See VACCINATION page 16

See TRAILS page 11

See ELECTION page 12

See LAWSUIT page 17

Reaction has been swift and negative to the apparent demands from federal and

state wildlife agencies that access to Mission Trails Regional Park be severely curtailed, and in some cases completely blocked.

According to a letter from both the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, trails that have been created since the 1985 Master Development plan for the park must be blocked off, closed and returned to natural habitat.

Many of the people involved in the initial creation and subse-quent development of the park are outraged at what they feel is governmental overreach in what should be a local and regional matter.

Former San Diego City Councilmember Judy McCarty summed up the reaction of many of the park stakeholders.

“It makes my blood boil!”, McCarty said. “Public access to

public parks is my motto. Their motto is command and control. It’s not a preserve, it’s a park. We ran and won a campaign on that point. I hope the City will fight for our regional park. It would have the support of the people, that’s for sure.”

All this came to light as the city

embarked on the needed master plan update required by law.

The wildlife agencies claim that unauthorized trail con-struction over and above those trails authorized back in 1985 are endangering a whole list of

December 17th is the sched-uled date for the beginning

of a court trial before Judge Curtis Karnow. There will be no jury involved.

The San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) has filed two lawsuits against the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, alleging

the MWD (Metropolitan Water District) has illegally jacked up the rates it charges San Diego for the water it sells us.

Metropolitan is the umbrella agency that delivers water from both the State Water Project and the Colorado River to 26 water agencies in five Southern California counties.

There are a number of facets to the overall picture here, and they’ll become apparent as cover-age of this issue continues.

In a nutshell, though, here’s what SDCWA says this is all about.

Metropolitan was more than a

Many San Diego children lack the proper protection

against diseases such as whoop-ing cough and measles, even after years of public outreach to con-vince skeptical parents that there is no link between childhood vac-cinations and autism spectrum disorders.

The most recent available data shows that almost every school in San Diego has children who are behind on their shots, but two schools in San Carlos and Del Cerro have among the highest rates of kindergarteners who not fully immunized against some of the worst infectious diseases for children.

At Dailard Elementary in San Carlos, only 60 out of 99 kindergarten students were fully immunized at the start of the school year in 2012, accord-ing to data from the California Department of Health.

At St. Therese Academy in Del Cerro, fewer than half of 33 kin-dergarteners had completed their immunizations by the start of the 2012 school year. That proportion put St. Therese Academy among the top 20 schools in San Diego County with the highest rates of students who were not fully immunized.

The principals of St. Therese Academy and Dailard

Water war lawsuit goes to trial

Mission Trails users irate over Wildlife Agencies’ closure ideas

By Doug CurleeEditor

Mission Trails battle heats up

FINAL MAYORAL UPDATE BEFORE ELECTION

The differences between the mayoral candidates have

begun to emerge in the final weeks before the Nov. 19 elec-tion to elect a mayor to replace Bob Filner.

Vaccination controversy

By Jeremy OgulMission Times Courier

By Doug CurleeEditor

Too many kids in kindergarten are not being vaccinated – Why?

By Jeremy Ogul

A Superior Court judge in San Francisco may end up deciding how much you’re going to pay for water far into the foreseeable future.

The candidates have finally

began to transcend the clichéd messaging of “moving forward” and “bringing people together” that have dominated their cam-paigns so far.

Mike Aguirre, who has prac-tically no chance of winning the election, took advantage of his

opportunity in the spotlight at an Oct. 14 debate hosted by KPBS to constantly bring the message back to the issue of city employee pensions and the burden those pensions put on the city.

“This election is about more than money and power,” Aguirre said. “Morally it matters who

Mission Times Courier

November 2013 On the Internet at www.MIssIONTIMesCOurIer.com Volume XIX – Number 11

6612-B Mission Gorge Road, San Diego, CA 92120619-282-8181 FAX - 619-282-8205

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Marc A. Lewis, D.C.Chiropractic Physican, Clinic Director

Susan G. Komen for the Cure, San Diego provides the County’s largest program of free breast cancer treatments, services and support -

Between faddish “Color Runs” and “Zombie Runs” there are more 5K events that you count. But none have the same level of community impact on breast cancer as the Komen San Diego Race for the Cure set for 8 a.m. on Sunday, November 3 in Balboa Park.

“The Race for the Cure is fun and festive, but this Race is more than just a celebration,” said Laura Farmer Sherman, Executive Director of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, San Diego. “The Race provides critical fund-ing for families in San Diego County touched by breast cancer. 75% of the net funds raised stay right here in San Diego to fund vital education, screening and support services. The remaining 25% supports groundbreaking national research programs.”

Because of generous commu-nity support, in 2012, Komen San Diego is funding:

Diagnostic mammograms, biopsies, MRI’s, ultrasounds and more for women under 40 years old who have nowhere to turn when breast cancer strikes

Temporary financial aid – including rent, mortgage, pre-scription drug payments and more.

Meal delivery for a woman and her entire family

Intensive patient navigation – complete with emotional sup-port for all

The world’s largest invest-ment of breast cancer research – next to the U.S. government. Right now, $42 million is at work to find the cures!

This year’s honorary survivor, Robin Rasmussen Marella, will join forces to stand up against breast cancer along with more than 15,000 San Diegans.

This year’s honorary cancer

survivor, Robin Rasmussen Marella, lost her mother to breast cancer three years before being diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer herself at age 47.

Although she is currently cancer-free, Rasmussen Marella still struggles with the residual effects of the illness and the treatments. Her strength and positive outlook on life serve as an inspiration to everyone that knows her.

“Having breast cancer is an

emotional process but many positive things also come out of it,” said Rasmussen Marella. “It brings so many women together to the point where I have cre-ated a huge support system full of people who share this common denominator.”

The Komen Race for the Cure

is a unique event, designed and implemented to promote positive awareness, education and early detection of breast cancer. It has proved to be an enormously effec-tive way to reach many women and men with the message that breast cancer doesn’t have to be fatal if regular mammograms and breast self-exams become routine.

As well as being a road race for run-ners, the Komen Race for the Cure is an emotionally charged event that attracts many first timers and recre-ational runners. It is an opportu-nity for thousands of women, men and their fami-lies, running or

walking, to share a message of hope and inspiration with their communities.

About Susan G. Komen

for the Cure®, San Diego Since its inception in 1995, Komen San Diego has raised more than $11.9 million to fund local non-profits who provide everything from free diagnostic mammograms and surgeries to meal delivery, child care and tem-porary financial aid. Seventy-five percent of every dollar raised in San Diego stays right here in San Diego County to fund free diag-nostic mammograms, treatment and services for uninsured and underinsured women and their families. The remaining 25 per-cent funds international breast cancer research. In fact, next to the U.S. government, Susan G. Komen for the Cure® is the largest funder of breast cancer research in the world. For more information, please visit www.komensandiego.org.

17th Annual Komen San Diego Race for the Cure - Nov. 3

2 MISSIONTIMESCOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2013LOCAL News

Paid advertising courtesy of Dan Smith Re/Max Lic. 01346593

Tennis is the sport for three Patrick Henry High students who thrive on sharing their passion with others. The young volunteer coaches were awarded the State of California Senate Certificates of Recognition by Senator Joel Anderson of El Cajon for their dedication and commitment to inspiring and mentoring youth and promoting the sport along with health and fitness for kids of all ages. Junior Courtney Gilbert, and freshmen Julia Ronney and Joel Foster have served as vol-unteer coaches collectively for almost 200 hours this year at many community tennis events.

Senator Anderson, a former junior player who attended St. Augustine High, thanked the three Patriots for their dedica-tion and desire to help kids learn the game of tennis from all parts of San Diego, but especially the Navajo and East County areas.

“It’s great to see young play-ers have the spirit to give back to others,” said Senator Anderson, who still enjoys playing the game with his family. “It makes a huge difference to the children receiv-ing their help.”

The Senatorial tennis recep-tion held at Kennedy Park was hosted by One All President Tovi Mosey and sponsored by the Southern California Tennis Association. It drew a crowd of over 50 children, families, teach-ing pros and former world class players from all around San

By Karen RonneyTennis Coach,Author, Educator

Patrick Henry High Students recognized

Diego. There was an introduc-tion to the USTA’s new Ten and Under Tennis program, free on court lessons with pros, a round robin tournament, snacks, drinks, prizes and a raffle.

“I created One All Tennis to bring the sport back to areas of San Diego where children and their parents are hungry

to play,” said Mosey, an East County native who grew up with the sport. “I’d like to put a racket in every child’s hand and give them a chance to play

tennis but it can only happen with a huge amount of volunteer support.”

Other volunteer staff included Valerie Ziegenfuess, a San Diego icon, who was a world class player and part of the original nine that started the Virginia Slims Tour in the 1970’s. Ziegenfuss was joined by Pieter Aldrich, the 1990 U.S. Open Doubles champion. Volunteer San Diego teaching professionals were Woody Yocum and Caroline Vis of Loma Santa Fe Country Club, Aurelie Udall of Tierrasanta Tennis Club, Patti Tibbits of Granite Hills High, Don Ackerly of Valhalla High, Steve Dawson of Carlsbad and Danielle Bryan of Lake Murray Tennis Club. Also present were SCTA Executive Director Bruce Hunt, and Ben Press and David Gill of the Greater San Diego City Tennis Council. Standout

players were Lee Whitwell, a two-time NCAA Division II doubles champion, and Wanda Yocum, an outstanding junior in the 1980’s. In addition to Patrick Henry’s volunteer crew of Gilbert, Ronney and Foster, other young teach-ers were Valhalla High’s Amada DiGiovanni and Danielle Ug.

Javier Leos of El Centro trav-eled over 110 miles to experience the free One All Tennis Festival with his family. It was an oppor-tunity to introduce his children to the sport.

“The kids had a blast,” Leos said. “They usually get tired of exercising after about an hour but they just kept playing. Even my 5-year-old liked it. I think I’m going to find tennis classes near my home.”

Vanessa Rooks-Brown of Rancho San Diego, the 1991 CIF San Diego Singles Champion and a Texas A & M standout, enjoyed the USTA Tennis Festival with her two children. She said it was a great experience playing the USTA’s Ten and Under Tennis format.

“It’s a great day when you can bring together amazing vol-unteers and all of these young kids,” Rooks-Brown said. “Some of them have never picked up a racket. Bringing tennis back to this community could be the start of something big.”

Karen Ronney, USPTA and PTR Email: kronney@yahoo.com or ronney@scta.usta.com

Three Patrick Henry High Students Receive Senatorial Certificates of Recognition for Volunteerism

Patrick Henry High volunteers who received the Calif State Senate Certificates of Recognition presented by Senator Joel Anderson of El Cajon

MISSIONTIMESCOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2013 3LOCAL News

By Sari ReisOwner of Mission Valley Pet Sitting

www.missionvalleypetsitting.com

As a professional pet sitter and dog walker, I have often been asked about dog crates. “Are they good for dogs or are they a form of cruelty?” My answer, “It depends on how the crate is presented to

the dog and how it is used. If the dog is properly introduced to the crate and it is utilized in a positive manner, then it is a won-derful place. If on the other hand, the dog is forced into the crate, or abandoned there for long periods of time, it can become a cruel and abusive imprisonment”

Crates are particularly good for puppies. They are very help-ful with potty training and with

Dog Crates: Safe Haven or Solitary Confinementprotecting your home until the excitable and inquisitive puppy learns the house rules. When purchasing the crate, make sure it is the appropriate size. Large enough for the puppy to stand, turn around, and lie down on his side, but no bigger. If the crate is too large, the puppy can elimi-nate in it without coming into contact with the mess, and that is not a good thing. The puppy should be introduced to the

crate slowly. Put a toy and some treats in the crate and let the puppy go in and out exploring at his leisure. As he becomes more familiar and comfortable with it, you can start closing the door for short intervals of time, a few min-utes initially, and then gradually getting longer. Even after he has become comfortable in the crate, he should never be left in it for more than a couple of hours at

a time. This is because he has a small bladder, and more impor-tantly, he needs lots of human interaction for proper socializa-tion. Most puppies can be crated for the night, but keep the crate by your bed so if he whimpers and needs to go out, you can take him. Usually, by age 6 months, he can make it through the night or about 8 hours. Give a name or cue to the puppy when he goes in such as “go to bed” or “go to your house” or “kennel up”.

Adult dogs can also benefit from a crate. It can be a safe place for a rest or downtime when there are a lot of people or children milling around that the dog wishes to avoid. They are also advantageous for traveling long distances in the car or if a dog has an injury or surgery and needs to limit his activity while he heals. Dog crates should never be used as punishment. The dog’s asso-ciation with his crate should be positive; a feel good place where he experiences safety and com-fort. Some dogs use their crates throughout their lifetime. The door is left open so they can enter and exit at will. Put in a soft mat-tress, a water bowl, and a Kong with some treats in it, and you have one happy relaxed dog.

Sari Reis is a Certified Humane Education Specialist and the owner of Mission Valley Pet Sitting Services. For more infor-mation, please contact her at 760-644-0289 or www.mission-valleypetsitting.com.

Common Sense Corner

cracies. While our city employees do work hard, they are saddled with complex processes and old ways of doing business.

That’s where these perfor-mance audits can come in – to really challenge how the city cur-rently operates and outline common- sense reforms for trans-forming each city department.

If you have ideas or sugges-tions on how we can save taxpayer money in the city, please contact me at 619-236-6677 or via email at ScottSherman@sandiego.gov.

By Scott ShermanCity Councilmember

I wanted to update you on an initiative I am a part of to help fix the city’s financial problems. The City’s Audit Committee is currently working on conduct-ing performance audits on city departments.

These audits will examine how well each city department is operating, and suggest ideas for improvement.

You can find the performance audits which have been con-ducted so far this year on the City Auditor’s website.

As I look at the city’s budget today, I can tell you the level of waste and inefficiency in many city departments is staggering.

The city suffers from high labor costs and bloated bureau-

District 7

4 MISSIONTIMESCOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2013PeTs

San Diego Music Awards shine spotlight on local talent

Each year San Diego’s music community gathers to honor one another and celebrate the diverse sounds of our city. Celebrating an eclectic mixture of genres, this year’s San Diego Music Awards was held at Humphrey’s by the Bay on October 16.

For the first time in 23 years the SDMAs were actually post-poned this year. Originally slated for October 9, an impending storm forced promoters to delay the show for a week. As a result, original headliners and four-time nominees The Heavy Guilt, had to cancel their performance. They did, however, snag one award for “Best Alternative.”

With the alt-rock group on tour up the west coast, this left an opening for another live act to play two songs. Pop-blues trio Old Tiger, who hadn’t played a show in several months, were able to fill in. Shortly after their heartfelt performance the band won the award for “Best Pop Album” for their year-old debut, Love Have Mercy.

Other performers also pulled double-duty playing tunes and accepting awards on the same stage. Show opener Sara Petite took the honors for “Best Americana” over many great tal-ents including Sara Watkins who also performed during the cere-mony. Blackout Party took “Best Rock” and followed up by closing out the show with a riotous set of two new songs that proved why they earned the title.

The wide range in these per-formers is a reflection of the scene in San Diego. Bands blur and bend the lines between genres and many musicians collaborate, adding to one another’s work. The nominees and winners of the 2013 awards mirrored that.

Newcomers The Midnight Pine took home “Best Local Recording” for their haunting debut Awake Now. The album is anchored by the talents of the band’s core three members, but also features musician from other local bands including Jason Littlefield and Josh Rice of The Heavy Guilt and Dustin Lothspeich of Old Tiger, among others. The album was recorded in Tim Felton’s home.

Felton is a well-known key-

boardist on the scene as part of Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, Pocket, In Motion Collective, and many other bands.

A vast departure from the del-icate nuances of The Midnight Pine, in-your-face rockers The Burning of Rome were bestowed “Album of the Year” for With Us. The group’s growing suc-cess recently found them on tour with Brit-rock group Psychedelic Furs. Their experimental sound has garnered them loads of atten-tion, and it’s a wonder they didn’t take home more awards with five nominations in all. Losing “Best Live Performer” to The Creepy Creeps seemed the sharpest snub for a band that is known for their infectious live show presence.

In keeping with the theme of

a diverse music culture in San Diego, the surprising, but fit-ting, final winner of the night was Gilbert Castellanos. The world-renowned jazz trumpeter was nominated for four awards, taking home three, including the award announced at the closing of the show: Artist of the Year. The nominees for this category ranged from pop-rock ensemble The Silent Comedy to blues duo

By Jen Van TieghemMission Valley NewsMusic Writer

Little Hurricane to San Diego alt-rock mainstays Pinback. For a solo jazz artist to rise above that stiff competition, Castellanos was surely doing something right over the past year. The tireless musician plays frequently, hosts weekly jazz jams at Seven Grand in North Park and somehow found time to compose and star in an incredible musical, Federal Jazz Project, in the spring. The show’s accompanying album earned Castellanos one of his other wins for “Best Jazz Album.” Having seen this man’s unique skills I can tell you he deserved them all.

Beyond the fun-loving spirit of the SDMAs celebration, it’s important to note that the event is held for a good cause as well.

Guitars for Schools is a collabora-tion between Taylor Guitars and the San Diego Music Foundation. The awards show serves as the main fundraising vehicle for the program, which has served over 40,000 students in its 20-year history.

It is a testament to the power and dedication of the San Diego Music community when year after year this event honors a wide range of talents and puts guitars into the hands of our next generation of local stars.

Clockwise from left: SDMA performers Sara Petite - winner for Best Americana, Blackout Party - winner for Best Rock, and Tristan Prettyman, who was nominated for album and song of the year.

Mixture of music represented by performers and winners

MISSIONTIMESCOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2013 5ARTs & eNTeRTAINMeNT

San Carlos Area Council NewsBy Mickey ZeichickPresident

The next San Carlos Area Council (SCAC) meeting

will be Wednesday, Nov. 6, at 6 p.m. at the San Carlos Branch Library, 7265 Jackson Dr. Our speaker will be Dan McAllister, San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector. Mr. McAllister has sev-eral new topics, including: What is San Diego’s current economic outlook? How does the current housing market look? What is the property tax amount collected to date and what does it mean to our community? How does not paying your property taxes affect our local economy? Where do our property tax dollars go? What are Capital Appreciation Bonds?

Concern continues regard-ing the appearance along some areas of Navajo Road and Lake Murray Blvd. We are working with Ryley Webb of Councilman Scott Sherman’s office to improve these areas.

The Navajo Community Planners, Inc. (NCPI) met on September 16th, and voted not to approve adding 19 parallel parking spaces along the north side of Navajo Road East and West of Golfcrest Drive. At the September SCAC meeting SCAC Directors approved the proposed parking. SCAC is disappointed but we respect and share the concern for safety to motorists and bicyclist whom we felt could “share the road.” So it is back to the drawing board.

NCPI made recommenda-

tions for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Capital Improvement Program. Some of the items on the list are:

Completion of the Grantville Master Plan including its associated envi-ronmental impact report/

Realignment of Alvarado Canyon Road.

Design and resolution of Alvarado Creek storm water and flooding issues.

Widening of Mission Gorge Road and Fairmount Avenue.

Construction of the San Carlos Library.

Replacement of the Allied Gardens Recreation Center.

For more information visit the NCPI website.

Halloween: North American almanacs of the late 18th and

early 19th century give no indi-cation that Halloween was celebrated there. The Puritans of New England, for example, maintained strong opposition to Halloween, and it was not until the mass Irish and Scottish immi-gration during the 19th century that it was brought to North America in earnest. Confined to the immigrant communities during the mid-19th century, it was gradually assimilated into mainstream society and by the

first decade of the 20th century it was being celebrated coast to coast by people of all social, racial and religious backgrounds.

Typical festive Halloween activities include trick-or-treat-ing (also known as “guising”), attending costume parties, deco-rating, carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns, visiting haunted attractions, playing pranks, tell-ing scary stories, and watching horror films. (Source: Wikipedia)

Kids are “trick-or-treating” and may or may not be accompanied by an adult. Kids are kids and we need to help keep them safe. If you wish to have the trick-or-treaters knock on your door, light your walkway and your porch. Provide a treat that is safe and is appropriately wrapped. Kids are our future ... we need them.

The second issue of the SCAC E-Newsletter is being developed. I recently received five banker boxes full of SCAC “stuff.” This along with the boxes I have amassed since joining in 1993, being Secretary in 1994/1995 and President in 1995/1996. Reading the press releases, minutes and notes, I learned a lot. For example, SCAC was originally known as San Carlos Community Council and the first meeting was Feb. 27, 1968. The first President was James Slingsby. Others that were active in the Council were Isabel Romero, Kay Koons, and April Boling. I am writing an article on the “early days” of San Carlos for the E- Newsletter.

If you did not receive a copy of our first E-Newsletter edition, contact me and I will email one to you. Dues are due and the annual cost is $7 per household or $15 for business. All member businesses will be mentioned in the E-Newsletter; it is a good way to advertise to the residents of San Carlos. Additionally, we will highlight a business member (or two) in the each edition.

If you have an issue you wish us to consider or just have a question about the community, or for information about speak-ers, meeting reminders, agendas and other local news, please con-tact me. My contact information is: 619-461-6032 and e-mail is: mrzeichick@gmail.com and I will get back with you. If you wish to be part of our Interested Persons List, let John Pilch and me know. John’s email address is: jfpilch@hotmail.com. Your privacy is respected and your email address will not be used for any purpose other than stated above.

6 MISSIONTIMESCOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2013COUNCIL News

College Area Community Council and Planning Board

See COLLEGE AREA page 18

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Monday - Thursday

Del Cerro Action Council

Del Cerro Community residents were joined by Councilmember Scott Sherman (second from the left) and staff members for a clean-up of the Del Cerro Median on Saturday, October 12.

is very familiar with the Navajo Community and you will find he is very responsive.

The new Police Department’s Community Relations Officer (CRO) for the Navajo Community is Adam McElroy. His phone number at Eastern Division is 858.495.7971 and his email is AMcElroy@pd.sandiego.gov. To check out the City of San Diego website, go to sandiego.gov. To receive e-news updates from Councilmember Sherman’s office go to his website at http://www.sandiego.gov/citycouncil/cd7/index.shtml.

Our Next Mayor

Tuesday, Nov. 19, is the date of the primary election for our next mayor. With the number of candidates running, your vote is important. Please take the time to review the candidates. Support your candidate and cast your appropriate vote in person or with an absentee ballot. Special elections generally have a low voter turnout. Hopefully all of us will honor the right to vote and cast a ballot.

Del Cerro Action Council

The quarterly meeting of the Del Cerro Action Council (DCAC) met on Thursday, Oct. 24 and this article had to be submitted before DCAC met. Information reported by Police Department CRO Adam McElroy, will be posted on the DCAC website. There will also be a recap of the presentation by the County Water Authority regard-ing the proposed bond measure to provide another delivery system for bringing water to San Diego from Northern California. If you have a question or comment regarding Del Cerro and/or the Navajo Community, please go to delcerroactioncouncil.org and post it. The next DCAC meeting will be Thursday, Jan. 23, 2014.

Hearst Elementary School

Fall Festival Mark your calendar for

Saturday, Nov. 9, from 3 to 7 p.m. for the annual “Fall Festival” for Hearst Elementary School and the Community. There are always plenty of crazy games, lots of food, and entertainment for everyone. Stop by and have a great time.

By Jay WilsonPresident

Del Cerro Boulevard Clean-Up

A very big community “Thank You” to Kathy Hughes for

organizing a very successful clean-up work party for the Del Cerro Blvd. median on Saturday morning, Oct. 12. Community members including students from Patrick Henry, Cub Scouts, resi-dents, plus Councilmember Scott Sherman and his wife Norma, Barrett Tetlow, his Chief-of-Staff, and Ryley Webb, his Council Representative for Del Cerro and San Carlos, all pitched in for a very successful community event.

Everyone met in the parking lot at Del Cerro Blvd. and Madra Avenue. Kathy stated “I am so impressed with the number of people who showed up and ready to work. We started at

Madra Ave. and worked east in the median. We pulled weeds, trimmed bushes, and picked up trash. Councilmember Sherman filled his truck twice to remove greenery to the Miramar Landfill. We also filled 18 bags with clip-pings and we still had two very large piles of cut brush. I hand delivered flyers throughout the neighborhood inviting people to lend a hand.

We really made a difference on Saturday. The positive com-ments from residents driving and walking by were also encourag-ing. A number of them stated they would be willing and ready to help next time. It is my inten-tion to do this again in November. I will be distributing information about our next Del Cerro Blvd. median clean-up the first week of November. Check the Del Cerro Action Council website for more information: delcerroactioncoun-cil.org.”

City Contacts

The best way to contact Councilmember Sherman is through Ryley Webb, our District 7 Council Representative for Del Cerro and San Carlos. His email address is RWebb@sandi-ego.gov and the District 7 phone number is 619.236.6677. Ryley

The next meeting of the College Area Community Council

and Community Planning Board is Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. in the Community Room of the College-Rolando Library, 6600 Montezuma Road.

Surprises aren’t always good, but we had a pleasant surprise a few weeks ago when Interim Mayor Todd Gloria requested to attend our October meeting. At the meeting, Mayor Gloria dis-cussed the process he and his staff were engaged in to look at each department in the City bureau-cracy, and find ways to improve communication among depart-ments for improved efficiency of services. He acknowledged that the recent political instability had been detrimental to the smooth operation of City functions, and reassured us that the situation was now stabilizing, a fact that will soon be reflected in expedited City services.

He also discussed the impor-tance to the City economy of the proposed expansion of the Convention Center. At present, the Convention Center must turn away numerous conventions because it is too small, resulting in a loss of jobs and tax revenue to the City. He spoke on the eve of consideration of the project by the California Coastal Commission, which has now approved the proj-ect. With that regulatory hurdle cleared, the City must still wait for resolution of a lawsuit regard-ing the legality of the financing. If resolved, the Convention Center expansion expects to break ground in late 2014.

In response to a question regarding the City’s Rooming House Ordinance, enacted by the City about five years ago, Mayor Gloria pledged to work toward a speedy resolution of issues which have prevented the ordinance from being effectively enforced.

Another question from the audi-ence concerned the City’s process for approving major projects like the CentrePoint apartments being built at 63rd and El Cajon. This massive project was approved with only City staff review, and without neighborhood input. Mayor Gloria explained that the review process was being exam-ined on two fronts. First, the City must find ways to insure that City staffers accurately interpret and follow existing regulations. Second, where the regulations are at fault, they need to be revised. The Mayor and his staff plan to work with City staff, City Council, and the public to make necessary changes on both these fronts.

Other issues raised with Mayor Gloria included poor mainte-nance of the median at 54th and Fairmount, and enforcement of such code violations as parking on lawns. Mr. Gloria prom-ised to follow up on these issues, and have his staff report back to us.

Also at October’s meeting, we heard a presentation from Andy Hamilton of the San Diego County Air Pollution Control

San Diego Convention Center

MISSIONTIMESCOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2013 7COUNCIL News

Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center

Fine art, great wine, live enter-tainment, a silent auction, an outstanding group of dedicated volunteers, and over 200 guests created a fantastic “Art in the Park” event at the Mission Trails Regional Park (MTRP) Visitor Center on Saturday evening, October 5, and raised nearly $5,000 for the MTRP Foundation.

The art exhibition and sale in the Gallery included 110 pieces of award-winning art by 47 local artists. Special lighting for the event was provided by Don Brennan and San Diego Event Pros.

Fine wine, donated by MTRP Foundation board member Dr. Gary Krueger, was served throughout the evening. A silent auction included everything from

fine wine to a four room camping tent donated by LightSpeed.

Eugene Sukhorukov, with the San Diego Native American Flute Circle, entertained the guests as they entered. Master Sumi-e

Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation “Art in the Park”

artist and teacher, Takashi Ryuho Ijichi, demonstrated his art form, and presented three for-tunate attendees with one of his creations. The Caprice Strings Trio played wonderful music, throughout the evening.

Vicky DeLong, MTRP Foundation Art Program

Coordinator said, “This was the great-est display of fine art we have ever exhibited. Nearly all the artists were on-hand to talk to everyone about their art, including a demonstration by Takashi Ryuho Ijichi, Master Sumi-e Teacher.

Three fortunate attendees received the art he created during his demonstration.”

Among the attendees were Councilmember Scott Sherman and his wife Norma, Mission

Times Courier Editor Doug Curlee, and Mission Times Publisher Jim Madaffer and his wife Robin. All are very strong supporters of Mission Trails Regional Park.

MTRP Foundation board member and event chair, Neil Mohr, stated, “It was a wonderful evening for everyone. The variety of art and a full program of events throughout the evening created a very friendly atmosphere. Art in the Park continues to grow each year. The only thing more excit-ing than the event is knowing that thousands of children and adults will benefit from the edu-cational programs and activities this event helps to fund.”

The Third Annual Family Friendly Halloween Spooktacular will again be presented by renowned storytellers Cynthia

Griffin and Mary Holma on Saturday, October 26, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Mission Trails Regional Park Amphitheater. This free program is again sponsored by Team Northcutt Realtors. The Family Friendly Spooktacular Tales are for ages 3-93. Halloween fun for every-one! Delightfully frightful stories, ranging from the “barely scary” to the “deliciously shivery.” Gather round the outdoor amphitheater and listen to spellbinding tales under the stars, because missing this would be a ‘grave’ mistake. Children are encouraged to come in costume , and each child will receive a bag of Halloween treats! Seating is limited so it will be first come, first served.

Nora’s Art Workshops for Children continue with a morn-ing and afternoon class on most

Saturdays: 10 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. Each Saturday is a different topic. October 26 will be “Dancing Koi” with oil pastel and watercolor, November 2 will be “Ethiopian-Inspired Art” with mixed medium on canvas boards, and November 9 will be “Bobcats of Mission Trails” with oil pastel and paper. Linda Hawley’s “Nature Adventures!” for children 3 and up will meet on October 29, from 9:30 to 11:30. The topic of the day will be “Beastly Bats!, Spooky or Special?” For a complete listing of all the classes and registration information, go to mtrp.org and then Nature Studies.

The Paradise Textile Artists art exhibition is featured in the Gallery through November 15.

The seven members work in distinctive styles, no two quite alike. Some are full-time studio artists and some work full-time away from the studio. The public is cordially invited to a reception in honor of the artists on Sunday, October 27, 2013, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

The San Diego Native American Flute Circle will be on-hand in the Amphitheater on Sunday, November 10, from 1 to 3 p.m. The concerts in the Visitor Center continue each month. The Pomerado Brass Quintet will perform in the Theater on Sunday, November 17, at 3:00 p.m.

Meanwhile, come on out, enjoy the park, and like us on facebook! mtrp.org

Halloween Spooktacular Visitors Center Events

8 MISSIONTIMESCOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2013MIssION TRAILs ReGIONAL PARK

Colors and Traditions of Thanksgiving Meet at Mission Trails Regional ParkBy Audrey F. BakerTrail Guide

The palette of fall color is both subtle and brilliant as November transitions into the winter season. An array of hues and intricate patterns are exhibited. Amber, pumpkin orange, citrus yellow and spicy cinnamon can be seen in the leaves of our deciduous Western Sycamores and Fremont Cottonwoods as their canopies thin against the backdrop of river and lake landscapes. The grasslands reveal a full spectrum of yellow gold and earthen tones, while our woodland favorites, the fascinatingly-shaped oak trees, are ripe with a bounty of acorns.

The scene is the perfect setting to appreciate and reflect on the significance of Thanksgiving. It’s also a great opportunity to learn about the Thanksgiving practices of San Diego’s first celebrants, the Kumeyaay, and of their life in nature.

Our MTRP Trail Guide walks are an opportunity to learn more about natural Southern California, with its unique land-scapes, habitats, local history, plant and animal life. The walks are free, interesting, fact-filled, and geared to all ages and inter-ests. Grab sturdy shoes, that comfortable hat, water bottle and sunscreen and hit the trail!

Morning walks are offered every Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday, from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. You’ll start from the park’s Visitor and Interpretive Center, One Father Junipero Serra Trail, San Carlos. The walk begin-ning from the Kumeyaay Lake Campground Entry Station, Two Father Junipero Serra Trail, at the San Carlos-Santee border, gives a different perspective of the park and its diverse habitats. These walks are offered from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month,

and take in historic Old Mission Dam.

Wildlife Tracking reveals the secret lives of animals and brings insight into their survival techniques and habits. Tracking Team members assist in iden-tifying and interpreting tracks, scat and habitats. Join us at 8:30 a.m., Saturday, November 2 in front of the Visitor Center, One Father Junipero Serra Trail, San Carlos, for a two-hour tracking adventure.

Discovery Table: Owl Pellets! invites you to dissect an owl pellet and discover what scientists

learn by using this important tool in the study of these fasci-nating night-time fliers. Stop by our hands-on science table in the Visitor Center lobby on Saturday, November 9 between 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Bird the Grove with MTRP

Resident Birder Jeanne Raimond and learn why the transition into winter is good birding season on Oak Grove Loop Trail. Jeanne recommends binoculars and bird book. Meet you on Saturday, November 16, 8:00 a.m. in front of the Visitor Center, Mission Trails Regional Park, One Father

Junipero Serra Trail, San Carlos for a two-hour adventure.

Star Party Marvels invites you to join in solar explora-tion with resident star gazer George Varga as he scopes in Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and its companion M32, the north-eastern sky’s Double Cluster in Perseus and more! We meet from 5:00-8:00 p.m. on November 16 at the far end of the Kumeyaay Day Use Parking Lot, Mission Trails Regional Park, Two Father Junipero Serra Trail, Santee.

Family Discovery Walk con-nects your little ones with nature through discovering its wonders, joys and beauty as a family expe-rience. This interactive outing focuses on childhood enrichment and fun! We meet at the Visitor Center, Mission Trails Regional Park, One Father Junipero Serra Trail, San Carlos.

See you Sunday, November 24, 3:00-4:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, come on out and enjoy the park!

Visit www.mtrp.org for more information and our events cal-endar, or call (619) 668-3281. Special walks can be arranged for any club, group, business or school by contacting Ranger Heidi Gutknecht at (619) 668-3279 or at hgutknecht@mtrp.org.

MISSIONTIMESCOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2013 9MIssION TRAILs ReGIONAL PARK

Sheet metal workers train for the challenge

They built Petco Park. They installed the architectural metal on the Manchester Grand Hyatt. They designed and installed the climate control systems in some of the most iconic and important buildings in San Diego.

Nearly all of them mastered their craft at a small, nondescript indus-trial building in Grantville, where the Sheet Metal Workers Local 206 training and apprenticeship center has been churning out sheet metal journeymen since the 1960s.

About 20 to 30 apprentices grad-uate from the five-year program every year with 8,000 hours of on-the-job training and 900 hours of classroom learning. They go on to work for some of most prolific contractors in the area, such as A.O. Reed & Co., California Sheet Metal and Able Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.

“We’re trying to teach you a career you can do for the rest of your life and be proud of it,” said train-ing coordinator Chris Caricato.

The program is an outstanding alternative to college for people who prefer to work with their hands and see the results of their labor at the end of the day, Caricato said.

And while physical labor is a big part of the job, the work is also intellectually challenging, he said.

“Everything is about the math and how to find angles,” he said. “You really gotta use your imagina-

tion. You have to be able to see things in three dimensions.”

A competitive acceptance pro-cess requires applicants to pass a qualifying mathematical exam, interview with union board mem-bers and pass a drug test and physical.

The program costs apprentices nothing but a $50 book deposit. The apprentices begin earning about $17 an hour during their on-the-job training, with raises of about $1 each year. They leave the program as certified union journeymen with zero student loan debt.

Once they graduate, sheet metal workers earn around $35 an hour for their labor, plus ben-efits, including pensions, 401(a) retirement plan and health insur-ance coverage for their families.

Of course, high wages and good benefits come at a price. The labor is challenging, especially as the body ages and becomes less limber. Sheet metal stock can be difficult to handle due its shape and size. Work environments can be extremely risky, with exposure to chemicals or the risk of falling from tall structures. Plus, there’s no guarantee of contracts. When the economy slows down, work can be difficult to find.

One of the biggest things that sets union sheet metal contrac-tors from non-union contractors is an emphasis on worker safety, Caricato said. One of the first things apprentices do in the classroom is complete a 30-hour Occupational Safety and Health Administration course.

The “safety first” approach means a lot to Gabriel Church, who nearly lost his hand in a work accident with a non-union employer earlier this summer.

Church was working as a brick layer with a non-union employer earlier this summer when he suf-fered an injury in an industrial accident.

“My boss had taken off safety guards and was intentionally negligent with safety standards,” he said. “I was told that if I don’t use this unsafe tool in this unsafe manner, I would lose my job.”

Church did as he was told, but instead of losing his job, he nearly lost his hand. The round blade of a tool cut a four-inch gash across the top of his wrist, sever-ing tissue, blood vessels, muscle

and tendons. He lost two pints of blood before

his coworkers got him to the emergency room. Doctors had to fish his tendons out of his fore-arm because they had retracted nearly to his elbow after being severed from his wrist.

Miraculously, Church’s hand healed well over the next few months, and he has full use of it now.

“I got lucky — very lucky,” Church said.

Now in the training and apprenticeship program, Church will master the broad range of skills that sheet metal workers use. That includes welding, com-puter assisted drafting, testing and balancing of heating and air conditioning systems, running electrical lines and more.

“The sheet metal workers have made a quiet but significant contribution to our commu-nity,” said San Diego Planning Commissioner Anthony Wagner, who is also president of the Allied Gardens Community Council.

Despite political discourse that is increasingly unfavorable to public sector unions, Wagner said the union association is a good thing for both workers and those who hire them.

“Unionized to me mean they not only have a skill set but checks and balances in place to ensure that they’re the best of the best at what they do,” he said.

LOCAL News

Republican Navajo Women

Peter Schultz, owner of I Can Defend, an informal facility that offers self-defense and firearms training for personal protection, will be the featured speaker at the November 12 meeting of Navajo Canyon Republican Women. Mr. Schultz will also

discuss current issues surround-ing the right for self-protection under the Second Amendment to the Constitution. The luncheon meeting will take place at 11 am at The Brigantine restaurant in La Mesa. Check-in begins at 10:30 am. A full-course luncheon will be served at noon with the

Speaker to Address Self-Defense and Firearms Training and 2nd Amendment Issues

By Judy McCartyspeaker to follow. Cost is $20 and reservations are required. Please RSVP to NCRWF99@gmail.com or call 619-697-2235.

Election of new officers for 2014 will be held and dona-tions for Wounded Warriors will be collected. Installation of the new officers will take place at our December 10 Holiday Christmas Party. Our regular meeting schedule on second Tuesdays resumes in January at The Brigantine.

Our satellite club, Downtown Republican Women, welcomes Fox News contributor and con-sultant for Kevin Faulconer for Mayor campaign Jason Roe as our guest speaker. The date is Thursday, November 21, at 5:30 pm at The Athens Market, at First and F streets downtown. Cost is $15. The restaurant’s reg-ular hors d’oeuvres buffet will be served, and there will be a no-host bar. RSVP to waskahwhelan@aol.com. All Republicans are welcome.

Peter Schultz - Owner of I Can Defend

Fox News contributor Jason Roe speaks downtown

By Jeremy OgulMission Times Courier

Chris Caricato, left, training coordinator for the Sheet Metal Workers Local No. 206 train-ing center, shows David Alvarez, San Diego mayoral candidate and City Councilmember, and Assemblymember Shirley Weber an artistic side of the sheet metal industry during a tour of the training facility on Oct. 14.

Assemblymember Shirley Weber uses the handbrake in order to bend a piece of metal during an open house at the Sheet Metal Workers Local No. 206.

10 MISSIONTIMESCOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2013

Trails, from page 1

animal and plant life that falls generally under the protec-tion of the Multiple Species Conservation Program.

As a general picture, the wild-life agencies say the city has lost control of the park.

“Based on our site visits, we believe construction and use of unauthorized trails has far exceeded the level of impact antic-ipated by the Multiple Species Conservation plan which would qualify human recreation as a “compatible use,” has directly and adversely impacted sensitive bio-logical resources, and threatens Mission Trails Regional Park’s function as a core biological area and regional wildlife corridor.”

The agencies say the main problem, although not the only one, is that not enough city resources have been brought to bear on the problem. They cite a lack of staffing in the numbers of city park rangers, a lack of con-trol over access and egress to and from the Park.

What the agencies see as the solution, or at least a good start-ing point, is to crack down hard on the way things have been done.

“The unauthorized construc-tion and use of trails should be immediately addressed and effec-tively controlled prior to moving forward with plans to redesign or construct new trails in Mission Trails Regional Park. In order to achieve this goal, the City should demonstrate the following:

“All unauthorized trails and redundant trails/utility roads

have been cloased and are in the process of being successful restored.”

“Effective enforcement or other substantial measures have been initiated to curtail unauthorized trail construction and use.”

“Measurable progress regard-ing the effectiveness of the enforcement or substantive measures.”

The letter goes on to cite what the agencies call major problems in specific areas.Fortuna/Mission Gorge

An unathorized trail that runs through the Fortuna Mountain/Mission Gorge area, specifically through the Grassland Loop Trail that impinges on a growth of San Diego ambrosia, an endangered species.Cowles Mountain

The Cowles Mountain area is suffering from “a very high level of public use, and substantial damage is occurring to habitat outside of the designated trail system. Given the deteriorated trail and habitat conditions observed on the south side of Cowles Mountain, at this time the Wildlife Agencies do not support the City’s proposal to construct a new parking and and staging area on the east side of Cowles Mountain as we believe that this would only exacerbate the situ-ation by promoting additional uncontrolled access.”East Elliott

The trail network within the East Elliott core area should be closed until the City can iden-tify and implement an effective

strategy to control the construc-tion and use of the unauthorized trails throughout the area.”

“We are concerned with the City’s proposal to establish a new trail within the (Lake Murray) area’s last remaining high qual-ity habitat located on the west edge of the lake, which is occu-pied by the coastal California gnatcatcher.”

The San Diego Mountain Biking Association, which is a heavy user of the biking trails throughout the park, is among a number of such groups, riding and hiking, who are more than a little upset about this.

“SDMBA adamantly opposes the current plan to close off all recreational access to to trails. We will work diligently with the City and the wildlife agencies to support a better alternative plan. Trail closures rarely work as intended, often resulting in negative consequences, such as unauthorized trail building and use in previously un affected areas.”Is money the answer?

At some point, it’s generally believed that money is going to come into play here. Specifically, money from the city to hire many more park rangers to enforce whatever changes may be dic-tated by the master plan update talks.

Both sides acknowledge that Mission Trails Regional Park has changed significantly over the years since 1985.

What they can’t seem to agree on is whether those changes have all been for better or worse.

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Learning on the GO at Pershing

Sixth grade students proudly received their new “LOGO” com-puters this past week. As our parent volunteers helped along the way, students followed a path through various stations set up in the library. At each station, stu-dents received their own personal “Learning On The Go” computers as well as all of the accessories that go along with the personal computer. Each student received a “MiFi” device that will enable them to access the internet and do research for their assignments and projects.

“Rachel’s Challenge”

Students at Pershing are not going to tolerate bullying any-more! Participating in a very special program called, “Rachel’s Challenge”, students are now starting a “chain reaction” where kindness and caring are valued and good deeds have taken the place of bullying. A special full day presentation for students, teachers, staff and parents took place on October 24th. At the end of the day, a new group called “Friends of Rachel” of “F.O.R.” met to learn about their respon-sibilities as future leaders. These students will lead the activities and work necessary to keep the spirit of Rachel Joy Scott alive and well at Pershing. Rachel was a high school student who lived her life in service of her fellow students and always believed in doing purposeful acts of kind-ness to make the world a better place. Pershing Middle School, Lewis Middle School and Patrick Henry High School are also par-ticipating in Rachel’s Challenge, demonstrating the importance of a community wide effort to stamp out bullying in our schools. For more information please visit our website www.sandi.net/pershing.

LOCAL Newswins, because this year we spent more on 17,000 pensions than they spent on fire protection for 1.2 million people.”

In nearly every opportunity Aguirre had to speak, he brought the discussion back to the high cost of pensions. Nearly every other problem the city has — an understaffed police department, slow emergency response times, a massive backlog of road main-tenance, too-brief library hours, — can be traced back to the astro-nomical payments the city must make to cover its obligations to retired employees, according to Aguirre.

“The public doesn’t understand the nature of this pension prob-lem,” he said. “The pension problem has us in a stranglehold.”

None of the other candi-dates seemed willing to engage on the pension ques t i on , but they still revealed their own differences.

Faulconer challenged Fletcher on his party switches since 2012.

“When you switched parties the first time you said you weren’t going to change your ideals,” Faulconer said as he looked Fletcher in the eye. “Now you’ve changed your mind on pension reform.”

Fletcher responded with a jab back at Faulconer, whom he accused of directing city money to the wrong places.

“It wasn’t that you didn’t have the money over the last decade,” Fletcher said. “It’s that your pri-orities were wrong. I’m proud of my track record of actually get-ting things done.”

Faulconer blamed Filner for a lack of attention to infrastruc-ture issues, claiming that Filner “skipped” the city’s infrastructure plan this year.

“We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past,” Faulconer

said. “I’m going to ensure that neighborhood services are our priority.”

Faulconer also made clear that he would foster job oppor-tunities in the city by standing up to changes, such as the Barrio Logan Community Plan update, that make it harder for employers to do business in the city. He said employers need to be confident in the city government’s processes and see “clear rules of the road.”

City Councilmember David Alvarez revealed more about his childhood upbringing and how that has affected his political orientation.

Answering a question about how the city should deal with its

homeless problem, Alvarez said that he once was

homeless. His family lost their

home when Alvarez was in high school, he said, and he had to sleep on a friend’s couch.

“I think if I’m mayor I’ll

probably be the first mayor who

was ever homeless,” Alvarez said.

Fletcher took a stand against the discourse on city investment that seems to keep veering back toward the question of what to do about the Chargers.

“If you live in a neighborhood that doesn’t have a sidewalk or a streetlight, you don’t understand how every conversation is about a stadium,” Fletcher said.

Responding to Kevin Faulconer’s statement that he would make sure taxpayers were protected in any future stadium deal for the Chargers, Alvarez laid down a clear line.

“The only way to protect taxpay-ers is not to use taxpayer money for a new stadium,” Alvarez said. “That’s my position.”

The County Registrar of Voters has already begun send-ing out mail ballots for the special election.

Election, from page 1

Fall is upon us, the kids are back to school and Dailard is having lots of fun! Our science garden is looking wonderful and we have been having a great turn out at our bi-weekly Garden Club. Our annual Dailard DADS Campout was a huge success! The families loved spending time as a community, camping over night on the school lawn. We also had a fantastic time at our first Friday Night Lights, family movie night, of the year.

November promises to be equally as exciting! We are start-ing the month with a family dance that will double as a community cultural event to celebrate Dia De Los Muertos. It is sure to be a great time! We’ll also continue our annual tradition of Dailard Day at the Q - Aztec Night in November. Our families look for-ward to tailgating and rooting on the SDSU Aztecs football team.

Dailard’s principal, Beverly Fitzpatrick, along with the kin-dergarten teaching staff, would like to invite incoming kinder-garten families for the 2014-15 school year to a Kindergarten Open House on November 6th, 2013 from 5:30 - 6:30 pm. This will be a great opportunity to tour the school, meet the kindergarten teachers and see their classrooms. Eligible students need to be age 5 by September 1st, 2014. There will be time to ask questions and to learn about all the great things Dailard has to offer its students and their families. Whether you are a neighborhood family or you are considering options within the San Diego school district, we welcome you to come check us out! Rebecca SmithDailard PTF Communications

School ZoneDailard Elementary Happenings

GAGE Goings-on

What is new at Gage Elementary? One of the most significant changes for the school is the start of a new, wildly popular Spanish immersion pro-gram. Two entirely new classes of students were added to the kindergarten enrollment for the current school year.

This new program immerses fluent English speakers in a Spanish language environment in order to help them become bilingual. Each year, the pro-gram will grow as new classes are added for each grade level.

Gage is proud of this pioneering program and the new opportunity it’s providing for our students.

Pershing GardenPershing students love to

garden! Mr. Quinn’s class is working very hard on a new and beautiful garden. The students and their teacher have prepared the soil, lovingly planted new plants and are caring for the tiny vegetables each day. Last year’s garden was amazing, and we are very excited to see Mr. Quinn’s new garden sprout luscious and delicious new veggies. Thank you to our students and their teacher on a job well done!

12 MISSIONTIMESCOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2013

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LOCAL NewsFriends of Lake Murray

Bob Cardenas has led an interesting life and had an out-standing career doing what he loved. He was a fearless test pilot, flew in three wars, and has been and still is a caring advocate for juveniles and veterans. He has known Presidents, foreign lead-ers around the world during his life’s path.

Bob is a retired Brigadier General that came up the ranks and has had an accumulation of ribbons placed on his chest, awards and accolades. There have been talks about a book and movie about his life. Bob has a strong wife that traveled with seven children to be with her husband.

Besides his wife, children, grandchildren and love of his country, he is probably proud of something else. He has fulfilled his dream of having a proper beau-tiful burial site at the Miramar National Cemetery. He and others worked hard to establish new ground for deceased veter-ans. The Rosecrans Cemetery is almost full. A bust of Bob is in the works and when it is completed it will be placed in either the Mira Mar Cemetery or in Balboa Park.

We Love a Clean Lake

The “Friends” had 174 volun-teers take part in the I Love a clean San Diego event at Lake Murray. It was great fun seeing all of the children and adults on that happy day. It was a perfect day and everyone seemed cheer-ful. I mean everyone.

I not only want to thank those who made our lake really clean but “Friends” and lake staff that made everything go smoothly. Lourdes Currier, Kristin Kjaero

The Veteran’s Veteran

and Carol Daugherty checked volunteers in and out; Delores and Natalie Hyde handed out snacks. There were do-nut holes, cookies and water donated by FOLM. Souplantation Mission Gorge donated the lemonade and Lake Murray Starbucks donated the coffee.

Nancy and Dennis Harriman set-up a shade structure on the ballpark side of the lake. They

h a n d e d out bags and water. They also w e i g h e d trash that was col-lected on that side.

The lake concession manager, Dave donated two rental boats for the day. He, Reservoir Keeper Gayle havens and Shawn La Grand took volunteers over to the far side of the lake to clean that part of the lake environs. The pilots ferried volunteer work crews back and forth to and from the boat dock most of the morning.

Miki Moore weighed the trash filled bags at the boat dockside; Roscoe Anderson and Caroline Fall drove around constantly to see if anyone needed anything. James Brisbin picked up trash while his wife; Debbie handed out gloves and bags.

Thanks to the schools, scouts, churches, libraries and the busi-nesses that let me put up ILACSD posters at their work places. A collaborated effort was made up of people that care for our lake. Thanks everyone.

Remembering St. James

Our speaker at the November 21st Friends of Lake Murray meeting will be Mary Jo McDonald. Her talk will be about her 80-mile trek to Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain. The town was named for the Apostle James who went to Northwestern Spain to convert the people of the communities to Christianity.

When he returned to Palestine he was taken prisoner and tor-tured to death. King Herod declared he should not be buried. His body was stolen by disciples and buried in a secret place in the woods of Spain.

In 813 a hermit found a spot where he saw a shining light. There were reports that mir-acles took place on that site. Worshipers came to the field that was called “Campus Stellae” later known as Compostela.

A chapel was built on the site. Believers followed the way of

*Santiago or Saint James. The chapel is now a cathedral. Many trails in Spain lead to the resting place of the Saint. People from all over the world make pilgrimages

to Santiago de Compostela with faith that they will be blessed.

The Friends of Lake Murray meeting will be on November 21st from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM. We meet at St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church at the corner of Park Ridge Blvd. and Wandermere Dr. For more information call Barbara at: 619-463-9706. NO “FRIENDS” MEETING IN DECEMBER. BACK IN JANUARY.

*Referred to Saint James as

Santiago during that long ago time.

By Barbara Cleves

ColumnistAnderson

MISSIONTIMESCOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2013 13

LOCAL NEWS

San Carlos Friends of the LibraryBy Sue HotzPresident

Log onto http://sancarlosfriend-softhelibrary.org for program details. All programs are FREE and open to the public. Three big shout-outs go to:

(1) Chris Hotz & Jason Benesch for designing our new website, complete with slide shows.

(2) A SCFOL Life-Member family donated funds to update the library’s Children’s Area.

(3) to Aileen Lawson, Sandy Gillins, Tina Kues and Maynard Kartvedt, who were San Carlos Volunteer Honorees at the FSDPL Annual General Membership meeting. Active San Carlos Branch Library vol-unteers are invited to attend the SCFOL Board meeting on November 20 at 5:00 pm for pizza & our annual volunteer recogni-tion party. Sign up with Debra or Rita. Remember: Friends’ Life Memberships are ½ price-- $250--until December 31, and 2014 SCFOL memberships should be renewed before January 31. You can now join or donate on our website. A perpetual plaque naming SCFOL Life-Members will be placed in the library at the January 12 GALA.

Our next USED BOOK SALES are November 2 and December 7, with new pricing-lots of children’s books.

Thank you for supporting our FALL CRAFT FAIR. Sign up early for our Spring-May 10, 2014, Craft Fair. Book Sales and Craft Fairs support our library programs.

Help us celebrate the 40th ANNIVERSARY (January 9, 2014) of the San Carlos Library. On our website, go to 40th Anniversary for complete infor-mation. We need YOU, your memberships and sponsorships to make 2014 a banner year.

YOUTH: K-3 Storytime is on the 2nd & 4th Wednesdays @ 2:00 p.m..

STEAM-2 Academy explores “Zoology & Biology.” Youth Activities on our website details all Kids and Teen programs.

DEADLINE for submission of essays by 4th, 8th, and 10th graders for the Annual Writing for Literacy Essay Contest is December 21. Ask your teacher for details.

ADULT PROGRAMS: ART: November 7-December 5: Christina Volz and Judi Burnett. Their reception is November 16, from 12:00-2:00 p.m.

Librarian’s Book Club: November 14th, read Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks; December 12th, read The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce.

OASIS: November 22 @ 1:00 pm: FBI agent John Roberts tells how to “Protect Yourself From Identity Theft & Senior Scams.” Please pre-register.

IN-CONCERT: November 19, 7:00-8:00 pm: SDSU music department presents guitarist Soran Dalawi.

GET FIT @ YOUR LIBRARY runs thru November. Stretch & Tone, Yoga, Meditation and Pilates continue and all pro-gram participants should come to the “Biometric Testing” per-formed by Health Professionals on November 8 @ 12:00-2:00 p.m.. There will be end-of-program opportunity drawings for all.

November 5: Voting at the Library—no programs. Library is closed on November 11 and 28.

Children’s Area of the San Carlos Branch Library gets a FaceliftBy Sue HotzPresident

The San Carlos branch Library is getting spiffed up in anticipa-tion of its fortieth anniversary on January 9, 2014.

On September 27, preceding the Pre-school Storytime, pre-schooler Michaela Watson, did us the honor of cutting the ribbon to mark the presentation of the refurbished Children’s Area to the community. Funds for the upgrade were donated by a San Carlos Friends of the Library Life-Member family who wishes to remain anonymous. The com-munity, especially the children of San Carlos, send a hearty and warm “Thank You” to this gener-ous family. There will be a plaque in the library marking the area as the “Rutherford Children’s Area”.

The refurbishing includes a new area rug designed in bright multicolored cubes, new book racks, stuffed animals, puzzles, kid sized chairs & tables, bean bags, and awesome wall décor depicting a multitude of fury and friendly characters. After the dedication, preschoolers were entertained in the Community Room with stories and crafts by Nicole Johnson.

A new pre-school program (ages 3-6) started in October on 2nd, 3rd, & 4th Fridays from 4:30-5:30 p.m. called “Virtues and Character Building.” The

aim of this program is to build community, foster virtues in our children, and develop a service orientation to humanity. On 2nd & 4th Wednesdays, for the K-3 group, there’s STEAM2 Academy which presents awesome hands-on science, math, art & music projects. New topics every week. Other weeks it’s Storytime with Mr. Eric.

On the opposite side of the library, Teens now have a new reading and study area, with books and magazines chosen just for them. Their activities change monthly. Log onto http://sancar-losfriendsofthelibrary.org to keep up to date.

With donations from SCFOL, the entire library was outfitted with new tables, chairs, window treatments and signage last year. We could still use new chairs for the Community Room. If you haven’t visited the San Carlos Branch Library recently, now is the time. Enjoy our new facelift and join us in celebrating our 40th Anniversary. Our website tells how you can help sponsor an event.

14 MISSIONTIMESCOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2013LOCAL News

The Paradise Textile Artists is an art quilt critique group that has been meeting and exhibiting together for six years. The seven members work in distinctive styles, not two quite alike. Some are full-time studio artists and some work full-time away from the studio. All the members have exhibited in local and regional shows; some have been accepted into prestigious national shows and won awards for their art. “Off the Beaten Path II” is the group’s fourth exhibit and the second at Mission Trails Regional Park.

This exhibit will be on display in the Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center Art Gallery October 19 – November 15, 2013. The public is cordially invited to a reception in honor of the artists on Sunday, October 27, 2013 from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Lori Anderson – Since the late 1990’s, Lori has spend her spare time experimenting with a variety of fabric manipulation and quilting techniques includ-ing hand dying, dye painting, curved piecing and thread paint-ing. She prefers working with bright colors and bold shapes, using her sewing machine as

a drawing and painting tool. Artist statement: “Many of my pieces are inspired by photo-graphs I’ve taken. Through my work, I want to communicate the essence of how I feel about the subject rather than a literal interpretation.”

Barbara Friedman – Barbara, a quilter since 1985, has had her art exhibited in many shows and galleries and has been included in several books. Her work is

recognized for her use of fabric in expressing emotions and refer-enced by other quilt artists as

examples of color, design, and technique.

Published ~ Fabric Postcards; Landmarks & Landscapes-Monuments & Meadows; The Visual Dance; Creating Spectacular Quilts; Places & Faces; Images in Appliqué; Focus On Features; Lifelike Portrayals in Appliqué; Art Quilt Portfolio: People & Portraits

Kathleen McCabe – Kathleen has been drawn to fabric and art

since she was a child. Sewing became her creative outlet which evolved into art quilts in her effort to express herself. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and is included in private and public collec-tions. Kathleen curates exhibits as well.

Janice Pennington – Janice’s work in this group of nature-related quilts employs techniques firmly rooted in the quilting tradi-tion: piecing bits of fabric together by machine; hand appliqué; hand and machine quilting; and occasional buttons, beads and trims for emphasis. She gener-ally uses commercially available fabrics, with some fabrics hand

dyed by herself and other art-ists. She is especially drawn to crazy-bold fabrics in bright, even jarring, colors and she enjoys the cacophony created from their simultaneous use. Many tradi-tional quilt blocks abstract their

The Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation (MTRP) is pleased to present an exhibition featur-ing the Paradise Textile Artists.

Paradise Textile Artists gallery on display“Off the Beaten Path II” forms from nature, and she finds

that the repetitive block format imposes discipline on sometimes unruly fabrics.

Noreen Ring – It is Noreen’s intention to design works that reflect an “other-world” feeling with a sense of universality. Earth, mountains, rocks, flowers, the sky, the stars, moons – things that we know exist with cer-tainty but are not sure of the details and how they might fit together some-where else, on another earthly plane. When she designs, it is important for her to consider how comfortable existence would be in these worlds that endlessly reveal themselves.

Affiliations: Brandon Gallery, Fallbrook California – Director; Paradise Textile Artists Group;

Fallbrook Quilt Guild; Oceanside Museum of Art – Art Assist Member; Ramona Art Association; Corona Art Association

Mary Tabar – Creating art from textiles is the catalyst that stimulates Mary to complete proj-ects. Making art quilts for over fifteen years, she exhibits locally, nationally and internationally.

Currently her work involves piecing cotton, then discharge (bleach) dyeing into recognizable shapes. Mary then enhances the top with sashiko stitching and machine quilting.

Heather Urquhart – Heather has been making quilts since finishing journalism school. She began with a baby quilt for a friend’s daughter but now needs no reason at all to work on a com-pos i t i on . Ethnic fabric, exciting prints, textured solids and photography are often starting points for a new project. The straight lines and modular design of many of her quilts come naturally from a career in newspapers.

The MTRP Visitor and Interpretive Center is located at One Father Junipero Serra Trail, San Diego, CA 92119, and it is open daily from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Admission is free.

The MTRP Foundation was formed in 1988 as a 501(c) (3) non-profit public benefit corpo-ration. For more information about the MTRP Art Program, please contact Vicky DeLong, Art Coordinator, at 619-286-1361 or Roland Roberge, MTRP Foundation, at 619-668-3280.

About the artists:

MISSIONTIMESCOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2013 15LOCAL News

Elementary declined to comment for this article.

The California School Immunization Law requires students entering public and private schools to receive certain vaccinations, but two kinds of exemptions are available. The first is an exemption for families whose personal beliefs forbid vaccination. The second is a con-ditional exemption for cases in which the child has received some but not all required shots.

Of the 39 students who were behind on their shots at Dailard Elementary, three had personal belief exemptions and 36 had

conditional exemptions. Of the 17 students who were behind on their shots at St. Therese Academy, one had a personal belief exemption and 16 had con-ditional exemptions.

The data do not specify the reason for the conditional exemp-tions, which can be granted for a number of reasons, some as innocuous as missing records. Conditional exemptions may also be granted when the child is receiving vaccinations on a slower, non-standard schedule.

Public health officials believe a book popular among vaccine skeptics may be contributing to a

Vaccination, from page 1

rise in the number of parents who are spreading out their children’s shots over a much longer period than the recommended schedule. The Vaccine Book, by Dr. Robert Sears, has helped to popularize the idea that parents can avoid harming their children with too many vaccines at once.

Matt Wheeler, a San Diego-based researcher who wrote a doctoral dissertation on vaccines, said there is no good evidence that spreading out a vaccine schedule is more safe than the current schedule.

It is one doctor, Robert Sears, questioning the common wisdom

against the thousands of expert doctors and researchers who endorse the standard vaccination schedule.

“If you do spread out the vac-cine schedule like that, you run the risk of being underimmu-nized,” Wheeler said.

Underimmunized children are more susceptible to whooping cough, which has not been com-pletely eradicated in the U.S. like polio has, he said.

Outbreaks are possible even when most children are fully vac-cinated. That’s what happened in 2008, when a San Diego child who had intentionally not been vaccinated for measles returned home with the disease after a trip to Switzerland. That child’s infection resulted in the largest measles outbreak in San Diego since 1991, according to a paper published in the academic journal Pediatrics.

Public health officials deter-mined that 839 people were exposed to measles by that one child, and 11 others were infected

with measles. All 11 new cases were children who had not been vaccinated against measles.

Much of the popular skepti-cism of childhood vaccines was fueled by a 1998 study of eight children that suggested a link between vaccines and autism spectrum disorders. That study has since been declared fraudu-lent by the scientific community. The journal that published the study retracted it, and its main author, Andrew Wakefield, lost his license to practice medicine in the United Kingdom.

In some children, the signs of autism spectrum disorder are not recognized until the child reaches the age of 18 months. This “late onset” in some cases has led people to believe that the vaccines received after birth contributed to the development of autism spectrum disorder. In reality, the autism spectrum dis-order probably existed all along but just was not recognized until the age of 18 months, according to research compiled by Dr. Ari Brown.

While there is some evidence

to suggest that environmental exposure to toxins in the womb may contribute to the devel-opment of autism spectrum disorders, nearly every doctor and researcher agrees that con-clusive evidence shows vaccine exposure does not cause autism.

Many parents who come in with skepticism about vaccines e v e n t u a l l y choose to accept them, said Dr. Eric Reed, a pediatr ic ian with Sharp R e e s - S t e a l y Medical Group in La Mesa.

“I try to meet the family where they are and try to elicit their real fears,” Reed said.

Often parents are worried that the vaccines are not natural, he said. Sometimes they are worried that they are putting too great a strain on their child’s immune system. While three shots in one doctor’s visit

might seem like a lot for a young child’s immune system to handle, it is nothing compared to what a child’s immune system deals with on a daily basis.

“You go to preschool, for example, and you’re exposed to so much in a given day,” Reed said. “Our immune systems are constantly exposed to viruses and bacteria, and the immune system is constantly building a library of antibodies to protect us.”

There are downsides beyond health risks, too.

“My observation is that chil-dren who spread the vaccines out and have many more visits for shots develop a greater fear of the doctor’s office and shots in general,” Reed said.

Reed believes it is important for doctors not to take a “my way or the highway” approach toward vaccination schedules. An open dialogue with the family is more likely to eventually result in full immunization than the approach of some doctors who refuse to treat patients on anything other than the common schedule.

Business OpportunityWill your job alone allow you to live the lifestyle you deserve? Create wealth and long term residual income in a part-time home based business. Will train and help support you to success. Call 858-278-2120 (12/13)

For SaleEastern King 12.5” mattress for sale $350. Excellent condition, like brand new. Has absolutely no stains or any marks what-so-ever. Please call Rick 619-265-7425 (11/13)

Plants. 150 Bromeliads, succulents, misc. 5 carnivorous, 10 cymbidiums. Call for appt. 619-582-2496 (11/13)

Elephant collection: Different sizes, and different shades of color. Tan, light brown to dark brown, gray, white. Asking $50 for all. Appr.25. Call 619-286-5991 (11/13)

Super Size Walker for Plus Size Person. Like new. $100. 951-833-4319 (11/13)

NoticesFree field hockey sessions for girls grades 6-9 in the Henry HS area, every other Sunday afternoon through January. Contact julia24peters@gmail.com for more information. (10/13)

ServicesJenna’s Barber Shoppe. Styling for men, women & children. Wheelchair friendly. Old time expert haircuts at affordable prices. Colors & perms. 7424 Jackson Dr.#1A (across from Keil’s in Bank of America lot) Tues-Fri., 8:30-5:30pm; Sat. 8:30-noon. Walk-ins or By appt., 619-644-3669. (12/13)

Roofing Lic# 691295-C39. Veteran Owned, Allied Gardens based. Celebrating 20 years in business. Full roof & repairs. Free Est. Veteran and Senior discounts. 619-823-7208. (07/14)

Gardening Service: Lawns, hedges, weeding, trimming, we do it all! 25 years experience, Allied Gardens resident since 1983. Weekly/bi-weekly service. Licensed/insured. Free estimates. 619-287-6947 (07/14)

Pet/Housesitting Services. Est. 1983, Bonded. Pet-tenders offers feeding, walking, plant care, housesitting-and above all...spoiling...in your own home! www.pet-tenders.com 619-298-3033. (04/14)

Locksmith - Discount Deadbolts & Rekeying - security door viewers, patio door locks, simulated alarms, magnetic door stops. Cliff Henderson 619-840-3327 - Lic #LCO4353 - Bonded - Never a trip charge! (04/14)

Quality exterior carpentry. Decks, Fences, Patio Covers and Termite Repair. Lic365241. www.aactionbuildersofsandiego.com. Bob 619-275-1493 (4/14)

Roofing, licensed, bonded, second generation Allied Gardens roofer. Over 100 homes in Allied Gardens roofed. Repairs, all types of roofing. Free estimates. Call 619-287-7149. (03/14)

Linda’s Puppy Love, licensed, insured pet sitting service offers daily walks, cat care, overnight stays-your home. Lots of Love. 619-857-3674. mellinsmith@cox.net. www.lindaspuppylove.com (01/14)

German Setter Tile and Marble. Professional marble/tile setter with 28 years experience. European craftsmanship. Punctual & dependable. License# 872804. Contact Jens Sedemund: 619-415-6789 or jens@germansetter.com (12/13)

Professional Flute/Piano Instruction. 32 years experience. Beginner to advanced. Music Education. B.A. Degree. Reasonable rates. Teaching in your home or mine. Rick, 619-286-8012. (12/13)

Dan Patterson Handyman/Carpentry: Repair and replacement of plumbing, electrical repair, installation of water heaters, doors, windows, cabinets, flooring, fencing. Pressure washing of driveways, all phases of home repair. And remodel including kitchen and bathroom remodel. No job too small, free

estimates. Raised in Allied Gardens, 17 years in construction. Dan Paterson 619-481-9978. (12/13)

Bathtubs and Sinks refinished like new without removal. 25 years under same ownership. Lic 560438. Cory Tatz Bathtubs & Sinks Refinishing 619-464-5141 (12/13)

BARGAIN BOYZ REPAIRS/CONSTRUCTION- Specializing in all home repairs Interior and Exterior. Fixture upgrades, Painting, Electric, Plumbing, Carpentry complete remodeling. Family owned and operated! No job too big or too small! Licensed/Bonded/Insured License #828251B Call for a free estimate. Office 619-741-2012 or Toll free 877-412-BOYZ (2699) (11/13)

Mature Jill of all Trades offering efficient home care services with affordable rates. Services provided include cooking, cleaning, laundry, organizing, pet care, errands and transportation to appointments. Call Charlotte Booth at 619-867-1272. (11/13)

Stronger, Safer Seniors wants to be your workout partner. Let us help you be stronger, more energetic and have better balance. We offer fun, personalized workouts in your home. Call Pam Melody, certified personal trainer, at 619-962-7144 for a free consultation. (11/13)

Hauling, construction and yard clean-up. demos, light maintenance. Call Carlos 858 4950548, cellular 619 813-9988, E-mail chiripas1@aol.com (11/13)

Lori’s House Cleaning. Reliable, quality work. Reasonable prices. 619-582-9586 (11/13)

Next Publication Date:Nov. 22Display Ad Space Reservation:Nov. 5Article Deadline:Nov. 9Classified Deadline:Nov. 15

16 MISSIONTIMESCOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2013LOCAL News

(619) 286-0009

• Remodel & Replaster • New Pool & Spa Construction• Commercial & Residential• Decking• Tile

• Custom Pool Finishes• Pebble, Hydrazzo, Color Quartz, Quartz Scape, Plaster Finish• Pool & Spa Renovation/Remodeling• Coping

little incensed when, in a search for some independent source of water aside from what MWD imports for sale from Northern California, the County Water Authority reached a deal with the Imperial Irrigation District over in El Centro to buy 200,000 acre feet of Colorado River water a year from IID.

An acre-foot is the generally accepted amount of water that will provide for two families of four for a year – approximately 326,000 gallons.

According to SDCWA’s court filings, MWD retaliated by raising the rates for SDCWA to transport that water to us. MWD operates the only tunnel and canal system available from the Imperial Valley. MWD is also alleged to have jacked up the rates it charges SDCWA for the water transported south from the State Water Project, even though those canals and pipe lines belong to the State of California, not MWD.

Make no mistake- we’re talk-ing about big money here. What SDCWA believes MWD is over-charging us may reach at least 57 million dollars this year – 217 million dollars a year by 2021. It could possibly reach as much as 2.1 billion.

The lawsuits were filed, and the case transferred to the Superior Court in San Francisco, where, logically, the court has no interest at stake, and could render impartial find-ings somewhere down the line.

Sept. 20 was a major step in the ongoing legal process, and it seems SDCWA came out the victor twice.

The following is the reaction of the County Water Authority to what happened before Judge Karnow.

A San Francisco Superior Court judge on Friday rejected an attempt by the Los Angeles-based Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to exempt its water rates from a voter-approved measure designed to protect ratepayers from hidden taxes.

Two days after hearing argu-ments on the motion, Judge Curtis E.A. Karnow ruled that MWD’s rates for 2013 and 2014 may be subject to Proposition 26, passed by voters in November 2010. It requires government agencies to show that the rates they charge do not exceed the cost of the services being pro-vided. Proposition 26 also placed the burden on local governments such as MWD to prove that the costs allocated to each of their member agencies bear a fair or reasonable relationship to each member agency’s benefits from the governmental activity. Proposition 26 is now embod-

Lawsuit, from page 1

See LAWSUIT page 18

Area Worship DirectorySt. Andrew’s Lutheran 8350 Lake Murray Blvd, La Mesa, CA 91941 Sun: 8am, 9:30am, 11am; Sat: 5pm 619-464-4211 Andy Taylor St. Dunstan’s Episcopal 6556 Park Ridge Blvd, San Diego, CA 92120 Sun: 8am, 10am; Wed: 10am, Thurs: 7am (619) 460-6442 Kevin Warner San Carlos United Methodist 6554 Cowles Mountain Blvd, San Diego, CA 92119 Sun: 8:15am, 10am (619) 464-4331 Sue Farley Community Church of San Diego 7811 Mission Gorge Rd, San Diego, CA 9210 Sun: 9:30am. 1st Sun is Communion at 9:30am (619) 583-8200 John C. Clements Mission Valley Christian Fellowship 6536 Estrella Ave, San Diego, CA 92120 Sun: 7:45am, 9:30am, 11:15am 619-683-7729 Leo Giovinetti Tabernacle Church & Kingdom House of Prayer 5310 Prosperity Ln, San Diego, CA 92115 Sun: 6:30pm tabernacle service; Wed: 12pm worship at SDSU (619) 788-3934 Darren Hall Blessed Sacrament Church 4540 El Cerrito Dr, San Diego, CA 92115 Sun: 8am, 10am, 6pm; Sat: 5pm 619-582-5722 Bruce Orsborn All Peoples Church 4345 54th St, San Diego, CA 92115 Sun: 9am and 11am (619) 286-3251 Robert Herber Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 6767 51st Street, San Diego, CA 92120 (619) 287-3970Wesley United Methodist 5380 El Cajon Boulevard, San Diego, CA 92115 Sun: Youth worship 11am; Sat: YAY at 7:30pm (619) 326-7202 Dr. Cuong Nguyen Mission Church of the Nazarene 4750 Mission Gorge Pl, San Diego, CA 92120 Sun: 9am and 10:30am (619) 287-3211 Dr. David Runion Salvation Army Kroc Center Church 6611 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92115 Sundays at 10:30am (619) 287-5762 Bryan Cook Prince of Peace Lutheran 6801 Easton Court, San Diego, CA 92120 Sundays at 9am (619) 583-1436 Paul L. Willweber Zion Avenue Baptist 4880 Zion Ave, San Diego, CA 92120 (619) 582-2033 St. Therese Catholic Church 6016 Camino Rico, San Diego, CA 92120 Sun: 7am, 10am, 11am; Mon: 6:20am, 7:30am; Sat: 5pm (619) 286-4605 William P. Stevenson

Know of a house of worship we should list here? Email the editor at doug@missionpublishinggroup.com

MISSIONTIMESCOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2013 17LOCAL News

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STATEWIDE ADS

Allied Gardens Community Council

You say Archstone; I say Archrock.

Just a quick report this month from the Allied Gardens and Grantville community.

According to NBC San Diego, Archrock Development Group LLC of Orange County, Calif., has purchased a 10.2-acre site in San Diego for approximately $26.3 million, with plans to develop a 444-unit apartment complex. We all remember it as the former Archstone site at the intersec-tion of Mission George Road and Greenbrier Avenue - home to the football-length green fence along Mission Gorge.

NBC reports the sellers were Equity Residential of Chicago and New York-based BlackRock Inc., according to brokerage services company Cushman & Wakefield, which represented the sellers.

You may recall the site is fully entitled and permit-ready for a multifamily development slated to include six themed common court-yards, a pool and fitness facility.

I’m Anthony Wagner, President, Allied Gardens Community Council. We represent the com-munity interests of Allied Gardens & Grantville. Check out our new website at AlliedGardens.org. Feel free to call me at 619-253-4989 or write me a note at AnthonyJohnWagner@gmail.com or tweet @AnthonyWagnerSD.

Real Estate is Bluming…

For more information call:

Amy & Gary Blume619-497-4911amygaryblume@gmail.comBRE license # 01056354 & 01181370

IN ESCROW

Foothills of Mt Helix!3 Bedroom, 2 Bath, Completely Upgraded!

$450,000

BRE #01295699

College Area, from page 7

Apartment Developer Buys Allied Gardens Site for $26.3 Million

Lawsuit, from page 17

See LAWSUIT page 21

ied in California’s Constitution in Section XIII C.

In his order denying MWD’s motion to kick Proposition 26 out of the case, Judge Karnow said he will decide whether or not MWD’s rates must comply with Proposition 26 when the case goes to trial December 17. In his order, Judge Karnow wrote:

“Nor do I think it is wise, as a matter of discretion, to eliminate the Proposition 26 issues with-out reviewing the evidence for other claims in this case. On the merits, it is likely that very simi-lar issues are at stake whether the case turns on Proposition 26 or the other bases presented by the parties, in that at trial I will review the evidence that Metropolitan’s rates bore an appropriate relationship to its

costs.”MWD is trying to dodge

Proposition 26, arguing that even though it holds a monop-oly on the distribution of water in Southern California, it is nothing more than a “volun-tary collective” whose member agencies pay its rates “volun-tarily.” MWD also asserted that even if it were subject to Proposition 26, its rates are merely fees for “entrance to or use of government property,” a category that MWD argued falls outside the measure’s cost-of-service requirements. Finally, MWD took the position that any constitutional violation it has committed was cured because MWD’s own board of directors – rather than voters – comprised the “electorate” and it approved the rates by a two-thirds majority. In other words, MWD – a government agency that provides water to 18 million Californians – argued that it could set rates without any accountability to the public. Judge Karnow analyzed and preliminarily rejected all three arguments.

“This is the first step toward what we intend to prove at trial: that Proposition 26 protects water ratepayers throughout Southern California and the entire state by ensuring that they are not being charged more than the actual cost of govern-ment services,” said Daniel Purcell, special counsel for the Water Authority with the law firm of Keker & Van Nest in San Francisco. “MWD fought hard to avoid the clear will of the voters. But as the court made clear in its order, MWD’s arguments don’t have any factual basis. There is no reason MWD has to overcharge ratepayers in order to conduct its business.”

The Water Authority sued MWD in 2010 for adopting

District on Creating Livable Communities. At our request, he tailored his presentation to pos-sible fixes for El Cajon Boulevard, Montezuma Road, and College Avenue. Among his recommen-dations to make these corridors more pedestrian and bike friendly were widening of bike lanes with creation of adequate buffers, widening and maintenance of good sidewalks and street light-ing, installation of crosswalks every two blocks, and narrow-ing of traffic lanes to slow down speeding cars. He emphasized the importance of trees and other landscaping in creating pleasant environments for people to walk or cycle, and pointed out that these improvements are good for retail businesses, too. He offered numer-ous examples of places where the sacrifice of a few parking spaces to create green space dramatically improved sales for businesses on the street, by improving the appearance of the street. Placing planters along a street is an effective way to create attractive green space where more intensive landscaping is infeasible. He also discussed the growing movement to create linear parks along streets and in medians, a concept which could be especially relevant in the College Area, which is deficient in parks. Benches, planters, and public art can create gathering places in relatively small spaces. Of course, money is always an issue, and Mr. Hamilton came prepared with many examples of inexpensive improvements which can be made with paint and a little elbow grease. Many of these projects can be carried out by com-munities, after obtaining City approval. The projects not only improve the appearance of the community, but bring community members together to cooperate on implementation.

For more information about the College Area Community Council or Community Planning Board, go to www.collegearea.org , or email info@collegearea.org.

By Anthony WagnerPresident

18 MISSIONTIMESCOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2013LOCAL News

Benjamin Branch Friends of the Library

ESSAY CONTEST The 17th Annual Writing for Literacy city-wide essay contest,

sponsored by the San Diego Friends of the Public Library is now in progress. Schools and teachers have been notified of topics, rules, and dates; students are busy writing. The deadline for submittal to Benjamin Branch Library is 3:00 PM on Friday, December 20th. Winners from the local schools will be notified in January, and a celebration will be held.

On May 1, 2014, prizes (cash awards and a laptop computer) will be awarded to the top 12 city-wide winners. A grand prize of $500, given in memory of Jack and Carolyn Winer, will be presented to the Best Overall Winner!BOOK SALE

The last sale of the year will be held on Saturday, December 7 from 9:30 to 1:00. Gently used books for all ages, movies, DVDs, etc. will be out for your leisurely perusal. Beautiful last minute gifts are available at bargain prices! Proceeds from your purchases help to support Allied Gardens library activities and events. OASIS CLASSES

“The Story of Chocolate” will be the program on Tuesday, November 19th from 1:00 to 2:30. This should be a really good pre-sentation, with no calories. New classes will also be offered next year.NEWS TO USE

The 35th Annual Meeting if the Friends of the San Diego Public Library (FSDPL) was held October 12th at the new San Diego Central Library. Local volunteers Rene Brower, Elizabeth Gayon, and Amber Simes were among those recognized for their contributions.

Our FOL president, Joan Curry, was elected FSDPL President. After the business meeting, tours were taken.

November is a wonderful month in which we celebrate the past, the present, and the future. The members of the Benjamin Branch Friends of the Library (FOL) chapter wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

By Anne LeePresident

MISSIONTIMESCOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2013 19LOCAL News

JazzWednesdays – Gilbert Castellanos Jazz Jam at Seven Grand. Free. 9 p.m. SevenGrandBars.com.

Wednesdays – Jazz with Kice Simko and Friends at Riviera Supper Club. Free. 9 p.m. www.RivieraSupperClub.com.

Fridays – Sam Johnson Jazz Group at Cosmos Coffee Cafe. Free. 3 to 5p.m. CosmosCoffeeCafe.com.

Saturdays – Jazz with George and Alan at Bistro Sixty. Free. 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. www.SanDiegoDesserts.net.

Saturdays – Douglas Kvandal with the LiveJazz! Quartet at the Amigo Spot at the Kings Inn. Free. 7 p.m. www.kingsinnsandiego.com.

Oct 25 – The Matt Smith Neu Jazz Trio at 98 Bottles. $10 adv/ $12 day of show. 8 p.m. www.98bottlesSD.com

Nov 8 – The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble at Riviera Supper Club. Free. 9 p.m. www.RivieraSupperClub.com

Classical Oct. 27 – Flights of Fancy - A Recital by Robert Plimpton & Aaron Bullard at First United Methodist Church of San Diego. Free-will offering. 7 p.m. www.fumcsd.org.

Nov. 1 – Dia De Los Muertos: Honoring Mexico’s Singers and Composers at Copley Symphony Hall.. $20 – 86. 8 p.m. www.SanDiegoSymphony.org

Nov. 17 – Pomerado Brass Quintet at Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center Theater. Free (donations wel-come). 3 p.m. www.mtrp.org

Nov. 22 – 24 - Jon Kimura Parker Returns at Copley Symphony Hall. $20 - $96. Fri. & Sat. 8 p.m. Sun. 2 p.m. www.SanDiegoSymphony.org

Alternative

Oct. 26 – Clayton Joseph Scott, Leanna May and the Matadors, and The Midnight Pine at The Grifin. $8. 8 p.m. www.TheGriffinSD.com

Nov. 1 – Schitzophonics, Shake Before Us, Flaggs, and Chinese Rocks at Casbah. $8. 9 p.m. www.CasbahMusic.com

Nov. 7 – Neighbors to the North at Riviera Supper Club. Free. 9 p.m. www.RivieraSupperClub.com

Nov. 22 – Dr. Seahorse, Ed Ghost Tucker, and Neon Cough at The Griffin. $8. 8:30 p.m. ww.TheGriffinSD.com

Pop

Tuesdays – Suzanne Shea at Bistro Sixty. Free. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. www.SanDiegoDesserts.net

Thursdays – Greg Shibley at The Westgate Hotel. Free. 6:30pm – 9:30pm. www.west-gatehotel.com

Fridays – Nathan Welden at Bistro Sixty. Free. 6:30 p.m. www.SanDiegoDesserts.net

Oct. 25 – Get Groovin’ at Pal Joey’s. Free. www.PalJoeysOnline.com

Nov. 2 – David Cook and Satellite at The Griffin. $25 - $100. 7:30 p.m. www.TheGriffinSD.com

For Spooktacular Halloween shows see page 23

Bands, venues, and music-lovers: Please submit listings for this calendar by emailing Jen@ScoopSanDiego.com.

20 MISSIONTIMESCOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2013ARTs & eNTeRTAINMeNT

illegal rates that are not based on the costs of providing the services for which they are col-lected. The Water Authority was forced to file another lawsuit in 2012 because the 2010 case had not been resolved and MWD had adopted rates for 2013 and 2014 based on its same flawed process. Numerous California statutes, the California Constitution and common law all require that public agencies such as MWD set rates based on the actual costs of the services they are providing.

The majority of the claims in the Water Authority’s two lawsuits against MWD are scheduled for a coordinated trial starting December 17; a trial of the Water Authority’s breach of contract claim will follow at a later date. In March, Judge Karnow ruled that Proposition 26 could not apply retroactively to MWD’s water rates set in April 2010, before voters approved the ballot measure.

In both cases, the Water Authority asserts that MWD assigns water supply costs – including its costs of obtain-ing water from the State of California and its costs of fund-ing local supply development projects – to MWD’s water trans-portation rates in violation of state law, the state constitution and common law. The lawsuits also allege, among other things, that MWD’s rates discriminate against the Water Authority by artificially inflating the price MWD charges for trans-porting the Water Authority’s independent Colorado River water supplies through MWD’s pipelines.

Under MWD’s current rates, water ratepayers in San Diego County will be overcharged this year by $57 million. By 2021, the overcharges could grow to more than $217 million annually.

Interestingly, the Water Authority has been diligent about posting its story of the various court actions on its web-site all along.

A diligent search of the Metropolitan website reveals absolutely nothing about the court hearings since June of 2012. Metropolitan has appar-ently decided silence is the best reaction. That 2012 posting says SDCWA is trying to get the other 25 member agencies to pay for SDCWA’s purchases.

There is a long way to go in the legal process, and any verdict a San Francisco judge eventually reaches will no doubt be subject to appeal, unless one side or the other decides to settle. That’s not considered likely.

But the importance of all this simply cannot be overstated.

That’s why the current legal battle between our San Diego County Water Authority and the giant Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is so important to us and our future.

We all know, or should know, that San Diego and all our local water agencies are at the very end of a long pipeline. That pipe-line must be protected, whatever has to be done to make that happen.

Noodling around Bangkok PocoBangkok Poco The Restaurant5157 College Avenue, Ste ASan Diego, Calif. 92115(619) 265-7626

Bangkok Poco is one of those establishments adjacent to the San Diego State University campus that appears to serve only one purpose: Feed starv-ing students on the cheap. But thinking this restaurant is only relegated to students’ tastes would be a mistake; Bangkok Poco serves satisfying lunches that would please any age.

Lunch specials at Bangkok Poco start at $5 for dishes with vegetable or tofu. Dishes included in their midday spe-cial include: red curry or yellow curry cooked with coconut milk, basil eggplant cooked with Thai chili and garlic, and drunken noodles stir-fried with bell pep-pers, bean sprouts and basil leaves. These are just a few of the choices. With the variations of meat mains and intensity of spici-ness, you can eat here countless times without having the same thing twice.

Bangkok Poco’s pad thai is a

great option for those wanting something familiar. An addi-tional $1 gives you the choice for either mock duck, chicken or pork replacing vegetables or tofu base. (Other variations are beef, shrimp or calamari for $7, scallop or fish for $8 and roasted duck or seafood for $9.) Even without the soup-of-the-day served at the start of the meal, this is a hearty entrée and is served with an

egg roll and mixed salad. Rama (steamed vegetables with peanut sauce) is a little less impressive in comparison; the vegetables are perfectly cooked but this dish is bare bones. Unless you’re on a diet, stick with the noodle and curry dishes for a fail-safe satis-fying lunch.

Other lunch specials to check out are their $3.50 appetizers like the crispy Korean-style wings, specially priced desserts ($3 to $5) and beers starting at $2. All lunch specials are Monday through Friday between 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Breakfast deals can also be found on the weekdays starting at 8 a.m. until lunch service begins. Asian rice porridge (soft-boiled rice soup with chicken meat-balls), noodle soup and Bangkok Poco’s daily special start at $4 for the early riser.

If you’re looking to relive your college days, Bangkok Poco also offers several sizes of beer towers

ready to fill with your choice of brew.

The restaurant shares a parking lot with several other businesses so parking can be hit-or-miss. For best seating and to avoid the college lunch rush, get there before noon to score a seat without waiting.

Darlene Horn is a San Diego-based food blogger and has penning her opinions on food for eight years at MyBurningKitchen.com. She’s also the author of the semi-autobiographical, food-centric comic, The Girl with the Donut Tattoo, drawn by her hus-band and artist, Paul Horn.

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Doris Jaffe doesn’t look like a bodyguard. The San Diego resi-dent is, after all, 71 years old. But Jaffe has for almost four decades been upholding the ancient Jewish tradition of watching over the deceased from the time of death until burial.

Jaffe is a shomeret, a female shomer – or guardian, who com-forts the soul of the dead while ensuring the body is treated with dignity and respect as it is prepared for burial according Jewish law. She spends almost all of her time watching over the deceased reading all 150 Psalms in Hebrew, sometimes over and over again, though not necessar-ily in order.

It is lonely duty and she is not paid for her efforts. If a family provides a stipend, she often will donate the money to a cause that was dear to the departed’s heart.

It is a job that requires no formal training, but the work is considered the ultimate tribute. “You could perform an act of kind-ness for anyone, you could do a favor for anyone,” Jaffe said. “But when you do a favor like this for the deceased, there is no way they can repay you.”

So why does she do it? “The whole idea is to give the family a sense of relief in knowing that their loved one is being taken care of according to Jewish law. Dignity, love and respect. That’s how we treat the deceased. There’s a personal satisfaction in knowing that everything is being done properly.”

The first time she served as a shomeret was when Jaffe and her family were living in Cleveland. Her rabbi called and asked if she would be interested in helping out. Of course, came the answer. The rabbi packed some food, and off they went to the mortuary, where she was to watch over the body of a 93-year-old woman. “Her sons came over to me before the funeral and thanked me so much for doing this,” she recalled. “I’ve been doing it ever since.”

Her husband, Wilbur, was a shomer, too. Sometimes the couple would be at different funeral parlors at the same time. Wilbur died several years ago after the Jaffes moved to San Diego, but Doris Jaffe hasn’t stopped. At

her peak, the Brooklyn native was attending to several bodies a week; nowadays it’s more like several bodies a month. She has no idea how many times over the decades she’s served as a shom-eret. “I never counted.”

It was never a job. Jaffe worked for the county for 24 years before retiring as a payroll clerk in the District Attorney’s office a decade

ago.Jaffe never knows when she’ll

get a call. When her cell phone rings, she grabs a bag with clothes and a toothbrush and her book of Psalms. She stays up all night (“I drink a lot of tea”) and some-times helps out (she most often works at Am Israel Mortuary on El Cajon Boulevard) washing of the body. Nothing is done until the mechilla is said, essentially a prayer asking for forgiveness in the event anything is done in error.

The College Area resident will act as shomeret anytime a family requests one. And not all families requesting a shomer are Orthodox.

Jaffe, who positions herself a minimum of six feet from the deceased, spends most of her time reading Psalms. She has a long list of favorites that include Psalm 6 (“Do not rebuke me in Your anger, nor chastise me in Your rage… My soul is utterly terrified”), Psalm 20 (“May the King answer us on the day we call”), Psalm 100 (“Serve God with gladness, come before Him in joyous song”), and Psalms of Praise (known in Hebrew as Hallel and which cover 113 through 118).

“They’re beautiful writings.” * * *

Rhina Paredes went to Patrick Henry High School on Oct. 20

hoping to save some lives. It’s been her mission since her son, Eric, died of sudden cardiac arrest in July of 2009.

Paredes recently told a school auditorium packed with parents that tells Eric was putting clothes into his suitcase while readying for a long-awaited family cruise when she left for an appoint-ment. When his dad came home for lunch about 20 minutes later, he found his son collapsed on the floor.

Sudden cardiac arrest is caused by problems with the heart’s electrical system and can lead to a fatal case of arrhyth-mia. The Paredes now lead an El Cajon-based nonprofit called the Eric Paredes Save A Life Foundation that provides free electrocardiograms and, if needed, echocardiograms. The foundation raised more than $257,000 in just its second year, and it has tested more than 9,000 high school and college students in San Diego County since its inception in 2010. More than 200 teens tested were found to have undetected heart abnormalities, 88 were at risk for sudden cardiac arrest, and four required live-sav-ing surgeries.

“Electrocardiograms are not part of child’s physical exam, which is a way to find out if a child is at risk,” Paredes said. “For this reason, Eric’s dad and I decided to establish the Save A Life Foundation so that we can screen teens and detect who might be at risk. Simply said, we don’t want any other parent to go through the nightmare of knowing that their child is gone.”

Hundreds of Patrick Henry High parents signed up their children for the 30-minute screenings. No word on how many hearts were spared being broken.

Said Paredes: “Our mission in life is to prevent other kids from dying.”

David Ogul is a longtime reporter and editor who has worked at numerous Southern California daily newspapers in a career spanning more than three decades. He now runs his own communications company, writes a monthly column for The Mission Times Courier and edits the soon-to-be launched Seaside Courier in coastal North County. You can follow him on Twitter via @ogul, and he can be reached via email at Ogul@SeasideCourier.com

Acts of kindness and hopeBy David OgulMission Times Courier

We don’t want any other parent to go through the nightmare

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22 MISSIONTIMESCOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2013LOCAL News

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Halloween Music Events 201310/26 – San Diego Monster Bash. One of the biggest Halloween

parties in town features dance music by a variety of DJs on multiple stages. The block party takes over the streets of downtown and includes a $5000 cash costume contest. $30-$75. 6 p.m. 21+ www.sandiegomonsterbash.com

10/26 – Farmers’ Halloween Bash at Parkway Bar with The Farmers. Former members of The Beat Farmers will bring down the house at this quaint neighborhood bar in La Mesa. Great way to prepare for Halloween week! Free. 21+ www.theparkwaybar.com

10/31 – The Visual Underground presents SpookyVue “Dead Celebrity” Party with Transfer, Low Volts, and the Heavy Guilt Duo at The Casbah. It’s no surprise San Diego’s quintessential rock club is throwing a Halloween bash. The theme is to come dressed up as your favorite famously departed person and rock along with the other ghostly guests. Transfer bring their high energy indie rock as the headliners for the shindig. Low Volts manages to create a huge bluesy rock sound as a one-man-band and offstage singer/guitarist Tim Lowman will be airbrushing patrons looking to complete their Halloween look. And a couple members of one of the city’s finest bands, The Heavy Guilt, will round out the evening with stripped down version of killer rock tunes. Pun intended. $20. 9 p.m. 21+ www.casbahmusic.com

10/31 – Rocket from the Crypt, The Creepy Creeps, Deadbolt, Beehive and The Barracudas, Rob Crow, and Mrs. Magician at House of Blues. Long-time SD favorites, Rocket from the Crypt, make a special appearance this Halloween by haunting House of Blues with their fierce, fast rock ‘n’ roll style. The rest of the lineup is stacked with Rob Crow of Pinback making a solo appearance. Another high-light promises to be The Creep Creeps who would play in costume

with or without this holiday. $27.50 and up. 8:30 p.m. 21+ www.houseofblues.com

10/31 – Halloween Heat Party with Okapi Sun at Belly Up Tavern. One of the hottest EDM duos in town is a perfect fit for Belly Up’s party. The place and the patrons will be decked out to dance and take part in a costume contest. $25 - $44. 21+ www.BellyUp.com

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MISSIONTIMESCOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2013 23LOCAL News

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The Commode, Water Closet, Baño, Lavatory, Throne...Whatever you prefer to call it, we’ve got you covered with some important “toilet” tips this month.

Recently, in an effort to raise awareness about the lack of access to toilets around the world, the United Nations declared November 19 as “World Toilet Day.” Jan Eliasson, UN Deputy Secretary General, said, “Today’s decision to mark World Toilet Day on 19 November will help the UN raise awareness and mobilize action that can save millions of lives. 2.5 billion people lack toilets, and poor sanitation is a leading cause of disease and child deaths. Everyone needs a place to go!”

Important Changes for Toilets in 2014Water shortages are a serious problem in California. Stricter water conservation standards will go into effect startingJanuary 1, 2014. What does this mean for you? Starting in January, it will be illegal for stores to sell toilets that require more than 1.28 gpf. The 1.28 gpf toilet models are classified as a High Efficiency Toilet. Manufacturers have already prepared for these changes by developing and designing new products that will use less water, while still getting the job done. However, if you want a toilet that flushes with more than 1.28 gpf, you will need to purchase it before January 1!

World Toilet Day November 19

If you have any questions about your current toilet or the coming changes for toilets in 2014, stop by our showroom or call us at (619) 583-7963.

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The Importance of Toilets – Don’t Take your Loo for Granted!Living in an area where plumbing systems have been in use for decades, we may forget what life is like for others around the world who do not have such systems implemented. According to the United Nations, of our world’s seven billion people, six billion have mobile phones. Yet, only 4.5 billion people have access to toilets or latrines. This means that 2.5 billion people live in conditions without proper sanitation.

Proper plumbing is critical in protecting the health and cleanliness of people, our water supply and planet. The plumber protects the health of a nation; what was once a luxury is now a necessity.

Toilet Selection: What to Consider when Buying a ToiletWhen purchasing a toilet, consider buying one with simple replacement parts inside the tank. The chlorine in our water deteriorates the rubber flappers and seals. At one point or another, you will need to replace those parts, and when that time comes, you’ll want to be able to easily locate them.Toilet Length:Toilet models come in two lengths: round front or elongated. The elongated length has an extra two inches. Some elongated models are the same distance from the wall as a round front is, but the additional two inches are found in the seat area.

Toilet Height:Toilets come in a standard height of 14 1/2”. Now many models are available in 16 1/2” or comfort height. This is more like the height of a chair.

One-Piece vs. Two-Piece ToiletsMost 2-piece toilets are less expensive, but don’t come with seats. One-piece toilets come with a seat that is usually a better quality than those on the 2-piece toilet.

Seat Options: -Painted wood-Plastic, with regular or slow-close lid and seat.-Bidet Seat: features a heated seat, warm water and a wireless remote control to work a variety of cleaning functions.

THE IDEAL CONNECTION24 MISSIONTIMESCOURIER.COM — NOVEMBER 2013