CHIEF’S CORNER: RATTLESNAKE SEASON
By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna Snakes’ eyes – they’re watching! April 10, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) — We know all about those snakes at work that slither around trying to work their way into promotions, office social circles and politics, or even belly up to the boss. They’ll do anything (even bite you in the back) as long as it benefits them. But the snake I’m talking about is actually more fearful of you, however just as dangerous and you need to exercise caution around them: rattlesnakes! Recent rains have provided snakes the opportunity to mate a little longer. Generally, rattlesnakes emerge from hibernation in March or April, or when the average daytime temperatures reach and remain about 60 degrees Fahrenheit and higher. Rattlesnakes are not confined to rural areas reminds Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna. They have been found in urban areas, in lakesides, parks, and at golf courses. There are several safety measures that can be taken to reduce the likelihood of startling a rattlesnake: Never go barefoot or wear sandals when walking through wild areas. Wear hiking boots. When hiking, stick to well-used trails and wear over-the-ankle boots and loose-fitting long pants Avoid tall grass, weeds and heavy underbrush where snakes may hide during the day Do not step or put your hands where you cannot see, and avoid wandering around in the dark Rattlesnakes can swim. Use caution in rivers, lakes and flood basins. Be careful when stepping over the doorstep as well. Snakes like to crawl along the edge of buildings where they are protected on one side Never hike alone. Always have someone with you who can assist in an emergency Do not handle a freshly killed snake, it can still inject venom Teach children early to respect snakes and to leave them alone “Some people are like snakes. When they move their mouth, you can’t tell for sure whether they are trying to smile at you or getting ready to bite you.” Use caution! For additional rattlesnake safety tips visit: https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/News/Snake *Note: The information in this article was compiled from various sources. These suggestions are not a complete list of every preventative or loss control measure. The information is not intended to replace additional safety manuals or the advice of another qualified professional(s). We make no guarantee of results from use of this information. We assume no liability in connection with the information nor the suggestions made.
HOW THE CITY OF LA MESA GAMES THE SYSTEM—PART 1
How the City Games the System Through Sampling Bias. By Joseph Glidden April 10, 2017 (La Mesa) –At its annual Town Hall Meetings, the City of La Mesa gathers skewed data that is then uses to make important decisions at the Strategic Planning Session held later in the year. While the town hall meetings might give the illusion of civic engagement, the data collected is misleading at best. Once again the City Council is busy with the irrelevant, at the expense of the essential. La Mesa has been holding annual town hall meetings for the past 10 years. One on the east side of town and the other on the west. Over the years and at both locations, the concerns voiced by residents have been conspicuously similar. Why would this be so? Our town hall meetings are held at local schools. Officials on the dais and residents who come to speak, fondly remember attending or sending their children to those schools. They naturally have concerns about the traffic, sidewalks, crosswalks, and crime — in the area surrounding the school. This is called the availability bias: our tendency to focus on things that are recent, memorable, or that we have personally experienced. The City does much of its advertising for town hall meetings via signage on major streets near the schools where the event is to be held. As a result, most of the people who see the notices and who come to the meetings are commuters using these busy thoroughfares, and who have traffic concerns on their minds. This is called selection bias: the statistical error of not choosing a sample that is random and representational. Let me suggest other possible scenarios: If the City had chosen to hold its town hall meetings at a church, it would not be unusual for the attendees to focus on church-related problems: feeding, clothing and sheltering the homeless, for example. Or if the City had chosen the interim library as its venue, it would not be surprising for those in attendance to ask why we have a library that is one half the size needed for a community of 60,000 people? Or why the City has done nothing in the past 10 years to pursue funding for the promised full-size library? Whether or not these errors are intentional, it is vital for the Council to make important decisions based on relevant facts and not on amusing anecdotes. Once again, I ask that the Council to employ “evidence-based” decision making practices when doing the people’s work. The opinions in this editorial reflect the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of East County Magazine. To submit an editorial for consideration, contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org.
AZTECS BASEBALL RALLIES LATE TO DOWN NEVADA 7-2 IN SERIES FINALE
Baseball scores six in the eighth to defeat Wolf Pack Source: goaztecs.com Photo: Alan Trejo had three hits, walked twice and also picked up the win on the mound in the victory over Nevada Sunday afternoon. Courtesy goaztecs.com April 9, 2017 (San Diego) – San Diego State rallied for six runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to overturn a one-run deficit as it defeated Nevada, 7-2, Sunday afternoon at Tony Gwynn Stadium. With the victory, the Aztecs claimed the weekend series after splitting the first two contests and have won six of their eight games against the Wolf Pack in 2017. The first half of the contest was a pitching duel between Nevada’s Riley Ohl and SDSU’s Coy Thompson. The Aztecs had chances over the first five frames, but ended up leaving seven men on base including two on three occasions. Thompson appeared more in control as he allowed just a single and hit batter during that same span. It appeared the Aztecs would pay for their inability to cash in on their opportunities when the visitors struck for a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. Jordan Pearce led off the frame with a solo home run to right. That was followed by a two-out double by Grant Fennel and RBI single by Dillan Shrum that gave the Wolf Pack a 2-0 lead. SDSU responded in the bottom of the same inning when Tyler Adkison connected for his eighth home run of the year, a solo shot over the left field fence to make it a 2-1 contest. That score held up until the bottom of the eighth when San Diego State was able to tie the game and more. Chase Calabuig led off with a single and advanced to second on Jacob Maekawa’s sacrifice bunt. Pinch hitter Dean Nevarez then lined a single up the middle to bring home Calabuig and tie the contest at 2-2. But the Aztecs were just getting started. A single by David Hensley put runners at first and third, and when Alan Trejo was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out, it brought up Andrew Brown in a similar situation to one he faced on Saturday. This time, however, Brown lashed a single through the right side to drive home two runs and give the home side a 4-2 lead. Danny Sheehan and Jordan Verdon added RBI singles with another run scoring on a wild pitch. When the dust settled, the Aztecs held a 7-2 advantage. On the mound, Alan Trejo (1-1) would pick up the win, his first of the season. The junior right-hander tossed the seventh and eighth frames, allowing only a two-out single in the seventh. Trejo also had an excellent day at the plate as he went 3-for-3 with a pair of walks and a run scored. Sheehan and Verdon ended the afternoon with two hits apiece along with an RBI each. Brown had the clutch two-run single and also scored once. San Diego State will now take a short break from Mountain West action as it gets set to host UC Irvine on Tuesday (April 11) for a contest slated to begin at 6:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium. Box
SDSU MEN’S TENNIS EDGED BY NEVADA 4-3
Aztecs’ three singles victories not enough to prevent ninth straight loss Source: goaztecs.com Photo: Joel Popov snapped a personal five-match skid with a victory at No. 4 singles vs. Nevada on Sunday. Courtesy goaztecs.com April 9, 2017 (San Diego) – Despite three victories in singles play, San Diego State was unable to put the brakes on a lengthy losing streak Sunday, dropping a narrow 4-3 decision to Nevada in a Mountain West dual match at Aztec Tennis Center. With the defeat, SDSU lost its ninth in a row, falling to 5-14 overall and 1-3 in league play, while the Wolf Pack put an end to a three-match slide of their own, raising their record to 7-9 on the year and 2-2 in the MW. Nevada jumped out to a 1-0 lead after capturing the pivotal doubles point. Although the Aztecs shuffled their lineup on Sunday, the new combinations could not break into the win column. For the first time this spring, sophomore Raul de la Torre (Calexico, Calif.) and freshman David Hough (Traralgon, Australia) joined forces, but suffered a 6-2 setback to the Wolf Pack’s Robert Margitfalvi and Augustin Delahodde in the No. 3 position. Shortly thereafter, the new pairing of sophomore Sander Gjoels-Andersen and freshman Nicholas Mitchell dropped a tight battle to Mile Cilic and Kostya Nesterenko, 7-5, in the No. 2 spot, while the senior tandem of Marko Goles-Babic and Milen Ianakiev abandoned their match with Julien Evrard and Peter O’Donovan (NEV) at No. 1 with the score deadlocked at 6-6. Nevada extended its advantage to 3-0 after claiming the first two singles matches. First off the court was Gjoels-Andersen, who came up on the wrong side of a 6-3, 6-2 score to Margitfalvi in the No. 3 spot, while Hough fell victim to O’Donovan in the sixth spot, 6-3, 6-3. However, SDSU fought back with a vengeance, winning the next three encounters to forge a 3-3 tie on the team scoreboard. Ianakiev sparked the comeback, surviving a gritty first-set tiebreaker before dispatching Nesterenko in the No. 2 position, 7-6(6), 6-3. Moments later, Goles-Babic prevailed in three sets over Evrard at center court, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, while freshman Joel Popov snapped an individual five-match losing streak with a triumph in straight sets over Cilic in the fourth spot. All eyes turned to the No. 5 court, where Rafael Gonzalez Almazan found himself in a nail-biter against Delahodde. After dropping the first set, 6-3, the Aztec freshman took the second by a 6-4 count, but ran out of steam in the third as his Wolf Pack adversary pulled away, 6-1, dealing the Scarlet and Black a heart-breaking loss. San Diego State continues its Mountain West schedule next weekend when it hits the road for a pair of dual matches at Air Force (April 14) and New Mexico (April 16). Nevada 4, San Diego State 3 April 9, 2017 Aztec Tennis Center San Diego, Calif. Doubles 1. Marko Goles-Babic/Milen Ianakiev (SDSU) vs. Julien Evrard/Peter O’Donovan (NEV), 6-6, DNF 2. Mile Cilic/Kostya Nesterenko (NEV) def. Sander Gjoels-Andersen/Nicholas Mitchell (SDSU), 7-5 3. Robert Margitfalvi/Augustin Delahodde (NEV) def. Raul de la Torre/David Hough (SDSU), 6-2 Order of finish: 3, 2 Nevada wins doubles point Singles 1. Marko Goles-Babic (SDSU) def. Julien Evrard (NEV), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 2. Milen Ianakiev (SDSU) def. Kostya Nesterenko (NEV), 7-6(6), 6-3 3. Robert Margitfalvi (SDSU) def. Sander Gjoels-Andersen (SDSU), 6-3, 6-2 4. Joel Popov (SDSU) def. Mile Cilic (NEV), 7-6(4), 6-2 5. Augustin Delahodde (NEV) def. Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (SDSU), 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 6. Peter O’Donovan (NEV) def. David Hough (SDSU), 6-3, 6-3 Order of finish: 3, 6, 2, 1, 4, 5* * – Match-clinching victory Records: SDSU (5-14, 1-3 MW); Nevada (7-9, 2-2 MW)
MATT STRABONE LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN FOR ASSESSOR/RECORDER/COUNTY CLERK
East County News Service April 9, 2017 (San Diego) — San Diego nonprofit attorney and business owner Matt Strabone has announced his candidacy for Assessor / Recorder / County Clerk centered around ethics and improved records access. “Ours is a campaign of new ideas and new energy. We will ensure that the Assessor/Recorder/Clerk’s office serves all people of our county equally and treats everyone fairly,” he said. “From impartial and fair property tax assessment to ensuring that you can quickly and easily access your own public records and documents, our primary commitment will always be to provide excellent customer service to everyone,” Strabone states. Election Day is Tuesday, June 5, 2018. Voters interested in learning more about Matt Strabone’s campaign are invited to visit www.VoteStrabone.com.
SDSU MEN’S GOLF COMPLETES ACTION AT WESTERN INTERCOLLEGIATE
Aztecs complete second round and then struggle in final round Source: goaztecs.com Photo courtesy goaztecs.com April 9, 2017 (Santa Cruz) – San Diego State wrapped up action on Sunday at the Western Intercollegiate. The Aztecs completed Saturday’s postponed second round and then played the final 18 holes at Pasatiempo Golf Course. Nahum Mendoza III, PJ Samiere and Gunn Yang led the way for SDSU as each of them finished the tournament at 11-over par. Mendoza III and Samiere signed their second-round scorecards with 74 listed, while Yang turned in the best effort of all the Aztecs with a par 70. The third round, however, left more to be desired when the dust settled. Mendoza III birdied four holes on the final 18, but he could not overcome five bogeys as he finished with a 1-over 71. Yang carded a 3-over 74 and Samiere experienced trouble, posting a final-round 79. Pasatiempo G.C. was not kind to the rest of the Aztecs once they began the last 18. Brian Song, who recorded a second-round score of 72 (+2), turned in a 76 in the final round to end his weekend at 15-over par. Trevor Norby and Blake Abercrombie shot 74s in the second round, but then followed it with 80 and 75, respectively. Norby finished at 16-over and Abercrombie was right behind at +17. As a team, San Diego State was 59-over par and finished in 12th place. The Aztecs will return to action April 21, when they compete at the Mountain West Championship in Tucson, Arizona. Western Intercollegiate Final Results Pasatiempo G.C. Santa Cruz, Calif. Par 70, 6,615 yards Team Scores (Top 5 of 15 teams + SDSU) 1. USC 347-348-355—1,050 (E) 2. Stanford 351-347-370—1,068 (+18) 3. Oregon 353-363-354—1,070 (+20) 4. Pepperdine 361-364-353—1,078 (+28) 5. Washington 355-355-369—1,079 (+29) — 12. San Diego State 370-364-375—1,109 (+59) Individual Leaders (Top 5 of 96 players + SDSU) 1. Justin Suh, USC 68-67-70—205 (-5) T2. Josh McCarthy, Pepperdine 70-69-70—209 (-1) T2. Sean Crocker, USC 72-70-67—209 (-1) 4. Maverick McNealy, Stanford 68-68-74—210 (E) T5. Wyndham Clark, Oregon 71-73-67—211 (+1) T5. Isaiah Salinda, Stanford 69-66-76—211 (+1) T5. Bradley Knox, Stanford 71-70-70—211 (+1) — T47. Nahum Mendoza III, SDSU 76-74-71—221 (+11) T47. PJ Samiere, SDSU 68-74-79—221 (+11) T47. Gunn Yang, SDSU 77-70-74—221 (+11) T65. Brian Song, SDSU 77-72-76—225 (+15) T71. Trevor Norby, SDSU 72-74-80—226 (+16) T74. Blake Abercrombie SDSU 78-74-75—227 (+17)
SDSU WOMEN’S GOLF TIES FOR 10TH AT PING/ASU INVITATIONAL
Aztec senior Sirene Blair ties for 21st individually Source: goaztecs.com Photo: Georgia Lacey carded the Aztecs’ low round of the day at the PING/ASU Invite with a 71. Courtesy goaztecs.com April 9, 2017 (Tempe, Ariz.) – The San Diego State women’s golf team finished in a tie for 10th place at the PING/ASU Invitational on Sunday after shooting a collective 13-over-par 301 during the final round at Karsten Golf Course. With their score, the Aztecs completed the 41st annual tournament with a 54-hole total of 27-over 891, along with Missouri and LSU, on the par-72, 6,337-yard track. Sirene Blair (South Jordan, Utah) was SDSU’s top finisher, tying for the 21st spot at 2-over 218 after carding a final-round 74. Starting on the 10th tee, the Aztec senior played steady golf before the turn, notching seven pars and two birdies, including an impressive drain on the par-4, 370-yard No. 18, which ranked as the toughest hole of the week. However, Blair lost momentum on her back nine, tumbling nine places after posting four bogeys on her final seven holes, including three straight on the third, fourth and fifth greens. Georgia Lacey (Del Mar, Calif.) fired the Aztecs low round of the day with a 71, climbing 18 places on the leaderboard into a seven-way tie for 29th at 5-over 221. The SDSU junior sank a team-high five birdies, including four on her back nine, to offset two bogeys and a double-bogey at the par-5 17th. Among her conversions was a successful make on the par-4, 380-yard No. 8, which ranked as the fifth-most difficult hole of the tournament. In addition, Fernanda Escauriza (Asunción, Paraguay) made a modest gain Sunday, jumping five places into a tie for 56th at 12-over 228 after logging a 76. The Aztec freshman was 6-over for her round following a double-bogey at the par-3 sixth, before finish strong with a par and two birdies. Conversely, Natalie Vivaldi (Oceanside, Calif.) slipped 29 places into a tie for 68th at 16-over 232 after a final-round struggle of 83. The SDSU senior found red numbers elusive over the final 18 holes, unable to overcome a plague of five bogeys and three doubles. Meanwhile, Haleigh Krause (Eugene, Ore.) also suffered from a dearth of birdies, carding an 80 to finish the tournament in a tie for 71st at 18-over 234. The Aztec junior was 3-over through nine holes, but could not right the ship, notching five additional bogeys on her back nine. The Aztecs were also represented by Kitty Tam (Hong Kong, China), an unattached golfer who finished alone in 77th with a combined 23-over 239 after shooting a final-round 79. The SDSU sophomore drained three birdies on the day, including a conversion at the par-3 12th, which ranked as the fifth-toughest hole of the final round. With three players among the individual top five, including medalist Roberta Liti and runner-up Monica Vaughn, host Arizona State (-25) buried the competition on its home course, with intrastate rival Arizona (-5) finishing a distant second, followed by Washington (E), Baylor (+2), Oregon State (+8) and UNLV (+8). Liti (-10) fired a final-round 68 to edge teammate Vaughn (-9) for the individual title, while Arizona’s Krystal Quihuis (-7) took third, followed by Washington’s Ellen Takada (-5). San Diego State will have eight days to prepare for the upcoming Mountain West Championship, slated for April 17-19 at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif. PING/ASU Invitational Final Results Karsten G.C. Tempe, Ariz. Par 72, 6,337 yards Team Scores (Top 6 of 14 teams + SDSU) 1. Arizona State 278-288-273—839 (-25) 2. Arizona 287-282-290—859 (-5) 3. Washington 287-294-283—864 (E) 4. Baylor 278-297-291—866 (+2) T5. Oregon State 291-295-286—872 (+8) T5. UNLV 289-288-295—872 (+8) — T10. San Diego State 298-292-301—891 (+27) Individual Leaders (Top 7 of 80 players + SDSU) 1. Roberta Liti, Arizona State 69-69-68—206 (-10) 2. Monica Vaughn, Arizona State 64-72-71—207 (-9) 3. Krystal Quihuis, Arizona 70-68-71—209 (-7) 4. Ellen Takada, Washington 71-74-66—211 (-5) T5. Linnea Strom, Arizona State 73-75-65—213 (-3) T5. Paige Nelson, Kansas State 69-70-74—213 (-3) T5. Haley Moore, Arizona 71-69-73—213 (-3) — T21. Sirene Blair, SDSU 73-71-74—218 (+2) T29. Georgia Lacey, SDSU 75-75-71—221 (+5) T56. Fernanda Escauriza, SDSU 72-80-76—228 (+12) T68. Natalie Vivaldi, SDSU 79-70-83—232 (+16) T71. Haleigh Krause, SDSU 78-76-80—234 (+18) 77. Kitty Tam, SDSU* 83-77-79—239 (+23) * – competed as an individual Final results