How some graffiti vandals became graffiti artists, thanks in part to City Heights’ Writerz Blok art park.
December 11, 2013
News & Stories
ESD, the tag that stands for East San Diego
SeaWorld's Cheap Trick booking dries up
Cheap Trick is the latest band to back out of a booking at SeaWorld Orlando over the theme park's treatment of orcas, as shown in the recent documentary Blackfish. Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander, and the …
December 11, 2013
Santa and Grinch visit Sweetwater District meeting
The continued presence of three JDS security guards at Sweetwater Union High School District board meetings is a monthly reminder of the deteriorated relations between the district, the public, and teachers. Even with the presence …
December 11, 2013
Mullet revolution
“Our show is a lot more than music,” says Guy Boyd, guitarist for the ’80s tribute band Hott Mess. “It’s tongue-in-cheek, but when you get the critical mass — the energy between audience and band …
December 11, 2013
The gift of raptors
“This year, I’m giving the kids the gift of raptors,” said Patrick. Lord, help me, I thought he said Rapture. But, no: we have several sons who are nature enthusiasts, and Patrick had just stumbled …
San Diego Film Critics vote on year's best
Let me begin by thanking Marx and Lickona for allowing me to cover the San Diego Film Critics Society year-end vote for The Big Screen. It's been my pleasure to work the society pages at …
December 11, 2013
Qualcomm spent millions on political clout
Qualcomm, the San Diego–based cell-phone technology giant founded by billionaire La Jolla Democrat Irwin Jacobs, made a total of $2,955,786 in politically related expenditures during the 12-month period ending this past September, according to a …
December 11, 2013
Bus busking in TJ
From playing on buses around Tijuana to winning Rockampeonato in 2012, Cañamo has evolved. They have opened for international acts such as Café Tacvba, Don McCarlos, Los Cafres, and Cultura Profetica. Together for more than …
December 11, 2013
Bowls full of money and mushy teams
College bowl games are all about money — for sponsors, advertisers, television, university athletic departments, coaches — everybody except players (the players claim, anyway.) Decades ago, bowl games featured top teams playing other top teams. …
December 11, 2013
The Comeback of Jake E. Lee
The news is that Jake E. Lee’s on the comeback trail with a new band and a new record and everything is okay. For fans of ’80s hard rock, not a whole lot about that …
December 11, 2013
Save Desert Rose v. City of Encinitas
Residents of Olivenhain, a community within the City of Encinitas, east of El Camino Real, continue their fight against a proposal from Woodbridge Farms Estates, LLC, to raze 7.87 acres of parkland at Desert Rose …
December 11, 2013
The Hobbit's unreal things
My favorite moment in The Desolation of Smaug, part two of Peter Jackson’s epic expansion of J.R.R. Tolkien’s children’s book The Hobbit, came when the titular hobbit and his thirteen dwarvish companions were buried under …
December 11, 2013
Lawyer notches third December takedown of city attorney
In addition to a pair of settlements already announced this month, the lawyer representing both victors over city attorney Jan Goldsmith's office has declared a victory of his own. Bryan Pease — whose clients included …
December 11, 2013
French country estate on Clubhouse Drive
Current Owners: John & Kathleen Urquhart Listing Price: $16,950,000 Beds: 6 Baths: 8 In order to be allowed on the grounds to look at many of the homes featured in Unreal Estate, you’ve got to …
December 11, 2013
San Dieguito River Park, Highland Valley Trail
The Highland Valley Trail is part of the San Dieguito River Park trail system. Eventually it will extend 55 miles from Volcan Mountain near Julian to the Pacific Ocean at Del Mar. The Highland Valley …
December 11, 2013
Chasing Gregory Page
“The moment I came to San Diego, when I asked about making an album of music, Gregory Page was the man everyone remembered,” says singer/songwriter Tom Brosseau, whose upcoming album, Grass Punks, includes a song …
December 11, 2013
Not too late to stake your claim in Flyboarding
The first Flyboard video I saw was a game-changer. There was a man in a wet suit, slowly emerging from the ocean. His head, now shoulders, now torso, grow out of the water. And then …
December 11, 2013
Prog-rock on the prairie
“It’s a concept album, with a storyline that goes with the music,” says Chapman Stick player Tom Griesgraber, whose newest collaboration with Bert Lams (California Guitar Trio), Unnamed Lands, is a prog-rock western set in …
December 11, 2013
Taxing dinner with Lorena and the two Brians
There are no free dinners, except for San Diego politicos. That’s the word contained in a lobbying disclosure report filed by the County of San Diego last month. According to a recently amended statement with …
December 11, 2013
Beer Touring: Acoustic Ales Brewing Experiment
The beers of Acoustic Ales Brewing Experiment (1718 Hancock Street, Mission Hills) have been available at local bars and restaurants for much of the past year, but it took the company a long time to …
December 11, 2013
Manpower sees mild job market in first quarter 2014
San Diego's job market will be mild in the first quarter of 2014 — slightly weaker than this year's first quarter, according to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey. In next year's first quarter, 15 percent …
December 11, 2013
Foodie’s acquittal
Ex–San Diego city councilman and Democratic assemblyman Ben Hueso, suspected by California’s Fair Political Practices Commission of chowing down gratis at a June 20, 2010, developer event, was let off the hook when he explained …
December 11, 2013
Tom Gildred gets Entrepreneur of the Year award, but was he the innovator?
On June 13 of last year, Tom Gildred, chief executive officer of Emerald Textiles, got one of six San Diego “Entrepreneur of the Year” awards from the accounting firm of Ernst & Young. The honor …
December 11, 2013
Legislative lounge lizard
December is the month for all kinds of partying, including political. In San Diego, the season kicked off last week with “Legislative Lounge,” at downtown’s U.S. Grant Hotel, a newly instituted function by the San …
December 11, 2013
Palomar Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Contact: 1600 Buena Vista Drive, Vista, 760-941-4319; vistauu.org Membership: 180 Pastor: Beth Johnson Born: Chicago, Ill. Formation: Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, CA Years Ordained: 10 San Diego Reader: What’s your favorite subject on which …
December 11, 2013