EAST COUNTY CHAMBER REPORTS DEFEAT OF “JOB KILLER” BILLS; COALITION OF POWERLINK OPPONENTS TAKE ISSUE WITH CHAMBER OVER GREEN ENERGY MEASURE & POWERLINK STANCE
June 4, 2009 — The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce reports victory in helping to defeat several bills it describes as “business UN-friendly bills." But a coalition opposed to Sunrise Powerlink has taken the Chamber to task for its opposition to one measure which supporters say would, in fact, create jobs in renewable energy production locally. The organization also seeks to persuade the Chamber to reconsider its endorsement of Sunrise Powerlink. A newsletter to Chamber members read, “A number of job killer bills, strongly opposed by the California Chamber of Commerce and by this Chamber, missed the deadline for winning approval from legislative fiscal committees and thus are unlikely to see further action this year.” The bills include measures considered onerous by business interests particularly in a weak economy, but supported by labor groups, including proposals to boost workers compensation, expand paid sick leave, and create a state-run healthcare system. For the California Chamber of Commerce’s descriptions of these measures, see www.calchamber.com/jobkillers. But East County’s Chamber has drawn strong local criticism for its opposition to AB 212 by Assemblymember Saldana (D-San Diego). According to the California Chamber of Commerce, that bill would “substantially increase the cost of new housing by mandating on-site or near-site energy generation for all new residential buildings.” Supporters of AB 212 contend that the bill would, in fact, create new jobs, such as installing solar panels or wind turbines for local power generation. The East County Community Action Coalition, an organization opposed to Sunrise Powerlink, claims to represent 78,000 members. ECCAC has called for incentives for locally produced, small scale power generation near homes and businesses as an alternative to Sunrise Powerlink, the high-voltage power line proposed by San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E). Supervisor Dianne Jacob, an outspoken opponent of Powerlink, supports local power generation and has also criticized the Chamber for its support of the project. Opponents of the line note that the state’s environmental impact report found Powerlink would pose a severe and unmitigatable fire risk, that the line would mar scenic views, and that two administrative law judges both ruled that Powerlink is not necessary to meet San Diego County’s future power needs. “Don Parent, Director of Public Affairs for SDG&E, is on the board of the East County Chamber,” Cyphert observed. “In addition, SDG&E is a `chairman level’ donor to the Chamber. In my opinion, the Chamber has a record of supporting initiatives that benefit SDG&E over the interests of East County. For example, the Chamber boasts of its support for the Sunrise Powerlink, yet the Sunrise Powerlink will ship jobs to Imperial County and put many businesses in the East County out of business, while also subjecting San Diego to renewable firestorms,” she added. “In my opinion, the Chamber has become an arm of SDG&E’s public relations department. It is very unfortunate for East County residents and businesses.” Mike Cully, president of the Chamber, said the decisions on which bills to support or oppose are made by a committee and based largely on recommendations from the California Chamber of Commerce. As for the Chamber’s stance on Powerlink, in a letter to ECCAC Cully said the position was determined by the Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee after studying the issue and that financial compensation did not play any role. According to Cully’s letter, the Chamber opted to support Powerlink because: – It provides previously untapped access to renewable energy sources in our region, which the Chamber views as prudent and responsible stewardship both now and in the future. – It makes provisions for a secure power supply for our region and assures consistent and stable sources of energy which is a necessity for both residents and businesses in our area. – Ultimately these provisions will result in lower energy costs “Without the Sunrise Powerlink, SDG&E cannot meet the state’s clean energy mandate by 2010,” Cully’s letter concluded. “There’s simply not enough local renewable power available. Areas like East San Diego County are prime spots for solar, wind and geothermal electricity but new power lines connecting San Diego to those resources are needed.” ECCAC counters that our region does have the potential to produce ample local renewable power and has sent a letter to Cully requesting an audience with the Chamber’s Board to discuss its support of Powerlink. “During this past month we have been inundated with concerns by business owners in East County that will likely go out of business due to this project,” she concluded, “and would like to understand how the Chamber could support this project while claiming to represent East County.” As of press deadline, Cyphert said she had not yet received a reply from the Chamber.
A HOWLING GOOD TIME: VIEJAS OUTLET CENTER WELCOMES DOGS & OWNERS FOR A DAY OF FUN JUNE 6th
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — June 1, 2009 — For the first time, Viejas Outlet Center is excited to welcome all dogs to the center for a “doggone” day of fun. On Saturday, June 6 Viejas will host the 5th Annual Novelty Fun Dog Show and the Service Dog Celebration. Starting at 8 a.m., owners and dogs of all shapes and sizes can register for the Novelty Fun Dog Show that begins at 9a.m. There are 15 classes to enter from Best Trick to Waggiest Tail, and one lucky dog will be awarded “Top Dog” and be given a cash prize. Entry fee is $6 per class or $20 to enter four classes. All proceeds go to sponsor service dogs for people with disabilities. Prizes will be awarded to first through third place in each class. In addition to the dog show, the annual Service Dog Celebration will also take place at the Viejas Outlet Center Park from 9a.m. – 2p.m. All service dogs are invited to participate in demonstrations, tours and training opportunities. Everyone is also encouraged to observe the event and become informed about service dog access and organizations, a vital component of our society. Since this is a day for the dogs, Viejas Outlet Center is welcoming all dogs to the center on June 6 to enjoy the festivities, regardless of participation. Dogs and their owners can play in the park, have fun around the fountains and sniff out some stores for some “doggone” crazy good deals (dog entry into stores is up to each store’s discretion). Everyone is encouraged to have fun, but dogs need to be on a leash, and aggressive dogs will be required to leave. The Outlet Center stores will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. About Viejas Outlet Center Located at 5005 Willows Road in Alpine, Viejas Outlet Center features 255,000 square feet of shopping space and is home to some of America’s favorite brand names like Coach, Polo Ralph Lauren, GAP, Guess and Nike. Set on 37 acres in the east San Diego County foothills, the Viejas Outlet Center provides shoppers with a unique ambiance that draws upon the natural beauty of the surrounding environment, with meandering paths of lush landscaping and plant life, natural water features, massive rock formations and a collection of wildlife statues (see photo). Viejas Outlet Center also features numerous eateries and the interactive water fountain, which allows water play for kids … and adults, plus the dramatic “Power of Nightfire” performed nightly May through September. For more information on Viejas Outlet Center, visit www.shopviejas.com or call 619-659-2070.
MORE KUDOS FOR CAL-PASS: RESEARCH AWARD LAUDS CONNECTION OF K-16 EDUCATORS
June 1, 2009 (El Cajon) – The awards keep rolling in for California Partnership for Achieving Student Success (Cal-PASS), the data-sharing resource that had its genesis as a Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District partnership with San Diego State University and is now a state-funded network of more than 7,000 institutions from elementary schools to universities. Cal-PASS has been awarded the 2009 statewide Excellence in Research Award for one of its studies which found that the California Standards Test – a test taken by every 11th-grader – could help determine college readiness. With hundreds of millions of student records in its database – anonymous and encrypted information that participating schools, colleges and universities have agreed to share – Cal-PASS produces targeted studies on myriad issues and brings together faculty for monthly meetings to improve student success in English, math, science, English as a Second Language, and career/technical education. “Cal-PASS has been an enormous asset to statewide education for shedding light on barriers to student success and developing meaningful changes,” said Dr. Cindy L. Miles, GCCCD chancellor. “In these difficult budget times, an added benefit is that it isn’t costing institutions anything to join and participate. We take great pride in the fact that this innovation got its start in our college district as a development of our staff. Cleary, its expansion statewide shows that educators value what Cal-PASS represents: using accessible data to make good decisions about student progress.” Statewide, more than 1,400 educators in 67 groups meet each month to target the problems and to find ways to make grade- and institutional-level transitions more seamless so students are better prepared as they progress in their education. “I’m very grateful to the RP Group (Research and Planning Group for California Community Colleges) for its recognition of the work we are doing in partnership with thousands of educators and support staff throughout the state,” said Brad Phillips, Cal-PASS executive director and former senior director of institutional research for the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District. Early-warning system The Cal-PASS study receiving the latest research award was funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Used in conjunction with high-school grades, the study states, the California Standards Test is a useful predictor of students’ likeliness to succeed in college-level math and English. As schools search for answers on how to better prepare students for college, the Cal-PASS study suggests the CST can be a tool to help reduce the need for remedial education in community colleges. For students, the CST could serve as an early-warning system of sorts, letting them know if they should seek extra help in basic math and English while still in high school to avoid having to retake those classes when they enter community college. A multiple-choice test given to all students attending public schools in the second through 11th grades, the CST measures progress toward meeting state standards in a variety of subjects. “It is a disservice to educators and our community if students are taking or retaking classes unnecessarily,” said Grossmont-Cuyamaca district Governing Board President Bill Garrett, who noted that using the CST in combination with a student’s grades from high school in determining readiness for college-level courses would streamline the assessment process currently used by community colleges. “The Cal-PASS work on CST provides educators with a more effective process that can help students move through education more rapidly. With the CST study, Cal-PASS is offering a possible remedy to the multiple approaches currently used in student assessment.” Phillips added that if the CST is put into use as an assessment tool, it could reduce the duplicative testing of all incoming students fresh out of high school, saving time and resources. Pamela Burdman, Hewlett Foundation Program Officer for Education, said the value of the Cal-PASS study is that it offers a practical approach to gauging students’ likeliness to succeed at college-level work. “Our Foundation is particularly interested in finding ways to improve preparation levels of students entering college, as well as to improve colleges’ ability to serve those students who require remedial courses,” she said. “This study sheds light on a practical approach to measuring readiness that can help further both goals.” Racking up the awards The RP Group lauded Cal-PASS for its 2008 study, “An Early Alert System for Remediation Needs of Entering Community College Students: Leveraging the California Standards Test.” The RP Group is a professional association for institutional researchers and planners at the state’s 110 community colleges. The RP Group’s annual award is the latest recognition for Cal-PASS, which in March was presented a Practices with Promise Award by the statewide Campaign for College Opportunity, a nonprofit group promoting access to college. Barbara McNeice-Stallard, president of the RP Group, said Cal-PASS is well-regarded among community college researchers and that the award acknowledges the initiative’s excellent work. At Mt. San Antonio College in Los Angeles County, where she is director of research, faculty members in the English and math departments have been working with Cal-PASS for about two years. “I think there is great discussion that can take place between the educational segments on ways to improve student success,” McNeice-Stallard said. “Our faculty here at Mt. Sac love the dialogue and really value the data that Cal-PASS produces. One thing about faculty is that 95 percent of the time, when they have a gut feeling about something related to the classroom, they’re spot on. With Cal-PASS, they have the data to back up their hunches.” Locally, Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges are part of the San Diego/Imperial counties Cal-PASS consortium which includes nearly 40 school and college districts, and five universities. Cal-PASS has also received grants from the Walter S. Johnson, the Rosaline and Arthur P. Gilbert, and the James Irvine foundations for research in targeted regions and particular populations, such as foster youth. For more information about Cal-PASS, go to www.calpass.org.
EDITORIAL: DO WE DARE TO DREAM?
By Megan Werland, Alpine High School Citizens Committee (AHSCC) Curriculum Sub-Committee Chairperson une 1, 2009 (Alpine)–Today, at my son’s school, I mentioned to a friend that I was on the Alpine High School Citizens Committee. She chuckled and asked, “Are we really going to get a high school?” I wish I could give her a definitive answer and say, yes, we are definitely getting our high school, but the fact is, we are still waiting on some key decisions by the Grossmont Union board to make this Alpine dream a reality. The sad fact is that most people I talk to about an Alpine high school simply don’t dare to dream that they will one day have a high school in their back yard much less a high school they can be proud of. Because we live in a small town, Alpine residents are accustomed to “going down the hill” for many of our services. Now that we have passed the school board bonds, Prop U and Prop H, we have a rare opportunity to finally dream. And let’s dream BIG, Alpine! We can have a school that is not only conveniently located near our homes, but we can also have a state of the art school that academically challenges our kids, gives them opportunities to learn in new ways, provides them with a chance to exit high school with real-world training for jobs, and makes them competitive locally and globally. I know it defies logic to think that people would drive up the hill to attend a school in Alpine, but this scenario is just within our reach. Keep the dream alive, Alpine. Attend our monthly informational AHSCC meetings or come to one of our work group meetings. I serve on the Curriculum Work Group, a sub-committee of the AHSCC, and in our meetings we tackle questions like how do students best learn, what can we do to forge partnerships with local community colleges and universities, what kind of math and science offerings will help give our kids a technical edge, how can the arts complement core curriculum and inspire kids to express themselves, how can students get courses on-line that are not offered on campus, and more. You don’t have to have any experience in education to give input. We appreciate having people from all walks of life be a part of our “dreaming” and planning. So, for those of you who wonder, “Are we really going to get a high school?” feel free to change that question to “What kind of high school are we going to get?” And if you’re really inspired, come join us and be a part of the process. Please visit the AHSCC website at http://www.AHSCC.com . The editorial above reflects the views of its author and does not necessarily reflect the views of East County Magazine. If you wish to submit an editorial for consideration, contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org.
EDITORIAL: FINALLY–IT’S DECISION TIME FOR THE 12TH LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL!
By Bill Weaver, Alpine High School Citizens Committee (AHSCC) Chairperson June 1, 2009 (Alpine)–There is so much happening so quickly it seems that the carriage is very much leading the horses towards the finish of this very important race to get our new 12th local Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) high school built, and built right! The Final EIR (environmental impact report) on the 3 high school potential sites (one of the 3 sites has two options) was to be released on May 4th, the new release date is to be June 1st. The Draft EIR pointed to the Lazy “A” Ranch site in Alpine as being the #1 preferred site by the EIR, with Chocolate Summit (Dunbar Lane) site , being a distant #2. The GUHSD Governing Board is not required to go with #1, and to go with #2 will likely delay and open the process up to legitimate legal and procedural skepticism. The inherent delays in itself may have the side effect of halting our momentum and potentially may negate our likelihood of getting this high school under Prop U’s funding… even though we will pay for this promise of a high school under U, built or not. There are countless reasons why that the Lazy "A" Ranch site is best: 1. It is the EIR preferred site. 2. It is the least expensive site, by many millions of dollars. 3. It is the site endorsed by the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee, the Alpine Planning Group, the Viejas and Sycuan Bands of Kumeyaah Nation, and many others. 4. It is the EIR preferred site, displacing the fewest number of residents. 5. It is the Site with the least negative traffic impact, and the safest ingress & egress. The Alpine High School Citizens Committee (AHSCC) has adopted the following as its objective: to achieve an exemplary high school for the students, and community of Alpine in the fastest, most economical and effective means possible. This school will embody the spirit and values of the Alpine/Blossom Valley communities, and be dedicated to academic excellence and cultural diversity. The Lazy "A" Ranch site best fullfils this AHSCC objective. For more information, visit http://www.AHSCC.com. The views in this editorial reflect the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of East County Magazine. If you wish to submit an editorial for consideration, contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org.