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Stories for October 2017

Tuesday, October 31

Taxpayers ante up for Faulconer's political spinners

San Diego Republican mayor Kevin Faulconer, under fire from critics who fault his handling of the city's hepatitis A epidemic, has been on a PR and political hiring spree of late, and the cost to …

October 31, 2017
Breeders Cup horses know what they're doing

With a worldwide audience larger than America’s Triple Crown (the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes), international racehorse breeders show off their finest on November 3 and 4. Over 45,000 fans, owners, and trainers will …

October 31, 2017
Amplified Ale Works turned it up slow 5 years ago

November 2nd marks five years since Amplified Ale Works debuted in Pacific Beach, and the beer company will be celebrating its biggest year yet with a Friday night live-music event at the Lafayette Hotel in …

AIDS memorial plan not so great, say residents

The draft plans for Olive Street Park met resistance Thursday evening (October 26th) as people who live adjacent to the 80´ x 100´ plot of land raised a ruckus over not being included or notified …

October 31, 2017
San Diego surf spots — if it's crowded, it's crowded

Name: Evan Harris Age: 22 From: Del Mar Location: Torrey Pines Evan Harris was heading to the water when I caught up with him on a cloudy day in Torrey Pines. Harris finds himself at …

October 31, 2017
Peñasquitos Boy Scouts dropped by Greyhound at 2:00 a.m.

In 1978, three 14-year-old Rancho Peñasquitos Boy Scouts from Troop 662 planned an outing of a lifetime. On their own, the boys planned a 21-day fishing trip to the Eastern Sierra. They bought supplies, food, …

October 31, 2017
Dad embezzled $275,000 from Disney ship

Renan Dias Da Rocha Gomes, a citizen of Brazil, was arraigned in federal court yesterday (October 30) on a charge of embezzling $275,000 from the Walt Disney Company. He was a host in merchandise stores …

October 31, 2017

Monday, October 30

San Diego in the 1940s

It’s a Gas During the war, Bob recalls, "A-card owners got four gallons of gas a week. We had tires ordered when the business opened, but when the war came, they put them all in …

October 30, 2017
Always use a hot bait

Dock Totals Oct 22 – Oct 28: 3,370 anglers aboard 141 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 123 bluefin tuna, 2,945 yellowfin tuna, 595 skipjack tuna, 368 dorado, 3,271 yellowtail, 1 …

October 30, 2017

Sunday, October 29

The Canadian Rockies: Banff, Jasper, and Yoho National Parks

“Keep close to nature’s heart….and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” ~ John Muir The stretch of Canadian Rockies encompassing …

Citizens seek concert-traffic relief

Caroline Serrano is a 43-year-old housewife from the Vista Pacifica community of south San Diego, near the Otay Mesa border crossing and nearer to the Mattress Firm Amphitheatre. On Wednesday (October 25) she was concerned …

October 29, 2017
Mean temperature on its way to 55 degrees

Acorn Dropping reaches a crescendo early this month in the Cuyamaca, Laguna, and Palomar mountains. Wiry scrub oaks, massive canyon live oaks, and the golden-leaved black oaks all contribute to the growing collection of acorns …

October 29, 2017
Make room for shrooms

British pubs are so boring, but a pub themed after one of its former colonies? That’s clever! That’s the conceit behind Dunedin, a New Zealand-themed pub in North Park that just celebrated its first anniversary. …

Two persons rescued at Blacks Beach cliff, stingray barb imbedded, speeding at Hilton, stuck kayakers at Devil's Slides, human-like sea lion

Oct 1 07:55 - Swimming: 54-year-old male pulled from the water at Bahia Point, Mission Bay Triathlon event. Special events lifeguard on scene, CPR in progress, automated external defibrillator deployed. 1 shock given. Medical, emergency …

Saturday, October 28

Tijuana nursing-home fire kills six

Six residents of a Tijuana nursing home died Friday, October 27, and two others were injured when a fire swept through the crowded facility in Colonia Flores Magón, according to multiple press accounts. The victims …

October 28, 2017
Old bike-sharing company, new plan

DecoBike is looking at a dozen places for stands in North Park, Uptown, downtown, and Golden Hill after getting kicked out of the beach areas by the California Coastal Commission, city engineer Brian Genovese said …

So, you think your life is hard

Shipyard blues "With all the stuff you say these guys have to endure at NASSCO, anyone would believe the place is hell. But I don't understand what all these queers thought they were getting into. …

October 28, 2017
Farrah Fawcett, Tom Selleck hang on the walls

My husband Ralph and I were on our way to the airport and had time to kill so we headed to the Gaslamp. We found a parking spot but didn’t know where we wanted to …

Friday, October 27

Unique San Diego Beer Week events

San Diego Beer Week is designed to promote local breweries, plus the restaurants and bars that sell their beer. However, with hundreds of events scheduled between November 3rd and November 12th, it's gotten tough for …

October 27, 2017
Nicola Benedetti at San Diego Symphony

In the past few years the San Diego Symphony has welcomed quite a few of the rising generation of violin soloists. We’ve seen Augustin Hadelich, Sarah Chang, Ray Chen, and Karen Gomyo. This weekend Nicola …

October 27, 2017
Bicyclists vs. Civita residents re road

Circulate San Diego, a local nonprofit whose mission is to remove people from cars and increase pedestrian and transit-oriented travel, is lobbying city officials to build a controversial freeway connector through the master-planned community of …

Death, stabby and otherwise

Guns are fun, but when directors really want to paint the screen red, they go for the stabbing, slicing, slashing goodness of blades. And this week sees the opening of 78/52, a documentary about maybe …

October 27, 2017
Dump the “they were all racists” pabulum

Smoke on the Mountain is set in a Baptist Church in North Carolina circa 1938. Let’s get the low-hanging, low-brow, low-intellect, judgmental BS out of the way so that we can have a grown-up conversation …

October 27, 2017
First smile in a month

At the end of my summer vacation I fell and broke my dominant wrist in 12 places, so finding food to eat gracefully with my left hand hasn’t been easy. One afternoon on the way …

Tiny homes for the homeless and your backyard

Alternately referred to under terms such as "companion units," "accessory dwellings,” or, more colloquially, "granny flats" (Coronado prefers the unique term "carriage houses"), the practice of adding a second residence to a single-family lot has …

October 27, 2017

Thursday, October 26

Get the gut: San Diego Beer Week this week

The 2017 edition of San Diego Beer Week runs from November 3rd until November 12th. Hundreds of beer events will take place all over the county at breweries, bars, and restaurants during that time, including …

October 26, 2017
Not only about the clean cars in Clairemont

A Bay Park resident stated his opposition to unpermitted business signs at Victor's Tire Shop and Car Wash (3030 Clairemont Drive) on Nextdoor in late June. He asked others to complain to the city. A …

October 26, 2017
Case of teens swabbed for DNA at impasse

The city and attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union have walked away from a settlement in the case over San Diego police officers collecting DNA from minors without parental notification. In July of this …

October 26, 2017
North Park syringe swap site won't change soon

Paul Tibbets and his neighbors want the Safe Point San Diego-Syringe Exchange Program recreational vehicle to move somewhere else. For the past 14 years, an RV has been parking across the street from the North …

October 26, 2017
Where's Cuba? The beverage company. Where?

On March 27 of this year, an alleged San Diego enterprise, Cuba Beverage Company, announced that it was launching its "new all-natural alkaline spring water." Said the company's chief executive, Alex Procopio, "With the launch …

October 26, 2017
Can sushi go populist?

Should sushi have populist appeal? It's a question worth asking. On the one hand, a talented sushi chef can turn a meal into an transcendent eating experience. On the other, why should the enjoyment of …

Cops called over tenants' uprising

Tenants at a large Linda Vista apartment complex who last month threatened a rent strike are following through on their intentions. What that will eventually mean is still unclear. According to Rafael Bautista of San …

October 26, 2017

Wednesday, October 25

Guitarman dealt a hand that will be played

Paul Hartley is a Point Loma real estate broker with a power boat moored at Shelter Island. “My grandfather taught me to sail before I was five,” he says. He’s also known as the singer/guitarist …

October 25, 2017
Animals do amazing things; people take selfies

Dear Hipster: Why can only animals do amazing things, like catch salmon out of the water with their bear hands, fly, run 40 miles per hour on short little legs, smell the ghost of a …

October 25, 2017
Political fútbol

The election isn’t until next year, but the group of La Jolla hedge-fund mavens seeking to privatize the former Qualcomm Stadium and its grounds have already anted-up $3.4 million for a not-so-motley assortment of local …

October 25, 2017
Middle-aged cops were alleged targets of rage

Oceanside police officer Brad Hunter was struck down as he stood next to a car he had pulled over for a traffic stop on Foussat Road on July 19, 2017. A jury was seated on …

October 25, 2017
Really want pork

Huh. Row of guys’ butts bulging out onto the sidewalk, right where Fir crosses Kettner. This has to be the first place I’ve seen where people actually sit up to a bar on the street, …

October 25, 2017
Low-budget Beatles tribute keeps it real

For the 40th anniversary of the pioneering San Diego punk band the Zeros, cofounder Hector Penalosa has planned...not much. “There doesn’t seem to be a big brouhaha about it,” the singer/bassist says. “No one is …

October 25, 2017
Psycho Heresy

The death of a beautiful woman

October 25, 2017
No San Diego jobs here

“Tronc is hiring!” says a hopeful announcement regarding the oddly named newspaper chain newly posted on the website of builtinchicago.com. But ink-stained wretches, otherwise known as reporters, are not among those in high demand at …

October 25, 2017
Band name and credo rolled into one

Different, yes, but not so much so as to strand a listener in that “I want to like this band, but...” purgatory. The World Is a Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid to …

October 25, 2017
Bankers Hill studded with local history

To the north above downtown and east above the airport rises Bankers Hill. Literally “uptown,” Bankers Hill is characterized by historic homes and modern development. Landscaping and non-native plants are found in the canyons that …

October 25, 2017
Every Jeep is a god

In the Sea of Dolphins, I Am a Manta Ray Dive into the sun to find opened eyes An empty sky, full of ghosts Smile because trees become bare Carcasses on snowy streets A monkey …

October 25, 2017
Screw live music. TV’s where it’s at.

Mother’s Saloon, one of a handful of venues in Ocean Beach that hosts live music, recently canceled all their upcoming shows. The venue had primarily been having live bands on the weekends, but the bar …

October 25, 2017
Characters crave spotlight but throw away lines

Mark Twain wrote: “The two most important days of your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why.” Matthew Lopez’s Legend of Georgia McBride is a stencil-thin, though often …

October 25, 2017
The new crowd of San Diego breweries

It’s gotten tough to keep up with San Diego beer. This is the year the number of breweries in our crowded beer landscape topped 150. But here’s the crazy part — that number has doubled …

A view of Mexico from the bathtub

It was the last undeveloped ocean view lot on La Mesa’s Panorama Drive, and the view was what made artist/designer Mel Taylor bite. The 7000+ square-foot home he nestled against the steep slope features decks …

The world of the tabletop gamer is too intense

Dear Hipster: I guess this is a sort of follow-up to your recent commentary on board-gaming, but I want to know where classic tabletop gaming fits into the mix. I’ve been a Warhammer 40K player …

October 25, 2017
Qualcomm wants to be loved

“Qualcomm: why you love your smartphone,” proclaims the company’s regional ad campaign, the one you may have seen on billboards, at bus stops, or on electric taxi carts around town. Curious: ­an ad campaign that …

October 25, 2017
Harley Magsino ladles it up from a melting pot

"My music is a fusion of styles, really,” says multi-instrumentalist Harley Magsino. “With Moth & Sons, it’s a style drawn from trip-hop, drum ’n’ bass, ’90s R&B, grunge, and jazz concepts and principles. I’m also …

October 25, 2017
Kratomystic enhancers sold from Mission Gorge mailbox

Feeling feebleminded? Take a smart pill. For more than 60 years, I thought smart pills were a joke, as in, “Darn! I forgot to take my smart pills today.” Only lately did I realize there …

October 25, 2017
Left six-figure income and pushing paper around

Membership: 110 Pastor: Greg Stenzel Age: 58 Born: San Francisco Bay Area Formation: American Lutheran Theological Seminary, Minneapolis, MN (now at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN) Years Ordained: 14 San Diego Reader: What’s your …

October 25, 2017
Brazilian rhapsody in Solana Beach

Born in New York City but raised in Mexico and Brazil, Bebel Gilberto springs from a musical family — her father the bossa nova pioneer João Gilberto, her mother the singer Miúcha — and she’s …

October 25, 2017
Juan Vargas’s military eviction lobby

San Diego’s poster boy for shadowy members of Congress, Republican Duncan Hunter, continues to rack up big legal fees paid for by his campaign committee. Meanwhile, the fundraising and spending practices of local Democrats have …

October 25, 2017
“Look, business is business”

Kick Your Homeless Neighbor? Re: “Hillcrest parking structure 10 years overdue,” Neighborhood News. Thank you to Julie Stalmer for getting this info to us. As a former candidate for District 3 SD City Council nearly …

October 25, 2017

Tuesday, October 24

Proposed AIDS memorial for Olive Street

The announcement on September 9th that the San Diego AIDS Memorial Task Force had selected a site — 20 years after the first such task force got underway — isn’t sitting well with some community …

October 24, 2017
No ups or downs with Chinese tapas

As I've driven through Shelter Island in the past six months or so, I keep noticing the sign for Shanghai Bun, a new Chinese food place on Rosecrans. It's not the restaurant's name that catches …

Lake Jennings spookiness just before it closes

If you see an eerie reddish tint to the water at Lake Jennings on Halloween, it’s not spooks and goblins at work; it is a result of the lake’s hydraulic mixing action being tested by …

October 24, 2017
To the tomb of Juan Soldado

“Tell her that her grandmother, on her mother’s side, was a powerful witch,” said Amy Venezia, pointing toward Erika the veteran bartender at Nelson. “Let her know that she wasn’t a bad witch, she was …

October 24, 2017

Monday, October 23

Kensington Brewing fills up fast

Five years after it quietly launched in Grantville, Kensington Brewing Company has a tasting-room presence in the neighborhood it's named for. In October, the nanobrewery began serving beer within the former site of Kensington Video, …

October 23, 2017
Acid attack in O.B.?

Michael said he was at the intersection of Cape May Avenue and Bacon Street in Ocean Beach on Friday afternoon (October 20th), when a woman followed him in her van, pulled out a water gun, …

October 23, 2017
U-T subletting newsroom space

When the San Diego Union-Tribune announced in November 2015 that it would vacate its 43-year-old Mission Valley headquarters in favor of a $40 million, 15-year lease of four floors in a downtown high-rise, the paper …

Too crowded in LA? Try the other Los Angeles.

Dock Totals Oct 15 – Oct 21: 3,121 anglers aboard 136 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 289 bluefin tuna, 3,970 yellowfin tuna, 843 skipjack tuna, 103 dorado, 967 yellowtail, 1 …

October 23, 2017
Yellowing sycamores and willows, low fog

Leaves are beginning to turn in coastal San Diego County’s riparian woodland and oak woodland habitats. In response to a relatively dry spring and summer, the summer-green crowns of willows and sycamores are already fading …

October 23, 2017
Likes walking the nose

Name: Shane Age: 23 From: San Diego Location: Ocean Beach Shane and her buddy just got done surfing when the sun was setting at approximately 7:30 p.m. The 23-year-old San Diego native was trying to …

October 23, 2017
Animal secrets: dog tail-wagging, sick flies, fish eyelids, cat whiskers, and the loss of songbirds

The indestructability of cats' whiskers When he’s prowling around in dark places, his whiskers help him determine whether a space is wide enough to crawl through. They’re like curb feelers on Dad’s Olds, but sensitive …

Sunday, October 22

Escondido library to be run by Maryland company

On October 18th, dozens of Escondido residents rallied one last time to keep their public library from being outsourced to an East Coast company. The library belongs to the community, they told the city council; …

October 22, 2017
What brings you to Kosovo?

1/18 UPDATE: see this link on travel safety if visiting Kosovo. Travel to the north of the country is currently not advised, other areas are relatively safe. "What brings you to Kosovo?" In most countries, …

October 22, 2017
Southern neighbors — daily life in Tijuana

The whole area was the city dump They chose St. Martin as their patron saint, the señora explains, because he was a friend of to the poor — because he was black and they too …

October 22, 2017

Saturday, October 21

Wild Barrel's hardline beer standard

A new brewery opened along highway 78 through San Marcos this month. However, Wild Barrel Brewing already has the feel of an established beer company. Part of that is due to the top-to-bottom quality of …

October 21, 2017
Coronado High water-polo coach to stay dry

San Diego Superior Court judge Eddie Sturgeon on October 20 denied a legal request from former Coronado High School water-polo coach Randy Burgess to return to his job as a teacher. Sturgeon ruled that the …

October 21, 2017

Friday, October 20

James Gang to land back on Newport

The James Gang, currently located on Bacon Street (at Santa Monica) in Ocean Beach, is moving back to its original stomping grounds — Newport Avenue. “James Gang started above the mini-mart over there [on Newport],” …

October 20, 2017
Pirates of Penzance skewers Victorian Culture

What of The Pirates of Penzance at San Diego Opera? The production is good and includes some excellent singing. My YouTube search for Pirates clips to include with this article brought home to me just …

October 20, 2017
Kid stuff

It’s tough being a kid, especially when Mom is an unemployed stripper. Or a suicidal lover. Or something of a child herself. And then there’s Dad — you know, the distant guy who pushes you …

October 20, 2017
Jobs-dropping September in San Diego County

The unemployment rate in San Diego County in September was 4.1 percent, down from a revised 4.7 percent in August and down from 4.6 percent a year ago, according to the California Employment Development Department. …

October 20, 2017
Short-term vacation rental explosion

Locals in Mission Beach and Pacific Beach who say their neighborhoods are increasingly jammed full of unregulated mini-hotels are right, according to the city treasurer’s annual count of short-term rentals. But other neighborhoods — downtown …

Stuffed avocados and on-site childcare

I didn’t notice until I was paying for my order. On the credit card receipt, between the lines to add the tip and total the amount, there was a third line for a childcare tip. …

Stolen sailboat found, bilge fire, and a shot television

Oct 13 Harbor Patrol impounded a small vessel that was adrift near buoy #19. The owner of the dinghy overheard USCG broadcasting the hazard on VHF channel 16. He then met Harbor Patrol at the …

Read before rolling into Baja

When the Baja 1000 races roll around next month (November 14–18), some Americans crossing into Mexico might be in for a big surprise. Recently, travelers crossing through the San Ysidro, Otay, Tecate, and Mexicali borders …

Thursday, October 19

She rode away from stage 3 breast cancer

Cancer wasn't about to slow Sandy Hanshaw's roll. In 2013, Hanshaw was a fairly new restaurateur, having opened The Wine Pub in Point Loma a couple of years prior. Already consumed with the long hours …

Case of the new-moon shooter

The criminal case against Diana Lovejoy, 44, and Weldon McDavid, 50, in which she is accused of hiring him to shoot her estranged husband, made another step forward late yesterday afternoon (Wednesday, October 18). Judge …

Parking lot crack mart in Lincoln Park

As I pull into my neighborhood market near the corner of Euclid and Imperial, I’m flagged down by a homeless gentleman who asks if I have money to spare. I reply, “Fresh out,” hopefully discouraging …

Manchester’s Navy Broadway complex: hurry up and wait

Ex–Union-Tribune owner and Republican kingpin Doug Manchester, still awaiting confirmation as ambassador to the Bahamas, also continues his quest for $650 million to finance his long-stalled Navy Broadway complex in downtown San Diego. An October …

October 19, 2017
Food-insecure in Escondido

Mike Dolbow has grand plans to bring meals to the food-insecure, including not just the residents of his trailer park in rural Escondido but throughout the state. But first, he needs a truck. I meet …

October 19, 2017
Tackled in the stands at Qualcomm

A football tackle can be a thrilling thing to see, but not in the stands when the police are tackling a fan, says a suit filed in federal court October 16. Jason Walker is suing …

October 19, 2017

Wednesday, October 18

Behind the fire at Mission Hills' ultimate Halloween house

Over the course of 25 years of handwritten correspondence with my pen pal Persephone, none had ever been returned. Imagine my confusion when my last letter reappeared a couple of weeks later, unopened and defaced …

October 18, 2017
Escaped moves by King Charles by fleeing to Paris

This is the principal service of God, there being nothing on earth which represents more perfectly the state of the blessed in Heaven, than to praise him with fervor and cheerfulness. For it is written: …

Jason Lee in orchestral ecstasy

“When Metallica [played with an orchestra], it blew me away,” says Jason Lee, a veteran rocker who has fronted the surf-guitar-inspired Riptides for 13 years. Lee took the orchestral plunge with his other band called …

October 18, 2017
Vampire tacos and more at Border X Brewing

Erk! Suddenly strikes me: Halloween’s around the corner. And seeing I’m here in Barrio Logan, my mind starts gravitating to vampire tacos. Tacos vampiros. Always wanted to try one. Never had one. Only problem: the …

October 18, 2017
San Diego Arab Film Festival: this week and next

For the past six years, the San Diego Arab Film Festival has piggybacked off its sister fest in San Francisco. The same can’t be said of festival seven. Not only will they be flying solo, …

October 18, 2017
Digital is ephemeral, print is permanent

“The ’80s was a nadir: hair metal, New Romantic synth-pop, Foreigner, Hall & Oates, Men at Work — it was horrible,” says Mike Stax about the inspiration behind launching his ’60s music mag Ugly Things …

October 18, 2017
Bay Area influences

As Republicans’ grip on San Diego’s city council loosens, big labor has filled the void by getting into the city-hall advocacy game in a big way. The latest player to file as a labor lobbyist …

October 18, 2017
Glitzy nostalgia porn

Dear Hipster: So, we have Marvel movies and DC movies, both killing it at the box office these days. November will see Justice League and Ragnarok in cinemas at the same time. What I, and …

October 18, 2017
Sneak glimpse of Devil's Jumpoff

Just east of Ramona in a section of the Cleveland National Forest, one can hike high above the San Diego River Watershed along an old fire road to a dramatic viewpoint overlooking Dye Canyon, where …

October 18, 2017
Halloween, for the kids and not-so-kids

“Halloween on a Tuesday,” griped my friend Sarah. “That’s a long way from the weekend.” “Call it pre-gaming,” offered friend Kathy. “We’ll do a party at my house with all the kids on the actual …

October 18, 2017
Vandals on the straight and narrow

Orange County proto-punkers the Vandals haven’t had a new member since 1989. Joe Escalante joined shortly after the band formed in 1980. “If you told me back then I’d still be playing in my 50s …

October 18, 2017
From minx to hellcat

“My soul is humbled when I see the way little ones accept their lot,” says Mrs. Cooper at the end of Night of the Hunter. “Lord save little children. The wind blows and the rains …

October 18, 2017
Hank Sax's ode to a crusty Devil Dog

“My new digital single ‘Have One More for Chesty’ is dedicated to Chesty Puller, the most highly decorated Marine in history,” says singer-songwriter Hank Sax of his upcoming release. “Modern-day Marines use the phrase ‘Have …

October 18, 2017
Salt Bae, the Eclipse, IT, Cuphead, the Mooch — look for them Halloween

Dear Hipster: What are your top selections for Halloween costumes this year? — Sandy It’s once again time to celebrate that greatest of all hipster traditions: elaborate, ironic, pop culturally relevant Halloween costumes! Salt Bae …

October 18, 2017
Bat Boy lands in OB

Imagine Dracula meets Beauty and the Beast meets Frankenstein meets Footloose, and then add some music which has something of a Rocky Horror Picture Show vibe (but isn’t near the quality) and you’ve got Bat …

October 18, 2017
Mastodon helps let out the scream

I used to think the Black Crowes were a loud band until I experienced Mastodon. The back story: I’d been granted a working-category stage pass back when San Diego still hosted Street Scene weekend concerts. …

October 18, 2017
My comb triumphantly accumulates more of my hair

Lil’ Blues For several days my heart has shared much in common with a barbershop, the shuttered drugstore, and empty parking lot. 5:30 p.m. Dirty plates, yellow napkins, cigarettes, mother-of-pearl ashtrays, a once-bitten fruit, the …

October 18, 2017
Wilmark – a few steps from being mobsters

In May 2015, Bernard Vinluan’s job at Willmark Communities became more secret agent than apartment leasing agent. Vinluan waited for the employees to clock out of the office before he made his move. He snuck …

October 18, 2017
DROP-out chief hits Las Vegas

As she counts down the days until her lucrative retirement on the city’s notorious Deferred Retirement Option Plan, widely known as DROP, San Diego chief of police Shelley Zimmerman has increasingly taken to the road, …

October 18, 2017

Tuesday, October 17

City code harshing on Surf Check's mellow?

Since opening the Surf Check coffee shop last year, Richard Aguirre says he has been embroiled in a permitting process that is unfairly targeting his business. The Surf Check, a blue-and-white camper trailer located on …

Army and Navy Academy sex-abuse case cavalcade

Two former cadets at the Army and Navy Academy have filed lawsuits against the Carlsbad military academy over sexual assaults they suffered by former administrators. According to its website, the academy has operated for 100 …

October 17, 2017
Greetings from Oceanside, says the beer

In July, the San Diego Tourism Authority commissioned an official destination beer, dubbed 72 and Hoppy, from Point Loma's Bay City Brewing Co.; this month, North County counterpart Visit Oceanside followed suit. The tourism marketing …

October 17, 2017
Watch and hear dolphins talk to each other

“The thrill of the chase.” That might be what a dolphin is expressing as she swims swiftly in the slipstream of her male companion, as imagined by Lisa Korpos, artist behind Speculative Dolphin Theater at …

October 17, 2017
Sempra's homeless cash shuffle

San Diego's Sempra Energy has long been a cash cow for Republican mayor Kevin Faulconer's One San Diego nonprofit, which pays for his annual Thanksgiving turkey handouts in poorer parts of town. Lately, though, the …

October 17, 2017
Mass grooming in National City

“I do think the elderly [people here] are in need,” said Brooke Ortiz. “There were people that lived [at Southern Highland] that said this was the best day they have ever had.” Ortiz is a …

October 17, 2017
Too scared to cook in Baja?

International chefs invited to the seventh annual Baja Culinary Fest, scheduled October 19-22, have opted to stay out of Baja California over fear for their lives, according to El Sol de Tijuana. Chef Javier Plascencia …

October 17, 2017
And for the fried chicken-waffle slider — syrup, of course

They say White Castle invented the slider back in 1921, selling each tiny burger patty on each tiny bun with grilled onions and pickle slice for a nickel. These days, sliders are usually sold three …

More lobster advice for locals

The local lobster pursuit is in full swing. Just prior to the September 30 opener, over 100 recreational anglers attended a pre-season seminar given by lobster hoop trap expert, Jimmie Salazar. Salazar said the bugs …

October 17, 2017

Monday, October 16

Dr. Lizerbram heading prestigious Jewish fund

Dr. Sol Lizerbram this fall takes over as president of the Jewish National Fund — the first person west of the Mississippi River to attain that post. The fund raises money to help Israel. He …

October 16, 2017
Devil in details of Carlsbad divorce case

A divorce between a Carlsbad couple that began in 2014 was interrupted by gunfire more than two years later. Diana Jean Lovejoy, 44, is set to go on trial tomorrow (October 17). She has pleaded …

October 16, 2017
Extreme Sailing Series Act 7 — spectators will get good look

In 2013 Team USA’s Oracle, a hydrofoil fitted catamaran flew around San Francisco Bay and won the America’s Cup. By 2016, the Extreme 40, a sleek carbon fiber conventional catamaran, was replaced by the hydrofoil-equipped …

Bonito bite excellent — good bait for lobster hoop-netters

Dock Totals Oct 8 – Oct 14: 3,793 anglers aboard 165 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 139 bluefin tuna, 4,815 yellowfin tuna, 1,331 skipjack tuna, 469 dorado, 2,164 yellowtail, 1 …

October 16, 2017
Justice for Jacob protest draws cops

On Friday, October the 13th, around five in the evening, a group of about 30 protesters gathered in front of the National City Police Department headquarters on National City Boulevard holding banners and signs reading …

October 16, 2017
All you need to know about celebrities

Robert White owns Rose Kennedy bathing suit but not JFK assassination suit The man driving the 1961 custom X-100 Lincoln Continental convertible was William Greer. According to a 1983 Associated Press interview, Greer joined the …

Sunday, October 15

Golden Rule crashes Fleet Week, peacefully

On Saturday (October 14), Fleet Week was in full swing at San Diego Bay. Crowds lined the waterfront from Tuna Harbor north along the Embarcadero to watch Navy and Coast Guard vessels and helicopters performing …

October 15, 2017
Cheers for badger den near Julian

As I glance in the passenger-side rearview mirror, a dusty plume billows behind us, brightly lit by the low morning sun. Next to me in the driver’s seat, Shannon Quigley-Raymond guides her car along winding …

Saturday, October 14

Southern neighbors — Tijuana, the dark side of the law

Coyote — king of the smugglers You can catch a bus on Beyer Street or the trolley at the Iris Street station, avoiding the “Migra” around the congested central San Ysidro area. Stay out of …

October 14, 2017
Friday the 13th run on tats

Tattoo shops across San Diego (and nationally) had lines outside their doors on Friday the 13th, the “Black Friday” for tattoo collectors because certain parlors discount their “flash” designs for $13. “We had about 200, …

Cuyamaca's poplars, Palomar's oaks, docile tarantulas

Autumn Color in San Diego County’s mountains reaches its greatest intensity in late October and early November. The forested heights of Palomar Mountain are especially colorful right now. Black oaks on Palomar’s rolling uplands will …

October 14, 2017

Friday, October 13

Movie multiplicity

Suffering Sappho! There certainly are a lot of new movie releases this week! (Yes, that’s Wonder Woman’s catchphrase, chosen in honor of the Wonder Woman origin story biopic Professor Marston & the Wonder Women.) And …

October 13, 2017
Mission Beach's last big chunk

Mission Beach will see the former Mission Beach Elementary School site developed into 59 homes with the California Coastal Commission’s unanimous approval on Thursday (October 12th). The commission was the last stop in the project’s …

October 13, 2017
Pirates sail into San Diego Opera

The last time Greer Grimsley was in a production at San Diego Opera I was accused, in so many words, of having an unhealthy man-crush on the steely voiced bass-baritone. I don’t deny it. Although …

October 13, 2017
Could Stephan surrender Cate investigation?

In San Diego's intimately intertwined netherworld of influence-peddlers, public-relations purveyors, and political consultants, critics say, the cause of ethics and the law rarely stands a chance. That's why the eyes of insiders are riveted on …

October 13, 2017
So, Monster won't be coming for Starship Snacks?

Two San Diegans, Lisa Bershan and Barry B. Schwartz, have been charged with a stock fraud that can only be called outrageous. On Wednesday (October 11) in federal court in the Southern District of New …

October 13, 2017
Wedding for 619 and 858 area codes imminent

On October 9, Tom Davis from Kensington received a letter from AT&T. It read: “Boundary Area Code Elimination Overlay Approved for the 619 and 858 Area Codes,” followed by an explanation and new procedures for …

October 13, 2017

Thursday, October 12

Capital of Craft IPA, aka San Diego Super Ale

The San Diego Brewers Guild turns 20 this year and has organized a massive collaboration beer to commemorate the milestone. Dubbed the Capital of Craft IPA, the beer was brewed with input from many of …

Who made it first to Mission Bay drowning scene?

A new twist in the March drowning death of a two-year-old in Mission Bay: the 911 system record of the calls were requested by San Diego attorney Cory Briggs, according to the city’s NextRequest document …

October 12, 2017
Jehovah's Witnesses look in other direction

Attorneys for the Jehovah's Witness church appeared before a state appellate court yesterday (October 11) in hopes of overturning the $4000 daily sanctions that a trial court ordered them to pay for refusing to turn …

October 12, 2017
Calm down: South Bay IMAX won't be demo'ed

JR has been working at the AMC theater on Dennery Road for almost six years. On Monday (October 9) he dispelled the rumor that the IMAX section of the AMC Classic Palm Promenade 24 theater …

Hillcrest parking structure 10 years overdue

A parking garage that hasn't gotten past the vision stage since first being proposed two decades ago is being resurrected by the Uptown Gateway Council. This group of Hillcrest commercial property owners is giving the …

October 12, 2017
Slip and fall, suicide attempt, boat collision, motorhome fire, distressed whale

Sept 24 09:33 - Enforcement: Transient male acting erratic at Tourmaline parking lot. Lifeguard and SDPD respond. Suspect questioned and released by SDPD. 10:56 - Boating: Vessel taking on water 1 mile off of Mission …

A concrete border-sewage-collection basin plan

With the governor’s signature late Monday (October 9th), $2.1 million in state funding is on its way to the Tijuana River Valley — some of it earmarked to deal with the sewage, trash, and sediment …

Burger version of a dribble glass

This year's burger issue prompted the usual round of complaints that Rocky's Crown Pub wasn't mentioned. Or Hodad's. I'm sure there are people who'd go to bat for Slater's 50/50. I get it. But in …

Wednesday, October 11

The fateful drive from Vegas to San Diego

Nosey and Antonia were boyfriend and girlfriend not so long ago — they met on Valentine’s Day in 2016. It was a good time in his life then, when they were together, Nosey had a …

October 11, 2017
Siri, are you there?

Water I The womb Is made up of equal parts Water and stars. There is no way to distill this brew Further down in its essence. You wait until you cannot stand anymore The pressure …

October 11, 2017
Crime on campus

Rape was on the rise at UCSD during 2016, with ten cases reported, versus eight the year before, according to the school’s latest Clery Report, required by federal law to be filed annually. Arson reports …

October 11, 2017
Falling Doves hold formation after Mexico quake

“Our show at Mexico City’s Imperial House will either be postponed or we may turn it into a benefit,” says Christopher Leyva of Falling Doves, who was about to launch a world tour that included …

October 11, 2017
Consider the lowbrow Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key

That thundering synthesized flop you hear is Blade Runner 2049 coming in well below industry expectations; guess you people don’t have much use for highbrow, three-hour sci-fi epics that are long on scenery and short …

October 11, 2017
Mineral-driven tequila first, then ginger beer

Green Acre’s director of food and beverage Chris Simmons serves his Mexican Mule the same way as the Moscow Mule — in copper cups. While his variation on the vodka-cum-ginger-cum-lime original is served as cold …

October 11, 2017
Two words for rehearsal-space rockers: renter's insurance

The storefront for Global Tile & Marble, a Kearny Mesa tile-and-marble contractor specializing in home renovations, had a major fire on February 13. The structure suffered extensive damage and, afterward, was basically “just a black …

October 11, 2017
Momentary meatball regret at Hungry Lu’s

"I’m a vegan and I live on Bacon.” “Ocean Beach is a sunny place for shady people.” Kip Krueger’s signs are everywhere. He paints them on blocks of wood. He has plenty more. “Dissent is …

October 11, 2017
Neither sonnets nor haiku

Dear Hipster, Do you agree with my belief that haiku ought to be the poem of choice in the hipster community? They are simple yet crafty, and the principle of kireji — a sort of …

October 11, 2017
Public relations hiring binge

San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer, besieged by critics who blame him for mishandling the city’s epidemic of hepatitis among the homeless, has gone on a public relations hiring binge. Last month he snapped up ex-SDSU …

October 11, 2017
Virtual Strangers see bluer grass in Nashville

Mike Tatar has been proudly playing bluegrass for 40 years, in spite of the hayseed prejudice. “I know a lot of [venue owners] who say, ‘I love your music in general,’” he says. “But they …

October 11, 2017
Yes, German satire!

Think high tide, not slack water when the German Currents Film Festival returns to the Museum of Photographic Arts on October 14-15, bringing with it five films to celebrate its seventh year. Saturday evening’s opening …

Did the Glen Street killing start at El Cajon Oktoberfest?

I moved from Normal Heights to La Mesa in 1999, mostly because I wanted a yard for my kids. But also because an old woman was attacked across the street from my house on East …

October 11, 2017
Walk along Rattlesnake Creek shade trees

Poway has 55 miles of trails and other options that are not designated as trails but still are enjoyable to walk or jog. The walk described here ends either through or close to Old Poway …

October 11, 2017
Found church while USIU grad student

Point Loma's First Church of the Nazarene bloomed from a tent revival.

October 11, 2017
Despite Monty Python's best efforts, Billy Elliot exists

One would think that by the year 2000 the whole Northern England coal mining family with a son who “just wants to sing [or dance]” trope would have played itself out. Especially after repeatedly being …

October 11, 2017
African-American experience starts off with the Odyssey

Suzan-Lori Parks loathes safe theater. The “insidious, schmaltz-laden mode of expression threatens to cover us all, like Vesuvius, in our sleep.” She writes “don’t be afraid to show your ass” plays to “defend dramatic literature …

October 11, 2017
Warpath follows ancestors, inspired by Pantera

If you’ve ever hiked in the woods near Julian, you’ve seen those holes in hillside boulders where the native Americans used to grind acorns for food. Dean Osuna, drummer of hard rockin’ Warpath, explains what …

October 11, 2017
Navy nerd money built this La Jolla mansion

This newly constructed home at 6045 La Jolla Scenic Drive South, listing materials boast, is a “spectacular Santa Barbara Coastal Classic custom estate” featuring “unparalleled quality and design” sited on nearly an acre backing open …

October 11, 2017
DJ Ferny prefers to go manual

Green light glows off the stippled white exterior of Priveé Lounge Bar, perched above the Plaza San Angel on Tijuana’s Avenida Sonora. (Just off Boulevard Agua Caliente before the Club Campestre.) Inside is white as …

October 11, 2017
I have never met a real life Dave Matthews fan

Dear Hipster: Who would win in a fight, Rick Sanchez or Scrooge McDuck? — Allen Some questions just can’t be answered, Allen. You might as well ask: Why is Germany the only country where the …

October 11, 2017
Repurposeful Rising Appalachia

“I heard the sound of a thunder, it roared out a warnin’/ Heard the roar of a wave that could drown the whole world.” Not surprised to hear Bob Dylan early in the soundtrack of …

October 11, 2017
Don’t expect Florida and Caribbean tourists to flock west

Can San Diego and other West Coast metro areas make money because of the hurricane-prone eastern U.S. and the Caribbean? Florida and Caribbean islands are tourist havens. Now some of those areas lie in ruins …

October 11, 2017
Brizzolara, from the best to the last

John Brizzolara wrote for the Reader from 1989 to 2013, including a weekly column, TGIF. John died in his sleep at Father Joe’s Villages on October 11, 2016. He was 65. A Fear of Cold …

October 11, 2017
Transactional ethics

In recent years, University of California auditors have unearthed a range of shortcomings, including questionable expenses by wealthy UCSD professors. “Travel and entertainment reimbursements were not always submitted in a timely manner, and some travel …

October 11, 2017
A reader defines real love

That’s real love, right? Re: “South Bay residents still leery,” Neighborhood News. I just wanted to give a voice to people who see that projects like this, “for recovering addicts who would otherwise be in …

October 11, 2017

Tuesday, October 10

Star bartender stops to talk flair, etc.

”The bar will always have its place in society — it's that comfortable spot between work and home. Million-dollar deals aren't made over a cup at Starbucks, they happen in bars.” — Star "Flair bartending," …

October 10, 2017
Panhandlers pushed back in El Cajon

The City of El Cajon has begun installing street signs discouraging local motorists from giving money to panhandlers. Announced Monday (October 9), the "Real change, not spare change" campaign "encourages the public to contribute in …

October 10, 2017
Sunset Cliffs at Voltaire, you dirty thing

Earlier this year, George Machuca bought the Precision Wireless business located at 4799 ½ Voltaire Street, located between Ocean Beach People’s Market and a liquor store. “When I first bought this business it was just …

October 10, 2017
El Cajon to La Jolla in the name of surf

Name: Margaret Sporleder Age: 20 From: El Cajon Occupation: Swim instructor and lifeguard Margaret Sporleder takes the 35-minute commute from El Cajon to La Jolla Shores. “The waves there don’t come in at an angle, …

October 10, 2017

Monday, October 9

County pound hit for dangerous dogs and faulty euthanasia

Public safety has been jeopardized by potentially hazardous canines put up for adoption by the county's already embattled Department of Animal Services, per a June 22 report, recently posted online by chief county auditor Juan …

October 9, 2017
San Diego beers win 14 of 293 medals

The annual Great American Beer festival took place in Denver over the weekend (October 6–8). While San Diego breweries didn't show off the gaudy gold medal counts or champion breweries of recent years past, local …

October 9, 2017
U-T print circulation continues downward spiral

The average daily print circulation of the Union-Tribune took another major fall this year. According to the annual numbers that publications must file every year with the U.S. Postal Service, the U-T's average daily paid …

October 9, 2017
The bomb diggity brisket

A friend in Los Angeles had the day off and wanted to cruise south to catch up over a meal, so I figured I'd meet him half way. I hopped on the Coaster in Old …

Nationals coach suspended for "revenge porn"

A San Diego woman is suing the former professional baseball player and current hitting coach for the Washington Nationals baseball team, Jacque Jones, for posting nude photos of her on social media; she had sent …

October 9, 2017
Vista councilman regrets leash-free vote

On August 22, the Vista City Council approved a one-year experiment to allow unleashed dogs at the “Trails” area of Buena Vista Park in Vista’s Shadowridge area. Its passage allowed dogs to legally run free …

October 9, 2017
Pretty darn good fishing

Dock Totals Oct 1 – Oct 7: 3,449 anglers aboard 164 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 1 swordfish, 763 bluefin tuna, 4,682 yellowfin tuna, 488 skipjack tuna, 529 dorado, 662 …

October 9, 2017
Fleet Week: Ready to get yelled at by Marine drill instructor?

Though New York, Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco host military parades in their harbors, Fleet Week in San Diego was first. On May 29, 1935 a U.S. Marine Corps color guard-led parade crossed the …

Chula Vista concert traffic horrific

Marcus has lived in the south San Diego and Chula Vista areas for the past 16 years. On Friday (October 6), he said he “never had a more serious traffic problem.” He and many others …

October 9, 2017

Sunday, October 8

Bernie Sanders pays National City campaign bill

More than a year after Bernie Sanders led a high-spirited rally in a public park in National City during his run for the presidency, he's finally paid his bill of more than $28,000 in municipal …

La Jolla earthquake on wheels

On September 27th, Marty Nelson, safety and environmental compliance officer at Southwest Fisheries in La Jolla, gathered his staff, along with faculty from adjacent Scripps Institution of Oceanography, to try out a magnitude 7.2 in …

Saturday, October 7

Local lawyers disciplined by State Bar

Seven county lawyers have been disciplined by the California State Bar, according to the October issue of the California Lawyer Magazine. Kevin Matthew Kirby of San Diego was arrested after he fired a taser at …

October 7, 2017
Mission Brewery's growth acceleration plan

East Village beer-maker Mission Brewery counted 43 investors when it launched a fundraising campaign on crowdfunding website WeFunder.com on Monday, October 2nd. Four days later, Mission had added 130 new investors to its ranks, and …

October 7, 2017
History of San Diego, 1930s

Was the WPA a Boondoggle or Saving Grace? It's hard to look around San Diego and not see evidence of the WPA: the city library, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the dredging of Mission Bay (and …

October 7, 2017
Oaks bring fall to Cuyamaca, Laguna, and Palomar mountains

The Floss Silk Tree, a conspicuous “autumn bloomer” here and there around San Diego, has been showing off its pinkish or purplish, hibiscus-like flowers for a few weeks. The broad, heavy trunks of this South …

October 7, 2017

Friday, October 6

The trials and triumphs of women, synthetic and otherwise

Ryan Gosling may be at the center of Blade Runner 2049, but he’s surrounded by women: his boss at the police station, his opposite number on the corporate side of the investigation, his digital girlfriend, …

October 6, 2017
Roseville developers' runaround in progress

Since moving into the Roseville neighborhood in May, Toni Popoki Reed had not seen much happening in the vacant lot across the street. She knew of the housing project that broke ground there in 2016. …

All eyes on Richmond, Virginia

Richmond, the capital of Virginia, is a college town, a Federal Reserve site and the location of the 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. There’s culture, a solid economic base and as it’s located on …

Boat fire turns out to be flag burning at Campland

September 9 00:14 - Swimming: Possible suicide attempt south of OB Pier. Lifeguards, emergency, medical and SDPD units on scene. SDPD takes suspect into custody. 08:38 - Other: Smoke, possible boat fire near Campland by …

Aromatic dishes and a heart for Puerto Rico

When I walked into Andrés Restaurant for the first time, the smells wafting out of the kitchen were so good, I almost didn't ask for a menu. Just give me whatever's cooking, I wanted to …

Grandview surfer girl fought attacker

The teenaged blonde girl said she was on her knees in the driveway, waxing her surfboard, when a man came up from behind and grabbed ahold of her neck. “I saw his foot come into …

October 6, 2017
Inn like Flynn on Sunset Cliffs

The Inn at Sunset Cliffs, whose owner overstepped the boundaries of the emergency permit to fix a collapsed deck, won the support of the Ocean Beach Planning Group Wednesday (October 4th) on its application for …

October 6, 2017

Thursday, October 5

Party-bus pukefest in O.B.

On Saturday, September 30th, two chartered California Limo Buses rolled into Ocean Beach carrying approximately 100 college-age students. They were dropped off near the intersection of Santa Monica Avenue and Abbott Street, near the pier. …

October 5, 2017
Fast traffic near St. Augustine High chaps neighbors

Ken Adelson has been a North Park resident for the past 32 years. He is a tech writer who lives by Palm Street on the north side of St. Augustine High School. Like many neighbors, …

October 5, 2017
Lemon Grove councilman sued for free-speech stifling

A government subcontractor says Lemon Grove city councilmember Jerry Jones retaliated against him for posting negative comments about Jones's politics on his Facebook page. Marcus Bush, a former consultant for Rick Engineering, has filed a …

October 5, 2017
The pet-friendly housing problem

A pet-friendly bill hit the governor's desk on September 21. The bill (AB 1137) would mandate that new multi-family housing developments allow tenants to have pets if those developments receive financing through state programs. @media …

A lot of motorcycle deaths in San Diego County

San Diego County has the dubious honor of ranking the fourth worst — of 58 California counties — in motorcycle crash deaths. In 2016, the county broke its own record for the number of people …

October 5, 2017
Later, Bones — Sunshine Co. mural painted over

“The mural that was just painted over was done in 2005 — and there was one before that as well that included local characters at the time…. We had the ZZ Top–looking guy, who was …

October 5, 2017

Wednesday, October 4

Haitian immigrant discovers a Mexican dream

Rogeste Mercy, 36, and his wife Magalita Bordes, 37, lost their apparel business and their livelihood in Port au Prince, Haiti, to an earthquake that jarred the island nation in 2010. “We lost everything,” Bordes …

October 4, 2017
DC comics films with superheroes, super-villains, and meta-humans

Legends of Tomorrow serves up a band of unlikely would-be superheroes and villains that are unwillingly thrown together to travel through space and time saving the world. The story line is continuous; fellow superheroes in …

October 4, 2017
Pradeep’s raise

UCSD chancellor Pradeep Khosla got a 3 percent pay hike from University of California regents at their September 14 meeting here, boosting his annual base salary to $462,684, retroactively effective as of this past July …

October 4, 2017
Under the U Heights sign

i loathe your neighborhood see the ghosts of myself on its streets — there! under the U Heights sign collapsed on grafittied bus stop bench, weeping. lamppost-leaning, sobbing. we shared our first kiss in that …

October 4, 2017
Cattle Decapitation rolls through Deathfest

It’s unusual that a local band can share stories about their latest tour to Europe. Cattle Decapitation, the extreme metal band that goes whole hog to support animal rights and other environmental issues, did its …

October 4, 2017
Jewel, Jason Mraz, Steve Poltz started at Java Joe’s

Sixties time-warp! I’m sitting in the friendly gloom, watching Lisa Sanders and Karen Hayes sing personal songs in dreamy harmonies. Acoustic, coffee-bar singing, outside. It feels time-warpy in more ways than one. This space is …

October 4, 2017
Walter TV channels ABBA

I’m going out on a limb to say this, but I hear echoes of ABBA here and there in Walter TV. Which is not meant as a bad thing. In fact, it’s the haunted-house version …

October 4, 2017
John Carroll Lynch's new film, Harry Dean Stanton’s last

“You’re not likely to get a one-word answer out of me,” laughed the as-a-rule loquacious John Carroll Lynch. Lucky marks the actor’s first time behind the camera — directing Harry Dean Stanton in what turned …

October 4, 2017
The struggle of 50 hours at the office

Dear Hipster: Is it possible to hold down a 9-to-5 professional career, say, as an accountant with a major international financial services firm, but still be a hipster? — Andy Of course. Nothing’s impossible in …

October 4, 2017
Newspaper union battles tronc's L.A. Times

The last time the Newspaper Guild was heard from in San Diego, the once-mighty union was quietly leaving town, evicted by a narrow vote of Union-Tribune employees after a rough-and-tumble decertification campaign waged by the …

October 4, 2017
Seems any band can work with Joe Troutman

Joe Troutman, one of the few local independent music promoters, has outlasted most the venues he’s booked over 16 years. North County’s Jumping Turtle, Royal Dive (formerly owned by this reporter), Metaphor Café, Del Dios …

October 4, 2017
Common man Scott

Democratic congressman Scott Peters, who has fought off a series of GOP challengers for his La Jolla district seat, is behind a new effort to divert San Diego Democrats from policies favored by the left. …

October 4, 2017
Will Ferrell in a semi-serious role and an interesting premise

Stranger Than Fiction serves up a rare glimpse at Will Ferrell in a semi-serious role. Ferrell is hilarious as Harold Crick, a man who finds his life being “narrated” by an author that only he …

October 4, 2017
Favorite thrift-shop spots

Eve Kelly comes from a sturdy stock of thrift shoppers and upcyclers. As a child, I had two brand-new items: a dress for my confirmation and a pair of church shoes. Everything else was a …

Look low in Switzer Canyon for the dusky-footed woodrat

Switzer Canyon offers a hike for those with short legs and short attention spans — a kid-friendly urban walk that can be either a 30-minute or a one-hour hike. This is an example of a …

Endless Mittens

“I consider Mittens to be pop rock,” says guitarist Paul Ryu. “When we started, we were mostly indie pop, but then we absorbed a lot of other styles, too. We tend to process a lot …

October 4, 2017
Shakespeare of the Arabic language

Praise be to Allah, the exalted of names, the praised for His bounties, the abundant in gifts, the called upon for the rescinding of calamity; —king of the nations, restorer of rotten bones, honorer of …

Click on this for Zex allegations

A bizarre rift between Oceanside-based Magic Bullet Records and one of its bands, a Canadian four-piece punk band named Zex, makes one wonder if there was a real label-versus-band issue or if the beef was …

October 4, 2017
Hipster-millennial overlap

Dear Hipster: Well, I got a sell-out day-job again — having graduated from occupying reclaimed wood seats in North Park avocado toast & fair trade dens of day-time slack — but I just can’t stop …

October 4, 2017
Purgatory for suicides and viral outbreak

Wristcutters: A Love Story takes place in a purgatory reserved for people who’ve committed suicide. No one smiles, everyone strolls through the monotony of having no future, and nothing works properly. It’s a boy-meets-girl story …

October 4, 2017
Mex med-metal Thanatology gets the gig

Although they’ve dressed up like doctors onstage during their 18 years as a band, don’t expect any messy Gwar-like antics from Thanatology. “We try and set ourselves apart from that cliché that many bands have …

October 4, 2017
Breeders’ Cup comes to Del Mar

I’m at my usual spot in the corner next to the winner’s circle, where the yellow fire hydrant sits against the rail, right across from the finish line. If I reach out, I can pet …

October 4, 2017
Carlsbad’s rainmaker for the right

The victory of Roy Moore over Donald Trump–backed Luther Strange in last week’s bitterly fought Senate Republican primary in Alabama spelled good news for Republican fundraiser Matt Hoskins of Carlsbad. Thus far this year, his …

October 4, 2017
An avid (and observant) reader has a small problem

Letters mishmash I just picked up my copy of the Reader, September 28, with Burt Reynolds on the cover. What is going on at your company? You have letters to the editor, and it says …

October 4, 2017

Tuesday, October 3

Chair sounded like an AK-47

David Anthony Strouth, 36, told the jury that he lawfully killed a man in self-defense, disputing the prosecution’s assertion of first-degree murder, with an added allegation of lying in wait. The jury of eight women …

October 3, 2017
I lucked into samoon, the Iraqi bread

Cruising Main Street in El Cajon, I spotted a sign with both English and Arabic script reading Nahrain Fish And Chicken Grill. It's a small, sparsely decorated restaurant, and the first thing you're bound to …

Ladies Get Drinks — not you, man

A retired United States Marine captain is suing a restaurant in Mission Hills for hosting a ladies and non-binary-only party and for refusing to allow him access or give him drink specials that the attendees …

October 3, 2017
Rogue docent theory on Torrey pines die-off

Two years ago, Dale Williams, a volunteer docent at Torrey Pines Natural Reserve, started wondering what is killing the rare trees. Williams says about 25 percent of the reserve’s trees, which numbered about 6000, have …

October 3, 2017
Oceanside council drama tomorrow

Oceanside mayor Jim Wood, recovering from his fourth stroke, is wheelchair-bound and, according those close to him, not always completely understandable. While his council colleagues are careful to be publicly respectful of the popular mayor, …

October 3, 2017

Monday, October 2

Booze fest nicks blueprint from beer fest

The beer festival has become a fixture in the San Diego events landscape. Not a month goes by without a festival featuring local beers, and most months there are several. However, October 14th, a boozy …

October 2, 2017
North Park glory at hand

The Stevens-Hartley Annex on University Avenue was built in 1926. If San Diego wins the #VoteYourMainStreet contest, the structure would be eligible to “a share of $2 million in American Express funding for preservation projects,” …

October 2, 2017
Solution for 12th & Imperial clock problem

When folks heading for the 12th & Imperial Transit Center would look up at the southeasterly face of the four-sided clock tower, the face visible from 13th Street and National Avenue, it would read 8:45. …

Another surfer-turned-manufacturer

Carl Ekstrom began surfing in 1948, four years after his brother, Woody, had mastered the sport at Windansea, from where the family was nearly forced to move after their rent was raised from $12 to …

Fight night in Paradise Hills

Parked outside of the House of Boxing venue on September 30 was a 1935 San Diego police paddywagon with two guys holding faux tommy guns. One guy was wearing a classic zoot suit, the other, …

San Diego hepatitis carrier caused mass outbreak in Arizona

With San Diego's soaring death rate from hepatitis A, where better to hold IDWeek — a big-money infectious disease convention featuring the nation's top epidemic experts — than the tony reaches of the city’s downtown …

October 2, 2017
Farm eating — the life for me

In the fast casual restaurant space, convenience and consistency is often the goal more than transcendent eating experiences. But places that can do all three can shine. Case in point: Mendocino Farms, an L.A.-based chain …

Rumor: NFL wants Chargers to return to San Diego

Green Philadelphia Eagles fans jerseys outnumbered Chargers fans' regalia yesterday (October 1) at the Chargers' new L.A. home. Eagles fans loudly disrupted Chargers signals and cheered the Eagles while booing the Chargers. The Chargers lost …

October 2, 2017
Fewer anglers but still getting the exotic species

Saltwater Dock Totals Sept 24 – Sept 30: 4,080 anglers aboard 175 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 113 bluefin tuna, 5,312 yellowfin tuna, 567 skipjack tuna, 825 dorado, 1,215 yellowtail, …

October 2, 2017
Scuffle with box-cutter at murder memorial

“I’m done — [Sonny] just died in our canyon [and] everybody liked him a lot,” Jane said, “and his girlfriend is expecting — he was going to be a father.” Twenty-nine-year-old Sonny Gonzalez was stabbed …

San Diego police to deliver ShotSpotter report

The audio sensors that the San Diego Police Department installed to alert them to gunfire in four southeastern San Diego neighborhoods works 16 percent of the time, according to data collected since the ShotSpotter system …

October 2, 2017

Sunday, October 1

Cardiff's trashy neighborhood

Residents of the Poinsettia Heights neighborhood in Cardiff by the Sea have a trash problem. Often residents will wake up in the morning to find trash strewn on their street. The problem has been going …

Deepest sand of the year

As the Beach-Going Season Winds Down, San Diego County’s coastline is padded by what is likely the deepest and widest accumulations of sand we’ll see this year. Many stretches of the coastline are vulnerable to …

October 1, 2017
National football music

The autumn wind is a pirate/ Blustering in from sea/ With a rollicking song, he sweeps along/ Swaggering boisterously His face is weather beaten/ He wears a hooded sash/ With a silver hat about his …

October 1, 2017
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