… Bonita Vista High School Band Director Arrested on Molestation Charges, and South Bay Hosts Several Outdoor Summertime Events
By Barbara Zaragoza
Breaking News this week in Imperial Beach.
Mayor Serge Dedina, who is also the Executive Director at WildCoast, announced at the City Council meeting he thought Ed Drusina should be fired. Drusina is the head of the International Boundary & Water Commission (IBWC).
His problem: the IBWC has done nothing to solve the sewage problem coming from Mexico. WildCoast estimates that Mexico dumps, both legally and illegally, about 30 to 50 million gallons of sewage into the ocean everyday. Instead of cleaning up the problem, Drusina is focusing on a Presidential Permit to have the Otay Water District get water from the Rosarito Desalination plant. I wrote the story this week here.
From Shocking to Heart Warming in 11 Bullet Points
- A Bonita Vista High School Band director–and USC graduate–was arrested on suspicion of having sexual relations with an underaged student about five years ago. (Imperial Beach Patch)
- The Chula Vista Fire Department continues to not meet their response times. Data compiled by the GMOC shows that during fiscal year 2015 firefighters responded to 12,561 calls, only 78.3 percent of those were responded to within seven minutes. (Chula Vista Star News)
- Border Patrol rescued two people who had attempted to enter the U.S. and were stranded on a steep ledge. One appeared to be injured. (U.S. Border Patrol)
- The San Ysidro School District Superintendent, Julia Fonesca, also appeared on KUSI News this week.
- The community group, Crossroads II, picketed across from the proposed Vista del Mar project site at 3rd and K streets on Saturday, July 23. Developers want to build a five-story apartment building at that location. The property is currently a commercial site and Crossroads continues to fight against more residential development without adequate commercial, retail and industrial development. Crossroads II articles that Chula Vista is a “bedroom community” where people leave every morning to go to work elsewhere. They will hold another picket at the same location today, Friday, July 29, from 5:30 to 7pm. Meet at 779 Third Avenue and refreshments will be provided.
- Imperial Beach may get another hotel alongside its Breakwater Town Center shopping mall, set to be finished by the second half of 2017. The San Diego Reader has more about the proposal.
- National City has an affordable housing project that will be ready for 109 families by December 2016. (San Diego Free Press)
- 7 San Diego also reported that National City will soon get a new Dunkin’ Donuts shop with a drive-thru window. The establishment, set to open in September at East Plaza Boulevard and I-805, will create new jobs.
- The non-profit organization Casa Familiar in San Ysidro that has served to civically engage the community in health services, student support, and issues of the U.S.-Mexico border for this little town will see a change in management. After thirty-five years of service, Andrea Skorepa will retire in August. Lisa Cuestas, an employee at Casa for sixteen years, will take the helm. On Saturday, July 23, Casa’s Social Services Center was dedicated to Skorepa. (San Diego Free Press)
- The group Danza Mexi’cayotl attended the picnic in Skorepa’s honor. A Chula Vista-based traditional Chicano dance circle of families dedicated to teaching and preserving the indigenous cultures of Mexicans, the Chula Vista Star News reported a bit more about their work and their three day anniversary celebration.
- Mimi Pollack wrote about this animal sanctuary in the Tijuana River Valley. (San Diego Free Press)
It’s Summertime — And That Means Outdoor Events
Don’t forget to enjoy a large number of summer events in the South Bay:
- It’s Taco Tuesday at Foodland National City from June 21 to August 30 at Woodland National City. Hosted by the Lowrider Community of San Diego, bring the family, rides and appetite for $1.25 Tacos de Carne Asada, Pollo, Birria and Carnitas. (I reported on this fabulous event last year.)
- Living Coast Discovery Center hosts their annual Farm to Bay on Saturday, August 6, from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Forty food and beverage partners will help support coastal wildlife, education and sustainability programs.
- Chula Vista’s Lemon Festival will take place on August 7. Third Avenue Village Association says, “For those seeking something stronger than lemonade, head to Lemon Festival‘s Craft Beer Garden on August 7 where Thr3e Punk Ales Brewing Co., NOVO Brazil Brewing CO., Bay Bridge Brewing and Groundswell Brewing Company will get you hopping. Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits makes it extra sour with a special edition Meyer Lemon Sculpin for the event.
- The South Bayfront Pow Wow will take place on August 6 and 7 at the Marina View Park, Chula Vista Bayfront.
Finally, South Bay, if you’re planning any vacations either in Baja, Mexico or through this great state we call California, I highly suggest you check out my two favorite websites: A Gringo In Mexico and California Through My Lens.
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.
Thanks, Barbara, for the information. The new drive thru Dunkin Donuts will create new jobs, but those jobs will be mostly low paying, minimum wage jobs. We need more skill based jobs not necessarily requiring a college education. It used to be that a good job could be had based on a skill or set of skills that could be learned either on the job or in high school. Now all high schools want to do is graduate college bound seniors. They don’t want to teach their students any practical skills that would enable them to go out and earn a living without going to college and without going into debt.
We need more apprenticeship programs as Hillary alluded to in her speech last night. A college education has become a debt trap for many without the prospects of a good job even with degree in hand unless they go on to graduate work and more debt.
Hi John! I also found it interesting that 7 San Diego said Dunkin’ Donuts would create more jobs. Thanks for your insightful comment on it!