Early on a foggy morning in the mid 1950s, Jim “Mouse” Robb stopped by the Ocean Beach lifeguard station. The men on duty were his friends. Until the year before, he had worked beside them …
August 17, 2016
News & Stories
Ode to O.B.'s Jim “Mouse” Robb
When Bird calls...
Pianist Joshua White’s year has been a whirlwind of opportunities, which began when he was drafted into a European tour with award-winning saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa last October and concluded last week when he finished his …
August 17, 2016
A week to finish a stack of Du Par's hot cakes
Uh-oh. Last Chinese restaurant in Chinatown just bit the dust. Lucky Liu’s has closed. And before Unlucky Liu’s, Red Pearl came unstrung. Silver lining? Today, where Red Pearl used to be, I discover a brand-new …
August 17, 2016
Campus at center of "I Don't Like Mondays" shooting to move
On August 18, a hearing with the city’s planning commission will decide if a proposed residential block development gets the green light. The project application proposes to build 50 homes where a charter school (Magnolia …
August 17, 2016
As thick as thieves
San Diego’s political merry-go-round of big-money influence-peddling never stops. Ex–Republican assemblyman and onetime mayor of Anaheim Curt Pringle, known as one of Orange County’s most powerful politicos in recent memory, has been making the rounds …
August 17, 2016
Harley's hobby
I told Deadbolt frontman Harley Davidson that the funniest line I’d ever heard uttered by a rocker onstage was at Belly Up. His voodoobilly band was playing to a full house at the Solana Beach …
August 17, 2016
Juicy little conspiracy theory
Junk: The Golden Age of Debt is currently running at the La Jolla Playhouse. The play is set in the financial situation of the mid 1980s. This is the period of Wall Street, Boiler Room, …
August 17, 2016
Let’s talk about Limeade
It’s hot: time to gather the family and taste limeade. We started with the straight stuff. Simply Limeade ($2.99 for 59 oz. at Sprouts) can be found in most grocery stores. “It smells like lime …
August 17, 2016
San Diego taxpayers to be Chargers laughingstock?
While the Chargers spend money to propagandize for their stadium/convention center (convadium) proposal, some opposition groups are pointing out what a smelly deal Dean Spanos is trying to foist on San Diegans. Today (August 17), …
August 17, 2016
The cost of voter approval
How much does it cost a well-heeled San Diego developer to obtain voter approval for controversial North County real estate ventures? In the case of Accretive Investments, would-be builder of 1700-house Lilac Hills Ranch, a …
August 17, 2016
The pines stretch in a vertical declaration: “Light will come”
Cicada Cycle I. The Dream Seventeen years you sleep: unseen, burrowed, buried, deep in a dream of your becoming. Never hurried, exactly on time, resurrected out of your tomb you climb. II. Cicada Fire-eyed cicada: …
August 17, 2016
The surrealist did it
One does not simply accompany their mother to an arts festival in Orange County without reverting to a cynical state of adolescence, while at the same time joining in the postmodern chuckle of it all. …
August 17, 2016
God seen in both gutters and high-rises
Membership: 250 Pastor: Derek DaPena Age: 35 Born: Bellflower Formation: Biola University, La Mirada; Azusa Pacific University Seminary, Azusa Years Ordained: 8 San Diego Reader: How long do you spend writing your sermon? Pastor Derek …
August 17, 2016
Dempsey Holder, now he was a waterman
By 1910, Imperial Beach had its first sidewalks, a general store, post office, library, a dance pavilion, and houses. A pier was constructed to provide electricity utilizing the Edwards Wave Motor. The machine never worked …
August 17, 2016
Cagier than scammers, more savvy than spammers
Dear Hipster:I have one of #lifeslittlemysteries for you. HOW IS SPAM STILL A THING? I know of literally NOBODY who has ever bought sexytime drugs from an email, yet somebody is always keeping my spam …
August 17, 2016
Meteor Shower — this is a play by Steve Martin, after all
Laura suffers from “Exploding Head Syndrome.” A mere soupçon of stress and — ka-bloooey!
August 17, 2016
D Generation is a band for our times
The sound of being pissed off, along with bad hair, leather jackets, black T-shirts, craftily damaged jeans. Rebellious vocals, same timeworn guitar chords, and the old one-and-three ground-pounders coming off the drums. Sound familiar? Not …
August 17, 2016
Planets realigned
Ishmael “Butterfly” Butler, having spent many years with the psychedelic hiphop team Shabazz Palaces, reunited with his earlier band, Digable Planets, for their first tour since 2005. They land at Belly Up on August 20. …
August 17, 2016
The price of making history
Just as in 1542, when Spanish explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo sailed the first European-type vessel up the California coast, the Maritime Museum of San Diego is getting ready to sail its full-scale replica of Cabrillo’s …
August 17, 2016
Larcenous land sharks trawl SeaWorld’s water park
As summer temperatures soar, crowds flock to SeaWorld-owned waterpark Aquatica, which sits in the Otay River Valley in southeast Chula Vista two miles east of Interstate 805. The Australian and Kiwi-themed water park, next door …
August 17, 2016
Walker Preserve segment opens on the San Diego River Trail
This trail adds another segment to the San Diego River Trail, which will eventually stretch 52 miles from the river headwaters in the Cuyamaca Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. The property that makes up the …
August 17, 2016
Welcome to the Pearsphere
New Orleans–based quartet Pears is a modern spin on the punk bands of the late ’80s and early ’90s — groups such as the Victims Family, Nomeansno, and My Name, bands that employed the Minutemen’s …
August 17, 2016
Revolving lobbyist
Ex–San Diego city councilman Tony Young, said to be interested in running for the county board of supervisors seat held by termed-out Ron Roberts, has been pulling in lots of cash as a city hall …
August 17, 2016
Outrage over Gypsyfest
From Plane to Powder In response to “Why Aren’t There Any Plane Parts?”, the answer is because the plane was flown into the Pentagon at over 600 miles per hour. I was in naval aviation …
August 17, 2016
August 11 Sudoku Contenders
Evil Bliss Beedle, Encinitas, 5. Joseph Ciprian, Little Italy, 5. Alford Claibone, San Diego, 5. Patrick Driscoll, Santee, 5. Rafael Gaceta, San Diego, 5. Ralph Levy, La Jolla, 5. Larry Lewis, Poway, 5. Terry Messina, …
August 17, 2016
August 11 Crossword Contenders
Evelyn Bowser, Hillcrest, 5. Dennis Butterworth, San Diego, 5. Joseph Ciprian, Little Italy, 5. Allan Dorfman, Del Mar, 5. Gian Ghio, Chula Vista, 5. Chad Griffith, Poway, 5. (winner!) Sue Janisch, Valley Center, 5. Elaine …
August 17, 2016