PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ENCINITAS, CA 92024 PERMIT NO. 94
THE COAST NEWS
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MAKING WAVES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
VOL. 24, NO. 3
JAN. 15, 2010
HAND-Y Marathon WORK meeting draws big crowd
THISWEEK ble a u l Va pons cou ages on P0-B11 B1
By Wehtahnah Tucker
DR. DO LOTS A local chiropractor
ENCINITAS — After six hours of staff presentations and public comment, City Council directed staff to refine a controversial option to improve the North Coast Highway Streetscape project at its Jan. 13 meeting. With an overflow crowd in an adjoining room the council chambers filled up before the 6 p.m. start of the highly anticipated meeting. Residents wearing red shirts and holding neon signs that
uses new technology to treat a variety of four-legged patients in addition to his usual B1 two-legged ones
INSIDE
TWO SECTIONS, 44 PAGES
Business Directory . . . . B4 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . A10 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . B16 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . B18 Consumer Reports . . . . A14 Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A8 Crossword Puzzle . . . . B15 Dining Guide . . . . . . . . B12 Eye on the Coast . . . . . . A5 EyeWitness . . . . . . . . . .A15 Frugal Living . . . . . . . . . B4 Hit the Road . . . . . . . . . A9 Hot Off the Block . . . . . A10 Legal Notices . . . . . . . . . B6 Lick the Plate . . . . . . . .A16 Odd Files . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4 Outside Perspective . . . . A4 Pet of the Week . . . . . . A15 Second Opinion . . . . . . A15 Small Talk . . . . . . . . . . . B1 Taste of Wine . . . . . . . . B2 Who’s News? . . . . . . . . . A8
HOW TO REACH US (760) 436-9737 CALENDARS SECTION: calendar@coastnewsgroup.com COMMUNITY NEWS: community@coastnewsgroup.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: letters@coastnewsgroup.com
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TURN TO MEETING ON A18
■ Local skating pro strikes balance
between risky sport, family life By Lillian Cox
ENCINITAS — Bucky Lasek’s workplace isn’t a cubicle. It’s a concrete bowl at his Olivenhain home where he spends three to four hours each weekday perfecting his game. When the weekend arrives, Bucky’s like any other dad, devoting quality time to his wife, Jennifer, and their three daughters. Recognized as the No. 1 vert skater in the U.S., he considers his greatest accomplishment to be his girls — who prefer riding horses to skateboards. Raised in Baltimore, Md., Bucky was 12 when he decided to take up skateboarding after his bicycle was stolen. “I would run behind my buddy and shared his board until I
Bucky Lasek, 37, does a handplant at his Olivenhain home. Although Lasek is considered the No. 1 vert skater in the U.S., he considers his greatest accomplishment to be his three daughters — who prefer riding horses to skateboards. Photo by Jamie Mosberg
No. 3, to change Mission Avenue to a two-lane westbound oneway street and Seagaze Drive to a two-lane eastbound one-way street. A traffic analysis by Kimley-Horn and Associates found the change supports a good flow traffic. “It’s a huge win for the city of Oceanside, with CityMark and the beach resort going in, traffic will drop off at their front door,” David DiPierro, Oceanside traffic engineer,said. One drawback with the proposed change is that oneway streets can be confusing for tourists and infrequent drivers to Oceanside. Scott Colvin, TURN TO MISSION ON A16
TURN TO PRINCIPAL ON A16
Workshop held to reveal options for Mission Avenue OCEANSIDE — Five options to improve the traffic flow and walkability on Mission Avenue, from Horne Street to Coast Highway, were introduced at a workshop on Jan. 7. The proposed changes are a step toward reaching Oceanside’s Walkable Communities Plan. The goal is get cars and pedestrians downtown. An animated traffic simulator compared Mission Avenue’s present four-lane, twoway traffic flow to four different two-lane road layouts. The option recommended by Kimley-Horn and Associates THE AESTHETICS Oceanside resident John McDonald asks Dave engineers who conducted the Sorenson, traffic engineer with Kimley-Horn and Associates, about the traffic study was Alternative visual appeal of one of the plans for Mission Avenue. Photo by Promise Yee
By Randy Kalp
OCEANSIDE — Paulette Thompson, an elementary school principal accused of stealing thousands of dollars from the Oceanside Unified School District, pleaded guilty Jan. 5 to charges relating to the crime. Thompson, 59, admitted to one count each of grand theft and misappropriation of public funds in connection to stealing more than $50,000 between 2005 and 2008 from the district and ParentTeacher Organization. In accordance to her plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed 17 other charges relating to the crime, including identify theft and grand theft charges. Thompson, who has been with the Oceanside Unified School District since 1990, faces up to three years and eight months in
TURN TO SKATING ON A18
By Promise Yee
Principal admits to theft from district
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