Classless Quirk

When Mayor Dave Druker read aloud the City Council’s proclamation to Dwight Worden upon his retirement for health reasons, he interspersed the long list with contemporaneous remarks about times that he and Dwight worked together to solve issues. It was a heartfelt, collegial moment of two City Council members, who often strongly opposed each other, recalling their successes. It was a perfect moment except one member, Dan Quirk, had not signed the proclamation. Nor was Dan present at this celebratory event following the City Council meeting where he was present.

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The Sandpiper Recommends

Mike Levin, Terra Lawson-Remer, Tasha Boerner, have earned your vote. Click to read more

 

The Sandpiper recommends a vote for Martinez and Spelich, but not Quirk. Click to read more

Editorial: Timely Tax

We can all love the tax on the ballot, called Measure M. It will help us pay for beaches, lifeguards, parks, streets, and other community services we provide. The best part of this tax is that is not paid by Delmarians.

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Larger Lagoon Celebrated

On Monday morning, September 30, a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated the completion of Phase II of the Wetland Restoration of the San Dieguito Lagoon. Led off by SANDAG Second Vice Chair and Solana Beach Mayor Lesa Heebner, a lineup of leaders of

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Energy Incentives

The Fall 2024 Climate Change Symposium, “Clean Energy: Our Way Forward” presented by the Coalition for Adapting to Climate Change in Del Mar on October 9th, outlined an exciting array of incentives and strategies for individuals to benefit from in electrifying

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Roving Teen Reporter: Phone Freedom

Governor Newsom signed the Phone-Free Schools Act, which requires all California school districts, county offices of education and charter schools to create and implement a policy that limits or prohibits students’ smartphone use by July 1, 2026.   While this can

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Young Environmental Heroes

On Saturday morning, October 5, Town Hall hosted Environmental Hero Awards, presented by Tasha Boerner, whose State Assembly District 77 runs from Carlsbad to Coronado. Del Mar is right in the center, and our Town Hall is a wonderful venue. Seven

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Rusty Boards and More

In the 1980s Rusty Preisendorfer worked on projects as a builder. The projects became surfboards and the art of surfboard shaping. By 1985 Rusty started his own company. On his way home after surfing in Del Mar, Rusty “saw a space

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Covid Update: Death by Complacency?

We are 4 and one-half years into the COVID pandemic, and most of us have come to terms with the risks infection with this virus poses. If we take the risks seriously, as anyone over 65 years of age should, we

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Animal Astronauts

Today human astronauts come and go, rocketing into space via a variety of public and private transports following the Soviet’s Yuri Gagarin initial assent April, 1961. But animals were first.   Many have served as pioneers. Venturing some 109km into the

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Quotable Del Mar: Dwight Worden

“I’m going to be right here. I’m going to go to council meetings in shorts and T-shirts and sit in the back row and have a say like any other citizen.”  —Dwight Worden from “Big Send off for Dwight” by Nancy

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Del Mar Community Connections

Thank you DMCC Fall Benefit Sponsors and Sustaining Members! DMCC would like to express our deepest gratitude to our Sustaining Members and Fall Benefit Sponsor households who made generous contributions this year as we celebrate the 2024 DMCC Fall Benefit “Trivia

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November 2024
Volume 28, Number 9


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In Brief

Unethical in Del Mar?

Recent cases at California’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) involving Del Mar elected officials or candidates:

 

Stephen Quirk and Stephen Quirk for Del Mar City Council 2022 – a Commission-initiated complaint. Alleged violation: campaign non-filer; case open and pending as October 20, 2024. The City of Del Mar’s webpage for 2022 election candidate filings does not show, as of October 20, 2024, filings from Quirk or his committee that were due in January and July 2023, or a termination filing. Thus, Del Mar voters still do not have access to information about campaign contributions received or expenditures made by Quirk’s campaign after September 24, 2022, for the November 8, 2022 election.

 

Dan Quirk – a Staff/Filing Officer referral; case closed June 6, 2024; violation type: Statements of Economic Interest Non-Filer; Disposition: Violations Found, No Action.

 

Terry Gaasterland – a Commission-initiated complaint dated July 21, 2023 involving potential violations of the conflict of interest provisions of the Political Reform Act. The complaint alleges that at its April 17, 2023 meeting, the Council considered SANDAG’s “Coastal Connections Conceptual Planning Study” report, and by a 4-1 vote (Worden opposed), passed a motion by Councilmember Gaasterland to move forward with three specific concept designs for further evaluation; the complaint alleges that Gaasterland’s participation in this discussion and decision constituted a conflict of interest, in that her motion included designs most likely to have a positive impact on the value of her nearby residential property. Case open and pending as of October 20, 2024.

 

The FPPC is the non-partisan commission that has primary responsibility for the administration of California’s Political Reform Act, which regulates campaign financing, conflicts of interest, lobbying, and governmental ethics.

Sandpiper Family Losses

Two of our long-term Sandpiper family of editors and supporters have lost their spouses in recent days. Anne Farrell lost her husband John Farrell on October 5th, and Virginia Lawrence lost her husband Roger Lawrence on October 13th. Both were accomplished leaders in their fields, and they both were ardent supporters of the Sandpiper. In this time of sadness and remembrance, let us support their legacy and their surviving spouses.

 


Sand Sculpture: Oct. 18 on North Torrey Pines Beach at entrance to Los Penasquitos Lagoon, during lowest low tide of the month. Photo: Tom Lawrence

 


Buzzed: Better Buzz Coffee Roasters has now opened, the new stop for organic coffee and pastries on Camino Del Mar replacing Starbucks. Photo: Julie Maxey-Allison.