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suzledeboer

suzledeboer is a Reader contributor. See staff page for published articles.

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We the people of Normal Heights

For more of the Normal Heights story and the naming of Normal Heights, go to The Reader, 6 August 2016. For more on the neon sign, go to The Reader, August 23, 2011. For new information on the neon sign, read on. Gary Weber and I met with Art Buckel, Joy (Buckel) LeBus and their friend Ron in May 2011. Art and Joy's dad opened T & B Auto Repair with Bert Vanderhayden at 3426 Adams in 1942. (Konrad King location today.) Joy married Dick LeBus in 1956, and they moved to 3422 Adams Avenue, where Dick opened a sheet metal shop in the rear of that property. He built the sign. Martin Neon (4714 Felton) did the neon, and Joe Jackson of Jackson Electric did the electrical work and hung the sign over the intersection of Adams Avenue and Felton. Pasquale Gangitano, owner of Pat's Barber Shop opened for business in October 1959, and the sign was up and lit and "beautiful." It still is and is the last remaining original neon street sign in San Diego. One last mystery: Everyone we spoke with told Gary and me that there was a "first" Normal Heights sign erected in the same location some years before the neon sign.
— March 5, 2018 1:57 p.m.

Seniors try to save old Adams Avenue cop shop

When the City did an assessment of its real estate assets several months ago, the Mock Building received a grade of 68. Maybe grading scales have changed, but isn't that comparable to a D+? Here's a question for CD3 and the Mayor: Why can't Normal Heights get something brand new? Even when we had our own branch library, it was a hand-me-down from University Heights.
— January 27, 2018 11:51 a.m.

Sidewalk stamps of Ocean Beach and Point Loma

Davincher and Mat, There are 257 sidewalk/curb stamps in Normal Heights, ranging in age from 1913 to 1949. Plus there are 45 "youngsters" that aren't (yet) old enough to meet the City's historic preservation standards. I have pictures of all 302.
— July 28, 2017 8:17 p.m.

Ugly cyclist-car encounter in Kensington

Good Grief. Maybe it's the heat and humidity.
— July 28, 2017 12:50 p.m.

Sidewalk stamps of Ocean Beach and Point Loma

Eric, here is a photo of a stamp in Normal Heights. This one at Madison and Iowa may be the first one stamped in the neighborhood. Or, at least it's the oldest stamp left in place. http://www.sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2017/j…
— July 28, 2017 12:42 p.m.

Park-starved residents locked out of school playgrounds

Wonder if keeping the gates locked is a way to prevent the homeless from setting up their camps in the parks. If so, it is not working at Ward Canyon Neighborhood Park.
— November 4, 2016 8:20 a.m.

Normal Heights' Chutes Park would've been fun

Marty, yes that would have been a "trip." Would like to have seen that archway at the east end of Adams Avenue, too.
— September 8, 2016 7:36 a.m.

City's Get It Done app not getting it done

Marty, I read everything you write. Please keep it up.
— September 3, 2016 10:01 p.m.

Why "Normal Heights"?

The promoter turned out to be a first class con man who took the money and ran-----to L. A.
— August 9, 2016 7:34 a.m.

Why "Normal Heights"?

Ken, one promoter envisioned an archway illuminated with incandescent light bulbs at the east end of Adams Avenue before the bridge and trolley were built across Ward Canyon to Kensington. That's a story for another day.
— August 8, 2016 7:40 p.m.

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Chris Ahrens Ian Anderson Thomas K. Arnold Eric Bartl Don Bauder Ed Bedford Siobhan Braun Robert Bush Chad Deal Joe Deegan Barbarella Fokos Leorah Gavidor Dave Good Marty Graham Moss Gropen Andrew Hamlin Dorian Hargrove Garrett Harris Ken Harrison Patrick Henderson Tam Hoang Eve Kelly Dryw Keltz Eva Knott Thomas Larson Ken Leighton Matthew Lickona Mike Madriaga Bill Manson Scott Marks Bob McPhail Walter Mencken Joseph O'Brien Sheila Pell Ian Pike Matt Potter H.G. Reza Dave Rice Elizabeth Salaam Jay Allen Sanford Julie Stalmer DJ Stevens Matthew Suárez Amanda Tascher
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4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
Chris Ahrens Ian Anderson Thomas K. Arnold Eric Bartl Don Bauder Ed Bedford Siobhan Braun Robert Bush Chad Deal Joe Deegan Barbarella Fokos Leorah Gavidor Dave Good Marty Graham Moss Gropen Andrew Hamlin Dorian Hargrove Garrett Harris Ken Harrison Patrick Henderson Tam Hoang Eve Kelly Dryw Keltz Eva Knott Thomas Larson Ken Leighton Matthew Lickona Mike Madriaga Bill Manson Scott Marks Bob McPhail Walter Mencken Joseph O'Brien Sheila Pell Ian Pike Matt Potter H.G. Reza Dave Rice Elizabeth Salaam Jay Allen Sanford Julie Stalmer DJ Stevens Matthew Suárez Amanda Tascher
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4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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