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Stories by Mike Madriaga

What is someone's junk is now everyone's junk

In the last day (June 6), Mike G. has seen a desk and three mattresses dumped in plain sight around his Normal Heights’ streets. “….and all sorts of cabinets, bookcases, etc. will appear on the …

Baja's Highway 1 tested in 160 mph race

“I always thought that it would be a wonderful road to race on,” said Richard Bailey from Washington, “I mean [look at] the backdrop right now — we are sitting on the highways at [Bahia] …

June 8, 2017
Mixed feelings on campers at Shadow Hill Park

“Just an FYI … there was a homeless camp in the drainage ditch (by the bridge) at Shadow Hill Park, they were evicted about a week ago,” posted a Santee resident on the Nextdoor app …

June 6, 2017
"Let's have them do it in La Jolla next year...."

“I didn’t miss church [because] I’m the choir director – so it’s essential that I get there,” said Nina Gilbert. Gilbert was one of the prepared ones for the detours and roadblocks brought about by …

No money allowed at food swaps

“The only rule of the [food] swap is that there is no exchange of money,” said Marianne West. On Saturday (May 27), she met with about forty other San Diegans at the Spring Valley East …

Bees swarm Kensington

“[I] drove right through the [bee] swarm with the windows rolled down,” said Mike Glosson, from Normal Heights.” Glosson, 54, who is a systems analyst, estimated that there was a “swarm of thousands of bees” …

Low planes over North Park start buzz

“I didn’t see the plane,” said Jean, “but I heard it and noted how incredibly low it was.” Jean, 61, is a yoga instructor from the Montclair area of North Park (by Commonwealth Avenue and …

Female City College student punches attacker. He runs away.

“I would’ve went for his nuts instead,” said Raquel Calderon regarding her schoolmate “that got rushed by some dude.” On May 22, the San Diego Community College School District sent out a mass email regarding …

Reader writer backup dancer for Vanilla Ice at Waterfront Park

“Last Nite! #SquadGoals #TacoFest2017 #VanillaIce” were a part of HipHopTrooper‘s descriptors which garnered him 1,231 likes on Instagram. The photo was of him in red Star Wars-esque gear, and his cosplaying-squad dressed as two ninja …

May 25, 2017
San Diego graffiti meet at 50th and Market — a cease to all beefs

“I witnessed a few guys make amends with each other,” said Spek One, 44, “as well as myself with one of the guys that I actually got into a fist-fight [with] back in the day.” …

Slurry helps skateboarders on 37th and 38th streets

Last Thursday (May 18), Jonathan Santoyo power-slid his skateboard with much more finesse — “thanks to the city of San Diego.” “It was harder for sure before they paved this street,” he said. Santoyo is …

Neighbors take sides in Normal Heights dog dispute

“[Regarding] the neighbor who threw dog poop on another neighbor’s windshield for not cleaning up after their dog,” said Melissa Popovich, “I can understand why a person would get frustrated enough about it.” Popovich, 43, …

University Ave. Radio Shack closing brings out comments

“Some of their sales reps and their corporate buyers had a lack of knowledge,” said Bob Mulz, regarding the soon to be closings of the RadioShack stores in his Cherokee Point/City Heights neighborhood. Mulz, 72, …

What about people who sleep in their cars?

“Hey guys why do you need like 12 squad cars,” asked Konrad Czerwinski to the police officers that blocked off his auto shop. At approximately 8:00 a.m., on May 5, Czerwinski, the owner of Adams …

City Heights feral cat rescuer and birth control agent

“Being that it’s springtime in San Diego, it didn’t take long to figure out that it’s [cat] mating season,” said Anne Joseph, “thus the howling and the roaming behaviors.” Joseph, a yoga personal trainer, recently …

San Diego quinceañeras vendors at Del Mar Marriott worried

“This year we expect a slow quinceañera season, it’s going to be tough,” said Marco Salcedo from Chula Vista. Salcedo said that there were about 300 visitors at his Quinceañeras Magazine Expo event on Sunday …

The chola look comes out at Chicano Park Day

“I seen about 15 to 20 [cholas] in the park that day,” said Jesse Amaro, after he posted a photo of four girls wearing men-fitted khaki pants walk past him, “you don’t see the chola …

A crow sanctuary in North Park

“So her macho boyfriend took it upon himself to run out, get a gun of some kind,” said Kay Marsik, “and then he bragged to me that he had killed five of them [crows].” Since …

6000 lumpias a day, 12,000 if Pacquiao fights

Fredcel is located in the oddest place for a Filipino restaurant — in Cherokee Point, at 3876 38th St., behind the Family Dollar store. “Pare (dude in tagalog), we made [and sold] about 6,000 lumpias …

San Diego Mopar group swarms The Fate of the Furious at the South Bay Triple Drive-In

“The word ‘Mopar’ to many might mean ‘motor parts’ which is what it really stands for,” said Carlos Diaz, “but for me Mopar means more than that … it means a well-built muscle machine built …

April 18, 2017
Sidewalk danger from South San Diego to Normal Heights

“I’ve tripped over that metal piece so many times [that] I stopped counting,” said Sharon, as she walked back to her car that was parked on C Street under the Interstate 5 overpass. “I’ve only …

Geezer RVs rally at Mission Bay's Campland

On April 1, approximately 120 vintage camper trailers and recreational vehicles parked inside Campland on the Bay. This was the 4th Annual Pismo South, a camper trailer rally which originated up in the central coast. …

Goodguys omits L-word at Del Mar car show

“Man I think that lowriders should have their own category here,” said Steve Polen, “they got restomod, 100% original, and others – but not lowrider.” On the first weekend of the month, the Del Mar …

April 13, 2017
Visitors bend rules at Carlsbad's Flower Fields

“This day (April 8) that you are here,” said Fred Clarke, “is the best absolute day of color right now.” Clarke is the general manager of The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch. “The color is …

April 10, 2017
Hit and run crash into Cal Uniforms on Park Blvd.

“Everybody thought it was us, huh,” said L. Dee Kiser, the owner of Millard’s Fur Service. Kiser referred to the high-speed pursuit that ended with a white Honda Civic crashing into her next door neighbor, …

Drone flies low over Kensington and Channel 39 comes knocking

“Tonight (April 5) I had a man [reporter] … actually come to my door from KNSD regarding my (drone flyover) comments on Nextdoor,” said Suzanne from Kensington, “completely uninvited and unannounced, and while he was …

Dog search south of City Heights by social media

She was last seen on Sumac Drive and Laurel Street – next to Hollywood Park. She weighs about 12 lbs., and is black and brown in color and should be wearing a purple collar with …

The challenge of Highway 79 between I-8 and Julian

“The Caltrans guy said that they were fixing the edges of the freeway where the pavement ended on each side (by the shoulders).”

April 3, 2017
Lightsaber fighters spar at Balboa Park’s fountain — and cast wary eye on Disney

“I feel that if I ask Lucasfilm or Walt Disney [Company] for permission (to use the lightsaber word in the company name),” said Nick Murico, “that might be my Achilles heel.” When the sun set …

Kensington bicyclist ticketed for not stopping at Meade and 39th

“The policeman told me, ‘You are (riding) a bike and need to follow the rules of the road, and you did not stop at this four-way,'” said Anna Grace Carter. She received a ticket that …

March 27, 2017
Parking meters with eyes in Hillcrest

“I think it’s weird and foreign-looking,” said LeeAnn Donan. Donan, 49, from Mission Hills, was referring to the two grayish boxes that appeared to have cameras inside of them mounted on the pole underneath the …

Cherokee Point is no North Park

“How many neighbors have realtors cold-calling them and sending them mail asking if we are interested in selling,” said Cherokee Point resident Frederick Simson in a Nextdoor post recently. “I get about one letter a …

TGI open for another month

“This restaurant closes it doors on March 26,” Honorio Zarate said in an interview as he greeted patrons for happy hour this week. Zarate is the service manager for the TGI Fridays restaurant on 403 …

February 23, 2017
Where there's no smoke, there's no chicken

“We just lost their main flagship,” said Mr. Robinson, a resident who lives one block away from the Pancho Villa supermarket at 3245 El Cajon Boulevard. Robinson said he is “bummed out” by the pollos …

Car stars in Del Mar

“A lot has changed from the first time I attended these shows,” said Walter Manongdo on February 4 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. His yellow Nissan race car was posted at the entrance next to …

February 10, 2017
The unliking of the SD-LA Chargers

Many social-media users switched their profile picture yesterday (January 12) to the new LA Chargers logo that's been modified to read "LAME." This was in response to team owner Dean Spanos's breakup letter and updated …

January 13, 2017
Mid-project tour of City College

“Part of the project is to remove all of the concrete here and redo it,” said City College project manager Tom Fine last week during a construction-zone tour of the campus. “And I don’t know …

Southbound toy smugglers wanted

A group of smugglers huddled in a prayer circle a couple weeks ago to ask God for help crossing into Mexico. “We prayed for [aduanas, Mexican customs officials] to turn a blind eye when we …

Mustang hate

“Prepare for some repair bills to that Mustang bud … your s-its gonna be scratched the f-ck up, people know where you live,” read one of the instant message threats sent to Danny Diaz at …

September 27, 2016
Thunder or students jumping?

“Tower of Terror” is what some City College students are calling the elevators in the MS building on their campus. Since early morning on Sept. 19, three of the five elevators in the MS building …

September 24, 2016
Unsafe Encanto intersection has predictable results

“They put these new stop signs up yesterday [Sunday, September 4] and within a half an hour while I was there, there were two fender-benders,” said David Abbott, who lives in the Encanto area by …

September 6, 2016
Pot dispensary draws stars to Point Loma

"We gave Snoop Dogg some Tokyo OG [a marijuana strain] and he enjoyed it,” says Heidi Rising, the general manager of the Point Loma Patient Consumer Co-Op. On August 27, the Grammy-nominated rap star dropped …

September 1, 2016
Urban Assault via VW

“Ultimately [the police] caught me by my name being on the side of the car, not blurring out my license plate, and I didn’t expect the video to go that viral.” Blake Wilkey, 27, was …

Vietnam veterans honored in Logan Heights

Fifty years ago, many American servicemen who fought in Vietnam returned home to a country of discontent; some were spat at, others tormented, and many advised not to wear their uniforms in public. Unlike World …

Homeless and confused in Chula Vista

There’s a buzz on the streets of Chula Vista among those who live out of their vehicles. Some think that they can go to city hall and obtain a “Special Parking Permit,” as it seems …

January 21, 2016
San Diego’s cauliflower luck

"Act of God,” is what Produce Alliance recently posted about cauliflower, “DEMAND EXCEEDS SUPPLY. We are seeing high prices and NON-EXISTENT supply. The crops in Yuma are very slow and the cauliflower growth rate is …

Water wrecked my race car

“That vehicle is built for speed, that is something you would not use in this kind of water,” said Emilio Ramirez of the San Diego Police Department. Ramirez was referring to the white Lamborghini on …

January 8, 2016
Drop the gun and skate, fool

“About 250 guns, including shotguns — sawed-off and non-modified — a Tech 9, an AR15, assault weapons, a .380 handgun, a 9mm, a .30-06, an Uzi, small handguns, single shots, and many others were traded …

December 31, 2015
Drought relief suggestion shot down

“So, we are in a drought,” ranted Lisa Hudson Barth as she snapped photos of water flowing down Mount Acadia Boulevard in Clairemont on April 10. “And the mayor requested that we cut our water …

April 16, 2015
This booze was saved to drink

Johnny and Wilfred were posted up by the side of the house chopping it up about their commonalities both being first-generation Filipino-Americans (naturalized in the 1970s and 1980s). Both lolos (“grandfathers” in Tagalog) were in …

December 9, 2014

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