The San Diego Mainly Mozart Festival used to be held at The Balboa Theatre and it used to be a great classical music event. Then it was held outdoors at the Del Mar Surf Cup …

Progressive Christian pastor Caleb J. Lines, Senior Minister at University Christian Church in San Diego, gained national attention recently for his proclamation that “Drag is holy” on social media. Some conservative Christians objected to the …

On May 30 of 2020, La Mesa police detective Eric Knudson fired a bean bag round at Leslie Furcron as she took part in a protest outside the La Mesa Police Department. Protestors were throwing …

“Ordinarily, I wouldn’t bother bringing a tour to a pleasant paradise sort of place like San Diego,” said Bruce Springsteen at a press conference announcing the surprise addition of a Pechanga Arena concert during his …

Nights Drunk and weeping. It’s another night at the live-in opera, and I figure it’s going to turn out badly for me. The dead next door accept their salutations, their salted notes, the drawn-out wailing. …

“Where the fuck is the red carpet?” I think to myself as I mosey into the lobby of the Sunshine Brooks Theater. My ticket for this segment of the Oceanside International Film Festival clearly states, …

Formed in 2016 as Sights & Sages, alt-experimental rock band Ten Bulls was founded by members who had also played together in local groups such as Neveready and Love Glow. Their debut Ten Bulls album …

If you think modern presidential politics have become a bit messy in the country over the last decade and change, let me tell you a story about Mexico 100 years ago. In 1923, outgoing president …

“Lil Maru” Macias is among the most lit rappers in San Diego — at least, judging by the 19-year-old’s social media. A combination of melodic rapping, singing, and mumbling has pulled the hip-hop artist some …

“Well, like anything else, showing up is half the battle,” says Smash Mouth singer Zach Goode. Goode, a longtime local musician, is talking about the voiceover work he’s done for commercials, including a Taco Bell …

On May 11, the Federal Department of Health and Human Services will end the Covid public health emergency. But the bureaucratic behemoth is a slow-footed beast; John Q. Public knows the pandemic ended some time …

Saving Sara House Democrat Sara Jacobs, facing a possibly tough reelection challenge from conservative Republican Mayor Bill Wells of El Cajon, has dispatched one of her assistants to a conference at United Nations Headquarters in …

Located near Lakeside, El Cajon Mountain is a strenuous hike. With a length of nearly 11 miles and an elevation gain of around 3,900 feet, the hike will take most people 6+ hours. Dogs are …

[Editor’s note: This is a condensed version of an article by Alexander Theroux that originally ran in the Reader on July 20, 1995, titled The Grammar of Rock ‘n Roll.] Rock ‘n’ roll music, any …

Carlos Romero is a 14-year-old teenager from Guerrero, a southern Mexican state. He migrated with his mother and little brother to Tijuana due to drug cartel violence in his home village. Kids like him are …

Urinating students, pounding-bass music, snarky comebacks, and matching green thongs by SDSU were the last few straws pushing College and Rolando neighbors — many fellow SDSU alums — over the edge. College-area resident Cindy Sonboleh …

The Coastal Wildflower Bloom, a fine one on account of lots of rain and sunshine, will continue through April. One of the best spots for viewing a great variety of flowers is Torrey Pines State …

Among the pines in Pine Valley As someone who has primarily lived in suburbia, I find myself escaping to small-town USA when I am in need of a change in scenery. Most San Diegans head …

The problem with San Diego's historic neighborhoods Perhaps most telling, both for both his own home’s designation and for the integrity of the South Park district, was Twining’s exposure of a major error, among several, …

The unconventional community of San Aliso Creek “What is a bum?” asks Jo, a short, animated, talkative man of thirty whose troubled life has included a stint in prison for possession of illegal drugs, a …

Like many classical music fans, I was introduced to Alma Deutscher several years ago via a 60 Minutes report. I was struck by her musicianship and her devotion to creating melodies. I have lamented long …

SD.Church Contact: 13223-1 Black Mountain Rd., Suite 433, San Diego 619-280-2999 www.sd.church Membership: 1100 Pastor: Joseph Silipo Age: 62 Born: Pittsburgh Formation: University of Cincinnati, OH Years Ordained: 39 San Diego Reader: What’s your favorite …

On April 3, Huge Shark — the musical project of Valerie Polichar -—will drop a debut full-length called Everything, mastered by Grammy-nominated Joe Lambert (The National, The Black Crowes). Over the course of seven years, …

There are so many musical venues on the gargantuan campus of UC San Diego, it’s hard to pick a favorite for catching a memorable show. My first concert at UCSD was an astonishing performance by …

Blue Largo bandleader Eric Lieberman, who describes the group as Americana Soul, first met singer Alicia Aragon in 1982, while he was in the King Biscuit Blues Band and his future wife was a cocktail …

As a food writer, I’ve long thought my job was safe from the impending robot takeover. Modern-day robots may enjoy such activities as performing music, skateboarding, and playing board games, and it’s particularly vexing to …

Police profiling Just as San Diego cops have begun a public relations push to install video spy cams on more city streetlights, word comes that the building formerly known as the San Diego Sports Arena, …

It was December of 2021, and Harsimran Sandhu was beginning to feel troubled by a sense of urgency. A business major at SDSU with a minor in critical film studies, he was halfway through his …

National Geographic’s Beyond King Tut is the latest immersive experience to be held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The exhibit features some typical museum-style sections: displays of text providing historical background, a short film giving …

A car thief was caught near the Hotel Del Coronado earlier in the month because the thief couldn't drive a stick shift, reads a police report online. The pursuit began when Officer Chan of the …

A former Wienerschnitzel A-frame building in Chula Vista caught on fire again, marking the tenth reported blaze at a California-based Wienerschnitzel building in the last couple of years. Right before 11:30 am on March 9, …

The Annual Green-to-Golden Transition of San Diego’s wild grasslands typically starts during early April — though this year, late rains and a cold winter may lengthen the process. North-facing hillsides and canyon slopes retain the …

University City massacre done by developer family donor They are the crème de crème of San Diego business and political society, giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to both Democrats and Republicans, and in turn …

Dock Totals 3/5– 3/18: 1,363 anglers aboard 74 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past two weeks caught 15 calico bass (45 released), 1 halfmoon, 2 halibut, 138 lingcod, 11 …

Where time, nature, and rush hour collide As dangerous as Highway 67 is for drivers, it is even trickier for the wildlife that live in the rich habitat on either side, so when Caltrans looked …

U-T paperboy blues My first undercover story. I felt conflicted about it, but I wasn't getting anywhere by normal routes. (Aug. 31, 2018) Footnotes on assassination of Frank Bompensiero An interview for another article tried …

I heard a rumor about the San Diego Civic Theater receiving an overhaul at some point in the future. Having just seen an opera production and a symphony concert at the 56-year-old venue, I hope, …

Last week, 34-year-old award-winning Lincoln Acres Elementary School teacher Jacqueline Ma was arrested on six felony counts of sexual misconduct with a child under the age of 14, including three counts of oral copulation. And …

“It’s hard being homeless,” said homeless person and Tent City mayor Will Balton, speaking at a recent city council special session on homelessness in San Diego. “You’ve got the cold and the cops to deal …

Recently, the Catholic Diocese of San Diego announced that it was considering entering financial bankruptcy in light of additional lawsuits brought against it by victims of sexual abuse. (The diocese already paid $198 million to …

“Karl’s alignment with 91X centers around independence, the arts, and a mutual admiration for craft beer,” explains Andrew Wilde, Marketing and Creative Director at Karl Strauss Brewing Company. “91X and Karl go way back — …

Blair Gun’s debut album Blaspheme Queen was just released, along with a video for “Bennet.” According to singer-guitarist Joedin Morelock, “‘Bennet’ is about a man that I met online. After years of making music and …

As much as I was looking forward to the 2023 debut of the Fourth Friday Jazz Series at the La Jolla Community Center, I have to admit that, due to the relentless deluge of doomsday …

“I don’t think there is animosity toward KISS in the punk scene,” says Lenny Bly, best known for playing bass in Inciting Riots and Social Spit. “Most people just think Gene [Simmons, KISS’s bassist] is …

A note from the editor: This week, we present the second of the two entries to last year’s writing contest that investigated the long-ago murder of a young woman in San Diego. Once again, the …

Spy cams for free? San Diego cops installed a sweeping network of streetlight video spy cams with little public awareness until we initially broke the story here on February 20, 2019. The resultant political pushback, …

At the risk of conflating a global culinary phenomenon of which the variations number beyond counting, I’ll place shawarma in the family of foods that get lumped together into a group generically termed “kebabs.” Throughout …

Diagnosis: TDS Regarding the long-winded letter from Tim Taylor in the March 9 issue (“No Trump hate, just abhorrence, fear, and pity”, Letters, March 9), I never seen such a hate-filled, anti-Trump diatribe in my …

We’ve seen plenty of expensive homes here at Unreal over the years; gawking at the ultra-wealthy is kind of our raison d’etre, after all. But this week, we’re really going over the top with a …

Located in Poway, Iron Mountain is a fairly challenging hike. With a length of nearly 6 miles and an elevation gain of around 1,300 feet, the hike will take most people 3 hours. Dogs are …

Medical tourism in Tijuana has been recognized for its high standards and affordable medical interventions, particularly in cosmetic surgery. But, since the Corona pandemic, government supervision of clinics and doctors that perform cosmetic surgery is …

San Diego can't just build its way out of a housing emergency. It has to hold on to its existing affordable homes – an effort the city is slowly phasing in as it grapples with …

African Daisies are bursting into bloom around San Diego, especially along the freeway embankments. The name refers to a wide variety of species belonging to the genuses Arctotis, Dimorphotheca, and Osteospermum, with flowers ranging in …

Trails of Tierrasanta paved with good intentions On weekends, in the canyons surrounding San Diego’s community of Tierrasanta, urban guerrillas hack through chapparal with picks and other tools, transforming once-narrow coyote paths into smooth, broad …

One of the first stories I did when I started three-blurts-a-week was about Switchfoot in January, 1999. I was happy to be the first local writer to cover Switchfoot, Jason Mraz, Sam Outlaw, and Daring …

When your love is locked up During the two days that the jury deliberated, the rest of the world seemed on freeze-frame, and I spoke with no one besides Dee's mom. We spent the time …

A classical spring is coming to San Diego. The end of March and the entire month of April are bursting with classical music concerts. There’s also opera. Tosca by Giacomo Puccini opens at The Civic …

Oceanside First Presbyterian Contact: 2001 S. El Camino Real, Oceanside 760-757-3560 www.oceansidepres.org Membership: 300 Pastor: Mike Killeen Age: 54 Born: Marina del Rey Formation: California State University-Northridge, Los Angeles; California State University- Dominguez Hills, Carson; …

Popped down (up?) to my once-upon-a-time homeland, New Zealand, after a lo-ong time away. To, uh, marry the beautiful Diane. We have been talking about it on and off for years. Finally feel mature enough, …

Aahh! San Diego pupusas. And I mean San Diego, the Central American beach twenty-six klicks south of San Salvador, capital of El Salvador. ’Twas there I first ate that country’s national food, the pupusa, introduced …

Steve Poltz’s second annual BaHOOTenzie! Song School and Folk Fest will be staged in conjunction with the Joshua Tree Music Festival on May 2-4 (Song School) and May 5-6 (Folk Fest). The songwriting sessions, open …

Take two Titan Krios microscopes, a whole lot of viruses, and a sharp scientist, and you have full-on war against immune-disease. I’m still in the thrall of this local research tank which is looking into …

San Diego drummer Justin Joyce released his debut album as a bandleader, Story Tales, last year, although he actually cut it back in 2019 — in one day (May 6) up at LMP Studios in …

Over a dozen Imperial Beach locals have found and heard errant golf balls land in their yards and hit their roofs. The closest golf course to the beachfront city is about nine miles north in …

A note from the editor: When the Reader held its writing contest at the outset of last year, we received two entries that were a mite too historical for our purposes, but which nevertheless stuck …

Voteless in Chula Vista Following his November 2022 victory over Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar, Republican real estate investor, manager, and longtime Chula Vista city council veteran John McCann took over as mayor of that city in …

The economics of intelligence I enjoyed reading “San Diego Smart” by Thomas Larson (“San Diego Smart”, Cover Story, February 9). But I do get nervous when the subject of human intelligence comes up, because it …

Shortly after the conclusion of the fourth annual San Diego Rocket Con comic and toy convention held in the Scottish Rite Center on February 18, dozens of cosplayers, comic book and toy collectors, and collectible …

San Diego lifeguards locked up the partly damaged Ocean Beach Pier due to safety concerns when the January waves destroyed its railing. Now, locals say, people keep cutting the locks and opening the gates leading …

The Anza-Borrego Desert State Park flowers this month with peak blooms expected early in the month in low lying, warm areas like Borrego Valley, the Borrego Badlands, Coyote Canyon, and along Highway S-2 in the …

Behind the Border Fire fire wall Behind the lines at the Border Fire, neighbors, volunteers, county animal-control crews, and Border Patrol agents are caring for the animals left behind during the fire's sudden spread. By …

Dock Totals 2/19– 3/4: 684 anglers aboard 34 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past two weeks caught 1 barracuda, 22 calico bass (88 released), 21 halfmoon, 1 halibut (released), …

Flipper victorious In 1960 San Diego was the most active tuna port in the world. The fleet consisted of about 135 boats. At any given time, 30 or 40 were tied up at the Embarcadero, …

My father's role in Hiroshima As a ten-year-old exploring the dark corners of my family’s garage, I once found a huge knife sheathed in a worn leather case. It had a rawhide handle and an …

The latest victim of updating is Disney’s Peter Pan which is based on the play by Scottish author J. M. Barrie. The new version takes its title from the 1911 novel by the same author …

In 2019, Manny Machado signed a 10-year, $300 million contract with the San Diego Padres; at the time, it was the largest free agent contract in American sports history. But that was then. In the …

“Look, it just makes sense,” said National Ocean Level Academy President Reginald Smart in his address to the California Coastal Commission on Monday. “Scripps Institute of Oceanography is where? On the ocean. Because that’s where …

Last week, Random House Children’s Books announced its plan to release a new Grinch story later this year. Titled How the Grinch Lost Christmas!, it tells the touching story of a desperate industry’s attempt to …

"One unique part about our cocktail program,” says Dallas Juanes, General Manager for Verbena Kitchen, “is that we’re changing what it is to be a low-ABV cocktail bar. We have only a beer and wine …

On the night in question, The Air Conditioned Lounge in North Park is offering “Bootydew feat. Booty Selectors,” an electronic dance night featuring genres described on the venue’s website as “Electronic, Latin, Ass Shakers.” Which, …

Dallas McLaughlin was known as Dr. Cliff Mixtable when he was in the local rap spoof Bad Credit, who toured with the Aquabats, a ska band that dressed like superheroes for The Aquabtas! Super Show. …

The protean Proteus: Remember Corduroy? They were a local Pearl Jam tribute act, active for around three months in summer 2019. Joe Moese recruited the musicians, they worked up a set, and then Moese up …

“I’m doing this guerrilla-style!” shouts Antonio Ley, also known as El Tony Tee, as I approach his taco truck. “We got kicked out because of the stupid bike lane last week, and I have to …

Media shipwreck Can Downtown’s homeless woes be linked to softball lighting in Clairemont? So argues the non-profit Lucky Duck Foundation, which has bestowed its latest “Shipwreck” anti-homelessness award on the City of San Diego for …

Quatro bad for algo? So, it’s nice that you mention local bands sometimes in “Local Five” (Local Five, February 9) — but, for example, recently “Quatro” was mentioned — but there is no indication of …

We don’t seem to care very much about old buildings here in San Diego. I spent some time looking for a nice old home to write about here, as I tend to do every couple …