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RANCHO SANTA FE NEWS
JULY 15, 2011
City celebrates it 25th, unveils community center By Bianca Kaplanek
“This is truly a monument to the community,” Mayor Lesa Heebner said during a July 1 ribbon-cutting ceremony for the renovated Fletcher Cove Community Center. “This is a very exciting and historic day that was a long time coming and a short time in the making,” she said
on a day that also marked the 25th anniversary of the county’s second smallest city. The former World War II Army barracks was moved to its current bluff-top location from Vista in 1944. There have been no significant improvements since then. In 2007 the building was ranked second on a list of 15 facilities that needed to com-
ply with federal and state accessibility laws. “We saw that as a great opportunity to improve (the facility) and off we went,” Heebner said. The project is slated to be completed in three phases. The first phase, completed in November 2010, was mostly grading and improve-
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ments to bring the surrounding property into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. It included construction of a new parking lot and the addition of handicapped-accessible parking spaces. Construction on phase two, which was the building upgrades, began in February. The final phase will include park improvements for the southern portion of the site.
That will begin when funding becomes available. The cost for the first two phases was approximately $370,000. Funding came from a variety of sources, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, the redevelopment agency and donations from the Solana Beach Civic & Historical Society, the Solana Beach
the Mexican Wolf Species Survival Plan (SSP), a binational captive breeding program that supports the reintroduction of the highly endangered Mexican gray wolf into the wild. The California Wolf Center participates in the Mexican Wolf Species
Survival Plan as a breeding facility, currently hosting sixteen endangered Mexican wolves. The Center is one of the largest institutions hosting Mexican wolves in the world. The California Wolf Center is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit education, conserva-
tion, and research center located in Julian, and is dedicated to increasing understanding of all North American wildlife by focusing on the role of the gray wolf in ecosystems. In addition to being a participant in the Mexican Wolf Species Survival Plan,
the California Wolf Center offers educational programs to the general public and dedicated programs called Wolf Encounters for students k—12. The center also supports on-site behavioral research as well as field research in wolf behavior, biology, and ecology
Despite a new engine and interior, the Journey is still a mediocre vehicle. The Dodge Journey Lux AWD ($36,795 MSRP as tested) is powered by a 283-hp, 3.6-liter V6 engine that delivers good performance but got only 16 mpg overall. Cargo space is generous. — Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger. The 200 and the Avenger are essentially the same mid-sized sedan. Fuel economy was unimpressive. The Chrysler 200 Limited ($27,825 MSRP as tested) and the Dodge Avenger Mainstreet ($22,290 MSRP as tested) have a standard 173-hp, 2.4-liter fourcylinder engine that gets 21 mpg overall in CR’s own fuel economy tests. The 200 has a
small trunk for its class; the Avenger’s is larger. Trunk space can be expanded in both cars by folding the 60/40-rear seatbacks. — Jeep Compass and Patriot.The Compass and the Patriot, basically the same
vehicle, both provide a compliant ride. The Jeep Compass Latitude 4x4 ($24,985 MSRP as tested) and the Jeep Patriot Latitude 4x4 ($24,400 MSRP as tested) are both powered by a noisy and sluggish 172-
hp, 2.4-liter four cylinder engine. The Compass gets 22 mpg overall; the Patriot, 21 mpg. It’s easy to fold down the 60/40 rear seatbacks, creating a good-sized cargo bay.
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of the rarest land mammals in the world, with fewer than 50 individuals in the wild and about 350 in the global population. Since 1997, the California Wolf Center has played an important role in
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V6 engine that works hard to provide modest acceleration and gets 17 mpg overall. The Durango V8 ($47,375 as tested) is powered by a 360-hp, 5.7-liter Hemi V8 that gets 14 mpg overall. Cargo and towing capacity is generous. — Chrysler Town and Country. The updated Town & Country is much improved but still falls short of the best minivans. The Town & Country Touring-L ($37,505 MSRP as tested) has a powerful 283-hp, 3.6-liter V6 engine that gets 17 mpg overall. Cargo volume is generous; most versions have seats that fold flat into the floor. — Dodge Journey.
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oil in your home? As one who really pays attention to supermarket prices, it’s hard for me to believe that a jar of mayonnaise or a can of tuna costs twice as much in New Jersey or Arizona as it does in Indiana. You say that Social Security and Medicare are the same all over the country. This is an anomaly that many think should be adjusted. Thanks again for your wonderful letter. It’s nice to know there are folks out there who are content with what they have and are very happy to recommend their part of the world to others.
While a big-city breakfastwithout coffee can cost more than $5, I’m wondering about the $10 steak, eggs, potatoes and toast breakfast. I don’t think the prices in the chain restaurants vary 50 percent. I’m sure there is a little variation in price, but it’s not that substantial. There’s no question that real estate in many cases is considerably less expensive. On the other hand, there are parts of the country that have taken it on the chin with real estate just like the folks on the coasts. You mentioned that the only things Send questions to Smart Money, P.O. you pay the same for are cars. Box 503, Elfers, FL 34680, or e-mail How about the gas? The fuel them to bruce@brucewilliams.com. .
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for the High Line were so outrageous that I felt it would never happen,” he said. “Today I feel that the High Line is a great success because the idea is very simple, that of a linear garden above the city. My mother lives on 24th Street, and when I go to 14th to shop at the Chelsea Market, I take the scenic route to my mother's apartment.” The High Line also is wheelchair accessible, allowing Vidal to take his mother for walks. “Everyone in NYC loves the High Line,” he adds. “It provides a few seconds of peace for an anxietyfilled New Yorker.” We continue walking south and pass a shiny new water fountain. I push the button and — it speaks to me. Really. A man’s voice extols the virtues of good hydration, and when I tell Dan, he has to try it for himself — and more than once. It’s enough to send him into a soliloquy about the Big Apple. “I can spend the day in the city and have expensive meals, great service and fine atmosphere,” he said, “or I could take the train to Grand Central, see the sights, enjoy, relax, dine on my PB&J and truly experience the city. The High Line is just another reason why I love New York.” It’s time to head back to our hotel so we’ll be on time for a dinner engagement. I hate to leave the High Line. I take a last long look at the green mile and hope I’ll return someday. For historical photos of the High Line, visit thehighline.org/galleries/images/tag s/historical. E’Louise Ondash is a freelance writer living in North County. Tell her about your travels at eondash@coastnewsgroup.com.