The Coast News, June 29, 2012

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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ENCINITAS, CA 92024 PERMIT NO. 94

THE COAST NEWS

MAKING WAVES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

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By Shelli DeRobertis

Del Mar City Council opts to continue discussions on safety concerns over nuclear B1 plant.

INSIDE

TWO SECTIONS, 48 PAGES

Arts & Entertainment . . A8 Baby Boomer Peace . . . B14 Camp Pendleton News . . B11 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . B19 Coastal Cosmos . . . . . . . B9 Comics & Puzzles . . . . . B22 Hit the Road . . . . . . . . . B7 Legal Notices . . . . . . . . A18 Lick the Plate . . . . . . . . A14 Local Roots . . . . . . . . . A16 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . B9 Odd Files . . . . . . . . . . . B15 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4 Sea Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . B9 Small Talk . . . . . . . . . . . B1 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . A12 Taste of Wine . . . . . . . A15 Who’s News? . . . . . . . . . B3

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JUNE 29, 2012

Budget cuts hit courts

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FAIRY FESTIVAL The San Diego Botanic Garden’s Hamilton Children’s Garden flitters with fairies Saturday during the Fairy Festival. See page A13 for the full story. Above: Annabel Barlow, 2, and Scarlett Barlow, 4, both of Vista, take part in the day’s festivities. Photo by Promise Yee

Council allocates $5.3m for open space By Christina Macone-Greene

CARLSBAD — More than 40 group members supporting Preserve Calavera stood their ground at the Carlsbad City Council Chambers Tuesday to echo the need and designation of funds for more open space preservation. Their theme, “SOS for Open Space — Saving the Natural Lands of Carlsbad” first netted attention outside the chambers with friendly discussion, then moved inside for the public hearing portion of the city council meeting when it came to adopting the new fiscal year 2012-13 budget. Over 20 speakers went to the podium to reiterate their open space pleas. Councilmember Keith Blackburn said he was impressed as to how respectful the Preserve Calavera speakers were. Mayor Pro Tem Ann Kulchin added, “And they sang to us.” And they did, singing the lyric,“All we are saying is give open space a chance.” Following the speakers, a

Diane Nygaard, president of Preserve Calavera, outside the city council chambers before the meeting championing the saving of natural lands in Carlsbad. Photo by Christina Macone-Greene

short break took place and city council members resumed by approving the city’s proposed budget. They also agreed to designate around $5.3 million from a

Preserve Calavera has a reserve account toward future city trails and open space longstanding history with the City of Carlsbad. projects. Established in 2001, The Preserve Calavera crowd burst into applause TURN TO OPEN SPACE ON A27 and cheer.

VISTA — A $14 million state budget cut announced last week is forcing the closure of some San Diego County courtrooms, including the early Friday closure of business offices and ultimately the layoffs of at least 250 court employees. The reduced funding impacts the fiscal year beginning July 1, when 10 courtrooms are expected to close, including a probate court and juvenile dependency courtroom, both in North County, a downtown civil department, six downtown criminal courtrooms and the Ramona branch court. Karen Dalton, Superior Court spokeswoman, said that the changes should be effective by September, and there will be an immediate, noticeable change in the amount of time to process paperwork such as in civil court or family court cases. “When you have fewer people working, it may take longer to process things,” she said. Also, people who live in North County and need probate court will have to utilize the probate court downtown when North County closes, she said. All of the court’s business offices will also begin closing at noon each Friday, and by the 2013-14 fiscal year, there is a tentative plan to implement two unpaid furlough days each month for all court employees. The job eliminations will take place throughout the next two years. The 2013-14 annual budget is expected to see a decrease of $26 million, a closure of 30 courtrooms, and the elimination of 60 jobs. “The cuts envisioned by our budget reduction plan will affect every judge, court employee and ultimately the litigants, court users and citizens of San Diego County,” presiding Judge Robert Trentacosta said in a statement. Jobs lost will include TURN TO COURTS ON A27


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