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THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2016
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Rancho Bernardo property crimes continue to rise
INSIDE
Violent crimes decline in first half of 2016
Hikers advised to be safe out there. A3
■ Reader Poll, A2 ■ Then and Now, A6 ■ Calendar, A7 ■ Crime, A12 ■ Opinion, A16 ■ Obituaries, A18
‘Arsenic and Old Lace,’ opens Aug. 12 at the Welk Theatre. B4
■ Sports, B1 ■ Entertainment, B4 ■ Vacation Photos, B7 ■ Classifieds, B8 ■ Business, B15 Rancho Bernardo/4S Ranch News Journal
An Edition of
14023 Midland Road Poway, CA 92064 (858) 218-7200 pomeradonews.com
Vol. 64, ISSUE 10
ELIZABETH MARIE HIMCHAK
NEW PLANTS COMING
Slope enhancements are underway at The Promontory, which overlooks the intersection of Rancho Bernardo Road and West Bernardo Drive. Tami Daiber, chief operating officer for Carleton Management, Inc., which owns the office building, said it has been 30 years since a significant landscaping renovation has occurred. Several eucalyptus and pine trees were removed. The new landscaping will feature lower growth vegetation that is less of a fire hazard and sensitive to drought conditions, she said. The project will likely be done by October.
Rancho Bernardo parents succeed in getting school bus BY ELIZABETH MARIE HIMCHAK High Country West parents of Bernardo Heights Middle School students have been successful in getting Poway Unified School District to reinstate bus service to their neighborhood. The service was discontinued several years ago.
"I think it’s awesome," said Teresa Backer, whose sixth grade son will be among bus riders. She was among those leading the effort. "For me, as a parent, to not have to worry (about his transportation) has made my life simpler. "I have two children at Turtleback SEE BUS, A11
BY ELIZABETH MARIE HIMCHAK Continuing the trend of last year, in 2016 Rancho Bernardans again saw property crime rise during the first half of the year, though not as severely. Recently released crime statistics by the San Diego Police Department showed there were 26 additional property crimes from January to June of this year, compared to 2015 when the increase over 2014 was 43 incidents. The majority of the 2016 increases were burglaries, with 47 residential burglaries (up from 35 during the first six months of 2015) and 29 commercial burglaries (an increase from 16 the year before). There were also 140 incidents of theft, five more than in 2015, and 38 auto thefts (down from 42). Due to the additional crimes, Rancho Bernardo’s property crime ranking went from 28th place citywide among San Diego’s 125 areas to 30th place this year. Its crimes-per-1,000-residents rate increased from 10.92 per 1,000 in 2015 to 12.11 per 1,000 in 2016. The citywide rate was 21.73 property crimes per 1,000 San Diegans this year. Last year it was 20.47 per 1,000. Violent crimes declined in the first half of 2016, due to there being 68 percent fewer aggravated assaults (six instead of last year’s 19). There were three reported rapes (none in the same period of 2015) and eight robberies (same as 2015), for a total of 17 violent crimes, 10 fewer than the year before. Despite the decrease in violent crimes, Rancho Bernardo’s violent crime ranking remained at 18th place citywide. There was improvement in its crimes-per-1,000-residents rate, however. It went from 1.29 per 1,000 residents in 2015 to 0.81 per 1,000 residents this year. Citywide violent crimes declined as well, going from 4.22 violent crimes per 1,000 residents in the first half of 2015 to 3.86 violent crimes per 1,000 residents this year. SEE CRIME, A11
San Diego sues Palomar College over RB campus City wants another environmental impact report completed BY ELIZABETH MARIE HIMCHAK The City of San Diego is suing Palomar College to prevent it from proceeding with its new Rancho Bernardo campus without completing another environmental impact report. A petition for writ of mandate and
complaint for injunctive relief was filed in Superior Court on July 15 after the San Diego City Council decided to try to stop the project until another EIR is completed that adequately addresses concerns related to traffic, parking and greenhouse emissions.
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“This project was developed without any respect for the community’s concerns,” said City Councilman Mark Kersey, whose district includes Rancho Bernardo. “Because none of the city’s responses to the EIR were taken into consideration, I asked my colleagues
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to support taking legal action to address the impacts of the project before it moves forward.” “We’re aware the city filed the complaint ... (but) Palomar College’s policy is to not respond to pending or current litigation,” SEE PALOMAR, A10
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