Ocean Beach bike path closed

The Ocean Beach Bike Path is temporarily closed through the end of April to allow crews to complete demolition of a bridge to make way for the extension of the San Diego Trolley from Old Town to University City.

The closure effects the portion of the bike path that runs along the San Diego River Pathway from just east of Morena Boulevard to just west of Pacific Coast Highway. Detour signs have been posted detailing alternate bike routes around the construction closure.

Crews will also be installing the foundations for the new Mid-Coast Trolley bridge. The bike path closure began March 12.

During the closures, cyclists may detour the work area via Pacific Coast Highway, Taylor Street, and Morena Boulevard. An alternate bike route is also available north of the river and on Friars Road.

This work is related to the San Diego River Bridge project and the Mid-Coast Trolley project construction. As part of the Mid-Coast project, the rail for passenger and freight trains is being double tracked over the San Diego River, requiring the construction of two new bridges.

The Mid-Coast Trolley Project will extend Blue Line Trolley service from Old Town north to the University City community, serving major activity centers such as Mission Bay Park, the VA Medical Center, UC San Diego, and University Town Center. Nine new stations will be constructed. Major construction work began in 2016, with service anticipated to begin in 2021.

University of Redlands School of Business awarded accreditation

The University of Redlands, a private liberal arts and professional university in Southern California, recently announced the recognition of its graduate and undergraduate business programs by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). The accreditation certifies that the teaching and learning processes within the University’s School of Business meet the rigorous educational standards established by ACBSP.

“While our student and alumni surveys have consistently noted the value of our business programs, the ACBSP accreditation is a very meaningful milestone in the evolution of the school,” said Dr. Tom Horan, dean of the U of R School of Business in a press release “It signifies and validates that we are operating at a level of excellence required for such accreditation.”

Established in 1988, ACBSP is the only organization offering specialized business accreditation for all degree levels, from associate to baccalaureate to doctoral degree programs. ACBSP uses the Baldridge Education Criteria for Performance Excellence, which evaluates aspects of leadership, strategic planning, relationships with stakeholders, quality of academic programs, faculty credentials, and educational support to determine whether or not the programs offer a rigorous educational experience and demonstrate continuous quality improvement.

“The University of Redlands has shown its commitment to teaching excellence and to the process of quality improvement by participating in the accreditation process,” said Dr. Steve Parscale, ACBSP chief accreditation officer. “This accreditation is evidence that the University is committed to providing the highest quality business education for its students.”

The University of Redlands San Diego campus is located in the heart of Mission Valley, near the Westfield Mission Valley and Qualcomm Stadium and is accessible from the 15, 8 and 163 freeways.

District Hiring Fair to be held April 27

The San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) is holding a hiring fair on April 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Handlery Hotel, 950 Hotel Circle North in Mission Valley. The fair includes interviews and potential on-site conditional job offers for dozens of adjunct faculty job positions in various disciplines and vocational fields.

“We want to draw attention to our district as a well-established public educational institution that is growing, and we have many job opportunities,” said Erin Milligan-Hill, director, Employment and Professional Development in a press release. “Our highly competitive salaries and benefits make us an attractive option for many qualified candidates.”

San Diego City, Mesa, and Miramar Colleges, in addition to San Diego Continuing Education, will have deans and department chairs at the hiring fair to interview applicants and possibly make conditional job offers.

Information also will be available regarding current and upcoming tenure-track faculty, classified employees, and non-academic hourly job opportunities.

Attendees are encouraged to bring a resume or curriculum vitae and a copy of their transcripts for review. Completed applications are available at sdccdjobs.com.

Landmark restaurant building sold

On April 9, commercial real estate brokers Location Matters announced the sale of the building that recently housed the Junk House Restaurant. The building, located at 5351 Adobe Falls Road in East Mission Valley, origionaly housed Nicolosi’s Italian Restaurant, a Mission Valley Landmark that operated there for over 57 years.

The Junk House owners extensively rehabbed the building, which sold for $1,850,000 to Davies, LLC, an affiliate of the Cohn Restaurant Group.

Creek to Bay Cleanup seeks volunteers

I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD) is now accepting volunteers to register for its countywide Creek to Bay Cleanup.

This year will be the organization’s 16th one-day cleanup event that gives residents the opportunity to donate their time to create a cleaner, healthier San Diego County. ILACSD anticipates over 6,000 volunteers will participate in this year’s cleanup, held April 21, from 9 a.m.–noon.

There are 114 cleanup locations in neighborhoods, parks, beaches, and open spaces throughout San Diego County for volunteers to get involved. A complete list of cleanup sites is available at CreekToBay.org.

With a tagline of “Your Neighborhood, Our Environment,” Creek to Bay highlights the importance of acting locally to contribute regionally. Volunteers can get involved at a site in or nearby their neighborhood and make a difference for the overall health and beauty of the entire county. In 2017, more than 6,500 volunteers removed over 190,000 pounds of litter and debris during the three-hour event.

While trash removal is a large focus of the event, volunteers will also enhance their communities through beautification projects such as native planting and graffiti removal. These beautification projects restore local outdoor areas and evoke a strong sense of community pride.

Citing a commitment to zero waste practices, ILACSD encourages volunteers to bring their own reusable water bottles, gardening or work gloves, and buckets to this year’s cleanup. By choosing reusable options, volunteers will reduce the amount of plastic waste produced at the cleanup, keeping thousands of single-use bags and disposable gloves out of San Diego’s crowded landfills.

There will also be a “Bling Your Bucket” contest that encourages creativity and conservation. Kids and adults can submit a photo of their decorated reusable trash collection bucket for the chance to win fun prizes.

The Creek to Bay Photo Contest, sponsored by Sony, will also be returning for another year. The photo contest allows volunteers to celebrate their volunteerism and commitment to reducing waste through reusable items. This year’s theme, “Rocking Reusables,” encourages youth and adults to capture photos highlighting their zero waste cleanup habits. The winner of this contest will receive a Sony Cybershot Camera.

Registration information and details regarding the Creek to Bay Cleanup can be found at CreekToBay.org.

Affordable housing development breaks ground

On April 12, Chelsea Investment Corp. and Sudberry Properties broke ground on a 306-unit affordable housing development along Friars road in the Civita master plan community. The $156.2 million project is comprised of two buildings:

203 affordable apartments for families at Stylus, where two- and three-bedroom units offer 770 and 1,040 square feet. Rents are anticipated to start at $965 per month for qualified households, which represents a 50 percent discount to market.

103 affordable apartments for seniors at Siena, where one- and two-bedroom units offer 540 and 783 square feet. Rents are expected to range from $500 per month for qualified households, which represents a 70 percent discount to market.

During the groundbreaking, lender Sonia Rahm of Citi Community Capital called Stylus and Siena a “transformational project” and Chelsea project manager Jodi Rothery said the building will “challenge the stigma of what affordable housing is.”

Stylus and Siena are the centerpiece of Sudberry’s first mixed-use retail development in Civita, which will be anchored by LA Fitness and includes 37,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space, seven floors of affordable apartments and three levels of subterranean parking.

Stylus and Siena will include three courtyards landscaped with picnic and barbecue areas, fitness equipment and outdoor entertaining areas. Both Siena and Stylus will include a large clubroom with a fully equipped kitchen for events and gatherings. The development is convenient to a planned elementary school site and a block from the 14-acre Civita Park.

Completion of the project is expected in mid-2020. Approximately six months prior to the completion of Stylus and Siena, prospective residents can register their interest at aptsinsocal.com.

Your Healthy Spine program supports One Love Movement

Your Healthy Spine, a wellness clinic in Mission Valley, is hosting a Self-Care Series which includes several mind-body classes. Classes are donation-based. Proceeds will go to One Love Movement. Classes will be held at Your Healthy Spine Mission Valley, 5005 Texas St.

“Caring for our mind and body regularly is key to living well and optimally — now and tomorrow,” said Dr. Travis Johnson in a press release. “We are thrilled to team up with One Love Movement for this series. We love their work here in the San Diego community and beyond.”

One Love Movement serves underprivileged children both locally and globally.

“We’re excited to partner with Your Healthy Spine,” said Kim Bauman, founder of One Love Movement in a press release. “They have been dear supporters of ours for years now, so their thoughtfulness and generosity in taking this next level of support doesn’t come as a surprise because of who they are as business owners.”

Upcoming classes include: Group Meditation on Monday, April 16 at 6:30 p.m.; Morning Yoga on Sunday, April 22 at 9 a.m.; and Mobility & Wine (MoWine) on Monday, April 30, at 6:30 p.m.