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THE COAST NEWS

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MAKING WAVES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

VOL. 23, NO. 52

DEC. 25, 2009

Charter city put on June ballot

THISWEEK CHRISTMAS SPIRIT A local group offers cheer to families in need at the Del Mar Fairgrounds

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By Promise Yee

LIFE STORY

Horizon Christian Fellowship’s annual Living Nativity brings the story of Jesus to life B1

INSIDE

TWO SECTIONS, 44 PAGES

Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . B15 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . B18 Consumer Reports . . . . . B3 Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A8 Crossword Puzzle . . . . B18 Dining Guide . . . . . . . . B19 Doorman Diaries . . . . . . B3 Eye on the Coast . . . . . . A5 Frugal Living . . . . . . . . A16 Horoscopes . . . . . . . . . B18 Hot off the Block . . . . . . A9 Legal Notices . . . . . . . . A22 Odd Files . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4 Outside Perspective . . . . A4 Pet of the Week . . . . . . A15 Sea Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . A7 Second Opinion . . . . . . . A9 Small Talk . . . . . . . . . . . B1 Smart Money . . . . . . . . A16 Taste of Wine . . . . . . . . B6 Who’s News? . . . . . . . . . A8

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IT’S TRADITION Low & Slow Running Club members Ross Stephens, left, of Del Mar and Scripps Ranch resident Norm Bornstein said they participate in the Red Nose Run every year. Photo by Bianca Kaplanek

Red Nose Runners hit beach for charity By Bianca Kaplanek

DEL MAR — Donning their best holiday cheer gear, more than 150 people hit the beach in Del Mar on Dec. 18 for the 18th annual Red Nose Run, a 3K and 5K run/walk hosted by The Low & Slow Running Club to benefit Fresh Start Surgical Gifts. In addition to helping a worthy cause, most participants said they were there to have a good time. “We always read about it and wanted to come TURN TO RUNNERS ON A19

CARLSBAD — What was once an open area and trail enjoyed by Carlsbad residents is now a piece of land slated for development. The Carlsbad community has seen the amount of open space in its city dwindle, most recently with a developer’s acquisition of the Village H property. The community has fought to preserve the area located at Carlsbad Village Drive and Victoria Street for

TURN TO CHARTER ON A20

Parents weigh in on school plan By Bianca Kaplanek

serving open space. Although the council appointed an Open Space Committee to identify priorities for open space acquisition, a list on which Village H was ranked No. 2, they declined subsequent offers to purchase the land with their $35 million budget. “I think (the mayor) is out of touch with the idea of open space and what that really means,” Kristina Eck, Save

DEL MAR — About half of the 70 or so people who attended a Dec. 10 public hearing signed up to provide input to a Del Mar Union School District advisory committee on six proposals the group is considering to help the district address declining revenue and enrollment. Some were angry, a few presented facts and others were emotional. Although the tone of delivery may have varied, the message was the same. Nearly everyone said school closure should be considered only as a last resort or, better yet, removed as an option. Speakers ranged from parents whose first child was just starting kindergarten to those whose children have

TURN TO TRAIL ON A20

TURN TO PARENTS ON A20

GO! Brent Pritchett, 10, vies for position as the 18th annual Red Nose Run gets under way. His friend, Paul Gaukel, is close behind. Photo by Bianca Kaplanek

Carlsbad community fights trail development By Alyx Sariol

OCEANSIDE — Council majority voted to put a “cut and pasted” charter city proposal on the June 8 special election ballot at the Dec. 16 council meeting. Mayor Jim Wood and Councilwoman Esther Sanchez voted no on the item. The charter city proposal was a late addition to the agenda of the last council meeting attended by Councilman Rocky Chavez before his resignation was effective Dec. 18. Chavez supported the proposed charter city in a predictable 3-2 vote. Wood said he is displeased with the rush to put the charter city on the ballot

years and was surprised to find an iron rod fence locking them out in early November. “It’s horrible that access is blocked off,” said Mona Kelly of Save Village H, a grassroots effort to preserve the property. “This area should be preserved.” While City Council had ample opportunity to purchase the property for a fair price, “less than the price of a median home in Carlsbad,” said Kelly, they declined to

take action on the offer. Instead, the Thompson Corporation of Nevada purchased the land earlier this year and has locked residents out citing liability issues, Kelly said. “Why would they decline that purchase?” Kelly asked. “They’ve never intended to buy it.” Save Village H members feel that City Council members put up a front when they expressed an interest in pre-

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