North San Diego Fire

— Today Vista Firefighters are still trying to get the upper hand on the tenacious fire which continues to burn a rubber recycle plant in North County.

This 2 alarm fire blaze burning Bulldog Rubber and Recycling on La Mirada Driver and nearby Sycamore Avenue reportedly began shortly after 9:00 o’clock last night. While it has been brought under control, in the sense its not spreading right now some of the business’ system parts that require filters are still in flames according to Vista Fire Department Battalion Chief Jeff Berg.

Filters burning, causing fire in the three-story tall hopper. There pieces of tire and nylon are pressed thru so they may travel to a dumpster, make that area too dangerous to reach right now says Berg.

It is best to for the time being, keep components cool, allowing the fire to burn itself out. That’s what firefighters are doing today.

Vista, Carlsbad, San Marcos and Oceanside collectively sent over 50 firefighters to battle the blaze. It it believed to have begun somewhere in a exterior manufacturing component.

As crews arrived they discovered wild fire flames creating plumes of thick dark black rising into the sky from a two-story fire engulphed office building. It gave cause to immediately requested additional firefighting assistance.

Bull Dog Rubber’s owner is working with fire officials to create a clean up plan. There has been significant runoff now confined to the Bull Dog property.

So far fire Investigators have yet to determine exactly what ignited this blaze or how extensive damages are estimate to be. There were or so far are now injuries reported.

Bull Dog website relays data that shows Bull Dog manufactures crumb rubber made from discarded rubber tires, it is then used to pack landscapes, playground surfaces, sporting fields and running tracks. Fire is a setback to all this.

Popularity: 21% [?]

Last year America’s power and gas Utilities companies reduced capital spending.

Less capital outlay was cut back by more than 10% of America’s utilities, at least compared to utilities previous year according to the September issue of of “Public Utilities Magazine.”

This utilities report stated it was because regulatory and economic uncertainties of 2010 have diminished plans to resume resuming major construction programs due to this recession.

U.S. utilities investor-owned utilities (IOUs), Merchant Power utilities, developed a financial model, analyzed annual reports of 84 power and gas companies, compared a series of shareholder-values such as profit margin, dividend yield, return on equity (ROE), return on assets (ROA), as well as sustainable growth.

Report indicated that utilities cumulative capital expenditures among all 84 companies in the survey declined by nearly $10,000,000,000 between 2008 and 2009. ree cash flow. As a whole the industry’s cap-ex totaled $83.9 billion in 2009, versus the previous year’s expenditure of $93.8 billion. Accordingly, the average ranked company in 2009 generated $300 million in free cash, compared to negative-$100,000,000 in 2008.

“The utilities industry is in a holding pattern, but the end is in sight,” said Michael T. Burr, Public Utilities Fortnightly’s editor-in-chief and author of the F40 report. “Companies are waiting to see what happens with the economy and with shale-gas developments. They’re waiting on the outcome of elections in November, and they’re waiting for energy policy leadership from Washington. Once we get clarity on those issues, we’ll know whether the Big Build is returning.”

Utilities Industry Ranking

Companies leading the F40 ranking in 2010 included DPL, Exelon and Energen. Ranked among the top 10 companies for the first time was Mirant (#4) — which recently agreed to be acquired by RRI Energy. And NRG Energy utilities jumped into the 11(th) position after appearing in the top 40 utilities rankings (#32) for the first time last year.

In other utilities trends, Southern Company and Edison International — both of which increased their cap-ex budgets substantially in 2009 and produced negative cash flow at least two years in a row — dropped to the bottom half of the F40, after previously holding strong positions in the top 15. And utilities volatility in natural gas prices sent rankings downward for some gas utilities, including Delta Natural Gas, Equitable Resources and New Jersey Resources.

Utilities c.Companies included in the 2010 F40 ranking include: AES Corp., AGL Resources, Allegheny Energy, Allete (Minnesota Power), Alliant, Centerpoint Energy, Constellation Energy, Delta Natural Gas, Dominion Resources (Virginia Power), DPL (Dayton Power & Light), DTE Energy (Detroit Edison), Edison International (Southern California Edison), El Paso Electric, Energen, Energy West, Entergy, Equitable Resources, Exelon (Commonwealth Edison, PECO), FirstEnergy, FPL Group (NextEra), MGE Energy, Mirant, National Fuel Gas, New Jersey Resources, Nicor, Northwest Natural Gas, NRG, NStar, OGE Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas, PPL, Public Service Enterprise Group, Questar, RGC Resources, Sempra Energy (San Diego Gas & Electric), South Jersey Industries, Southern Company, Southern Union, TECO Energy, UGI, WGL Holdings (Washington Gas Light)

“There’s no homogeneous answer to what drives long-term utilities performance,” said Robert Laurens, senior executive in Accenture’s utility practice. “The most successful companies are those that execute a strategy that’s consistent with the company’s core competencies and its market context–whether utilities are a regulated or non-regulated business.”

Popularity: 6% [?]

Fall offers San Diego the most dramatic changes and nobody celebrates them better then Poway.

Poway Historical Fest jump started two years ago from a minor event into a fall festival of national interest. This week the city began its month long ode to coming holiday season which will close about the time Poway hosts the National Jousting Tournament with world wide competors November 1st and 2nd but more on that later.

http://sandiegonewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Ray-LutzSM.jpg

This day Poway and Ray, Lutz running for 52 Congressinal District, put on a parade to open Poway Days sometimes known as the geared up weekend, begging with its annual 46th Heritage Parade. Displaying over 100 entries this year’s offering was Grand Marshal NBC San Diego TV personality Whitney Southwick. After than they began to picnic, many attired in dress of Poway founders.

Next came the Poway Motorhead Car Show. It boasted some beauties not seen anywhere else. I’m a Bugatti junkie so spending time with them served as my fix, due to last till next year.

Poway Community Association President Sabrina Butler and Poway Parade Chairman Heather Dugdale plus volunteers added new parade entry categories, “Pet-Abulous Pet Parade,” sponsored by Poway’s newspaper, the “Chieftain.”

Several political campaigners were represented during good-times Saturday’s Old-Fashioned Poway Picnic where the Battle Of The Bands took place, lots of dancing, and nonprofit groups offered food to tide celebrants over to Sunday’s Poway Street Fair on Midland Road.

Poway will round out coming weeks with a special Community Theater offering “Miss Penelope’s Pupils”, free florist roses for “Good Neighbor Day,” Poway’s 38th annual Rodeo, Ticket information, http://www.powayrodeo.com

Popularity: 36% [?]

Are 125 Marijuana Sale Stores Enough?

And if not that may change. Today San Diego City Council undertakes addressing number of Marijuana stores here in town.

Consideration, and concerns are how thickly populated the 125 pot ports are, in some specific city zones. There is also the possibility that others may have to move to new digs or close up shop.

Pressure increased over the summer as code enforcement officials answered complaints about dispensaries from across the county, with many of the stores receiving cease and desist orders.

By Law No Marijuana Stores Are Legal

Dispensaries of marijuana are not a business permitted use according to San Diego City’s zoning code as of right now. Closing its doors is the only way a dispensary could comply with city rules.

Such is not happened with most S D dispensaries other then two exceptions.

Since California voted to legalize medical marijuana in 1996 SD and other local governments have struggled with ways to handle dispensaries. The Grass Sale boom since then has lead to efforts to resolve state and federal conflict.

Director Frederick Aidan Remick of the Association of Clinical Dispensaries states, “Many operators are scared of what the future holds for their businesses. There’s a lot of confusion right now.”

Early on the majority of collectives were cited for violations as minor as lack of building permits.

Dispensaries Remicksaid was involved with, Higher Healing Patient’s Association, received notice of building code violation. An attorney however advised Remicksaid and his partner to make needed repairs and continue business as usual.

This past year there have been unrelated arrests in high-profile pot stores thru San Diego County claiming pot sales were not actually serving legitimate medical users.

Council proceedings Monday are preliminary in order to determine zoning rules where dispensaries are currently located and if they should remain there. It could actually be earl next year sometime before city officials finalize zoning rules.

Medical Marijuana city task force recommends dispensaries be allowed only in commercial and industrial zones and there remain a minimum of 1,000 feet distance from schools, playgrounds and additional areas children frequent as well as other dispensaries.

Too Many Marijuana Stores?

A problem is that downtown the majority of city blocks are around 300 by 400 feet meaning there might be a marijuana sales store every two and a half blocks so long as other criteria is met.

Remick and 18 dispensaries belonging to his organization resist rules like getting a business license. By law a dispensary must meet 14 guidelines such as following task force sets down. He thinks they will soon have 40 marijuana stores.

Popularity: 31% [?]

How affordable is Qualcomm if football team moves?

Before football season brings with our stunning fireworks over San Diego Stadium there will be a study to assess Qualcomm’s viability

This contract not yet finalized is should be soon, according to Darren Pudgil, spokesman for SD City Mayor Jerry Sanders. Mike McSweeney as stadium manager had previously estimated that costs would run to as high as $200,000. Once the six week study is complete a report will be issued.

Charges Leaving Qualcomm or San Diego County

San Diego city selected international engineering/planning AECOM to do study the future of city-owned Qualcomm Stadium and what business prospects might be without the Chargers.

AECOM has worked in stadium projects across the nation and has offices here. Arlington, Texas hired AECOM to evaluate economic impact on the new stadium for the Dallas Cowboys.

McSweeney has referred to AECOM as an “all-star team.”

Reasons for the study here is to get a snapshot of the future financial viability of our 43-year-old stadium.

McSweeney states, “We’re looking at everything from structural integrity and systems evaluation to prospects for business five years from now.”

San Diego elected to hire the consultant after a city audit last year related that the stadium had no formalized business plan and should pursue new revenue to lessen its reliance on city hotel-room tax revenue. Qualcomm Stadium gets approximately 11.8 million dollars annual subsidization from taxpayers, according to the city. This money could perhaps better go to other uses or city services.

Qualcomm Stadium’s operating budget is $18.8 million.

Popularity: 10% [?]

San Diego’s “Democratic Unity Campaign” election kicks off

It marks a signal for both major parties to energize November’s electroial race. lection newbie Ray Lutz campaigning non-stop appears to be paying off as he goes after 52nd District congressional seat held by Republicans father now son D. Hunters they have occupied for nearly 30 years.

This year’s second Republican election upset

In the works on the other end of town it is beginning to look like candidate Francine Busby’s unseating of Congressman Brian Billbray is going well. Brian’s come a long way from tiny town Imperial Beach Mayor election to wealthy Rancho Santa Fe-Solana Beach diggs. This Tuesday Busby criticized Bilbray for involvement in legislation to benefit lobbyists involved with a Capitol Hill cigar club Brian helped establish.

Exposure came to public attention thanks to election reporting of our “Watchdog Institute”. It is yet unclear whether Bilbray introduced the legislation or sold his support to for it to lobbiest for sponsoring the club created for congressional staff. It was only earlier this year when questions were raised about lobbyists’ involvement in the association.

SignOn San Diego election quotes Busby’s response to the news as, “I’m hardly surprised to hear of the Watchdog Institute’s findings in regard to Rep. Bilbray’s intimate relationship with lobbyists through the Congressional Cigar Association.”

According to Gallop polls the Dems were headed for a November election grubbing. Probably not in the Barbara Boxer vs GOP’s Carly Fiorina race. For the first time yesterday Carly pulled 2 points ahead of Boxer.

http://www.sandiegorepublicans.org/

http://www.sddemocrats.org/

Popularity: 12% [?]

NASA is enabling biomedical research with National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants that take advantage of the unique microgravity environment aboard the International Space Station to explore fundamental questions about important health issues.

The NIH Biomedical Research on the International Space Station (BioMed-ISS) awards are the next step in a new partnership to apply the national laboratory to research that complements NASA’s own space studies. The NIH studies include research on how bones and the immune system weaken in space.

“This marks the beginning of a new era in microgravity-based research with the International Space Station turning the corner from construction to use as a new national laboratory,” said Mark Uhran, assistant associate administrator for space station, NASA Headquarters in Washington.

In 2005 Congress recognized the immense promise the station holds for U.S.-led science and technology efforts. It opened the U.S. portion of the facility to federal agencies, university and private sector researchers by designating the station as a national laboratory. In addition to NIH, NASA has similar research agreements with the Departments of Defense, Agriculture and Energy and the National Science Foundation.

Scientists will conduct their experiments under a two-stage mechanism. The first is a ground-based preparatory phase to allow investigators to meet select milestones and technical requirements. The second is an experimental phase on the space station that will include preparing the experiments for launch, working with astronauts to conduct them on orbit and performing subsequent data analyses on Earth.

“BioMed-ISS offers a novel opportunity for gaining scientific insights that would not otherwise be possible through ground-based means,” said Stephen I. Katz, M.D., Ph.D., director of the NIH’s National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases and NIH liaison to NASA. “The beauty of this initiative is that it offers an unprecedented opportunity for benefitting human health on earth, while leveraging the American public’s investment in the ISS.”

NIH is hosting three rounds of competition for the initiative. The first round of grants for the ground-based phase, totaling an estimated $1,323,000, with one award to San Diego.

Declan McCole, Ph.D., University of California, San Diego was awarded a grant for his research.

The movement of toxins from intestines to other organs in the body is a major source of illness in the United States. A major factor in disease stems from the ability of toxins to compromise the natural barrier function of cells in the gastrointestinal tract.

Using microgravity based three-dimensional cell culture models, McCole plans to generate insights regarding the barrier properties of the intestines, and explore how the absence of gravity affects a toxin’s ability to diminish this barrier.

For more information about NIH and NASA activities, visit:

http://www.niams.nih.gov/News_and_Events/NIH_NASA_Activities/

For information about the International Space Station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

For more information about NIH and its programs, visit:

http://www.nih.gov

Popularity: 28% [?]

The San Diego Police Department will be conducted a DUI checkpoint this Labor Day Weekend on Friday, from 9:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. The aim was to reduce the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol-involved crashes. These DUI checkpoints identify offenders and get them off the street, as well as educate the public on the dangers of impaired driving.

All too often, members of our community are senselessly injured or killed on local roadways by impaired drivers. This DUI checkpoint is an effort to reduce those tragedies. A major goal of these checkpoints is to increase awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and to encourage the use of sober designated drivers.

A DUI checkpoint is a proven effective method for achieving this goal. By publicizing these enforcement and education efforts, the San Diego Police Department believes motorists can be deterred from drinking and driving.

DUI checkpoint

Traffic volume and weather permitting, all vehicles may be checked and drivers who are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs will be arrested. Our objective is to send a clear message to those who are considering driving a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol and/or drugs – Drunk Driving, Over the Limit, Under Arrest. The public is encouraged to help keep roadways safe by calling 9-1-1 to report a suspected impaired driver.

Funding for this operation is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Popularity: 23% [?]

Nominated For Best San Diego Craft Store

South Sun Beads began its crafts weekend Bead Faire early with a Wine & Cheese evening to welcome guests and show off fancy new gemstones offering 50% off everything in the store!

In case you’re craft curious about jewelry being termed gems and beads, the term applies to both. A Gem is a cut rock or mineral. They often drilled to create beads. South Sun’s new high-end gemstones include Faceted Ametrine, Peach Moonstone, Black Spinel, Tumbled Garnets and Pyrite Pears (faceted).

This craft weekend was party time at San Diego’s South Sun Beand. They have reason to celebrate, South Sun has been NOMINATED as San Diego’s BEST CRAFT STORE for 2010 in “The Best Of 10News.com A-List”

Coco Chanel Services Offered At Craft Center

Upon entering the craft facility I was greeted by a Color Conulstant who worked for Coco” Chanel. The brand remains an icon of high socity professional-look today. A French fashion designer Chanel pioneered modernist philosophy, inspired menswear fashions, exploited upscle charm of expensive simplicity. Such an important influence in 20th-century fashion she was the only person in the field to be named Time Magazine’s “100 Most Important People of the Century.”

The Coco professional is familiar with craft tools Chanel used to match colors to skin hue in order to attain the most attractive combination for woman according to her job and relaxation or recation time. It was easy to wish for a sea-foam colored bead necklace at 50% off with matching bold carved flower pendant 60% off, the set came with 50 Free Beading classes to the purchaser. Alas the lady in front of me snapped it up. Not that there wasn’t something there for everyone, some charming works are one of a kind art.

What there is a lot of are most often seen online where South Sun spreads its shine across the craft people in this country with “Deal Of The Day.” Each day SS offers one remarkable deal on its Internet website, sometimes these amazing beauties are 90% off.

Aware of today’s craft economics South Sun makes it easy for we who think the price of shipping is often too high. Purchasers can pick up their bought treatures in person if fortunate enough to live within driving distance.

One small word of advice on that DOD, if you want it grab it. The website tech says women have phoned in tears trying to get an expired deal of the day. Deal of the day definitely means deal of that day so if you see something you like grab it while the getting is possible.

Popularity: 48% [?]

Hunger Among Americans On The Increase

Unemployment, mortgage foreclosure and other woes cause growing hunger among citizens of San Diego Country

Here the SD Food Bank distributes necessary nutrition through numerous churches and community center outlets. Hunger requests for staples plus supplied fresh vegetables and fruits to those in need have increased dramatically during this ailing economy.

Large numberss of county residents now seek donated food where the Food Bank is the city’s leading hunger food-relief organization.

Record Hunger Needs
San Diego Food Bank is distributing the most food it has ever delivered during its 33-years in existence. 15.3 million pounds have been dispensed this fiscal year, that’s a 56% increase.

Hunger In Areas Requesting Food Increase:
Lemon Grove 436%
Vista 368%
Imperial Beach 234%
Spring Valley 219%
Ramona 80%
San Diego proper 72%
San Marcos 61%
Jacumba 55%
National City 52%
Drastically increased demands are unlikely to decrease in the near future if at all, according to Food Bank Chairman Mitch Mitchell. When Mitchell took over in 2006 the Food Bank was providing food to 200,000 people each month plus their pets. Mitchell says. “Now, we provide food for 340,000 people per month and we are expecting our lines to continue to grow. People are running out of savings, foreclosures are growing, gasoline prices are rising.”

Needs in response to hunger have expanded more so in some areas of San Diego County where statistics show there is significantly higher demand. Distribution volume leaped in Lemon Grove 436% in the first two quarters of this fiscal year alone. Vista, Imperial Beach, and Spring Valley residents are also hard hit.

These hunger trends are similar among other food-relief organizations according to Tim Ney, chief operations officer at Feeding America.

The Good Are Giving
Also on the rise with hunger in nonprofit food distribution — 10,000,000 pounds of food delivered last year has become 14,600,000 pounds this year.

Now Changing?
Feeding America in Chicago, Illinois is getting more requests from middle-class residents standing in its food lines. “Not only is there an increased demand from those who are hungry, but the face of hunger is changing,” Ney said. “It used to be a different demographic. Now it’s working adults who don’t have the means.”

Popularity: 7% [?]