Meeting notes by Lola Sherman
The big Earth Day festival will return to downtown Oceanside next year, but meanwhile, there will be a smaller celebration in Buccaneer Park in the south part of town on April 23, Mainstreet Oceanside’s monthly morning meeting learned Tuesday.
Colleen Foster, the city’s Environmental Officer, said the Buccaneer Park “Mini Earth Day celebration” will run from 9 a.m to 1 p.m. and feature booths set up by a dozen environmental organizations and include arts-and-crafts activities. It also will provide opportunities, she said, to participate in five nearby beach and creek cleanups.
Volunteers are needed, Foster said, and clean-up supplies will be furnished.
Besides the April 23 event, Foster said, “there is opportunity throughout the year” for community cleanups.
“Make every day Earth Day,” Foster further encouraged, and she suggested participating in a program where volunteers come to homes to pick excess fruit from trees. The produce goes to the One Kitchen Collaborative.
Foster also mentioned a 2022 water-conservation landscaping contest for people who make their yards more drought-tolerant.
From April 18-29, she said, the Disabled American Veterans organization will pick up large items in a program running from Donation Week to Landfill Week. She stressed more than recycling, but preventing waste in the first place.
By 2024, Foster said, city officials hope to have the food-scrap recycling program in full gear and already 1,100 businesses are enrolled.
Rick Wright, MainStreet CEO, said Foster’s efforts working with local businesses to help them reduce waste have resulted in lowering some of their monthly bills.
Wright had begun the meeting with a short slide presentation on the Oceanside Historical Society. He said MainStreet and the society have formed a partnership.
Kristi Hawthorne, society director, spoke at a recent MainStreet meeting.
Wright said he hadn’t known previously that the society offers a museum open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p..m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at its headquarters in the Fire Department building (305 N. Nevada St.)
Wright said people can browse the society’s Website and purchase maps.
He also mentioned the free two-hour weekly – second Saturday – historical walks of downtown Oceanside led either by Hawthorne or society vice president John Daley The walks begin at 9 a.m. in front of the city library, 330 N. Coast Highway.
Wright also announced the upcoming 15th annual fundraiser for KOCT community television on May 12 at Outback Steakhouse, 2485 Vista Way. Tickets are $25, seating is at 11:30 a.m. or 1 p.m., and diners have a choice of steak, pork chop or salmon.
Also at the MainStreet meeting:
Susan Brown, founder of First Friday Art Walk, said she has been organizing the event for seven years and could use someone to help out, either full time or to take part of the monthly load.
Mary Jo Canaletti, MainStreet’s new Volunteer Coordinator, said there are many volunteer opportunities, including for the Ambassador program, which will begin in June and run through September.
Volunteers also are needed, she said, for the Independence Parade on June 25.
Cathy Nykiel, director of events and Sunset Market manager, noted that both the Farmers and Sunset markets were shut down two years ago due to the COVID pandemic, but both are up and running now.
Nykiel said she is very thankful that Canaletti is helping with the volunteers and the Ambassadors program.
She also mentioned the upcoming Mothers Day Sweets promotion on May 7 with a VIP event on Wednesday, May 4, from 6 to 8 p.m.
And, “of course,” she said, 100 volunteers are needed for the parade. Military bands (although not the Navy Band Southwest, which has a prior engagement) will perform, she said, and there has been a top of 145 participants in the past. “We put on a fantastic parade,” Nyklel said – “A red, white and blue, All-American parade.”
It was noted at this point that MainStreet had boxes and boxes of donated hand sanitizer and was giving it away to everyone who wanted it.
Fernando Hernandez, representative for State Assemblymember Tasha Boerner Horvath, D-Encinitas, said she is involved in budget hearings now. He noted that, due to redistricting, Horvath no longer will be representing Oceanside in 2023.
Kristal Jabara, director of community affairs for San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond (who is a part-time Oceanside resident), said Desmond’s first State of North County address will be given from 10 a.m. to noon on April 20 at Oceanside’s El Corazon Senior Center. There is no charge and advance registration is requested by Friday, April 8. [LINK]
Linda Piña of Carla and Linda’s Walking Food Tours said it has received a grant and hopes to get a van to run farm (and brewery and winery) tours as well as its current restaurant program. Already, she said, a farmer in Morro Hills has approached them to be part of the new program. “We are so excited,” Piña said.
Christine Alford, a retired public defender, talked about opening a photo studio and art gallery at 401 Mission Ave. She is the daughter of John McDonald, former chairman of the Oceanside Arts Commission. Alford said there will be a soft opening this month and an official opening June 3. Wright said he is excited for a new art and photo studio downtown.
City Councilwoman Kori Jensen talked about the pending contract with Waste Management and the 20 years that Agriservice Inc. has handled the local green waste.
Jay Erbele talked about his business CHEF2YOU.
The next MainStreet Morning Meeting will be May 3 at 701 Mission Ave.
The MainStreet Morning Meeting is held on the first Tuesday of each month at 8:30 a.m.
We welcome all parties interested in the progress of Downtown Oceanside, including businesspeople, residents, and City staff.
This informative one-hour meeting is held in an informal discussion format. The general public is always welcome! Come meet your city officials, MainStreet Oceanside staff and members and find out about upcoming events and changes to YOUR downtown and city.
The MainStreet Morning Meeting is held at the MainStreet Oceanside meeting room at 701 Mission Avenue. Call our office for more information or directions at (760) 754-4512.
