Encinitas cancels SeeClickFix contract?

The City of Encinitas used to have an app called SeeClickFix, where residents could easily report road hazards, vandalism, debris, etc. from our new "neighbors experiencing homelessness" (thanks, Tony!).

Apparently, there were too many reports for the staff to keep up with, or so many reports it became politically inconvenient for the incumbent majority, so now the app has been disabled.

5/22/24 City Council meeting open thread

Please use the comments to record your observations.

Downtown restaurants trashed in vandalism spree

 Fox 5:

Early Monday morning, two North County restaurants were vandalized and burglarized, setting both local hubs back thousands of dollars’ worth of stolen property and damages.

FOX 5 and KUSI obtained surveillance video at both Union Kitchen and Tap Encinitas along with Trattoria I Trulli, detailing the destruction of shattered windows, tables, chairs and the loss of equipment far beyond repair.

The assailant defaced Trattoria I Trulli specifically with graffiti stating “merchant of death” before being apprehended by law enforcement.

UPDATE: Joshua Jackson, 39. He's still in jail as of Friday morning on $25,000 bail, so clearly doesn't have any friends or family who want to help.

Murder in Encinitas

Patch.com:

A man was stabbed to death in Encinitas, authorities said Sunday. A stabbing was reported at 10:11 p.m. Saturday in the 300 block of Sprucewood Drive in Encinitas, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

Deputies found a man with a stab wound, Lt. Michael Krugh said. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His identity was not released.

"Deputies detained the suspect about half a mile away from the location of the crime," Krugh said. "Sheriff's homicide detectives are conducting an investigation and gathering more evidence."

The motivation and circumstances of the crime were still under investigation, he added. There were no outstanding suspects.

UPDATE: Fox 5:

Upon arrival, deputies report they found a man with a stab wound to his stomach area who later died at the hospital. He has been identified as 19-year-old Miguel Mozo-Hernandez from Encinitas.

The sheriff’s department reports after an autopsy was completed, his cause of death has been ruled a homicide.

Deputies found and arrested the suspect about a half-mile away from the scene Saturday night. According to the sheriff’s department, the victim’s 17-year-old brother is in custody at a juvenile hall facing homicide charges.

Young progressive targets school board seat

 NC Pipeline:

The musical chairs for this election season continues as one candidate in Carlsbad has opted to withdraw from his City Council race to run for school board in San Dieguito Union High School District.

On Monday, Kevin Sabellico announced his decision during an event with the Democratic Club of Carlsbad and Oceanside. He also announced his resignation on Monday as a Carlsbad planning commissioner after he was appointed to the San Diego County Environmental Health and Quality Advisory Board by Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer.

According to sources at the event, Sabellico told the audience that he plans to run against Michael Allman for the D4 seat on the San Dieguito Union High School District Board of Trustees on Monday. Sabellico, who moved to D2 in Carlsbad several months ago, moved to Carmel Valley so he can run for the seat.

5/8/24 City Council meeting open thread

 Please use the comments to record your observations.

E-bike fail

Union-Tribune:

An e-bike company that has had racks of rentable bikes in Encinitas since early 2022 is pulling out of the city this month, saying usage rates haven’t been as good as hoped.

“We just weren’t getting the wheel spinning at the level that we needed” to make the program cost-effective, BCycle Executive Director Brian Conger said Wednesday.

City officials said they’re sorry to see the company depart, but said they understood the challenges BCycle faced.

Ehlers announces for mayor

Coast News:

Councilmember Bruce Ehlers has thrown his hat into the ring to become the next mayor of Encinitas.

The council’s District 4 representative told The Coast News that he has filed the official paperwork needed to start the candidate process. Ehlers will challenge incumbent Mayor Tony Kranz.

“I am running to return to the priorities that guided us since incorporation, preserve community character, provide reliable public services, ensure public safety and protect the environment,” Ehlers said.

Ehlers is the principal author of Proposition A, a ballot initiative that gave Encinitas voters the final say on development proposals that fall outside parameters outlined in the city’s general plan.