Downtown San Diego Stories
Blue skies, smiling at me/ Nothing but blue skies do I see… It’s an oldie but goodie, and Irving and I launched into it when he mentioned that the guy who wrote it had the …
On May 7, San Diego County Superior Court judge DeAnn Salcido held a press conference in front of the Hall of Justice and alleged widespread violation of the law by the superior court judges of …
San Diego medical marijuana dispensary operator Joseph Nunes was sentenced to one year in federal prison on May 10. "They took him right to jail," said a medical marijuana activist who was in the downtown …
On May 7th, several members of the Carpenters Local 1506 Union set up banners in front of 600 B St. in downtown San Diego. They were set up in front of the building next to …
If you drive often in downtown, you’re probably pretty familiar with obstacles. Weekend nights offer partying pedestrians jaywalking. Early mornings throw double-parked delivery trucks and garbage trucks in your way. And if you come into …
The Star Bar starts to get a little crowded by noon. I went back in and all I knew was two things. I knew that Hank was broke and he would ask me for money, …
Jeff Trevethan, a man living homeless in San Diego, appeared before the City Council to comment on his personal difficulties with trying to remove human waste and animal feces that remain uncleaned in the streets …
During the April 20 city council meeting, council president Ben Hueso agreed to purchase a prepaid parking card from a downtown San Diego resident. Brian Murphy purchased a prepaid parking card to use on downtown …
‘Not my responsibility’ is the answer I get wherever I turn. When a government agency incorrectly collects taxes, why will no one accept responsibility?” said Kathy Casey, as she peered through black-rimmed glasses at the …
Inside Centre City Development Corporation's fourth-floor meeting room on Wednesday, April 14, downtown developer Peter Janopaul took the podium to address the corporation's real estate committee. Janopaul spoke to the objections that a handful of …
About six months ago, “Tin Fork’s” Ed Bedford reviewed Indigo Café and liked it. He mentioned that half the dinner menu consisted of New Orleans classics but tried none of them, sticking to the real …
J. Howard, a pedicab driver from downtown San Diego, spoke before the San Diego City Council during the public comment portion of their April 6 meeting: “We’re talking about one death that was listed as …
Downtown San Diego has earned a reputation for having little street parking available when you need it. When a “Public Parking” sign appeared last week at the driveway of a privately owned lot on Tenth …
The old Hotel San Diego was demolished four years ago to make room for a new federal court building, an annex to the existing federal court building across the street on Broadway. Construction of the …
The menu calls Quality Social “a bar with food.” It’d be more accurate to say “a serious casual eating place with a bar.” You could call the menu “pub grub,” but that’d be like calling …
The homeless encampment at the I-5 underpass at B Street has been cleared out. For months (perhaps even for years), many of the city's homeless took advantage of the rain-free environment; rows of cardboard mats, …
Three county tax liens have been lodged against Katherine Stuart, wife of GOP San Diego city councilman Kevin Faulconer, who is currently running for reelection and said to be eager to succeed Mayor Jerry Sanders …
For the past six years, a huge construction hole in the lower Cortez neighborhood has remained a collection of rusty rebar, weeds and dirt, and wooden shoring. Located midblock between Ash and Beech, the L-shaped …
"Somebody please call 911!" Those were the words shouted by a middle-aged woman with blood running down her face as she burst into the Starbucks at 511 F Street on March 15 at 8:10 a.m. …
I was shocked — shocked, as Claude Rains said to Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca — to see Funky Garcia’s sign being put up above the Sun Cafe’s a few months back. Actually, I did go …
As a result of “Operation Hotel California,” a six-month-long investigation, the San Diego County Grand Jury has indicted 51 defendants on charges of auto theft, selling stolen vehicles, sale of controlled substances, carjacking, residential burglary, …
The San Diego Superior Court has launched a new Behavioral Health Court, similar to Drug Court. The purpose of the program is to break the cycle of incarceration for San Diego's mentally ill by providing …
Oh, so embarrassing! I’ve known for a long time that Soleil @ K had changed chefs (the opening chef moved on to another local restaurant), but it took an abominable snow job by Wolfgang Verkaaik …
Vantage Pointe, the high-rise condominium project whose owners made the controversial decision to rent out units in its center tower last year, may be a little late in paying its own rent. On a stroll …
Can I wax poetic? Heed ye the words of Carl Sandburg, the poet, describing the rough, tough city he loved, Chicago. “Here is a tall, bold slugger set vivid against the little soft cities/ Fierce …
In an effort to make reporting for jury duty more enjoyable, the San Diego Superior Court has implemented a program that allows jurors to access wireless internet in the court's jury lounge at no charge. …
Near Windansea Beach on Tuesday, January 12, at about 10:00 a.m., I spotted what appeared to be a construction project at the intersection of Neptune and Playa Del Sur. I stopped to speak with Jose …
Scripps Ranch homeowners invested in solar technology for their homes recently started an email campaign to urge the San Diego City Council to reconsider newly implemented fee increases for solar permits/plan issuance as well as …
On June 17, program manager for the City of San Diego's Economic Development Division, Luis Ojeda, responded to a claim from downtown resident Kathy Casey that approximately 2500 downtown residents living in condominiums were overcharged …
Last week’s search for great soups brought me to Dobson’s famed mussel bisque and thence to their website, where I discovered a well-kept secret, their 25th-anniversary special of a three-course prix fixe (weekdays, 3:00–7:00 p.m.) …
“I just came from the bank to get $100 to donate to the Salvation Army,” said Melanie Gates at the Salvation Army’s annual luncheon on Christmas day. “As I was walking along the trolley tracks, …
Three San Diego police units responded to a report of an assault at the Santa Fe train depot on Monday, December 21, at about 5:15 p.m. The incident happened at the north end of the …
A woman named Cynthia was having a birthday party downtown. I was told we were supposed to bring something, so I bought cupcakes at the store. When I arrived downtown, I parked far away from …
Bice (pronounced “BEE-chay”) had been open only five weeks when I ate there, because I didn’t have the patience to wait the standard, tactful three more weeks before trying it — not just because the …
In my line of work, I see a lot of stained-glass windows depicting either scenes from the life of Christ or various Christian symbols. But until I ventured into the gothic wooden grandeur of First …
Frustrated by delays, about 50 representatives of businesses and homeowners’ associations met at CityFront Terrace condos on December 8 to campaign for construction of the long-proposed quiet zone along the downtown railroad tracks. Quiet zones …
The guy in the wheelchair sits at the corner of Fifth and G, waving his “Hot Dogs!” sign toward G Street. That’s all you need. You can see the crowd halfway down G, clumping around …
Let’s have one more chorus of “The Times They Are a-Changin’.” The hellish economy is kickin’ out the jams in the restaurant biz, especially in upscale hotel restaurants that locals tend to overlook, thinking they’re …
Three masked members of Anonymous San Diego (xenu.net) demonstrated on December 5 outside the headquarters of the Scientology/Hubbard Dianetics Foundation on Fourth Avenue. The building is listed for sale. While it was a peaceful protest, …
On December 2 at an Ocean Beach Planning Board meeting, Centre City Development Corporation representative Sheila Harden spoke about the downtown site being considered for a San Diego Chargers’ stadium. Being studied is the feasibility …
Last night became a date to remember in the annals of San Diego homelessness. That said, I did not witness the incident. The information came from others, mainly across the street, on the west side …
The San Diego City Council on Tuesday, November 17, unanimously adopted a resolution to authorize the Redevelopment Agency through the Centre City Development Corporation to administer and manage the construction of Interstate 5 streetlight Improvements …
An Orange Line trolley incurred a mechanical problem at about 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 19. The trolley lost power from its overhead electrical source as it was coming into the One America Plaza station. …
At a Friday, November 13, news conference held at the 12th and Imperial Avenue trolley station, Metropolitan Transit System representatives announced plans to make cutbacks to service. According to transit-system spokesman Rob Schupp, “Sales-tax shortfalls …
A small protest was held in front of the Family Court at 1555 Sixth Avenue in downtown San Diego on Friday, November 13. A sign leaning against a planter read, “STOP giving kids to abusers!” …
Residents of Vantage Pointe were alerted to an emergency via the alarm system at about 6:30 p.m. on the night of Tuesday, November 4. "Attention! Attention! An emergency has been reported," blared the tinny-yet-somehow-comforting recorded …
The noise was deafening on the corner of Sixth Avenue and C early this Saturday morning, November 7. A Roel Construction crew worked on a contract for SDG&E. Avoiding this intersection would be beneficial because …
An accident between a truck and motorcycle startled a crowd of onlookers on November 4 in downtown San Diego. The collision occurred at about 2:00 p.m. at the intersection of Ash and West A streets. …
Alexander Dodge’s glitzy set for the Old Globe’s Sammy includes stately, showcase-windowlike structures framed by rows of blinking lights. They feature props for the scene, or people who pose, in Fabio Toblini’s classy period costumes, …
It’s weird that right on the border here, we’re so slow to catch up with the rest of the country on real Mexican cuisine. We’ve got lots of “Mexican” food but hardly any Mexican cuisine, …
BALBOA PARK Another Perfect DayBy downtownphotoguy, June 26Today we were in Presidio Park in the morning and Balboa Park in the afternoon. We were shooting with a variety of lenses and techniques…. It seems everybody …
On Wednesday morning, October 21, at Golden Hall in the San Diego Concourse, 590 people were sworn in as U.S. citizens; among them were 17 military servicemen. The ceremony began at 8 a.m. and lasted …