EDITORIAL: WILL LA MESA BAN BOOZE AT TUESDAY’S HEARING? CITY SHOWS ITS HYPOCRISY
Printer-friendly version By Joe Morris October 25, 2009 – On Tuesday, La Mesa’s City Council will vote on whether to ban drinking alcoholic beverages in public places—unless you fork over a $150 fee and apply two weeks in advance for your guzzling privileges. A City Manager’s report argues that tipsy people pose potential threats to others and cause police to waste time responding to calls about public intoxication. How ironic, coming from a city that hosts an annual Oktoberfest touting public drinking and revelry; this year’s marketing slogan was “the big beer garden is back.” So now the City, albeit for seemingly worthy purposes, wants to impose the ultimate nanny state on law-abiding La Mesa citizens who in today’s tough economy, may not be able to afford a night of bar-hopping or even public drinking at an Oktoberfest beer garden sponsored by the Karl Strauss Brewery, where beers cost six bucks a stein. We are now to be deprived of the simple pleasures of kicking back with a beer at a picnic or sharing a bottle of wine in the park with someone special. Many of us can walk or bicycle to a park, avoiding driving after drinking. How can those who don’t live along a trolley line get home from a bar? Calling a taxi isn’t a luxury that most folks can afford. The City Manager’s report observes that police received 272 calls involving drinking an alcoholic beverage from April 4 through October 4 this year (up from 178 for the same period in 2008). A least 18 arrests and an unknown number of those calls were at the City’s three-day drinking bash, otherwise known as Oktoberfest. (The annual beer-chugging fest is hosted by merchant groups, though the City gladly issues a permit to keep those downtown cash registers ringing.) Of the remaining calls, it’s unclear how many were for drinking in public places versus homes, bars, restaurants, or other locations. One 2008 police call involved La Mesa’s Mayor, who was escorted home by police after imbibing at a local bar and reportedly being under the influence on a city street. (His companion, also a city employee, pled guilty to reckless driving.) Clearly the Mayor is no tee totaller; he understands that drinking in and of itself is not inherently bad, nor is where one chooses to drink. Rather it’s the actions a small minority of drinkers take (such as driving under the influence or disorderly conduct) that should appropriately be addressed by law enforcement. The City Manager’s report further complains that a significant number (not specified) of calls result from transients in public places. Perhaps if the City of La Mesa would open up a shelter for the growing number of homeless people in our area, homeless folks wouldn’t be left to turn to a bottle of booze on a public street for warmth on a cold winter night. In any case, it’s unfair to penalize the many law abiding citizens who take pleasure in cracking open a cold beer on a hot afternoon in one of La Mesa’s many public parks and recreation areas. Police already have tools at their disposal to crack down on those who over imbibe: a breathalyzer and a trip to the County jail. If drinking and vagrancy in the Downtown district is a problem, perhaps a narrowly crafted ordinance that applies only to the streets in the Village – not to every park and rec center — could be considered. The City of San Diego’s ban on booze at the beach fattened the pockets of merchants selling booze in new cantinas and cafes along the boardwalk. Might La Mesa’s sudden interest in stopping people from drinking in public parks be a ploy to force them to pony up money for a permit to fatten city coffers—or buy booze in La Mesa restaurants, boosting the city’s sales tax revenues? One thing is certain – people aren’t going to give up drinking if this passes. Prohibition didn’t work. This ordinance would make lawbreakers out of ordinary people guilty of nothing more than having a good time. Or they will simply go picnic in neighboring cities–and spend their money at vendors outside of La Mesa. Do we really want to risk angering people and losing sales tax revenues now? We don’t ban cars because some people break the law and drive drunk. Nor should we ban the reasonable consumption of alcohol in most public places. La Mesa should enforce existing laws against public intoxication—not penalize the many La Mesa residents who both obey the law and enjoy an occasional beer or glass of wine in the parks that our tax dollars support. The opinions expressed in this editorial reflect the views of its 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. Printer-friendly version
SCHOOL SPIRITS: “BOO” PARADE IN COLLEGE AREA USHERS IN HALLOWEEN WEEK
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery October 25, 2009 (San Diego) – Students from San Diego State University, high school marching bands and other community participants relished some pre-Halloween revelry in the BOO! Parade yesterday. From floats such as a giant black cat to cars draped with spiderwebs, parade participants showed their Halloween spirit. SDSU’s homecoming king and queen led a procession of cheerleaders, some turning cartwheels down the street. A drum majorette marched in front of Aztec band members clad in spooky and kooky costumes. Flappers, mermaids and vampires mingled with ghosts, ghouls and goblins. Other parade participants ranged from a spectral figure on stilts to a pirate ship on wheels. Teen princesses dressed up as spellbinding witches. Other costumed participants rode bicycles and skateboards. Councilwoman Marti Emerald served as grand Marshal, while Assemblyman Marty Block rode in on the Wells Fargo Stage Coach. “We do historical recreations, from the Battle of Hastings to the death of Queen Elizabeth I,” said Lady Babette, a reenactor aboard a Medieval-themed float sponsored by the Kingdom of Neuve. Participants such as Sir Warhammer engage in combat using real swords. At the tail of the parade, Mother Goose heralded in the holiday season – and served as a reminder to all of El Cajon’s Mother Goose Parade coming up Thanksgiving weekend, the largest parade of its kind west of the Mississippi. SDSU has held parades since the 1930s; the fifth annual BOO! Parade follows in the Aztec tradition. Sponsored by Blessed Sacrament Parish and presented by the Campus Plaza Shopping Center, the event also included carnival rides, children and pet costume contests, and a pumpkin seed-spitting competition. Printer-friendly version
PRESIDENT OBAMA SIGNS EMERGENCY DECLARATION OVER H1N1 FLU PANDEMIC
Printer-friendly version October 25, 2009 (Washington D.C.) –In an effort to proactively address the ongoing pandemic, President Barack Obama has signed a National Emergency Declaration on H1N1, which allows healthcare systems to quickly implement disaster plans should they become overwhelmed. This declaration gives authority for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to waive certain regulatory requirements for healthcare facilities in response the ongoing national pandemic. Specifically, healthcare facilities will be able to submit waivers to establish alternate care sites, along with modified patient triage protocols, patient transfer procedures and other actions that occur when they fully implement disaster operations plans. For example, a hospital might set up triage tents in parking lots to diagnose flu patients and avoid spreading the disease to other patients in emergency rooms. Past instances where authority to grant Section 1135 waivers was enabled include: • Hurricane Katrina (2005) • 56th Presidential Inauguration (2009) • Hurricanes Ike and Gustav (2008) • North Dakota flooding (2009) The H1N1 flu is now pandemic in most states, with California among the most hard hit. In San Diego, 25 residents have died and hundreds have been hospitalized by the H1N1 flu virus, which has also been reported in 29 schools countywide. A new shipment of flu vaccines arrived Friday and are offered at County medical clinics, with priority given to pregnant women, children, people with infants under six months in the home, and healthcare workers. Hospitals have also received vaccines for front-line healthcare workers. To find locations of clinics offering H1N1 flu vaccinations, visit www.sdiz.org. Learn answers to common questions about this National Emergency Declaration at http://www.flu.gov/professional/federal/h1n1emergency10242009.html. Get information on H1N1 and seasonal flu at www.flu.gov. Additional details are available at www.whitehouse.gov. Printer-friendly version