San Diego City Councilmember Carl DeMaio announced Thursday his plans to expand and renovate Mira Mesa Community Park through a partnership between the city and private businesses.

“A strong parks and recreation department is a cornerstone for a great city,” said DeMaio.

The $25 million expansion includes a state-of-the-art aquatic center, a skate park, eight multi-purpose ball fields, a jogging path, new restrooms and concession facilities and new traffic calming measures along New Salem Road.

DeMaio said the project will come in three phases, with construction on the first phase possibly starting in a year. For the park to become reality the city and private businesses need to negotiate details for the cost and management of the area. All money for construction is already coming from developments in Mira Mesa by two businesses: Vulcan and Garden Communities (the company building the apartments along I-15 and Mira Mesa Blvd).

“By forging partnerships we stretch the dollars at City Hall,” said DeMaio.

Maintaining parts of the park could become the responsibility of the non-profit groups utilizing them the most. For example, DeMaio suggested the YMCA could operate the aquatic center and Mira Mesa Little League could maintain the new baseball fields. Mira Mesa West Little League President Marybeth MacNaughton said her organization already maintains the fields on the east side of New Salem.

“We are really looking forward to the renovations,” said MacNaughton.

Mira Mesa Community Park was built in 1977 when fewer than 40,000 people called Mira Mesa home. More than 30 years later and the population has doubled, but the park has not grown with the neighborhood.

By: Bari Vaz

For nearly a year we have followed the redistricting process for the San Diego City Council. This process takes place every ten years, following the release of the latest census figures, and has numerous legal guidelines that must be followed. This year’s process was made even more complex by the requirement that nine districts – rather than the eight previously required – be created in time for the 2012 election cycle.

For the last 10 years Mira Mesa has resided in City Council District 5, along with the communities of Scripps Ranch, Sabre Springs, Carmel Mountain Ranch, Rancho Bernardo, and San Pasqual. The new map presented by the Redistricting Commission moves Mira Mesa into District 6, along with the southernmost portion of Rancho Penasquitos (south of SR 56 and west of Salmon River Rd), the portion of MCAS Miramar west of I-15, the eastern 2/3 of Clairemont Mesa (east of Tecolote Canyon), and the northern 2/3 of Kearny Mesa (north of Aero Drive).

During the redistricting process, several groups lobbied for their area to receive the designation of “District 9”. The assignment of a district number is important because it determines the election cycle in which a community participates. Districts with an even number (2, 4, 6, and 8 ) elected their current councilmember in 2010, to serve a 4 year term ending in 2014. Odd numbered districts (1, 3, 5, 7, and the new 9) will elect a councilmember next year, in 2012. Mira Mesa has been moved from an odd numbered district to an even numbered district, which will delay our opportunity to elect a councilmember until 2014. By being assigned to District 6, Mira Mesa will be represented for two years by the current District 6 councilmember, Lorie Zapf. Ms. Zapf is currently the councilmember for Clairemont Mesa and Kearny Mesa, which will remain in District 6, and for the Bay Ho, Bay Park, Linda Vista, Serra Mesa and Mission Valley communities that will be assigned to new districts.

The new District 6 will have a population estimated at 140,738, as compared to our current District 5 which has a population of 179,083. Mira Mesa, with a 2010 census population of 72,598, will make up 51.5% of the total population of the district. Being the largest community in our council district offers Mira Mesa a leadership opportunity in District 6. However, our councilmember will now be one voice amongst nine, rather than eight. Whether the needs and concerns of Mira Mesa can be better heard at the city level in this new council arrangement is yet to be seen.

The new San Diego City Council district alignment will take effect when the newly-elected councilmembers for the even-numbered districts take office in December, 2012. Until then, Mira Mesa will continue to be a part of District 5. That time lag will allow us to get to know our new city councilmember, Lorie Zapf, and to have her get to know Mira Mesa.

By: Bryan Lubic

Green Flash Brewing Co. defined a category with its distinctive beer, the West Coast IPA. Now the company is helping Mira Mesa define itself as a craft beer haven within the San Diego craft beer universe.

Green Flash (6550 Mira Mesa Blvd., www.greenflashbrew.com) relocated from its original home in Vista to open a 45,000-square-foot brewery in Mira Mesa this past summer. The July 23^rd grand opening brought out several Mira Mesa residents, San Diego beer enthusiasts, and even Mayor Jerry Sanders.

Former pub owners Mike and Lisa Hinkley founded Green Flash Brewing Co. in 2002 because of their love for craft beer. Famous brewmaster Chuck Silva joined the Green Flash team in 2003. The Hinkleys and Silva began brewing premium style beers, modern twists on traditional styles; and at that point, their beers developed a serious following. Green Flash specializes in brewing distinctive beers, such as the West Coast I.P.A., as well as seasonal, collaborative and barrel-aged beers. The award-winning beers are on draft and bottled at the Mira Mesa location, and are bottled and available throughout the United States.

The Green Flash tasting room is open Wednesday through Friday, 3 – 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 12 noon – 9pm.

October 2011 will be the 11^th annual production of Mira Mesa’s own haunted attraction, the Monster Manor, offering suspenseful thrills and a ghoulishly good time for adults and teens on weekend evenings, and Lite Frite, a not-so-scary but definitely dramatic afternoon of fascinating fun geared for children that runs the two weekends before Halloween. In October 2001 the first Monster Manor rose under a tent in the parking lot of Mira Mesa’s Target Center and welcomed guests to tour the ancestral home of the Ghastley family, where eccentric characters abound and specters lurk.

With a cast and crew of volunteers from the non-profit Mira Mesa Theatre Guild, this year’s Monster Manor and Lite Frite have some new and interesting things in store, according to MMTG president and Monster Manor production chair Trey Barkley.

“This year guests will be coming to Ghastley Manor to investigate a series of strange disappearances and creepy late night happenings.  They will learn what happened to a team of “ghost hunters” that came to investigate the house and went missing, only leaving small clues as to what they found.  More importantly, they will come face to face with a strange being only identified as “The Collector”. He has been seen carrying bodies around the old manor late at night,” Trey Barkely said.

For details about specialty rooms, visit the attractions page on the Monster Manor website, http://www.monstermanor.org/Attractions.html

“This year our Lite Frite attraction (for younger kids) will be the Return to the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a Harry Potter-esque adventure where potential students will learn how to use magic and run into their favorite characters,” Barkley said.

It’s not too late to get involved as part of the Monster Manor construction team, operating crew, or cast. High school students can earn community service hours for participating. Adults are especially encouraged to volunteer.

“We are always looking for volunteers to act, build (general construction, painting, etc., and/or those with specialty background such as electrical knowledge), help with security or ticket sales, and general help around the haunt.  We are also still taking any and all donations to help put on Monster Manor,” Barkley said.

The Mira Mesa Theatre Guild is still (at press time) seeking a major sponsor ($5,000+) who could receive “name rights” for this year’s event, as both Pardee Homes and Time Warner Cable have done in prior years. Monetary or tangible goods donations of any amount are welcome.

Monster Manor construction is scheduled to start September 10, continuing on weekends until the production’s opening in October.  For performance dates or further details about this year’s Monster Manor and Lite Frite, see the MMTG’s Monster Manor website, http://www.monstermanor.org/

The Mira Mesa Theatre Guild will have a booth at this year’s Mira Mesa Street Fair on September 17. Find out more about Monster Manor, the group’s upcoming play scheduled for December 2011 at the Epicentre, and plans for the second annual “Mira Mesa’s Got Talent” competition in spring 2012. For more information about Mira Mesa Theatre Guild, see http://www.miramesatheatreguild.org/

How often have you driven down Mira Mesa Blvd and seen a large pothole in the road?  Or even worse, discovered it right after your car runs it over? You want to report the problem to the City when you get home but by the time you get there you have forgotten the location of the pothole.  Unfortunately with no one reporting it, the pothole only gets larger and more dangerous.

This scenario has unfortunately become a Mira Mesa tradition and is a common story I hear when meeting with residents.  They are frustrated by the state of their road conditions and feel that there should be more simple and efficient way to report potholes in the City of San Diego.

After hearing these concerns my office decided to partner with an outside firm to develop “San Diego 311” a Smartphone app and online widget  that serves as a one stop shop of City services and streamlines how those services are provided.

San Diego residents can report potholes, abandoned vehicles, graffiti, illegal dumping, broken sidewalks and much more instantaneously from their Android, Blackberry or I-Phones.  The program can also be accessed online through an online widget.

San Diego 311 uses the latest technology in geo-tagging technology to automatically provide the problem’s location when residents report problems from their phones. This simplifies the reporting process for residents and speeds up the time for City employees to respond to the report.

This program finally catches the City up to modern day technology and creates a new platform that will cut costs and provide an instrument that easily allows residents to report problems in their community.

San Diego 311 literally puts City services at residents’ fingertips, and I hope you’ll join me in downloading this app to start improving our community today.

For instructions on how to download the App and Widget please visit http://www.sandiego.gov/citycouncil/cd5/ or contact our office at 619-236-6655 or email CarlDemaio@SanDiego.Gov.

Beginning Saturday, June 18 until Sunday, June 26, the I-15 Express Lanes will close from State Route 56/Ted Williams Parkway to SR 163. The southern section of the Express Lanes will reopen by Monday, June 27 for the morning commute. When it reopens, this section will have four Express Lanes – two lanes in each direction – operating 24/7 for your convenience.
• Southbound Express Lanes traffic should exit to the main lanes before Ted Williams Parkway.
• Northbound Express Lanes users can enter the Express Lanes north of Ted Williams Parkway.

Caltrans expects significant delays on I-15 during the nine days of construction. To avoid delays, consider changing the time you leave for work, working from home, or using alternate routes during this closure.
This nine-day closure is necessary for construction crews to install the new moveable
barrier inside the median of the Express Lanes and to finish important tie-in work at both
the north and south ends of the existing facility.

Once the nine-day closure ends on June 27, Express Lanes traffic to and from SR 163 will be restored and a new construction phase will begin. During this phase, there will be a three-month closure of the I-15 Express Lanes entrance and exit near the split at I-15 and SR 163. The entrance and exit will be relocated, and detour signs will be posted to alert motorists to the new access points. This closure is expected to have limited impacts to the commuting public. Detour signs will be placed to direct motorists to new Express Lanes access points.

If you would like to obtain additional information, visit 511sd.com/i15construction for directional maps, construction alerts, or to sign up for construction e-mail alerts. Or, call (866) 890-1397 for the toll-free construction hotline updated daily with the latest I-15 construction information.

By: Leah R. Singer

When Alice Ozma was nine years old, she and her father embarked on a reading adventure. Their goal: to read aloud together for 100 consecutive nights. While Alice’s father had his doubts they could sustain “The Streak” for that long, young Alice was confident they would. What resulted was not 100 days; but a Streak that lasted 3,218 nights.

Alice recounts “The Streak,” as well as her poignant relationship with her father, Jim Brozina, in her debut novel, The Reading Promise. Alice and her sister were raised by her single father, who was an elementary school librarian. Knowing first-hand the importance of literacy and libraries, Jim made a point to instill those values and always read to his children.

Jim’s commitment to literacy was not just characteristic of reading aloud to his children. Alice explained that her own name is a perfect example of her father’s commitment. Born Kristen Alice Ozma Brozina, Jim wanted to give his daughter a name which represented strong female characters in literature. Alice, is taken from Alice in Wonderland, and Ozma from Dorothy of The Wizard of Oz.

In The Reading Promise, Alice writes, “Every night was different because every story was different. … the only thing that has to be similar from night to night is the act of turning pages. Everything else changed as soon as we picked up a new book.”

“The Streak” lasted until Alice turned 18-years-old and left home for college. She notes that some of her favorites books read during “The Streak” include Great Expectations, Each Little Bird That Sings, the Agatha Christie series, and the Harry Potter series (although Jim was not a fan of this series). And while many teenagers may shudder at the thought of nightly reading with a parent, Alice said the activity was perfectly normal to her as she grew up with it.

Alice feels strongly that all families can partake in a reading streak with the help from the local public library. In fact, she is quick to point out that her family did not own most of the books they read during “The Streak.” Her father would bring home various books from the library for their reading choices.

This belief is the cornerstone of why she’s chosen to partner with the San Diego Public Libraries to kick off their Summer Reading Program. Alice said, “With libraries, anyone can read to their children if they can’t afford books.”

Ironically, it is that belief and commitment to reading and literacy that led Jim to end his 38-year tenure as a children’s librarian. Toward the end of his career, Alice explained, the school began taking out books from the library and replacing them with computers.

“Dad stood up and said he’s not comfortable teaching children computers instead of books in the library,” said Alice. He left his job shortly after that. Jim now volunteers his time reading to children and in senior centers.

Alice encourages families to start their own reading streak this summer. “I think a streak is a great idea and I hope others who try it will agree. We want people to have that same experience.”

She provides several tips for starting a streak on her Web site, www.makeareadingpromise.com. One of the most important tips Alice gives to parents is to be make sure they are enthusiastic about reading. “Your children can tell if you think of this as a chore.”

***

Alice Ozma will speak at the Scripps Miramar Ranch Library (10301 Scripps Lake Dr.) on Thursday, June 9, from 6 – 7 p.m. Brought to you by Adventures by the Book, the event is free and open to the public. More information about the event – as well as ways to buy the book and support public libraries – is available on the Adventures by the Book Web site.

To access the new entrance: Take the northbound SR 163 to the northbound I-15 and enter the Express Lanes from the far left lane (fast lane), approximately ¾ of a mile past the SR 163/I-15 interchange, just before Miramar Way.

The SR 163 Express Lanes entrance is expected to reopen in summer 2011. However, additional closures affecting the Express Lanes will occur through 2011. Construction updates will be issued to provide alternative routes and keep you moving. The good news is, once construction is complete in early 2012, the new and improved I-15 Express Lanes will provide a full 20 miles of congestion-free travel in both directions, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

In the meantime, visit fastrak.511sd.com/i15construction and sign up for e-mail alerts, see recent construction updates, and receive the latest information affecting your commute, including detailed construction updates and directional maps.

Visit fastrak.511sd.com/i15construction today to stay informed, avoid construction, and Keep San Diego Moving. You also may call the toll-free construction hotline for daily updates on the latest I-15 construction information at (866) 890-1397.

Stay informed, and always remember to slow for the cone zone!

I am Amy Sun and I have lived in Mira Mesa about 27 years. I was born in Hong Kong and immigrated to the United States in 1982. Since I really like the weather and environment of San Diego, my family decided to reside here. I have been focused on raising my children and taking care of house work. San Diego is a great community to live.

If you pass my house, you will see a big Maitreya Buddha Statue in my front yard. It weighs more than 3,000 pounds. Maitreya Buddha represents always being happy and very generous. If we can be generous to everyone and accept good and bad experiences, we will always be happy. I wish whoever passes my home may gain the energy of happiness and generosity to their life.

I recall in 1990, I had an affiliation to listen to Buddha’s teaching. In learning truth, I started to understand the relationship of humans and the universe. All lives are giving by heaven and we should treat all beings with love and respect. I also became aware that humans are the lead of all the beings.

The generosity and wisdom of the saints became my good example to learn and practice. It changed me from only caring of my family to now expanding my unconditional love to our community. I donated my house to share the truth of Buddha and saints with our community. We promote moral and family education. At the same time, we also provide charity activities and events to support the poor; visiting the sick and lonely seniors and feeding the homeless every two weeks. In 2010, we donated 400 sleeping bags and 300 bags of personal care supplies to the homeless. In Vietnam, we sponsored 486 low-income individuals to recover from cataracts by paying their surgery fees. We also sponsored 156 low-income individuals in Cambodia under the same program last year.

It’s thankful to the years of support from our donators that Sing Tao Buddhist Association has helped more than 2,500 individuals to recover their vision. By gathering our love and support, we may outreach to more people in this world that need care and love. Volunteers and donators are welcome to join us to make a better future. Please contact Sing Tao Buddhist Association at 7686 Andasol St, San Diego, CA 92126 or call us at (858)693-1396 or (858) 397-3148.