Volume XVI, Issue 18
www.solanabeachsun.com
May 3, 2012 Published Weekly
Residents come out in droves to discuss solutions for Eden Gardens BY CLAIRE HARLIN EDITOR@DELMARTIMES.NET
Gang activity. Public safety. Drug use. These are only a few of the concerns that brought some 150 Solana Beach residents and community leaders to the La Colonia Park Community Room for a community forum on April 30.
■ Digital artist finds plenty of outlets for his talent. Page 8
“And the elephant in the room is that people feel there is unfair treatment of kids, bias and prejudice against Latino members of the community,” said Manny Aguilar of the La Colonia de Eden Gardens Foundation, which sponsored the event. As an example, he named several derogatory
terms often used in schools to describe members of the Hispanic community. The structure of the forum, the first of its kind, was open-ended, with attendees able to ask questions, share concerns and receive input from a number of officials and leaders — from law enforcement to schools to civic
Solana Beach Ball
government. Among those in attendance were Solana Beach Mayor Joe Kellejian, City Manager David Ott, Solana Beach school superintendent Nancy Lynch, Casa de Amistad director Nicole Mione, and Melissa Diaz, a deputy district attorney in the gangs unit. The moderator for the forum was Beatriz
Villarreal, director of the Mano a Mano Foundation, which provides support and education to the Latino community. The event started with an introduction by nearly every person in attendance, each stating his or her name
SEE EDEN, PAGE 6
Peabody retiring at the end of June Del Mar Union superintendent’s education career spanned 41 years
■ TPHS graduate restores riverboat the African Queen. Page B1 Kate and JP Franklin, Ruth Voorhies and Victoria and Paul Kudirka attend the Solana Beach Ball on April 28 at the Fairbanks Ranch Country Club. The event benefits Skyline and Solana Vista schools. See pages B2 and B3 . PHOTO: JON CLARK
■ Former Navy SEAL shares experiences in memoir “The Red Circle” Page 11
School board president Scott Wooden said they knew when they hired him that he was near the end of his career as they pulled him out of semi-retirement from the Julian Union High School Jim Peabody District to lead at Del Mar. “I just didn’t think it would be so soon,” Wooden said. “We’re sad
SEE PEABODY, PAGE 6
Solana Beach plastic bag ban ordinance receives council vote
Del Mar school district to conduct bond feasibility study BY KAREN BILLING The Del Mar Union School District board voted 3-2 April 25 to conduct a feasibility survey this month for a general obligation bond on the November ballot. According to Benjamin Dolinka, president of the Dolinka Group, the survey will show what people are
BY KAREN BILLING Del Mar Union Superintendent Jim Peabody is retiring. Peabody made the announcement at the April 25 school board meeting that he will be leaving his position at the end of June, a little over two years after his appointment. “It has been a pleasure serving you for the past two years and working with the remarkable board. We have made tremendous progress in the district and I am proud to have been a part of it,” Peabody said. “After 41 years serving the public in education, I am now looking forward to enjoying time with my family.”
willing to pay and the district can study what its needs are and see what projects it would be able to do. “It’s just the first step,” Dolinka said. “I think what you’ll see from the feasibility study is there’s going to be tremendous support.”
SEE BOND, PAGE 6
BY JOE TASH Following the lead of local governments in other parts of California, Solana Beach has become the first city in San Diego County to introduce an ordinance prohibiting stores and restaurants from providing plastic shopping bags to their customers at the point of sale. Some types of plastic bags, such as those used by supermarket customers to carry produce and meat to the checkout line, and by dry-cleaning shops, are still al-
lowed under the new rules. The Solana Beach City Council voted unanimously in favor of the ordinance following a public hearing at its meeting on Wednesday, April 25. The ordinance will come back to the council at its next meeting on May 9 for a second reading. If approved, it would be phased in over the next six months.
SEE BAG, PAGE 6
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