Adams Avenue News, April 2015

ADAMS AVENUE NEWS S E RV I N G S A N D I E G O’ S P R E M I E R U R BA N C OM M U N I T I E S F O R 2 3 Y E A R S northparknews.biz/digital

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Vol. 23 No. 4 April 2015

WHAT’S INSIDE?

Festival of Arts Family friendly and walkable, North Park’s annual Festival of Arts is set for Saturday, May 16, from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m PAGE 4

A Portrait of Humanity Today The Museum of Photographic Arts is presenting the United States premiere of “7 Billion Others,” a multimedia exhibition that attempts to portray a sensitive, humanist portrait of the world in videos. PAGE 5

Members of the majors A’s team.

San Diego’s Oldest Little League Teaches Kids About the Game of Life

BY MOLLY BORCHERS

Autism Research Institute Dr. Steve Edelson, executive director of the Autism Research Institute, will travel to Moscow in May for the third straight year to co-chair an autism conference. PAGE 9

For the kids, parents and volunteers of Mid-City Little League, opening day at Adams Avenue Recreation Center is tinged with excitement. This year was no exception with hundreds of MidCity residents on the field and in the stands, eager to usher in a new baseball season with great fanfare.

With a giant balloon arch, manicured infield and sponsor ban-

ners setting the stage, Mid-City Little League President Mark Rowland welcomed the crowd. It was perhaps the only time during the season where the children’s crisp, clean new uniforms would be free of grass stains.

For this particular opening day, Mid-City Little League opted out of a time-honored tradition.

Instead of asking a local dignitary

to throw the first pitch, the league tasked 8-year-old Kimi Schroder, a girl who has bravely battled cancer for the past five years, to do the honor. She did not disappoint, firing a strike and lighting up the crowd with her thousand-watt smile. There wasn’t a dry eye in stands.

SEE LEAGUE, Page 8

The Padres minors team.

WALK TO END LUPUS Kensington’s Roxanne Bornowski chairs event

Crown Jewel of Mid-City The new Copley-Price Family YMCA is quickly becoming a crown jewel for the Mid-City area of San Diego. It was envisioned as a community asset for the three intersecting neighborhoods: Talmadge, Kensington and City Heights. PAGE 14

The Lupus Foundation of America will host its eighth annual Walk To End Lupus Now event in San Diego on May 16 at NTC Park in Liberty Station.

The Walk to End Lupus Now events are held in more than 60 cities across the country, making it the largest lupus walk program in the entire country. The walk events bring together community members — people with lupus, friends, families, health care providers, and celebrities — to raise money for

lupus research and education programs, increase awareness of the disease, and rally public support for those who feel the brutal impact of lupus.

“I have participated in the walk for several years to support patients like me who are living with lupus,” said Kensington resident Roxanne Bornowski, event chair. “I was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in 2004 while serving in the United States Navy. I have seen first-hand how unpre-

dictable and devastating this disease can be on the entire family.

My battle with Lupus has included eight miscarriages leading to a hysterectomy at age 33, multiple hospital stays for infections, joint pain, chronic fatigue, fevers, hair loss, skin rashes and many other ailments.”

“The most frustrating thing about Lupus is that it is so unpredictable,” adds Bornowski. “I can be fine one day and the next day SEE LUPUS, Page 8

Kensington resident Roxanne Bornowski, who suffers from lupus, is chair of the Walk to End Lupus Now.

2 | northparknews.biz/digital | April 2015

COMMUNITY NEWS Finish Chelsea’s Run Partners with Girl Scouts San Diego

The members of Girl Scout Junior Troop 2049 were among the 8,000 participants and supporters gathered in Balboa Park recently for a morning of fitness, fun, hope and inspiration. The 5th annual Finish Chelsea’s Run 5K in Partnership with Girl Scouts San Diego brought community together as one “voice” to share their commitment to creating positive change for children.

Held on March 7, run/walk is the primary fundraiser for the Chelsea’s Light Foundation’s Sunflower Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to San Diego County collegebound teens who embrace characteristics that reflect Chelsea King’s thirst for knowledge, serviceover-self-ethic, and indomitable spirit. In 2014, more than 7,000 participants ran and walked to help raise funds, which fueled over $85,000 in Sunflower Scholarships and the foundation’s efforts to continue the expansion of Chelsea’s Law. Additional financial sponsorship from Bridgepoint Education, Wells Fargo, Chick-

fil-A Carmel Mountain and Clark Cares Foundation provides the Foundation the ability to recognize these outstanding students. Girl Scouts San Diego will also receive proceeds to help keep Girl Scouting available and affordable for 40,000 local girl and adult members.

“More than anything, this event is about hope. Hope that, as an engaged community, we will make a difference.

Hope that amazing teens have the opportunity to pursue their college dreams. Hope that children throughout the nation will have the same protections we have in California as a result of Chelsea’s Law,” said Brent King, Chelsea King’s father and co-founder of Chelsea’s Light Foundation.

Council Declares March 17 as Nathan Odom Day

Nathan with his parents and Councilman Todd Gloria in City Council Chambers.

The City Council declared March 17 as Nathan Odom Day in San Diego in honor of the 12-year-old North Park resident’s victory on the Fox television competition show “MasterChef Junior.”

Odom, who began cooking with his grandmother at age 6, beat out 19

competitors over seven weeks for the $100,000 grand prize.

Councilman Todd Gloria, whose 3rd District includes North Park, told his colleagues they shouldn’t be surprised that the winner came from his district.

“We have the best food and the best restaurants, so naturally, of course, One of the pristine Prairie-style homes that we’re going to have the best chefs,” said have graced Mission Hills for 100 years.

Gloria, who conceded that he can’t bers. Can be purchased in advance through the website at cook. www.MissionHillsHeritage.com or Odom honed his skills in a culinary program at McKinley Elementary the event beginning at 11:30 p.m..

School, the councilman said.

The youngster said he’d like to open Read Across America Day Latasha Tarachsel, a volunteer with his own restaurant some day.

“I want to express my gratitude to Todd Gloria and all of the San Diego City Council,” Odom said. “I’m really just incredibly thankful for this honor, and I’d like to thank everyone who helped it happen.”

Odom told the council members that he likes to cook French and Japanese dishes, and especially enjoys United Way of San Diego County, making pastries. — City News Service reads to students at Rowan Elementary School in City Heights for Read Mission Hills Heritage 11th Across America Day on March 6. The Annual Walking Tour ‘Prairie National Education Association estiStyle in Mission Hills’ mates nearly 45 million children and Mission Hills Heritage will present adults celebrated the joy of reading on a docent-led walking tour on April 18 Dr. Seuss’s birthday each year. To to explore the enclaves of Prairie-style inspire a love of learning and the writhomes. The style was conceived by ten word, volunteers from United Way Midwest architects and made its way participated in NEA’s 18th Annual to Mission Hills a century ago.

Read Across America Day and celeDocents will share details of the brated Dr. Seuss’s 111th birthday by early occupants, local builders and sharing beloved tales from the local architects who built in this style. literary legend with students at eleStarting point: Espresso Mio at 1920 mentary schools across the county.

Fort Stockton in Mission Hills. Tours From 1 to 4 p.m. and tickets are $10 Oldies Showband Performs in for members and $15 for nonmem- Kensington

San Diego’s favorite oldies showband The Legends — known for trib-

The Legends.

utes to the early years of rock ‘n roll — Tina Turner, Dion, the Supremes, The Marcels and more — will perform Saturday, May 2, from 5 to 7 p.m. at 4117 Lymer Drive in Kensington as part of the Kensington Concert Series. They’ll come with their authentic sounds, wigs, costumes and choreography.

Drummer Howard Blank, who founded the group in 1987, was the original drummer for The Outsiders, whose hit, “Time Won’t Let Me” sold over a million copies. This is a Kensington Concert Series favorite. Food and drink reception following concert.

Tickets are $25 (cash or check only).

Call (619) 283-4888. Leave name, callback number and ticket request. Your call will be returned to finalize purchase. Or mail — Send a selfaddressed, stamped envelope to Kensington Concert Series, c/o Winnie, 4644 Marlborough Drive, San Diego, CA 92116. Include number of tickets needed and your check, payable to Kensington Concert Series. (Tickets will be mailed to you.)

Net Proceeds will be donated to the Kensington-Normal Heights Friends of the Library.

SEE COMMUNITY, Page 3

April 2015 | northparknews.biz/digital | 3

Ask Dr. Z Why didn’t the flu shot work this year?

Two different points must be explored to explain this. First, the flu shot every year is really just a prediction of which flu strains will be the most prevalent in the year. They predict this well in advance. They are already starting to process the flu shots for the 2015-2016 flu season as I write this article. Much can happen in the intervening months before the flu actually arrives for that year.

The prediction is mainly based on the flu strains in Asia the previous year. So the flu strains Japan and China have right now will most likely comprise the flu shot next year.

Unfortunately, this leaves Asia without flu shots, since they have no one to base theirs on. If you have ever wondered why so many people in Asian countries wear masks to prevent infection, this is one big reason why. No flu shots that would work there. It has even made it into their cultures. Notice how many Asian countries greet each other without touching —they bow. Namaste.

The second reason for the flu shot’s failure this year was a particular mutation in the dominant strain from last year’s Asian flus. Once a virus mutates, or changes a small part of itself, then the flu shot will no longer work against it.

With that one-two punch, we had

COMMUNITY

CONTINUED FROM Page 2

Cal Humanities Grants $395,000 to San Diego Film Projects Two media projects in San Diego are among 15 that were awarded a combined $395,000 in grants Monday by the nonprofit Cal Humanities, through its California Documentary Project.

“ArtBound at the Border,” a multiplatform documentary series exploring the arts, culture and social movements of the San Diego and Tijuana borderregion, is being produced for online distribution and television broadcast on Link TV and KCET, the public broadcasting station in Los Angeles.

“Sanson and Me” is sponsored by Media Arts Center San Diego in North Park. The coming-of-age tale is about two Mexican immigrants in California’s Central Valley -- one a countryboy serving a life sentence for murder and the other a middle-class intellectual from Mexico City.

“Cal Humanities is proud to support these 15 extraordinary film, radio, and new media documentaries,” said Julie Fry, president and CEO of Cal Humanities, the state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

“Each adds a new layer to a complex and growing portrait of California,” Fry said.“Together, they help us better understand who we are and where we live.”

Other programs provided grants include a young playwright’s reinterpretation of “Romeo and Juliet,” which he set in the Northern California city

a flu shot that was only about 15 percent effective, and so our flu season was, and is, particularly bad. With world travel, I expect this to become the norm in the future. People will fly while ill and bring the dominant Asian flu over a year early, thus nullifying the benefits of flu shots in the Western world. Masks, anyone?

What causes hiccups?

Anything that stretches the diaphragm, the big muscle inside us that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity, can cause hiccups.

This is why eating a really large meal, or having reflux, or eating dry bread, will cause hiccups. All of those stretch or irritate the diaphragm, which then contracts, causing you to inhale abruptly. Infants hiccup all the time because they are growing so very fast.

The growth in length, and a very large abdomen after nursing, will trigger them. They will even hiccup while in utero — they are growing extremely fast then. As adults, we only grow in girth —another trigger. So if you begin to hiccup more often, cut back on the food quantities, alcohol and caffeine, and drink more water while eating.

OON

San Diego Authors Release Summer Novel We all have friends whose Facebook pages are so carefully curated that their lives look absolutely, annoyingly perfect! That’s 35-year-old advertising executive Kate one week before her dream wedding in Hawaii.

The protagonist of San Diego authors Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke’s upcoming novel, “The Status of All Things,” is constantly checking in at hot spots, spouting off clever observations, and posting filtered selfies in rapid succession.

When Kate is jilted the night before her wedding, the humiliated social media junkie wakes up with more than just a broken heart. She is magically able to turn back the hands of time and rewrite her history through Facebook status updates. As she does, she learns about the nature of relationships, friendship, and fate. It’s a fast, fun read perfect for those who loved Bill Murray’s 1993 comedy “Groundhog Day.” Meet Fenton and Steinke on June 8 at 7 p.m. — Adventures by the Book’s Chocolate, Wine, and Cheese tasting literary event at Eclipse Chocolate on Fern Street in South Park. $40.

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of Richmond, and an inside look at the rise of the Vietnamese American-run nail industry.

The documentaries represent a diverse spectrum of the California experience, and are aimed at statewide and national audiences, according to Cal Humanities.-- City News Service.

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It’s Festival Time! Festival of Arts Returns Bigger and Better

Crowds gather at the many vendors lining the street at last year’s Festival of Arts.

BY SUSAN TAYLOR

Family friendly and walkable, North Park’s annual Festival of Arts is set for Saturday, May 16, from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Always a fun day, this year’s event will surprise residents and visitors with new talent and activities.

The event is sponsored by San Diego County Credit Union and promoted by North Park Main Street, the association bringing all the players together.

Notice the colorful posters around town, designed by poster grand prize winner Denisse Wolf, announcing the festival.

Indulge your shopping side by browsing and buying from almost 200 vendors, and celebrate the creative talents of local artists, musicians and dancers.

There will be five stages with such bands as Barbarian, Chateau and musician Jesse LaMonaca & The

Dime Novels. Stop for food at the many food trucks and food booths, and steer the kids toward their very own Kids Art Block where they can enjoy interactive activities. On display will be submissions from the Young Artists Photography Competition.

A major focus of the festival is recognition of the North Park Craft Mafia. Founded in 2008, this nonprofit group encourages do-it-yourself, signature crafts which enhance the visual interest of North Park. The Craft Mafia Alley can be found east of Ohio Street during Festival Day. Unique this year will be the Zip Car Live Art Expo on Herman Street.

Festival goers can experience the creative expressions of ArtCar artists at work, customizing a dumpster, delivery truck, a Zip Car, and even a refrigerator.

An extension of the popular concept of decorating North Park electrical/utility boxes, the Live Art Expo

celebrates self-taught folk artists, who bring a fresh look to ordinary objects and a refreshing aspect to the 2015 festival.

Beer from local breweries will be sold at the two beer gardens located on the corners of 30th and University and 31st and University. In addition, the Waypoint Public Craft Beer Block will be located on Ohio Street between Lincoln and University. This venue will include music by FM 94.9, karaoke, food by Waypoint Public and City Tacos, and tastes from more than 25 brew makers.

Proceeds from ticket sales benefit North Park Main Street, which supports neighborhood improvement, planning and development, pedestrian-friendly streets, the area’s historical nature, entrepreneurship, and innovative and creative experiences for area families.

Tickets to the Craft Beer Block can be bought now by going to

Jesse LaMonaca & The Dime Novels will perform at this year’s festival.

www.brownpapertickets.com/event/ 1260827.

Plan on walking, biking, taking bus lines 2, 6, 7, or 10, or parking in the North Park Garage. San Diego City Councilman Todd Gloria, Council

candidate Chris Ward, and representatives from the North Park Branch Library, Lion’s Club, and Historical Society will be among friends and families enjoying the 2015 North Park Festival of Arts.

April 2015 | northparknews.biz/digital | 5

7 BILLION OTHERS A PORTRAIT OF HUMANITY TODAY

The Museum of Photographic Arts is presenting the United States premiere of “7 Billion Others,” a multimedia exhibition that attempts to portray a sensitive, humanist portrait of the world in videos.

The museum selected the exhibition as its leading exhibit for Balboa Park’s centennial commemorating the 1915 Panama-California Exposition.

The exhibit, created by the GoodPlanet Foundation, will run through Sept. 13.

The “7 billion Others” project began in 2003 as an ambitious project to assemble a sensitive, humanist portrait of the world in videos. For seven years, authors Sybille d’Orgeval and Baptiste Rouget-Luchaire traveled the world to meet its people, accompanied by a team of reporters. They recorded the voices of more than 6,000 men and women in 84 countries who share numerous similarities despite their differences.

All answered the same 45 questions on the meaning of life, their dreams, their fears and their joys to share their connectedness — from a Brazilian fisherman to a Chinese shopkeeper to a German artist.

Among the questions: • What meaning does life have for you?

• What difficult circumstances have you lived through?

• What did you learn from your parents?

• What message do you want to pass to your children?

• What changes have you seen in your country?

Yann Arthus-Bertrand created the GoodPlanet Foundation that aims to raise public awareness of environmental issues. Within the foundation, he developed the “6 Billion Others” project, which changed names to become “7 Billion Others.”

As a global multimedia exhibition, 7 billion Others provides an immersive, technology-driven experience that unites the world like the exposition, using video interviews. Thematic updates occur throughout its installment to keep content fresh and engaging during its extended run of 30 weeks.

“Others” unleashes the collective image of the voices, SEE BALBOA, Page 6

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Lutheran Church Celebrates 100 Years A festival of music, food and merriment The North Park community is invited to join the celebration of the 100-year anniversary of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, located at 4011 Ohio St. on the corner of Lincoln and Ohio. The party will be in full swing on Saturday, April 25, from noon to 2 p.m. and will include food, music, and mingling with congregational members, youth, church officers, and the pastor.

Appetizers will be served, donations accepted. After the open house, there will be a concert and sing-along of melodies from every decade since 1915. If you have never visited Our Savior’s this is your opportunity to meet people and take a look around.

The sanctuary is designed with broad pews on both sides of a long aisle and the altar is beautifully embraced by rich wood. The side windows are stained glass and behind the altar, facing the congregation, is a depiction of Christ praying. The tall, arched ceiling instills reverence and contemplation.

The church campus includes a secure courtyard, gardens, a library and offices, a pre-school, a full kitchen, and a fellowship hall used for annual meetings, martial arts, quinceaneras and weekly square dancing.

BALBOA CONTINUED FROM Page 5

perspectives and faces of the 7 billion human beings living on this planet and shaping the ever-changing portrait of humanity. These touching, open testimonials, spoken in more than 50 languages, are moving expressions of truth, tolerance and solidarity that shake preconceptions and beliefs. The interviewees call on viewers to look deeper than simple appearances.

A Living Project

The “7 billion Others” project has traveled around the world for more than seven years.

The project is still collecting new stories as more footage rolls in thanks to users uploading on the

Pastor Maria Santa Cruz, born in Mexico, leads services in Spanish and English.

Her passionate and thought-provoking sermons compel

BY SUSAN TAYLOR

Preschoolers are met at their developmental level, and the staff fills each day with thematic activities, crafts, foods, walking trips, and assemblies

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church traces its beginning to 1915.

reflection and fellowship — and return visits from worshipers. After church she can be found greeting those people who stop by for free bread and a homemade Mexican brunch between services.

Many families from North Park and other neighborhoods entrust their children to the pre-school, which has been in existence since 1980.

website. This additional filming can be done in places where the “7 billion Others” team has never gone before or organized by theme.

For example, in 2009, a new film called Climate Voices was completed. It was made with 600 additional interviews recorded in 17 countries.

The film was screened at the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in December 2009 and at all subsequent exhibits.

In 2011, some films were produced, this time about the Millennium Development Goals, in collaboration with RFI (Radio France Internationale) and FRANCE 24. “7 billion Others interviewed more than 500 people in 16 countries as part of this project, titled “Development Matters.”

with speakers from local businesses.

Kids experience the occasional thrill of a close encounter with a fireman in full regalia, a local postman, or Santa Claus. Our Savior’s preschool consistently has a waiting list.

The church beginnings date back to 1915 when it was part of the United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America. At that time the church was

located at Park Boulevard and Centre Street. It had a pump organ and a piano purchased for $100. By 1921 sermons were sometimes delivered in English.

In the 1930s, Sunday School was established in Vasa Hall at Illinois Street and El Cajon Boulevard. Soon a generous parishioner offered to buy a corner lot at the present church site. War years brought many troops and military families from the Midwest, and people drawn to the Lutheran faith and strong Scandinavian and Northern European roots populated the congregation.

The evangelizing members helped to establish other Lutheran churches in San Diego County, including La Jolla Lutheran, College Lutheran and Lemon Grove Lutheran. Our Savior’s itself expanded with the acquisition of four adjacent lots, including apartments.

In 1959, membership numbered almost 1,300, however, today membership has dwindled, a trend seen among churches nationwide. However, what Our Savior’s lacks in congregational size, it makes up for with its sense of family and abiding friendships.

(Susan Taylor is a member of the congregation of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church.)

ADAMS AVENUE NEWS northparknews.biz/digital MidCityNewspaperGroup.com Serving San Diego’s Premier Mid City Communities Chairman/CEO Bob Page BobPage@sandiegometro.com Publisher Rebeca Page RebecaPage@sandiegometro.com Associate Publisher Brad Weber ReachLocals@ MidCityNewspaperGroup.com Editor Manny Cruz Manny@sandiegometro.com Art Director Chris Baker cbaker@sandiegometro.com -----------------------------Writers/Columnists Todd Gloria Bart Mendoza Delle Willett Anna Lee Fleming Sara Wacker

Photography Manny Cruz Sande Lollis Letters/Opinion Pieces North Park News encourage letters to the editor and guest editorials. Please address correspondence to Manny@sandiegometro.com or mail to Manny Cruz. Please include a phone number, address and name for verification purposes; no anonymous letters will be printed. We reserve the right to edit letters and editorials for brevity and accuracy.

Story ideas/Press Releases Do you have an idea for an article you would like to see covered in this newspaper? We welcome your ideas, calendar item listings and press releases. For breaking news, please call us at (619) 287-1865.

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ADDRESS PO Box 3679, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067 PHONE (858) 461-4484

North Park News distributes copies monthly to residents and businesses of North Park, South Park, Golden Hill and Normal Heights.

Yann Arthus-Bertrand created the GoodPlanet Foundation.

The entire contents of North Park News is copyrighted, 2015, by REP Publishing, Inc. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without prior written consent.

All rights reserved.

April 2015 | northparknews.biz/digital | 7

Major Renovations Completed at 132 Affordable Homes in City Heights City Heights CDC partners with Wakeland City Heights CDC and Wakeland Housing and Development Corp. have completed an eight-month project to renovate a total of 132 affordable homes at 10 properties scattered throughout City Heights.

The major rehabilitation project “was the best way to ensure that these homes would be properly maintained as quality affordable housing for families and individuals in City Heights for many decades to come,” said City Heights CDC Executive Director Kenneth Grimes.

Elected officials, residents and representatives from City Heights CDC and Wakeland gathered March 13 to celebrate the completion of the renovation project.

Now known as the City Heights Ten, the project included rehabilitation of homes at each property, exterior improvements and the creation of a completely remodeled community room/computer lab at the largest of the 10 properties that greatly increases the partnership’s capacity to serve the residents’ needs.

The City Heights Ten properties were

acquired by City Heights CDC in the 1990s.

The overall cost for the renovations was around $4 million and it came from a combination of Low Income Housing Tax Credits and bond financing.

To complete the project, the two partners had to coordinate eight months of rehabilitation construction at 10 fully-occupied properties, which included temporarily relocating working families, seniors and residents with special needs in a way that impacted their daily lives as little as possible.

“My experience with the rehab construction has been awesome,” said City Heights Ten resident Tranisha Dangerfield. “I’m really enjoying the improvements, but the biggest benefit of living here is that this is a clean, nice, stable place for families to call home.”

Since completion, residents from all properties have enjoyed updated amenities in their homes plus social events and enrichment programs at the new community room.

Community and Board Meetings Greater Golden Hill Community Development Corp. The CDC normally meets at 6:30 p.m. the third Thursday of the month at the Golden Hill Recreation Center, 2600 Golf Course Drive. Email: info@goldenhillcdc.org.

Greater Golden Hill Planning Committee meets at 6:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month at the Balboa Golf Course clubhouse, 2600 Golf Course Drive. For information, call (619) 533-5284.

The North Park Redevelopment Project Area Committee meets at 6 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month at the Lafayette Hotel, 2223 El Cajon Blvd. Meetings focus on redevelopment projects in construction or planning.

For information, visit sandiego.gov/redevelopment-agency.

The North Park Main Street board meets at 7 a.m. the second Wednesday of the month at its storefront office, 3076 University Ave. North Park Main Street has more than 250 members, primarily businesses paying annual assessments in the city-authorized North Park BID. For information, call 294-2501.

The North Park Maintenance Assessment District Committee normally meets at 6 p.m. the second Monday of every other month at North Park Community Adult Center, 2719 Howard Ave. The North Park Planning Committee meets meets at 6:30 p.m. the third Tuesday of the month at North Park Christian Fellowship, 2901 North Park Way. The committee is an advisory group to the city on North Park land use, including the general plan, infrastructure and density. For information, visit northparkplanning.org.

The North Park Community Association meets from 6 to 8 p.m. the fourth Wednesday of each month at the Lafayette Hotel, 2223 El Cajon Blvd. The Community Association provides a forum for issues and concerns about public safety, education, land use, public facilities and services, commercial revitalization, community image and cultural activities. For more information, visit www.northparksd.org.

The North Park Historical Society meets from 6:30 to 8 p.m. the third Thursday of each month. The Historical Society conducts research and educational outreach in order to facilitate preservation of North Park's cultural and architectural history. For more information, visit northparkhistory.org.

The South Park Business Group meets on the last Wednesday of each month at 8:30 a.m. at Alchemy Restaurant, 30th & Beech.

The SPBG is comprised of business owners with storefronts and service businesses located in South Park. The organization produces the quarterly South Park Walkabouts and the annual Old House Fair. For more information, call (619) 233-6679 or email PBG@lucyslist.net.

The University Heights Community Association meets at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of the month in the auditorium of Birney Elementary School, 4345 Campus Ave. For information, call 297-3166.

The Adams Avenue Business Association board of directors normally meets at 7:30 a.m. the first Tuesday of the month at the Normal Heights Community Center, 4649 Hawley Blvd. For time, place and more information, call (619) 282-7329 or visit adamsaveonline.com.

The Kensington/Talmadge Planning Group meets at 6:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month at Kensington Community Church, 4773 Marlborough Drive. For information, call 287-3157.

The Lions Club of North Park meets for lunch every Wednesday from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the club, 3927 Utah St. Prospective members are welcome to enjoy their first lunch on the club. For information, call (619) 692-0540.

Uptown Rotary welcomes prospective members at its 7 a.m. Thursday breakfasts at Jimmy Carter’s Mexican Café, 3172 Fifth Ave. For more, call (619) 500-3229 or visit sdurotary.org.

The North Park Recreation Council meets at 6 p.m. the fourth Monday of every other month at North Park Recreation Center, 4044 Idaho St. For information, call 235-1152.

Map of the City Heights Ten.

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8 | northparknews.biz/digital | April 2015

LEAGUE CONTINUED FROM Page 1

This scene is typical for almost every Little League opening day in America. But Mid-City Little League is anything but typical.

While many Little Leagues focus on winning, Mid-City Little League teaches children about the game of life. As San Diego’s oldest, Mid-City Little League has served the community for 66 years. A lot has changed in 66 years, but this league’s mission has stayed the same: to foster character development and sportsmanship; to provide a safe, healthy and accepting environment to learn baseball; and to promote the values of citizenship and community responsibility.

“We make it clear to parents — if you’re looking to go to Williamsport for the Little League World Series, this is not the league for you,” said Rowland. According to Rowland, the league seeks to provide a positive experience for every kid who wants to play, which means teams don’t always win. “Winning isn’t the only thing,” Rowland said. “Having fun and learning sportsmanship is.”

Unlike other Little Leagues, MidCity Little League strives for competitive balance on every team. “Where other leagues might have super teams, we don’t,” Rowland said. The league welcomes all children, girls and boys from every walk of life, including kids with behavioral problems or disabilities. According to Rowland, the league places a premium on inclusiveness, despite economic status, race, ethnicity and baseball pedigree, where everyone

Kimi Schroder throws out the first pitch on opening day of the Mid-City Little League.

belongs and everyone matters. In fact, the league maintains the district’s lowest registration fees and sponsors players who are unable to afford the fees or equipment. Rather than counting trophies, Rowland says that the league’s success is measured by the kids’ return rate year-after-year.

And unlike other Little Leagues whose numbers are dwindling, MidCity Little League’s enrollments continue to increase, despite the fact that so many other activities compete for kids’ attention. This year, an estimated 200 kids will play in the league.

According to Rowland, the league wouldn’t be possible without the countless hours of committed volun-

teers. While 21 Mid-City residents sit on the board, he estimates there are over 60 volunteers involved in some way, helping to shape the lives of the league’s young men and women.

In 66 years, Mid-City Little League has never taken a team to Williamsport, Pa., for the Little League World Series. And that’s just fine by the board members, coaches and volunteers. Says Rowland: “If they can touch, or inspire, or connect with one child through a simple game that has bound generations of Americans, all of their work will have been worth it.”

(Kevin Kelly contributed to this report)

LUPUS

CONTINUED FROM Page 1

have a flare up where I am in so much pain I can’t do anything. It is hard to make plans because you never know how you are going to be feeling. It can be just as frustrating for your family, there has been many times I had to miss out on holidays, my son’s sports events, or other social outings because of a sudden flare up.

“I recently had to go on disability at age 35 and have to use a wheelchair on bad days, which was devastating for me since I recently graduated and worked so hard to get my MBA. Lupus has affected my ability to retain employment due to its unpredictability and a lot of people don’t understand because you don’t look sick.

Lupus treatments are limited. The main treatment is taking high doses of steroids which present another list of problems.

“I am lucky to have supportive family and friends and live in a community that cares. I recently held a bake sale in Kensington to raise funds for the Walk to End Lupus Now and raised $458. My battle with Lupus has inspired me to open up my own business, an in-home care agency to help others afflicted by medical conditions. My goal is to help others like me live the best quality of life possible.”

The goal of the walk is to raise

Roxanne Bornowski celebrates her graduation.

$130,000 to pay for critically needed research and support programs.

A recent survey found that 72 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 34, the age group at greatest risk for the disease, have either not heard about lupus at all or know little or nothing about the disease beyond the name. Every dollar raised from San Diego’s Walk to End Lupus Now event, supports the Lupus Foundation of America’s efforts to solve the mystery of lupus — one of the world’s

cruelest, most unpredictable and devastating diseases.

Persons interested in donating to Roxanne Bornowski’s local Keningston team can donate securely online at lupus.donorpages.com/ S a n D i e g o Wa l k 2 0 1 5 / R o x a n neBornowski Registration for the walk can be made at walktoendlupusnow.org/ San Diego.

April 2015 | northparknews.biz/digital | 9

The Autism Research Institute A longtime member of the Kensington community Although many of our readers are aware of the Autism Research Institute (ARI), located in the heart of Kensington, you may not know that the institute is a world leader in conducting and funding research as well as disseminating relevant information to professionals and parents.

The institute was established in 1967 and was first housed where Clip Art Salon is currently located, and then moved to the corner of Adams Avenue and Edgeware Road in 1982.

ARI was established by Dr. Bernard Rimland, a true pioneer in the autism field and was an active parent advocate. He passed away in 2006. In 1964, he wrote an influential book titled “Infantile Autism” in which he argued rather convincingly that autism was not caused by parental neglect; but rather, autism is a physiological condition and involves the interaction of genes and the environment.

The book has recently been reprinted to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its publication. Much

Winnie’s Picks!

Hello Everyone!

I’ve been asked to tell you all each issue about, and to recommend, some of my favorite movies. and I’m going to start with some of my old favorites.

I really suggest you look at “The Best Offer” with Geoffrey Rush. You will watch the ending a few times to figure out what is going on. “Anzac Girls” (about the nurses in the WWI) is good entertainment.

If you want to laugh be sure and watch “Good Hair!” You won’t believe how much people spend on their hair and where most of the hair for wigs comes from.

All of you know I love documen-

The Best Offer

research, especially in the past 10 years, has supported Rimland’s view about autism.

Rimland was also the head consultant to the Academy Award-winning film “Rain Man,” and he is credited for suggesting that Raymond had autism rather than intellectually challenged.

Rimland’s son, Mark, is a popular figure in the Kensington community; and he is sometimes referred to as the (unofficial) Mayor of Kensington. Mark is the resident artist of Sophie’s Kensington Gallery, which is located next to ARI. The gallery often showcases artwork by individuals with developmental disabilities, and each month the gallery sponsors a new show. See www.KensingtonGallery.org to learn about the current art show as well as the upcoming one.

The Autism Research Institute has awarded research grants to scientists at many major universities including Cleveland Clinic, Harvard/MassGeneral, Arizona State University, Columbia University, the University

of Arkansas, the University of Louisville, University of Minnesota, Tufts University, University of Pittsburgh, UCLA/VA Center, and many more.

Besides research, ARI funds two tissue banks (University of Maryland and Harvard/MassGeneral); sponsors at least two major think tanks each year; publishes books, several e-newsletters, and a science newsletter; maintains a popular website, www.Autism.com, and several Yahoo discussion groups; and provides support to autism organizations throughout the world.

Recently, ARI sponsored conferences in Russia, Ukraine, Ghana, the Philippines, and Columbia.

InMay, Dr. Steve Edelson, the executive director of ARI, will be traveling to Moscow for the third straight year to co-chair a major three-day conference on autism.

ARI does not provide direct services to individuals with autism, but people are welcome to stop by and obtain information on autism.

taries - you learn so much. Put on your list “The Parrot”, especially since we have so many parrots flying around our neighborhoods. You’ll find out why. “Trashed” by Jeremy Irons is one everyone should watch.

I just read about a bird store in Julian and I was wondering if they ever watched the documentary on the Birders (about the birds that migrate from South America and fly to Central Park, and then on to Canada.) 200 species in that park alone! See the documentary and maybe also try to take in the three part video (Life of Birds) with Attenborough.

If you like planes this one is a winner-another true story - “Arrow” (about an airplane in Canada).

“Music from the Big House” is one I really enjoyed about a lady from Canada that came down to the prisons (and you know music can melt anyone). She did such a good job with those people.

“Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorfs” is another fun documentary. Some of you might remember who bought that store (if not see it).

Some of you like a light movie, so I

suggest “Elsa and Fred” (Shirley MacLaine and Christopher Plummer). Indeed, you will smile. If you have never watched “Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont”, this one has to go on your list!

I must tell you about “Chico and Rita” (animation). I know I never watch animation but a man convinced me to take the time so I did, and I have never stopped talking about it!

Be sure and watch the specials and see how they made it and loved doing the video.

“ID:A” (Danish) is excellent suspense, and a four-disc BBC thriller “Salamander” is very, very good.

You are going to love all of these, and maybe you should email Guy and order them for your own collection at kenvideo@cox.net Bye for now. See you next month!

Winnie

Trashed

Chico & Rita

Dr. Steve Edelson, executive director of the Autism Research Institute, will travel to Moscow in May for the third straight year to co-chair an autism conference.

Winnie Hanford is a long time resident of Kensington and owner of Kensington Video. Winnie plans to host a weekly film community group near the Kensington – Normal Heights Branch Library on Adams Avenue

10 | northparknews.biz/digital | April 2015

Revealing History of Mission Hills One of San Diego’s streetcar neighborhoods

Allen Hazard and Janet O’Dea in front of their historic home on Sunset Boulevard in Mission Hills.

Like the communities of North Park, South Park Normal Heights, Hillcrest Burlingame and Golden Hill, Mission Hills owes much of its existence to the San Diego Electric Railway streetcar lines that linked them to San Diego’s urban core.

The streetcar lines established by John D. Spreckels in the early 1900s were largely responsible for the growth of those communities, and, thanks also to the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, the abundance of historic homes that grace all of the neighborhoods.

Now, a century later, historic preservationists Allen Hazard and Janet O’Dea have crafted a book that captures the history and beauty of one of

those streetcar neighborhoods — Mission Hills — after years of research.

During the 14 years Hazard and O’Dea have lived in Mission Hills, they have continuously researched and documented the community by collecting oral histories, vintage photographs, ephemera, and more.

The result is “Images of America: Mission Hills” (Arcadia Publishing 2015).

The centerpiece is a tranquil neighborhood rich in established gardens and lush finger canyons, streets lined with beautifully designed and handcrafted historic homes that are the result of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition and related building boom, which drew

architects, builders and craftsmen to San Diego from all over the country.

The Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO) presented a book launch in March as part of its ongoing celebration of San Diego’s historic neighborhoods.

“The story of Mission Hills is unique in many respects,” Hazard noted. It may be “the largest, most intact street car neighborhood where every major San Diego architect (with the exception of Irving Gill) and builder created a lasting legacy of early 20th-century architecture.”

The little-changed neighborhood includes homes designed by or for many prominent architects, such as William Templeton Johnson, Cliff May, Richard Requa, Lilian J. Rice and Emmor Brooke Weaver; and builders such as David O. Dryden, Martin W. Melhorn, and Alexander Schreiber.

Writing and compiling this 128page book led Hazard and O'Dea even deeper into neighborhood lore, as they knocked on countless front doors, discovered on a tax preparer’s office wall a rare early photograph of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church (a Mission Revival building razed in 1968), and reached into the seemingly bottomless photo archives of Henry Ford.

Ford’s business entered the Mission Hills story in a surprisingly bold stroke. The 1935 Neuner Brothers Ford dealership and filling station on Fort Stockton Drive (since converted to the Frame Station) was originally an eye-catching mini version of the towering Streamline Moderne Ford Building, just a few miles away in Balboa Park. Renowned industrial designer Walter Dorwin Teague was the architect of this iconic structure (now the San Diego Air and Space Museum) built for the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition.

Among the many residents and former residents who offered generations worth of information, charming family photos and invaluable records were Irene and Merrill Miller Jr. Merrill Miller is the great grandson of Captain Henry Johnston, the skipper of a

steamer that brought many newcomers to San Diego. In 1869, Johnston bought about 65 acres of a promontory he could see from San Diego Bay, the prospect now known as Mission Hills. He did not live to build a house there, but his stepdaughter and other descendants made it their home and subdivided the portion Johnston bought, calling it Inspiration Heights.

Along with famous forces that helped shape early Mission Hills and the 1915 Exposition, civic leader and developer George Marston, nurserywoman and botanist Kate Sessions, streetcar and sugar mogul John D. Spreckels, the authors include some new discoveries in their book.

Acclaimed painter and Works Progress Administration muralist Belle Baranceanu lived and worked for a time in Mission Hills. The Mexican girl portrayed drinking from a fountain on a Spanish Revival glazedtile plaque at businessman Mariano

Escobedo’s Sunset Boulevard home was inspired by an 1875 oil painting

by Léon Bonnat, “Roman Girl at a Fountain.” A vintage aerial photograph (just one among dozens previously unpublished in the book) presents a stark summary of change at the heart of Mission Hills. “This photograph really allows one to see the changes over time and the essence that has remained,” O’Dea noted.

“We’re very pleased to help launch this significant book because Janet and Allen are dedicated, tireless SOHO members who have led or serve on multiple SOHO committees for years,” Alana Coons, SOHO’s director of education and communications, said. “I do not know of another book dedicated to Mission Hills, as incomprehensible as that may be, and we applaud their ongoing work to research and preserve their Mission Hills neighborhood.”

April 2015 | northparknews.biz/digital | 11

By Bart Mendoza

Celebrate the Boulevard Party On April 24, the Lafayette Hotel (2223 El Cajon Blvd.), will be the site of the El Cajon Business Development District’s annual Celebrate the Boulevard party, spotlighting businesses and activities along the thoroughfare. A number of local musicians will be honored with a banner set to be hung along the boulevard, and many of them will be performing at the event. Providing entertainment that evening will be former Beat Farmer Joey Harris, Celtic fiddler Patric Petrie, guitarist David Fleminger and his combo the Down Lights featuring Normandie Wilson, and percussionist Al Howard’s group, The Midnight Pine. Folk Arts Rare Records founder will also perform a few tunes and he will be introduced by the iconic store’s new owner, Brendan Boyle. It’s a great night of entertainment and a chance for local business and residents to engage in a bit of civic pride. theboulevard.org

Desert Suns Vinyl Release Show Stoner rock favorites Desert Suns host a vinyl release show at the Tower Bar (4757 University Ave.) on April 24. The album was released digitally last year, but this will be the first opportunity to get the band’s self titled debut disc on vinyl, limited to 100 clear vinyl and 200 white vinyl copies, with four postcards and a poster. It’s an instant collectable. thetowerbar.com.

Gregory Page’s Farewell Show Gregory Page is a beloved San Diego institution, but his talents have begun to keep him away for longer and longer periods of time. On April 18 Page performs a farewell show at Lestat’s Coffeehouse (3343 Adams Ave.) before he heads off to Europe and Australia. Our town is blessed to have so many mega-talented performers in our midst, but we tend to take them for granted far too often. Don’t miss a chance to catch a set from Page before he heads off to new adventures. Lestats.com

Berryhill and Straw Together A chance to take in a set from anti-folk heroine Cindy Lee Berryhill would be reason enough to head to Java Joe’s on April 18, but the fact that she will be joined by legendary singersongwriter Syd Straw, makes this one of the most important gigs so far this year. Berryhill is currently recording her first album since 2008’s “Beloved Stranger,” with a wealth of, as usual, excellent new material to showcase, but for local music fans it’s the chance to catch a rare local appearance by Straw that makes this show special. She has worked with everyone from Pat Benatar to Wilco, though coincidentally, like Berryhill, she also has not released a new album since 2008’s “Pink Velour.” So, this isn’t a show to promote anything in particular, just a chance for two musical friends to get together, in front of an intimate audience. Indeed, the performance isn’t even listed on Straw’s home page, but music fans can rest assured, that come April 18, Java Joe’s will, once again, be the site of a very special performance. javajoessd.com.

Ilya’s Atmospheric Music Back after a lengthy pause, Ilya perform at the Soda Bar (3615 El Cajon Boulevard) on April 18. Their most recent album, “In Blood,” continues the band’s penchant for beautiful atmospheric music, epic tunes that mix symphonic touches with rock and hip hop beats. It’s perfect for fans of Sigur Ros, Portishead etc. Their albums are all excellent listens, but live they are particularly impressive, the dense, intense nature of their music particularly focused when heard at a loud volume in a relatively small space. sodabarmusic.com

Loveless Worthy of the Hoopla

A Special Occasion for Chinese Rocks Anyone who’s a fan of punk rock ‘n’ roll will want to head to the Black Cat Bar (4246 University Ave.) on April 24 for an appearance from Johnny Thunders tribute band, Chinese Rocks, fronted by guitarist Diana Death. Chinese Rocks only plays on special occasions, such as this birthday tribute to Thunders, making the band a must hear for anyone who enjoys the former New York Dolls explosive sound. Best of all, the group plays the songs with real passion. This isn’t a group playing dress up, it’s a bunch of musicians who love Thunders music. facebook.com/pages/Black-Cat-Bar/ 122288527859895

Ohio-based alternative country singer-songwriter Lydia Loveless returns to San Diego for a show at Queen Bee on April 23.

Her previous performance at Seven Grand was a sellout and it’s easy to see why. Though still at the early stages of her career, she’s now signed to Bloodshot Records and been cited by Rolling Stone magazine as one of 2014’s artists to watch. Loveless is worthy of the hoopla with superb originals that wring every melodic possibility and emotion out of its four minutes.

Loveless has a commanding voice, with perhaps a hint of Loretta Lynn, particularly effective on the more traditional sounding material. But it’s all great stuff, with more rock-inflected numbers such as “Can’t Change Me” — radio ready and cross over friendly. No doubt about it, Loveless is the real deal and in her song, “Verlaine Shot Rimbaud,” she’s already penned her first classic, destined to be covered by generations of future music hopeful’s. queenbeessd.com

12 | northparknews.biz/digital | April 2015

THE LUNATIC FRINGE IS REAL Tim Flannery headlines Adams Avenue Unplugged

You would think that Tim Flannery had a tough time adjusting to life in retirement from professional baseball the way many former athletes do. But the former Padres player and ex-third base coach for the San Francisco Giants — who enjoyed three World Series championships in five years — simply put away his baseball uniform in 2014 and picked up a guitar fulltime. Not a bad way to go.

Today, “Flan” is playing music and singing with his band, The Lunatic Fringe, in large part for philanthropic causes through the Love Harder Project he inspired.

He used to play 25 shows a year and now will do about 50, since he no longer has to squeeze shows between baseball commitments.

Tim Flannery & the Lunatic Fringe will be one of the headliners at this year’s fourth annual Adams Avenue Unplugged musical festival April 25-26 sponsored by the Adams Avenue Business Association.

Flannery and company will join more than 135 other artists booked for the weekend who will perform on 25 stages along a two-mile stretch of Adams Avenue. The festival goes from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday.

The festival will feature performances staged in participating restaurants, bars, coffeehouses and galleries, as well as four community stages along Adams Avenue. Many of the performers will play multiple sets to allow attendees to catch their favorite artists while taking

advantage of the neighborhood’s many independently owned businesses along Adams Avenue. In addition, there will be a chance to purchase priority seating for specific headliners performing in the Church on Mansfield for $10.

The other headliners are Vermont-based singer-songwriter Anais Mitchell; David J, founding member the avant-garde band Bauhaus; Bay Area five-piece acoustic band Hot Buttered Rum; Brooklyn bluegrass-inspired quartet Roosevelt Dime; and local teen singer-guitarist Cody Lovaas.

Joining the headliners will be a variety of musicians, including G Burns Jug Band, Gayle Skidmore, Grampadrew, Stevie Harris, Tomcat Courtney, Cindy Lee Berryhill, Yale Strom & Hot Pstromi, Gary Harkins, Euphoria Brass Band, Western Collective, Jimmy Ruelas, Sierra West, and Karlos Paes. (The final line-up and performance schedule is on the official festival website: www.adamsavenueunplugged.com.

Adams Avenue Unplugged will be held on Adams Avenue, from University Heights on the west end, through Normal Heights, and into parts of Kensington on the east.

Since street parking is limited, organizers will provide free trolley service along Adams Avenue during the event. In addition, mass transit bus service (MTS #2 & 11) will also be available since Adams Avenue will be open to traffic during the event.

For more information, call (619) 282-7329.

April 2015 | northparknews.biz/digital | 13

THE HEADLINERS

TIM FLANNERY & THE LUNATIC FRINGE APRIL 25, 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the Church Stage and 4-5 p.m. at Adams Park Stage.

ROOSEVELT DIME APRIL 25, 2:30-3:30 p.m. at Kensington Park Stage and 5-6 p.m. at Church Stage.

CODY LOVAAS APRIL 26, 2:30-3:30 p.m. at Church Stage and 5-6 p.m. at Ken Park Stage.

His name is Tim Flannery and when he is not coaching third base for the 2010 & 2012 World Series Champion San Francisco Giants, he is writing some of the most gorgeous acoustic music to roll out of California since the halycon days of the ’70s folk explosion.

There was a time when Appalachian strings made romance with New Orleans rhythms, a love affair that yielded one of the most infectious beats the world had ever heard. For Roosevelt Dime that time is now. A bedrock of New Orleans rhythms that brings driving, melodic banjo, fat-back blues guitar, pure honky-tonk harmonies, and deliciously dirty R&B vocals along for the ride.

Dallas born, San Diego-raised singer-songwriter Cody Lovaas has discovered a voice and pure direction that make it hard to believe he is only 16. His preferred means of travel is a surfboard, which carries him through crystalline days along the Pacific Coast. Influenced by artists such as Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson, Ben Howard and his local peers, Lovaas seamlessly combines his love for music and surf into fluid blues-imbued acoustic machinations.

HOT BUTTERED RUM APRIL 25, 2-3 p.m. at Adams Park Stage and 7-8 p.m. at Church Stage.

ANAIS MITCHELL APRIL 26, 1:30-2:30 p.m. at Adams Park Stage and 4-5 p.m. at Church Stage.

Anaïs Mitchell is first and foremost a storyteller. As a Vermont-based singer-songwriter, Mitchell recorded for Ani Difranco’s Righteous Babe Records for several years before starting her own Wilderland label in 2012. If there’s a common thread in Mitchell’s work — from her earliest acoustic records, to the Hadestown opera, to this new chapter — it’s that she’s as interested in the world around her as the one inside her.

DAVID J. APRIL 26, 2:30-3:30 p.m. at Rabbit Hole and 6-7 p.m. at Church Stage.

Founding member of Bauhaus and Love & Rockets now flying solo with the help of talented friends.

The band’s three songwriters — Nat Keefe, Erik Yates and Aaron Redner — spin tales about the good times, the bad times, and the roads in between, and belt them from the heart in three-part harmony. Bryan Horne’s athletic standup bass and Lucas Carlton’s tasteful percussion combine with the acoustic instruments to create what is California’s own acoustic music.

14 | northparknews.biz/digital | April 2015

The Crown Jewel of Mid-City The new Copley-Price Family YMCA is uniting three intersecting neighborhoods

BY MANNY CRUZ

Happenings on The Boulevard Gear up for a Big Night on The Boulevard, where on the evening of April 17th, the monthly BLVD Market and quarterly BLVD Nights align!

The BLVD Market, launched in October of 2014 showcases some of San Diego’s most creative, up-andcoming chefs and culinary purveyors.

With 12+ food vendors and live music, The BLVD Market is a San Diego style, open-air celebration of cuisine, and from hand-rolled meatballs to homemade pupusas, there’s something for every fun loving foodie in the family.

BLVD Nights is a good, old-fash-

ioned and new-fangled block party.

Dedicated to the community experience, it was founded in 2012 by proprietors of Boulevard businesses including Media Arts Center/Digital Gym, Coffee & Tea Collective, Gym Standard and The Homebrewer.

Showcasing local businesses, artists, filmmakers and home brewed beers – the event is consistently expanding to include participation by neighboring businesses of #30ECB, including Folk Arts Records who is hosting their first in store musical performance.

The new Copley-Price Family YMCA is quickly becoming a crown jewel for the Mid-City area of San Diego.

When Price Charities purchased the five-acre site in 2008 (including the undeveloped 1.5 acre lot across the street), the site was envisioned as a community asset for the three intersecting neighborhoods: Talmadge, Kensington, and City Heights.

Many options wer considered by Robert Price and the Price Charities board of directors before they decided to donate the land (valued at $7.6 million) to build a new YMCA to replace the 59-year-old Y on Landis Street a few blocks away.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Y in January, Price was thrilled. “Nothing in my life has ever worked as perfectly as this project,” he said to several hundred guests in the freshly minted basketball gymnasium. “This will be a game changer.”

No one will doubt that. The old YMCA had a base membership of about 1,000. The new facility is approaching 4,000 memberships.

The spike in memberships is the result of a combination of things, like offering more scholarships to families, an outreach campaign to sign people up in surrounding neighborhoods and, in the words of Robert Price: “Sol said the best advertisement is word of mouth.

The word got out on this.”

(Sol Price is Robert’s father. They founded The Price Company and Price Club in 1976.)

The Copley-Price Family YMCA is bringing together communities

that in the past have not mingled.

“We’re kind of the cultural center of the community right now,” said Loni Lewis, administration specialist at the Y. “People have come from all three communities in the area and we’ve got something for everybody and so it’s just a wonderful place for everybody to come.”

The 53,000-square-foot facility, Copley-Price Family YMCA Facilities: • 7,500-square-foot Fitness Center with cross training and free weights • Two pools — inside and out • Three group exercise studios; one dedicated to cycling • Gymnasium with full-sized basket ball court • Sports Arena with artificial turf • Computer lab • Enclosed parking garage • Community meeting room • Licensed pre-school and school-age child care center • Demonstration kitchen • Teen Center • LEED Silver certified building

located at 4300 El Cajon Blvd., features an indoor and outdoor pool, a basketball gym, group exercise rooms, free-weights, exercise machines, child care centers, community meeting space, and a demonstration kitchen.

“Throughout San Diego County, countless people know the YMCA. But there’s so much more to our Y than one might think,” said Baron Herdelin-Doherty, president and CEO of the YMCA of San Diego County. “From exercise to educa-

tion, from volleyball to volunteerism, from preschool to preventative health, the Y doesn’t just strengthen our bodies. It strengthens our community. The CopleyPrice Family YMCA is so much more than a gym. For 132 years, we have been proud to help our neighbors learn, grow and thrive and we are thrilled to bring such an incredible Y to these three very deserving and underserved communities.”

The name of the Y is in recognition of the major support provided by the Copley and Price families that made the new facility possible.

Baron Herdelin-Doherty was joined at the January ribbon-cutting event by Mayor Kevin Faulconer, Councilwoman Marti Emerald, and Michael Copley from the David C. Copley Foundation.

Robert Price’s commitment to changing lives has transformed the San Diego community of City Heights and broken the cycle of poverty for thousands of young men and women. Price and his father, Sol, the recipient of an honorary degree from San Diego State University in 2003, achieved success as pioneers of the membership warehouse club merchandising concept.

After graduating from Pomona College, Price worked with his father at FedMart Corporation.

They founded The Price Company and Price Club in 1976. Shortly after, The Price Company merged with Costco in 1993, the Prices founded PriceSmart, a warehouse club business operating in Latin America and the Caribbean with Robert Price as chairman of the board.

San Diego State University has a long association with the Price Family. Price’s parents attended San Diego State College in the l930s and his wife, Allison, graduated from SDSU in 1974. In the year 2000, SDSU and the Price Family Charitable Fund formed a partnership to connect the university to the community of City Heights through an agreement that includes the San Diego Unified School District and the association representing district teachers.

For the past 15 years faculty and students from SDSU have engaged in a transformative intervention in three City Heights schools — Rosa Parks Elementary, Monroe Clark Middle and Hoover High schools.

Led by Robert Price and his colleagues at Price Charities and the Price Family Charitable Fund, this unprecedented public-private partnership has improved learning outcomes, social services and health care for neighborhood families while providing a dynamic laboratory for SDSU faculty and student research to reform urban education.

SEE YMCA, Page 15

April 2015 | northparknews.biz/digital | 15

Benefits of An All-Girls Education Students at the Academy of Our Lady of Peace excel The spotlight on girls education is not only a global topic of conversation, but one that the Academy of Our Lady of Peace (OLP) takes seriously on a daily basis.

Under the new, and first lay leadership of Head of School, Lauren Lek, the only all girls high school in San Diego is not only drawing from its rich 132-year history of ensuring excellence for their 750 high school girls, but is cutting edge in its holistic academic practices in consideration of the 21st century learner.

The single gender environment creates a culture of achievement in which peer encouragement of each individual is of great importance, and the discovery and development of a girl’s potential is paramount.

Time spent in the classroom is time spent learning. Girls are empowered to ask questions and participate in the classroom without worry of judgment from boys or other distractions that come naturally in a mixed-gender environment.

This is evidenced in the results of the National Coalition of Girls Schools (NCGS) study Steeped in Learning: The Student Experience at All-Girls Schools. The study found that students at girls’ schools felt more comfortable being themselves and expressing their ideas, which translated into 95 percent of survey participants reporting that they actively participate in class discussions compared to 93.5 percent at coed independent schools and 80.4 percent at coed public schools.

“All-girls education ensures our young women, the next generation of leaders and innovators, find their voices and discover that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to,” said Head of School Lek. OLP provides more than 340 leadership opportunities available

YMCA

CONTINUED FROM Page 14

The partnership between SDSU and the foundations led by Robert Price currently includes the College Avenue Compact, guaranteeing admission to graduates of Hoover High School who meet prescribed scholastic standards; and the Price Community Scholars Program, providing four-year scholarships to 15 diverse SDSU students from San Diego inner-city communities who agree to mentor City Heights middle school students for a total of four years. Each Price Scholar mentors three City Heights students from seventh through 10th grades, helping to prepare them-academically and socially-for higher education.

(The YMCA of San Diego County is the second largest Y in the nation serving hundreds of thousands of San Diego County residents and employing more than 4,500 people.)

each year and more than 50 elected student leadership positions. In addition, OLP offers a STEM Certificate and over 47 courses in STEAM disciplines. Just this past year, they partnered with UC San Diego to be one of the chosen pilot sites for the new Pre-AP Computer Science Principles course.

Lek’s insight is echoed further by the school’s statistics that on average, 100 percent of graduates go on to higher education, and the class of 2015 garnered over $17.8 million in academic scholarships for Colleges and Universities internationally.

Although academic excellence is a cornerstone of the OLP mission, it is as essential as the focus on forming young women to be the changemakers in our world. As a Catholic school sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, OLP women are committed to being both great scholars, as well as women of heart. Annually, OLP students give over 25,000 hours in service to the larger bi-national San Diego community.

With Lek at the helm, the greater San Diego community is being called upon on March 27 for the first annual Women’s Symposium.

“The Women’s Symposium is bringing together prominent women leaders on five multi-sub-

Lauren Lek, Head of School at the Academy of Our Lady of Peace.

ject panels to share insights and knowledge with the change makers of tomorrow,” said Lek. Panel discussions will cover a wide array of topics helping the next generation of women leaders manage the multi-faceted aspects of being a woman in the work force.

With a vast array of research to support the benefits of an all girls education, coupled with the top notch practices in place at OLP, San Diego can continue to boast of its academic asset and partnership with the longest running school in the city.

16 | northparknews.biz/digital | April 2015

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Artminded Around Your Neighborhood

In 1980 I purchased my first original art, little did I know then that a career in fine art would be part of my life journey. The passion I felt for collecting and the fascination with the lives of the artist who were inspired to create provided me with an amazing career filled with beauty. excitement, travel to find new talent and then introducing the work to collectors. This wonderful world of art is for all; it has no age limit, gender, boarders or language barriers.

Recently in the WSJ an article was written by Ann Lukits, she states, “viewing paintings and sculpture engages a number of different regions of the brain, suggesting art appreciation is a natural biological process, as reported in the June issue of the journal, Brain & Cognition. The study found that paintings and sculpture activated areas of the brain involved in vision, pleasure, memory, recognition and emotions, in addition to systems that underlie the conscious processing of the new information to give it meaning”. After digesting the article I realized that my thirty-five years of art experience proved the Brain & Cognition theory to be right on and one of the most significant reasons I have remained a motivated fine art broker all these years.

The contribution of bringing visual art to the public eye and into the collector’s environment has always been my primary purpose.

Early on I learned that every work of art created from one’s heart has at least “one special someone” who wants to spend his or her life appreciating it. Artminded Around Your Neighborhood will be a monthly column written with the intention of introducing new artist works for you to ponder, discuss, find pleasure in and consider patronage.

The sheer act of this connection is a lovely distraction from my daily involvement with museum level contemporary sculptors and painters. My goal is to find thought provoking art that might not ever make it out of the artist home studio, garage or back yard and bring it to your attention. It is my hope that the monthly article will promote regional artist and their works to art lovers who will collect thus supporting the artist that are to be discovered right in your neighborhood! Watch for the May issue when…

You will be invited to enter into a world of contemporary art, a world created by painters and sculptors where you the observer will discover how the soul of those who are inspired to create bond with the hearts of those who acquire treasured works.

Art Is Personal

When the observer relates an artist’s work to his or her own life the connection is made. It may be a nostalgic memory or a reminder of another place and time. An artist’s work may enhance, enlighten, mesmerize or even wound the viewer. Regardless, ART is to the individual collector what DNA is to each human being, personal and unique

If you know a regional artist who’s work deserves to be recognized contact artminded@me.com