Registration dates for Torrey Pines Pop Warner Football and Cheer are in March 2009. See the www.torreypinespw.com website for complete details.

The Carmel Valley Recreation Center Pool is scheduled to reopen on March 9. See the City’s Carmel Valley Pool Page for complete details and program information. I believe that pool program registration is handled through a mail-in process.

Here’s the agenda for the March 3 meeting of the Carmel Valley Recreation Council. The meeting is 7:00 PM on Tuesday, March 3 at the Carmel Valley Recreation Center, 3777 Townsgate. Read on for the agenda: (more…)

The California Native Plant Society is holding a public hike in Crest Canyon Park at 10am on Saturday, March 7. Meet at the intersection of San Dieguito Dr. and Racetrack View Dr. (Thomas Guide 1187, G4). Exit I-5 at Via De La Valle, go west, turn left on Jimmy Durante Blvd., take first left (0.8 mi.) onto San Dieguito Dr., continue 1/2 mile to where the road forks at Racetrack View Dr. Direct questions to Arne @ 858-759-4769.

There are two music programs this March at the Carmel Valley Library: First is the Pegasus Duo on Wed., March 11th at 7:00 PM. Clarinetist Matt Gill and pianist Miho Gary will perform works by Muczynski, Handel, Pleyel, and others. Second is C. Kenneth Lee on Wed., March 25th at 7:00 PM. Pianist, composer, actor, and singer C. Kenneth Lee will perform works from the baroque to the present. For further information call (858) 552-1668 or see the CV Library Music Page.

More news from Ranger Gina Washington:

The good news is that the north trail is open including the section between Wagon Wheel and Side Hill where the huge trench was cut. We have installed a temporary foot bridge, so that section of trail is open to bikers and hikers, it is not safe for horses. The bad news is that the north single track between Peñasquitos Creek Crossing and Carson’s Crossing is closed due to a few downed trees and the south trails and creek crossings are still closed b/c they are still very wet.

Trails update from Gina Washington, Senior Park Ranger: We were able to open the North Main Trail except between Side Hill and Wagon Wheel, also the north single track between PQ Creek Park and Carson Crossing is closed b/c an oak tree fell across it and we can’t get to it right now. All Creek Crossings and the South Side Trails are Closed. The TCT east of Black Mountain Road is open again.

Previously, we’ve heard that the U.S. Marine Corps is proposing that the new F-35B Joint Strike Fighter be based at MCAS Miramar and have created a website (www.usmcjsfwest.com) to provide information to the community. Now, I read that they’re also talking about basing the controversial MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft here (see the Osprey Wikipedia Article for more info.) The Department of Navy has released the draft Environmental Impact Statement (available at http://www.mv22eiswest.net/) for public review. The review period ends on March 30, 2009. If you’d like to comment, a meeting will be held at the Scripps Miramar Ranch Branch Library (10301 Scripps Lake Drive, San Diego, CA 92131-1258) on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 from 5:00 - 9:00 pm.

Are your sprinklers turned off? The long-term forecast is for showers all next week. Can you believe it? We can only hope this is the beginning of the end of the drought! I spoke too soon, it looks like the rain is off. Back to the dry weather…

The City of San Diego will be holding another Water Allocation Public Workshop on Thursday, February 19, 2009, 6 - 7:30 pm at the Scripps Miramar Ranch Branch Library, 10301 Scripps Lake Drive, San Diego, CA 92131-1258. If you want to speak out on the City’s plans for water rationing, here’s your chance.

Kids on break and looking for something to do? The Birch Aquarium at Scripps and San Diego Harbor Excursion have daily naturalist-guided whale watching cruises. See the San Diego Harbor Excursion whale-watching page for details.

Someone asked about who to contact with complaints and concerns related to Hot Air Balloons in Carmel Valley. The police responded with this information:

The San Diego Police Department does not enforce and is not authorized to enforce laws associated with Hot Air Balloons. If there is a complaint of trespass or other such items the complaint needs to be brought to the attention of the local FAA field office who can enforce aviation-related laws. The FAA field office is located at Montgomery Field and can be reached at 858-502-9882.

It’s wet out there and will take a bit of time for everything to dry out. Using the fields and trails while they’re muddy can cause serious damage that will require later closure for repairs. From Gina Washington, Senior Park Ranger:

We got some serious rain last night, almost 750 cubic feet per second. Needless to say, all the trails are still closed and will remain closed for several days. There is no safe way for us to get in to examine all the conditions. As soon as we can get in safely I will update you all on what I find. Until then, enjoy the fresh air and the green hills.

Gina Washington, Senior Park Ranger
City of San Diego, Open Space Division
858.538.8066 (PH)
858.536.8334 (FAX)

There will be a Community Meeting on Wednesday, February 18, at 7:00 PM at Grace Point Church at 13340 Hayford Way. The February meeting will be centered around the residential robbery near Sage Canyon. A second Community Information Forum will be held on Thursday, March 5, from 6:30-8:00 PM at the Carmel Valley Recreation Center, 3777 Townsgate Drive. The second meeting will be more general.

If you have questions for the local police, contact Gaylon Sells, Community Relations Officer, Northwestern Division, 12592 El Camino Real, SD, CA 92130. His direct line is 858-523-7031 (Monday - Thursday 2 PM to Midnight), email gsells@pd.sandiego.gov.

Three of the local TV stations will end their analog broadcasts on Tuesday night, February 17, switching entirely to digital. You may have to re-scan your channels on your digital TV on Wednesday morning to get reception (as some of the stations will change their broadcast frequency.) If you get cable or satellite, or have a new, digital TV, this will not be an issue. If you have an old TV, you’ll need a converter box. The following stations will no longer have analog signals on Feb 18 (the switchover is at 11:59 PM on Feb 17) : KFMB-TV 8, KGTV 10, and KSWB 69. The KFMB Channel 8 website has a good story on this change. KPBS 15 will change over in early April, and the last two stations (KNSD 39 and KUSI 51) will change on June 12.