Friends of Fire Mountain

Protect, Preserve, and Improve Fire Mountain

Category Archives: News


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North Oceanside Double Track Project – Public Meeting

On Wednesday, October 9, 2013 the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) and the North County Transit District (NCTD) will hold an informational public meeting addressing the North Oceanside Double Track Project.  The meeting will take place at Oceanside High School from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm. According to the web site:

SANDAG meeting inviteThe project will eventually replace the aging single-track rail bridge over the San Luis Rey River with a modern, concrete double-track bridge and add a one-mile stretch of second main track that will join two existing double-track segments together. When complete, the project will create 10.3 miles of continuous double track along the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Corridor.

The project is part of a larger effort to improve Amtrak and COASTER passenger services by adding a second track to the 60-mile segment of the LOSSAN (Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo) rail corridor in San Diego County.

SANDAG also is collaborating with the City of Oceanside to:

  • Improve the bike and pedestrian undercrossing on the south side of the San Luis Rey River rail bridge 
  • Redesign the car and pedestrian undercrossing adjacent to the Oceanside Harbor
  • Construct street median improvements at Surfrider Way to support a future Quiet Zone in Oceanside that would limit train horn noise

This is just one of many projects involving to the train system through Oceanside and the LOSSAN corridor.  Back in June the two organizations hosted a public meeting to discuss (in our opinion) long overdue updates to the Oceanside Transit Center. While most improvements are specific to increasing the number of trains able to board and pass through at any one time, a few updates to the station and it’s amenities were also discussed.

We’re always hopeful that there will be more options available for public transit, especially commuter-style trains, but we’re also skeptics of the dent this will make in the jammed I-5 traffic (especially in the summer) What’s the solution? All I can say is…HYPERLOOP!

FOFM.com would love to hear  your thoughts on transportation options affecting North County and beyond, so click on the “Leave a Comment” link next to the title of this article and let us know what YOU think!


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Oceanside Residents Protest Puppy Mills

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Last weekend Oceanside residents and animal lovers protested in front of a newly opened puppy store on Oceanside Blvd.

Protesters stated that the puppies are trucked in from puppy mills in Missouri instead of coming from local shelters and their goal is to rally support in the city of Oceanside to create a ban on the sale of puppies, kittens, and bunnies at retail storefronts.

Over a dozen cities in California including Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, Chula Vista, and San Diego have adopted ordinances placing restrictions on the sale of animals from commercial breeders. The ban was created to stop the flow of puppy-mill puppies into those cities, which increases the number of  dogs left languishing in shelters, effectively increasing the number of animals euthanized each year and costing cities money.

As one of the protesters put it, “We want them to be here. We love the business. We just don’t want them to sell puppy-mill dogs. It would be wonderful if they would take puppies from our shelters because we have hundreds of them.”

Follow the link for the full story in the Union Tribune: Oceanside-pet-store-protest


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A New and Improved Trash and Recycling Program for Oceanside

In case you’ve missed the detailed flyers in your mail box, the City of Oceanside is transitioning from manual residential collection to a new automated trash and recycling collection system. According to the web site the new collection system provides enhanced convenience for residents and increases recycling capabilities.

This means new carts for Oceanside residents. Be sure to read up and then choose your carts!

To view the details of the change follow the jump to North County Waste Management Or check the flyer for all the info on what’s recyclable and what’s not.  Personally I’m excited to see the new Curbside Cell Phone and Household Battery Recycling Program:

Oceanside residents will be provided an innovative and convenient new program for the proper disposal of cell phones and household batteries. Residents will be able to place these items into sealed clear plastic bags and place them on top of their recycling collection container at the time of their regularly scheduled weekly service. This program will be available once the automated residential recycling carts are delivered.

Still confused? On October 13, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. a workshop to go over the changes will be held in the Civic Center community rooms, 330 N. Coast Highway.


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New Web Site for City of Oceanside Revealed

The City of Oceanside stepped into the present when it revealed a lovely and user-friendly new web site.

“Beachy” is the look that project manager Sandra Djordjevich said she was going for.

It took eight months to design and build the new site, which was unveiled Monday.

It has been more than five years since the city’s Internet presence has undergone a makeover. Over time, the website had become a patchwork with new sections or services tacked on without much organization, officials said.

In December, the city hired a Newport Beach company, Civica Software, to design and manage the new site at a cost of $56,200.

Read more: http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/oceanside/article_f0b49132-3ca6-5971-b6df-c97e948c9a71.html#ixzz1ZNasA4EM


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Crime Watch in Fire Mountain

Be aware, there have been two burglaries in the Fire Mountain neighborhood one on Fuchsia Court, the other on Fire Mountain Road.  Accounts of the robberies were given by neighbors and victims: In the cul de sac on Fuchsia Court, off Ivy Road, two girls came to the door and rang the bell. When no one answered, they went around to the back of the house and broke in.  The girls had backpacks to carry out what they stole and they were in a silver Suzuki. The neighbor saw the girls and got the license plate number of the car — the stolen property was dropped as they fled and the items were returned to owner.

The other robbery  was up near the corner of Fire Mountain and Ridgeway and the burglars came through the window while the owner was sleeping.

Please be careful and aware while you are home and away and be sure to watch out for your neighbors as well.

If you see something suspect please call:

  • Oceanside Police Department
    Emergency: 911
    Non Emergency: 760-435-4900 3855 Mission Ave, Oceanside, CA 92054
  • Crime Prevention Unit: Dulci Fish 760-435-4547 OR Meg Munoz 760-435-4543

Tips on starting a neighborhood watch can be found here

Other important numbers in Oceanside can be found here.


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Lincoln Middle Schoo PTSO Presents: The Cow Drop

On November 21, 2009, Lincoln Middle School’s PTSO,

students and parents will conduct the fundraising activity of the year. The Cow Drop!

cash cow
The Cause
The back lot of ECHS will be the site of what promises to become the entertainment event of the year with a goal of
helping to promote and finance educational activities for students at Lincoln Middle School.

THE SCHOOL COULD EARN $20,000 TO SUPPORT STUDENTS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM.
A lucky winner could earn $2500!*

The Event
The athletic field will be divided into equal squares and each of those squares will be sold for $5.00.  On the morning of the 21st a drawing will determine the location of each ticket’s square.  At 9 am, Bessie the Cow will enter the stadium grounds. Free to roam the area, we will await anxiously for Bessie to drop her paddy.

The Reward
The owner of the square in which Bessie first does her duty will receive a check for $2,500 (or 10% of total ticket sales) for their support of Lincoln Middle School PTSO.  The second dropping will receive a check for $1,750 and the 3rd, $750.00 (7% and 3% respectively).
Cow Drop 007
SATISFACTION  GUARANTEED
Support this worthy effort to broaden the horizons of our students.  Contribute to the fundraising efforts of your community and experience the satisfaction of helping our young people.  Who Knows!  Your reward may be much more!!

*Reward checks are based on sales of 5000 squares.  Payments represent 20% of total sales.  In the event sales do not reach 5000 squares, payments will be adjusted accordingly.  For more information on how you can help the Lincoln Middle School PTSO, contact Patrick Cornforth @ 760.917.1258.


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A Friend of Fire Mountain joins the Oceanside Planning Commission!

Fire Mountain’s own Jay Scrivener has been appointed to the Oceanside City Planning Commission. Jay has been active in many neighborhood activities and issues including the negotiations with Eternal Hills, the push for a community park, and encouraging a drought tolerant, water conserving neighborhood through his posts on the Fire Mountain Garden Exchange.
We look forward to Jay’s positive impact in our city working with the commission.
Read the story in the Union Tribune click here.