November 16, 2012
On the Internet at www.MissionValleyNews.com
Volume VI – Number 11
MISSION VALLEY FIRE STATION CLOSER TO REALITY ENGINE COMPANY
45
FUTURE LOCATION
CURRENT LOCATION
ORGANIZING A BETTER SAN DIEGO
This is the architect's rendering of what the new station 45 will look like from Friars Road. (inset) The new station will be built directly across the street from Qualcomm Stadium in what is now used as an alcohol-free family tailgating section. - Rendering courtesy of WLC Architects
A
t last month’s Mission Valley Planning Group meeting, City of San Diego project manager Oscar Galvez announced that the city’s budget and finance committee, chaired by Councilmember Todd Gloria, had approved the final $3.7 million needed to fund the building of Station 45. This station will finally replace the temporary tent station that has been located at the back end of Qualcomm stadium for eight years. On Oct 22, the city council voted to approve the final funding of the station in a unanimous vote.
Ken Barnes, Deputy Chief, Logistics of the SDFD told Mission Valley News that the new station is designed to be able to house an engine, truck, battalion chief, ambulance, and foam 45 (cross staffed). “It is anticipated that when construction is completed in 2015, the station will initially house Engine 45 and Foam 45. The site will be prepared however to accommodate additional units as response times, traffic patterns and housing density change in the future and drive the realignment or addition of resources,” said Barnes.
By Vince Meehan There’s a new posh hotel here in Mission Valley, but you won’t find caviar or wine on the room service menu. Instead, you will find doggie-biscuits and chew toys because this place is literally for the dogs. Pooch Hotel is hard to miss with its emerald green exterior panels visible from the I-8 freeway adjacent to the Mission Valley Shopping Center. Mission Valley News met with Pooch Hotel director of operations Charles Simpson for a pre-opening tour of the doggie resort. Justin Cyrul Brianna Hitchcock and Simpson said Pooch Hotel has been designed both sonically and atmospherically to eliminate the wall of noise and odor most people associate with a kennel or shelter. Noise baffles are mounted on the walls, and industrial sized air conditioning ducts continuously pump huge amounts of air in and out of the facility to ensure a fresh ambiance. The pampered dogs are housed in suites complete with bed and blankets, and personal widescreen TVs broadcasting DOG TV. Each suite and every room in the facility are equipped with webcams which ensure transparency as well as providing dog owners a way to check up on their pooches no matter where they are. There are three activity
By Vince Meehan ission Valley is home to the monthly breakfast meetings for A Better San Diego, a non-profit organization made up of community groups, faith-based organizations and a heavy dose of working class family members. Lorena Gonzalez, the Secretary-Treasurer and CEO of the San Diego and Imperial County Labor Council, is the founder of A Better San Diego and started the organization almost a year ago. Gonzalez’s goal was to create a coalition of citizens outside of the Labor Council to address issues at a community level. Coffee, donuts and machaca burritos are the reward for devoted attendees who attend these 8 a.m. meetings. The first half hour is a mixer, with representatives and activists jockeying for position to bend the ear of a prominent member. It is not unusual to see high-profile politicians, such as San Diego City Councilman Todd Gloria and State Senator Diane Keystone, kibitzing with attendees until the speakers start at 8:30 a.m. At that point, audience members take their seats while three speakers give a short presentation based on the theme of the month. The monthly theme can range from the foreclosure crisis to the pitfalls of minimum wage. These speakers are the focal point of the educational forums, and the deliveries can range from touching to blustering, depending on the speaker. Many times speakers tell of hardship, discrimination, or unfair working conditions to a hush and rapt crowd. Other times the delivery is
See POOCH page 3
See BETTERSANDIEGO page 5
M
A DOG'S LIFE
The Toyland Parade Festival Page 4
Dîner En Blanc comes to San Diego Page 3 The Best of Awards are here! Page 7