December 16, 2011
On the Internet at www.MissionValleyNews.com
Volume V – Number 12
The Dawn of
Election Mission Valley
MAD TRAFFIC
by Vince Meehan
Photo by Chris Miller
Mad Traffic stopped by Mission Valley News to talk about their roots, their place in music, and their plans for the future.
M
ad Traffic is a San Diego band waiting in the wings, poised to strike out on a national level at any time. This is a band of musicians, not poseurs or wanna-bees; these guys are the real deal. They play with the depth and soul of a band that has been around for thirty years, but there is an energy between the players that reflects their youth. Mad Traffic will be recording a brand new 12-song CD shortly and singer Blaise Guld is very excited at the prospect. Whereas their last 8-track CD was a loose collection of previously written songs with newer musicians recording over old tracks, this new CD will be completely Mad Traffic from the get-go. Says Blaise, “This new CD is going to reflect who we are now that we’ve had a chance to gel as a band.” Mad Traffic was formed three years ago and performed live for the first time on 9/11 at The Sky Box in Clairemont. As guitarist Brian Fleck puts it, “The Sky Box a quirky small club in a strip mall, but a gig is a gig and it was our first. Three years later, we are playing large clubs like the House of Blues,
Mat Kostrinsky
Joins the fray for Mission Valley's new District 7 Genevieve Suzuki
Mat Kostrinsky and his wife, Jennifer, a family practice physician with Sharp-Rees-Stealy, have two children, David and Hank. They live next to Patrick Henry High School in Del Cerro, the neighborhood in which Kostrinsky grew up. "Literally, my backyard overlooks the school,” said Kostrinsky, who graduated from Patrick Henry in 1989. “I hear the band practice. … I hear the bells for class changes, but it’s OK – those are our future leaders.” Kostrinsky, 41, has lived in San Diego since he was 12. His family moved here from New Jersey when his mother opened her business in town. He worked for his mom, selling sweat suits at Kobey’s Swap Meet every weekend, from junior high into college. “Every Friday I loaded up our van and trailer and drove down at 10 o’clock in the morning,”
See MAD TRAFFIC, page 15
See KOSTRINSKY, page 4
Home Loan Modifications - Aid or Scam? Expert warns homeowners of falling for false hope. by Vince Meehan
Southern California has been hit hard by the housing crisis and many San Diegans are in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure if that hasn’t happened already. Many homeowners have enrolled in loan modification programs offered by their banks in hopes of reducing their monthly mortgage payments to an affordable amount. These programs were enacted at the request of the government as compensation to the American public who’s taxpayer money was used to bail out these large banks in 2008 as a result of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act. But people in the programs have had no success in lowering their payments, and feel as if the banks never had any intention of modifying loan payments from the beginning. Echoing that sentiment is attorney Jason L. Jones of Avatar Legal, P.C., who sees a lot of the misery endured by homeowners as a bankruptcy specialist. Jones contends that the banks have no incentive to modify loans, so they don’t. Since the See SCAM, page 14
Junior Seau celebrates Hall of Fame induction at Qualcomm Page 9
CATS comes to the Civic Theatre for a purr-formance. Page 3
Luigi Vera tells you what's up in fashion Page 11
Page 2
free at the Maritime Museum!
MissionValleyNews.com — December 16, 2011
Kids
Viv
Find out what all the excitement is about at the Maritime Museum of San Diego’s Winter Family Day. On December 28, kids 12 & under get to make and take home a nautical craft they make themselves. A Historic Bay Cruise on San Diego Bay aboard the historic Pilot boat is available for just $3 plus the cost of admission. And best of all, kids 12 and under get free museum admission all day! Two kids get in free with each paying adult. Special family day activities take place Wed. Dec. 28 following the Holiday Bowl parade from 11 a.m. to 3 pm. For more information see www.sdmartime.org.
ON FILM by Vivian Nguyen
The 35th annual Candlelight Musical Presentation
TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 1
The Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala’ Choir presents the 35th Annual Candlelight Presentation of Lessons and Carols at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17-18. This year’s candlelight presentation, with a theme of lessons and carols, will feature traditional and new music set around scripture readings of the season. It also includes the Mission Basilica Choir, accompanied by organist Howard McCullough, the Classic Brass, percussion ensembles, soloists, and readers, all directed by Gene Regard and performed in the Old Mission Church Building. A free will offering will be taken, and a reception is held afterward.
Edward & Bella It seems like the days when young girls fantasized about Prince Charmings coming to sweep them off their feet are long gone and have been replaced by sparkly, slightly melodramatic vampires. Gone are the days when women of all ages desired a somewhat functional relationship; the new trend seems to be leaning toward wanting dysfunctional relationships, preferably the kind where your potential other views you as a main course meal—and I don’t mean that in the dirty way either. But alas, I digress. If you haven’t seen any of the other Twilight Saga movies, allow me to bring you up to speed. Basically, Girl meets Vampire, Vampire has trouble deciding whether or not he wants to kill Girl or love her (he ends up choosing the latter); then Werewolf steps in and tries to steal Girl from Vampire, which proves to be unsuccessful because Girl and Vampire love each other far too much to ever have their love be severed by another… and that is basically where they left off. Breaking Dawn: Part 1 continues the Twilight Saga; Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) finally tie the knot, and promptly head off to their honeymoon, during which Bella discovers that she is pregnant with a half vampire, half human baby. Because the case is so rare, there isn’t much anyone can do to help her deal with the excruciating pain—the baby is far too strong and her human body is not physically capable of bearing the child. The matter is further complicated when Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) steps into the picture. Despite his natural hatred for vampires, Jacob finds it difficult to turn his back See VIV, page 12
Actress TARYN MANNING makes a Fashion Valley appearance Tween aspiration figure Taryn Manning made an appearance as a guest DJ for the reopening celebration of Everything But Water’s Fashion Valley store. Guests had a fun time grooving to Taryn’s beats while ogling bikiniclad models in the display window. Everything But Water specializes in resortware. But what is resortwear you ask? Resortwear is for women who want to stand out while on vacation at resorts such as Cancun and Mazatlan. This includes decorated swimwear as well as wraps and those over-sized hats made famous by Thurston Howell’s wife Lovey on Gilligan’s Island.
Extreme New Year's on the BAY Levi LeValle will attempt a record-breaking jump on a snowmobile at Sea Port Village on New Year's Eve as part of Red Bull's ongoing live TV extreme stunts on ESPN. Levi will jump from the North Park at the Embarcadero Marina Park to the South Park simultaneously with motorcyclist Robbie Maddison who kick-started the series in 2007 by jumping his cycle over a football field in Vegas and then up and off the faux Arc De Triomphe the next year. Said both racers "I'm so totally pumped!" -JK
Kensington Church Youth Group Reenacts
K
Las Posadas Christmas Story
ensington Community Church (KCC), United Church of Christ, celebrated the season with its second annual Las Posadas in Kensington Sat., Dec. 3. Put on by the church’s Middle and High School Youth Group, the outdoor reenactment of the Christmas story featured a candlelit community procession with the angel, Mary, Joseph and the donkey as they were turned away by innkeepers at Kensington Café and Starbucks. Throngs followed Mary and Joseph as they walked down a luminaria-lined street to a Live Nativity and Carol Sing in front of Kensington Community Church. After the event, church members, neighbors and friends enjoyed tamales, piñatas and a petting zoo.
MissionValleyNews.com — December 16, 2011
Page 3
CATS!
comes to the Civic Theatre
The show that revolutionized musical theatre is coming back to San Diego for eight performances, Jan. 10-15. This tour of CATS is the only production in North America sanctioned by Andrew Lloyd Webber. With original direction by Trevor Nunn and choreography by Gillian Lynne this is the CATS credited with the British invasion of Broadway. The national tour of CATS is closing in on its 30th anniversary, holding its place as the longest continuously touring Broadway musical in history. Based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, and with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, CATS won seven 1983 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Lighting and Best Costumes. In October of 1991 CATS became the longest continuously touring show in American theatre history. Five continents, 26 countries, over eight and a half million audience members and almost 30 years later, CATS is still America’s most loved family musical. Celebrating not only its Broadway touring legacy but the birth of the musical spectacular, CATS is still revolutionary and awe inspiring. Be sure and catch the show that started it all!
Gingerbread House Decorating at the Mission Valley Library Wed., Dec. 21, 6 - 7pm
Come and decorate a gingerbread house! The house and frosting will be supplied, all you need to bring is a bag of candy to decorate and share with the other decorators. Space is limited, so be sure to sign up early for this fun and creative program. Reservations will be taken at the Checkout Desk. Gingerbread was brought to Europe in 992 by an Armenian monk who taught gingerbread cooking to French priests and christians. But it was the Germans who created hard gingerbread that was sold during Christmas carnivals in town markets. Somewhere along the line they began to make little houses out of it. Maybe it was the fruitcake of the day and people would rather play with it than eat it!
John K. Stahl runs for U.S. Congress by Vince Meehan
J
ohn K. Stahl has thrown his hat in the ring to challenge incumbent Brian Bilbray for the newly redrawn California Congressional District 52 which will include western Mission Valley and the Morena District. Stahl’s agenda as a conservative Republican is to return the people’s trust in government by restoring honor and cutting costs. Stahl told Mission Valley News that he pledges not to accept any PAC (political action committee) money which he believes leads to corruption. Political action committees are private groups who raise money to support or defeat a candidate. Stahl is a native of Long Island, New York and moved to San Diego after serving six years as a naval aviator. He then switched to working in the semi-conductor business were he spent over thirty years in the private sector. As a businessman, he became acquainted with the state and federal regulations that can stifle new business growth. Here in California, he has seen the regulations grow out of control and that is one of the factors that inspired him to run for congress. As Stahl puts it, “Because of the rampant over-regulation that exists in California, it would be impossible to start a Hewlett-Packard or Apple today.” Stahl states that he has three foundations that he uses for guidance; Judeo-Christian values, the constitution, and common sense. He sees the political action committees as a source of corruption that has helped stain the image of elected officials. Indeed, Brian Bilbray’s seat in congress is a direct result of ex-congressman Randy Cunningham’s fall from grace due to corruption. The irony is not lost on Stahl that as an ex-fighter pilot, he is in the same position as Cunningham was, but he See STAHL, page 5
Shopping Safely in Mission Valley Shopping Safely Around
Dear Ask the Cop: It’s December and I recall hearing a list of safety tips once upon a time. Can you let me know some information on tips for surviving the holidays? I’ve received abduction warning emails about masked men hiding in the parking lot under cars, and done the Internet fact checking… What are real concerns? Sincerely, Concerned Holiday Shopper As the holiday season looms front and center, people always seem to request information on staying safe. We in the public safety arena never waste an opportunity to share safety messages so I’ll try to sum up common holiday trends in San Diego. To bake a bona fide crime, we need some ingredients in the bowl. For starters, we need a victim. We need a location for the crime to occur and we need a suspect willing to take advantage of the victim. With a San Diego County Population exceeding three million people, it’s not hard to imagine a surplus of suspects and a good amount of willing victims. It doesn’t take a crime See COP, page 4
Page 4
MissionValleyNews.com — December 16, 2011
Cop, from page 3
Kostrinsky, from page 1
scene television forensic drama expert, or a Sherlock Holmes type super sleuth to spot how our crimes take place. Quite simply, the mundane carelessness of the common person and the volume of locations in which to commit crimes lead to the vast number of reported crimes. Wherever you patronize a business or attend a function in this season, criminals are doing the same. Malls, religious venues, social events and well lit homes are all common points of criminal activity, taking advantage of volumes of people. The most helpful single tip for the holiday season with regards to malls, parking lots and streets during this season is really quite simple: Clean out your vehicle. Yes, that’s right. It’s time to take out the CD cases, the myriad charging cords, the backpacks, the GPS suction cups, the stereo faceplates, the briefcases and even (gasp) the spare change from the cup holders. A stripped clean car with no visible objects inside is quite frankly astronomically less likely to be broken into then one with an object in plain view. Throw a steering wheel lock on there and you can avoid 99 percent of the crime headaches associated with theft. That backpack in the rear floor area with your week old sweaty gym socks is of no value to you. A car burglar strung out and walking by in the parking lot imagines a bar of gold and the latest electronic device to be in the same bag. And it’s worth breaking your window to find out for sure. Don’t give them the opportunity. At home, work, or in a safe place, lock all valuables or items that could be mistaken for valuable in the trunk prior to parking your vehicle in an area where it can be burglarized. With regards to personal safety, use those eyeballs attached to your face and look around while you walk. Keep your keys in your hand; wait to text until you are safely in your car with the doors locked. Keep aware of your surroundings and always play the “What would I do if” game. Have a plan for when someone approaches you and know the quickest way to get to a safe spot, open business or other people. Don’t do your online shopping from your phone, pad or laptop while at coffee on a common wireless server, rather wait to be on your own secure connection or network at home /work. If anything is so valuable or irreplaceable to you, etch or carve your driver’s license number in it somewhere, so we can return it to you once we recover it. At home, please feel free to display a tree in the front window. You may want to consider not arranging boxes and wrapped gifts around it in advance. The same principle applies as with the gold bar in the backpack example previously. A criminal will imagine all those gifts are highly valuable, and it has motivated burglaries in residences. Please use your perimeter lights, lock all side gates and keep your windows closed when not home. If you are visiting family and friends away, please hold your paper delivery and mail. Invite a trusted and known neighbor with a key or your information just in case the police respond to your alarm activation or other incident. Take advantage of the SDPD vacation house checks by calling your local police station. It may seem like common sense, but just by following these simple steps you can make yourself a quite unattractive target. We can do little about how many suspects and locations exist, but we can certainly remove a victim from the recipe. A clean secure vehicle, a well-lit secure house and a heads up citizen will cause the suspect to move on to the next car, the next house and the less vigilant person. You stand an excellent chance of entering the New Year with all the blessings last year brought you. Have a happy holiday season and thank you for another great year. Sincerely, Officer Edward Zwibel SDPD Community Relations Officer
he said. “I learned the business inside and out, from balancing the budget to ordering the product. It was a fantastic experience.” Kostrinsky has been drawn to public service for a while. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with minors in history and psychology from San Diego State University. He went on to work as an aide for U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein before the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce hired him to help local businesses and develop more cost efficient energy supply solutions. Kostrinsky is now a home health advocate for In-Home Support Services, a program created by President Ronald Reagan to assist Medicaid recipients who require help at home. “It saves tax payer dollars and it preserves quality of life,” said Kostrinsky. In addition to his past and present employment, Kostrinsky can – without pause – list the various organizations for which he’s volunteered. He has even founded or helped found a couple of them, including the Latino Coalition and a mentoring association for underprivileged students. Kostrinsky is perhaps proudest, however, of his efforts on behalf of the Lake Murray Playground Project. The project was launched in response to the City’s inability to put money toward its renovation, according to Kostrinsky. “This is what inspired me to run,” he said. “Too often people tell us we can’t do this in our community.” Kostrinsky, in conjunction with City Councilmember Marti Emerald, community leaders and parents, helped raise $185,000 for the playground. “We walked house to house, getting $5 at a time; held two fun runs at Lake Murray; and did a fundraiser where we sold bricks to local businesses who could then get their names on bricks [around the playground],” he said. Editors note: Mission Valley News will be featuring profiles and interviews with all candidates for the District 7 City Council seat.
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MissionValleyNews.com — December 16, 2011
Page 5 Stahl, from page 3
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insists that his moral compass will not sway. Stahl also sees excess as a point of contention with the American public as far as politicians go. He says that congressmen are currently allowed a staff of 22 which he intends to reduce to 10 if elected. Stahl admits that the money saved by cutting staff is akin to a drop in the ocean of costs, but he says the example is what is important in that case. He sees bureaucracies such as The Office of Veterans Affairs as bloated with it’s 279,000 employees. And he has issues with both sides of the aisle as far as cost cutting goes. He points out that when the Republicans won the house back, they promised to cut 100 billion out of the budget, which then fell to 38 billion. But to date, no money has been cut. As far as common sense goes, he sees simplifying the tax codes as a major step in streamlining government bureaucracy as well as creating a businessfriendly environment. Stahl claims that Americans spend over 400 billion dollars yearly just to comply with tax codes. He would love to see what he calls a “zerobased regulation” enacted and part of that program would include no fees for new businesses for two years. He also wants to see a “leadership by example” motif emerge in Washington to replace the “do as I say, not as I do” attitude that exists today. He hopes that this will restore the trust of the American people who as he puts it, “Currently vote for the dog with less fleas”. Stahl currently hosts a radio show on KCEO AM radio out of Carlsbad called “Solutions for America.” He uses this format to spread his message of common sense as well as fiscal conservatism to his audience. This show airs Mondays from 1-2pm and is also accessible at on the web at www.kceoradio.com Editors note: Mission Valley News will be featuring profiles and interviews with all candidates for the 52nd Congressional District.
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MissionValleyNews.com — December 16, 2011
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Vietnamese cuisine BY LISA COX
TAMARIND A Sweet Surprise
Tamarind, very familiar to me in Vietnamese culture, is a bushy tree with brown, irregularly curved pods with an acidulous brown or reddish-brown pulp. The pulp tastes sweet and sour and as it matures, it becomes sweeter and less sour. In Southern California, those hanging pods are a favorite treat for marauding coyotes at night. The pulp is used in desserts, to flavor preserves and chutney, blended into juices or sweetened drinks, prepare meat sauces, or as a pickling agent for fish. Tamarind can also be made into a tangy candy that is not overly sweet by mixing the pulp with dry granular or confectioner’s sugar and molding it. In Asian countries, the pulp is used to polish brass shrine furniture, removing dulling and the greenish patina that forms. Tamarind is high in acid and sugar, and rich in vitamin B and calcium, and is a very popular flavor for soda in Mexican markets. It is also consumed as a natural laxative so be careful!
GEMS& JEWELS By Enhancery Jewelers, Kathleen White, Graduate Gemologist, GIA
HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS Fancy colored diamonds are very hot this year! We have large selection of “Cocoa”, black, blue, yellow, and green diamonds set in many styles ready to surprise that special someone on your gift list. “Lorenzo” searches the world for the liveliest, brightest and most beautiful natural gemstones directly from mines in some of the most exotic places around the globe. This beautiful jewelry is inspired by art and nature, and crafted from sterling silver accented with artistically carved pieces of 18K yellow gold. These styles are set with uniquely cut gemstones in radiant, checkerboard and concave cuts. See how they maximize the vivid gemstone’s color. “Pandora”™ jewelry from Denmark is available in sterling silver, and 14k gold. Pandora bracelets feature over 1000 unique collectible bead choices in sterling silver, 14K gold, Murano glass and gemstones. Each bead slides on the bracelet creating a personal reflection of style and taste. Pandora jewelry offers matching pendants, earrings and rings designed to compliment each bracelet. Start a hot new fashion experience for someone this holiday season. “Elle Jewelry” featured Elle magazine is a fashion forward line of sterling silver pendants, rings and earrings in contemporary styles. Each piece of jewelry is set with a hidden African ruby representing love. Elle watches are oversized an offer a variety of shapes, sizes and colors of bands. They even offer dual time on many varieties. As always Enhancery Jewelers has a wide assortment of these items on hand for all you gift giving needs.
DECEMBER BIRTHSTONE – TANZANITE, BLUE ZIRCON, OR TURQUOISE
TTanzanite is a rare and beautiful gem from Tanzania, Africa. The International Colored Gemstone Association has named it as a new addition to the birthstones for December. Tanzanite comes in a variety of beautiful shades of violetish purple to deep intense purple with red undertones. The rare gem was discovered in the 1980’s and brought to the U.S. by J.P. Morgan, to first be marketed by Tiffany’s. Blue Zircon has been known since antiquity because of its great brilliance and intense fire. The ancients believed in its curative powers. Carved zircons have been found in some of the most ancient archaeological sites. Turquoise is an opaque gem that works beautifully for the silver lover born in December. The rarest of all turquoise comes from Persia, and is usually a robin’s egg blue without matrix, which is also beautiful, set in gold.
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MissionValleyNews.com — December 16, 2011
GUITAR ZONE
By Dennis Hartmann
Audio Recording on a Budget
The song you wrote is fantastic but how will you capture this music with little extra money in your pocket? For starters, please do not use your smart phone or daddy’s Dictaphone. The sound ain’t pretty! There are quite some options out there that you can choose from. Let’s start with the handhelds. There is, for example, the Zoom H1 for roughly $90 bucks. It’s great for capturing that spontaneous musical idea and the stereo sound is pretty good. You can transfer the WAV or MP3 file to your PC and can further doctor on it – but more on that later. There are also nice products from Tascam, M-Audio or Yamaha. Go test them out at a store. For those who want to spend a bit more on their recordings: A good microphone starts at around $150 dollars, like the Behringer B2 Pro, grab that ProTools Recording Studio software for about $70 and a nice soundcard, say the E-Mu 1212M for $160. You’re looking at roughly $400 bucks for your starter-studio. Don’t scream at me by the choices I made, remember, we’re on a budget! As always, the $$$-sky’s the limit when it comes to audio equipment. However, you can also go to one of our many recording studios in and around San Diego. They have not only the professional equipment, they also know how to record, fine-tune and master your music so it sounds like a thousand bucks. Keep in mind – it’s all about the song, not necessarily how great it sounds but what it gives us, the listeners. Do-re-mi-fa-so till next time
Mission Valley resident honored Total Woman Gym honored Mission Valley resident Lisa Necaise as one of its “Total Women of the Year.” Lisa grew up in a small town in Mississippi, where she lost her dad at a young age and persevered through the terror that was Hurricane Katrina. After the vicious storm wiped out her home, Lisa and her family relocated to San Diego, where she discovered a passion for architecture. She is now putting herself through college in order to fulfill this dream, not letting her past hold her back.
A Christmas
Tabernacle
S
Page 7
an Diego’s newest Christmas event, “A Christmas Tabernacle”, comes to Liberty Station Dec. 16-18. This family-friendly Christmas event celebrates the true Christmas season with its inaugural festival. This is a festival for people who want to celebrate Christmas and it’s true meaning with no apologies. There will be food and shopping, plus a live nativity scene complete with actors, music and live animals. Also, you can visit Santa’s Village including Santa pictures, live reindeer, a sledding snow hill. There will be a Community Stage featuring church choirs, school groups and local artists singing Christmas favorites. And there will also be a main stage featuring headliner acts like The Nutcracker performed by the San Diego Ballet. The grounds of the festival will be decorated with 100 themed Christmas trees, provided through a special arrangement with Pinery Christmas Trees, and a spectacular lighting design that will turn the setting into a winter wonderland, through the generosity of City Lights Year-round Christmas and Collectibles Emporium. Daily admission ranges from $12–$18, with multi-day passes also available. In keeping with the spirit of Christmas, the festival offers discounted tickets to non-profits which they can in turn resell for fundraising. The recipients of each organization will also participate in the tree lighting and the themed-tree decorating. There will be philanthropic opportunities for the public via Santa’s Workshop, where families can make items with their own hands and turn them in to be donated as Christmas gifts to needy families throughout San Diego. A Christmas Tabernacle will also be working with local schools and churches, providing discount tickets for fundraising efforts. Tickets are available at www.AChristmasTabernacle.com and at the gate.
READ US ONLINE AT: www.MissionValleyNewscom
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MissionValleyNews.com — December 16, 2011
Chris Cornell
WHAT'S UP By Elle Winsett
WHO'S HOT AnD COMInG TO TOWn?
Dec. 17 - Chris Cornell with Craig Wedren at Balboa Theater Audioslave frontman still going strong as a solo artist. Talented guitarist and alternative rock musician. Dec. 17 - Mattson 2 at 98 Bottles Unique jazz and surf rock. These brothers know where it's at! Dec. 17 - Deadbolt at The Casbah Local band that combines surf rock, blues, and psychobilly. Proclaimed as the "Scariest Band in the World". Dec. 18 - Ziggy Shuffledust and the Spiders from Mars at The Casbah Fun David Bowie cover band. Let's Dance to some great old favor favorites. Dec. 19 - The Breaklites at Soda Bar Epic hip hop that's sure to get you pumped! Dec. 21 - Kottonmouth Kings, Big B, and Sprung Monkey at Belly Up Tavern Down and dirty rap rock. Thumping beats and fantastic rhymes. Dec. 23 - Hiroshima at Anthology Groovy, old fashioned American fusion jazz comprised of Asian AmerAmer ican musicians. Nostalgic, but very modern. Dec. 23 - Draind at SOMA Metal thrash band from San Diego. Haven't had enough moshing this year? If you haven't gotten your fill, then come to this show! Perfect for that holiday mood. Dec. 23 - Dave Koz and Friends Christmas Tour at Balboa Theater Classy smooth jazz with some great saxophone. If you want a calmer way to spend the holidays, this is for you. Dec. 30 - Street of Little Girls at Tin Can Ale House Dark, melodramatic alternative rock. If you liked The Black Heart Procession at the beginning of the month, this is a different, morose way to finish off the year. Jan. 1 - Dick Dale at Belly Up Tavern Blast from the past! Fun, fantastic surf rock with some great guitar riffs just for you! Go go go!
Hiroshima
Dave Koz
EDDIE LENHART CD REVIEW
This is singer/songwriter Eddie Lenhart's fourth solo project titled "Darkness". The name is misleading because there is really nothing dark about it. Well, the lyrics are a bit sad, but overall the music is very uplifting. Eddie plays acoustic based rock with a bit of '70s swamp-tinged bluegrass influence to it. At times, a bit of gospel revival pops up as well which would suggest some Southern roots of Eddie, but he says he is from Philadelphia like Bliase from Mad Traffic. Eddie writes great songs and his band performs perfectly on the recording. However, Eddie tends to sing flat consistently and is going to need just a tad of tweaking to fix that. It's not that it sucks because he is only a quarter or half step flat, but as a musician it's hard to ignore. The good news is that it is an easy fix. Just like in shooting, if you are falling low, you simply aim a bit higher and presto! It is a little awkward at first but soon you sing like an angel. The third song "For You and I" features some really tasty pedal-steel guitar which makes some returns throughout the recording and adds some real authenticity to the effort. The sixth song called "Love Strong" is Eddie's best and his voice is in perfect form on this track. Whatever key this song is it is Eddie's forte so maybe that's something to consider with future songwriting. www.eddielenhart.com/
MissionValleyNews.com — December 16, 2011
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GO SEAU! Junior Seau and family give thanks to the crowd at the San Diego Chargers Alumni Day ceremonies at the Denver game in Mission Valley. Junior was inducted into the San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame and will go down in history as one of the greatest Chargers of all time.
JOIN US SATURDAYS AT 4PM – Worship Services
Pastors Clarence & Dion Hunter
CONNECT - With God and others GROW - In relationship with God and others SERVE - God by serving others
-photo courtesy of SanDiegoChargers.com
Meeting at: Sheraton San Diego Mission Valley 1433 Camino Del Rio South San Diego, CA (Event Rooms) www.antiochchristanchurches.net
Jerry Seinfeld Live at the Civic Jerry Seinfeld gets back to his roots of standup comedy with a stop at the San Diego Civic Theatre on Jan 7. Best known for his hit tv series, Seinfeld went on a hiatus after retiring the show. But now, he is returning to the stage and doing what got him the tv show in the first place. Seinfeld was always at the top of his class as far as stand-up comedy, relying on wit and insight as opposed to crudeness or vulgarity. It will be interesting to see what makes it on his "hit list" of topics this time around. One can only guess that airport security, iPhones and huge tvs will make it on the list. But Jerry will keep you guessing and whip out some surprises to be sure. See him if you can, he’s one of the best.
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lncludes Mashed Potatoes, Veggies & Dinner Roll
It's a Beautiful Life A beloved Cygnet holiday tradition is coming to a close with a sixth and final run of the timeless classic It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play based on the Frank Capra film and adapted for the stage by Joe Landry. Artistic Director Sean Murray directs a cast of returning favorites and two exciting newcomers! It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play runs November 30th through December 31st, 2011 at Cygnet Theatre in Old Town State Historic Park.
Check it out!
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Vinnie's
MissionValleyNews.com — December 16, 2011
W INE C ORNER
Carméeneère
SAn DIegO Lore by Vince Meehan
A legend persists about an ancient shipwreck located in the Anzo-Borrego Desert. But how would a shipwreck end up miles from the sea? As little as 500 years ago, the entire Coachella Valley was covered by a now dry Lake Cahuilla which stretched from El Centro to Palm Springs. Before our cities depleted the Colorado River's flow, the river emptied into the Gulf of California via a huge delta formation similar to the Mississippi. This delta would periodically shift and empty the river's water into the area now occupied by the Salton Sea. Lake Cahuilla would rise or fall depending on the course of the river. The massive lake is now gone forever. Tales exist of a Spanish Galleon in the 1600s which under the command of Capt. Juan de Iturbe, sailed from Alcapulco further up the Gulf of California than had been done before. Some sailors at the time were convinced that California was an island and searched for a northwest passage to the Pacific. Iturbe sailed up a narrow inlet and discovered a large inland sea. After exploring the sea for a few weeks, he returned to find that the inlet had vanished. The ship was eventually beached and the crew barely made it to a Mexican village. During the 1700s, several Spanish mappers claimed to have come across a shipwreck half buried in sand dunes and loaded with pearls, but were unable to locate the wreck upon return. The story has persisted for centuries in tales from Indian peoples, migrants and in modern times, several people have lost their lives wandering the desert searching for the lost treasure.
Role Models for Humanity
Carmenere is a nice little surprise from the Southern Hemisphere. Originally a Bordeaux grape, the snooty French relegated it to a blending grape, then chose to ignore it altogether. Probably the fact that it has flavor turned the French off to the varietal. Well, in step the Chilians who love Sabroso and exhibit a zest for life. Not long ago they discovered that Chile was an excellent area to grow wine grapes and wanted to produce wine with a Chilean personality as opposed to cranking out boring French Merlot or Cabernet. So they decided to grow Carmenere and use the grape to produce it's own wine. The result is spectacular especially if you are a Pinot Noir fan like me. Carmenere has the same silky texture as Pinot Noir and a bit of the cherry upfront as well. But after that, it goes off on it's own tangent of floral hints and earthy nuances. It actually has enough muscle to be paired with meat, but does not demand to be. I've found that it really pairs well with cheese and cured meats. The wine is not pretentious at all and is a real crowd pleaser if you are having guests over. Your wine snob guests will appriciate the depth of the wine, but it approachable enough for novice wine drinkers. Chances are, no matter what you are serving, this wine will be a nice addition to the meal. But, it is also tame enough to be served on the deck by itself. The Chileans hit a home run with Carmenere and have made a gold mine from the French hand-me-downs. The wine has taken off in popularity as an alternative to the heavy Malbecs from Argentina, and you can find them at Bevmo or Trader Joe's
Arrivederci!
Gina, from page 6 mini-facial and eyebrow shaping for $75. For sure, you’ll enjoy the pleasant staff and location at 7510 Hazard Center Drive, Suite 607, or phone 619.294.8463 for more information.
Delegation from Jeju Island, South Korea, to visit
The Mission Valley News would like to honor and congratulate Haileigh Adams, Rebecca Arellano, and the students at Patrick Henry High School for leading the human race into the 21st century. Well done!
The Pacific Rim Park organization is honored to receive a delegation of four gentlemen from Jeju Island, South Korea, during December in order to become more familiar with the working of the Peace Parks, which now number six throughout the Pacific Rim. They will visit the park here in San Diego located on Shelter Island, and become more familiar with the other five parks located in Russia, China, the Philippines, and Tijuana. The Park on Jeju Island was the last to be completed in 2010. The Governor of the Province of Jeju, South Korea is hosting a summit meeting of government officials, civic leaders, academics, Rotarians, and NGOs who have been involved in the six Pacific Rim Parks next May in Jeju. The summit will celebrate the successes achieved thus far and discuss how peaceful relations and cultural exchanges can continue. This is a huge step toward James Hubbell's vision of a region that honors its shared past and future. The Parks are actually built by Architectural and Engineering Students from Universities and Colleges of the various cities It brings life the students' vision of a "string of pearls." A "pearl" is built into each park, adding to a "string of pearls" that completes the idea of the creator of the parks, James Hubbell, to connect our shared region of the world and to emphasize peace in the world. This Summit meeting will be the first of many cultural exchanges inspired by the Parks that help foster peace and beauty throughout the Pacific. For more information check the website at www.pacificrimparks.org Please let Gina Cord know of who’s news and what’s news in Mission Valley at cordgina@gmail.com We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy & Prosperous New Year!
MissionValleyNews.com — December 16, 2011
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What will the new year have in store for us as far as fashion goes? That's what's fun about a new year! One thing is for sure, once you throw out your old styles thinking they will never come back, they are back in!
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"I don't design clothes. I design dreams." -Ralph Lauren
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Yoga Therapy In (& Around) Mission Valley: East West Yoga - La Jolla
BODY & SOUL By Lauren Westerfield, RYT
YOGA THERAPY In addition to its popularity as a means for both physical fitness and mental clarity, yoga has also been long renowned for its healing powers, and today constitutes a key component in many integrative and alternative approaches to physical therapy, rehabilitation, psychological healing and overall wellness. In 1993, Joseph Le Page officially founded a unique teacher training system for Yoga Therapy (YT), targeted at those wishing to incorporate yoga into mainstream medical offices and treatment centers. Open to both yogis and health care professionals, as well as massage therapists and other body work practitioners, Yoga Therapy trainings teach students to combined gentle asanas, meditation and conscious breathing techniques to treat disorders ranging from AIDS to psychiatric issues to heart disease. Through a balanced blend of physical, spiritual and emotional components, Yoga Therapy provides patients with a nurturing environment in which to connect with themselves on a deep and intimate level, recognize and accept their condition, and then focus on healing through a holistic integration of mind, body and spirit. There are several different styles of yoga therapy, including Viniyoga and Phoenix Rising yoga therapy. For complete San Diego listings, visit the Yoga Journal Directory online.
Group and individual classes in yoga therapy and Iyengar yoga with instructor Ann West, paying special attention to back pain and other chronic health problems. Group classes are held at the La Jolla Yoga Center. 7460 Girard Avenue, Suite 14, La Jolla CA 92037. (858) 334-4313.
Clarity Wellness & Yoga Therapy Customized yoga therapy for a variety of conditions ranging from pregnancy and menopause to cancer to anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Instructed by yoga therapist Lee Elizabeth Monozon. Contact for more information and to schedule an appointment. (858) 756-7792. infor@claritywellnessyoga.com.
1) Chanel is timeless and this scarf will pick up any outfit. 2) Girls never get enough of handbags and animal prints will be following us into next year. 3) Speaking of animal prints, the wedges are the cat's meow! 4) Get your message across with custom graphic tees. 5) Stripes underneath a solid twotone vest is simple and classic. 6) This Western Bohemian style leather and fringe has made quite the comeback out on the town. It transitions from club to theatre seamlessly. 7) In San Diego, art and fashion go hand in hand. El Angel De La Muerte is a Michael Mahaffey creation. Luigi Vera is the owner of Luigi Vera clothing boutique in Hillcrest. For more on Luigi and his boutique, go to: www.luigivera.blogspot.com
YOGA AT THE MISSION VALLEY LIbRARY Yoga for Adults and Teens Tuesdays at 6-7pm Are you looking for a workout program that’s easy to learn, requires little or no equipment, and soothes your soul while toning your body? If strengthening your cardiovascular system, toning and stretching your muscles, and improving your mental fitness are on your to-do list, than yoga is for you! Classes are free and open to teens (13+) and adults.
Yoga for Kids Wednesday, Dec 14 Kids ages 2-3: 1:30-1:55 pm; Ages 4-5: 2:00-2:30 pm Yoga teaches kids self-control, patience, and self-confidence in a fun and playful environment. No sign-up necessary!
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MissionValleyNews.com — December 16, 2011
Tech Topics
Smart Phones - Getting smarter and a bit of 'tude
The revolution of mobile computing is in full force. Long gone are the days when people were confided to a single spot where they could type and click away on their computers. Laptops came along but their existence is nowadays in grave danger as well. When pagers were replaced by cell phones the size of a transistor radio, no one would or could imagine what a lot of us carry with us today in our pockets and purses. Sleek little phones, hardly thicker than an 8th of an inch. While calling seemed to be the prime reason to have a cell phone, this duty has been driven to the background by many more features that today’s cell phones have. To the dismay of my wife, I got my iPhone 3G the moment it hit the stores several years ago and I was in total awe what n n h a this little phone could do. Calling, emailing, texting, photos – wow! I actually carried this phone until last week, skipping it w rtm is Ha Denn several generations to finally get my hands on a brand new iPhone 4S. And what a difference this is to my good old friend, the 3G. First off, the overall speed of the phone is amazing. Webpages pop up faster than on my Desktop computer, apps that took forever to load on my old phone open in a split second. The single camera of the 3G has been replaced by two high-res cams, one on the face side and one on the back of the phone. But the true highlight of this phone is called "Siri", a "personal assistant." Activated by the home button or simply putting the phone to your ear. Siri listens and acts to such commands as "Call my wife" or "Where is the closest pizza place?" The accuracy of Siri to understand questions is quite amazing, although I discovered that Siri has also quite an attitude when she has a question for me (I’m still talking about a phone here, right?). And here I am as an avid anti-texter, my spoken word is recognized by Siri and placed right into a text message. Talk about "hands free!" These are just a few of many things this puppy can do. So do I really need to keep my computer? Not sure ;) Dennis Hartmann IT Consulting - dhartmann@pacbell.net
Viv, from page 2 away from Bella. He struggles with the choice of choosing to protect Bella and her vampire family or obeying the laws of his wolf pack and following his leader’s orders. Although the concept isn’t altogether bad- actually, it’s quite terrifying to think of a demon child growing inside of you- the story is poorly executed. It’s a missed opportunity with scenes that are overly dramatic to the point where you wonder whether or not you were supposed to laugh or pretend to be impressed by the cheesy special effects. Half the film is dedicated to Bella and Edward confessing their undying love for each other, which apparently they hadn’t done enough of in the previous three movies, followed shortly by long, awkward make-out scenes. In between Bella and Edward kissing and breaking bed frames during their lovemaking, there is downtime where the movie tries to be artsy with its surprisingly beautiful soundtrack; though these scenes were probably the highlights of the movie (I suspect it was because no one had any actual lines during these segments), the technique was overused and got pointless and old pretty quickly after the third time it was used to convey some sort of emotion that was lacking horribly from the actors’ performances. Basically, I wouldn’t recommend seeing Breaking Dawn: Part 1 unless if you are a die-hard fan of the Twilight Saga. Or if you like seeing Taylor Lautner rip off his shirt. The movie follows the book pretty closely, so if you liked the book, you might be able to forgive the awkward scenes and badly-worded script. However, I do not recommend this movie to younger teenagers under the age of at least sixteen. The lovemaking scene is far too risqué for the younger crowd and the birth scene is pretty gruesome and difficult to watch. But if you do not fall under any of the two categories listed above, do yourself a favor: ditch the teenage soap opera and rent the classic Dracula instead. Trust me, it will be a much better use of your time. All movies are screened at Mission Valley's UltraStar Theatres.
DIEGODUDE by Vince Meehan
Go back to Santee kook!!!
OC MA CUP ST RIN Y RE E ET
Free movies
FOR MILITARY FAMILIES
Military Families will get free admission at the Mission Valley UltraStar theatres in Hazard Center on Christmas Eve from 6pm to closing. This marks the fifth year in a row that UltraStar has invited servicemen and women to enjoy complimentary Christmas Eve movies, as a gesture of appreciation for their courage and dedication. This offer is good at at all five of UltraStar's San Diego County locations, including Mission Marketplace Oceanside, Poway Creekside, River Village Fallbrook and Chula Vista
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MissionValleyNews.com — December 16, 2011
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Readers Write We are the 99%
Mission Valley Branch Library Zumba® Fitness at the Mission Valley Branch Library Fridays at 1:00pm – 2:00pm (December 16, 23, 30) When participants see a Zumba class in action, they can't wait to join in. Classes feature exotic rhythms set to high-energy Latin and international beats. Before you know it, you're getting fit and energized! There's no other fitness class like a Zumba® Fitness-Party. It's easy to do, effective and invigorating! Classes are free and for adults and teens (13+) Sumi-E and Japanese Classical Art Class Wednesdays at 3:00pm-5:00pm (December 21, 28) Learn the Japanese style of ink and brush painting. Expand your appreciation of classical Japanese art. Beginners are welcome. The instruction is geared for 55+. This class is being conducted by the San Diego Community College Continuing Education Center. For more information please call the Mid-City campus at 619-388-4500. (Adults)
After nearly eight years of non-enforcement of environmental regulations (indeed, lax regulation enforcement across the board) the Bush administration presided over the biggest economic meltdown since the Hoover administration. The claim that the EPA is primarily responsible for the consequent loss of jobs is preposterous. The real job killers are the bankers with their subprime mortgages (disguising them as sound investments when they knew that they were not) and the businesses that take bailout money and use it to pay large bonuses to their CEOs while continuing to shift their operations offshore to sweatshops in places like Honduras and Bangladesh where they don’t have to pay a living wage. Democrats and Republicans alike should take notice. The Occupy Wall Street movement is not going away. It is spreading. The 1% is getting worried, as well they should. Don Cole-San Diego
Occupy Our Homes I thought you might be interested in the emerging “Occupy Our Homes” movement. Dozens of homeowners have enlisted the public’s help in saving their homes by starting online campaigns using Change.org -- including one homeowner in your area with a compelling story. Lesliane Bouchard is a teacher who was recently severely disabled in a car accident. Her income dropped by 40%, and her lender refused to do much to help her, so her daughter Kristiane Chappell started a Change.org petition to keep her mom in her home. “Mom’s injury left her in constant excruciating pain, and her current location makes it possible for all her kids to help care for her” says Kristiane. “If she’s forced to move, it will be impossible to split duties, making her care much more difficult, and more expensive.” Lesliane’s campaign is at: http://www.change.org/petitions/first-mortgage-corporation-dont-foreclose-on-a-disabled-schoolteacher. With Change.org, families like Kristiane and Lesliane’s have a new tool at their disposal to pressure banks to treat them with dignity and fairness, the effectiveness of which has been demonstrated by folks like Vera Johnson, Dixie Mitchell, and others who have won their campaigns to keep their homes. William Winters - Change.org
ATTENTION LOCAL bANDS! Send in a CD with a photo of your band to the Mission Valley News for a chance to be showcased in our publication. Remember any press is good press!
Preschool Story & Craft Time Thursdays at 10:30am (December 22, 29) Come listen to some stories and then create a fun craft. (Children)
GOT A GIG?
New Album? Press release? Send show dates & venue to: music@MissionValleyNews.com
Toddler StoryTime (Infants – 2 years): Fridays at 10:30 am (December 16, 23, 30) Singing, Rhyming, and Bubbles! (Children)
The Mission Valley Planning Group meets at the Mission Valley Library on the first Wednesday of every month at noon. This is a public forum and your chance to voice your opinion. no decisions get to the city council without going through the Mission Valley Planning Group first. The meeting is held in the community room and is accessed from the outside patio on the north side of the building The Mission Valley news is your community voice and we would love to hear from our readers. Letters to the editor or news tips can be emailed to: Vinnie@MissionValleynews.com
Mission Publishing
Mission VALLEY nEWs
Send a CD of your song with a short bio and photo to: Mission Valley News 6549 Mission Gorge Road #199 San Diego, CA 92120
ScoopSanDiego.com 6549 Mission Gorge Road #199 San Diego, CA 92120 • 619.283.9747
Group, LLC pubLishErs of
Mission TiMEs CouriEr LA MEsA CouriEr
EDITOR
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Vince Meehan extension 134 vinnie@MissionValleyNews.com Mission Publishing Group, LLC
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Maria Simencic extension 133 maria@ScoopSanDiego.com
Vince Meehan extension 134 vinnie@MissionValleyNews.com
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Circulation: 20,000. Published 12 times in 2011 and delivered throughout our circulation area of Mission Valley, San Diego, California by Mission Publishing Group, LLC. Classified ads and articles must be submitted by mail, e-mail or dropped off at our business address, 6549 Mission Gorge Road #199, San Diego 92120. Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisements or material submitted which are deemed to be objectionable. Publisher’s liability for errors: Mission Valley News & Views assumes no financial liability for errors nor for omission of copy and upon request will furnish a letter of correction to the advertiser. The Publisher, Mission Publishing Group, LLC., shall not be liable for any error in published advertising unless an advertiser proof is requested in writing 12 days prior to publication date and clearly marked for corrections. If the error is not corrected by the Publisher, the liability, if any, shall not exceed the space occupied for the error. Further, the Publisher shall not be liable for any omission of an advertisement ordered to be published. On written request, Publisher shall reschedule and run the omitted advertisement at the advertiser’s cost. All claims for adjustment must be made in writing within 30 days of the date of publication. In no case shall the Publisher be liable for any general, special or consequential damages.
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Vivian Nguyen l Jeff Barnes Lauren Westerfield l Elle Winsett Gina Cord l Elizabeth Berg Lisa Cox l May Star Dennis Hartmann l Luigi Vera
OUR NEXT ISSUE
The next issue of the Mission Valley News comes out Friday, January 20th. The advertising deadline is Tuesday, January 10th.
Equal Housing Opportunity: Real estate advertising in Mission Valley News is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Mission Valley News & Views will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate that is in violation of the law. This is to notify Mission Valley News readers that all dwellings advertised in Mission Valley News are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or TTY at 1-800-927-9275. News and information printed in Mission Valley News is obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but accuracy on information sent to the paper cannot be guaranteed. Articles and opinions of writers or letters to the editor that are submitted for publication to the Mission Valley News are the views of the writers and should not be considered the views of the publisher. Content of paid advertisements is solely the responsibility of the advertiser. © 2007–2011, all rights reserved.
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MissionValleyNews.com — December 16, 2011
Scam, from page 1 mortgages are bought and assigned to a trust outside of the banks, they do not suffer if a foreclosure happens. Indeed, it is more profitable for the banks to foreclose on property because of the fees and surcharges involved, typically around $30,000 per foreclosure. Anytime property changes hands, fees are paid to all sorts of companies such as appraisal, title, and escrow. And many times, these companies are actually owned by the banks, so everybody makes out. It creates a situation where the banks actually try to force foreclosure instead of modify the loan. So the homeowner loses as well as investors of the trust which often includes groups like public servant unions and teachers unions who invested into the trusts as a part of their pension programs. What bothers Mr. Jones is that if you do apply for a loan modification, the banks will start the foreclosure process at the same time. Jones says that these two processes occur "parallel" to each other, happening at the same time. And the homeowner is not aware that the foreclosure process has begun. He says many people hold off on paying their mortgage during this process, and the banks start piling up late fees that return to haunt the homeowner. In 2009, the government created the Making Homes Affordable program which was supposed to create relief for homeowners in danger of losing their homes. Underneath this umbrella is the Home Affordable Modification Program known as HAMP in which banks were supposed to streamline the modification process. But participation in Making Homes Affordable is strictly voluntary for the banks and there is no penalty for refusing to participate. That aside, homeowners are reporting that even the banks who claim to be participating in the program are not serious and play games instead. In the loan modification process, the banks create a win less scenario where countless forms are filled out, receipts mailed in, and then promptly lost by the banks. The process is drawn out over time and the foreclosure clock is ticking the entire time. The sentiment is echoed by countless homeowners who have applied for loan modifications to no avail. Indeed, finding a homeowner who has actually succeeded in a loan modification is impossible. Stated one homeowner, "Whether they are calling it HOME, HOPE, or HAMP, the loan modification program is a complete joke and a lie to the American people." As the National Taxpayer Union puts it, "HAMP has proven to be a colossal failure that has done more to harm than help debt-laden homeowners." This frustration has led to public anger that has manifested itself in public demonstrations such as Occupy Wall Street and Occupy San Diego. Lorena Gonzalez, Treasurer-Secretary/CEO for the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council recently organized a rally downtown for "Withdrawal Wednesday" where citizens were encouraged to withdraw their savings from large national
ORIGEN
OPENS
Sudberrie Properties held a grand opening gala Dec. 8 for the latest project in the Civita housing complex, Origin by Shea Homes. (from top) Pianist Mikon Zlatlovich provided live music for the guests. Anne Law and Jan Percival Lipscomb from Scribe communications greeted the guests. The homes feature modern design combined with indulgent amenities such as a wine bar.
banks as a protest. She says that after the bailouts, banks hoarded the money and did not use it to help ease the mortgage crisis as promised. So she and others across the county asked people to withdraw money from large national banks and deposit it in local credit unions. Said Gonzales, “After the bailout, the banks continued to foreclose on homes and CEOs got huge bonuses. This fueled the anger that resulted in "Occupy Wall Street and Occupy San Diego." She added that these foreclosed homes also began to create blight in neighborhoods, so this even effected homeowners not involved in foreclosure. Gonzales is currently trying to pursue legislation that would fine the banks of foreclosed homes for any code violations, but that it is currently stalled in committee. Gonzales said that the banks don’t like the legislation, and the banking lobby is is even more powerful than the union lobby in Sacramento. Mission Valley News asked Gonzales if she was aware of any of her constituents who achieved a loan modification, and she said she could not think of any who were successful. Mission Valley News could not find one example of a successful loan modification. But even if you do qualify for a loan reduction (which is a feat in itself ) and jump through the hoops laid out by the banks, you run a good chance of having your payment actually increase as a result. In many cases, one of the terms of beginning a loan modification is to pay into an "escrow fund" where the banks pay off your home owners insurance and property taxes in advance. This actually makes your payment far more expensive at a time which couldn’t be worse. Failure to pay this escrow will result in late fees and default. Jason Jones says "Right now, the loan modification process goes hand in hand with the foreclosure process because most banks will not consider a loan modification unless the borrower is in default. The homeowner has to stop paying on the mortgage before the bank will talk to him. Only then is he allowed into the modification process. Meanwhile, the bank begins increasing the amount owed by the homeowner by tacking on late fees and penalties, will start making collection calls, and will decrease the homeowner’s credit score. The bank will also file a notice of default, which is the first step in the foreclosure process.” Jones adds "Being in the loan modification process prevents the individual homeowner from facing the actual underlying problem which is the need to move to more affordable housing. As a result, the affected homeowner makes poor decisions and their emotional and physical health can suffer as a result of the false hope offered by a bank’s home loan modification program." The message he wants to get out is the futility of loan modifications and the reality of foreclosure which is inevitable. Jones says that as a bankruptcy lawyer, his issue with the loan modification programs is the false hope that they create. He said it would create better financial health as well as mental health if the homeowners knew the truth about losing their homes.
Special Holiday Gift Certificate $50 now only $40 Great Christmas Gift!
Special Holiday Gift Certificate Cooking Class Only $25 Normally $60 Value
Lunch Tues - Fri 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Dinner Tues - Sun 4 pm to Close Sunday Brunch 10 am - 4 pm
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MissionValleyNews.com — December 16, 2011
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Mad Traffic, from page 1 Wave House, and 4th & B, so it puts things in perspective." The list of clubs Mad Traffic has played is basically a who’s who of the local scene. And during the summer, they were playing shows just about every week due to their popularity. Brian and drummer David Michael Torr actually played music together as kids and somehow ended up playing in the same band years later. Brian plays with a hybrid jazz/ska tempo that gives the band energy to feed off of and this Sublime/311 influence reflects his Orange County roots. He credits drum legend Mike Bedard as a source of inspiration as well as guidance for him and the band. Four of the guys in Mad Traffic have college degrees and this is evident in the virtuosity exhibited in their recordings. The sax and piano playing of Blaise Garza is a stellar example of the pure talent the band possesses. His playing gives an East Coast vibe to the California sound of Mad Traffic as a counter balance. Garza also plays a monstrosity called a “Contra Sax” which has to be seen to be believed. He says it is one of only 14 in existence. Garza will be taking the behemoth on the road with the Violent Femmes for a short tour next year. As for David, he actually spent two years in South Africa as part of Habitat for Humanity and immersed himself in the native beats while there. "As a drummer, it doesn’t get any better than that!" says Torr. "But being in Africa had it’s own set of realities, and being attacked by baboons was one" he added with a crooked smile and a roll of his eyes. Mad Traffic will play a party for Pacific magazine and then take a month off to decompress before jumping back into the studio to record. After that they will focus on possible Hollywood soundtrack deals as well as live shows and mixing the recording. This will give Garza time to do his road gig and then they can hit the ground running. Mad Traffic is at the stage where things start to happen so fast that you aren’t quite sure what to make of it. David says that getting recognized at the bank or hearing your song on the radio lets him know that things are starting to roll. Both stations FM94.9 and 102.1 KPRI have been supporting Mad Traffic with airplay, with Cathryn Beeks being instrumental in that. But as much as things loom on the horizon, the band remains grounded. They agree that the final reward is to give back the joy and energy that they got from favorite artists as kids. Says Guld, "Honestly, we would rather be known as peers among great musicians as opposed to superstars." As the rest of the band nodded, he added, "But of course realistically, you can never specifically choose what fate has in store for you, so we’ll take whatever comes."
Short Wait Time at Alvarado Hospital’s ER
WHEN MINUTES COUNT
Neighbor to neighbor, our goal is to treat you quickly and efficiently while providing personalized care. The next time you are in need of emergency services, try Alvarado Hospital—providing advanced medicine and personalized care since 1972.
Check our current wait times at www.AlvaradoHospital.com or on the iTriage smartphone app. Alvarado Hospital is located next to SDSU, take the College Avenue or 70th Street exit off of I-8.
6655 Alvarado Road, San Diego 92120
www.AlvaradoHospital.com
800-ALVARADO
619-287-3270
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MissionValleyNews.com — December 16, 2011
MODELS NOW OPEN
The beginning of new, different, interesting and happening is here.
Introducing San Diego’s new mixed-use village – a place that blends urban vibe and village charm in equal measure. With plans for five neighborhood districts, a central park, shopping, dining and entertainment, Civita promises to become a walk-everywhere hub. Be the first to discover this cool new address in the heart of town, minutes from everywhere you want to be. Come tour the models at Origen, our first for-sale neighborhood by Shea Homes. The Origen Sales Center is located just off Mission Center Rd., 2 blocks north of Friars Rd. in Mission Valley.
O R I G E N socialGarden
O R I G E N skyLoft
CIRCA 37
Model homes now open. Dine, dream, blog, cook, grill. These homes deliver flexible open spaces perfect for multitasking and socializing.
Model homes now open. Large loft-like windows feature blue-sky views and changing daylight. Home designs offer two bedrooms plus optional home office.
Now Leasing. Contemporary apartments with stylish floorplans, the latest kitchen and bath details, and clubhouse with a gym, pool and spa.
From the low $400s • 619-294-9458
From the mid $400s • 619-294-9458
619-791-9762
civitalife.com Pricing subject to change. All information is accurate as of date of publication but is subject to change at any time.