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Vol. 23 No. 3 March 2015
WHAT’S INSIDE?
Cookies on Tap Local residents raised money and awareness for Girl Scouting at the Cookies on Tap weekend hosted by Mike Hess Brewery. PAGE 5
Artist Explores Role of Women Photographs that challenge the representation of women are part of an exhibition opening this month at the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park. PAGE 7
North Park’s Nathan Odom preparing a meal in the ‘MasterChef Junior’ reality cooking show on Fox.
NORTH PARK’S YOUNG CHAMPION CHEF Show winner Nathan Odom takes home trophy and $100,000 grand prize
SOHO sponsors walking tours and lectures Save Our Heritage Organisation invites everyone to take A Walk on the Exposition Side with four architecture tours and four expert history talks in Balboa Park to be given during the weekend of March 28-29. . PAGE 13
Like most 13-year-old boys, Nathan Odom has made gaming a big part of his life, like playing Nintendo ever since he could grasp a controller in his hands. “For me it has always been Nintendo that was my main interest,” says Nathan. When I was 5 or 6, my uncle gave me a Gamecube and it was the most revolutionary thing in the world
for me.” But it’s really in the kitchen where the North Park youngster has distinguished himself from other kids his age, and from many adults as well. Nathan, an unassuming, soft-spoken youth with a shock of unruly hair on his head, is a champion chef, albeit an amateur champion chef. The Roosevelt Middle School stu-
City Program Helps Small Businesses Dress Up Their Storefronts
New York’s post-punk and indie rock band Bear Hands headlines the San Diego IndieFest in its new digs in City Heights. PAGE 18
$9.5 Million Tentatively Approved to Repair Historic Georgia Street Bridge
BY MANNY LOPEZ
District 3 Councilman Todd Gloria has been out and about among his constituency promoting the merits of the city’s Storefront Improvement Program (SIP). Started in 1986, the program aims to help improve and revitalize older SEE STOREFRONT, Page 10
three-course meal in 90 minutes. Andrew’s menu consisted of roasted beets with homemade herb ricotta cheese, apricot jelly and toasted pumpernickel bread for the appetizer; braised beef cheeks ravioli with pan sauce and shaved parmesan for the entree; and cinnamon rice pudding SEE MASTERCHEF, Page 10
COMMUNITY NEWS
Funds made available for design and construction work San Diego IndieFest
dent on Feb. 24 was crowned the winner of the Fox network’s “MasterChef Junior,” a reality cooking competition which pitted him in the finale against Andrew Zappley, an 11-year-old from West Deptford, N.J. Nathan got a trophy and a grand prize of $100,000. In the finale of the show’s season 3, Nathan and Andrew had to prepare a
RaVae Smith and Ron Suel dressed up their storefront with assistance from the city’s Storefront Improvement Program.
The City Council Infrastructure Committee has approved the expenditure of $9.5 million in federal funds to complete renovations to the historic century-old Georgia Street Bridge, which spans University
Avenue. The full City Council is expected to consider the funding this month. “This is a key infrastructure investment,” said Councilman Todd Gloria, whose 3rd District includes the bridge. “Today’s action ensured the historic Georgia Street Bridge will be repaired and preserved to remain a landmark between North Park and Hillcrest. I am grateful to the Infrastructure Committee for their support of this project and for the federal funds that are making the renovations possible.” The Georgia Street Bridge was initially constructed in 1914 and placed SEE COMMUNITY, Page 2