La Mesa Courier - September 26, 2014 by sdcnn

Planning Commission to consider allowing 10-story buildings downtown Meeting set for Oct. 1 Jeremy Ogul Editor

A nine-story building could obstruct the view from this home on El Capitan Drive. (Photo by Jeremy Ogul)

ust about everyone in La Mesa agrees the used-car and RV lots in the city’s downtown need to go. The property east of Baltimore Drive and south of El Cajon Boulevard is ripe for a modern development that could enhance the city’s aesthetics, provide much-needed housing and breathe new life into the downtown economy, not to mention the city’s tax coffers. The community consensus begins to crumble, however, at the next question: How much should the property be allowed to change? How

many homes can be squeezed onto the 4.5-acre lot? How many stories should new buildings be allowed to rise above street level? Members of La Mesa’s Kitzman family, which has owned the property for decades, say they want to transform the land into a 21st-century, walkable, bikeable, transit-oriented mixeduse development called Park Station at the Crossroads of La Mesa. They envision condos, an upscale hotel and new shops and restaurants in buildings up to nine stories. The problem with their plan: Current zoning requirements limit building heights in the area See PARK STATION page 12

Last call at Parkway Bar

Neighborhood hangout to close Marty

Graham

T Todd Tobias frequently flips through his binders full of football cards from the American Football League era of the 1960s. (Photo by Morgan M. Hurley)

Native La Mesan is all about the AFL

Football and history fuel his passions Morgan M. Hurley Contributing Editor

ou could say Todd Tobias was born in the wrong decade. The 41-year-old La Mesa native became a rabid sports fan after getting his first baseball card at the age of five, but his greatest passion is the short-lived American Football League (AFL) of the 1960s, a decade he missed completely. Tobias has made a career out of his love of sports. He spent many years working for the San Diego Hall of Champions sports museum, managing its awards program, helping it transition to its current location and acting as curator. He also worked for the San Diego Chargers managing their memorabilia and outfitting their professional offices;

he helped the San Diego Padres with their throw-back displays at the new Petco Park; he managed personal memorabilia collections for various pro football players; and he’s made a good living doing what he loves best, being one of the most — if not the most — diligent collectors of historic sports memorabilia around. Tobias is all La Mesan. He was born at Grossmont Hospital, graduated from Grossmont High School and went to college at the University of San Diego, all while living in La Mesa. He continues to live there with his wife and three children today. His love for the AFL came after he decided to write his master’s thesis on Sid Gilman, the first head coach of the San Diego Chargers. He has amassed a tremendous amount of AFL memorabilia in the 15 or 16 years since, purchasing from professional athletes, eBay, and garage and estate sales. Items he’s picked See FOOTBALL page 14

he lights are dim and the wood is old and polished inside the Parkway Bar, the acoustical tile ceiling painted a dark red. It smells faintly of mustiness and bleach; amplifiers and microphones stand randomly near the small, low stage. The bar feels small — tucked between a pho restaurant and a Thai restaurant in a rundown strip mall on Fletcher Parkway east of Highway 125 where the most prominent tenant is Souplantation. This is a neighborhood bar — a gathering place for the La Mesa regulars that opens at 10 a.m. every day. Local artists’ work hangs on the walls, and the old bricks and beams in the back have been painted the same deep red as the ceiling tiles. The U-shaped bar has beer taps at one end, next to a chalkboard on the wall that says “38 days to closing.” On Nov. 1, the Parkway — which has been in operation since at least 1968, will close. The owners of the strip mall had told tenants about their plans to renovate the mall and sent owners Doug and Katie Halvin a

See PARKWAY page 16

Parkway Bar owner Katie Halvin displays a collectible t-shirt at the bar. (Photo by Marty Graham)

La Mesa Courier

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014

Local artist captures beauty of Mission Trails

viewers for 500 years. San Carlos resident and artist Larry Groff paints unique scenes from San Diego, particularly the Artists create space with San Carlos community, that unique parameters and feel- portray the beauty of the area ings. Authors J.K. Rowling infused with feelings ranging in “Harry Potter” and J. R. R. from the tranquility of a neighTolkien in “Lord of the Rings” borhood with Cowles Mountain created imaginary worlds where in the background to the frenetic wizards, unicorns, Hobbits and interchanges of the Grossmont dragons abound. Mark Twain, in freeway overpass. His talent was “Huckleberry Finn,” and Harper recently recognized at his first Lee, in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” one-man show at Prince Street view the “real world” through Gallery in New York City. The the eyes of a child to show the show was a success, with four evils of slavery and racial stereo- paintings sold, and invaluable types using humor and satire in contacts made for the future. He has been in many group shows in Boston, one previously in NYC, as well as at the recently closed Noel-Baza Fine Arts Gallery in Little Italy. Larry was born in Charleston, South Carolina, The opening reception at Groff’s one-man show at Prince but grew up Street Gallery in New York City (Courtesy Larry Groff) in Boston. He moved to San the former and gripping drama Diego four years ago to take care in the latter. Da Vinci painted of his father. He and his wife, the “Mona Lisa,” an ordinary Liz Hincks, fell in love with San woman with an enchanting Diego. smile, which has fascinated Groff worked in the nurs-

LOCAL NEWS

Ken Denbow

Groff painting from Hemingway Street’s Open Space Park in San Carlos (Courtesy Larry Groff)

ing field for 25 years. He had friends who were artists, so five years into his nursing career, he started attending art school at the Massachusetts College of Art while working as a nurse. He obtained a master’s degree in fine arts from Boston University. “I decided to try art for myself,” he said. “It became an obsession.” Groff recently left nursing to become a computer animator for medical companies, combining his art and medical careers. “I haven’t made a lot of money, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” Groff said. He is hoping to find representation in San Francisco and Los Angeles in 2015. He is also looking into showing his San Carlos paintings at the San Carlos Public Library. For the past three summers Groff has been painting land-

scapes in Italy, where he was working at a summer art program run by the world renowned painter Israel Hershberg. “I get a great deal of satisfaction out of working with new artists,” Groff said. “But if someone wants to do it professionally, they must be able to do it full time.” He feels that schooling is good but no guarantee of success. Rather, he recommends someone work with a successful artist until the individual style is acquired. “I try not to think about style. I prefer it to develop on its own accord, without my conscious input. I paint in an overall painterly-realist style but it varies in type, depending on the subject I am painting,” Groff said. “It is a constantly evolving process. The feeling expressed in a painting comes unconsciously. It mustn’t be contrived.”

He chose to paint his San Carlos neighborhood rather than mountains or seascapes because he likes the play of light on people’s homes amidst the canyons and Mission Trails. “To me it is more interesting,” he said. “It has more meaning to me.” Groff is currently working on a large canvas portraying the view from Tuxedo Park, off Jackson Drive. After that, he plans to take it as it comes. He finds sites just driving through the neighborhoods. He also welcomes commissions to paint a requested view or painting of a home. Samples can be seen at larrygroff.com. —Ken Denbow is a writer in San Diego. Contact him at kiloteltatella@hotmail.com.u

LOCAL NEWS

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014 La Mesa Courier sdcnn.com

How Owners Lose Thousands When Selling Their Homes

Members of the R.S.V.P. program were treated to lunch for the program’s 20th anniversary. (Courtesy Sen. Joel Anderson)

Senior volunteers celebrate 20 years of service to La Mesa Lea Park-Kim

he La Mesa Retired Senior Volunteer Program (R.S.V.P.) celebrated its 20th anniversary on Aug. 29 at a dinner hosted by the La Mesa Police Department. More than 110 senior volunteers attended to enjoy the celebration, and proclamations and certificates of recognition were presented from several local elected officials, including State Sen. Joel Anderson, Rep. Duncan Hunter, Rep. Susan Davis and Assemblymember Shirley Weber. Anderson thanked the senior volunteers and praised their

commitment to the community. “Their dedication to the public safety of our community is inspiring to all of us,” he said. “I deeply appreciate the volunteers’ selfless actions and commitment to the police department and the residents of La Mesa.” R.S.V.P. is a group of qualified citizens over the age of 55 who are dedicated to serving the public. The program was established in 1994 by Police Chief Walter Mitchell and began with 20 volunteers who wanted to help out in our community. The responsibilities of the volunteers range from organizing neighborhood watch programs and tutoring and mentoring disadvantaged or disabled youth, to renovating homes, teaching English to

immigrants and assisting victims of natural disasters. Before joining R.S.V.P., volunteers are trained in the areas they would like to serve. Once they complete their training they are able to go around their community and help out. Since the La Mesa R.S.V.P. was established 20 years ago, it has grown to a group of 192 volunteers who altogether have put in a total of 338,014 hours of community service. R.S.V.P. has now grown to be an essential function of the La Mesa Police Department.

La Mesa – A new report has just been released which reveals 7 costly mistakes that most homeowners make when selling their home, and a 9 Step System that can help you sell your home fast and the most amount of money. This industry report shows clearly how the traditional ways of selling homes have become increasingly less and less effective in today’s market. The fact of this matter is that fully three quarters of homesellers don’t get what they want for their homes and become disillusioned and worse financially disadvantaged when they put their homes on the market. As this report uncovers, most homesellers make 7 deadly mistakes that cost them literally thousands of dollars. The good news is that each and every one of these mistakes is entirely preventable. In answer to this issue, industry insiders have prepared a free special report entitles “The 9 Step System to Get your Home Sold Fast and For Top Dollar”. To order your FREE copy of this report, call toll-free 1-800270-1494 and enter 1000. You can call anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Get your free special report Now to find out how you can get the most money for your home.

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—Lea Park-Kim is district communications representative for state Sen. Joel Anderson. She can be reached at lea.park-kim@ sen.ca.gov.u

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La Mesa Courier

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014

LOCAL NEWS

California legislators put water bond to the voters Doug

Curlee

Contributing Editor

alifornia voters will decide this fall whether to approve a $7.5 billion bond to repair California’s decrepit water system was a wise choice or not, thanks to a last-minute vote by the state Legislature. The bond issue will appear as Proposition 1 on the Nov. 4 general election ballot. Legislators say they think the bond issue will pass, if for no other reason than the fact that the ongoing drought will make up voters’ minds for them. Although the state Senate passed the bill 37-0 and only two Assembly members voted against it, there is not unanimous support for all of the projects the bond would fund. There were compromises made all through the yearlong process that upset as many people as they made happy. Three questions will dominate the debate as it moves toward Election Day:

Who’s in favor? Most of what’s called the water bureaucracy in California is in favor of the bond issue’s passage. Most of the state’s water districts, including the San Diego County Water Authority, have come out

East County’s San Vicente Dam was recently raised to increase water storage capacity. (Courtesy San Diego County Water Authority)

south split was the major reason the proposed Peripheral Canal was defeated at the polls back in the 1980s. In truth, much of that opposition is centered in the areas generally surrounding the old and fragile Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, which is the hinge point for moving water from the north to the south. It’s hard to determine whether the opponents fear this bond issue and what it

$25 BILLION Cost of Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to build tunnels under the Delta might bring, or whether their complaints are more aimed at Gov. Jerry Much of Southern California’s water originates in the Brown’s ambifragile Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. (Courtesy San tious $25 billion Diego County Water Authority) plan to build two freeway-sized in support of the measure. An umbrella organization of those tunnels underneath the Delta, agencies, the Association of to make it easier to ship water California Water Agencies, will from the Sacramento River south no doubt bring in public support without damaging the Delta furof the measure. Since agencies ther. The bond issue apparently like SDCWA are public agencies, contains absolutely no mention of they cannot contribute money or — and no money for — anything take active roles in the Yes on to do with the tunnels. There is also opposition in the Prop. 1 campaign. This is not to say that individuals associated north and central coastal areas, with the public agencies cannot where some water officials say take individual roles, including storage facilities — dams and personal financial roles. They reservoirs — for them were left out completely. One new dam can, and many will. and reservoir, the Sites Dam, is slated for Northern California, Who’s against it? near Colusa, and another at No one is predicting a landslide Temperance Flat, northeast of victory, because there is still a Fresno. They will account for $2.7 lot of opposition to the measure billion of the $7.5 billion called in the north central and north- for in the ballot measure. That ern parts of the state. Longtime leaves almost $5 billion to be observers will recall that a north- spent on a laundry list of other

water-related projects to make the state’s water supply more stable and available in the future.

What’s in it for La Mesa? Quite a bit, actually, and very little of it for surface storage of water. San Diego County is in pretty good shape for dams and reservoir capacity. Having doubled the capacity of San Vicente, the dam at Olivenhain, Sweetwater Reservoir and other areas here, we have places to put water. We just need the water to put in those places. We also have hundreds of thousands of acre feet of water through the deal with Imperial Irrigation District and the Carlsbad Desalination plant coming online next year. The bond issue would provide money statewide for water recycling, including drinkable and non-drinkable water reclamation and purification. It would provide funding for integrated regional water management projects, including groundwater storage, recharging our depleted underground aquifers and the like. A large number of waterrelated projects called for in the ballot measure would directly benefit our region, and San Diego county will have a fair shot at a lot of that money. Our region will qualify for about 11 percent of that $7.5 billion. Bonus: Will all this happen quickly if the bond is passed come Nov. 4? No. Passage of the proposition on Nov. 4 will not mean that people will start moving dirt and building dams the morning of Nov. 5. It will be a tough slog setting up the various boards, commissions and entities that will eventually govern all of this spending, and it will be more involved — and political — than you’d like to believe. —Doug Curlee can be reached at doug@sdcnn.com.u

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014 La Mesa Courier sdcnn.com

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La Mesa Courier

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014

OPINION

sdcnn.com

Apartments can serve as day care centers Alan

Pentico

A Dear editor,

our cartoon [See Aug. 22 issue] about the two white medical personnel receiving the experimental Ebola vaccine was as ignorant and racist as it gets. Both of these medical personnel went to Africa to help, putting their lives on the line for a bunch of people they didn’t know. When they contracted the disease, they did not know if the vaccine would save their lives. They volunteered to be the guinea pigs. If they had decided to first try it on some non-white person and the results had been negative, the jerk who produced that racist rant and the idiot that placed it in the La Mesa Courier would have been screaming about that. —Connie Butt, via Facebook Letters are lightly edited for clarity, grammar, spelling and style. Send letters to jeremy@ sdcnn.com. u

n increase in the number of working parents has made home-based day care a service in demand. For working parents, finding good child care is invaluable. Child care offered at a residence in a familiar neighborhood can be a source of great comfort to working moms and dads. But if you rent your home or apartment, can you still be a day care provider? The short answer: Yes. The right for renters to operate such a vital service is state law, spelled out in the California Health and Safety Code. Small family day care facilities are not considered a “business use of property,” so they would be protected under any leases or rental agreements that prohibit operating a business out of a rental home. Renters who wish to open a family day care in their home should have little to no conflict if they meet certain conditions, follow clear rules and communicate the details with their landlord or property manager. This applies to rental homes of any kind:

HPV vaccine saves lives Kelly

Culwell

very year around the world, more than 270,000 women die from cervical cancer. With more than 85 percent of these deaths in low- and middle-income countries, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide. The “pap smear” has been one of the most amazing public

health interventions over the past 50 years in the US and most developed countries, and its use has led to a steep decline in the incidence and deaths from cervical cancer. However, weak health systems and limited numbers of trained providers have made screening in low- and middleincome countries difficult. Even in the US, over 11,000 cases of cervical cancer were diagnosed in 2010. Following development of the

apartments, townhomes, condominiums and single-family residences. First, a child care provider must be licensed by the state Department of Social Services. Once a tenant is licensed to provide family child care, he or she must give the landlord or property owner 30 days’ written notice of the intent to begin operating the day care service in the rental home. The license will include the number of children that the provider is allowed to care for. The state license application includes a notice form for landlord notification, which is helpful. That form also explains the renter’s right to operate a family day care. Landlords or property managers cannot discriminate against a tenant for operating a day care. However, landlords do have the option of requiring a higher security deposit as long as it does not exceed the maximum allowable under state law. Next, proof of liability insurance — or waivers signed by parents — must be shared with landlords. Operators of in-home day care are required to fulfill one of three options when it comes to insurance: obtain liability insurance, secure a bond of $300,000, or, if they choose not to secure

the insurance or bond, they must inform each parent of that decision and obtain affidavits acknowledging that the parents are aware of the lack of insurance or bond. Then, be a good neighbor. The same rules that apply to other residents also apply to child care providers. For example, control excessive noise that might be disruptive for other tenants and be mindful of activities or behavior that could damage the property. Finally, emphasize the benefits of having a family home day care in your neighborhood or apartment community. Having a day care provider as a neighbor likely means that you have an extra set of eyes on your community. A person who’s been hired to care for young children likely will be vigilant about ensuring safe, clean surroundings. Think of it as an extra neighborhood watch. The California Department of Social Services has a guide for family child care and tenant rights. Find it at tiny.cc/ tenantcare.

pap smear, the discovery of the link between the human papilloma virus (HPV) and cervical cancer has proven to be a major advancement in the prevention of this deadly disease. Almost all sexually active individuals will be infected with HPV at some point in their lives and some may be repeatedly infected. The peak time for infection is shortly after becoming sexually active. The majority of HPV infections resolve spontaneously and do not cause symptoms or disease. However, persistent infections with specific types

of HPV (usually types 16 and 18) may lead to precancerous lesions. If untreated, these lesions may progress to cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine was introduced eight years ago, and the HPV rate among teenage girls in the U.S. has already dropped by 56 percent since then. There is, however, still a lot of work to be done. Nationwide, just 33 percent of girls ages 13 to 17 — and only 7 percent of boys in the same age group —

—Alan Pentico is executive director of the San Diego County Apartment Association.u

See VACCINE page 7

OPINION

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014 La Mesa Courier sdcnn.com

Not every pet adoption is a good adoption really doing the pet a disservice if you don’t carefully evaluate the responsibilities the job title holds. About 164 million households in the U.S. owned pets in 2012, according to The Humane Society. That number grew rapidly from 40 years ago when only 67 million households had pets. It’s great to know that more and more families are becoming pet owners. But, becoming a pet parent should be thoroughly considered just as if you were to consider having a child. The responsibilities may not be the same but there are some, including: Ensuring your dog has a balanced diet and exercise regimen Ensuring your dog is properly bathed and groomed Ensuring your dog is properly

trained Further, before you head to a breeder or animal shelter, ask yourself these questions: Do I have the time to commit to a dog? Do I have the resources to ensure a dog will have a quality life? Am I committed to caring for it for the next 10 to 20 years? Do I know the laws governing pet licensing where I live? I’m not a veterinarian or a zoologist, but I am a reasonable person, and choosing to be a pet owner when you’re not ready is unreasonable.

have gotten all three doses of the vaccine. (In California, the odds are slightly better — 43 percent of girls and 13 percent of boys ages 13 to 17 have received all three doses). As a result, millions of people are still infected with HPV every year, and nearly all sexually active people will contract a form of HPV at some point in their lives.

Our affiliate offers Gardasil — one of two FDA-approved HPV vaccines — in all of our health centers. CDC recommends vaccination of girls and boys ages 9 – 26. Routine vaccination is a series of three shots over the course of six months.

Key facts about HPV and the HPV vaccine:

Other immunizations that are important for women of reproductive age — both for general health and prior to pregnancy — include Hepatitis B; influenza; Measles, Mumps

and Rubella (MMR); Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (Tdap); and Varicella, for those who have not had chicken pox. Share this article with your friends and family, and spread the word about the importance of getting teens vaccinated against HPV! For more information or to make an appointment, visit planned.org or call 1-888-7437526 (PLAN).

Jim

Madaffer

ur current hot weather reminds me how every summer at least one dog is found in a hot car — and, sadly, that dog becomes sick or dies. When I hear these stories or see poorly cared for dogs on the streets, I often wonder why anyone who cannot adequately care for a pet chooses to become a pet parent. Pets are not just furry, cute creatures made to entertain you. They are living beings that deserve the same quality of life that you have. You may think you’re performing a good deed by buying or adopting a pet but you’re

—Jim Madaffer is the owner of Madaffer Enterprises, a former San Diego Councilmember and the proud pet parent of two bulldogs.u

Vaccine, from page 6

70 percent of cervical cancers worldwide are caused by only two types of HPV (16 and 18).

—Kelly Culwell is the Medical Director for Planned Parenthood of the Southwest. For more information visit planned.org.u

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La Mesa Courier

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014

LOCAL NEWS The Sun Shines Sooner...

This La Mesan is a true ‘bird brain’ Pam

Crooks

s I write this month’s column, my husband and I are sitting on top of the world in a colleague’s cabin on Mt. Palomar, a weekend getaway from the fall heat wave and pressures of everyday life. We haven’t been here in many years. The views are stunning of course, but what I notice this time are the number and variety of birds — birds that are quite different from ones we enjoy feeding and watching in La Mesa. I’ve had my eyes glued to binoculars since we arrived and filled the pond and feeders the owners have placed around the property. They also have a number of bird books, so I think I rightly identified quite a few species. But there is one elusive fellow I just can’t seem to get in my sights. His distinctive call is close, then far away. It’s time to consult the expert. I record the bird’s call with my phone and hope to play it for Ed Henry, a La Mesa friend who happens to be president of the San Diego Audubon Society, an advocacy and educational organization devoted to the welfare of wild birds in our region. Ed is one of the reasons I’ve recently become so fascinated by local birds. He sends out emails almost daily to over 100 interested people showing amazing photos of birds he spots at his La Mesa bird feeders and around San Diego County (or wherever he happens to be traveling at the moment.) The variety is astounding. Turns out the San Diego region is one of the richest birding areas in North America, with over 500 different species identified here. In fact, people from all over the world come to see our birds, especially during the annual San Diego Bird Festival in March, offered by San Diego Audubon. One reason we have a great diversity of birds is because of the unusual variety of habitats in San Diego County — from the off-shore islands and extensive coastline, to inland valleys and grasslands, riverbeds, moun-

A beautiful Yellow-Breasted Chat was spotted recently in the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park. (Photo by Ed Henry)

tains and desert, Ed explained. This region is also a migratory flyway. Ed was always aware of birds, but his recent passion for birding began in 2006, not long after retiring from a 33-year career as an anthropology and ethnomusicology professor at San Diego State, when he decided to check out the San Diego Bird Festival. He’s been involved with San Diego Audubon ever since, serving as its board president for the last three years. “My awakening to birds was gradual and occurred through chance contacts with people who knew more than I,” he said. “I grew up in Nebraska, where residents pay most attention to pheasants — which happen to be gorgeous, as well as good eating and hunting — and ducks, but also see a few songbirds.” In Michigan (where he completed his graduate studies) he came in contact with grosbeaks, nuthatches and chickadees, among others. And he became curious about exotic birds he saw in India while doing field research in a small village there. “Moving to San Diego in 1974, I had my first views of long-billed curlews, marbled godwits and literally hundreds more.” He and his wife, Connie, have made La Mesa their home and

enjoyed birds in their backyard here since 1988. “Nature is the highest form of art,” wrote Emily Dickinson. According to Ed Henry, “The most accessible wild creatures for the majority of Americans are birds. In birds we see the shapes, colors, patterns, and movement that constitute a vital part of nature, and we hear their sounds, too.” We’re fortunate to live in a place with such rich bio-diversity that is so accessible. But San Diego County also contains more rare, threatened and endangered species than any comparable land area in the continental United States. Thank goodness there is a passionate, dedicated volunteer like Ed Henry to lead San Diego Audubon — an organization working every day to protect our birds and other wildlife, and to educate and inspire people like me to appreciate not only their beauty, but their importance. —Pam Crooks was the founding editor of La Mesa Courier and continues to live in the Mt. Helix area. Reach her by email at SunShinesSooner@gmail.com. To learn more or to sign up for the 2015 San Diego Bird Festival, visit sandiegoaudubon.org.u

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LOCAL NEWS

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014 La Mesa Courier sdcnn.com

A Special

Thank You to My Neighbors

Rep. Susan Davis speaks in San Diego. (Photo by Jeremy Ogul)

No mail at the door Local representatives debate changes to mail delivery

ugly utility boxes, cluster boxes would affect property values, Editor Granowitz said. “Just think if you would want he U.S. Postal Service delivers this in front of your house,” she mail to the front door of most said. “Don’t do this to us, please.” The Postal Service has already Uptown residents, but that could change if Congress adopts a postal begun phasing out door delivery reform bill designed to reduce the in new developments, but Issa’s legislation would essentially make cost of delivering mail. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-San Diego) cluster boxes mandatory in many has introduced two bills — the neighborhoods that currently Postal Reform Act of 2013 and the receive door delivery. Issa’s bill would require the Secure Delivery cluster boxes to be for America Act of placed “in locations 2014 — that would that maximize force the Postal delivery efficiency, Service to transiease of use for tion away from postal patrons, and door delivery at 30 respect for private million addresses property rights.” by 2022. Instead Rep. Scott Peters of delivering mail (D-San Diego), who to the door of every also spoke at the residence, postal press conference, carriers would said that while deliver to curbside there are economic mailboxes or cen- -Rep. Susan Davis challenges that tralized cluster the Postal Service boxes that house the mailboxes must address, Congress should of multiple residents. That idea is unacceptable to Rep. not get involved in mandating Susan Davis (D-San Diego), who the specific measures the Postal gathered a group of supporters in Service should take. Issa disagrees with Davis and Talmadge on Aug. 27 to denounce the proposal. She also introduced Peters. “The consequence of doing notha resolution in Congress opposing ing to address an Internet-era centralized delivery. “We don’t need this,” Davis erosion in the volume of traditional said. “The most vulnerable mail delivery is a multi-billion people in our communities will dollar taxpayer funded bailout of the Postal Service,” Issa said. suffer as a result.” Davis said elderly and disabled “Unfortunately, some [representacitizens would be hurt by the tives] holding a press conference switch to cluster boxes, especially and pretending there isn’t a probif they receive prescriptions by lem won’t solve it.” The Postal Reform Act includes mail, because of the increased distance they may be forced to travel exceptions and provisions that would allow seniors and others to retrieve their mail. Furthermore, the cluster boxes with physical hardships to keep are unsightly magnets for theft their door delivery if they already have it, and it would give the and vandalism, she said. When Davis surveyed commu- Postal Service the flexibility to nity groups in her district earlier determine where to implement this summer, the North Park centralized delivery, Issa said. “In reality, less than 10 percent Planning Committee passed a resolution opposing centralized of postal customers would see any change under this legislation to delivery. “In the older communities in their delivery,” Issa said. Despite the financial issues the mid-city, cluster boxes would affect the community character the Postal Service faces, the and the historicity of a neighbor- debate over cluster boxes may hood like Talmadge, which to me amount to little more than hot looks like Mayberry,” said Vicki air in the near term. Congress Granowitz, chair of the North only has until Dec. 12 to act Park Planning Committee. “It’s on legislation in the current intact, it’s beautiful, and to have session. Most of which will be cluster boxes every so often really legislative recess. Neither the destroys what these communities House of Representatives nor the Senate have voted on Issa’s look like.” Combined with bus shelters and or Davis’s legislation.u

Jeremy Ogul

“We don’t need this. The most vulnerable people in our communities will suffer as a result.”

10 USS Midway Admission

Just for San Diegans!

As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we know San Diego’s support has made Midway’s success possible! So for a limited time, San Diegans can purchase adult admissions for only $10! That’s a 50% discount!

“Thank You, San Diego!”

www.midway.org Tickets available at www.midway.org and at the ticket booth during museum hours. May not be combined with other offers and cannot be resold. Proof of ID with a San Diego zip code required at time of purchase. #202

Bill Young Safety Corps LA MESA RESIDENT

La Mesa Courier

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014

EDUCATION

LA MESA READS

Haunt yourself with contemporary, classic horror fiction Jake

Sexton

op culture has a way of showing us what our collective minds love, loathe and fear. In honor of Halloween, I wanted to spend this month’s column looking at the state of popular horror fiction, using that to explore the modern American psyche. However, the only thing this research showed me is that Americans really, really love Stephen King. So, with that plan foiled, I figured I’d just recommend some great scary reads, past, present and near-future. Guillermo del Toro is known primarily for his work in movies, but has recently begun writing fiction. After bringing us imaginative films like “Pacific Rim,” “Hellboy” and “Pan’s Labyrinth,” he paired with author Chuck Hogan for a horror trilogy called “The Strain.” Deciding that seductive, brooding teen vampires have become passé, the authors chose to make their vampires ugly monsters whose heads split open to bite and drain their victims, while vampirism itself is a virus that spreads with the speed of a zombie apocalypse. The book series has already been turned into a TV show with its own cult following, and that will undoubt-

Above: The Strain is being adapted to television. (Courtesy William Morrow) Left: Horrorstör is an innovative horror twist on an IKEA catalog. (Courtesy Quirk Books)

edly bring more attention to the books, all of which are available at the San Diego County Library. The new book I’m dying to read is called “Horrorstör” by Grady Hendrix. It should hit bookstores (and the library) shortly after I finish typing this. If you like your horror with a side of wit and sly

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social commentary, this is your novel. It’s set in a furniture store that bears more than a little resemblance to IKEA, where sinister and supernatural forces are on the prowl, and the poor corporate drones who work there must solve a horrific mystery in order to survive (presumably while fol-

lowing proper corporate protocol and providing excellent customer service). But, just as exciting to me, the book itself is a parody of an IKEA-style catalog illustrated with furniture schematics and cheery living room photos, becoming creepier and creepier as the story moves along. We’ll end with one of the classics: H. P. Lovecraft. This paranoid, reclusive pulp writer from the 1920s was relatively unknown in his day, but has become an underground legend. His name

is synonymous with foreboding tales of occult rituals, evil space gods, and of course, the descent from reason to madness. Taken together, his short stories invoke a universe in which humans are insignificant specks whose sanity could be rent asunder if they even began to glimpse the secret powers underlying their existence. Lovecraft has dozens of short story collections; pick up those containing “The Call of Cthulhu” and “The Whisperer in the Darkness.” Reading any of his stories will leave you feeling unsettled and reluctant to turn off the lights. In conclusion: Boo! For less-scary costumed fun, the library will be holding its second Star Wars Reads Day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11. There will be Star Wars-themed crafts, games and snacks, as well as a costume contest and a visit by local members of the Rebel Legion and 501st Legion, devoted Star Wars fans who wear authentic costumes to support community events. Last year’s Star Wars Reads Day saw over 125 kids and adults participating, so we’re expecting a great turnout. —Jake Sexton is librarian at the La Mesa branch of the San Diego County Library. Reach him at 619-469-2151 or visit the library at 8074 Allison Ave.u

ENTERTAINMENT

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014 La Mesa Courier sdcnn.com

Jazz Fridays: Charlie Arbelaez Trio at The Rook. Free. 9 p.m. TheRookBar.com. 7745 University Ave., La Mesa.

The Tarantino family’s gourmet sausages are always a crowd favorite at La Mesa’s Oktoberfest, a three-day beer and brat extravaganza. (Courtesy La Mesa Chamber of Commerce)

Good times brewing for annual Oktoberfest extravaganza Jen

Van Tieghem

a Mesa Village is usually known as a quaint and quiet part of town, but those of us who have been around for a while know there’s much more to that stretch of La Mesa Boulevard than antique stores and thrift shops. Oktoberfest, perhaps the most exciting event hosted in La Mesa each year, descends upon the Village for three days over the first weekend in October. This year it falls particularly early on Oct. 3 – 5 with live entertainment, multiple beer gardens, street vendors and more slated to draw the masses. For families venturing to the free event there are carnival games, rides and other activities in the Kids Zone (for children under 12). Diverse food options located throughout the 10 blocks of Oktoberfest are an obvious crowd pleaser for all ages. Plus, the streets are lined with booths of crafts and other products that may inspire an early holiday shopping spree. But it’s the big kids who have the most reasons to head to Oktoberfest. The aptly named Big Beer Garden presented by the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce and the smaller Nebo Drive Beer Garden by the La Mesa Village Merchant’s Association are where you will find most of the action at Oktoberfest. The former is located in the Allison Street parking lot (between Pine Street and Palm Avenue) and is home to a large festival stage to go along with the nectar of the hops. This beer garden is family-friendly, so patrons can feel free to bring their children. Pets are not allowed inside the event. Various bands will play the Big Beer Garden all three days, presenting mostly classic rock ‘n’ roll (The Ideas Rock and Roll Trio and The Car Tune Dogs) and some German music (Our Song). This area will also have food options

— including festival favorites like brats and pulled pork sandwiches — to keep partiers fueled throughout the day and night. The beer garden will also host a stein-holding contest each evening around 8 p.m., hosted by Samuel Adams. The Nebo Drive Beer Garden (next to the La Mesa Train Museum) also has a lot to offer. Though smaller in scale, this adults-only beer garden provides ample enticement with at least three German beers being served. It will also host the Bavarian Beer Garden Band on Friday and Saturday. These factors will give an authentic feel to this area, harkening back to the “original Oktoberfest vibe,” according to Bill Dyke of the Bavarian Beer Garden Band. Festivalgoers should note a trolley ride to the La Mesa Boulevard stop (near Spring Street) literally drops you right in the middle of the festival. Frequent trains going by make public transportation the ideal designated driver for Oktoberfesters ready to imbibe like our German counterparts. Popular ride-sharing services are another smart choice for getting to and from La Mesa. Trust me — you don’t want to even attempt to look for parking. In addition to the beer gardens and festival food vendors, the businesses in and around La Mesa Village will have their doors open to welcome visitors. One such spot is Hoffer’s Cigar Bar, which boasts an impressive tap list of craft beers. “[Oktoberfest] brings out a much wilder clientele than we are used to but also a lot of new faces that might have never been in nor heard of us,” Hoffer’s bar manager Ryan Bartman said. “So all in all it’s great for business.” Other businesses along La Mesa Boulevard that should benefit from the increased foot traffic include Konnichiwa Sushi and Bar (bet you didn’t know La Mesa Village had sushi), Cosmos Coffee Café for those needing a caffeine boost to keep going and Trattoria Tiramisu with its authentic Italian dishes and stellar wine list when you’ve had

enough beers and brats. Whether La Mesa is your home or a place you’ve never ventured, Oktoberfest is the ideal time to enjoy the festival spirit, discover the businesses of the village and do the chicken dance like you never have before. Whatever you do, don’t forget to take home a commemorative beer boot! —Jen Van Tieghem can be reached at jen@sdcnn.com.u

La Mesa Oktoberfest Schedule of Events Friday, Oct. 3 Street festival: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Big Beer Garden: 4 - 11:30 p.m. (last call at 11 p.m.) The Ideas Rock and Roll Trio: 4 - 5 p.m. The Car Tune Dogs: 6 - 10 p.m. Nebo Drive Beer Garden: Noon - 9 p.m. (last call at 8:30 p.m.) Bavarian Beer Garden Band: 6 - 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4 Street festival: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Big Beer Garden: 11 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. (last call at 11 p.m.) Our Song: Noon - 4 p.m. The Car Tune Dogs: 6 - 10 p.m. Nebo Drive Beer Garden: 12 - 9 p.m. (last call at 8:30 p.m.) Bavarian Beer Garden Band: 2 - 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5 Street festival: Noon - 5 p.m. BIG Beer Garden: 1 - 4:30 p.m. (last call at 4 p.m.) Our Song: 1 - 4 p.m. Nebo Drive Beer Garden: 12 4:30 p.m. (last call at 4 p.m.) Fun Facts Vendors: Over 250 Attendees expected: 200,000 Years of La Mesa Oktoberfest: 41 City blocks used forOktoberfest: 10 Estimated cost for police, fire and other city staff time: $77,000, paid for by the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce and La Mesa Village Merchants Association

Sundays: samdiego Jazz Trio at San Pasqual Winery Tasting Room. Free. 2 - 5 p.m. SanPasqualWinery.com. 8364 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa. Oct. 15: “The Music of Will Todd” with the SDSU Chamber Choir, Grossmont College Jazz faculty and composer/ pianist Will Todd at St. John of the Cross Catholic Church. Suggested donation. 7:30 p.m. Grossmont.edu. 8086 Broadway, Lemon Grove.

Pop Tuesdays: Suzanne Shea and Bob Wade at Bistro Sixty. Free. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. BistroSixtySD.com. Call and hold your table: 619-287-8186. 5987 El Cajon Blvd., College Area. Wednesdays: Westside Inflection at Riviera Supper Club. Free. 8 p.m. RivieraSupperClub. com. 7777 University Ave., La Mesa. Fridays: Nathan Welden at Bistro Sixty. Free. 6:30 p.m. BistroSixtySD.com. 5987 El Cajon Blvd., College Area.

Classical Oct. 16: Youth Choir of San Diego at Cuyamaca College. Price $8 ($5 for students). 7 p.m. Cuyamaca.edu. 900 Rancho San Diego Pkwy., Rancho San Diego. Oct. 17: Cuyamaca College Choir at Cuyamaca College. Price $8 ($5 for students). 7:30 p.m. Cuyamaca.edu. 900 Rancho San Diego Pkwy., Rancho San Diego.

Oct. 31: Quatuor Mosaïques: Classical String Quartet at Cuyamaca College. Price $10. 7:30 p.m. Cuyamaca. edu. 900 Rancho San Diego Pkwy., Rancho San Diego.

Alternative Sept. 27: TaKillya at Chico Club. Free. 9 p.m. ChicoClub1940.com. 7366 El Cajon Blvd., La Mesa. Oct. 4: Baja Bugs at Riviera Supper Club. Free. 9 p.m. RivieraSupperClub. com. 7777 University Ave., La Mesa. Oct. 31: Fifth Annual Halloween Monster Bash with The Farmers at Parkway Bar. Free. 9 p.m. TheParkwayBar. com. 9188 Fletcher Pkwy., La Mesa.

Other Thursdays (through Oct. 30): Open Mic Acoustic Nights at Parkway Bar. Free. 7 p.m. TheParkwayBar. com. 9188 Fletcher Pkwy., La Mesa. Sept. 27: Little Kings at Hooley’s. Free. 9 p.m. Hooleys.com. 5500 Grossmont Center Dr. #277, La Mesa. Oct. 18: Oktoberfest featuring The Bavarian Beergarden Band at Butcher’s Brewing. Free. 4-10 p.m. ButchersBrewing.com. 9962 Prospect Ave. Suite F, Santee. Oct. 18: Jefferson Washington at San Pasqual Winery Tasting Room. Free. 7 p.m. SanPasqualWinery. com. 8364 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa. Bands, venues, and musiclovers: please submit listings for this calendar by emailing Jen@sdcnn.com.u

La Mesa Courier

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014

Gen-X in La Mesa

LOCAL NEWS

Give peace a chance Genevieve

Suzuki

iving peace a chance seems more complicated than it should be. With all of the strife going on in this world, peace seems to be an almost impossible proposition. The appalling, brutal treatment of American hostages at the hands of ISIS members resulted in many of us feeling complete repulsion at the state of global affairs. I know I felt sick. Even worse, I began to feel hopeless. So when Anne Pacheco, a member of the Interfaith Council of La Mesa, asked me to attend the first International Day of Peace Sept. 21 at Aztec Park, her invitation stirred something in my soul. The day, which touted “The Right of Peoples to Peace,” would be a joint effort among people of most of the world’s religions, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Native American and Baha’i. And although I promised Anne I would attend, I thought it was an awfully lofty goal. Really? All of these people gathering for peace on a Sunday, a day many hold holy in their churches? But I was pleasantly surprised when approximately 200 people

showed up with chairs, umbrellas, hats and hearts at Aztec Park that mild, sunny day. Many of us purchased sky blue scarves from the Sisters of Saint Francis to wear in solidarity for peace. Shucks, even Mayor Art Madrid wore a scarf over a yellow shirt. I admit, however, getting my husband, Derek, to don the blue scarf wasn’t easy. In fact, it wasn’t easy getting him there in the first place. It’s not that Derek is against world peace (even though our daughter to this day refuses to add that request to her nightly prayers). It’s more that Sunday is for football in Derek’s world, and this day of peace was causing him to miss hooting and hollering for his fantasy football team. Nevertheless, Derek relented and accompanied me and our daughter to the event. This compromise is one from which most of the world could learn. Is Derek a community activist? No, but Derek is focused on the big picture, namely a happy wife and home. Focusing on the big picture would help many find peace in their lives, locally and globally. As I sat there amid others dedicated to peace and non-violence, I realized the one common emotional positive is the future. We all want a better future for our families and our children. We don’t

want to leave behind a legacy of anger, brutality and war. “We want peace!” we said together at the beginning of the program. “We want peace!” we insisted again. “We want peace!” we vowed. As Rebecca Littlejohn of Vista La Mesa Christian Church said, “We are gathered in hope today for hope is how we survive.” Thanks to this special inaugural day, I was reminded of how important it was for me to have hope, and that reminder allowed me to place aside that earlier feeling of hopelessness conjured by evil deeds in another land. After all, if I allow myself to fall hopeless, I have nothing to give my child. On the other hand, if I cling to hope, it will then be passed on to my daughter, who would hold that ideal in her mind and — hopefully — see it to fruition. As the Native American prayer during the program stated, “Give us the wisdom to teach our children to love, to respect and to be kind to each other so that they may grow with peace in mind.” —Genevieve A. Suzuki is editor emeritus of the La Mesa Courier. She continues to live and practice family law in La Mesa. Her website is sdlawyersuzuki.com.u

Park Station, from page 1 to 46 feet, or about four stories. So the Kitzmans have hired development consultants Urban Housing Partners to convince city leaders to change the zoning on the property to allow building heights up to 110 feet. The zoning the Kitzmans are asking for could accommodate up to 363 dwelling units, 61,000 square feet of commercial retail space, 146,000 square feet of commercial office space or a hotel of up to 250 guest rooms. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on the proposed zoning changes on June 18. They made no decision at the time because the Kitzmans’ co-applicant, American Legion Post 282, announced they were withdrawing their support for the zoning change. The Kitzmans, through their South Baltimore LLC, resubmitted their application over the summer. The Planning Commission will hear the new and reduced application at a meeting at City Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. Residents east and west of the project site have been some of the most vocal critics of the proposal to rezone the property. Don Bell, whose house on El Capitan Drive overlooks the Park Station property, said he and his neighbors are not against redeveloping and improving the property. “It’s blight down there,” Bell said. What they are against, however, is rezoning the property. “The problem really is that the Planning Commission is going to give them a blank check,” he said. Nearby neighbors know and accept that change is inevitable, but the added traffic and parking problems that would come from a 10-story building would be unacceptable and detrimental to the community, said Suda House, who also has a view of the Park Station property from her home on El Capitan. “Develop the heck out of it, but keep it below 46 feet,” House said. One vocal supporter of the Kitzman’s plan has been Jack Rowell, a La Mesa native who now sells real estate across the San Diego region. Any new homes that can be added to the La Mesa market will be a good thing, Rowell said. “I have a bunch of [potential

A rendering by Park Station opponents shows the potential scale of buildings. (Courtesy Aaron Amerling)

buyers] who want La Mesa, but it’s a fight over every property, especially things under $500,000,” Rowell said. “People want the La Mesa schools. People want the convenience of La Mesa.” The only other place where housing prices are comparable for high-quality schools is Poway, and Poway doesn’t have La Mesa’s Village or its proximity to regional destinations, Rowell said. Rowell said he understands why nearby neighbors don’t want their views to change, but there’s no reason to believe home values will suffer with an increase in supply. “They’re talking about 300 to 500 condo units,” Rowell said. “That’s like spitting in the ocean.” For Aaron Amerling, organizer of the “Fight Park Station La Mesa – No More Than Four” Facebook page, the colorful renderings of Park Station are a Trojan Horse designed to mislead people about what the site could become. “The Kitzmans do not have the funds to develop that,” Amerling said. “The whole idea is to upzone the land because that improves the resale value.” If city leaders approve the new zoning, the Kitzmans or a new owner could build something completely different than what they’ve been advertising. City leaders have been cautious about commenting directly on the proposal, only issuing vague statements about maintaining the character of the downtown village. Regardless of the Planning Commission’s decision next week, the final decision on whether to rezone the property will be made by the full City Council at a later date.u

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LOCAL NEWS

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014 La Mesa Courier sdcnn.com

Music professor’s jazz album wins acclaim David

Ogul

ollow your passion. That has been a guiding principal for Grossmont College music instructor and jazz bassist extraordinaire Justin Grinnell, who ditched plans to study mathematics shortly after enrolling at San Diego State University back in 1999 and meeting musicians “who were doing music all the time.” Good thing. Grinnell has become an integral part of a vibrant Grossmont College music program and gigs as a pit orchestra member at myriad venues, including the Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, and the San Diego Civic Theatre for a number of Tony Award-winning musicals. And now his debut disc, the Justin Grinnell Quartet’s Without You, has been nominated for a San Diego Music Award for best jazz album. Grinnell is no stranger to awards. He is a member of the Danny Green Trio, which won the 2009 San Diego Music Award for Best Jazz Album for its debut CD. The trio’s second release, A Thousand Ways Home, reached No. 17 on the Jazz Week Charts for national radio airplay after its 2012 debut. “I’m doing what I love,” said Grinnell, who is on track to earn his Doctor of Musical Arts in Jazz Studies from the University of Southern California next spring. “The only thing I really want to do is keep working with great musicians, perform with the jazz masters and teach jazz at the college or university level.” Grinnell has earned praise from the best in the business. “Not only is Justin a fantastic person, but he is such an accomplished musician, a great sight reader, which is so important because we do all kinds of tricky music and having someone who is able to read so well is an invaluable asset, and he’s adept in a lot of different musical styles,” said critically-acclaimed Jazz guitarist and composer Peter Sprague. “He also has just such a wonderful spirit when it comes to playing music. I’m really happy to know him and being able to play with him from time to time.” A native of Santa Rosa, California, Grinnell initially planned to study mathematics and become an engineer. But after enrolling in a few music classes at San Diego State and jamming with newfound friends, he switched gears. It was while he was at SDSU that Grinnell began gigging with future Grossmont College Music Department chair Derek Cannon and met his future wife, Melonie, a pianist who also teaches music at Grossmont College. With both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in jazz performance from San Diego State in hand, Grinnell began working in 2005 as an adjunct music profes-

Justin Grinnell has just released his debut jazz album, which has been nominated for a San Diego Music Award (Photo by Jon Naugle)

“The only thing I really want to do is keep working with great musicians, perform with the jazz masters and teach jazz at the college or university level.” -Justin Grinnell sor at Grossmont College. He also serves as an adjunct music professor at the University of San Diego and taught part time at Southwestern College from 2008 to 2011. “Grossmont College is special,” Grinnell said. “It feels like family here. Everyone is part of a community that is working together on behalf of our students, doing our best to help them succeed in a business that’s hard to make a living in. That camaraderie is priceless.” Grinnell’s passion serves him well in a business where talent alone often isn’t enough to support a family. “I tell my students all the time that if they’re looking for job security, don’t look at a career in jazz music,” Grinnell said, adding that he makes a living cobbling together his adjunct

professorships, private lessons, and regular performances. Grinnell and his wife are juggling their careers while raising two young sons. His debut album falls into the category of West Coast-flavored, straightahead jazz. He wrote six of the nine tunes on the disc, with the remaining three being covers. Especially tasty are the original “Hit the Brakes” and a jazz cover of The Beatles’ Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite. Grinnell, however, is comfortable playing a wide variety of styles that range from classical to funk. He is a member of the Brazilian jazz-inspired Danny Green Trio (Danny Green also teaches at Grossmont College), and the modern jazz group ARC Trio, among others. The Justin Grinnell Quintet will be playing three concerts at Grossmont College in the coming weeks. Shows are scheduled for Sept. 28, Oct. 26, and Nov. 30 in Building 26, Room 220, at 6:30 p.m. A full itinerary of upcoming performances around the region can be found at JustinGrinnell.com. The San Diego Music Awards take place Oct. 6 at Humphreys By The Bay, on San Diego’s Shelter Island. —David Ogul writes on behalf of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District. Email him at ogulcommunications@gmail.com.u

La Mesa Courier

LOCAL NEWS

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014

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up along the way include thousands of football cards (both Topps and Fleer), player and coach jerseys, jackets, personal letters, autographed footballs, bobbleheads, pins, programs, team photographs and much, much more. He even has a life-sized bust of Chargers wide receiver Lance Alworth, which is a story in itself; just ask him. This native son’s collection is not limited to the San Diego Chargers, but what he has gathered about them is more than impressive. His comprehensive collection also includes items from the Los Angeles Chargers and every other football team that played during the AFL time period. Over the years he’s met and interviewed dozens of players, coaches and families, becoming close with many of them. Two of his larger personal collections are of Gilman, the Chargers first coach, and Alworth. In 2004, he wrote “Charging Through the AFL: Los Angeles and San Diego Chargers football in the 1960s.” He followed that up with “Bombs Away: Air Coryelle and the San Diego Chargers” in 2006. Both books rely heavily on interviews and photographs of their respective periods. A few years ago, Tobias decided to channel his love for the AFL through his website, TalesFromTheAmericanFootballLeague.com. Here Tobias shares his many interviews of the past, runs a blog where he opines on the latest news of players related to the AFL, deposits videos, stats, historical data, photos and even has a forum section where others can share their love for the league and its players. He said his goal with the site is to “edutain (educate and entertain) football lovers with stories about all things AFL.” To support his internet endeavor, he’s also taken up social media, and can be followed on twitter at @ TalesfromtheAFL and on two locations on Facebook, “Tales from the American Football League” and “I loved the 1960s Chargers” (a public group). On the latter he shares vintage photographs of the team and banters with the families of players. He shares links back to his blog and website on both pages. His many followers recently noticed Tobias absent from posting for a time. That’s because he Todd Tobias’s collections include signed football recently gave up cards from the 1965 Chargers and other rare approximately 85 collectibles, such as a bust of Lance Alworth. percent of his collec- (Photos by Morgan Hurley) tion to pursue his dream of opening a lacrosse store in La Mesa with an old friend. Despite months of hard work, that opportunity never panned out. Now, the five pallets of blood, sweat and tears that he consigned to an auction house a few months ago are sitting in a warehouse somewhere in the Midwest being individually categorized and valued in preparation for a national, Internet-based auction block next spring. “I was trying to trade one passion for another,” Tobias said. “If I’d known it would have just been trading one passion for money I never would have done it, but it is what it is.” Deciding what to keep was a challenge, but Tobias said it came down not to which collections were worth the most money, but which provided him the most enjoyment. The two-dozen binders still resident on his shelves are neatly filled to the brim with pages of plastic inserts containing football cards, with most every card there signed. Tobias said he pulls each binder down two or three times per week just to look through them. Inside are vast collections of football cards. Many are duplicated, but they are categorized in dozens of ways. Some collections are still incomplete — like his 1965 collection of every card Topps put out for that year; he is only missing two out of 176 cards — and each time he removes that binder from the shelf he strategizes new ways he can complete that collection. There is a story behind every collection and another for every card. He has some cards that he’s certain do not exist anywhere else, and he has numerous cards that had the wrong player’s image printed on them in the publishing house’s haste to get them out in advance of the new season. He’s reached out to many of the players over the years, sending along his books and asking for autographs, and he has the response letters to prove it. In the wake of his failed business attempt, Tobias finds himself facing a forgotten challenge: looking for work. “I haven’t had to do that since graduating college,” he said. “For now I’m just working in the back yard, putting in a sprinkler system and taking my mind off of it. “San Diego can be a tough place to live in if you are a sports historian,” he said. “It’s probably time for me to find another line of work.” —Morgan M. Hurley can be contacted at morgan@sdcnn.com.u

CALENDAR

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014 La Mesa Courier sdcnn.com

CALENDAR Prescription drug collection Saturday, Sept. 27

Get rid of your unwanted, expired or leftover prescription drugs at this National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day event hosted by the La Mesa Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The effort is designed to prevent prescription drug abuse. Drop your drugs, no questions asked, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the police station parking lot, 8085 University Ave. For other drop off locations or more information, visit deadiversion.usdoj.gov and click “Got Drugs?”

Free electronic waste recycling Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 27 – 28

State law prohibits disposal of certain electronic items in the trash because many of them contain hazardous substances. The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce is hosting this free event to help residents properly recycle old televisions, computers, printers, VCRs, DVD players, copiers, scanners, fax machines, toner cartridges and other approved items. Microwave ovens can be disposed of for a service fee of $5. Items will be collected from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the parking lot between Fuddruckers restaurant and Chuze Fitness at the Grossmont Shopping Center, 5500 Grossmont Center Dr. The following items will not be accepted: refrigerators, washers, dryers, fluorescent light bulbs and household batteries. For more details on items that will be accepted, visit lamesachamber. com.

Generational diversity workshop Tuesday, Oct. 2

As part of Cuyamaca College’s Diversity Dialogues series, professional development consultant Victoria Hankins will lead a discussion on the multigenerational workplace. With four generations working side by side in the American workforce, challenges often arise regarding communication styles, differing workplace values and misconceptions about workplace motivators. Hankins will outline the differences between the four generations and provide tips on how to effectively work in cross-generational teams. The workshop, free and open to the public, will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in room 207 of the student center at Cuyamaca College, 900 Rancho San Diego Pkwy. For additional information, call Lauren Vaknin in the Student Affairs Office at 619-660-4295.

Oktoberfest Friday through Sunday, Oct. 3, 4 and 5

See our article on page 11 in this month’s La Mesa Courier for all the details on the annual Oktoberfest extravaganza.

La Mesa City Council Candidates Forum Tuesday, Oct. 7

La Mesa mayoral candidates Art

Madrid and Mark Arapostathis will join City Council candidates Patrick Dean, Mary England, Pete Gregorovic and Guy McWhirter at this forum hosted and moderated by the Community Outreach Ministry of La Mesa First United Methodist Church in the church social hall at 4690 Palm Ave. A meet-and-greet will begin at 6:30 p.m. The program begins at 7 p.m. All are welcome.

Free blood pressure screening Tuesday, Oct. 7

Have your blood pressure checked by a registered nurse between 9:30 and 11 a.m. at the Sharp Grossmont Senior Resource Center, 9000 Wakarusa St. in La Mesa. No appointment necessary. Call 619-740-4214 for more information.

Senior Expo Thursday, Oct. 9

The city of La Mesa organizes this free event to help connect senior citizens and their families to the most helpful senior service providers, including La Mesa Police Department Crime Prevention, Aging and Independence Services, Metropolitan Transit System, “211,” Sharp Senior Resource Center, Meals on Wheels, DMV Senior Ombudsman Program, SDG&E Medical Baseline Program, Elderhelp, Jewish Family Services, Yellow Cab, California Telephone Access Program, HICAP, San Diego

County District Attorney’s Elder Abuse Unit and more. The event will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the La Mesa Community Center, 4975 Memorial Dr. A shuttle will be available from the Spring Street trolley station. Organizers are asking seniors to RSVP by Oct. 3 by calling 619-667-1322.

Depression and bipolar disorder screening Friday, Oct. 10

Dr. William Brock will present a free educational seminar on the signs and symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder and other anxiety disorders from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Adults ages 60 and older can receive free, anonymous screenings from Sharp Grossmont Behavioral Health Services, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. The seminar and screenings will be held at the Grossmont Healthcare District’s Herrick Library at 9001 Wakarusa St. in La Mesa. Reservations are suggested but not required. Call 800-827-4277 or register online at sharp.com.

“Got Plans?” Career and college fair Saturday, Oct. 11

High school students and their parents are invited to meet with admissions representatives from public and private universities, community colleges, vocational

schools and the military at this annual event organized by the Grossmont Union High School District and the GrossmontCuyamaca Community College District. Free workshops will provide information on financial aid, changes to SAT and ACT requirements, transfer options between two-year colleges and four-year universities and other career topics. Some workshops will be offered in Spanish and Arabic. The fair is open from 1 to 4 p.m. at Cuyamaca College, 900 Rancho San Diego Pkwy. For more information, call Jason Martinez at 619-593-2713.

Bunco Bash Saturday, Oct. 11

Soroptimist International of Lemon Grove hosts this special autumn-themed Bunco event to raise money for the group’s projects to help women and children in our community. For $20, participants get three rounds of Bunco, a door prize ticket and complimentary fall snacks and dessert. Wine will be available for purchase. Bunco winners receive gift baskets, and raffle prizes will also be offered. The event will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. at St. John of the Cross Knights of Columbus Hall at Broadway and Columbus Drive in Lemon Grove. Reservations are required. Contact Gloria Ferreira at 619-466-3699 or email her at soroptgloria@ gmail.com.

Pooch in the Park Saturday, Oct. 11

Kiwanis Club of La Mesa and the Human Relations Advisory Commission will host this community get-together from 9 a.m. to noon at Harry Griffen Regional Park, 9550 Milden St. For $20, pet owners can enter up to two dogs into a contest show for a chance to win in one of five categories or the “best in show” trophy. Raffle prizes, giveaways and other demonstrations will round out the morning. For more information, contact Glenna Boemen at gab11853@aol.com.

Fair trade gift fair Sunday, Oct. 12

The St. Martin of Tours Parish Hall will become a world bazaar featuring unique and handcrafted fair trade gifts, décor, apparel and jewelry from artisans in developing countries from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. As they browse the displays created by local vendors who sell fair trade products, shoppers will be able to sample or purchase fair trade refreshments, including chocolate, tea, coffee, bananas soda and Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. The parish hall is at 7710 El Cajon Blvd. in La Mesa. Call 619-466-3241 for additional information.

See CALENDAR page 22

La Mesa Courier

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014

Community titan Jerry Fazio announces plans to retire SDCNN Staff

fter 35 years with the Boys & Girls Clubs of East County, Jerry Fazio has announced his retirement. Fazio’s last day on the job as executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of East County Foundation will be Oct. 24. His official retirement date, following vacation, will be Dec. 4, three days after his 35th anniversary with the youth organization that has served hundreds of thousands of young people in the East County since its founding in 1961. Since joining the organization on Dec. 1, 1979, Fazio has served in several executive positions with the Girls’ Club and Boys & Girls Clubs. He has also done two stints — the most recent of which began in July 2008 — as executive director of the foundation, a nonprofit fundraising entity, Fazio’s honors during his career have included El Cajon Citizen of the Year in 1992, Boys & Girls Clubs Pacific Region Executive of the Year in 2006 and National Executive Director of the Year from Boys & Girls Clubs of America in 2007. He is known throughout San Diego for his friendly smile and fundraising passion on behalf of the organization. “He is the instantly recognizable fundraiser and pitch man for our organization,” said Jack Doyle, board president of the Boys & Girls Clubs of East County Foundation. “During his 35 years, Jerry has steered the development of our new and updated facilities in El Cajon, Lakeside, Santee and La Mesa. He leaves us a legacy to be proud of in East County. We wish him well as he moves into retirement.” Fazio’s decision to retire was prompted by recent good news from doctors that he is cancerfree, five years after beginning his battle against colon cancer, the same disease that led to the 2008 death of his first wife, Nancy. “While preparing for my cancer

Jerry Fazio (Courtesy Boys & Girls Clubs of East County)

tests, I indulged in a little speculation about how I might handle the news, whether good or bad,” Fazio said. “I concluded that no matter what, after 35 years, the time has come for me to retire. I will concentrate on my faith, my health, my grandchildren and my gorgeous wife, Melissa. And, if an opportunity comes along to help a good community cause, I might just do that, too.” Fazio’s recent work with the foundation has focused on an $8.9 million fundraising effort called the La Mesa Capital Campaign. The campaign’s goal is to build a new clubhouse in La Mesa, renovate an existing teen center in the city and fund an endowment to operate both facilities. Forrest Higgins, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of East County, will add the role of campaign coordinator to his job with the assistance from staff. According to Higgins, more than $5 million for the La Mesa Capital Campaign has been raised during Fazio’s leadership. “Jerry has been integral part of the success and growth of the Boys & Girls Club of East County,” Higgins said. “His dedication and passion to the youth and families of East County will be greatly missed.” Since 1961, the Boys & Girls Clubs of East County have been meeting the developmental needs of children and youth. The organization’s mission statement: “To inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to become responsible, caring, productive citizens.”u

LOCAL NEWS Parkway, from page 1 notice to which the couple didn’t respond in time to renew their five-year lease, Katie said. The next they heard, they had to close the bar by Nov. 1. “I truly believe that when one door closes, another one opens,” says Katie Halvin, who runs the bar with her husband, Doug. “As poignant as it is to lose the bar, I know we lost it because we didn’t pay attention when we should have.” For the past five years, Katie Halvin’s life has been intertwined with the bar. Her first date with now-husband Doug landed her there — an Internet connection that led to a meet up in Harry Griffen Park. “We talked for a while and then he took me to his neighborhood hangout to have a beer and shoot some pool,” Katie recalls. Katie was retiring from the Navy as a chief torpedo man, and she was ready to settle down again. “We got married at the Carlton Oaks [Country Club] — the whole bar was there.” Before long, Katie and Doug took over the bar, which is leased from the Ross Family Trust. Calls and emails to the property manager were not returned.

“When we took it over there were drugs, gangs, ugliness,” she said. “I won’t put up with that.” What was left was a band of devoted regulars, a tradition of small, local, live music and, soon, local art on the walls and events supporting local artists on the calendar. Cathryn Beeks, the local music guru from 102.1 KPRI radio, began working with Halvin in November to book homegrown and up-and-coming acts at the bar — which led to notable shows from the Kilborn Alley Blues Band, Roni Lee and many others. “It’s very sad that the bar is closing. It’s run by very special people and there isn’t a venue like this in San Diego,” Beeks said. “I found out about them because a lot of my friends were playing there. They had a very loyal group of musicians before I ever showed up.” The Parkway is also home to a very popular and solidly booked open mic night, run by local singer-songwriter Jessica Hull. The Farmers, local legends who evolved from the Beat Farmers, also play regularly. The live music will continue intermittently, with the Farmers playing the closing

Sycuan Resort and Casino 3007 Dehesa Rd. El Cajon, CA 92019 800-457-5568

sycuanresort.com For exciting casino action right in your own backyard, there’s nowhere closer than Sycuan Casino. With Vegas-style gaming, scrumptious dining options, live headliner entertainment, and nearby golf resort you’ll find yourself coming back again and again. You can choose from 2,000 video & reel slots as well as video poker. For you card players, there are more than 40 tables to play Blackjack, Three–Card & Four– Card Poker, Sycuan–style craps and roulette. Enjoy the fresh air in the non– smoking room, with more than 350 slot machines, 9 gaming tables, Paipa’s Surf & Turf Buffet, and a Poker Room with daily tournaments – all smoke–free. For your dining pleasure, Sycuan offers five different res-

taurant options to tempt your taste buds. For those looking for a variety of delectable options, Paipa’s Surf & Turf Buffet is an all-you-can-eat feast featuring slow-roasted Prime Rib, buttery crab legs and over 100 fresh selections and delicious dessert bar. There isn’t a bad seat in the house at GameDay Sports Bar & Grill where you can catch the big game on 39 large screen televisions, 16 beers on tap with full cocktail selection, delicious food menu and 29 bar-top video poker machines to play while you root on your team. With excellent acoustics and state-of-the-art sound and lighting, Sycuan Live & Up Close is San Diego’s premiere venue for live entertainment. Bringing exciting, crowd pleasing acts from all musical genres, there’s something for everyone on their concert calendar. Just a short drive, nearby Sycuan Golf Resort offers San Diego’s only 54-hole golf facility. Exciting course play includes

night Halloween party on Oct. 31. For Katie Halvin, the closing isn’t the end. Property manager Aaron Dean intends to redevelop the strip mall where the Parkway now stands into a restaurant with a full bar and microbrewery, and include an outdoor music venue. “He contacted me and hired me to be the director of entertainment at the new venue,” she said. “They hope to start construction in December and finish it by August 2015.” “One side of my brain is ecstatic with opportunity,” she said. “The other feels the sadness of this loss.” Meanwhile, the Halvins are looking around in the area to find another place to open a bar like the Parkway. “It’s our regulars I’m really worried about,” she said. “Some are at a point where most of their friends and family are gone and we are their community and fellowship. We know who has cancer, who has a new baby, we know who to check on if they don’t show up.” —Marty Graham is a freelance writer. Email her at martygraham@cox.net.u

mature tree-lined fairways, elevation changes, water features and impeccable greens. No matter if you’re a seasoned player or a first-timer, the two challenging 18-hole championship golf courses and fun 18-hole par 3 course are guaranteed to give you unforgettable experiences from beginning to end. To complete your stay-cation, enjoy one of their 100 spacious hotel rooms; all recently remodeled and offer beautiful views of the golf courses, pools and private putting greens. If golf isn’t in your plans, you can pamper yourself with a relaxing spa service. Not only is Sycuan the closest casino to downtown, they offer free shuttle bus rides from a number of convenient locations throughout San Diego County. For more information, please visit Sycuan.com. Guests must be 18 or older to enter casino, 21 or older to enter theatre and Sports Bar. Please play responsibly. Get away for the day, at Sycuan Casino…Real Friendly. Real Close!u

Telephone Directory Police non-emergency line: 619-667-1400 Fire non-emergency line: 619-667-1461 Animal Control: 619-667-7536 Graffiti removal: 619-667-7560 Weed abatement: 619-667-1465 Traffic signal maintenance: 619-667-1166 Streetlight maintenance: 619-667-1450 Mayor Art Madrid: 619-667-1100 City Councilmembers: 619-667-1106

EDCO: 619-287-7555 Helix Water District: 619-466-0585 Helix Water after hours emergency: 619-466-3234 Gov. Jerry Brown: 916-445-2841 U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer: 619-239-3884 U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein: 619-231-9712 U.S. Rep. Susan Davis: 619-280-5353 State Sen. Joel Anderson: 619-596-3136 State Assemblymember Shirley Weber: 619-531-7913

PETS

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014 La Mesa Courier sdcnn.com

‘Oh where, oh where has my little dog gone?’

Sari

Reis

he only thing more devastating to a pet parent than when their furry kid is missing is to have them never return. Yet this sad scenario occurs every day. Walk through any neighborhood and you will see the signs posted on trees and telephone poles, “Missing! Our beloved dog Skippy”. These heartrending pleas for help are always accompanied by a photograph of a sweet furry face and the offer of a reward for their return. As pet parents one of our primary responsibilities is to keep our pets safe. To do this we need to keep them securely confined in our homes, our backyards, or on leashes. If your dog has access to the backyard, be certain it is entirely fenced in with no potential escape routes. Make sure all gates are locked when you or anyone else goes in or out. Inform pool service people, landscapers or gardeners that you have a dog in the yard and the gate must be secured at all times. Be particularly careful when entering or leaving your home. Open doors slowly, to ensure a cat or dog is not lurking nearby ready to make a quick escape. Never leave the door open for any length of time. Even an indoor kitty may be curious if the door is left open for a minute or two. Tell visitors, cleaning ladies, and anyone else who may have access to your home that you have pets and they are not to be let out. Some people like to give their dogs off-leash time on city streets in their neighborhoods. They believe their pup is well-trained and will come on command and not run away. But the sight of a

(ThinkStock)

One out of three pets will go missing during their lifetime. squirrel or stray cat can waylay the best trained dog and send them on a chase. Many of these dogs never make it back home. There are also those feline parents who believe it is essential to a cat’s well-being for them to investigate and play outdoors. Although the kitties may enjoy outdoor time, it is very dangerous. With rattlesnakes, coyotes, stray dogs and traffic, many outdoor kitties never make it home again and soon become one of those sad notices posted on a tree. Even with the best intentions, our pets may still make an escape. Your best opportunity in getting them back is to ensure they can be identified. Put an ID

Adopt a pet L

tag on their collar listing your name and phone number and microchip them. Although there are numerous companies that offer microchips and monitoring services, one of the best is “Home Again.” If you do microchip your pet, remember to notify the manufacturer if you move or change your phone number. Although the cost of micro-chipping is very reasonable, many shelters and veterinary clinics hold special micro-chipping days so you can get your pets done for a discounted price. Having your pet micro-chipped greatly increases the potential of getting him home again. Can you actually put a price tag on that? “Home Again” stated that one out of three pets will go missing during their lifetime. Make sure that one isn’t yours. —Sari Reis is a Certified Humane Education Specialist and the owner of Mission Valley Pet Sitting Services. For more information please contact her at 760-644-0289 or missionvalleypetsitting.com.u

Looking for a home

Lucille

Breed: Labrador Retriever / ucille, a 5-year-old spayed Labrador Australian Cattle Dog mix Retriever/Australian Cattle Dog mix, is an energetic lady with tons of love to give her Age: 5 years old new family. She has a friendly personality Gender: Female (spayed) with everyone she meets, and loves to learn Colors: Black and White new tricks. She already knows commands ID#: 142265 such as sit, down, shake, crawl, beg and is Adoption Fee: $95.00 currently learning how to wave “bye-bye.” She is very treat-motivated and eager to please. She is very smart and outgoing and has gotten along well with other dogs on social walks. This silly girl is always smiling and ready for a new adventure. Born a true athlete, she would love to participate in future training and would make an excellent workout partner. Adequate exercise and mental stimulation are a must for this spirited lady. Lucille will do best in an active home with older children or adults. She has a lot of love to give and may benefit from having another dog in the family, as long as she meets them first to make sure they’re a good match. Her adoption fee includes her spay, current vaccinations, permanent microchip identification, a certificate for a free veterinary exam, 30 days of complimentary medical insurance and a license for residents of Oceanside or Vista. Lucille is available for adoption at the San Diego Humane Society, 5500 Gaines St. in San Diego. To learn more about Lucille, call 619-299-7012.u S.D. Humane Society & SPCA 5500 Gaines St. (92110) 619-299-7012 | sdhumane.org

ADOPTION HOURS

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La Mesa Courier

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014

EDUCATION

Foothiller Footsteps

Advanced Placement curriculum exposes students to college-level study Connie and Lynn

Baer

commitment to educational excellence has always been a part of the culture of Grossmont High School. In the 1980s, Grossmont began offering a new curriculum — Advanced Placement — that challenges the high school student to master a rigorous college-level curriculum. Each May, the students may then take the AP Exam. Passing the exam with a score of 3, 4 or 5 will in most cases translate to the student receiving college credit or course exemption. In 1981, Grossmont English teacher Kay Adams offered an after-school tutorial for her senior students who wanted to take the AP English Language and Composition Exam. Twenty-one students met with her to receive preparation for the exam; all 21 students passed the exam, with five students receiving a 5, the highest score. “I learned more than I ever taught,” Adams said. “Those students were the brightest minds I ever met.” Beginning in 1982, AP

courses became a yearly English course offering. Other challenges presented themselves to early AP teachers. In the 1980s through 1996, Sue Emerson, AP Biology teacher, found ways to creatively schedule her class. On Wednesdays, the students came in an hour early to complete the sophisticated experiments the curriculum required. “One fun activity was a nationwide project studying wetlands,” Emerson recalled. “The students shared information with schools around the country via telecommunication from their study of the Tijuana River Estuary.” Today Grossmont offers 15 different honors courses, which prepare the students for the diverse variety of subsequent 19 Advanced Placement courses. Art: AP Art History; Studio Drawing; 2-D Design Business: AP Computer Science English: AP Literature and Composition; Language and Composition Language: AP Spanish Language; Spanish Literature and Culture; French Language and Culture Math: AP Calculus; Statistics Performing Arts: AP Music

Advanced Placement ible donation, may Theory contribute to the Science: AP Biology; GHS Educational Environmental Science; Foundation’s AP Physics Scholarship Fund Social Science: AP by sending a check European History; U.S. to GHS Educational History; Psychology; Foundation, P.O. U.S. Government Box 1043, La Mesa, Over the years, the CA 91944. curriculum has evolved. “Grossmont High AP French Language School is proud to and Culture teacher support our honors Azita Mahmoudi, noted and Advanced that the “AP test has Placement curricuchanged from a narrow lum,” said Principal grammar-based test Dan Barnes. “We to an open-ended test are very excited to based on cultural see the very high knowledge.” increase in partici“Physics isn’t difpation in our courses ficult. It only has the AP Physics students participate in an experiment at over the past three reputation of being dif- Grossmont High School in 2012. (Courtesy GHS Museum) years and continficult,” said longtime AP ued success by our Physics teacher Tom Eklund. same years, more Foothillers teachers and students, shown Eklund’s creative lessons were given the opportunity in their AP exam pass rates.” include the one shown in the to challenge themselves and Visit Grossmont and wit2012 photograph of student prepare for post secondary ness firsthand a campus that Jessie Hodges dropping his education. celebrates it heritage and project off the bleachers and A continuing goal of Grossmont embraces its future. Regular measuring its fall. staff is to have more enrolled public hours are noon to 4 p.m. During the past five years, students take the test; however, on Wednesday, Oct. 1 and Nov. the number of tests taken by each test costs $89, with many 5, or by appointment. Grossmont students has risen students taking more than one Contact the Grossmont High from 453 in 2009 to 646 in 2014. test. School Museum by phone at While the passing rate dropped Those wishing to sponsor one 619-668-6140 or by email at ghsfrom 65 to 58 percent in those or more tests with a tax-deduct- museum@guhsd.net.u

Helix Highlights

Making students college-ready

Jennifer

Osborn

parent of a Helix Charter High School student once noted that her daughter was never asked, “Are you going to college?” Instead, she was asked, “Where are you going to college?” A subtle difference in wording, but a vast difference in meaning. Helix’s mission states: “Helix Charter High School provides a comprehensive education that prepares all students to gradu-

ate college-ready and equipped to reach their personal and academic potential.” While the belief at Helix is not that every graduate needs to attend college in order to be successful, it is definitely our goal to ensure that every graduate has the option to continue their education, if they so choose. For the class of 2014, 82 percent of Helix graduates stated they planned to attend college. Forty-five percent went directly to a four-year college and 37 percent planned to attend two-

year institutions. Approximately 12 percent attend University of California schools and 22 percent attend San Diego State or other California State University campuses.

Support classroom projects Have you heard of Donors Choose? Donors Choose is an online charity, started by a classroom teacher from the Bronx, New York. He and his colleagues had great ideas for their students, but no funding to bring their ideas to fruition.

On the Donors Choose website, teachers post classroom project requests and visitors to the website can help grant the teachers’ wishes by donating any amount, big or small, to their projects. Donors Choose allows everyone to be a philanthropist. Over the past few years, Helix teachers have been the recipients of hundreds of thousands of dollars in supplies for classroom projects that would otherwise not have been possible. Be a part of it! Visit the website at donorschoose. org, and search “Helix La Mesa” in the search box.

Students shine nationally

Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute and raising white sea bass in the classroom. This is the second group of white sea bass raised by Helix students. Highland Players present The Odd Couple by Neil Simon, Nov. 5-8 and Nov. 13-14 at 7 p.m. in the Black Box Theater. They will perform both the original «male» version and the “female” version in repertory. Tickets are $10 and will be available at helixdrama.weebly.com, or at the door. Performances may sell out, so buy early!

Take a tour

Finally, we are always interested in letting our community This past summer, four Helix know about Helix Charter Speech & Debate team member students went to Kansas City. High School. The Excellence in Miski Abdi, Spencer McCall, Education Tour is offered twice a Rebeca McClellan and Rachel month, and is open to anyone who Orey each qualified to compete wishes to attend. It is a one-hour in the National Forensics League tour and program that highlights National Championships. McCall our vision, history, accomplishwas a semifinalist in Student ments, goals, and needs. This Senate and a quarterfinalist in month’s tours will take place on Impromptu. Orey was an octafi- Tuesday, October 7 from 8:30 – 9:30 am, and Thursday, October nalist in Poetry. 23 from 5:30 – 6:30 pm. More What else is going on at Helix? information can be found at helixcharter.net. We hope to see you Lenelle Wylie’s honors biology there! classes have been accepted to attend the Science Lecture Series —Jennifer Osborn is the comat the Scripps Research Institute. munity relations officer for Helix Jeff Kepper’s Oceanography Charter High School. Email her class will be working with the at josborn@helixcharter.net.u

PUZZLES / CLASSIFIEDS

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014 La Mesa Courier sdcnn.com

PUZZLES

ANSWERS ON PAGE 20 SUDOKU

CROSSWORD

Fill in the blank cells using numbers 1 to 9. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and 3x3 block. Use logic and process elimination to solve the puzzle.

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EDUCATION Math teacher is Grossmont College’s part-time instructor of the year

La Mesa Courier

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014

Della

Elliott

he Academic Senate at Grossmont College last month honored math instructor Michael Lambe, a Mt. Helix resident, with the Distinguished Faculty award, the first ever for a part-time member of the college faculty. Lambe’s 36 years as part-time instructor at Grossmont College, concurrent to his 39-year teaching career with the Grossmont Union High School District, gave him a unique perspective and insight on nurturing student success. His dual career has made him especially aware of the need to make the transition from high school to college as seamless as possible and to ensure secondary level curriculum prepares students for higher education. His interaction between Grossmont College and Monte Vista High School, where he was chair of the math depart-

Michael Lambe gives a math lesson, something he’s been doing for nearly four decades in local classrooms. (Courtesy Grossmont College)

ment, made him a natural to help develop the first articulation agreement between the college and high school, which helps students smoothly transition without duplicating classes or experiencing delays. It wasn’t just students who benefitted from Lambe’s experience with both systems. When

driver education was eliminated from the high school curriculum and instructors were facing layoffs, he worked with the high school and college districts to develop a two-year program that prepared the former driver education instructors to acquire the teaching credentials needed to become math instructors.

“It’s been a fantastic career — I’ve been blessed,” Lambe said. Following his retirement from the high school district, Lambe was recruited four years ago as the college’s part-time senate officer with the Academic Senate and chair of the of the Academic Senate Part-Time Committee. As head of the new committee, he began tackling issues like office hours, college governance and academic rank on behalf of part-timers. “Michael has unified the [Academic Senate’s Part-Time] committee and made it the most respected and cohesive voice for part-time faculty on the campus,” said one of his colleagues in a nomination for Lambe for the Distinguished Faculty award. “He has brought part-time faculty issues into the college governance conversation as never before and helped parttime faculty be better informed through excellent professional development activities and communications.” Lambe described his efforts on behalf of part-time instructors as a way of paying it forward. “Even as a part-timer, I have done a lot of things that fulltime department members do,” he said. “This is my profession — my calling and my love. This

award is the greatest honor I have ever received. My colleagues couldn’t have given me anything greater and to be the first recipient is tremendous.” In addition to honoring Lambe for his achievements as a member of the part-time faculty, the academic senate also honored Spanish instructor Yolanda Guerrero with the Distinguished Faculty award for full-time faculty. President Sunita V. Cooke said Lambe and Guerrero exemplify Grossmont College’s faculty members who are passionate about teaching and motivated to boost their profession and their colleagues. “The campus community owes a debt of gratitude to faculty members with that kind of dedication,” she said. “Their generosity is an inspiration to us all.” At Cuyamaca College, Spanish instructor Patricia Santana won the Outstanding Faculty Award for full-time, tenured faculty. Arabic instructor Aklas Sheia won the award for outstanding part-time faculty. —Della Elliott is public information assistant for the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District.u

Sudoku & Crossword puzzle answers from page 19

DINING / LOCAL NEWS

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014 La Mesa Courier sdcnn.com

What’s Cooking with

Julie

Zucchini pancakes Julie Ann

White

rate away on your box grater to create this delicious dinner side dish. Here’s a savory treat to serve with a salad or light chicken or fish meal. They are a little bit addictive and really easy to make. Serves four (makes six small pancakes)

Ingredients:

3 medium zucchini, grated on a box grater or food processor 1/2 red or yellow onion, grated 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 8 Tbsp. Panko bread crumbs (flour can be used instead) 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp kosher salt Pinch of black pepper 2 Tbsp. butter 1/4 cup olive oil for frying

Directions:

Grate the zucchini and onion into a medium bowl. Press with a few paper towels to absorb juice. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. If batter is runny, add more breadcrumbs or flour. Heat large skillet and melt butter and oil over medium heat. Drop the zucchini mixture into six to eight golf ball-sized, gently patted pancakes. Cook until golden brown. Serve warm.u

Citizen groups pitch in for Park Appreciation Day Genevieve

Suzuki

ut down your iPhone 6, push aside your Samsung Note 4 and turn off the TV. La Mesa is asking its citizens to invest some time in one of their 14 local parks for Park Appreciation Day Oct. 18. “This community event demonstrates the spirit and commitment that La Mesans have for their public facilities,” said Yvonne Garrett, assistant city manager and director of community services in La Mesa. “Local residents and visitors have a sense of ownership and take pride in La Mesa parks. Park Appreciation Day is an opportunity for individuals to share that enthusiasm with friends and neighbors.” The impetus for La Mesa Park Appreciation Day began in 2005 when a member of a local church congregation contacted the city to ask whether their church could take on a community project in La Mesa, said Garrett, who is also staff director for La Mesa Park & Recreation Foundation. Because the city had recently eliminated several temporary park maintenance worker positions and had received a similar request for a local project from another organization, city staff thought it would be a good idea

to gather the various groups to help clean up the parks, prompting the creation of Park Appreciation Day. La Mesa community services manager Mike Pacheco said he has been impressed with the pride La Mesans have in their community as well as their desire to volunteer for the city. “Parks and recreation programs bring tremendous benefits to people of all ages,” Pacheco said. “They contribute to helping us live longer, better lives through active pursuits, new life skills, educational programs and safe activities. Great parks and programs also help build a stronger community, connecting individuals, families and groups through the power of play. Recreation programs and engaging, exciting facilities help keep kids active and off the streets.” Park Appreciation Day projects include spreading mulch, planting flowers, and painting picnic tables and restrooms, Pacheco said. Since its inception, several local groups have consistently volunteered each year: Christ Lutheran Church, Journey Church, Helix Interact Club, Friends of Canine Corners, Kiwanis Club of La Mesa, La Mesa Rotary, La Mesa Beautiful, La Mesa Lions Club and La Mesa Police Department. Last year more than 150 volunteers participated on Park

Appreciation Day and removed 22 cubic yards of green material plus nine cubic yards of trash, according to Garrett. Although most of La Mesa’s parks have the same groups cleaning them every year, Porter Park Fitness Plaza, located at 8425 University Ave., is still without a group. Porter needs additional native plants installed in some areas in the beds, Garrett said. Disclosure: Writer Genevieve A. Suzuki serves as a commissioner for the La Mesa Community Services Commission and is a member of La Mesa Park & Recreation Foundation. She is happy to put away her iPhone Oct. 18 to help clean her local park.u

Make La Mesa beautiful Interested in getting involved with La Mesa Park Appreciation Day Oct. 18? Want to encourage your civic, church or social group to adopt a park? All ages are welcome to participate. Signed waivers are required. Parents must accompany children under 18 at the parks unless their children are with a supervised group. Sign up by calling 619-6671304 or email community@ ci.la-mesa.ca.us.

MONDAY, SEPT. 29, 6-8 P.M. TERRA AMERICAN BISTRO Join us for a 3-course dinner and information on: Chronic back pain causes and solutions Recent advances in back pain relief Different surgical options Q&A with leading San Diego spine specialist Presented by Choll Kim, MD, PhD, a San Diego Magazine “Top Doctor” and Medical Director of the Advanced Spine Institute at Alvarado Hospital – named America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Spine Surgery™ and Orthopedic Surgery™ in 2014 Cost: $10/person: Seating is limited — RSVP required Call (619) 229-4548 to register Location: Terra Bistro 7091 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego 92115

AlvaradoHospital.com | (619) 287-3270

La Mesa Courier

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014

CALENDAR

Calendar, from page 15

Baseball book signing Sunday, Oct. 12

Geoff Miller, mental skills coach for the Atlanta Braves, will discuss and sign copies of his new book, “Intangibles: BigLeague Stories and Strategies for Winning the Mental Game — in Baseball and in Life,” at 2 p.m. at Barnes & Noble, 5500 Grossmont Center Dr.

Diverse Capacities workshop Wednesday, Oct. 15

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As part of Cuyamaca College’s Diversity Dialogues series, University of San Diego Leadership Studies instructor Mariko Peshon will lead a workshop focusing on the physical, emotional and social abilities and disabilities that often go unrecognized and unaccommodated in our communities. The workshop, free and open to the public, will be held from 11 a.m. to noon in room 207 of the student center at Cuyamaca College, 900 Rancho San Diego Pkwy. For additional information, call Lauren Vaknin in the Student Affairs Office at 619-660-4295.

East County Intergenerational Games Tuesday, Oct. 16

Active adults ages 50 and older will team up with kids between the ages of 7 and 12 for a morning of fun, noncompetitive activities at La Mesa Middle School, 4200 Parks Ave. from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The games include street hockey shot, frisbee toss, “skeeball” pitch, t-ball and trivia games. Snacks and lunch are included. Interested adults must register in advance by contacting the La Mesa Adult Enrichment Center at 619-667-1322.

Introduction to home caregiving Saturday, Oct. 18

Caring for a loved one at home often involves transfers, personal care, proper body mechanics and other specific skills and knowledge. Learn and practice the basics with a registered nurse at this event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in classroom 13/14 of the Sharp Grossmont Hospital Brier Patch Campus, 9000 Wakarusa St. Reservations are required in advance. Call 800-827-4277 or

Workshop: Finding Your Voice in the Social Justice Movement Tuesday, Oct. 21

As part of Cuyamaca College’s Diversity Dialogues series, University of San Diego Leadership Studies instructor Kenyon Whitman will lead an interactive workshop exploring social justice concepts, how to develop a leadership style and creative ways to effectively communicate in diverse groups. The workshop, free and open to the public, will be held from 11 a.m. to noon in room 207 of the student center at Cuyamaca College, 900 Rancho San Diego Pkwy. For additional information, call Lauren Vaknin in the Student Affairs Office at 619-660-4295.

Medicare and drug coverage updates for 2015 Friday, Oct. 24

A free lecture will cover Medicare insurance changes for 2015 Medicare Parts A, B, D, HMOs and more. Presented by Community Education Specialist Pablo Corona, the lecture will also cover the Medicare Saving Program and ExtraHelp Program that assist with prescription costs for Medicare Parts B and D. The talk begins at 10 a.m. at the Grossmont Healthcare District Conference Center at 9001 Wakarusa St. in La Mesa. Reservations are required in advance. Call 800827-4277 or register online at sharp.com.

Lung function screening Wednesday, Oct. 29

Do you have trouble catching your breath after a short walk? The Pulmonary Department at Sharp Grossmont Hospital will offer a free basic lung function test from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for anyone who has not yet seen a doctor about breathing problems. The screening will be held at the Sharp Grossmont Senior Resource Center, Building F, Room 16, 9000 Wakarusa St. Appointments are required. Call 800-827-4277 or register online at sharp.com.

Free blood pressure screening Friday, Oct. 17

Have your blood pressure checked by a registered nurse between 9:30 and 11 a.m. at the La Mesa Adult Enrichment Center, 8450 La Mesa Blvd. No appointment necessary. Call 619740-4214 for more information.

Park Appreciation Day Saturday, Oct. 18

Groups of volunteers will get to work on projects to beautify and improve parks across town from 8 a.m. to noon. All ages are welcome, but children under the age of 18 need to submit a waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian. If your church or civic group wants to get involved, call 619667-1300 or email community@ ci.la-mesa.ca.us.

‘Howl-oween’ dog costume contest and picnic Saturday, Oct. 18

Dress up your dogs in a cute or spooky Halloween costume and bring them out to Canine Corners, the dog park at Harry Griffen Regional Park, between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Proud pet parents will have the chance to get their pooch’s picture taken at the pumpkin patch as well as meet representatives from animal rescue groups, the county sheriff’s K-9 unit and other vendors. The costume contest begins at 11:30 a.m. A hot dog picnic lunch will be offered for $3. Canine Corners volunteers will accept donations to help with the maintenance of the dog park.

Picnic with the parrots Sunday, Oct. 26

At Socal Parrot’s annual fundraising event, attendees have a rare chance to view the non-profit organization’s rehabilitation facility, meet animals, talk with experts, observe live art, bid in a silent auction and buy into a raffle. Based in Jamul, SoCal Parrot works to protect and care for wild and endangered parrots across the region. Tickets to the all-day fundraising event range from $32 to $100 and can be purchased online at socalparrot.org.u Send details of your community events to the editor at jeremy@sdcnn.com. Deadline is the third Friday of the month.

LOCAL NEWS

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014 La Mesa Courier sdcnn.com

Why a fiscally conservative vote-by-mail plan got no GOP love Ari Bloomekatz

Voice of San Diego

bill that would drastically change the way San Diego County’s special elections are run passed without any Republican help — it got just two votes total from GOP lawmakers in Sacramento. It might surprise you to learn, then, that when the idea first (Courtesy Flickr user bludgeoner86/Creative Commons) emerged, Democrats helped lead the charge against it. in-person voter verses $9 per mail tions for immigrants. How some leading party mem- voter. Still, MALDEF and other bers reversed course in just a few Then there’s the fact that groups wouldn’t officially support years says a lot about the current pathetic voter turnout in each the measure. political landscape and the future of the last several elections has “There is some research out of elections in San Diego County. favored Republican candidates there that shows that mailDemocrats wrote the current across the board. in ballots do have an adverse bill — which would create a five“We have all watched as voter impact on minority voters,” said year pilot program in San Diego turnout has plummeted in recent Denise Hulett, an attorney with County that would make spe- elections, and it’s our responsiMALDEF. cial elections for open seats run bility to do something about it,” Hulett said MALDEF supports primarily by mail, with a drasti- Gonzalez wrote in a press release testing out vote-by-mail, but isn’t cally reduced number of polling after the bill passed. sold on it yet. places — and they led the politiSome observers speculated Those groups’ reluctance had an cal charge for it. that some Republicans simply impact on Republican legislators But Assemblywoman Lorena didn’t support the bill because like Escondido Assemblywoman Gonzalez, the bill’s author, it was being led by promiMarie Waldron. She said she remembers how hard she fought nent Democrats like Gonzalez didn’t feel comfortable signing on to kill the idea of vote-by-mail (Gonzalez agrees that’s probably to a bill without MALDEF and elections years ago. true). other civil rights groups’ support. “What happens I think so often But if you want to understand “I have to wonder if this is is there is this attachment to the why GOP support was so hard disenfranchising a significant status quo, there’s fear about to come by for a bill steeped in number of people that vote at the changing things,” Gonzalez said. fiscally conservative principles polls,” Waldron said. “What about Gonzalez said her mind was and that originated from a conthe people who are maybe, you changed by a couple factors. One servative San Diego County know, possibly visually impaired is that she discovered during her government, consider these or something like that?” years as a labor advocate that three points. voters who had a ballot mailed The money wasn’t enough. to them before the election were Republicans seized on civil San Diego County Registrar roughly five times more likely to rights groups’ hesitation. Michael Vu strongly supports actually vote. the pilot program and believes Some of the strongest initial The other, she said, is she realized the county was spend- opposition to the vote-by-mail it could trim costs by 30 - 40 ing a huge amount more per legislation came from civil rights percent. But somehow, the cost-savings person who voted at the polls groups concerned the new proissue wasn’t enough to win over cedures could disenfranchise versus by mail. the vast majority of Republican County officials said that in the immigrants and the disabled. The Mexican American Legal legislators. March 2013 special election to Assemblyman Rocky Chavez fill the vacant 40th state Senate Defense and Educational Fund said he thought the cost-savings initially opposed the bill but district seat, they spent $221 per dropped its opposition after touted by Democrats were only working with Gonzalez and San rough estimates and was not Diego County officials on protec- inclined to vote for a bill just

because of those projections. “As I’ve said a number of times before, all these bills that they’re putting through … really doesn’t address the issue of what we’re trying to do, which is get more people to vote,” he said. Instead of just moving immediately to vote-by-mail, Chavez wants to create a bipartisan special committee to study new voting technologies.

Republicans fear voter fraud. Republicans’ fear of potential voter fraud through expansion of vote-by-mail overshadowed potential economic gains. The bill “includes no protections to ensure the integrity and security of all-mail elections. While interesting, we need to be careful changing election laws,” wrote Amanda Fulkerson of the Assembly Republican Caucus, which advocated fiercely against the bill. “Right now, our members feel that we should not jeopardize our consistent voting system until we have further facts and statistics on all-mail elections,” Fulkerson wrote. Republicans believed the threat of fraud would be compounded by another voting-related bill moving through the legislature at the same time. That bill would change the rules about how long mail ballots can be received and counted after an election. Currently vote-by-mail ballots must be received by election officials before polls close on the day of the election. The new law would allow ballots to be received no later than three days after the election (if it was time-stamped or postmarked on or before Election Day). Assembly Republicans feared the two bills combined could allow for abuse of the system. State Sen. Joel Anderson was one Republican who voted against the mail-counting bill but in favor of Gonzalez’s vote-by-mail effort.

Anderson said that he voted against the mail-counting bill because he saw it as “completely gaming the system” but believes the vote-by-mail bill is “better for the voters, it’s better for my constituents.” ***** Put yourselves in the shoes of Vu and other county officials for a minute. Nearly every time an election comes up, the county spends anywhere from $1 million to $12 million-plus, and organizes hordes of poll workers and precincts across the county. And what happens at the end of the day? Turnout is generally low, and increasing numbers of residents opt to vote by mail anyway. As Vu tells it, he just wants to save the county money and acknowledge the changing winds when it comes to vote-by-mail. But nothing is ever as simple as a dollar saved in Sacramento — especially when it comes to something as fundamental as how voters choose their elected officials. Gonzalez said most people do not understand how difficult this bill was to pass politically. Sure, Republicans barley supported it, but there was strong opposition from many Democrats, too. The instinct to preserve the status quo when it comes to elections among legislators in Sacramento is strong, she said. “It was kind of funny. I’m in Republican land carrying this bill, pissing off Democrats and voting rights groups and minority groups,” she said. “I had to convince everybody that this is OK, that change is OK.” Brown has until Sept. 30 to sign the bill. —Ari Bloomekatz is an investigative reporter for Voice of San Diego, focusing on county government. You can reach him directly at ari.bloomekatz@voiceofsandiego.org or 619-550-5669.u

La Mesa Courier

Sept. 26 – Oct. 23, 2014

Everyone,

in every price range, deserves the quality of Sotheby’s Realty.

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