That tremendous roar you may have heard last night was San Diego erupting with joy as the Padres triumphed over their arch-rival Los Angeles Dodgers, clinching the National League Division Series for the first time this century!
The Padres were down 3-0, but an explosive five-run rally in the seventh inning dramatically reversed their fortunes. Then they brilliantly held the line for the rest of the game, to the ecstatic delight of a packed Petco Park and those of us following breathlessly beyond the ballpark walls.
San Diego will retain the home field advantage as they host the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series on Tuesday at Petco. Go Padres!
I know some voters in Orange County root for the Dodgers. So I hope you’ll forgive my enthusiasm for celebrating our hometown team’s well-deserved victory over a team that has consistently dominated us for years.
But outside of sports, when it comes to serving our 38th Senate District, I promise to represent all of our citizens in both counties equally!
Winning sure feels good, and history was made on this fantastic, magical, exciting night.
Crime is down in Encinitas
Good news out of SANDAG’s official Mid-Year Crime Report, which compiles data from the FBI and other official sources across the region.
In Encinitas, violent crimes fell by 13%, and property crime ticked down by 4% year-over-year. Total FBI-indexed crime saw a 5% reduction.
Overall, crime in Encinitas has been cut by 11% when comparing the current mid-year crime report to the 2016 mid-year report, the year I was elected Mayor. I believe this is due to common-sense policies such our safe firearm storage ordinance, and ensuring that first responders have the funding that they need to succeed.
Encinitas is the safest coastal city in San Diego County for good reason – because we have professional public safety officials and dedicated city leaders who take it seriously. I’m grateful to our city’s first responders for their diligent and courageous work to keep us safe.
Whether it’s increasing our budget for patrols around the business district or cracking down on catalytic converter theft, Encinitas strives to be responsive to the needs of its citizens.
More info can be found in this Fox 5 news story.
Seeking justice for an imprisoned naval officer
Last year, Lieutenant Ridge Alkonis, a U.S. Naval officer stationed at Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan, was hiking with his family on Mt. Fuji. Tragically, during the drive back down he lost consciousness and killed two innocent pedestrians, injuring another.
The Navy determined that altitude sickness was the cause of the accident.
His parents, who live in Dana Point, helped him scrape together $1.65 million to pay the victims’ families, along with help from friends and family. Payments that express remorse are the custom in Japan, even though the amount was much more than the Alkonis family could afford.
In spite of the Navy’s findings and his family’s restitution payments, the Tokyo High Court sentenced Lt. Alkonis to three years in prison, which he began serving in July.
I’m glad to hear reports that Ridge’s wife Brittany Alkonis was able to meet with Vice President Harris this week in Washington, after Harris discussed the case with Japanese officials during her September visit to Japan.
I stand with the bipartisan group of Members of Congress, including Rep. Mike Levin, in calling on the Biden Administration to do everything in its power to bring Lt. Alkonis back home.
And now, it’s time for me to get back to working to become our next California State Senator, with your help!
With grateful enthusiasm,
