Programming Notice
Due to the many Independence Week activities organized by MainStreet Oceanside, the July meeting that would normally be scheduled for July 2, 2019 has been cancelled. Please join us for our regularly scheduled August meeting on August 6, 2019.
Oceanside is doing well with recycling, the city’s environmental officer told the MainStreet Morning Meeting Tuesday.
Colleen Foster said that although much has been said about problems in the recycling industry because China has shut out many materials from the U.S. due to concerns about contamination, Oceanside has been an industry leader in building its markets.
She showed pictures of recycling bins for businesses and took questions about the kinds of materials that can be recycled.
Yes, she said, it’s okay to put a pizza box in the recycles – just not the liner with all the gooey cheese. And, she said, styrofoam, although technically recyclable, “really falls apart in the system.”
She responded to concerns about contamination in recycling materials by saying California has been especially resilient and Oceanside has “one of the lowest contamination rates in the region” and no, she said, “a tiny bit of contamination won’t ruin a whole load” but she warned against “squishy plastic” like bags, which she called the No. 1 contaminant.
As to paper-based containers, Foster said, those with a few crumbs from a sandwich are fine, those with soaked-in lasagna are not.
In answer to a question from Chef Antonio, Sunset Market vendor, Foster said that clean aluminum food containers with solid plastic covers are recyclable.
Foster said Oceanside accepts all plastics marked 1 through 7, but 1’s and 2’s make the best recycling. “Plastic utensils are such poor quality that they can’t be recycled,” Foster said, “nor can polystyrene food containers.”
Mary Ann Thiem, a member of the MainStreet board, asked about the residue of small household repairs. Foster said plain, unpainted wood can be placed in green waste carts. The landfill gets food, plastic wrap, polystyrene foam, candy wrappers and floor scrapings, she said. Foster said anyone can type in the name of a product on the city’s Green Oceanside Website, and learn if it is recyclable. She also provided booklets on “The Business Guide to Sustainability and Recycling.”
She told of a “really exciting project” – a large-scale green commercial kitchen, a “unique facility” being developed at the El Corazon Senior and Events Center, an opportunity to feed people from food that otherwise might end up in a landfill. Some 40 percent of food that’s thrown away is still edible, Foster said. She said an event is planned at the kitchen June 22.
Later in the meeting, in response to an announced cleanup campaign south of Wisconsin Avenue, Foster said, “where we need cleanups is in the neighborhoods – and not at the beach.”
At the beginning of the meeting, Gumaro Escarcega, MainStreet Program Manager, running the meeting in the absence of Executive Director Rick Wright, showed a short video from the successful Mothers Day dessert-tasting event presented by MainStreet Oceanside.
Escarcega said this first such event was a sell-out with 19 sweet-tasting options and 29 (including beverages) tastings overall. “It definitely attracted more people downtown,” he said.
A bit later, Escarcega showed a longer (seven minutes) video, produced by KOCT, local community television, on “How Do You Oceanside?” It featured local celebrity Vicki Barbalok from America’s Got Talent as she visited downtown points of interest.
The video includes comments from Wright, Escarcega, the construction project managers at two new large apartment buildings and owners or managers of two top-dining establishments, 333 Pacific and Harney Sushi. Also featured is Jeremy Cohen, vice president of S. D. Malkin Properties of San Diego, which is building the new resort hotel, which will retain the historic Graves (Top Gun) House. (The video is undergoing some final edits and will be posted online as soon as it is completed).
Escarcega showed drawings of the next expected project in the Oceanside Mural Initiative – a pastel-colored picture for the Fin Boutique Hotel at Coast Highway and Topeka Street that would be a Mosaic Mural when it’s complete. “We are looking to begin fundraising in the next month or so,” Escarcega said. He showed a donated Harley-Davidson mosaic sign as a future fundraiser.
In other business:
–Jonathan Borrego, City of Oceanside Development Services Director announced that density study sheets were available in the back of the room on proposed changes to residential zoning downtown and that the matter may be coming back to the MainStreet group in August. No increase in building heights is expected. This project is separate from the Coast Highway Corridor Study. A copy of the study sheet is provided below.
–Patrick Young, the city’s Special Events Coordinator said, “June is the busiest month of the year.” He announced the Filipino Festival Saturday at the Civic Center as well as a Crown Heights Community Resource event and the first activity for RAAM – a (bicycle) Race Across America. “This year,” he said, “vehicle inspection will take place at the Harbor. Activities will continue June 11-15 when international teams – from Germany and Ireland – will arrive.”
–June 12-15, Young said, is the Team USA Surfing Finals.
–June 13, he said, Oceanside High School will hold its traditional graduation ceremonies from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Junior Seau Pier Amphitheatre.
–Young said Independence Week activities begin with “one of the best parades in San Diego County”, the annual event on the Saturday before the 4th – in this case, June 29.
Escarcega said the deadline to enter the parade is Friday, June 7.
–Oceanside’s Fireworks will be shot off July 3 at the El Corazon area. In answer to a question from Lori Lawson about danger with new construction in that area, Young said the fireworks display has been adjusted for this year, but there may need to be changes next year.
–On the Fourth, Young said, the MainStreet’s Beach Services program will oversee additional activities and vendors at the amphitheater and beach and visitors will be able to see the fireworks from Camp Pendleton.
–And, he said, there will be a Star Spangled Sunset Market that evening.
–Young said the Samoan Cultural Festival will be held at the Civic Center for the first time that weekend.
–John Daley announced that history walks of downtown will be offered on the second Saturday of the month through September, starting at 9 a.m. in front of the library.
This week’s walk will be led by local historian Kristi Hawthorne. Escarcega said the walk was one of the first things he did when he came to work in Oceanside.
–Linda Piña from Carla and Linda’s Walking Food Tours said three tours are planned in Oceanside and was held in Vista on June 8, 2019. She named a few of the Vista restaurants: Flying Pig, Belching Beaver Brewery & Grill and Little Cakes Cupcake Kitchen.
–Michael Murray, aide to Councilman Christopher Rodriguez, said he is continuing to work on the problem of homelessness and on Monday 75 of 200 e-mails he received were on the subject. “We do respond,” he said, and asked to be informed if people see feces, urine or public intoxication. He invited use of a “my Oceanside” app.
–Lori Lawson said the Chamber of Commerce will hold a free, open-to-all meeting on how to improve business from 9 to 10 a.m. on the last Friday of the month.
–Escarcega announced that, with all the other activity going on the first week of July, there will be no MainStreet meeting next month. The next meeting will be at 8:30 a.m. Aug. 6 at MainStreet Oceanside, 701 Mission Ave.
