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VOLUME 27 NUMBER 39
Sept. 29, 2011
One Paseo meeting draws crowd BY JOE TASH CONTRIBUTOR A proposed mixed-use development for the last large, undeveloped parcel in the heart of Carmel Valley is already generating strong opinions by residents both for and against the project, although it remains uncertain when it will actually be built.
City gives Prop. C green light After a review, San Diego city staff has once again cleared Prop. C for take-off. In July, the city’s department of development services surprised the Carmel Valley Community Planning Board’s Prop C Working Group by telling them that Pacific Highlands Ranch could not build past 1,900 development units until SR-56 was widened — this coming on the heels of the passage of Prop C, which freed PHR’s development from waiting until the completion of the 56’s connectors with Interstate-5. The planning board objected to the 11th hour roadblock and the misunderstanding among city staff has now been resolved. “The main question was answered,” said Manjeet Ranu, planning board vice chair. “We don’t have to wait until 56 is widened and we can once again move forward. It’s unfortunate that we had a three-month delay but it’s better than a 30-year delay.” — Karen Billing
More than 100 people turned out Saturday morning, Sept. 24, for a special meeting of the Carmel Valley Community Planning Board, where representatives of Kilroy Realty laid out their vision for One Paseo, a project that would include retail shops and restaurants, office buildings, condominiums and apartments on a
23-acre parcel at the corner of Del Mar Heights Road and El Camino Real. Several dozen residents also filled out speaker slips to voice their opinion on the project, and speakers were about evenly divided between supporters and opponents. A group opposed to the project, What Price Main Street, made an orga-
International potluck
nized presentation. Those against the project were generally concerned with the density of the proposed development and the traffic it might generate, while supporters said the community needs the type of focal point – and local shopping and entertainSee PASEO, Page 6
Artist rendering of One Paseo
History textbook free of bias, state claims BY MARSHA SUTTON SENIOR EDUCATION WRITER A complaint objecting to the representation of Islam in the seventh-grade history textbook in use by the San Dieguito Union High School District was rejected Sept. 1 by the California Department of Education, after the CDE sent the complaint to the textbook’s publishers for review. Thomas Adams, director of the standards, curriculum frameworks, and instructional resources division of the CDE, notified SDUHSD superintendent Ken Noah that the publishers of “World His-
tory – Medieval to Early Modern Times” – published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston – reviewed the objections point by point and determined that changes were not needed. “The publisher responded at length to the allegations of inaccuracy included in the complaint,” Adams wrote to Noah. “After reviewing the contents of the original criticisms and the publisher’s response, we have determined that there is no need to change current materials.” “We’re disappointed, [but] it’s not unexpected,” said Michael Hayutin who, with colleagues Linda Sax and James See TEXTBOOK, page 6
Depositions allowed in lawsuit against Del Mar school district Carmel Creek Elementary School held an international potluck Sept. 23, featuring special performances, including a traditional clothing parade as part of a very eventful day. Also, all new families received a flower. At the event: (Above) Vivian Ye, Huining Liang and (right) Matthew Quinn and Coco. See page B8. Photos: Jon Clark
BY MARSHA SUTTON SENIOR EDUCATION WRITER Over the defendant’s objections, a judge ordered at a hearing held Aug. 19 that depositions could be taken of former Del Mar Union School District board members Steven McDowell and Annette Easton, in the case of Sharon McClain vs. the DMUSD. Other rulings overturned DMUSD’s objections to providing documents and
interrogatory responses to former DMUSD superintendent McClain. Attorney Dale Gronemeier, who represents McClain in her case against the school district for wrongful termination, called it a very successful hearing. “We’re starting to get the information we need,” Gronemeier said. “I think we have broken down an approach to the litigation where the other side was See LAWSUIT, Page 19