Podiatrist in Poway, CA

By Sally Ricker | July 3, 2023

As the Fourth of July approaches, San Diego residents and visitors alike eagerly anticipate the dazzling displays of fireworks that light up the night sky, commemorating the birth of American independence. This year, the beautiful city of San Diego is ready to ignite the spirit of patriotism with a multitude of stunning fireworks shows spread across its vibrant neighborhoods.

Get ready to be enthralled by the burst of colors, booming sounds, and a collective sense of pride as we present a curated list of the most spectacular Fourth of July fireworks shows taking place in San Diego. Mark your calendars and prepare to witness the magic of fireworks illuminating the skies in a celebration of freedom, unity, and the American spirit.

Port of San Diego Annual Big Bay Boom July 4 Fireworks Show

Date: July 4, 2023Location: Multiple Locations along San Diego BayTime: 9:00 PM

Coronado Fireworks

Date: July 4, 2023Location: Coronado Golf Course Fireworks Over Glorietta Bay, Near Stingray PointTime: 9:00 PM

Date: July 4, 2023Location: San Diego Fireworks Over San Diego Bay, Ferry Landing SideTime: 9:00 PM

Red, White & BOOM!

Date: July 4, 2023Location: One Legoland Drive, Carlsbad, CA 92008Time: 8:30 PM

San Diego County Fair

Date: July 4, 2023Location: 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd, Del Mar, CA 92014Time: 9:00 PM

Old Poway Park

Date: July 4, 2023Location: 14134 Midland Rd, Poway, CA 92064Time: 9:00 PM

Rancho Bernardo’s Spirit of the Fourth

Date: July 4, 2023Location: Rancho Bernardo High School – 13010 Paseo Lucido, San Diego CA 92128Time: 9:00 PM

Vista Independence Day Celebration

Date: July 4, 2023Location: Moonlight Amphitheatre – 1200 Vale Terrace Drive, Vista, CA 92084Time: 9:00 PM

El Cajon 4th of July Fireworks

Date: July 4, 2023Location: Kennedy Park – 1675 East Madison Avenue, El Cajon, CA 92019Time: 9:00 PM

Santee Salutes Fourth of July Celebration

Date: July 4, 2023Location: Town Center Community Park East – 550 Park Center Drive, Santee, CA 92071Time: 9:00 PM

Lake Murray Fireworks and Musicfest

Date: July 4, 2023Location: 7001 Murray Park Dr, San Diego, CA 92119Time: 9:00 PM

Independence Day Fireworks in Imperial Beach

Date: July 4, 2023Location: Imperial Beach Pier Plaza – 940 Seacoast Drive Imperial Beach CA 91932Time: 9:00 PM

Nineteen years ago Facebook was born. Since then the new world it created has been the subject of controversy and lawsuits, perhaps none more important than the Poway Unified School District case coming before the United States Supreme Court in late October or early November.

At issue is whether elected officials can block citizens from their personal social media pages. After two Poway Unified trustees blocked a married couple’s critical comments on Facebook and Twitter, the couple sued, citing the First Amendment in what has emerged as a potential landmark case.

In the latest development in the case, the Biden Administration’s Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, whose office will argue before the Supreme Court, has come down on the side of the Poway Unified trustees.

David Loy of California-based First Amendment Coalition said that if the court agrees with Biden’s solicitor general it would be a “license to censor.” He said he is surprised a Biden appointee would support blocking citizens from social media sites used by elected officials.

The First Amendment free speech issue has been a toss-up so far, with the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in favor of an elected official in a similar case in Michigan. But in California, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in the Poway case that the First Amendment was violated.

On one side in Poway are T.J. Zane, a former trustee, and Michelle O’Connor-Ratcliff a current trustee. They both created public Facebook and Twitter pages around 2014 to promote their campaigns for office.

Judge Marsha Berzon of the 9th Circuit succinctly explained the issue in her ruling against the trustees.

She wrote that both were elected and “used their public social media pages to inform constituents about goings-on at the school district and on the PUSD Board, to invite the public to board meetings, to solicit input about important board decisions, and to communicate with parents about safety and security issues at the district’s schools.”

Berzon explained that Christopher and Kimberly Garnier “have for years been active members of the PUSD community. In the years leading up to the dispute at issue in this case, the Garniers were especially vocal critics of the board.”

“Frustrated with the repetitive nature of the Garniers’ comments, the trustees began deleting or hiding the comments from their Facebook pages,” explained Berzon, and eventually the board members began blocking the Garniers.

“As state actors, the trustees violated the First Amendment when they blocked the Garniers from their social media pages,” Berzon concluded.

The Solicitor General position is that this ruling was wrong, that citizens need not have unfettered access to public officials’ private social media pages.

“There is little to be gained, and much to be lost, by adopting an overly expansive theory of state action that would extend to the use of nearly every public official’s private social-media account,” Prelogar said, adding that this would “undermine, not promote, First Amendment values.”

Loy doesn’t agree with her position, which he said “sees this as an ownership issue but that is not the case.” He said using social media is like “renting a hall for a public event. If it’s a campaign fundraiser, then the hall renter can ask people to leave, they control the agenda. If it’s a discussion on whether to pay for a new street, then it’s a public event and the renter of the hall can’t stop you from taking part in the discussions because they don’t like what you have to say.”

San Diego attorney Cory Briggs will be one of one of the lawyers in the case before the Supreme Court.

This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Politics & Government

Is a solution on the way?

Assemblymember Marie Waldron, Community Contributor

By Assemblymember Marie Waldron

If you own a home, you must have homeowner’s insurance. You can’t even get a mortgage without it. Yet many insurers have abandoned California, or simply canceled policies as they came up for renewal. This situation has recently worsened, and many homeowners have been forced into the costly and inadequate FAIR Plan. Without a solution, our economy will crash, taking the national economy with it.

In 1988, voters approved Proposition 103, which granted extraordinary powers to the state’s Insurance Commissioner, including authority over rate increases. Other guidelines were adopted that prohibit insurers from passing along the cost of re-insurance, which insurers buy to cover big losses. They were also prohibited from using forward-looking threat assessments to measure risk. Recent disastrous wildfires throughout the state, combined with high inflation that escalates rebuilding costs, have generated a crisis threatening the well-being of millions.

Now however, there’s an agreement involving Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, the Governor and major insurance companies aimed at bringing insurers back into the state. The solution includes the use of “catastrophe modeling,” which uses our increased understanding of conditions that produce destructive wildfires when assessing future risks - something I’ve long advocated. Because rates were frozen or only incrementally raised these past few years, leading insurance companies have requested rate increases from 28% to almost 40% and, if approved by the Commissioner, rates could increase by those amounts overall. However, the increases could be distributed among homeowners based on risk. Homes in the city, for example, might see little or no increase, while homes on brushy hilltops could see large premium increases.

We also must have better vegetation management at the wildland-urban interface. By eliminating fuels that generate wildfires, the risk assessment for homes throughout California will improve, and we’ll have fewer fires and lower insurance costs.

Find out what's happening in Powaywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

For now, there’s a deal in place but there’s no written agreement. I’m withholding judgement until I see one. As always, ‘The devil is in the details.’

Assemblymember Marie Waldron, R- Valley Center, represents the 75th Assembly District in the California Legislature, which includes the cities of Poway, Santee, portions of the City of San Diego, and most of rural eastern and northern San Diego County.

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The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Poway

Are you a student looking for the best colleges near Poway, California? Look no further! This article provides a comprehensive guide to the top colleges in the area, including their addresses, unique features, and history. Whether you're a local resident or a newcomer to the area, this guide will help you make an informed decision about where to pursue your education.

Located just 10 miles east of Poway, Palomar College's San Marcos Campus is an excellent choice for students who want to stay close to home. With more than 250 associate degree and certificate programs, Palomar College offers a variety of options for students of all interests. The campus also boasts state-of-the-art facilities, including a planetarium, a nursing simulation center, and a performing arts center.

Approximately 25 miles north of Poway, MiraCosta College's Oceanside Campus offers a picturesque location for students who want to study by the beach. The campus offers more than 70 associate degree and certificate programs, as well as transfer agreements with several universities. MiraCosta College also has a strong commitment to sustainability, with LEED-certified buildings, electric vehicle charging stations, and a community garden.

Located 15 miles east of Poway, California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) is a four-year public university that offers a range of undergraduate and graduate programs. Known for its diverse student body and supportive community, CSUSM also boasts impressive facilities, including a state-of-the-art science building, a student recreation center, and a performing arts pavilion. The university also has a strong commitment to social justice and sustainability, with programs such as the Center for the Study of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights and the Institute for Palliative Care.

Approximately 20 miles southwest of Poway, the University of California San Diego (UCSD) is one of the top public universities in the country. With a focus on research and innovation, UCSD offers a range of undergraduate and graduate programs in fields such as science, engineering, and the arts. The campus also boasts world-renowned facilities, such as the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the San Diego Supercomputer Center, and the Qualcomm Institute for Innovation and Technology.

In conclusion, the Poway area offers a variety of excellent colleges and universities for students to choose from. Whether you're looking for a community college or a four-year university, there's something for everyone in this region. From Palomar College's state-of-the-art facilities to UCSD's world-renowned research programs, each institution has its unique features that make it stand out. As you make your decision about where to pursue your education, consider what matters most to you and what each college has to offer. With so many excellent options, you're sure to find the perfect fit for your needs.

Wheelhouse Credit Union's Sustainability College Scholarship Program supports the next generation of environmental trailblazers.

POWAY, CA — Seven students in San Diego County, including two students from Poway, were awarded scholarships in recognition of their leadership, public service, and desire to make a sustainable difference in their schools and communities, Wheelhouse Credit Union announced.

In an effort to support the next generation of environmental trailblazers, Wheelhouse Credit Union gave $1,000 scholarships to seven college-bound students through its Sustainability College Scholarship Program. Noah Campillo and Abigail Nguyen from Poway High School were among the scholarship recipients.

The 2023 scholarship recipients are:

"We couldn't be more inspired by the passion, commitment and energy each of these students bring to their sustainability mission," said Wheelhouse CEO and president Lisa Paul-Hill.

"We are honored to support these local trailblazers and help them continue their great work," Paul-Hill added. "We know each of them, and all the amazing program applicants, share our goal of helping sustain our environment and resources to benefit many generations to come."

Wheelhouse's Sustainability College Scholarship Program was created in 2005 to recognize conscientious high school leaders in San Diego County who share the credit union's passion to positively impact the community through eco-friendly initiatives to help sustain the environment and resources for generations to come. Since the creation of the program, Wheelhouse has awarded $116,000 in scholarships, according to the credit union.

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