Do you like the TV show "Wipeout!" or the thought of competing in a "Mud Run"? Well, this might be just the thing for you! It's called the "R.O.C. Race", a 5K "Ridiculous Obstacle Challenge" being held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds on May 19-20. They say it's the Craziest 5K on Earth, and they may just be right. Complete details at the ROC Race 5K Website.

The Police warn of two incidents outside of Carmel Valley where a man identifies himself as a utility worker, asking to inspect the rear of the house. While the victim is distracted, a second suspect goes inside the house and commits a burglary. Victims are usually elderly. The male suspect is described as a well groomed, 40-50, 5’5” to 5’8”, with short dark hair. This is a scam. Consider calling the utility to confirm the work if any unsolicited utility workers request access to your property.

Torrey Pines Senior Grace Weselak is collecting prom dresses for cancer patients at Rady Children's Hospital. From the Union~Tribune:

"Torrey Pines High School senior Grace Weselak is collecting prom dresses, shoes and accessories for cancer patients at Rady Children’s Hospital who could not make it to their prom because they were too ill... A prom will be put on for the teen patients, called the “Unforgettable Prom,” March 30 at San Diego Hall of Champions in Balboa Park..."

Donations are accepted Feb 21 to March 17, 2012 at the Torrey Pines High School Counseling Office. Donation and contact information are available in the Original Union~Tribune Story online.

There's a letter in the Carmel Valley news from Bob Freund, speaking against the One Paseo development. Bob is a Carmel Valley resident, and, for what it's worth, I believe his background is Real Estate Development, so he's not uninformed:

I am gratified by the increasing numbers of my neighbors who are questioning why Kilroy should be allowed to nearly quadruple the development of One Paseo. To us it appears that the developer’s ability to purchase both a set of favorable “expert” recommendations, and a lobbyist to persuade her former Development Services colleagues to accept them are successfully influencing the city process. It’s time for our elected leaders to measure this groundswell of community opposition and act on it before the approval process is further abused.

The issue is not whether the by-products of this massive expansion can or can’t be successfully mitigated. The real issue is if the future character our community is to be determined by the profit motives of this single deep-pocketed property owner and the influence of his “hired guns,” or if it is to be determined by the rights the rest of us secured when we purchased our properties. What rights are those? Quite simply that the Community Plan entitlements of still vacant parcels would remain in force, ensuring that the scale and character of future development in Carmel Valley would match the scale of our existing community.

The complete letter, "One Paseo, It's time for our leaders to lead", may be found on the Carmel Valley News Website.

Ranch & Coast Magazine has their Best Restaurants 2012 List out, and two of our locals made the cut: Burlap, for Best Bar Scene, and Urban Plates, for Best Fast Casual. Congratulations! The complete list can be found at the Ranch & Coast 2012 Best Restaurants Page.

Congratulations to Manita Singh, a Canyon Crest Academy student who received a 2012 Kyoto Scholorship for Advanced Technology! The grant is administered by the San Diego Foundation, which has a Scholarship Page for Students. You can also visit the Kyoto Scholarship page to find information and applications for next year! Read the full Story at the Carmel Valley News, "Carmel Valley student receives Kyoto Scholarship".

Our local schools are hurting due to state funding reductions, so I'd encourage everyone to support them to the best of their ability. This allows the schools to provide programs that would otherwise not be available. The Torrey Pines High School Foundation has a couple of fundraisers coming up: The casual "A Taste of Torrey" on Sunday, February 26, 2012 at the PAC, and the Foundation's annual gala, "Pump Up The Volume!" on March 31, 2012 at the Belly Up. See the Torrey Pines Foundation Website for complete information.

It's time for us to stand up and tell Kilroy that their vision of One Paseo is NOT what we want for Carmel Valley. We're willing to agree to a mixed-use project that is appropriate to the community, but not to the monstrous Urban Mall that they've proposed. We don't want a Los Angeles Infill Project. San Diego is a City of Villages, and we want our Village!

When you read published letters in support of Kilroy's One Paseo and see news that sounds like the whole community is behind it, I would encourage you to be skeptical. Many of these letters appear to be from political consultants, public relations firms, developers and businesses with connections to Kilroy. I believe that almost everyone in Carmel Valley is against the massive, Los Angeles style development that is proposed for our home. We should all push for a smaller, village-like Carmel Valley Main Street, something that fits our suburban San Diego community.

The Carmel Valley Middle School Bobcats placed first in a Regional Science Olympiad Competition at Rancho Bernardo High School. The Carmel Valley News Story says that 1,350 students at 28 different schools competed, and the Carmel Valley Middle School was the first place team. See the full story at the Carmel Valley News Website and visit the Carmel Valley Middle School Website to learn what they're up to now!