Residential Customer Del Mar CA, 92014 ECRWSS
Volume XVI, Issue 35
www.delmartimes.net
Sept 6, 2012 Published Weekly
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID SAN DIEGO, CA PERMIT NO. 1980
Major 101 construction ahead of schedule But project has affected local business operations, traffic flow
■ Teacher brings together Israeli, Palestinian and U.S. students. Page 9
BY CLAIRE HARLIN Traveling Solana Beach’s main thoroughfare has become a little more difficult since mid-July. The biggest construction project the city has seen in nearly 20 years is under way, and although it’s been on the planning board for five years, the state of the 101 has left many locals and business owners frustrated and asking,
“Why now?” “I wish they could have waited until the winter,” said Torie Bell, general manager of Pizza Port, located at 135 N. Highway 101. Bell said she thinks the renovations will be “worth it in the end,” but it’s “like a ghost town” in her usually-packed restaurant on the days the races aren’t in
session. “Most of our customers are locals and they don’t want to deal with the traffic,” she said, See 101, Page 6
Cars head north on Highway 101, which is undergoing the biggest construction project Solana Beach has seen in decades.
Torrey Pines back on the gridiron
DEIR supplement on I-5 project includes lagoon study data Public forum scheduled for Sept. 19
■ Local woman finds fulfillment as San Elijo Lagoon docent. Page 10 Torrey Pines High School quarterback Mike Ward prepares to pass in the nonleague season opener against San Pasqual on Aug. 31. San Pasqual won 22-7. For more, see Week in Sports inside. PHOTO: ANNA SCIPIONE
District 1 council debate to be held Sept. 19 ■ North Coast Rep opening season with ‘The Underpants.’ Page B1
Public welcome; Submit questions now Thad Kousser, associate professor of political science at UC San Diego, will moderate a debate between District 1 city council candidates — incumbent Sherry Lightner (D) and challenger Ray Ellis (R) — on Wednes-
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day, Sept. 19, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in the Sherwood Auditorium at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 700 Prospect St., La Jolla. Presented by the Carmel Valley News, Del Mar Times and La Jolla Light, the debate will begin with See DEBATE, Page 19
BY KAREN BILLING Caltrans released the supplemental draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) on Aug. 31 for the I-5 widening project. The release of the supplemental draft, which includes information from recently completed lagoon hydrology studies, is accompanied by a 45-day public review period. A public forum will also be held in Encinitas on Wednesday, Sept. 19 (see more information see end of story). In 2011, Caltrans an-
nounced its preferred alternative for the I-5 widening, the “8 + 4 Buffer” alternative, which adds four managed lanes, separated from general purpose lanes by striping. This alternative adds 100 feet of highway, 50 feet on both sides, impacting 24 acres of coastal wetlands. The recently released supplement has information on the measures adopted to address coastal wetlands, proposed comSee DEIR, Page 6
Additions coming to lagoon wetlands area Open-air classroom/amphitheater projected to cost $330,000 BY KAREN BILLING The San Dieguito River Park JPA will be adding an open-air classroom/amphitheater to its restored San Dieguito Lagoon wetlands area by next year. The Carmel Valley Community Planning Board recommended approval of the plan for the new gathering spot on Aug. 23. “It will be used for edu-
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cation activities like ranger talks or for people to come and meet friends,” said Susan Carter, deputy director of SDRP. “We’re well on our way to building it with a huge assistance in funding from Supervisor Pam SlaterPrice.” The county has been committed to help fund the project at the request of
Slater-Price, pledging $112,000. As a whole, the project will cost $330,000 and the river park is working with other donors for its completion. The JPA still needs to go through a permit process but they hope to be finished with the project by next summer, according to See ADDITIONS, Page 6