Interview with Councilmember Raul Campillo
Plus: Kearny High Football is Undefeated, Coco Bomb's Favorite Dessert, What's Happening in the Community, and Live Well Bus at Farmers Market
By Steve Rodriguez and Olivia Teates
The Linda Vista Update first interviewed Councilmember Raul Campillo back at the end of 2020, soon after he was elected to his current position representing Council District 7. He has now served as our councilmember for 2 ½ years. In that time, he has become a familiar face to many local residents as a result of his being in attendance at numerous LV community functions and making himself available to hear resident input at his monthly office hours sessions.
We thought it an appropriate time to sit down with the Councilmember and ask him a few questions of interest to our LV Update readers. This past week we met at the councilmember’s office to get his opinion and perspective on several subjects we thought were important.
When asked to identify a couple of his major accomplishments during his time in office he first referred to the City Council approving a worker contract that gave substantial raises for all city employees and revamped the pension plan. As a result of these moves, the City has been able to attract and hire people for open positions and thus “better provide the level of services that citizens expect from their government.” He cited a recent City Job Fair held at Balboa Park that attracted thousands of prospective applicants as evidence that San Diego has the potential to fill many vacant positions. Campillo also referred to approval of a City paid parental leave benefits program that allows 8 weeks of leave (instead of the previous 4) for parent birth or adoption situations. He was proud to note that this was a proposal that started in his office.
Given the historic tropical storm that impacted San Diego recently, we asked Councilmember Campillo how he thinks we can best protect and prepare our communities for further threats caused by climate change. He explained that the first step is to “prepare our communities by hiring city staff” to execute preventive measures. With a shortage of city workers, some of the most vital prevention measures cannot be carried out; for example, “cutbacks” in particularly flammable areas are not performed as often as is necessary because there is “simply not enough staffing.” In addition, Councilmember Campillo shared his belief that the councilmembers’ involvement with local agencies, such as firefighting crews, is crucial. In order to better understand the preventive work necessary to protect our communities from natural disasters, he has participated in 24-hour “ride-alongs” with local firefighters.
Since this is Councilmember Campillo’s first experience as an elected office holder, we were curious to know what has surprised him the most during his term. He responded by emphasizing how surprised he has been by the “patience” and “understanding” his constituents have in regard to how much time it takes to get things done in the City of San Diego. “When first running for office, I had the expectation that everything was polarized,” he said, making a reference to the current state of politics at the national level, “…but when it comes to the basics of city government, people are not disagreeable. They really are patient and very kind.”
The subject of patience also came up when we asked the Councilmember if his past experience as a teacher has benefited him in his current occupation (he spent two years as an elementary school teacher as part of the Teach for America program). He explained that the patience he developed working with students has helped him as a councilmember. “Government can’t provide immediate gratification,” he said. “Legal requirements make things move slowly,” and so patience is required to stay focused on getting things done.
With his prior experience as a teacher, Councilmember Campillo recognizes the importance of listening to, and including, young voices in community conversations. When asked how he thinks we can increase youth engagement, Councilmember Campillo responded by saying that “schools are an important part of involvement” and an essential vehicle for connecting with young people. He mentioned how, as the youngest council member in the City of San Diego, he values the opinions of his younger constituents and, therefore, always finds time in his bustling schedule to meet with young people who contact him. Councilmember Campillo noted that, while adults often seek ways of making communities safer for their families, young people often offer a different - and similarly valuable - perspective: to include ways of making communities more vibrant.
In looking toward the future, we asked what Councilmember Campillo saw as San Diego’s top priorities in the next couple years. He quickly identified homelessness as a major problem, noting the number of people who are suffering in this situation, and how homelessness affects our economy and our neighbors. He noted the complexity of the problem, explaining how the cost of housing exacerbates the situation for people like seniors on a fixed income who suddenly find themselves unable to afford rent. He wants to see more housing in the affordable range.
Finally, when asked if he had anything special to say to our readers in Linda Vista, he first mentioned that “We are laser-focused on getting improvements to John Baca Park done.” He also said in regard to housing opportunities, that he wants “to fight for and be supportive of those tenants who are treated unfairly by landlords.” And he commented that the long awaited Linda Vista Community Garden (to be built in a corner of the Linda Vista Community Park) is “on the cusp of being open.”
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The Linda Vista Update wishes to thank Councilmember Campillo for taking the time to sit down and answer our questions.
Komet Football Team Off to Successful Start
The Kearny High football team is off to a highly successful start of their 2023 season. After winning their home field season opener against San Ysidro (28-12) on August 15, the Komets scored another victory this past Thursday (22-20) while visiting the Monte Vista Monarchs.
In each of their victories, the Komets have demonstrated a productive passing game and a stingy defense.
In describing his team’s performance, Head Coach Jeremiah Stump commented “The last couple of victories have truly been something special, and I couldn't be prouder of our team's performance. Both wins were fantastic team efforts that showcased our determination and hard work.” In addressing the exploits of strengths of his team, and how it has improved from last year, he added “One standout aspect has been the incredible transformation of our defense. Remember when we used to give up an average of 40 points a game in my first three seasons? Well, things have taken a remarkable turn. Our defense is now holding strong, allowing just 16 points per game on average. It's a testament to the dedication and progress our players have made.” In the fourth quarter, the defense was able to stop a two point conversion attempt and keep the Monarchs from tying the score.
Coach Stump also pointed out the progress his team has made maneuvering its way down the field. “On the offensive side of things, Class of 2025 QB Brodie Stump has been nothing short of impressive. As a three-year starter, he's been leading the team with finesse and confidence. In just two games, he's thrown for an incredible 433 yards, racking up 6 touchdowns while only throwing 1 interception. His consistency and leadership are a driving force behind our offensive success.” In the game against Monte Vista, the junior QB passed 27 times for 18 completion, 210 yards, and three touchdowns. His three favorite receivers have been Zaiden Gravely, Anthony Alexander, and Kwali Wilson.
The Coach was also eager to compliment his coaching staff and its role in Kearny’s quick start, explaining, “What's truly remarkable is how well our coaching staff is coming together”. “The synergy among the coaches has been instrumental in our recent victories. Their collaborative approach, strategic insights, and ability to adapt to different game situations have really shown through. It's clear that their combined efforts are resonating with the team and contributing to our overall success on the field.”
Kearny’s next game is tomorrow night (September 1) at Southwest High, down in the South Bay area. Kick-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. The Southwest Raiders are also 2-0. Should be a good game!
Linda Vista’s New Favorite Dessert?
This is a first for us. We are reviewing a particular restaurant for a third time—in this case, Coco Bomb—a popular and relatively new Linda Vista establishment. We reviewed them when they first opened, then did an encore review when they were more established and had expanded their menu. At that time, we mentioned that we had not yet tried their famous Coconut Sundae, a dish that looks so amazing. It comes in a coconut shell and is filled with several scoops of coconut ice cream, slices of coconut, and a sliced mango. We had continuously missed out on this treat because it either was too cold the day we went there, or it was too early in the morning for ice cream, or one of us was watching our diet that particular day. Each time we promised ourselves that one day we would go back and splurge on calories and sugar and finally try this elusive dessert. Well, that day finally came this week! On the day we went, the weather was warm, it was later in the day, and neither one of us was on any food restrictions (other than “no meat”).
So, up to Ulric Street and Linda Vista Road we traveled to the cute little tropical looking Coco Bomb site. Every time we go to this small establishment, we notice that there is always a good number of people there enjoying the food. There are cute toys on the floor that the little child of a customer was riding. But we weren’t here to look at toys, or peruse the menu. We were here on a mission to eat a Coconut Sundae with mango. The cost was a little high,I thought—$9.70—but heck, you only live once, and besides, we had decided to share it and thereby make this a cost effective purchase. (I subsequently felt a little cheap when I saw a family of nine come in and order nine sundaes – one for each of them – kids included).
We asked for two spoons and proceeded to devour this delicious treat. There is outside seating, but we didn’t want the sundae to melt right away, so we sat inside in the air conditioned interior.
I can see why people like this sundae so much. The ice cream was creamy and really tasting of coconut and the mangoes added a great touch. We made short work of it, and I guess it wouldn’t be too difficult to eat a whole one yourself if you had the appetite and weren't concerned about your glucose level. It looks very attractive in the coconut shell, and I wasn’t sure if we were supposed to eat it or return it to be used again. Turns out neither, it is just thrown away (Hey, what do I know? I haven’t spent much time in Thailand).
So, give it a try, if you haven’t yet. Or try one of the other items on their fun menu, which includes drinks, desserts, sandwiches, and more. I think you will come back for more.
Slices of Life in Linda Vista
What’s happening in Linda Vista? As Hall of Fame baseball player Yogi Berra once said, “You can observe a lot just by watching.” Here are just a few of our observations we and our readers have assembled for your review.
We recently received a report from one of our more enthusiastic readers, Janet K., who was eager to tell us about a giant crane being used to put up a wall at Francis Parker School. In investigating the crane, she learned that “a standard cement mixer is hooked up to a huge articulated crane in order to pour concrete into eight shafts 36 feet in the air ! The cement mixture is called ‘Adobe Davis.’ There are 7-10 workers at the top, rotating the hose control that fills each shaft. It must be windy up there and there are four walls to eventually complete. It appears to be a complex, coordinated effort.”
But as soon as we received Janet K.’s account of the Francis Parker crane, another of our readers wrote to us and said “Hey, have you checked out the giant crane on Friar’s Road being used to build the apartment complex? That must be the most awesome crane in all of Linda Vista!”
Not wanting to favor one reader over another, we thought we would let our readers decide which crane is better. Write to us and let us know.
In the same vein, while noticing other items of interest in Linda Vista, we couldn’t help but take note of a couple instances of so-called “Visual Pollution” that we local residents are subjected to these days. Visual pollution is defined as “the visible deterioration and negative aesthetic quality of the natural and human-made landscapes around people.” The first candidate for worst LV Visual Polluter is the lengthy row of tattered tarps used on the Riverwalk construction site off of Friars Road. We think it looks rather unsightly.
The other candidate for worst LV Visual Polluter is the left over campaign signs left at the corner of Friars Road and Ulric Street. At least it’s a bipartisan effort! Voting is wonderful, but how come election campaigns never have a clean-up crew to pick up their election time detritus?
Again, we’ll let our readers decide. Drop us a line and tell us who wins the dubious title of worst LV Visual Polluter.
Finally, we don’t think there is any question to what would rate as “The Most Ironic Scene” in Linda Vista. After reading our Monday article about the new homeless camping ban signs being put up throughout the city, and the one such sign in LV posted at at the Linda Vista Community Park, we had one of our readers submit the below photo taken at the LV Community Park. Notice the homeless camping ban sign posted to the left of the tent.
Community Event
Live Well Bus at Farmers Market Today
As mentioned in this Monday’s issue of the Linda Vista Update, the Live Well on Wheels bus will be at today’s Love, Linda Vista Farmers Market. The bus will be providing information on general county services and resources as well as information on such programs as CalFresh, Medi-Cal, and Cal Works.
Please click here to read Monday’s article about the Live Well on Wheels bus to determine what documentation residents should bring if they are interested in enrolling or confirming enrollment in any of the above programs.
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The Love, Linda Vista Farmers Market will once again be handing out $5.00 discount coupons (must spend $10.00) at today’s Farmers Market. Just go to the Farmers Market booth and ask for a discount coupon. A total of 50 coupons will be handed out, beginning at 3:30 pm (first come, first serve). The coupons can be used at any vendor booth. The Farmers Market is open today from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Linda Vista Plaza Shopping Center.
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Looking for a fulfilling community volunteer opportunity? The Love, Linda Vista Farmers Market is looking for someone to fill the position of treasurer on the Farmers Market board of directors. If you think you have the requisite background for this position (i.e., a knowledge of QuickBooks), please let the Farmers Market know by clicking here .
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The Linda Vista Update is a weekly digital newsletter that publishes informative, interesting and fun news about Linda Vista and its neighboring communities. Readers can go back and read all previous issues of the Linda Vista Update by going to the newsletter archive here.