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SEPT. 18, 2009
THE COAST NEWS
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financial statement.” Johnston said the responses varied but were along the lines of “I’ll bring it next month.” Yet, the statements were not provided. “The biggest disconnect is that there was no follow-up at meetings,” she said. “Each month brought new issues.” Other board members claim that both Tucker and Andreen acted more like a two-man show in operating the organization and consistently disregarded the concerns and directives of the board. “They were bullies,” one former member said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “It was a good ol’ boy system and you didn’t want to get in their way.” The financial review calls into question the financial benefit Andreen received from the board. From January 1, 2007, through May 29 of this year, Andreen received $78,584 for “various business-related transactions.” This amount includes $1,500 per month to publish the chamber’s newsletter; regular payments of $1,200 a month on “draw against commission,” although no evidence exists to reconcile this amount with actual revenue from membership revenues; $1,500 per editorial written on three occasions; and miscellaneous items. The report concludes that Andreen was paid 53 percent of all membership commissions during this time period. There is no contract between Andreen or any of his business entities and the chamber for the work that was paid according to the report. Especially troubling to some members was the appearance of impropriety and noncompliance with certain bylaws. The rules governing taxexempt organizations such as the chamber require board members who receive an economic benefit from the organization to be closely scrutinized. “We could have done a better job at oversight but every time we tried to get answers we were made out to be the bad guys,” a former member who spoke on the condition of anonymity said. When asked why the board did not call for Tucker or Andreen to resign, one member cited fear of retri-
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bution. Another former member, also speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the board took its lead from Ken Gross, the chamber’s board president. “We would have loved to see him (Tucker) leave but every time Ken talked to him about the concerns of the board, he made up more excuses and that was apparently acceptable.” Mayor Maggie Houlihan said she was glad to have a more complete financial picture of the organization. She said it confirmed some of her suspicions. “What was presented to us for reimbursement did not seem to match the Visitor Center expenditures.” Houlihan cited chamber violations of the contract with the city to operate the Visitor Center including failure to operate on weekends without prior authorization, failure to maintain an updated Web site, not revealing staff turnover and distributing outdated promotional materials. Operating hours during the week were also diminished. “The taxpayers were being ripped off and the visitors were being underserved,” she said. Based on the financial review documents, Houlihan said it was obvious that the contract was breached. “Public funds were misappropriated and the public trust was violated.” In an opinion of the financial review submitted to city hall, the board proposed several corrective actions. While it places much of the blame for the previous financial egregiousness on Tucker and Andreen, the board recognized that the freedom it allowed the CEO negatively impacted the organization and the Visitor Center. With the hiring of new CEO Marshall Weinreb and increased oversight, Gross said in his statement the board is “committed to improving operations and service to the community … ” Johnston, who is still a member of the chamber, said she expects improvement within the organization. “It will be nice to have it settled,” she said. “We can learn from it and move forward.” To read the report in its entirety and other related items, visit coastnewsgroup. com.
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holding the animals, was treating them with “cruel and barbaric” abuse. (2) Afghan refugee Fridoon Sadiqi filed a lawsuit against
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density of the location, the possibility of a “big box” chain moving in and the residential units proposed for the site. “We got e-mails saying we approved big box stores, but this prevents a Wal-Mart from moving into this location, right?” Councilman Keith Blackburn, clarifying it for those in attendance. City attorney Ronald Ball assured the council and audience that the new provi-
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feel a real obligation and sense of responsibility to the land, our environment and our neighbors.” “For years I’ve heard the complaints of men and women as they shopped for a new home. They say homes are designed without the intuitive nature of how it should work for those who work in the home. There must be a balance of aesthetics and functionality, neither sacrificed for
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found that those with the highest blood levels of DHA from fish intake of 3.0 servings per week had about half the risk of dementia compared to those with lower levels. In the diet, DHA is found mostly in fatty fish, cod liver oil and algae. Also the Omega 3 eggs you’ll find at Henry’s Farmers Market contain about 150mg of DHA per egg. Brain boosting supplements: — Acetylcarnitine can cross the blood-brain barrier
The continuing crisis
sions have explicitly prohibited any large corporate chains from moving into the La Costa Town Square development. The new amendment will not allow stores with more than 30,000 items in stock to move into the area. The council also approved a Social Host Ordinance that will make adults responsible and subject to criminal charges for providing alcohol to minors at house parties. Carlsbad will join other cities in the county and state that already have similar ordinances in place to
help lessen the impact of underage drinking on their communities. “It’s not a complete answer to underage drinking, but it’s a tool,” said Judy Strang, executive director of the San Dieguito Alliance for Drug Free Youth. In the interest of Carlsbad citizens, the council voted to increase liability to $1 million for the city’s taxicabs. Currently, taxi companies are only required to pay premiums for $300,000 in total liability while neighboring cities require liability cov-
erage of $1 million. Monthly premiums for cab companies will increase $50 to $80 a month to provide the newly approved liability coverage. “If $600 a year puts a cab company out of business, our community deserves better,” Councilman Mark Packard said. City Council meetings are held every Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Council Chambers, 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive. View the meetings from home and tune in live online at www.carlsbadca.gov or on Time Warner channel 24.
the other,” Bonasia said. Pacific Shoreline strives to strike just the right balance between function and form, value and innovation and fresh creativity to bring comfort and style to the most important place in our lives — our home. Pacific Shoreline includes interior design as a service and again, the company strives to create a healthy atmosphere. “Indoor air quality of a home can have a dramatic effect on the overall health of the inhabitants. Chemicals found in carpet, particle board, paints and adhesives continue to off-
gas into the indoor atmosphere long after their installation,” Bonasia said. Pacific Shoreline’s designers are continuously researching new products available for interior applications to ensure optimum results and the long-term satisfaction of their clients. “It’s important to understand how a product will perform in the regional climate where the home is located and which products really live up to the highest Green standards,” Bonasia said, referring to “green-washing”; a term that describes products that are
marketed as green but have elements that fall short in performance.“The design team of Pacific Shoreline strives to find a balance of beauty, quality and value to meet the needs to each individual home owner,” Bonasia said. Pacific Shoreline operates in San Diego County with construction projects but offers interior design across all of Southern California. To learn more about Pacific Shoreline General Contractors Inc., visit www.pacificshorelinegc.com or call (760) 4382925.
and has been shown to revitalize brain function via energetic pathways.Several studies suggest that supplementing with Acetylcarnitine delays cognitive decline and improves overall function especially in seniors. Taking 1,500 mg a day may improve memory, mood, and responses to stress. — Phosphatidylserine (PS) has been shown to improve memory, cognition, and mood in seniors. At least 23 human trails, of which 12 were double-blind and involved almost 1,200 subjects, showed that PS statistically
improved the learning and recall of names and faces, telephone numbers, and misplaced objects, as well as paragraph recall and the ability to concentrate. Suggested doses of PS are 300 mg per day. — Fish oil supplements are important for a healthy brain and nervous system. Most fish oil capsules at Henry’s Farmers Market are derived from fresh, cold water fish and are free from contaminates such as pesticides,PCB’s and heavy metals. Taking fish oil capsules daily, about 1,000 mg to 3,000 mg, are a great alternative if you don’t con-
sume a lot of omega 3-rich fish in your diet. Please note: These recommendations are not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or pharmacist. If you’re taking medication, please talk to your healthcare provider before taking any type of supplementation. Every day you have the power to make healthy decisions that affect you and your cognitive health.
— Elsie Poncher decided reluctantly in August to go back on a promise she had made to her late husband. Richard Poncher had purchased a crypt (for himself) just above the one in which
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‘07 red varietal.
Harvest time for Temecula wineries In a head-spinning rush of activities and next-level moves, the Temecula Winegrowers Association is on the move, under the direction of Peggy Evans. She has finally inaugurated a 24-page brochure update packed with the latest winery information, maps and other area features like restaurants, hotels and Old Town Temecula attractions. At the same time, the new Web site was unveiled that navigates easily to more than 70 vineyards and wineries. There are coupons and events, even weather information at the click of a link. September is California Wine Month and to celebrate, Temecula wineries are offering Tasting Passports for the month that save the visitor $10 to $150 in discounts. For full details on this promotion, visit www.temeculawines.org. or visit the office at 34567 Rancho California Road in the middle of wine
the body of Marilyn Monroe rests in a Los Angeles memorial park, but Elsie now needs money and thus offered the crypt for sale in August, planning to move
Britain’s Home secretary in August after being turned down for political asylum because he had presented a forged passport to enter the U.K. According to Sadiqi, the rejection made him clinically depressed.
BEST OF CLASS South Coast winemaker Jon McPherson accepts Best of Class Award from presenter Bob Herrera. Photo by Frank Mangio
country, each day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you’re attracted to Grape Stomps, you can jump up and down on the gooey grapes on the following dates: Callaway will host a Harvest and Stomp Sept. 19 from 4 to 7 p.m.; Oak Mountain has a stomp on Sept. 20; Ponte and South Coast have one on Sept. 27; Wilson Creek’s starts at 5 p.m. Oct. 4; Wiens has its Wiensfest set for Oct. 17. They promise a grape stomp German-style with an Octoberfest Oompah Pah Band, and even some German
beer. Ready, set, stomp!
Wine Bytes — Fallbrook downtown has its final Wine & A Bite Walk that includes bites from six downtown restaurants and wine from Fallbrook Winery from 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 19. Five stores and galleries make it interesting.The cost is $20 per person. Call for details at (877) 451-3282. — Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido presents Edna Valley Winery and its Central Coast varietals from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.Sept.19.Just $10 gets
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Janet Little is the nutritionist for Henry’s Farmers Market. She has more than 20 years of experience in the health food industry.
you wine tastings and food samplers. RSVP at (760) 7451200. — Bistro West in Carlsbad is the place to be with its innovative and sweet pricing on wines and events. Their entire stock of wines is reduced 50 percent on Mondays for lunch or dinner. On top of that, Peter Mondavi of Napa’s great Charles Krug Winery will present his wines in a special fivecourse paired dinner event from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sept. 21. The cost is only $55 each so be sure to RSVP quickly at (760) 930-8008. — Baci Italian Ristorante in San Diego has combined Sextant Wines from the Central Coast with a lovely Italian-style paired dinner from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Sept. 21. The cost is $65 per person. For a reservation, dial (619) 2752094. Frank Mangio is a renowned wine connoisseur certified by Wine Spectator. His library can be viewed at www.tasteofwinetv.com. (Average Google certified 900 visits per day) He is one of the top five wine commentators on the Web. Reach him at mangiompc@aol.com.