swiss are quite the partiers
Here’s the Urban Dictionary definition of Schwing:
“When Garth or Wayne (Wayne’s World) pop a boner.”
I’m going tomorrow… so will post pictures. :)