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. 18
MAY 14, 2010
PERFECT PITCH
THISWEEK SMOKE OUT
Solana Beach wants to expand its already strict anti-tobacco laws to block sales on cigarettes and ban smoking in sidewalks — A3 and some homes
NOT-SO-SQUARE ROOTS IN MATH
By Promise Yee
jury find him guilty of voluntary manslaughter, which carries a lighter prison sentence compared to firstdegree murder. French, 41, testified he and Stark had an on-again, off-again relationship for three years, and on the night of the murder they had gone out for dinner and drinks. The evening took a quick turn for the worse after he discovered text messages from another man on Stark’s cell phone while at her house following their date, the defendant said. Deputy District Attorney Jeff Dusek said one of the keys to the case was to show that the medical supplies salesman thought about the killing beforehand and not during or after. The prosecutor said Stark suffered bruising to her face and body as
OCEANSIDE — A unanimous vote by City Council on May 5 put the gears in motion to start negotiations with Waste Management for a long-term waste-hauling contract. Council voted to start exclusive negotiations with Waste Management, use waste and recycling negotiators Sloan Vazquez, and bring a contract agreement back to council to vote on within 90 days. The vote pushes negotiations forward without having to go through the timeconsuming process of asking for requests for proposals to find a city negotiator. Time is of the essence with the present contract with Waste Management nearing its end and time closing in on the two-year deadline to let the company know if its services are no longer needed. Negotiations will start seven days from the May 5 council vote to allow any recommendations from the Integrated Waste Management subcommittee to be passed on to the city manager and negotiators. Councilwoman Esther Sanchez, the city liaison to the Integrated Waste Management Commission, said she will speak individually to each subcommittee member to get his or her final prioritized list of recommendations. A few items that are likely to be on the list of recommendations are single stream recycling, maintaining low rates, a pay-as-youthrow plan, revenue sharing from recycling, and payment of franchise fees, Sanchez said. City Manger Peter Weiss said the list of recommendations will be passed on to city negotiators who will determine what is feasible to ask for and how long the contract needs to be
TURN TO GUILTY ON A21
TURN TO TRASH ON A25
A local teacher makes use of rap music to help students get into the intimidating subject B1
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Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . A6 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . B20 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . B22 Consumer Reports . . . . A17 Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A8 Doorman Diaries . . . . . . B3 Eye on the Coast . . . . . . A5 Frugal Living . . . . . . . . B12 Hot Off the Block . . . . . . A9 The Law and You . . . . . B12 Legal Notices . . . . . . . . . B7 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . B19 Odd Files . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Pendleton News . . . . . . A18 Pet of the Week . . . . . . A12 Sea Notes . . . . . . . . . . . A19 Second Opinion . . . . . . A17 Small Talk . . . . . . . . . . . B1 Smart Money . . . . . . . . A19 Taste of Wine . . . . . . . . A5 Who’s News? . . . . . . . . . A9
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Clock is ticking on city trash contract
Carter Chuppe of Carlsbad, a seventh-grader at Oak Crest Middle School, took the mound May 8 at Aviara Oaks Middle School. The Arizona Wildcats are coached by coaches Rocky Chuppe and Rod Keillor. This was the Wildcats’ last regular season game. Playoffs for the La Costa Youth Organization’s Bronco division begin May 17. LCYO is a not-for-profit organization celebrating its 30th year providing baseball and softball programs for youths between 5 and 15 years old who live mainly in the Carlsbad and Encinitas areas. Photo by Bill Reilly
La Costa man found guilty of murdering ex By Randy Kalp
CARLSBAD — Despite Jonathan French’s contention that the murder of his ex-girlfriend was unmethodical, it may have been a simple equation that led jurors to believe the slaying was premeditated, the defendant’s attorney said May 11. “Distance equals time and time equals deliberation,” said defense attorney Ken Kaminski, referring to his belief that the jury’s guilty verdict on May 10 of first-degree murder revolved around the evidence that his client went into the kitchen to get a knife after beating and choking the North County court reporter unconscious in her Carlsbad home last summer. Stark’s 15-year-old son found his mother with her throat cut when he arrived home around 11:20 p.m. July 31, 2009. The 43-year-old mother of two
worked as court reporter at the San Diego Superior Courthouse in Vista for nine years. Kaminski said the case was a “tragedy for everybody,” but he believed the scenario of the evening, in particular the fact that Stark’s son was supposed to be home or was on his way home and that French’s daughter was waiting for him at his La Costa house makes the murder appear to be the result of an impulsive snap on his client’s part. “To me it was indicative of rage rather than someone who was planning or premeditating something,” said Kaminski in a phone interview. “I understand how the jury may have gotten to their decision as well.” From the witness stand, French admitted to murdering Stark; however, he portrayed the slaying as a spontaneous fatal assault, and asked that the
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