Statement from Dan Meis, FAIA, founder of MEIS Stadium Planning, Construction, and Renovation, Inc.: "San Diego is not a ponderous monument to America's industrial glory days, like Cincinatti. There, I build a stadium solid enough …
May 31, 2015
Sunday, May 31
Famed architect unveils design for new Chargers venue
Halibut are turning on
Weekly Fish Report ½ Day - ¾ Day: The local ½ day boats are producing rockfish, calico bass and sculpin, with a few yellowtail in the mix. The ¾ day boats have shifted outside of …
May 31, 2015
32 North gathers bearings amid head brewer change
Miramar brewery 32 North quietly parted ways with its head brewer in April, a change that briefly slowed production, but will ultimately more than double the amount of beer flowing through its tasting room and …
May 31, 2015
Megan's Law, Step-Grandpa — deal with it
The Court of Appeal of the Fourth Appellate District has upheld a Superior Court decision stating that a step-grandparent cannot get exclusion from a Megan's Law website. In May of 2009, Terrence Lee Yohner was …
May 31, 2015
Unceremoniously dumped
A long-controversial casino under construction in Jamul has found a new set of opponents: members of the tribe building it. Local residents have been fighting against the casino for over a decade. More recent attempts …
May 31, 2015
Benny Green Trio comes to La Jolla
Wednesday 3 Gilbert Castellanos hosts the Young Lions Series at Croce’s Park West (2760 Fifth Avenue) this week featuring Alvin Paige, starting at 7:00 p.m. for a $5 cover. He plays the first set, then …
May 31, 2015
Saturday, May 30
Sneak Peek: San Diego County Fair Food
The San Diego County Fair opens June 5, but they opened the door to the press last night for a culinary preview. If you are wondering which deep-fried delicacies or served-on-a-stick specialties you should prioritize, …
May 30, 2015
Mother Nature
Marathoners of the Sky Hormones speed pigeons. Today, Hamilton and his “grandson,” John Timmerman, have about 750 pigeons in Jamul, the largest collection in San Diego County. As we sat on the deck of their …
May 30, 2015
SDSU announces plan to cover cost of proposed stadium rent hike
The Citizens' Stadium Advisory Group report on the new Chargers stadium includes a plan to increase the San Diego State University Aztecs' rent for use of the facility from $500,000 per year to $1.25 million …
May 30, 2015
Duck quest ends at Similan Thai
As you might imagine, I spend a fair amount of time searching for place to eat for a Feast story. Sometimes readers email me a recommendation (more of that please), but most of the time …
May 30, 2015
U.S. passport now required to fish coastal Mexico
The San Diego sportfishing fleet has made some adjustments in their fishing areas due to a new requirement for all anglers south of the border and within 12 miles of the Mexican coast to posses …
May 30, 2015
Friday, May 29
They're not going to come find you
It’s not a matter of people not liking classical music. I’ve been driving for Uber here and there for some extra income and I always have classical music playing via Spotify. What usually ensues is …
May 29, 2015
Coronado's Sunshine Clause — pffft!
After months of negotiations, the Coronado Unified School District announced a new salary agreement with the Association of Coronado Teachers during the first week of May. The new contract, which will last through June of …
May 29, 2015
Climate-change education urged
The San Diego Unified Council of PTAs celebrated Tuesday, May 26, following a lengthy effort to get the statewide gathering of parent-teacher associations to adopt language acknowledging the existence of human-driven climate change and urging …
May 29, 2015
Combat boots storm campus
Fashion always recycles itself as evidenced by the proliferation of high-waisted pants and the return of stonewashed denim. It’s no surprise that the 90s grunge-girl staple — the combat boot — has resurfaced in a …
May 29, 2015
Council Democrats and staff rack up $10,000 travel tab
If nothing else, a taxpayer-funded special on the National Geographic Channel touting San Diego's food, culture, and business environment has paid off for junketing elected officials and their staffers. As earlier reported here, Republican county …
May 29, 2015
Berry disconcerting
The future developer of the 203-acre California Strawberry Farm, east of I-5 on Cannon Road, may be trying an end-run around city hall and Carlsbad citizens. Last month, the owners of the land at the …
May 29, 2015
Bryan Ferry's Avonmore
Just for fun, try singing this set’s “Send in the Clowns” along with Paul Simon’s “Late in the Evening,” or versa vice. Pretty much the same song, yeah? Gets me each time around. Ferry, of …
May 29, 2015
Are you a Chargers fan?
Question one (of one): What is your reaction to this post on the Facebook group page, "You Know You're a Chargers Fan When"? a) Beleaguered, miserable acceptance b) Blind, bloodthirsty rage c) Bleary resignation d) …
May 29, 2015
May 28 dock totals
37 anglers aboard the Chubasco II 1/2 day am run caught 36 rockfish, 2 sand bass, 4 lingcod, 1 sculpin, 3 calico bass, 2 halibut and 23 yellowtail. The Dolphin 1/2 day morning run with …
May 29, 2015
Meanwhile, over at Canine Corners...
About four hours before the La Mesa City Council's May 26 discussion of a proposal to raise the number of dogs allowed in a home from two to four, people in Canine Corners dog park …
May 29, 2015
Rolling Stones set fire to the Gaslamp
In the hours leading up to Sunday's opening night of the Rolling Stones 2015 Zip Code Tour at Petco Park, the atmosphere in the Gaslamp Quarter was on fire. Every bar, every restaurant was at …
May 29, 2015
Welcome to Florida's Conch Republic
The Florida Keys attract a cast of irreverent, lively characters and denizens – independent folk who embrace the perks of island living. Perhaps that’s why the Keys became the “Conch Republic” in 1982, succeeding with …
May 29, 2015
Thursday, May 28
Raelee Nikole offering her Answers May 29 in East Village
“My best local gig ever happened last year on my nineteenth birthday, when I was a final contestant in the San Diego County Fair’s Singer/Songwriter Competition,” says Raelee Nikole. “Although I only performed two songs, …
May 28, 2015
One big cover band
Can we finally agree that classical music is about the music? It is not my intention to diminish the brilliance of classical performances, but a classical music artist is really a member of a huge …
May 28, 2015
U-T execs show for O.B. council meeting
In a gesture meant to grab the attention of the audience and the attending officials from the San Diego Union-Tribune, O.B. resident Mary Tolena wheeled in hundreds of advertising circulars and threw them on the …
May 28, 2015
Trouble at TriCity hospital, nurse testifies
When Fallbrook Hospital closed in December, it was kind of an “I-told-you-so” moment for Nathan Kaufman, a San Diego–based expert who has a 35-year career consulting over 80 hospital districts nationwide. Of Fallbrook’s demise, Kaufman …
May 28, 2015
Suicidal babies
Thousands of baby pelagic red crabs have washed up on the beaches of Playas de Tijuana, the latest in a series of odd occurrences along the shores of Baja California that have left marine biologists …
May 28, 2015
Old lifeguards and low funds imperil beach safety
About 40 percent of the City of San Diego's Lifeguard Services’ full-time lifeguards will be eligible to retire within the next five years, which is both good and bad, according to city auditors. The departure …
May 28, 2015
Getting classy, Encinitas
Another old downtown Encinitas building is soon to bite the dust. The 1950s-era building, at 860 South Coast Highway 101, was built as an auto-repair garage in the heyday of the pre–Interstate 5 route to …
May 28, 2015
Above the bar, below the legend
Aw come on, you mean the movie where Gene Kelly — with a glow-ree-us feelin' — kick-splashes puddles, spins that black umbrella, glides with gymnastic grace, and joy-hangs from the side of a lamp-post didn’t …
May 28, 2015
Stanley Cup at the Stout
“Oh no!” I hear it from B Street, plus a racket of laughs and arguments and cheers. It must be Stanley Cup time. The fan clans have gathered at Sixth Avenue between B and C, …
May 28, 2015
No! to NAFTA on steroids
A crowd of about 50 protesters gathered in La Jolla on Wednesday afternoon (May 27) to catch the ear of congressman Scott Peters. The group simultaneously called Peters "a champion for environmental justice" while decrying …
May 28, 2015
Frivolous appeal
Today marks five years since Anastasio Rojas-Hernandez died. The Mexican immigrant’s tasing by a group of federal agents while he lay on the ground with zip-tied hands was video-recorded and is the basis of his …
May 28, 2015
May 27 dock totals
29 anglers aboard the Dolphin 1/2 day morning run boated 4 sculpin, 48 rockfish and 5 lingcod. 7 anglers aboard their pm 1/2 day run caught 1 sculpin, 39 rockfish, 1 lingcod and 36 calico …
May 28, 2015
Wednesday, May 27
Listen, the All-Star Game's here next year. You guys better clean up East Village
It takes a village.
May 27, 2015
From “A Valediction of My Name, in the Window”
I. My name engraved herein Doth contribute my firmness to this glass, Which ever since that charm hath been As hard, as that which graved it was; Thine eye will give it price enough, to …
May 27, 2015
Cultural acne cure-all
Name-changing has become a busy business at San Diego’s two state-sponsored universities. At UCSD it’s been announced that the School of International Relations and Pacific Studies is being renamed the UC San Diego School of …
May 27, 2015
Hello it's me: Todd Rundgren
The news comes before dawn about the passing of B.B. King, making it next to impossible to keep focused on the actual subject of this week’s column. An internet search turns up random scraps of …
May 27, 2015
Spoon and the Tasmanian Devil
Indie rock act remembers past San Diego shows while looking forward to two nights at Observatory North Park.
May 27, 2015
Just pretend with James Kruk
"I never dress as Elvis in my ‘real’ life,” says James “King” Kruk, a former English teacher who’s carved out a living by reenacting the King’s comeback era, 1968 to 1974, complete with meticulously re-created …
May 27, 2015
One mile into inland Oceanside, 52 years of practice
“You won’t regret it,” says Karen.“The iron rack. It’s totally seasoned.”
May 27, 2015
Law and disorder
Termed out of office next year, controversial Republican San Diego city attorney Jan Goldsmith has finally zeroed out his campaign committee with two last political gifts: $500 to the GOP Lincoln Club and $900 to …
May 27, 2015
Country music acceptability criteria
Dear Hipster: My boyfriend and I made the trip up to Stagecoach this year, and we are still stoked on it. So much fun! I guess we don’t look like typical country fans, so people …
May 27, 2015
Bonnie’s leadership camp
San Diego district attorney Bonnie Dumanis, hit by critics for lack of leadership and disorganization in her office, is sending for reinforcements. “The District Attorney’s Office is committed to developing all employees to become leaders …
May 27, 2015
Stalins of machine punk
As Hadi Fever sees it, having a drum machine is more punk rock than having a drummer. “A lot of original punk had the attitude of experimentation as opposed to conformity, which a lot of …
May 27, 2015
Our number-one mission is to win other folks to Christ
Membership: 300 Pastor: Philip Clark Age: 61 Born: Covington, KY Formation: Great Plains Baptist College, Sioux Falls, SD Years Ordained: 39 San Diego Reader: What is your favorite subject on which to preach? Pastor Philip …
May 27, 2015
BASE pleasures
If everybody else jumped off a cliff, you might not follow suit. But Carl Boenish, the subject of the documentary Sunshine Superman, would still have wanted to share the feeling of it with you, most …
May 27, 2015
Begin where the jeep road ends
Hike through a canyon with towering walls to some old and remote rock-house ruins.
May 27, 2015
Platform 1888 approved
In a July 2014 Blurt, Aaron Dean was introduced as the La Mesa landlord behind a redevelopment that meant the end to a Fletcher Parkway strip mall and its neighborhood bar. Dean mentioned at the …
May 27, 2015
What to do with these dying animals?
Many sea lions are dying. Possible causes include sardine depletion, warming waters, changing conditions, and ultimately, starvation. During strong El Niño events, pup production decreases while pup mortality has increases. In early 2015 there have …
May 27, 2015
Fault-filled cinema
Through no fault of our own, San Andreas wasn’t screened in time to make the Reader's print edition. For those eager to rumble, why not seek out two of Hollywood’s most popular disaster flicks (and …
May 27, 2015
Celebrate the Stinkiest month
Mr. Hipster...Dude: If hipsters are trendsetters, why haven’t they picked-up on the Stinko de Mayo celebration? Whereas the Cinco de Mayo celebration lasts only a day (or so), Stinko de Mayo is celebrated the entire …
May 27, 2015
Sports and showbiz — a money-making machine
Sports and showbiz have merged into one seamless money-making machine. You can’t tell, with precision, where the line is that marks the boundary between one world and the other. Saying that, there is a tiny …
May 27, 2015
Asking $15,900,000 (we did renovations)
Beds: 6 Baths: 8 Current Owners: James & Melanie Burkhart List Price: $15,900,000 The tony enclave of Rancho Santa Fe is well established as one of San Diego’s priciest neighborhoods. Homes in the area sold …
May 27, 2015
San Diego long-timers will bear water conservation burden
Long-range drought forecasts get bleaker, while long-range economic and demographic forecasts get giddier. Something’s gotta give, San Diego. Both forecasts aren’t likely to be right. The reality is that the people who really run the …
May 27, 2015
Letters from near and far
OTNC Turf War I’m calling about “Tacos Around Town” (May 14 cover story). Once again, Ed Bedford has gotten everything wrong. The Grill House at Big Ben’s — yes, Big Ben’s has been here for …
May 27, 2015
Do not be pushy or tailgate the ladies
Where can a hardly weary traveler get a $4000 hotel room?
May 27, 2015
Drunkards in a basket
Qualcomm heir Jeff Jacobs, who is such a fan of the San Diego State University basketball team that he came up with $1.1 million to help build the school’s new hoops performance center — named …
May 27, 2015
Record-release roundup
On the cusp of her 20th birthday, Raelee Nikole is debuting her full-length Answers on May 29 at Moniker Warehouse in East Village. Heavy metallers Raise the Guns will play a release party for their …
May 27, 2015
May 26 dock totals
13 anglers aboard the Dolphin 1/2 day am run caught a total of 3 sculpin, 50 rockfish and 1 lingcod. 18 anglers aboard their 1/2 day afternoon run boated 27 rockfish and 53 calico bass, …
May 27, 2015
Tuesday, May 26
Oh, no — the judge looks like the accused
The murder case against Christopher Brandon Lee was suspended at a hearing in a San Bernardino County courthouse today, May 26. Defense attorney David Kaloyanides had petitioned an appeals court four weeks ago, on April …
May 26, 2015
Tased into submission and amputations
Attorneys for a man who suffered permanent brain damage after being repeatedly stunned by a sheriff deputy's taser are suing the County of San Diego, two deputies, and sheriff William Gore for failing to properly …
May 26, 2015
Brett loves the wood
Green Flash opened the doors to its Cellar 3 barrel-aging facility in Poway on May 16, giving the public a glimpse of the sort of wild-yeast experimentation barrelmaster Pat Korn has been developing over the …
May 26, 2015
As we whistle past the graveyard...
As expected, today (May 26) was the Union-Tribune's layoff announcement date. According to whispers among employees at the company, 179 employees got a layoff notice, but that is not confirmed. I could not get a …
May 26, 2015
Near to genius
I’m not sure I’ve used the term genius in the past when describing a performer. I’m not sure it applies here either, but it’s pretty darn close. Stephen Hough was a candidate for genius while …
May 26, 2015
UCSD's $100,000 National Geographic adventure
How much does it cost to get a lengthy plug on the National Geographic Channel, a partner of Rupert Murdoch's international media empire? In the case of the University of California, San Diego, it was …
May 26, 2015
Point of no return
Lights come up, dimly, on a dingy brown old couch with a deep sag in the middle. Close by: a laptop, a TV-tray-like table with rollers, a low slung reading lamp, and a small bookcase …
May 26, 2015
Slimy blue things die on Cardiff beach
What were the little, deep-blue slimy things that washed up on Cardiff by the Sea’s beaches last week? There were several hundred of them deposited on the sand above the low-tide line in front of …
May 26, 2015
Breakfast dessert at Nutmeg Bakery
I had one of those mid-morning hungers — too early for lunch but too close on the heels of breakfast to do that all over again. I was driving through Sabre Springs with a half-full …
May 26, 2015
Memorial Day dock report
May 25 fish totals 40 anglers aboard the Chubasco II 1/2 day am run caught and kept 1 sand Bass, 5 calico bass, 2 sculpin,1 lingcod and 58 rockfish. 48 calico bass were caught and …
May 26, 2015
Monday, May 25
Teens with knives steal snacks
Two knife-wielding teens robbed a small neighborhood grocer in the Anexa Niños Heroes neighborhood, getting away with eight bags of potato chips, two packages of cookies, and 450 pesos in cash (about $30), Tijuana's daily …
May 25, 2015
Maybe new U-T management will help
Obecians are up in arms again over those San Diego Union Tribune coupon circulars (labeled “Community Values” on their plastic bags) that end up all on their sidewalks every Friday. A grassroots movement, organized by …
May 25, 2015
Union-Tribune’s new master claims his due
The nation’s daily newspapers are having a rough financial time of it. At least some of their executives, on the other hand, aren't doing so badly. Among them is Austin M. Beutner, the former Wall …
May 25, 2015
Back to nature in Tucson's Ventana Canyon
The long section of Highway 8 heading from San Diego toward Tucson, Arizona, is mostly flat and dead, with the occasional string of mountains popping up across the landscape. But as I barreled my way …
Gateway to the sour zone
Though I'm only a few articles into my stint as the Reader’s new beer reporter, most of the news thus far seems to indicate at least a minor shift in San Diego's beer identity. A …
May 25, 2015
Average of five bass per angler
Weekly Fish Report ½ Day - ¾ Day: The local ½ day boats are producing rockfish, calico bass and sculpin, with a few yellowtail in the mix. The ¾ day boats are mostly concentrating on …
May 25, 2015
City dog blues
Sara Norris of San Marcos was camping at Thousand Trails in Pine Cove (near Idyllwild) on May 21 when her female golden retriever, Aslan, disappeared. After searching for hours, Norris called the emergency line at …
May 25, 2015
Power company's Darling
A new batch of emails released Friday, May 22, in the California Public Utilities Commission probe show snug and questionable relationships between an administrative law judge and Southern California Edison. The role of Michael Peevey, …
May 25, 2015
Rebecca Jade plays Sade at Dizzy's
Tuesday 26 Gilbert Castellanos presents the Tuesday Night Big Band Series at Croce’s Park West (2760 Fifth Avenue) featuring the Gaslamp Quarter Jazz Orchestra at 6:30 p.m. for a $5 cover. Wednesday 27 Gilbert Castellanos …
May 25, 2015
May 24 dock report
The Chubasco II 1/2 day am run with 36 anglers aboard reported 1 sheephead, 2 sculpin, 2 sand bass, 93 rockfish and 1 lingcod caught. 33 anglers aboard the Dolphin 1/2 day morning run boated …
May 25, 2015
Sunday, May 24
Local instrument company fights banjo backlash with cheeky ad
In March of 2014, Vulture.com reporter Anna Silman asked a drunken Winston Marshall if his band, Mumford & Sons, had killed the banjo. “I think 'killed' is an understatement," replied the blotto banjo-man, whose plucky …
May 24, 2015
Gladys was there
For the first time since they began its restoration nine years ago, on May 23 the San Dieguito Heritage Museum opened the doors to its almost-finished Teten House, perhaps Encinitas’ oldest original house remaining. Fred …
May 24, 2015
Bluefin breaking all around the boat
May 22 dock totals Bluefin tuna within 20 miles of Point Loma on the Eclipse 3/4 day! According to their report, there was a "killer spectacle of huge bluefin up to 100# breaking all around …
May 24, 2015
Better read than dead
On Tuesday, May 26, the new ownership of the U-T is expected to announce layoff plans. The press room will certainly be wiped away, as Douglas Manchester will retain the Mission Valley building and the …
May 24, 2015
Saturday, May 23
Is it all about brand recognition?
The hall was about half full for the Spanish Rhapsody. Previously the hall had been 95% full for Carmina Burana. To my mind and heart, the Spanish concert had the greater merit musically and artistically …
May 23, 2015
You can't always get what you want
Leonard and Myra are not our typical star-crossed lovers. Well, not if Myra has anything to say about it. Desperate for her last chance at love, Myra will do anything to trap the timorous Leonard …
May 23, 2015
Chargers camp urges promises "thorough examination" of CSAG report
Statement from Chargers' head of business affairs A. G. Spanos: We are grateful to San Diego's Citizens' Stadium Advisory Group for putting in the extra effort required to get us a report by our arbitrarily …
May 23, 2015
Six stories on Baltimore? No, no, no
The La Mesa Planning Commission on May 20 voted 4-2 against recommending that the city council approve the revised specific plan for Park Station at the Crossroads of La Mesa, a mixed-use development proposed for …
May 23, 2015
Friday, May 22
SD unemployment rate down to 4.8 percent
The San Diego County employment rate was 4.8 percent in April, down from 5.1 percent in March and below the 6.1 percent of a year earlier. Between March and April, the number of nonfarm jobs …
May 22, 2015
Lost Abbey gives Cardiff a tasting room
After nine years brewing Belgian inspired ales, San Marcos–based brewer Lost Abbey opened its long-awaited tasting room on April 22, settling into a small retail space in a coastal shopping center in Cardiff-by-the-Sea. Previously the …
May 22, 2015
Four hours to find the shutoff valve?!
It took four hours for City of San Diego Public Utilities Department workers to respond to a water-line break at a La Jolla business in September 2014. During that four-hour window, amid numerous calls and …
May 22, 2015
Fire at new O.B. apartment building
A fire broke out in Ocean Beach on the patio of the new two-story apartment complex on Abbott Street where it meets Saratoga Avenue Friday, May 22, firefighters at around 1:45 p.m. Lori Wagner and …
May 22, 2015
Wheels of regress
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has agreed to pay $820,000 in fines and legal fees to the City of San Diego and two other California counties to settle a consumer protection suit. San Diego, along with the …
May 22, 2015
To the Nationals!
I still don’t believe this story! The New Group West’s first-ever show will represent California, Arizona, Nevada, and Hawaii in a national competition! American Association of Community Theatre has 12 regions. San Diego is in …
May 22, 2015
Happy devouring machine at Island Spice Jamaican
For three years I lived a mere 2000 feet from Jamaican restaurant Island Spice, but due to the mystery of dead ends and freeway overpasses I rarely ever passed by, and I never paid a …
May 22, 2015
The Desired Effect, by Brandon Flowers
The second solo record by the Killers frontman Brandon Flowers is a revival of the sounds and sentiments behind the 1980s dance-pop genre. Inspired by the music of his adolescence, Flowers’s The Desired Effect bounces …
May 22, 2015
The Waterboys pour it on at Humphreys
The Waterboys stormed the stage at Humphreys by the Bay and delivered a high-energy set that encompassed their career. Mike Scott and the band delivered a tight set with highlights throughout the evening. The six-piece …
May 22, 2015
Oceanside's dirty sidewalks can wait
Oceanside residents are tired of their crappy downtown sidewalks — and not just the broken pavement. In a posting on Nextdoor's "Seaside District" page for Oceanside (you have to live there to log in), residents …
May 22, 2015
May 21 dock totals
27 anglers aboard the Chubasco II 1/2 day morning run caught 1 yellowtail, 1 sculpin, 1 sand bass, 78 rockfish and 2 lingcod. The Alicia 3/4 day trip with 12 anglers at the rail returned …
May 22, 2015
Thursday, May 21
Tickets issued for crossing train tracks
The North County Transit District has started writing tickets for people who illegally cross their railroad tracks. The enforcement carried out by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Dept. covers all train tracks from the Orange …
May 21, 2015
San Diego craft brewers featured in new documentary series
"We just hit 100 breweries in San Diego County." Or so several local media personalities inform us during an opening montage of Kings of the Craft, a six-part documentary premiering tonight, Thursday, May 21, on …
May 21, 2015
A gas-fired power plant for Carlsbad
The California Public Utilities Commission voted 4-1 Thursday morning (May 21) to approve a slightly scaled-down version of a gas-fired power plant proposed for construction along the Carlsbad coast. "This decision is just more of …
May 21, 2015
U-T San Diego now belongs to L.A.
"Papa" Douglas Manchester's rowdy reign as the big-money Republican owner of the U-T San Diego has come to the end with the closing of his $83 million deal to sell the newspaper and its smaller …
May 21, 2015
What will One Paseo look like?
After six years of fighting, some residents of Carmel Valley got what they wanted on May 21: a scaled-down version of Los Angeles–based Kilroy Realty's mixed-use project, One Paseo. Moments before a city-council hearing to …
May 21, 2015
The Famous Shavian “BOO!”
Like Socrates and Ben Franklin, it’s hard to imagine George Bernard Shaw ever being young — in part because he didn’t become a successful playwright until age 40. When Arms and the Man opened at …
May 21, 2015
After the Wave: Sumatra, Indonesia
While living in Asia I decided to travel a bit. My first stop was the island of Sumatra, Indonesia – devastated by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that killed over 230,000 people in 14 different …
May 21, 2015
Cate debt fund gets big Kilroy cash
The ongoing battle between Los Angeles–area real estate giants Kilroy Realty and Donahue Schriber over the fate of Kilroy's One Paseo mega-development has been financially fortuitous for both San Diego's city hall lobbying corps and …
May 21, 2015
Grain thief caught
An El Cajon man is under arrest after being caught stealing grain from the Santee headquarters of Twisted Manzanita Ales, a noted East County microbrewery/distillery. Twisted Manzanita had previously reported four separate thefts of spent …
May 21, 2015
Investigations
From the Archives is the Reader's new series spotlighting articles from over 40 years of the Reader's journalistic history. This week's theme is investigative reporting. Masters of Deceit Padres' bribes of councilwoman Valerie Stallings “On …
May 21, 2015
Unafraid of death, in fear of pain
A lawsuit filed in a San Diego court last week seeks confirmation of the belief that existing state law and the constitution of California provide legal cover for doctors who assist terminally ill patients in …
May 21, 2015
Rocks, yellows, and calicos
May 20 dock totals 21 anglers aboard the Chubasco II 3/4 day trip boated 6 yellowtail, 2 sculpin, 1 sand bass, 96 rockfish, 3 calico bass and 1 barracuda. The Dolphin 1/2 day morning run …
May 21, 2015
Wednesday, May 20
Online poker refugee Bryce Daifuku lives across from Tijuana country club
“Now, I have a much better understanding of money. I understand that it goes in and it goes out.”
May 20, 2015
My religion now is Love alone
Tread lightly, for a thousand hearts unseen Might now be breathing in this misty green; Here are the herbs that once were pretty cheeks, Here the remains of those that once have been. Afearing whom …
May 20, 2015
Now you know: Radio Bandiego
"We’re working with the bands to help bring a higher-level attendance to clubs and concerts.”
May 20, 2015
NFL team could play in L.A. in 2016
The Associated Press is reporting today (May 20) that a National Football League team could be playing in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in the 2016 season. The window for applications would be moved up …
May 20, 2015
Creativity comes to the third wave
The already saturated North Park coffee scene took an unexpected turn in early May when Holsem Coffee opened on University at 30th. While the small-batch roaster offers seven single-origin coffees plus both light and dark …
May 20, 2015
A drummer's dance with Mr. Booze
When Dave Madden, drummer for indie-pop group Kingdom of Lights, sprung back to life after his heart stopped beating from organ failure, a priest was reading him his last rites. It was then that Madden …
May 20, 2015
How different is Nepali food from lowland Indian food?
What did the rest of the world do before the Spanish brought tomatoes back from New World?
May 20, 2015
Interview with Good Kill star Bruce Greenwood
Besides his recent role as a wealthy developer on TV’s Mad Men, Bruce Greenwood may be most familiar as the fatherly Captain Pike in J.J. Abrams’ s Star Trek reboots. In Good Kill, he plays …
May 20, 2015
Wilder times for Grossmont High alum
San Diego’s Eliot Wilder fooled around Grossmont High and then L.A. and ended up in Boston. His latest work, Quartet, fuses classical and hip-hop. He took questions over email. What was the music scene like …
May 20, 2015
Where do you keep your Dracula Boots?
In January, Brian Tristan announced that he would assume the identity of his alter ego, Kid Congo Powers, full-time, at least onstage. Not such a bad move — Kid Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds’ …
May 20, 2015
Buying stuff for a Memorial Day party is a patriotic gesture
Celebrate Memorial Day like a Lincoln.
May 20, 2015
Punk rock ain’t no bitch, Mom!
Chad, 11:45 a.m.: “Aye dawgy, what time are you all headed south?” Derek, 11:46 a.m.: “It might be later than we originally planned cuz I have to go to the hospital. But I will be …
Anza-Borrego’s forest of miniature trees
Whale Peak, though not the highest peak in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, is high enough at 5349 feet to offer spectacular views of much of the park and mountain ranges in Mexico and Arizona. …
May 20, 2015
George Bernard Shaw pays a rare visit to the Old Globe
Arms and the Man succeeds despite an antsy itch to entertain.
May 20, 2015
Nobody heard of Blake’s burden before this
Dear Hipster: Is there anything about a person’s name that would preclude him or her from hipster status? Say, you wanted to be a professional wrestler, and you tried to bill yourself as King Tutu, …
May 20, 2015
Ride wild surf movies at San Diego Surf Film Fest 4
It appears as if the San Diego Surf Film Festival has hit a happy reef. The annual event has become so popular that, after three years of calling Bird’s Surf Shed their home base, SDFF …
May 20, 2015
On the value of fish wrap...
Ken Doctor, probably the reigning expert on the economics of the newspaper industry, said yesterday (May 19) in a story for capitalnewyork.com that Chicago's Tribune Co. wanted to buy the U-T in depressed 2008 for …
May 20, 2015
Papa Beutner’s gifts of politics
The soon-to-be publisher of U-T San Diego — recently unloaded by exiting publisher and local Republican titan Douglas Manchester to Chicago-based Tribune Publishing — is, like his predecessor, a big money giver to California politicos. …
May 20, 2015
Attacked by a 300-pound sea lion
One of my diving friends, a commercial urchin fisherman, says his most terrifying underwater occurrence in over 20 years of diving several times a week was at the Channel Islands. He worked off a hookah, …
May 20, 2015
Do Not Allow
“I find it funny that all the solutions popping up to address tech stress are technological ones...here are more apps to help you combat the effect of dealing with too many apps.”
May 20, 2015
Grandma drove a tank while pregnant in 1948 Jerusalem
Israel was the first foreign country I visited, in 1980, four months after I was born. Although my Jewish-ish parents didn’t take my brother and me to temple, I went to the Holy Land six …
May 20, 2015
Pit bull kills dachshund; Solana Beach man kills pit bull
Felony animal cruelty or protecting his puppy?
May 20, 2015
Temple of Wes
Dear Hipster: What would be the ultimate hipster vacation destination for this summer? — Deb, Golden Hill Well, until recently that might have stumped me enough to cop something lamely ironic, and overzealously punctuated, like, …
May 20, 2015
San Diego water torture
The death of Chris Burden last week of melanoma at the age of 69 merited an extensive obituary in the New York Times. He was, the paper wrote, “a conceptual artist who in the line …
May 20, 2015
A book on getting the guy
What are you reading right now? “Get the Guy: Learn Secrets of the Male Mind to Find the Man You Want and the Love You Deserve, by Matthew Hussey. He’s a matchmaker and relationship coach. …
May 20, 2015
First, what the heck is a quasar?
Post Title: Questions about quasars? Quick — to the observatory! | Post Date: April 20, 2015 This April I participated in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge, writing about different San Diego hotspots …
May 20, 2015
Questions and suggestions
Basic Questions While the article “NightmAirbnb” does a good job painting a poor-me narrative of retired school teacher Rachel Smith being picked on by the big bad government, it lacks real transparency. Rachel listed her …
May 20, 2015
“Jane Eyre” and “The Elgin Theater”
Jane Eyre “I’d like you to meet my books,” you said on our very first date, on the first of June, when you introduced me to all the books you’d read, who must have approved …
May 20, 2015
May 19 dock totals
16 anglers aboard the Chubasco II 1/2 day morning run caught 1 sculpin, 1 sand bass, 1 rockfish and 74 calico bass. 50 calico bass were released. The Dolphin 1/2 day am run with 7 …
May 20, 2015
Niccol on drones
The battlefield in Andrew Niccol’s Good Kill is within the soul of Major Thomas Egan (a drawn and dead-eyed Ethan Hawke), a former fighter pilot who now spends his days in a metal box on …
May 20, 2015
Tuesday, May 19
No more playtime for Pepper
A Lemon Grove man is suing the City of San Diego and its police department for the shooting death of his dog, Pepper, a 14-year-old shepherd mix, in July 2014. Kenneth Stetler filed the complaint …
May 19, 2015
How not to conduct your armed robbery
A Santee man was apprehended Friday afternoon, May 15, after robbing a Target store and attempting to flee by bicycle, sheriff's deputies reported. According to a report from Sgt. Tim Chantler, a suspect identified as …
May 19, 2015
My name is Inigo Montoya, I play the violin, prepare to die
The San Diego Symphony concert on Saturday, May 9, was as hot as Seville in August — maybe hotter. (I’m not sure, since I’ve never been to Seville, but I can imagine.) Violinist Ray Chen …
May 19, 2015
The upscaling of North County
Early in the morning on May 19, the 7-Eleven at 1446 Encinitas Boulevard closed permanently. It’s been a fixture near the El Camino Real corridor for decades — since the 1970s. According to 7-Eleven’s director …
May 19, 2015
Rimel’s Rotisserie
I’m fond of buying my rotisserie chicken from little neighborhood markets such as Grant’s in South Park or Olive Tree in Ocean Beach. I even threw down for a Whole Foods chicken once when I …
May 19, 2015
SEAL base stripper tabs uncovered by audit
Some members of the military have been running up sizable tabs at gambling establishments and strip clubs across America using their government-issued charge cards, according to a May 19 audit by the Pentagon's office of …
May 19, 2015
Whiskey in the White House
"George Washington slept here!" And he did, too. Truth be told, he slept there as well. And there. What can I say? The man got around. With four family homes, you’d expect as much. He …
May 19, 2015
Yellowtail moving closer to shore
The yellowtail off La Jolla have been there for the kayakers and private boaters. Though they are still tearing it up at the Coronado Islands, it looks like they are starting to get less nervous …
May 19, 2015
Monday, May 18
Carmel Valley residents displeased with limbo
At a May 18 hearing, San Diego's city councilmembers postponed a decision on whether to rescind their approval of Kilroy Realty's 1.45-million-square-foot mixed-use project, One Paseo, or send it to the ballot at taxpayer cost. …
May 18, 2015
Strike struck
A superior court judge gave a man he described as a “career criminal” a compromise sentence of 24 years in state prison today, May 18. Probation officers had suggested that a term of 36 years …
May 18, 2015
This Chargers stadium proposal? Watch it.
The Citizens' Stadium Advisory Group today, May 18, offered a plan for a new, municipally owned Chargers Mission Valley stadium that supposedly does not raise taxes and therefore averts any two-thirds public vote. The plan …
May 18, 2015
Counting sheephead
May 17 dock report 21 anglers aboard the Dolphin 1/2 day am run boated 1 sheephead, 2 sculpin, 78 rockfish and 1 calico bass. Their afternoon 1/2 day run with 22 anglers at the rail …
May 18, 2015
Rain or pipe leak creates Tijuana disaster
Nineteen families were left homeless over the weekend following a series of landslides in the Anexa Miramar neighborhood of Tijuana, with more mandatory evacuations expected. Initial press accounts on Saturday, May 16, reported a dozen …
May 18, 2015
Hillary's big fat San Diego payday
With the purchase of the city's daily newspaper by Chicago-based Tribune Publishing — owner of the Los Angeles Times — San Diego may be fast on its way to becoming a frequent campaign stop for …
May 18, 2015
Fallbook Hospital spanked by court
On May 8, Fallbrook Hospital (which closed in December) got a spanking from the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. In April of last year, the National Labor Relations Board had …
May 18, 2015
Sunday, May 17
From beneath the surface
Weekly Fish Report ½ Day - ¾ Day: The local ½ day boats have been getting out as they can between the storms and swell and they are producing rockfish, calico bass, and sculpin. The …
May 17, 2015
Birthday concert for Nathan Hubbard at Dizzy's!
Tuesday 19 Revenge of the Grapes with Zack Chase, Tobin Chodos, Kyle Motl, and Nathan Hubbard set up at UC San Diego’s The Loft (911 Lyman Lane) from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. for free... Kronomorfic …
May 17, 2015
Saturday, May 16
More bikeways or more highways?
The San Diego Association of Governments began a series of workshops this week to roll out its new, revised regional transit plan, dubbed San Diego Forward. The previous plan was scrapped following lawsuits from environmental …
May 16, 2015
Interim dog park will do
Normal Heights has been waiting for an off-leash dog park for ten years, and it looks like this year it might get it. Sort of. After holding a dog-park rally in February, collecting 1200 signatures …
May 16, 2015
A letter to U-T San Diego readers from outgoing publisher Papa Doug "Who's Your Daddy?" Manchester
Dear Reader(s - I mean, there could be more than one of you, but really, these days, who knows?): I've just finished reading the letter to you people from incoming publisher Austin Beutner, and now …
May 16, 2015
Friday, May 15
Who's frivolous?
In a May 15 ruling, San Diego Superior Court judge Joel Wohlfeil denied a motion from the City of San Diego to impose sanctions on environmental attorney Cory Briggs for filing a frivolous action accusing …
May 15, 2015
Accused murderer of McStays prepped for court
Charles Ray Merritt, now 58, denies killing Joseph McStay, 40, wife Summer McStay, 43, and their two sons, 4-year-old Giovanni, and 3-year-old Joseph Jr. in 2010. Defendant Merritt and Joseph McStay were partners in a …
May 15, 2015
Brush with fame
For author celebrities, click here. For thinker and artist celebrities, click here. For public figure and fraud celebrities, click here. For sports celebrities, click here. Janet, My Mother, and Me A story about author William …
May 15, 2015
Pepper spray incident to cost city $643,000
The matter of paying the ultimate cost of an early-morning Gaslamp Quarter brawl involving San Diego police is coming up for approval by the city council, and the price for settling a pepper-spray case again …
May 15, 2015
Mark Ronson's Uptown Special
Rocketed to the top of the charts by the Bruno Mars–piloted hit “Uptown Funk” — with its Princely synths, Towering horns, and sly James Brown-isms (“gotta kiss myself so pretty”) — Mark Ronson’s latest is …
May 15, 2015
Plastic-bag ban a no-brainer
The proposal to ban plastic bags in the City of San Diego is moving forward but not before the city conducts an environmental impact report. According to a city notice, San Diego's Planning Department is …
May 15, 2015
Uber will deliver your food, if you can afford it
In keeping with my ongoing exploration of smart phone food delivery apps, I had to make my way to Postmates, a service that picks up where Uber leaves off — imagine a fleet of Uber …
May 15, 2015
After the fires...
Last year, on the morning of May 14, humidity levels were down to 5 percent, morning beach temperatures already up into the high 80s, and strong Santa Ana winds were blowing from the east. Over …
May 15, 2015
New Kids on the Block: The Main Event
It was about halfway through New Kids on the Block’s two-hour set at Viejas Arena that a female fan ran past security guards and onto the stage, only to be corralled and removed seconds later. …
May 15, 2015
Sorry, the retaining wall won't be pretty
A city project to rebuild a collapsing retaining wall along Torrey Pines Road in La Jolla will proceed, no matter how much the La Jolla Planning Association apparently dislikes the renderings. Two members of the …
May 15, 2015
Thursday, May 14
Grand openings and a thirst-inducing documentary
Friday, May 15 Stone Liberty Station two-year anniversary celebration: The Decatur Road wing of Stone's brewing empire celebrates two years all day Friday with a deep roster of brewed-on-site beers, including a special 2nd Anniversary …
I.B. is still pretty o.k.
With about a dozen residents participating, the Imperial Beach City Council looked over the city's proposed budget at a workshop on Wednesday night, May 20. "Our main priority as we focus in on the capital …
May 14, 2015
Demand for dignity at the border
Activists with the Southern Border Communities Coalition gathered outside the northern terminus of the San Ysidro pedestrian border Wednesday afternoon, May 13, in an effort to inform crossers of their rights and offer assistance to …
May 14, 2015
Chargers trade quarterback Philip Rivers' soul to New England Patriots
"Philip Rivers is a very good quarterback," says Chargers head coach Mike McCoy. "On some Sundays, he's almost a great quarterback. But one thing he isn't is a Super Bowl champion quarterback, let alone a …
May 14, 2015
No hard drive, no sex neither
Supervisory Border Patrol agent Armando Gonzalez pleaded guilty in federal court today (May 14) to video voyeurism and lying to cover up the crime. He admitted to placing a hidden camera in the floor drain …
May 14, 2015
Early San Diegans couldn’t celebrate without lots of noise
1.) This photograph, taken in the late 1880s, was rare for its time. No male cradles a wide-brimmed hat in his arm. No one stares up, or dreamily off, as if posing as the person …
May 14, 2015
City influence peddling nears $4 million
Douglas Manchester, departing publisher of U-T San Diego, has long been a big employer of high-dollar influence peddlers, which could be why his newspaper hasn't talked about them. In his role of mega-developer, the wealthy …
May 14, 2015
Alibaba and ten executives
China's Alibaba Group Holding, one of the hottest initial public offerings in the United States last fall, is being sued by San Diego law firms as well as other firms across America. Early this year, …
May 14, 2015
Some Fresh Catch catches better than others
Casual fish counters have become San Diego’s signature seafood concept. With the longtime success and rising Food Network profiles of shops such as Blue Water Seafood Market and Point Loma Seafoods, similar restaurants have sprung …
May 14, 2015
Trouble for the big dog
San Diego–based tech giant Qualcomm stands accused of defrauding the owner of patents related to GPS-aided pet-trackers it produces under a subsidiary, according to a lawsuit filed last week in a Nevada federal court. In …
May 14, 2015
The word is totally bird
The western snowy plover must not be able to read. For the first time in years, the federally endangered bird has jumped across its well-signed and protected nesting areas in the San Elijo Lagoon, on …
May 14, 2015
Don't handle the shorts
The Pacific barracuda is a slimy fish. If handled, the slime gets on your hands and seems to adhere and you'll see a lot of guys washing their hands off in a baitwell or with …
May 14, 2015
Wednesday, May 13
Shambhu's debut
“San Diego offers the best combination of wellness, spirituality, and business opportunities for me,” says guitarist and electric sitarist Shambhu, aka Neil Vineberg, who arrived in San Diego late last year. Specializing in meditative and …
May 13, 2015
Another for the Tijuana morgue
The shrieking of bystanders followed gunfire in the Zona Norte section of Tijuana on Tuesday afternoon, May 12. An unidentified man lay writhing on the ground as onlookers awaited authorities to arrive on the scene. …
May 13, 2015
“Jesus Is Condemned” and “Jesus Meets His Mother”
Jesus Is Condemned I tried to think for half an hour About the face of earthly powers That would condemn a god to die. I listened for its menacing cackles, The crack of whips, the …
May 13, 2015
Juice cleanses to feel lighter and tighter
“A juice cleanse is when you drink only juice for some period of time, typically three days,” said Hanna Gregor, owner of OH! Juice in Downtown (619-760-1292; ohjuicecleanse.com). “It gives your digestive tract a break, …
May 13, 2015
Plummer, rhymes with...
A few years have passed since the one-time drummer for Black Heart Procession and Modest Mouse, and current drummer of the Shins and Cold War Kids, Joe Plummer, considered San Diego his part-time home. Despite …
May 13, 2015
Wax is back!
“There was more of a connection going on between the artist and the public with vinyl.”
May 13, 2015
The way figs feel
The charro and the pioneer lady set the kids into teams. “Now, don’t worry about breaking the eggs,” says the lady. “They’re made of wood. First team back with the egg still in the spoon …
May 13, 2015
Kind of like a health shake
With a bumper crop of booze, veggies and crustaceans behind it, the Duck Dive’s Jamaican Me Crazy Bloody Mary is exactly that — a genuine cocktail. According to its creator, Duck Dive general manager and …
May 13, 2015
Surfers saved a whole lot of paddling in San Quintín
San Quintín sits about 200 miles south of San Diego near the southern end of the Valle de Guadalupe. The large bay there is ringed by inactive volcanoes; the main industry is berry farming. San …
May 13, 2015
Is jazz the new rock?
Is jazz the new rock? Yes and no. Some of jazz culture will forever remain mired in the 1950s, which the industry will support by design not unlike radio’s ultracautious love for tried-and-true music like …
Breaking: Local ingrate forgets Mother's Day, Reader saves day twice
Dear Hipster: So, I was reading the Mother’s Day issue of the Reader, which I didn’t get a chance to look over until Monday, and it hit me that I forgot to send my mom …
May 13, 2015
Two-thirds of the Thermals have a secret past
Casual fans of the Thermals may be surprised to learn that the duo at the core of the punk-leaning trio, Hutch Harris and Kathy Foster, recorded an acoustic folk album about a year before the …
May 13, 2015
God just loves us. He can’t help himself
Membership: 35 Pastor: Mike Alcorn Age: 72 Born: Schenectady, NY Formation: San Diego Mesa College, San Diego; Frederick K.C. Price School of Ministry (Crenshaw Christian Center/Ever Increasing Faith Ministries), Los Angeles Years Ordained: 30 San …
May 13, 2015
The Legend begins
First came the band. Lucky Lucifer is a well-traveled P.B.-based “gothic Americana, garage-rock” band. Then came the label. Lucky Lucifer front man Joe Luciano, 29, launched Legend Records in 2012 so that unsigned local bands …
May 13, 2015
Waterfall to rocky summit
Hike to the top of this profile that looms 3000 feet above Borrego Springs.
May 13, 2015
Justice delayed
A top lobbyist for San Diego business interests has switched jobs, but as is traditional with the city’s revolving-door politics, he hasn’t wandered too far from home. Sean Karafin, formerly registered as an influence peddler …
May 13, 2015
Angelik changes coming to Carmel Mountain
Your humble critic made the move to Escondido in February. I was just getting accustomed to calling Reading Cinema’s Carmel Mountain my new base of operation, when last week’s check for showtimes (I needed a …
May 13, 2015
Teams we love to hate
Players change teams. Teams change stadiums. Teams change cities. Owners die. Owners sell. Teams are named. Teams are renamed. No matter what the change, fans continue to hate. At some point in a fan’s life …
May 13, 2015
Blame the frat brothers for dad-body popularity
Dear Hipster: I want to blame hipsters for making us aware of the “dad body,” aka “the stupidest trend of the year so far,” but, before I do, I thought I would consult you. This …
May 13, 2015
Not that horrible woman from the Reader!
Half of them have holes in their mouths where their teeth used to be, and the other half have sets of some-large-some-small teeth.
May 13, 2015
East County pork excursion
Carnitas Uruapan “One ($2.50) crispy carnitas taco, please.” “Crispy taco, or crispy carnitas?” Because when you’re this good with pig meat, it could go either way. I chose the taco, because nowhere else have I …
May 13, 2015
Flavors that had never appeared in a folded tortilla
Tacos El Rey Calle Segunda (2nd) and Avenida 5 de Mayo, Centro, Tijuana Like many taco stands in Tijuana, Tacos El Rey has no menu anywhere. Except this is not a taco stand but a …
May 13, 2015
Where are the trout in California?
A 2015 fishing license will set you back $47.01, plus a $5.21 ocean fishing stamp. Out-of-state residents will shell out $126.36. Sportsmen active in the politics say the increasing cost of fishing licenses is due …
May 13, 2015
The city’s most expensive taco
Oscar’s Mexican Seafood Though open less than five years, Oscar’s already feels like a regional classic. Its seafood tacos have always set the standard for the entire city. To begin with, it offers what I …
May 13, 2015
Frazee’s crazee Point Loma estate
If an intensely private gated estate is your thing, bust out the wallet.
May 13, 2015
Customers flock here constantly
Tacos El Paisa There’s a lot to be said about a San Diego taco shop that is mindful enough to press fresh masa tortillas with every order. It speaks to a certain authenticity, one that …
May 13, 2015
California public utilities vs. us
Utilities commissioner Peevey accused of terrorizing colleagues who stood up for consumers.
May 13, 2015
Hating San Diego (or not), and more letters on pit bulls
Merciless Sun After a few words of “Is There Anything to Hate about San Diego?," my blood pressure went up. The perfect city? Like Julie, I'm a person who calls Chicago her home, and I’d …
May 13, 2015
What makes a great taco?
Grill House at Big Ben’s Big Ben’s is a 65-year-old grocery outlet famous for its carnitas tacos right in National City’s Old Town. A disastrous 2013 fire was good luck for us. They did an …
May 13, 2015
Sempra’s organic influence
It was off to the virtual organic farm earlier this year for a crew of California Democratic legislators being wooed by San Diego–based Sempra Energy, not always known for its love of nature. According to …
May 13, 2015
A line out the door since 1933
Mitch’s Seafood Whenever I’m at family-owned Mitch’s Seafood I think, This is why I live in San Diego. Beer-battered rock cod ($3.05) or seasonal fresh grilled fish and seafood ($3.60) are almost exclusively from San …
May 13, 2015
Fish counts from the last two days
May 11 and 12 dock totals Chubasco II Sportfishing sent 49 anglers out aboard two 1/2 day trip and reported 35 rockfish, 55 calico bass,1 sheephead and 3 sculpin caught and kept. Another 45 calico …
May 13, 2015
Firecrackers and fresh masa
Cantina Mayahuel For taco lovers, Cantina Mayahuel is happy-hour heaven — six whole hours every day devoted to taco-and-tequila deals. I recommend taking advantage of the tequila discounts but skipping the street tacos (three little …
May 13, 2015
Easily the best carnitas in San Diego
Albert’s Mexican Food Albert’s, located in a lowly strip mall, is known for gigantic rolled tacos that are huge and filling. One of the daily specials is usually a burrito with some form of meat …
May 13, 2015
Tuesday, May 12
Eh, keep the brass knuckles
An attorney for Glenn and Karen Doshay is asking a judge to order return of certain items that were seized by deputies while investigating their son as a suspect in a kidnapping case. The property …
May 12, 2015
Is there a naturopathic practitioner in the house?
An attorney for the Valley Center man who is accused of practicing medicine without a license and defrauding cancer sufferers of thousands of dollars for fake cures asked a judge to suppress certain evidence at …
May 12, 2015
Tour de Belgium: Sax and the saxophone
Last year, Belgium celebrated the 200th anniversary of the birth of the inventor of the saxophone, Adolphe Sax. His birthplace and important milestones occurred in the Wallonia (French-flavored) part of the country. It’s his inventions …
May 12, 2015
Can't get enough of those guns and knives
Michael James Hemphill was found guilty of first-degree murder at the end of a jury trial in February. Using a handgun, he killed a man in Escondido two years ago. Hemphill was sentenced to 75 …
May 12, 2015
Spanish music by French guys comes to the Symphony
I complained about a lack of variety in symphonic programming just in time for the San Diego Symphony to present an entire concert of hidden gems, built around a Spanish theme. Ravel is the most …
May 12, 2015
Plans on community plan updates soon to come
On May 13, city planners will update a city-council committee on the long-delayed Community Plan Updates. The gist: the 12 communities’ plans slated for revision in 2008 will have to wait longer than expected. Over …
May 12, 2015
Former U-T head keeps rolling around the desert
Ed Moss was president and publisher of the U-T from May of 2009 to December 2011 — a period marked by mass layoffs. He lasted two years and eight months. He had been president of …
May 12, 2015
Nature and nurture
On May 9 at about 7 a.m., a baby osprey was spotted at the two-mile mark on the Lake Murray service road. It looked dazed but healthy as it sat there looking at the small …
May 12, 2015
Inbred sex, drugs, and I want my money back
Amusement-park operator SeaWorld has been hit with another class-action suit. This time, plaintiffs claim the park hides practices of drugging its orcas, forced inbreeding, food deprivation, and confinement in inadequately sized pens from customers who …
May 12, 2015
Monday, May 11
Mother's Day, unmeshed
Mother's Day at Friendship Park — on the rare occasion when the U.S. celebration of Mother's Day landed on May 10, which is the set date for Mother's Day in Mexico — was a particularly …
May 11, 2015
Clintonite, Obama-backer, and U-T publisher
The new publisher favors raising the minimum wage and used to work with Democrats Bill Clinton and Antonio Villaraigosa. His vice president for public relations is an eight-year veteran of Barack Obama's political team. So, …
May 11, 2015
SDSU ham-hands itself a lawsuit
A former San Diego State University student who was accused — charges were later dismissed — of sexual assault on a student in December of last year plans to take legal action against San Diego …
May 11, 2015
Last Call: Unnecessary Farce at North Coast Rep
The North Coast Rep’s silly, lunkhead, hilarious Unnecessary Farce must close this Sunday. One of the oddest things about farce: it must as precise as it is frantic. Actors scream “eek,” slam doors, and sprint …
May 11, 2015
Does the Junk House encourage junk art?
In response to concerns about Adobe Falls that Del Cerro residents raised last month, representatives from District 7 city councilman Scott Sherman's office will meet May 13 with San Diego State University staff, Liz Saidkhanian …
May 11, 2015
Appeal of the new-old
The esoteric pick of the week series is starting to piss me off. There is a buttload of amazing music out there that isn’t being performed. I understand why opera companies would want to stick …
May 11, 2015
Procuring dinner
May 10 Dock Report 18 anglers aboard the Chubasco II 1/2 day morning run caught 26 rockfish and 92 calico bass. They released 50 of the calicos. The Dolphin hosted 18 anglers aboard their 1/2 …
May 11, 2015
Sunday, May 10
The usual hit and miss game
Weekly Fish Report ½ Day - ¾ Day: Though the ½ day boat counts don’t reflect it, the kayak-anglers are reporting good yellowtail fishing and a few white seabass off La Jolla. The storm that …
May 10, 2015
Escape the Go: Fiesta Island
We didn’t have anything like this in Chicago. We didn’t have a jutting piece of terrain you could drive out on, pull your car off the road wherever you felt like it, and set up …
May 10, 2015
Too much sexy times in Oceanside
Kimberli Hirst, a phlebotomist working for a private company, has been awarded $1.125 million as as result of being the victim of sexual harassment by Oceanside police officer Gilbert Garcia, who was later fired by …
May 10, 2015
Reka Parker, Paul Seaforth celebrate Kenny Wheeler
Wednesday 13 It’s always a busy night for trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos, who starts early by hosting the Young Lions Series at Croce’s Park West (2760 Fifth Avenue) this week featuring Nathan Collins at 7:00 p.m. …
May 10, 2015
Saturday, May 9
Carlsbad’s Green Dragon Tavern has revolutionary feel
Nearly 250 years ago, Boston’s historic Green Dragon Tavern served as a meeting place for men who would become heroes of the American Revolution. Two years ago, Carlsbad’s Green Dragon Tavern & Museum didn’t exist. …
May 9, 2015
Saltier than average environmentalists
As California's drought continues to intensify, coastal cities are looking to the ocean as a potential means of supplementing a dwindling reserve of fresh water. Construction of what's being billed as the largest desalination plant …
May 9, 2015
Fishing, no matter what
Getting wet and fishing kind of go hand-in-hand, yet there is something about rain and thunderstorms that can keep folks off the big blue. And then there are some that will go fishing no matter …
May 9, 2015
Friday, May 8
Atmosphere project no longer up in the air
On March 25, 2010, the Reader published a story titled “What's Up with the Big Cortez Hole?” The hyped Atmosphere condo development had fizzled and left a giant construction hole between Fourth and Fifth avenues …
May 8, 2015
Texas-sized b.s.
Alfred Louis "Bobby" Vassallo, former La Jollan and inveterate name-dropper, has confessed to wire fraud and will be sentenced August 24. He pleaded guilty in federal court in Santa Ana in April. The Texan blew …
May 8, 2015
It's not you, it's me, Carmina
As I listened to Carmina Burana it occurred to me that it wasn’t the greatest music in the world. In fact, it’s something of a one-hit-wonder. What else did Orff write? Think about it — …
May 8, 2015
Walmart gets charitably cozy with mayor
As the coming takeover of U-T San Diego by Chicago-based Tribune Publishing threatens to upend the city's old establishment order, a nonprofit corporation set up to advance the agenda of Republican mayor Kevin Faulconer continues …
May 8, 2015
I live with dinosaurs
The property rights of a longtime resident have come head-to-head with City of Escondido zoning laws. School buses bringing students and scouts to a local museum will no longer be allowed to park in the …
May 8, 2015
They Might Be generous Giants
Solana Beach got a treat with two full sets and a double-dose of encores from popular alt-rockers They Might Be Giants. The band had no problem filling the extended time by taking a heaping helping …
May 8, 2015
Myung In Dumplings opens on Convoy
The big problem with watching TV shows about food is that, no matter how absurd the show might be, they often leave you hungry and unable to satisfy the craving they’ve just ignited. For example, …
May 8, 2015
Baja zen: Guadalupe Canyon's oasis
It's midafternoon, and the hot sun beats down on a remote desert road laying before me. I'm deep in the Mexican desert, thinking of shinrin-yoku. Shinrin-yoku is the Japanese practice of "forest bathing" to enhance …
May 8, 2015
A Fool to Care, by Boz Scaggs
I first saw Boz Scaggs in 1966 at the Matrix in San Francisco. He was playing in a jazz-rock combo with some cat named Steve Miller. Fast-forward 50 years and they are both award-winning senior-citizen …
May 8, 2015
Floodgates at fire department remain closed
A San Diego firefighter who has accused the department of racial discrimination and harassment has filed a new complaint against the city and department for refusing to provide testing materials for a captain's exam that …
May 8, 2015
Thursday, May 7
Strange bedfellows converge in Faulconer’s Gonzalez attack
San Diego politics may soon be destined to change with today's sale of U-T San Diego to Chicago's Tribune Publishing, but for now at least, San Diego Republican kingpin and mega-developer Douglas Manchester has thrown …
May 7, 2015
U-T to be sold to L.A. Times parent for $85 million
Both the U-T and the Los Angeles Times announced today that they are joining forces. The Times' parent, Tribune Publishing, will pay $85 million for the U-T. This does not include the U-T's Mission Valley …
May 7, 2015
Gas in the morning is best
On May 6, San Diegans may have seen the past 20-day gas price run-up come to an end. Gas prices began to rise sharply, for the second time this year, on April 16. In the …
May 7, 2015
Putting the detector before the data
On April 21, just one day before the Oceanside City Council was scheduled to vote on a purchase order for four license-plate readers, the city's police department was unable to answer questions about the secure …
May 7, 2015
Just a few more before retirement
I’m asking veteran local actors to name five dream roles and say why. The answers not only reveal aspirations, they may put an idea in the minds of artistic directors and producers — even choices …
May 7, 2015
Woman bites Border Patrol agent
A woman is in custody after allegedly biting a Border Patrol officer who had told her she couldn't cross the border in San Ysidro's vehicle entry lanes on foot, Customs and Border Protection officials are …
May 7, 2015
Utilities commission flunks another smell test
Clean energy activists gathered in Solana Beach on Tuesday morning (May 5) to protest a proposal from San Diego Gas & Electric and Texas-based NRG Energy to build a new gas-fired power plant along the …
May 7, 2015
Calling in the yellowtail
May 6 dock totals 4 anglers aboard the Blackjack 3/4 day run caught 2 sculpin, 9 rockfish, 4 lingcod and 1 barracuda, along with 4 lingcod and 1 calico bass that were released. The Dolphin …
May 7, 2015
Wednesday, May 6
Reader writers tell stories about Mom
Wonder and Hope — Mom always convinced me it would be an adventure. By Ian Anderson The Animal Keeper— Animals spoke to my mother “in a language only she understood.” By Whitney Butler La Gringa …
May 6, 2015
From The Book of Kings
The tale is told that Rustam had at first Such strength bestowed by Him who giveth all That if he walked upon a rock his feet Would sink therein. Such puissance as that Proved an …
May 6, 2015
Robots punching monsters
I’ve picked a big, technically advanced, epic-style movie, which is Pacific Rim (USA, 2013, Warner Brothers). It serves up robots punching monsters! I don’t really know what else needs to be said. There is a …
May 6, 2015
Medical Marijuana, Inc., sued
The current owners of the country's first publicly traded medical marijuana business utilized fraud and deception to gain control of the company, a pair of former boardmembers claim in a lawsuit filed last week. According …
May 6, 2015
Eastlakers don't eat what the suits serve up
Chula Vista city councilmember Patricia Aguilar held a town-hall meeting on Monday, May 4, at the Hub inside Otay Ranch Town Center. She wanted to hear public comments about the proposal by developer Baldwin & …
May 6, 2015
Reason to Rebel finds a reason to challenge
Although it is advertised as a Reason to Rebel record release, Saturday’s Casbah show will not have any new vinyl pressings for sale. “We were going to release a split seven-inch with [L.A.’s] Mothers Anger,” …
May 6, 2015
Two Lake poems
A Midnight Dawn When tinkling glass Rang in my ear, I walked the hall Where Chanticleer Had crowed up dawn With crackling mirth, Red feathers flashing From his perch, While from the breach In the …
May 6, 2015
Where score is central to movie plot
Blue is the first film in Krzysztof Kieslowski’s Three Colors trilogy. Blue explores the life of a widowed composer trapped by the legacy of her husband. The story unfolds as the main character attempts to …
May 6, 2015
Have a holly-jolly summertime
Dear Hipster: I like to play my Christmas-themed Pandora station every six weeks or so, even if it isn’t Christmastime. I think it’s funny to listen to Burl Ives in July. My friends don’t agree. …
May 6, 2015
Get hot at Pho Hoa
I take a chunk of meat, collect some noodles and bean sprouts, and shove them in my maw.
May 6, 2015
Pyrate Punx slam for autism
“Yes, it’s gone. I hear it’s going to be a shoe factory.” Erik Reed was proud of the shows he promoted at the Stronghold, the Barrio Logan art collective and music venue that has hosted …
May 6, 2015
Boomtown lobbyist
Eight children were wounded, a principal and a custodian died, and Bob Geldof got a song out of it. Now the site of San Diego’s former Cleveland Elementary school is drawing the attention of a …
May 6, 2015
Bomb shelter shoegaze
An aural collection of every kind of shoegaze/dream pop you’ve ever heard, but with a hard left turn. Vaadat Charigim is the name of a band from Tel-Aviv, a trio consisting of guitarist/vocalist Yuval Haring, …
May 6, 2015
A reason to make Far from the Madding Crowd
Matthew Lickona: There are those who say that when a film is set in the past, it’s in order to comment on the present. Was there a particular reason to make this film now? Thomas …
May 6, 2015
Stunning visuals and skilled storytelling
The Fall, directed by Tarsem, is an undiscovered gem. Set in a hospital in the 1920s, an injured stuntman forms a friendship with an immigrant girl. He begins to tell her an epic story. Yet, …
May 6, 2015
G-Eazy, or not
On the morning that SDSU sophomore Tyler Kistler talks to the Reader, 210 of 600 tickets have so far been sold to satisfy Kistler’s end of a deal to have the rapper G-Eazy perform a …
May 6, 2015
On the trampoline scene in a big way
“We turn off the main lights and turn on black lights, party lights, and fog machines.”
May 6, 2015
"Lean on Me," in creole
Some high-school students might spend their summer vacationing in Mexico. Not Max Oestreicher. The 17-year-old plans to spend his vacation in Haiti. For the second year in a row. Oestreicher, who lives in La Mesa …
May 6, 2015
City-council Democrats hitting the road
San Diego’s city hall has been a point of departure for lots of local politicos of late, most famously Republican mayor Kevin Faulconer, who has gone to the East Coast and back several times and …
May 6, 2015
Garden party potentate
“How do you plan to police this? Is this all honor system?” Bill nodded. “Those are my two favorite words,” I said. Bill smirked at me. “Because to you, ‘honor system’ means the same as ‘sucker system’?”
May 6, 2015
Gangsterland
Last March — and with one foot out the door to catch a screening of The Gunman — a call comes in from Reading Cinema’s Jo Brantferger. They’re opening something in two months called Black …
May 6, 2015
Water? In the desert? Yup.
Sheep Canyon has one of the larger streams flowing east out of the San Ysidro Mountains. Its bubbling waters cascade over boulders and down waterfalls into clear pools, and its banks are lined with shady …
May 6, 2015
See the suicidal from their pinhole shaft of light
Suicide is the Result of Severe Brain Dis-ease: The Brain is Diseased, Dis-eased The last two weeks have brought five suicides to my attention. Not my personal loved ones, but people and families that are …
May 6, 2015
Hip-ocrisy or versatility?
Hello Mr. Hipster: I am not very big on hipster culture, but I do know that hipsters tend to act very anti-corporation. I live in South Park, and the whole area is fighting Target from …
May 6, 2015
Open-door Airbnb in Burlingame
Rachel Smith purchased her Burlingame home in 2007 after receiving an inheritance. The 70-year-old retired high school teacher fell in love with the five-bedroom three-bath, 2996-square-foot historical Craftsman home built in 1912. It was more …
May 6, 2015
The Animal Keeper
There was never a time animals didn’t roam free inside my childhood home — ruining the carpet, pissing off my dad, running to my mom for handouts from the kitchen counter. Each meal she prepared …
May 6, 2015
For the love of dog
The Author Responds Thank you everyone, angry, agreeing, or otherwise, for this incredible response to the April 23 cover story, “You Love Me Now, but Will You When I’m Four?” I have learned a lot. …
May 6, 2015
Shuffle your feet
I felt a pain in my right foot. It felt as if I had made contact with a piece of broken glass. I noticed a slightly bleeding wound. Within minutes, an excruciating feeling crept up …
May 6, 2015
We didn’t understand her exhaustion
My mother doesn’t get as much space in my early memories as does my dad. She worked during the day and went to school at night for years that felt like decades in my little …
May 6, 2015
Wanted for cash: SDSU drop-outs
They don’t know it yet, but thousands who graduated from San Diego State University are regarded by campus fundraisers as “lost.” To hit up the missing, the school has been combing through “thousands of digital …
May 6, 2015
Tuna have found U.S. waters
Still quite the bump out there for the queasy. Bet Dramamine sales are up. That said, the guys that are getting out on private boats and kayaks are getting a few more yellowtail and occasional …
May 6, 2015
La Gringa Jodida
My mother was born Jody Ann Teschner in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on July 9, 1957, and raised in the suburbs. I don’t know much about my grandparents, except that my grandfather fought as a lieutenant colonel …
May 6, 2015
The otherness that burdened my mother
My mother first stepped foot in America in 1957 at the age of six. She was porcelain-skinned and freckle-faced with a shock of curly red hair. My grandfather waited on the tarmac as his family …
May 6, 2015
We Complain. She Listens.
My mom walks funny. It’s not a physical problem. It’s a mindset. There’s pride in her steps. She walks strongly. She walks as if she is the first line of defense in case of ambush. …
May 6, 2015
Unique challenges yield unique triumphs
I’m proud to be the Y-chromosome-equipped period at the end of a long line of strong, self-sufficient women. My great grandmother, Viola, not only raised her own produce and livestock in the far-flung rural expanses …
May 6, 2015
I could lose you forever
When I am an old woman who repeats the same stories over and over again, the one I will tell of my mother will not be about the bread she baked some Saturday mornings, or …
May 6, 2015
Tuesday, May 5
Palms win, hands down
Dorothy Carroll of the La Jolla Village Garden Club was ready to offer dozens of jacaranda trees on behalf of the club to decorate the new Lane Field development along the Embarcadero. But she got …
May 5, 2015
Show thief!
Conrad Tao stole the show twice on Saturday, May 2, at Symphony Hall. He tore the place apart with the Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1 and then upstaged that monster with the conclusion of Prokofiev’s …
May 5, 2015
Boston's budget-minded spooks
With the boss heading out on a free junket with his wife to the Bavarian Alps, Scott Hinkle, legislative director for Democratic congressman Juan Vargas, took his own gratis spring-break trip to Boston. Hinkle's two-day …
May 5, 2015
Wining & dining through Santa Ynez Valley
You want to go wine tasting. You’re craving somewhere one notch up from Temecula, but closer than Napa. Enter Santa Barbara wine country: a quick four-hour drive along scenic Southern California coastline to the Santa …
May 5, 2015
South of the border comfort food
Voodoo Stu probably could have gotten away with calling his cooking “Rural-Creole-Baja Cuisine” or some drummed up stuff like that, but he didn’t. Instead, the Atlanta-raised chef simply calls it “Southern comfort food,” and it …
May 5, 2015
Squee! Like a hog at the trough
Call it a tax, a surcharge, or "utility user taxes," it doesn't matter: the 3 percent electricity tax and .03 percent gas tax that San Diego Gas and Electric collects from customers and later remits …
May 5, 2015
Highlights of darkness
“What would you do, my brave young friend?” Elderly Fraulein Schneider sings these haunting lyrics in Kander and Ebb’s iconic musical, and these words are at the heart of Ray Limon’s current production at the …
May 5, 2015
La Jolla fabulist earns what he deserves
James Yiu Lee, a La Jolla resident, was sentenced yesterday (May 4) to 78 months in prison for defrauding investors of $10.5 million through online trading. Lee told potential clients that he was a certified …
May 5, 2015
Revival brings Jamaican reggae star Triston Palma to O.B.
“Triston Palma has been doing this for about forty years, he was recording reggae hits as a teen and is a longtime favorite of the guys in the band,” says Revival bassist Luis Medina of …
May 5, 2015
Ambulances chased and caught
In a lawsuit unsealed in federal court today, five Southern California ambulance companies agreed to pay more than $11.5 million to resolve Department of Justice kickback allegations. Among the five were two San Diego–based companies, …
May 5, 2015
Fifteen bass per rod at Barrett Lake opener
The Barrett Lake opening weekend was a huge success, with the 165 anglers checked catching and releasing 2,565 largemouth bass! That's about 15 per rod. Not many anglers made it out on the big blue …
May 5, 2015
Monday, May 4
The real Chiang Rai
After easing through Phuket and bustling through Bangkok, the Northern mountainous jungle villages of Chiang Rai left the friendly smiles of the big cities behind. My first impression of Chiang Rai? Holy crap! Never before …
May 4, 2015
Rancho Santa Fe lawyer suspended from practice
The State Bar of California has suspended Donald William McVay of Rancho Santa Fe Law Group from the practice of law. McVay accepted a client when he was not eligible to practice law, collected an …
May 4, 2015
City attorney and council call it a surcharge
The City of San Diego is asking the California Supreme Court to overturn an appellate court ruling that found a 1 percent utility surcharge paid for by Santa Barbara residents was in fact a tax. …
May 4, 2015
Familiar sitcom feeling
Tatiana Suarez-Pico’s new play is either a drama sabotaged by comedy, or vice versa. When the play builds to an emotional moment, a joke undercuts it. And when a scene starts out funny, things take …
May 4, 2015
Billions of dirty ore dollars
Called the Grants Uranium District, a dusty stretch of New Mexico's San Juan Basin near Gallup has the potential to make billions of dollars for a wealthy La Jolla family and its heirs. But first …
May 4, 2015
Fraudulent, felonious, and malicious
The State Bar website reveals that California's attorneys' registry and certifying body is investigating John Douglass Jennings Jr., who claims that many consider him "San Diego's best tax attorney." The bar charges that Jennings cheated …
May 4, 2015
Mundell Lowe returns to Dizzy's
Tuesday 5 Lori Bell and Ron Satterfield perform at Croce’s Park West (2760 Fifth Avenue) from 6:00 to 9:30 p.m. for a $5 cover … bassist Ben Wanicur hosts the 3rd Space Monthly Underground Jam …
May 4, 2015
Commission of lies, company of duplicity
The question of "who is telling the truth?" arises from documents Southern California Edison recently released related to the decision to force ratepayers to pay 70 percent of the nearly $5 billion cost of decommissioning …
May 4, 2015
Weekend dock totals
May 2nd dock totals Chubasco 2 Sportfishing hosted 20 anglers aboard 1 boat and reported a total catch of 1 sculpin, 1 sand bass, 4 rockfish and 36 calico bass, with 80 calico bass released. …
May 4, 2015
Wonder and hope
Early one morning in 1985, my mother woke from a restless sleep with a chill in her bones. “I had this dream, and I couldn’t get warm. I was freezing.” She described it to my …
May 4, 2015
Sunday, May 3
Trendwatch: Water mobs
In a move that has South County authorities baffled and concerned, two Chula Vista water hydrants were broken over the weekend. In both cases, water-loving flash-mobs were reported to have arrived on the scene just …
May 3, 2015
"Hot Rod" DeMink firing on all pistons
Blues guitarist Jerry DeMink has played music professionally for 30 years in front of all types of audiences. Still, he admits being daunted at a recent gig: Playing for the children at an orphanage down …
May 3, 2015
Beach fest band gets some NFL draft love
On Thursday, just after Marcus Mariota became the second pick in the NFL draft, nationally syndicated sports talk radio hosts threw out some fun facts about the Hawaiian-bred quarterback/celebrity. They noted that the 21-year-old quarterback’s …
May 3, 2015
Backpacking in the Santa Rosa Wilderness
My boots grate loudly over the gravel as I shuffle onto my crinkly tarp. After manhandling spare clothing into a fussy Sea to Summit stuff sack, I rustle into my Kelty down sleeping bag. With …
Roosterfish on the chew near Punta Perico
Weekly Fish Report ½ Day - ¾ Day: The ½ day boats are picking away at the rockfish, sculpin, sheephead, lingcod and calico bass, with the occasional yellowtail in the mix. ¾ day runs are …
May 3, 2015
Saturday, May 2
Mystery foam on Lake Murray
On April 24, a small crowd of hikers stopped to observe sudsy, white foam stacked up about a foot high near the two-mile marker on the running trail around Lake Murray. The onlookers were all …
May 2, 2015
If it ain't a craft beer, sue!
Evan Parent in late April went to Superior Court to prove that Blue Moon beer is not a craft beer, as its brewer, MillerCoors, claims. Parent says he used to drink Blue Moon and was …
May 2, 2015
Studio Diner stands out in Kearny Mesa
There’s no question, Studio Diner stands out in east Kearny Mesa. Built to resemble a metal film reel canister topped by a black-and-white-striped director’s clapboard, what the 24-hour diner really looks like is an art …
May 2, 2015
Released for being too short
19 anglers aboard the Chubasco II 1/2 day am run boated 2 rockfish and 156 calico bass. 115 of those calico bass were under 14" and released. The Dolphin am 1/2 day run with 10 …
May 2, 2015
Friday, May 1
No están los mas machos ahora
Brothers Jan Harald Portocarrero and Erik Portocarrero pleaded guilty today (May 1) to operating an internet and telephone sports-gambling ring in the San Diego and Los Angeles areas. It was based in Lima, Peru, and …
May 1, 2015
Salty Samaritanism
If you’ve been following the Lupus Foundation of Southern California’s Beer to the Rescue campaign throughout the year, you’ve probably noticed that a number of the ales produced in support of the cause have incorporated …
May 1, 2015
The Gaslamp cop cam case that won't die
A sole-source body-camera contract scandal rocking New Mexico has taken a new turn, with findings in a state audit that Albuquerque’s former police chief Raymond Schultz and his then-deputy attended a police convention bash at …
May 1, 2015
Eating all you can at Big Bang! Sushi
When I heard a new sushi spot had opened up in Rancho Bernardo, I figured I might check it out, someday, if I happened to be in the neighborhood. Then I heard Big Bang! Sushi …
May 1, 2015
Allied Gardens gets lucky in produce department
Last October 18, Allied Gardens residents celebrated their neighborhood's 60th birthday in the Waring Road parking lot where original shopping-center businesses included Food Basket. The grocery store became a Lucky store and was an Albertsons …
May 1, 2015
Death Cab for Cutie's latest turns up the synth
“How could something so fair be so cruel?” Ben Gibbard asks on the lead single of Death Cab for Cutie's first studio release in nearly four years. With that question, “Black Sun” sets the tone …
May 1, 2015
Greywater drain line proposed for Salton Sea restoration
HOPING ALL THAT DETERGENT WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE SMELL, SALTON SEA — More and more, Imperial County farmers let their fields go fallow so they can sell their increasingly valuable water supplies to municipal …
May 1, 2015
Helmet's thinking-man metal enlightens Belly Up
Entering the Belly Up while Helmet performed their classic album Betty was like walking into a ’90s time warp. Front man Page Hamilton, the only original member of the band, has changed very little in …
May 1, 2015
All that's missing is water
When is a public fountain not a fountain? That’s the dilemma facing the City of Oceanside, as it was prepared to turn on its civic center fountain after a seven-month, $378,000 refurbishing. The city’s water …
May 1, 2015