Sign up now - receive our monthly Scuttlebutt BUZZ e-newsletter!
Information Station: New Marketing Kiosk Promotes Solana Beach Businesses
3/2/11 - After riding the rails for miles on end, you finally disembark at the Solana Beach train station. You’re hungry, you’re tired, and you don’t have a clue where to go. Now there’s an app for that. Actually, it’s called a “community marketing station,” and you don’t need even an iPhone to use it.
Conveniently located inside the train station, the new system includes a flat screen TV running a slideshow of local scenes along with a touch-screen kiosk that serves up listings for every licensed business in the city. The businesses are grouped by type (restaurants, art galleries, apparel, lodging, etc.) and a map shows each business location, along with its distance from the train station. Visitors can also get information about local events, along with coupons and restaurant menus.
The community marketing station is a joint effort by the North County Transit District (NCTD), the City of Solana Beach, the South Cedros Merchants Association and the 101 Merchants Association, with funding from local philanthropists Peter House and Carol Childs. The system will serve as a prototype for other transit stations in the region. read more...
Solana Beach Raises Critical Questions on Fairgrounds Sale
1/4/11 - The City of Solana Beach staged a press conference today on a scenic site overlooking the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Aiming to raise awareness of the local impacts from fairgrounds events, Solana Beach Mayor Lesa Heebner made a case for regional ownership and control of the property.
In early October, it was revealed that the state of California (under Gov. Schwarzenegger) had agreed to sell the fairgrounds / racetrack property to the City of Del Mar for $120 million. Much political jockeying has ensued, and a revised bill will likely be introduced by State Senator Christine Kehoe on January 6th to enable the sale. Whether newly inaugurated Gov. Brown will agree with the terms offered by his predecessor is the unknown wild card in the deal.
Solana Beach has made many overtures to the City of Del Mar requesting that the agreement be amended to include regional ownership and control of the property, instead of sole ownership by Del Mar. But to date, Solana Beach has been largely rebuffed by Del Mar. read more...
Home for the Holidays: Fletcher Cove Tree Lights Up the Night for Hundreds of Locals
12/06/10 - For Solana Beach residents, there's no place like home. And this year's Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony brought out dozens of children (none naughty, all nice) to sit on Santa's lap and and enjoy an evening of family-friendly festivities. While neighbors sipped hot cider, the crowd was entertained by a magician, a juggler, a mariachi band, and of course, the "main man" who arrived on a sleigh pulled by a big red fire truck. The annual event is produced by the Solana Beach Parks & Recreation Committee.
Neighbors to the North: A Solana Beach Perspective on the Fairgrounds Proposal
10/9/10 - Earlier this week, Assemblywoman Lori Saldana (D-San Diego) and State Sen. Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego) introduced legislation that would allow the state of California to sell the Del Mar Fairgrounds to the City of Del Mar. (The fairgrounds are currently owned by the state’s 22nd Agricultural District, even though they sit within the Del Mar city limits.)
When it comes to the fairgrounds, most San Diego County residents only care about two things: Will there still a be a county fair, and will there still be horse racing? But the proposed agreement raises other important questions as well. read more...
“Secret” Sale of Fairgrounds to the City of Del Mar Underway?
10/7/10 (Updated 5:02 pm) - In stunning news for North County residents, The Union-Tribune reported last night that the City of Del Mar has reached an agreement with state and local officials to purchase 400 acres of the Fairgrounds and racetrack property for $120 million.
Assembly Bill 181 to authorize the sale was introduced yesterday by State Assemblywoman Lori Saldana (D-76th District), with support from State Sen. Christine Kehoe (D-39th District).
In May of 2009, Gov. Schwarzenegger proposed the sale of many state-owned properties, including the Del Mar Fairgrounds, to raise cash read more...
An Interview with "Retiring" Solana Beach City Manager David Ott
9/30/10 - Last week, Solana Beach City Manager David Ott announced that he will retire from his current position on December 30th. To anyone who knows him, the word "retire" could never apply to this man in motion. I caught up with him a few days ago to learn more about his plans for the future and his perspectives on the City.
The last few years have been quite eventful here, with issues like Prop A mansionization, the Cedros Crossing project and more. What were the most difficult -- and the most rewarding -- challenges?
A lot of it comes under the banner of fiscal sustainability. We've been in this economic downturn for over two years now but I think we've made significant progress -- not only by reducing the budget and consolidating some positions, but also by being creative in things like ... read more...
Rerip 2010: A Swell of Success for Sustainable Surfing
9/29/10 - The waves were glassy, the sky was blue and the scene was all "green" for the 4th annual Rerip "Future of Surfing" event at Fletcher Cove last Saturday. Focused on sustainability in the surfing industry, the festival featured a surfboard swap, live music, shapers, artists, vendors and several environmentally conscious organizations. See Slide Show
"We received over 50 donated boards and suits today," said Rerip Co-founder Lisa Carpenter. "And in return, the donors get coupons for the purchase of other products from our event sponsors. It's all a part of our 'cradle-to-cradle' philosophy." read more...
Cash-Back Program Encourages Locals to “Shop Solana First”
8/16/2010 - As if there weren’t already plenty of reasons to “shop local,” Solana Beach residents now have another incentive. A new program from BuxBack (www.buxback.com) will reward consumers with cash back when they shop and dine at participating local merchants. read more...
Solana Beach Toddler Quarantined with Measles
8/13/10 - San Diego County public health officials have alerted residents to a case of measles in a 20-month-old child who lives in Solana Beach. Because the disease is highly contagious, the child has been quarantined at home, and officials have advised residents to check a list of locations where exposure may have occurred earlier this month. read more...
Caltrans Grand Plans: Paving the Way for I-5 Freeway Expansion
7/17/10 - Earlier this month, Caltrans issued its draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the expansion of the I-5 freeway along a 27-mile stretch from San Diego to Oceanside. Although the 1,000-page EIR describes five different alternatives, the most significant would add four HOV lanes (possibly toll lanes) plus two general-purpose lanes and (in some areas) auxiliary lanes in each direction. The estimated cost for that option is over $4 billion. (Click to enlarge diagram)
To inform local citizens about the proposal, Caltrans has scheduled a series of public workshops, including an August 24th meeting in Solana Beach. The details of that event became a hot topic of discussion at this week’s Solana Beach City Council meeting. read more...
Gloom & Boom: Gray Skies and Good Vibrations at Fiesta del Sol
6/8/2010 - Despite the gloomy skies and cool breezes, this year's Fiesta del Sol sizzled with hot performances by a variety of bands, drawing an estimated 50,000 people to the streets of Solana Beach. Attendees came on foot, bikes, shuttle buses, Coaster trains and cars to drink in the atmosphere (and beer and wine), and enjoy the free blues, rock and reggae music booked by the Belly Up Tavern. See Slide Show read more...
City of Solana Beach employees agree to salary and retirement benefit concessions
5/27/10 - The Solana Beach City Council unanimously approved an agreement last night with a City employee group that will have a positive impact on the City's financial position for years to come. read more...
Wonder Walls: New Mosaics Illuminate I-5 Interchange
5/12/10 - Whether you're a daily commuter or a first-time visitor, you're bound to notice the new mosaic walls being installed at the I-5 underpass on Lomas Santa Fe.
After years of work by Caltrans to reconfigure this busy interchange, the finishing touches are now being applied in the form of four mosaic tile collages that are designed to reflect the unique identity of Solana Beach. See Slide Showread more...
Recent Scuttlebutt Headlines
Town Hall Meeting Sets the Stage for I-5 Expansion Battle
1/15/10 From Oceanside to La Jolla, the I-5 freeway is one of the most scenic and vital corridors in the state, traversing several coastal lagoons in San Diego's North County... read more...
City Council Chronicles
1/29/10 A few highlights from this week's Solana Beach City Council meeting:
1/29/10 Some say "eagle." Some say "seagull." Either way, most of the visitors at Fletcher Cove seem to approve of the new bird sculpture that was recently installed near the park entrance... read more...
Acacia Avenue Flooding Puts Focus on Storm Drain Capacity
3/1/10 Their alleyway gets flooded every time a hard rain falls, say Acacia Avenue residents, "but this year was the worst." Several homeowners... read more...
This map shows the location and intensity of precipitation in your area. The color of the precipitation corresponds to the rate at which it is falling. This map is updated every 15 minutes.
Quick Links:
follow us on TWITTER
find us on FACEBOOK
scuttlebutt news feed
shop solana first
send a custom postcard
post a blog comment
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.sbscuttlebutt.com/rss/rss_feed.gif "Validate my RSS feed feed"){kind=small}
Cloudy, and 61 ° F. For more details?
