San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy rebrands as hippie commune

City cancelling Beacon's stairway; likely to borrow $22 million for Leucadia Streetscape

Coast News:

The Encinitas City Council is poised to defund a controversial proposed staircase at Beacon’s Beach and is considering borrowing $22 million to finance the construction of its major capital project, the Leucadia Streetscape.

As part of the proposed capital improvement project budget the council is considering at its May 22 meeting, staff is proposing — with the council’s direction — redirecting the $3.4 million for the project to the El Portal pedestrian and bicycle underpass project.

“The El Portal project in Tier 1 (B) for $4.7 million (General Fund portion) will be funded partially by using the funding previously appropriated to the Beacon’s project in the amount of $3.4 million. The Beacon’s project will be de-funded until reconsidered by Council,” the staff report states.

The Beacon's stairway was never popular with locals. Leucadia Streetscape remains highly controversial.

City clears homeless encampment from Cardiff Rail Trail

City crews were out today clearing the junk from a homeless encampment along the new Cardiff Rail Trail.

5/22/19 City Council meeting open thread

Please use the comments to record your observations.

Paranoid conspiracy bullshit?

Recently Mayor Blakespear's husband accused Supervisor Gaspar of "paranoid conspiracy bullshit" for discussing SANDAG Director Hasan Ikhrata's supposed plan to put black boxes in everyone's cars to track their driving and charge them for using the freeways.




You know who else believes in this crazy paranoid conspiracy? The LA Times.

From 2013 when Ikhrata was at SCAG, the LA area's version of SANDAG:

"This really is a must for our nation. It is not a matter of something we might choose to do," said Hasan Ikhrata, executive director of the Southern California Assn. of Governments, which is planning for the state to start tracking miles driven by every California motorist by 2025. "There is going to be a change in how we pay these taxes. The technology is there to do it."

Thanks to an anonymous commenter for the tip.

5/15/19 City Council meeting open thread

Please use the comments to record your observations.

Blakespear's husband calls Gaspar's telling of SANDAG meeting "paranoid conspiracy bullshit"

We noted recently that Kristin Gaspar is opposing SANDAG's plan to take money promised for roads and redirect it to mass transit. The fight is heating up.

KUSI on the recent SANDAG meeting:

Gaspar explained that the SANDAG Director, Hasan Ikhrata, is recommending everyone pay to drive on all freeway lanes because they are subsidized.

A black box would be installed in every vehicle, tracking every mile you drive on the highway, and then that information will be given to the government so it could charge you.

During last week’s SANDAG meeting, Ikhrata tried silencing board members who didn’t agree with his plan. Ikhrata became so aggressive, County Supervisor Gaspar walked out.

This is apparently what Catherine Blakespear's husband is referring to on Facebook: