MIRAMAR – About 230 Marines and sailors with the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing are scheduled to deploy today from Miramar Marine Corps Air Station.
The troops will head to Iraq and most likely serve in Anbar province for seven months. They will replace other members of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing who are finishing their combat rotation.
The aircraft wing is the aviation combat element of the Camp Pendleton-based 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. Its members are among 25,000 Marines and sailors based in San Diego County who are in Iraq this year.
– Rick Rogers
Suit filed over
city job measure
A lawsuit has been filed to block a portion of the ballot argument against Proposition C, the San Diego measure that would open up the possibility of shifting some city work to private contractors.
The suit accuses those who signed the statement, including union leaders who represent city police officers and firefighters, of misleading the public by implying that safety services could be part of the work assigned to private companies.
The measure, headed for the Nov. 7 ballot, does not mention public safety. According to the suit, filed by voter Paul Robinson, the law requires police and fire department personnel to be city employees.
In their argument against the measure, opponents suggest that without an explicit prohibition on contracting out police, fire or lifeguard services, they could be privatized.
A hearing is scheduled for Monday.
– Jennifer Vigil
UCSD hires new
vice chancellor
Keith Brant, a longtime UCLA administrator, has taken over as University of California San Diego's vice chancellor for external affairs. Brant previously worked as UCLA's assistant vice chancellor for alumni relations and executive director of the UCLA Alumni Association.
At UCSD, Brant will be responsible for attracting private support, building alumni support and strengthening the public university's reputation. He takes over as the university attempts to finish its $1 billion capital campaign, which has raised nearly $915 million.
Brant's compensation package will include a salary of $230,000, an annual automobile allowance of $8,916, 30 days of temporary housing, reimbursement of moving expenses, eligibility in the university's home loan program, and participation in UC's retirement and savings program.
His starting salary is higher than that of his predecessor, Jim Langley, who left UCSD after 7½ years, earning $210,900.
– Eleanor Yang Su
Meal service for ill
expands clientele
DOWNTOWN –
With a decrease in the number of HIV/AIDS clients, Mama's Kitchen is expanding its meal delivery service to others with debilitating illnesses.
“We have learned a lot servicing people with AIDS, and this has allowed us to actually make our services available to other people in need,” said executive director Alberto Cortés.
Founded in 1990, Mama's Kitchen has more than 800 volunteers who prepare and deliver three meals a day to nearly 300 men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in San Diego County. The downtown-based nonprofit has capacity to feed more than 425 people a day.
The board of Mama's Kitchen will expand service to people under 60 who are physically or mentally unable to prepare their own meals. Those over 60 have other meal options, Cortes said.
For more information call (619) 233-6262.
– Dani Dodge
S.D. police given
surveillance grant
AT&T and the AT&T Foundation have awarded a $50,000 grant to the San Diego Police Foundation, which will be used to buy surveillance-camera software and fund training in the use of the technology for the police force.
Investigations of San Diego crimes captured on surveillance cameras have been limited by technology. The new equipment will let police pull details, freeze frames, highlight faces and more.
Officials of AT&T, the Police Foundation and San Diego police will demonstrate the equipment at 11 a.m. today at the Western Division police station, 5215 Gaines St.
– Joe Hughes
Habitat water plan
gets more analysis
LAKESIDE –
A plan to use raw water for a proposed nature habitat in Lakeside's El Monte Valley will get more study.
The plan was to go before Helix Water District's board of directors at its meeting yesterday, but the land's lessee pulled it from the agenda to work out some details, said Mark Weston, the district's general manager. It will go before the board at a later date.
The Endangered Habitats League wants to use raw, or untreated, water from the San Diego County Water Authority as part of its plan to restore a portion of the valley and create a marsh, riparian habitat and woodlands.
The 460 acres was previously used by the Helix Water District for its wells. Water district officials initially wanted to use recycled water for the project but gave up the idea because it was too expensive.
– Liz Neely
