By Solana Beach Mayor Joe Kellejian

I would like to talk about what I believe makes a great community.  It’s when the business community and the City have a great working relationship, each benefitting and thriving off one another.

When the business community is strong, the community is strong. Businesses are the lifeblood of the City.  Not only do you provide the needed goods and services, but you provide sales tax revenue to maintain and improve the operation of this wonderful city.

One of the primary goals of the City in the coming year is to better assist the business community in attracting and retaining “clean” businesses as they are a great fit for Solana Beach.

I again, truly believe that in order to sustain a vibrant community, you need to have a thriving business sector, and the City is here to assist the Chamber of Commerce to achieve this goal.

So with that being said, I would like to briefly discuss a few significant projects that will be breaking ground in the very near future that will have tremendous positive impacts to both the City and the business community.

First, we have the sand replenishment projects that will have a beneficial impact throughout the community. Increasing the amount of sand on our local beaches will result in increased recreational opportunities throughout the year, dramatically impacting tourism and drawing people into the City to shop at our businesses and eat at our restaurants.

The City is excited about the regional beach sand project which is expected to begin this April, and the federal Army Corps of Engineers project, which is on track to be approved in 2013. The proposed federal sand replenishment project would be a 50 year project with continuous sand replenishment, which will have a significant and ongoing positive impact on our local economy.

Next, I would like to discuss the exciting Highway 101 Revitalization project that is scheduled to break ground this year as well. Some of the project improvements include widening the sidewalks ,narrowing the medians while at the same time enhancing the landscaping and increasing the number of parking spaces on the west side.

Other positive aspects of the project will include making the Solana Beach Highway 101 Corridor more pedestrian and bicycle friendly, reducing speeds of vehicles, installation of art nodes and incorporating various “interesting people meeting/gathering places” along the corridor.

But what I am really excited about is that once the project is complete, it will be the final piece of the “downtown loop” that the City has always envisioned.

It will complete the loop between the Cedros Design District, the pedestrian bridges and the Coastal Rail Trail to now include a revitalized and thriving Highway 101 corridor.

We believe that this will turn Solana Beach into a true “destination” location that will attract people from all over, especially with the Train Station located right in the middle of it all.

People will come to Solana Beach to eat, shop, and enjoy the natural beauty of the area, in a pedestrian and bicycle friendly style. Highway 101 will no longer be the cut through to I-5 and will be the envy of the cities state wide.

Finally, I would like to briefly talk about the NCTD Train Station development. I’m excited and optimistic that the recent positive momentum of the City and NCTD finally working together will result in a development at the train station site that fits the community character and will benefit the business community as well.

The recent Memorandum of Understanding that was signed by all parties is a significant step in the right direction to finally get an appropriate development at that site that will positively impact the “downtown loop”. The right type of development will further entice people to take the train to our beautiful City and get out and eat, shop and enjoy the area instead of just passing through on the way to another destination.

We truly believe that the right type of development will be a great asset to the community and we are dedicated to bringing something to the community for their review and comments sometime this year.

Now, I would like to switch gears and discuss how the City and the Chamber of Commerce can work together to develop and implement programs that will benefit the business community as a whole.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this talk, I believe that a truly thriving City must have a strong business community, and the City is motivated and dedicated to building a strong bond with the Chamber to make this a reality.

So, I would like to take this opportunity to discuss a couple of new programs that I would like to focus on in the coming year that will bring us closer together to help out local business community.

The first program I would like to work with the Chamber on promoting is the SDG&E Direct Install Program. This is a free service provided by SDG&E where trained technicians will come to your business and provide, for free, certain energy efficiency and conservation upgrades that will lower your energy demand and therefore lower your energy costs, saving you money.

This program is aimed at small businesses, so please stay tuned as we work with the Chamber to get you more information.

The second program I would like to see happen this year is the development of a “Solana Beach Car-Free Vacation” program.

Several other cities throughout the state have very successful programs already in place, so it would just be a matter of utilizing an already successful model and tailoring it to our City’s needs.   The basic program involves Amtrak offering a discount to those who travel to Solana Beach by train and sign-up for the “Solana Beach Car-Free Vacation.”

The program also involves local businesses giving  incentives or discounts to those vacationing here if they come without their cars or park their cars and get out and walk or bike.

Local businesses will benefit from the increased exposure and revenue from those utilizing the program, as well as free advertising on public outreach materials.

This provides a benefit to the local economy as well as promoting the City as a clean and green community that promotes alternative modes of transportation and reducing our carbon footprints.

Next, I will be asking the City Council to implement a local “Clean Business” award program, designed to help businesses become sustainable or “clean.”

This will be primarily a City driven program but will involve local businesses as well. I won’t get into too many details since its still in the discussion stages, but it will most likely be a self-certification process that involves Pollution Prevention, Energy Conservation, Water Conservation and Solid Waste Reduction programs.

The businesses that qualify would benefit by receiving free publicity through the City in the forms of eBlasts, website mentions, “Shorelines” newsletter highlights and  a certificate to hang in their place of business. Again, this will be driven by the City and will need Council approval, but I wanted to just mention it you, so you are aware of another exciting opportunity.

Finally, I would like to let you all know about another new program that has exciting potential to boost the local economy.

The City is currently working with the 22nd Ag District to provide a free shuttle during the fair and horse-racing season.

The shuttle will be paid for by the Fairgrounds and will run daily from the fairgrounds through Solana Beach and stop at pre-determined locations on Dahlia Street, Plaza Street, at the Train Station and on South Cedros Avenue to drop people off to enjoy our local businesses. This will be a great marketing opportunity for local businesses to capitalize on during a busy season for the fairgrounds.

The City will assist our local businesses in this marketing effort to reach as many people as possible and entice them to come eat and shop in Solana Beach.

So, in conclusion, I would like to just thank the Chamber of Commerce for allowing me to discuss the City’s plans for the upcoming year to enhance the local economy in conjunction with the local businesses.

The City and the Chamber have a great working relationship and we hope to just continue strengthening this bond to benefit the community as a whole.

Remember, a strong business sector is the key to a vibrant and thriving community.

Thank You!

The man, who officials said was in his 50s, was with a group of three family and friends, when a member of the party spotted him face down on his boogie board around 4 p.m.

“At first he thought he was looking at fish, but then he realized there was  a major problem,” Vergne said.

His group and some bystanders brought him to shore. Paramedics and lifeguards arrived on scene and tried to revive him, but he was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. — Claire Harlin

For critically ill children, it’s hard enough being hospitalized. The changing numbers and constant drip of the bedside IV monitor can only add more stress to a traumatic experience.

Audrey Eller displays a blanket she made as part of her Covers With Love effort. She’s given more than 50 similar blankets to Rady Children’s Hospital. photo: Claire Harlin

In addition to the pole covers, Eller has designed a fleece blanket that fits perfectly over a child’s lap when sitting in a wheelchair.

“They can take it with them when they go to therapy and there is a pocket on top that can hold a book or a journal,” she said.

Eller has made about 50 of the blankets for kids at Rady, many of which will be used in Rady’s “Camp Reach for the Sky,” which is geared specifically for kids with cancer. At the camp, headed by Steve Barbosa, each child will be given a blanket with a flashlight inside the pocket.

Barbosa gave a moving presentation of thanks to attendees of the Feb. 15 Del Mar-Solana Beach Optimist Club meeting. He said kids are often easier to treat than adults because they have faith and still believe in magic.

“When patients are loved that helps with the healing process,” said Barbosa, who has a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and said he studied the magic different cultures have embraced in objects, such as crucifixes.

He asked Eller how long it takes to construct one blanket, and she replied, “about an hour and a half.”

“That time and energy doesn’t just float away,” he said. “Fundamentally, these objects are cloth and thread, but they mean more than that. They are a symbol of someone else’s love, time and effort — and that’s magic.”

Eller’s idea to make the pole covers sprung from her own traumatic hospitalization experience.

“I remember the drip, drip, drip and it was terrible,” she said.

Rady spokeswoman Dawn Ivy said Eller has also helped make more than 300 baby caps and booties for hospital patients.

“The kids who receive these gifts in the hospital really cherish them,” she said. “When we see patients 10 years later, they still have them.”

For more information or to drop off cover donations, visit www.coverswithlove.com; 760-510-9535; email: audrey@coverswithlove.com

Brothers Pat, Kevin and Dave Kenny grew up near the first-ever Jersey Mike’s Subs and have built a community around their Solana Beach franchise — the busiest of 525 locations. Photo: Claire Harlin

By Claire Harlin
editor@delmartimes.net

Patrick, Dave and Kevin Kenny grew up four miles away from the first-ever Jersey Mike’s Subs, which has served the Jersey Shore community of Point Pleasant since 1956.

“We ate there every day,” said Kevin, a 37-year-old triathlete. He said he used to order the “giant No. 7 with turkey and provolone,” and identical twins Patrick and Dave, 36, used to split the club supreme.

“Sandwiches were big in our life,” Kevin said. “My mom had five boys so it really helped her.”

That sandwich shop was such a big part of the brothers’ lives that they eventually decided in 2010 to open a Jersey Mike’s at 915 Lomas Santa Fe, and the franchise is a near West Coast replica of the original. Both are situated right next to an Einstein Bros Bagels and about a mile from the beach. They are both run like a family-owned “mom and pop,” with customers returning time and time again — some even daily. The brothers not only greet regulars by name upon entering the shop, but they often remember their sandwich of choice.

“We run the place like it’s the original store,” said energetic Kevin, who runs and swims every morning, and stayed standing and moving during a recent morning interview at the shop. “It reminds us so much of where we grew up, and we treat it like a mom and pop deli.”

Another striking similarity to the Point Pleasant location, which serves a high influx of vacationers, is volume. In 2011, the Solana Beach location broke the record as being the busiest Jersey Mike’s location — out of 525 shops. The success has been so great for the Kenny brothers that their brother Chris joined them in San Diego to open a La Jolla franchise last month.

Kevin said the shop’s high numbers are a result of their relationship with the community — they love their customers as much as the many kids’ sports teams and nonprofits they donate food to — and their efficiency.

Kevin said the collaboration between him and his brothers is like that of a well-oiled football team.

“I’m always at the slicer, which is like the quarterback, Pat’s the sprinkler and Dave’s at the register,” said Kevin. The “sprinkler,” he said, is the one who dresses the sandwiches.

On any given day at lunchtime, visitors to the shop can witness the method to their madness and move through the packed line in a matter of a few minutes. Kevin said the brothers build about 900 sandwiches on a busy day, most between noon and 1 p.m.

“We probably do about 200 an hour during the rush,” he said.

The red-headed brothers, who all live together in Del Mar, attribute their cohesiveness and work ethic to their many years of working together. From a young age, they all worked together at their family’s pharmacy. Kevin moved to North County about a decade ago so he could train year-round for the Iron Man triathlon, and the twins sold the pharmacy and joined Kevin in San Diego only a few years ago. The three were thrilled to have their brother, 28-year-old Chris, join them in March — just in time to help open the La Jolla shop.

The brothers work every day of the week, sometimes well over 10 hours a day, and they wouldn’t have it any other way, Kevin said.
“We’ve been working every day together our whole life,” said Kevin. “We are in sync — we don’t have to ask each other anything. We just react.”

Oversight boards are made up of seven members consisting of two members appointed by the City Council, two members appointed by the County Board of Supervisors, one member appointed by the largest special district within the RDA (Santa Fe Irrigation District), a member appointed by the County Board of Education, and a member appointed by the Chancellor of the Community College District.

The specific tasks of the Oversight board include directing the staff of the Successor Agency, having fiduciary responsibilities to holders of enforceable obligations, approving actions of the Successor Agency and establishing the Recognized Payment Obligation Payment Schedule. It is expected that members of the Oversight Board will serve until July, 2016.

If you have an interest in serving on the City’s Oversight Board, please complete an application and submit to the City Clerk’s Department at: 635 South Highway 101, Solana Beach, CA 92075 or via email to dking@cosb.org

For more information, please contact Dan King at dking@cosb.org

Two contentious legal issues that have dogged the Del Mar Fairgrounds for years — one an allegation of Coastal Act violations by the state officials and the other a lawsuit filed by neighboring jurisdictions  over plans for redeveloping the fairgrounds — may both be on the verge of settlement.

The proposed settlements were announced Wednesday night (Feb. 15) by Adam Day, president of the board of directors of the 22nd District Agricultural Association, the entity that runs the state-owned fairgrounds.

According to Day, the board voted unanimously in closed session to approve two settlement agreements, one with the California Coastal Commission and the other with the cities of Del Mar and Solana Beach and the San Dieguito River Park Joint Powers Authority.

The 22nd DAA has agreed to spend about $5 million over the next five years on a series of environmental measures to settle its dispute with the Coastal Commission which spans more than a decade, said Day.

Details of the lawsuit settlement have not yet been made public.

In an interview, Day characterized the potential settlements as “monumental,” and said they indicate the fair board’s willingness to set aside past differences and establish better working relationships with other governmental agencies.

“I’m hopeful this will be the start of the new era of close collaboration and cooperation between our district and the Coastal Commission and surrounding cities and residents of the region,” Day said.  “This new board wants to start fresh, and with these actions, we’re putting our money where our mouth is, literally and figuratively.”

The nine-member, unpaid 22nd DAA board is appointed by the governor.  Last year, incoming Gov. Jerry Brown dismissed five board members and appointed five new members.  Wednesday’s vote on the settlements came one day after new board member Tom Chino resigned, citing his inability to pass reforms in the operations of the fair board to make its work more transparent and open to the public.

The proposed settlement with the Coastal Commission was negotiated over the past six weeks by Day and fair board member David Watson, working with Coastal Commission staff, said Day.  The Coastal Commission is scheduled to consider the proposed settlement at its March 8 meeting in Chula Vista.

Among the actions agreed to by the fair board as part of the settlement are:

•Restoring the entire south overflow lot at the fairground to wetlands, meaning a loss of about 1,500 parking spaces during major events such as the San Diego County Fair and Del Mar horse races.

•Restoring a 100-foot wetlands buffer along the southern edge of the south and east overflow lots and the golf driving range.

•Construction of a portion of the Coast to Crest Trail (which is planned to run from the beach at Del Mar to the mountains near Julian) and a buffer along the southern and western edges of the fairgrounds property.

•Removal of concrete rip-rap from the north shore of the San Dieguito River and restoration of the area.

•Paying the River Park JPA $20,000 per year for five years to maintain the newly restored wetlands and buffer areas.

The proposed settlement also calls for the 22nd DAA to provide complimentary booth space during the fair for public education on coastal conservation issues, install interpretive signs along the restored areas, organize an annual river park cleanup and take other steps related to outreach and education.

The lawsuit was filed against the district in May by the two cities and the river park JPA.  It alleges deficiencies in the environmental impact report prepared for the 22nd DAA’s new master plan, including analysis of traffic, lighting, noise and pollution.

The master plan approved by the fair board in April includes replacement of two 50-year-old exhibit halls, widening the turf track used for horse racing, and adding a health club, parking garage and an electronic reader board sign visible from Interstate 5.  The board scratched controversial plans to build a hotel-condo on the property.

Day said all four parties have agreed to “settlement points” regarding the lawsuit, and the next step will be for attorneys representing the entities to draft a formal agreement.  Once that is completed, the agreement will be presented to the court, and it is anticipated the lawsuit would be dropped, Day said.  He said he hopes the agreement can be finalized within the next 30 days.

Del Mar Mayor Carl Hilliard said two months ago, his city and Solana Beach put forward a proposal to settle the lawsuit, and he said it appears the fair board has accepted that proposal.  But he said he had not seen the proposed settlement approved by the board.

“Until we see the details, we won’t know if we have an opportunity to settle this or not,” Hilliard said.  “It certainly seems promising.”

Solana Beach Councilwoman Lesa Heebner said the council is scheduled to discuss the lawsuit in closed session at its meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 22, and that approval of a settlement could be announced at that time.

Dick Bobertz, executive director of the River Park JPA, said he was instructed by attorneys not to discuss the lawsuit, or a potential settlement, until both sides sign a final agreement.  But he did confirm that the lawsuit was discussed by the JPA board at its meeting Friday morning (Feb. 17) and the board gave instructions to its attorney.  The board also authorized the attorney to settle the lawsuit if its conditions are met, without an additional board vote.

The workshops are presented by Future College Athlete and sponsored by the Canyon Crest Academy Foundation. Cost for the workshops is $175, which includes four student-athlete workshops and one parent workshop.

To register, visit www.futurecollegeathlete.com and click on the “College Counseling” tab or visit the CCA Foundation website: www.canyoncrestfoundation.org

Space is limited and registration must be mailed by Feb. 18.

These workshops are open to all high school students from any school playing at any level – Divisions I, II, III and junior college.  Grade-specific workshop sessions will be available for freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors.  Students will receive valuable insights into college admissions and college athletics with presentations by current and former college coaches on the timelines different sports and divisions operate under.  Learn about NCAA, NAIA, and junior college rules and how they may affect the student. Get educated on what coaches are looking for in a student’s resume, emails, and recruiting videos. Listen to guest speakers talk about admissions, SATs, ACTs, scholarships, academic support, strength and conditioning, and much more.

To learn more about the CCA Foundation, or to make a donation online, visit www.canyoncrestfoundation.org. The Canyon Crest Academy Foundation is a nonprofit, parent volunteer organization dedicated to realizing CCA’s educational programs and priorities through financial, volunteer and community support.

Canyon Crest Academy is part of the San Dieguito Union High School District and is located at 5951 Village Center Loop Road, San Diego, CA 92130; www.sduhsd.net/cc/

René Clausen conducts the Concordia College Choir. Concordia College photo.

The internationally-known Concordia Choir that sang to a packed audience here several years ago is coming to Calvary Lutheran Church for a return engagement Saturday evening, March 3.

The 72-voice a cappella group – made up of students from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn. – is on a 17-city tour that will take it through Minnesota, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and California.

Since it was formed in 1920, different variations of the choir have sung in major halls throughout the United States and Europe. It recently released a recording with the Grammy Award-winning King’s Singers, and it has performed several times with Garrison Keillor.

The group will sing spirituals and hymns during its 2012 tour, which will include stops March 4 in Palm Desert, March 6 in Thousand Oaks and March 7 in San Luis Obispo. The only local concert will be held March 3 at 7:30 p.m. at Calvary, 424 Via de la Valle.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students and can be purchased online at www.ConcordiaTickets.com or by calling (800) 838-3006. They will also be sold at the door.

Renowned composer René Clausen will conduct the choir. He has written more than 100 commissioned compositions for ensembles around the world including the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. On the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 national tragedy, he conducted his composition “MEMORIAL” in Lincoln Center, New York City.

Concordia College is a four-year liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. It offers more than 60 majors, including 18 honors majors and 12 pre-professional programs.

Produced by Westward Expos, the event takes place March 2-4.

The Show focuses on San Diego-area experts, services, products, and businesses. Visitors find everything they need to save time and money improving, refreshing, or remodeling their home and outdoor surroundings—from the latest in appliances to garden lighting, from fencing to security systems, from baths to sunrooms.

In addition to a huge main hall where hundreds of exhibitors showcase the newest products and hottest trends, all at special low show prices, the show offers several unique home and garden features (included in admission) that provide extraordinary added value. These truly set the Spring Home/Garden Show apart from all imitators.

• Tour “The Garden Masters,” the largest and best collection of display gardens created expressly for any weekend expo. Enjoy 20 theatrically lit gardens created specifically for this year’s Show by professional landscape architects, designers, and contractors. Emphasizing a “Water Smart” theme, the gardens will illustrate how to create strikingly attractive gardens, while at the same time conserving precious water resources.

• “Ask The Experts” allows attendees to consult face-to-face with experts and chapter representatives of professional organizations and even building department representatives.  All consultations are complimentary in the “Ask the Experts” area.

• Visit the “All About Gardens” areas for free garden-related seminars throughout the weekend (five hours total each day) and gain priceless knowledge from top San Diego garden experts, including authors Debra Lee Baldwin, Pat Welsh, and Nan Sterman. Topics like “How to Have A Beautiful, Water Smart Yard” include instruction on designing with succulents, creating sustainable landscapes, clearing the yard of thirsty plants, the latest efficient water delivery hardware, information and visuals on recommended plant materials, and a docent-led walking tour of an impressive display garden containing many of the suggested plant materials.

• In “The Garden Marketplace” select from hundreds of varieties of plants on sale direct from San Diego-area garden and plant societies, clubs, and other local growers—who also enjoy giving planting tips and advice.

Bargains? The Spring Home/Garden Show is a home and garden shopper’s paradise. Special pricing is a big attraction for any homeowner looking for deep one-time-only savings. The Marketplace is also an ideal opportunity to easily arrange for multiple bids on any home project, be it shutters, doors, windows, skylights, or hundreds of other essentials. Save TIME and money!

Show hours are:  Friday, March 2, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, March 3, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Sunday, March 4, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission: $8.00; children under 12 are free. Seniors: only $1 on Friday. After 3 pm daily, all tickets $6.00. Discount tickets on the show’s website are $6.00. For more information visit: www.springhomegardenshow.com.

The WaHB Expo will be held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds on Saturday, March 3, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, March 4, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.  Purchase your tickets online in advance to receive a discount price of $8. Tickets will also be available at the door for $10, or a two-day pass for $15. Active duty military with ID and children under 12 receive free admission.

For more information, visit www.wahbexpo.com, or contact s