Mission Valley News - September 2014

SDCCU paper shredding event sets world record

Residents drop off boxes full of sensitive documents on July 26.

(Photo courtesy SDCCU)

SDCNN Staff

M

ore than 7,000 people stopped by Qualcomm Stadium on July 26 to dispose of sensitive and confidential paper

documents as part of San Diego County Credit Union’s annual Super Shred event. Together they deposited approximately 422,350 pounds of paper and set a new Guinness World Record for the most paper collected in

24 hours at a single location.

The turnout at this year’s Super Shred event far exceeded that of last year’s event, which set a July 2013 Guinness World Record by collecting 168,147 pounds of paper. That record was beat in April 2014, when a Texas organization collected 401,925 pounds of paper, but the Texas record did not last long.

“SDCCU would like to thank the entire community for banding together to help take back our world record and be a part of history,” said Teresa Halleck, SDCCU president and CEO. “The response from the community was unbelievable. We are

grateful for the overwhelming show of support. More importantly, we are happy that more than 7,000 people took advantage of the free shredding services and no longer have sensitive information sitting around their homes and offices.”

Since it first began hosting its free Shred Day events in 2007, SDCCU has collected, shredded and recycled more than 1.1 million pounds of documents at no charge to customers, saving more than 9,700 trees at 120 pounds of shredded material per tree, according to an SDCCU spokesperson.u

City sues two Mission Valley pot shops Jeremy Ogul High-tension electrical lines tower over the new Edward Tyler Cramer Park in Linda Vista. (Photo by Jeremy Ogul)

New public park opens in Linda Vista, with quirks Jeremy Ogul Editor

City parks are not usually built directly atop natural gas pipelines or below high-tension electrical power lines, but in park-deficient Linda Vista, community leaders saw it as a bargain worth making.

Edward Tyler Cramer Park opened to the public

this month on Linda Vista Road on a property formerly controlled by San Diego Gas and Electric.

At nearly three acres, the park includes expansive grass lawns, a full playground for children, walking paths, picnic tables, barbecue amenities and connections to trails leading to private developments nearby.

It also features incredible views of Mission ValSee CRAMER page 7

Festival offers fun, free health screenings for kids on Sept. 20 Jeremy Ogul Editor

G

etting your kid to the doctor may be a chore, but it may be just a little easier if you can sweeten the deal with face painting and pony rides.

That’s the idea behind Kids Care Fest, the annual La Mesa event that offers free health screenings for kids under the age of 12.

At this year’s event on Saturday, Sept. 20, healthcare professionals will screen more than 1,000 kids for hearing, vision and dental health. Pediatricians, dermatologists and pharmacists will distribute information and answer questions for parents. The event also features lessons on water safety, free fingerprinting for kids and interactive demonstrations and See FESTIVAL page 3

Trying on a new career (Courtesy Grossmont Healthcare District)

Editor

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he city of San Diego is attempting to shut down two businesses it says are operating illegally as unpermitted medical marijuana dispensaries in Mission Valley.

The city has filed lawsuits against Kindest Meds, at 3455 Camino Del Rio South, and Presidential Collective (also known as Presidential Greens), at 2425 Camino Del Rio South, as well as the owners of the buildings where they currently operate.

The city filed suit against Kindest Meds on June 25. The suit names Christopher Boudreau as the business owner.

It also names Leroy Dan Bain and Thelma Jean Harmon Bain as the owners of the property through the Bain Family Trust.

Attorneys representing Boudreau and the Bains filed replies in court that generally denied all of the city’s allegations. The next court hearing is set for Dec. 12.

The city filed suit against Presidential Greens on July 9. That suit names Thomas Naemi as the business owner.

It also names Cheryl Hanley and Christen Hanley in connection with Mission Valley Cornerstone Property, which See MEDIPOT page 16

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Mission Valley News

Sept.12 - Oct. 9, 2014

LOCAL NEWS

AROUND THE VALLEY

Hazard made his mark on Mission Valley Tom

Leech

N

ow here’s a figure located in a prominent setting in a major Mission Valley development.

The fellow portrayed was a key player for decades in San Diego in general and Mission Valley. Yet the odds are that most Mission Valley residents and visitors have not seen his statue, and most wouldn’t know why he’s famous.

Well, the setting for this statue of Roscoe “Pappy” Hazard sits — surprise — in one of the major Mission Valley commercial complexes, Hazard Center. For those to whom “Mission Valley” means the Westfield mall just off Interstate 8, or Fashion Valley on the west side of Highway 163 along Friars Road, Hazard Center may not have the highest recognition. Yet it easily stands out because of the two multi-story buildings at both ends of Hazard Center, the 15-story office complex and the high-rise DoubleTree Hotel.

Hazard Center was built back in 1990, 15 years after Pappy Hazard had passed on. His construction legacy dates further back, as his R. E. Hazard Construction Company, which started in 1926, built many highways, interchanges,

Pappy Hazard statue (Photo by Tom Leech)

Pappy Hazard was a heavy-duty cattle rancher and collector of horsedrawn vehicles. bridges and general concrete construction projects. During the Great Depression in the 1930s, the company moved its operation to a 42-acre site on Friars Road near

He wants what you want.

A place where life is good, homes are tasty, trees are everywhere and walking is fun. So throw him a bone and check out the very cool park, dog run, and neighborhoods here at Civita.

Townhomes | Rowhomes | Single-Family Homes Luxury Apartments | Single-Level Condos Civita Boulevard off Mission Center Road

civitalife.com

Civita is a master plan development of Quarry Falls, LLC. All information is accurate as of date of publication, but information and pricing is subject to change at any time.

A working vehicle from Pappy Hazard’s company at the San Diego Automotive Museum (Photo by Tom Leech)

163, which for years was known as the brickyard. In 1985 the company moved its operations to Miramar Road, and the brickyard became Hazard Center.

Pappy Hazard was a heavyduty cattle rancher and collector of horse-drawn vehicles. One of the most popular attractions in Old Town State Park is the Seeley Stable museum, filled with Old West stagecoaches, ox-drawn carts, freight wagons, saddles and other horse-related paraphernalia. Much

of this was donated by Pappy Hazard, who also was the source of much material in the exhibits at Presidio Park’s Serra Museum, part of the San Diego History Museum.

One more Hazard display is the often-photographed vehicle Hazard Contracting Company made good use of about eight decades ago. You can look that over in detail in Balboa Park, as it sits outside right next to the Automotive Museum.

Finally, to go visit Pappy’s statue, check him out in Hazard Center

between Joe’s Crab Shack and Applebee’s. Don’t miss, included with the display, his motto: “Be just and fear not.”

Tom Leech is the author of “Say It Like Shakespeare: The Bard’s Timeless Tips for Communication Success,” which recently won an International Book Award in the “Business Communications/Public Relations” category. To learn more about Leech’s work and to contact him, visit presentationspress.com.u

LOCAL NEWS

3 Sept.12 - Oct. 9, 2014

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Mission Valley News

NEWS BRIEFS Animal welfare organizations merge The San Diego Humane Society and SPCA this month announced a merger with PAWS San Diego, an organization that provides pet services and support to low-income senior citizens and other pet owners who are chronically ill or disabled.

The goal of the merger is to better address one of the top reasons pets are relinquished to animal shelters: the high cost of pet maintenance and situations in which owners encounter personal problems, according to research by national pet organizations.

“Imagine if you suddenly lost your job, your home, or if you or a family member became ill,” said Gary Weitzman, president and CEO of the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA, in a press release. “Imagine having to choose between feeding yourself or your pet. Our pets are family, so we want to keep families together by assisting individuals facing tough times.”

The Humane Society already has a safety net pet food pantry program called Project KEPPT (Keeping Every Person and Pet Together).

“Now, by merging with PAWS San Diego, we can expand those services to more people, including the homeless and victims of domestic violence,” Weitzman said.

This is the second merger this year for the Humane Society, which has its headquarters on Gaines Street in the Morena district just northwest of Mission Valley. The organization merged with the Escondido Humane Society earlier this summer, forming what managers believe is the largest animal sheltering organization in the country.u

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A child gets his face painted. (Courtesy Grossmont Healthcare District)

Festival, from page 1 displays from police and firefighters.

Then, of course, there’s the purely fun stuff: bounce houses, pony rides, crafts and other activities designed with kids in mind.

The Grossmont Healthcare District began offering the event about 12 years ago with the goal of improving the overall health of the community, especially among people who do not have access to affordable healthcare, said Barry Jantz, CEO of the Grossmont Healthcare District.

The first event attracted just a couple hundred visitors. Since then, its size and impact has grown dramatically. One year, more than 1,200 kids and their

parents showed up, Jantz said.

“We do feel like we’re doing a great job in touching families that otherwise couldn’t afford basic health screenings,” he said.

While organizers don’t formally track results from the event, Jantz said he and other organizers have heard many stories about families who, as a result of attending Kids Care Fest, learned their child had undiagnosed vision problems, or learned about steps they could take to prevent future health problems from developing.

Angel Hanzal, who helps organize the logistics of the event, said Kids Care Fest is one of her favorite events to organize because of the good feelings it

Children receive free health screenings. (Courtesy Grossmont Healthcare District)

brings to everyone involved.

Many people have stopped her and said how grateful they were to learn about how to get free or affordable care for their kids.

“People tell me, ‘I had no idea.

Had they not provided that free service and came around I would have had no idea,’” she said.

The event runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Briercrest Park, 9001 Wakarusa St. in La Mesa.

Free parking is available at Sharp Grossmont Hospital’s Brier Patch lot at 9000 Wakarusa St. Parking is also available at the Grossmont Medical Arts Building at 8851 Center Dr. For more information, call 619-825-5050 or visit kidscarefest.org.u

Local accounting firm makes two promotions RBTK, a CPA firm based in the Kearny Mesa area, has promoted two staff members to management positions.

The company promoted Ashlynn Smothermon to accounting manager after six years with the firm. She joined the firm in 2008 as a senior staff accountant and most recently was an accounting supervisor.

The company also promoted Natalie Elser to tax supervisor from her former position as staff accountant after two years with the firm.

“Our firm values recognizing a hard work ethic, and both Ashlynn and Natalie are representative of RBTK values,” said managing partner Kevin Brown. “I am confident they both will take on their new roles and responsibilities with success.”u

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Mission Valley News

Sept.12 - Oct. 9, 2014

LOCAL NEWS

City breaks ground on Juan Street improvements Hutton Marshall

Contributing Editor

O

ld Town, as its name suggests, takes pride in its age.

Known as the first European settlement in California, the roots of the “Birthplace of California” trace back to 1769.

But its aged amenities inevitably present infrastructure challenges. A prime example is Juan Street, a 90-year-old thoroughfare running through the heart of Old Town. City leaders on Aug. 26 announced the start of an $8 million project to improve both the street’s surface and the outdated infrastructure below it.

The project, which is expected to take 12 to 14 months to complete, is the first example of a new infrastructure approach known as “One Dig,” where several different improvements are folded into a single project.

The project will repave the road, sidewalks and curb ramps as well as replace the under ground water main and improve storm drains and gutters.

The work — stretching from Taylor Street to Sunset Road — will inevitably impact the dozens of businesses with storefronts along Juan Street. The city will attempt to minimize the traffic and parking impacts by dividing the project into multiple smaller segments, according to a community representative in Coun-

(l to r) Council President Todd Gloria and Mayor Kevin Faulconer announce renovations to Juan Street. (Photo by Hutton Marshall)

“Juan Street was built in 1929, and it’s in desperate need of a makeover, not just on the surface but underneath the street as well.”

-Mayor Kevin Faulconer

cil President Gloria’s office.

Mayor Kevin Faulconer, who represented Old Town for a portion of his time as a city councilmember before the area was redrawn into Gloria’s district, said the “One Dig” approach is ideal for Juan Street, as well as many others in the city.

“Juan Street was built in 1929, and it’s in desperate need of a makeover, not just on the

surface but underneath the street as well,” Faulconer said.

“This is going to be one of the largest concrete paving projects that the city has done in many years.”

Old Town San Diego Chamber of Commerce President Fred Grand, whose two businesses are located on Juan Street, said he’s been impressed with the city’s outreach efforts. Despite

the impending interruption to his storefront, he’s optimistic about the project’s construction phase.

“Most recently, we had a Chamber of Commerce meeting where the head of the construction project said ‘Look, here’s my cell phone number if you need to get a hold of me, if you have any questions, if you’re wondering what’s Juan Street is a main thoroughfare in Old Town’s going on in front of business district. (Photo by Hutton Marshall) your business, you can call me,’” Grand said. “In a groundbreaking. Faulconer said perfect world that’s what you the planning-heavy approach should be the new norm. would like to see things done.”

“The idea is to make [the “Will there be impacts for traffic circulation, parking, things of “One Dig” approach] the stanthat nature? Yeah, that’s the un- dard operating procedure for fortunate nature of that work,” doing business,” Faulconer said.

Gloria said. “The good news “That’s why we’re doing our fiveis that [Juan Street’s] current year capital projects now rather state lasted about 90 years; we than just lurching from year to don’t plan on inconveniencing year.”

Gloria also pointed to the the community for that same benefits of spending extra time amount of time.”

Faulconer and Gloria both re- in the planning and outreach called voting on the Juan Street phase of infrastructure projects.

“It’s one of those frustrating project in their early days on the City Council. Both men things to think back and realsaid comprehensive planning ize, ‘Wow, I voted on that forstrategy and extensive commu- ever ago’ … but it’s part of the nity outreach were two reasons process to make sure that these for the five-year gap between projects are done right — and the project’s approval and its once,” Gloria said.u

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

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Sept.12 - Oct. 9, 2014 Mission Valley News

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Mission Valley News

Sept.12 - Oct. 9, 2014

OPINION

sdcnn.com

GUEST OPINION

Apartments can serve as day care centers Alan

Pentico

A

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: 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.

Landlords do have the option of charging a higher security deposit

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.

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

Free homebuyer workshop for District 7 residents Scott

Sherman

O

wning a home is a dream for many families in San Diego’s City Council District 7 community, but some residents don’t know where to get started.

Others have even given up hope on the dream of becoming a homeowner because they are unable to come up with a large enough down payment, or are afraid that their credit is too low.

This is why my office is teaming with nonprofit organization

Community HousingWorks (CHW) to hold an informational workshop for residents interested in owning a home on Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. Home buying experts from the organization will be on

hand to give expert advice on buying a home and to connect you to valuable first time homebuyer programs including down payment loans.

Community HousingWorks is a nonprofit organization that helps people and communities move up in the world. From getting your finances in order to finding an affordable mortgage and getting into your next home, CHW will be your guide on the path to homeownership. Worried about your credit? Need to pay down debt? Financial experts at CHW can also give detailed advice to help you take charge of your finances so that you’ll be ready

to purchase a home in the future.

The event will be held at the Tierrasanta Recreation Center at 11220 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., San Diego, CA 92124. If you’re interested in attending, please contact my office at 619-236-6677 or email me at ScottSherman@SanDiego.Gov to RSVP. Hope to see you there!

Scott Sherman represents District 7 — including the communities of Mission Valley, Linda Vista, Grantville, Del Cerro, San Carlos, Allied Gardens, Tierrasanta and Serra Mesa — on the San Diego City Council.u

LOCAL NEWS

7 Sept.12 - Oct. 9, 2014

sdcnn.com

Mission Valley News

Cramer, from page 1

PUBLIC FORUM

ley on one end.

As a result of the unconventional location, the park has no dedicated vehicle parking, and the nearest street parking is more than 1,000 feet away. The Linda Vista Recreation Council asked for two disabled parking spots to be included with the project, but the configuration of the property did not allow it because utility crews had to have access to the power and gas lines, said Doug Beckham, president of the Linda Vista Town Council and the Linda Vista Recreation Council.

That means most visitors to the park will probably come from the adjacent Friars Village, Carmel Pacific Ridge and the University of San Diego.

For Celeste Rose, who lives nearby with her two dogs, the location could not be more ideal.

“The dogs love it,” Rose said.

The park was built by Carmel Partners, who developed the Carmel Pacific Ridge luxury apartments just west of the site and directly across the street from the University of San Diego. The developers purchased some of the park land from SDG&E, built the park and gave it to the city in exchange for the right to build the apartments.

The park is named after the late Edward Tyler Cramer, who was a well-known businessman and community booster in Linda Vista when the area first began to develop in the early 1940s.

Cramer and his family owned

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

No mail at the door Local representatives debate changes to mail delivery Jeremy Ogul Editor

T

Newly installed landscaping lines the winding walking paths in Linda Vista’s new Cramer Park. (Photo by Jeremy Ogul)

two of Linda Vista’s most popular businesses in its early days — a liquor store and a drive-in theater. The family continues to own and operate property and businesses in the area.

Cramer served in leadership roles on the Linda Vista Planning Committee and in the local Kiwanis club. He also gave generously to groups that needed money, Beckham said.

First United Methodist Church of San Diego Temple Emanu-El, The City Club and the YWCA Present

america’s drug epidemic: our families our city

Saturday, Sept. 20 • 10-11:30 am free • linder hall first church, mission valley

Civic leaders discuss a growing drug epidemic in greater San Diego and the U.S., including local and national implications and next steps for families with drug abusers.

Especially geared for families with teens and children.

Shelley Zimmerman Chief of Police City of San Diego

Bill Gore Sheriff San Diego County

rsvp

Laura Duffy U.S. Attorney Southern District of California

Greg LaDue m.s., mft New Life Counseling Center first united methodist church of san diego

fumcsd.org/drugs

FIRST CHURCH FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH of SAN DIEGO

2111 Camino del Rio South, Mission Valley • 619-297-4366 • FirstChurchSD.com

A 2009 city staff report estimated that the city would have to pay about $25,000 a year to maintain the park.

An expansion and renovation of the nearby Montgomery Middle School field for joint use by the school and the public is also underway using funds generated by the construction of the Carmel Pacific Ridge apartments.u

he U.S. Postal Service delivers mail to the front door of most Uptown residents, but that could change if Congress adopts a postal reform bill designed to reduce the cost of delivering mail.

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-San Diego) has introduced two bills — the Postal Reform Act of 2013 and the Secure Delivery for America Act of 2014 — that would force the Postal Service to transition away from door delivery at 30 million addresses by 2022. Instead of delivering mail to the door of every residence, postal carriers would deliver to curbside mailboxes or centralized cluster boxes that house the mailboxes of

multiple residents.

That idea is unacceptable to Rep. Susan Davis (D-San Diego), who gathered a group of supporters in Talmadge on Aug. 27 to denounce the proposal. She also introduced a resolution in Congress opposing centralized delivery.

“We don’t need this,” Davis said.

“The most vulnerable people in our communities will suffer as a result.”

Davis said elderly and disabled citizens would be hurt by the switch to cluster boxes, especially if they receive prescriptions by mail, because of the increased distance they may be forced to travel to retrieve their mail.

Furthermore, the cluster boxes are unsightly magnets for theft and vandalism, she said.

See MAIL page 16

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Mission Valley News

NEWS BRIEFS

Sept.12 - Oct. 9, 2014

NEWS BRIEFS River group acquires more mountain land The nonprofit San Diego River Foundation last month acquired a 20-acre property on El Cajon Mountain, also known as “El Cap,” from a private party. The mountain, which towers over the San Diego River in Lakeside, serves as El Cajon Mountain (Photo by Rob Hutsel) habitat for golden eagles and provides outdoor recreation opportunities for local residents.

“El Cap is a natural, scenic and cultural treasure,” said Rob Hutsel, the foundation’s executive director, in a press release. “We are so pleased to be able to lead the effort to permanently conserve it.”

This is the second acquisition the foundation has made this summer.

Supporters donated more than $51,000 altogether to acquire the two properties, making donations ranging from $2 to $20,000.

Only one property within the El Cajon Mountain Conservation Area remains in private ownership. Other properties on the mountain have been conserved with the help of the county, San Diego Gas and Electric, the National Forest Service and supporters of the San Diego River Park Foundation.u

Local Toastmasters group offers crash course in public speaking The Old Town-based San Diego Voyagers Toastmasters group has announced its 2014 Speechcraft Session, a five-week program designed to offer participants the chance to improve their public speaking, business communication and leadership skills.

The series begins on Thursday, Sept. 24 from 7 to 8:30 a.m. and continues for the next four Thursdays at Café Coyote’s meeting room, 2461 San Diego Ave., in Old Town. The cost is $36.

Toastmasters organizers say the program is focused, fun and hands-on and gives people the chance to learn and practice the six key elements of public speaking from experienced speakers and evaluators.

For more information and to reserve a spot in the series, contact Felicia Douglis at fdouglis@hiringprep.com or call 619-992-9369.u

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DO YOU HAVE DIABETES

San Diego promotes Waste No Water Wednesdays The Water Conservation Team at the city of San Diego hopes to reduce local water use by capitalizing on the viral nature of social media.

The team encourages all San Diegans to use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other online platforms to spread awareness of the need for water conservation by sharing water-saving tips and using the hashtag #WNWwednesday, every Wednesday.

The water-saving tip (Courtesy city of San Diego) changes every week. Past tips have included “It’s #WNWwednesday!

Waste no water and take 5-minute showers,” and “Join me and @ SanDiegansWasteNoWater to fix leaks this #WNWwednesday. Each leak fixed can save up to 150 gallons.”

The team has also created an image that people can use as their profile photo on #WNWwednesday. To download it visit WasteNoWater.org.u

Mesa College seeks alumni stories

As Mesa College prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary, school officials are asking current and former staff and students to share their favorite memories from their time on the mesa.

Officials are asking people to submit their memories in five categories: funny stories, romantic stories, life-changing experiences, classroom experiences and stories from the colleges earliest days dating back to 1964, or even earlier when classes were held at Kearny High School.

To encourage people to share their memories, college officials will offer free tickets to the Celebration on the Mesa anniversary gala to one winner in each category. The best stories will also be posted on a remembrance wall during the Oct. 3 event.

Send stories and memories to Anne Zacovic at azacovic@sdccd.edu.

Tickets to the Oct. 3 anniversary gala are available for $50 at CelebrationOnTheMesa.EventBrite.com. For more information, call Zacovic at 619-388-2285.u

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Pre-Registration only $30.00 per person 25.00 per person when 2 or more register together

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Day-of Registration: $35.00 per person (Registration fee includes healthy lunch)

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Registration & Information: www.tcoyd.org or call 800.99TCOYD SDCommNewsNet 6.1x3.56 color.indd 1

Lululemon Athletica, a yogainspired athletic apparel company, opened its store at Fashion Valley mall on Friday, Aug. 29.

The 3,800-square-foot store is on the mall’s second level, between J. Crew and Sur La Table.

This is Lululemon’s first store in the Mission Valley area. The company also has stores in La Jolla, University City and Carlsbad.u

History Center offers free admission

Visitors to Balboa Park can get free admission to the San Diego History Center’s museum and gift shop after 3 p.m. every Thursday from now until Nov. 20.

Admission is typically $8 for adults. The museum is open until 7 p.m. on Thursdays, giving everyone the chance to spend up to four hours in the museum for free.

Current exhibitions include “Presidio to Pacific Powerhouse,” which traces the story of San Diego’s growth from a small Spanish outpost to one of the most powerful military centers in the West, and “Sin Diego,” which tells the story of the former Stingaree red-light district in Downtown San Diego, where visitors were said to be stung by the area’s many vices.

The museum can be found at 1649 El Prado #3 in Balboa Park. For more information, visit sandiegohistory.org.u

Burst water main shows need for upgrades

Saturday, November 8, 2014 Sponsored by

Lululemon store opens at Fashion Valley mall

8/31/14 4:06 PM

Vehicles and other personal property in the garage of an eight-unit Serra Mesa apartment complex were damaged on Sept. 3 when an 18-inch cast iron pipe burst, flooding the neighborhood north of Mission Valley and temporarily disrupting service to Rady Children’s Hospital and the county’s Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility.

Millions of gallons of water were wasted in the approximately two-hour span before city officials were able to shut off the water main.

The pipe, which has been in service since 1950, was among 100 miles of cast iron water pipes the city has yet to upgrade. The city’s current plans do not include upgrades to some of the older, larger cast iron pipes until 2023.

“This is a reminder that the City Council must continue to pursue cost-saving reforms to put much needed funds into our neighborhood infrastructure,” said Councilmember Scott Sherman, who represents the area.

Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s comments echoed Sherman’s.

“My top priority as mayor is repairing our neighborhoods and this water main break highlights how important it is to remain focused on improving our infrastructure,” Faulconer said.

City claims representatives have met with residents who were affected by the flood and have begun working with them on their options, according to the mayor’s office.u

THEATER

Sept.12 - Oct. 9, 2014 Mission Valley News

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9

THEATER REVIEW Charlene Baldridge

F

or more than a decade Canadian playwright, pianist, actor, composer and promoter Hershey Felder has devoted himself to telling the stories of great composers. At heart, Felder is an educator whose works include “Beethoven as I Knew Him,” “Maestro Bernstein,” “Monsieur Chopin” and “George Gershwin Alone.” He has portrayed and “played” these geniuses here (“Beethoven” premiered at the Old Globe) and internationally, bringing knowledge of the men, their challenging lives and their music to theatergoing masses.

This critic’s frustrations with Felder the performer and Felder the playwright have been numerous and include the inadequacy of time to adequately tell a life, the editing of that life to suit audience sensibilities, and the vagaries of sound, especially when it comes to the feat of dovetailing live piano and recorded orchestral accompaniment. Granted, these are outrageously challenging feats.

Technical perfection was never so closely realized until now, with Felder’s adaptation and direction of “The Pianist of Willesden Lane,” a one-woman script based on Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen’s book, “The Children of Willesden Lane.” Not to be missed, the work continues in the Lyceum at San Diego Repertory Theatre through Sept. 28.

In addition to Golabek and Felder,

A trip down

Willesden Lane

Mona Golabek portrays young pianist Lisa Jura. (Photos by Carol Rosegg)

huge kudos to sound designer Erik Carstensen and projection designers Andrew Wilder and Greg Sowizdrzal. Trevor Hay and Felder create a clean scenic design that surrounds a Steinway concert grand.

Historic photos enhance the story.

The music — Grieg (principally the E minor concerto), Beethoven, Chopin, Bach and Scriabin — is wondrously played by American concert artist Golabek, who has a real and profound connection with the material and an effective and subtle style.

Born in Vienna, Lisa Jura, portrayed by Golabek, was barely

into her teens when the Nazis made it impossible for Jewish children to study music and for Jewish fathers to support their families in any kind of profession. Lisa’s father, who’d been a tailor, was reduced to gambling in an attempt to put food on the table. One night his winnings consisted of a single ticket on the Kindertransport, which took children from European Jewish families to England. Because of her musical talent, Lisa’s parents selected her. The story unfolds as Lisa practices and dreams of making her concert debut with the Grieg concerto.

“The Pianist of Willesden Lane” is gripping, suspenseful and inspiring as onlookers, whether musical or not, Jewish or not, become invested in what happens to Lisa, watching the teen — who represents an entire generation of European children — become a woman in the midst of the London Blitz in a bombed out Willesden Lane orphanage. The story is a paean to the human spirit and to the sacrifice of those who sent their children away in order to give them a chance at life.

Legendary stage director John Hirsch (1930-1989), remembered locally for his stunning 1988

Coriolanus at the Old Globe, was such a child, a Hungarian who somehow managed to survive in Budapest during the war, even as his parents and only sibling perished.

He eventually immigrated to Canada through the War Orphans Project of the Canadian Jewish Congress.

Without such organizations, the world would have been deprived of Golabek, Hirsch and thousands of others. It is more important than ever to tell the story. Never again.u

“The Pianist of Willesden Lane” Tuesdays — Sundays Through Sept 28 San Diego REP at Lyceum Theatre Horton Plaza Downtown Tickets start $31 sdrep.org or 619-544-1000

10 Mission Valley News

Sept.12 - Oct. 9, 2014

MUSIC & DINING RESTAURANT REVIEW

Tribute to a bygone amusement park Frank

Sabatini Jr.

JAZZ Fridays: Jazz at the Cosmo at The Cosmopolitan Restaurant and Hotel. Free. 6:30 pm.

OldTownCosmopolitan.com.

2660 Calhoun St., Old Town.

Saturdays: Jazz with George and Alan at Bistro Sixty.

Free. 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

BistroSixtySD.com. 5987 El Cajon Blvd., College Area.

Sept. 28: Johnny Cash Tribute Band Cash’d Out at Civita.

Free. 3 – 5 p.m. CivitaLife. com. Intersection of Civita Boulevard and Via Alta, Mission Valley.

Oct. 4: The Eagles at Viejas Arena. $129+. 8 p.m.

ViejasArena.org. 5500 Canyon Crest Dr., College Area.

Saturdays: Douglas Kvandal with the LiveJazz! Quartet at the Amigo Spot at the Kings Inn. Free. 7 p.m. kingsinnsandiego.com.

1333 Hotel Circle South, Mission Valley.

POP

Sept. 12: Keith Jacobsen at Trisler’s Wine Bar. Free. 7 p.m. Trislers.com. 8555 Station Village Ln., Mission Valley.

Fridays: Nathan Welden at Bistro Sixty. Free. 6:30 p.m.

BistroSixtySD.com. 5987 El Cajon Blvd., College Area.

CLASSICAL Sept. 28: Camarada: A Moment of Happiness at Mingei International Museum. $25-30. 6 p.m.

ClassicalMusicSanDiego.com.

1439 El Prado, Balboa Park.

Oct. 6: Schubert and Beethoven: A Camera Lucida Concert at Conrad Prebys Hall at UCSD. $25. 7:30 p.m.

SanDiegoSymphony.org. 9500 Gilman Dr. #0099, La Jolla.

Oct. 10-12: Scottish Fantasy with Hilary Hahn: A Jacobs Masterworks Concert at Copley Symphony Hall. $2085. Fri. & Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2 p.m. SanDiegoSymphony. org. 750 B St., Downtown.

ALTERNATIVE Sept. 12-13: San Diego Music Thing at various venues in San Diego. Prices and schedule varies. SanDiegoMusicThing. com.

Tuesdays: Suzanne Shea and Bob Wade at Bistro Sixty. Free. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

BistroSixtySD.com. 5987 El Cajon Blvd., College Area.

L

ocal restaurateurs Brendan Huffman and Mina Desiderio have brought attention to a longforgotten amusement park that operated briefly in Ocean Beach.

Not far from their second-floor Wonderland Ocean Pub stood Wonderland, a nine-acre plot that featured a racing rollercoaster, formal ballroom and zoological gardens.

It opened in 1913 and lapsed into foreclosure a couple years later as the Panama-California Exposition in Balboa Park stole attendance.

Today, its legacy is captured through a few blown-up photographs strewn throughout the massive pub, which looks down onto the spirited sands where Abbott Street and Newport Avenue meet.

A snaking ledge in the front Ocean Room offers choice seating along open windows, giving patrons a bull’s eye view of the amusement park’s only lasting

Sept. 28: Demi Lovato, Christina Perri, and MKTO at Viejas Arena. $33+. 7 p.m.

ViejasArena.org. 5500 Canyon Crest Dr., College Area.

OTHER Sept. 19: Pat Dowling at Gordon Biersch. Free. 8 p.m.

PatDowlingLive.com. 5010 Mission Center Rd., Mission Valley.

Sept. 23: Bayou Brothers at Tio Leo’s. Price TBD. 8 p.m.

TioLeos.com. 5301 Napa St., Linda Vista.

Sept. 25: Bob Wade at Trisler’s Wine Bar. Free.

7 p.m. Trislers.com. 8555 Station Village Lane, Mission Valley.

Sept. 27: Cool Rush at Pal Joey’s. Free. 9 p.m.

PalJoeysOnline.com. 5147 Waring Rd., Del Cerro.

Sept. 14: Smile Empty Soul, Bridge to Grace, Saint Ridley and Born to Rise at Brick

by Brick. $12-15. 8:30 p.m.

BrickByBrick.com. 1130 Buenos Ave., Linda Vista.

Bands, venues, and music-lovers: Please submit listings for this calendar by emailing jen@sdcnn.com.u

A mahi and lobster taco (Photo by Frank Sabatini Jr.)

remnant – the Pacific Ocean. Farther back is another large space named the Pier Pub. Both areas flaunt central bars, ample seating and countless flat screens, which will remain hot throughout the NFL season.

The bill of fare features a mélange of Hawaiian, Asian, Mexican and American dishes, ranging from ahi poke with macadamia nuts and chicken in green curry to seafood tacos and ground short rib burgers. The addition of fresh mussels and oysters attest that Wonderland takes visitors a few steps beyond the usual bar grub seen in most other establishments in this neck of the woods.

But that isn’t to say you can’t land an order of chicken wings when sailing through the 24-tap beer list. In a refreshing departure from Buffalostyle wings, the crispy appendages were dusted in sea salt, black pepper, scallions and red chili flakes. Given their pygmy size, they were a little dry until dipping them into a sweet-andspicy glaze served alongside.

Huffman and Desiderio also co-own The Local Drinking Hole & Eatery downtown and The Local Pacific Beach.

They’ve carried over from those menus their famous lobster tacos constructed with char-grilled flour tortillas. Sitting beneath a mantle of cabbage, cheese and pico de gallo was the prized strip of fried tail meat, which my companion rated as “delicious” even though it didn’t take center stage.

Zesty Southwest-style tuna salad tucked into buttery garlic naan bread, however, was abundant. The tuna is mixed with pasilla peppers, pico de gallo, manchego cheese and chipotle mayo.

It’s a far cry from the tuna sandwiches most of us grew up with, though exceedingly more delightful.

With a Belgian ale and Hess Kölsch parked under our noses, we encroached on a few additional beer-friendly dishes that included super-tender coconut chicken strips served with mustard sauce and sweet habañero-orange marmalade. The coconut flavor was mild, and just as well, since I’m not a fan of this recipe when the chicken comes out tasting like donuts.

My favorite dish was chile verde stew loaded with slow-cooked pork coddled by a thick puree of roasted tomatillos. Chili peppers were obviously layered into the recipe from the start, as their flavor rang through steadily but without causing three-alarm fires in our mouths.

The stew comes with the bonus of fried corn quesadillas encircling the plate, serving as perfect dippers.

Judging from the dish’s expert

Salt and pepper chicken wings

construction, I’m guessing that Wonderland’s version of pork pozole soup containing hominy and red chilies deserves a blue ribbon too.

Gourmet twists prevail throughout a number dishes that might otherwise seem ordinary. In lobster mac-andcheese, for example, the menu reveals the inclusions of shitake mushrooms and Gruyere cheese. The mango-shrimp cocktail comes with house-made ginger cocktail sauce while pickled cucumber kimchi gives rise to Korean-style beef skewers.

Had we not skipped dessert on the festive afternoon we visited, we would have been faced with such choices as a candied bacon ice cream waffle, coconut cream pie topped with crème brûlée meringue or scratch-made mud pie with Baileys whipped cream.

Although the food, drinks and atmosphere at Wonderland Ocean Pub hardly reflect what consumers encountered a century ago, the historical reminders of a nearby amusement park lend a depth of character that we don’t often find in beachside party establishments.

Frank Sabatini is the author of “Secret San Diego” (ECW Press) and began covering local food two decades ago as a staffer for the former San Diego Tribune. You can reach him at fsabatini@san.rr.com.u

Wonderland Ocean Pub 5083 Santa Monica Ave. (Ocean Beach)

619-255-3358 Prices: Appetizers, salads and tacos, $4 to $14; sandwiches and entrees, $9.50 to $16

NEWS

Sept.12 - Oct. 9, 2014 Mission Valley News

sdcnn.com

Looking beyond football

Levi’s Stadium, the new home of the San Francisco 49ers, is bringing more than football fans to Santa Clara.

(Photo by Joe Connor)

New home of the 49ers may offer San Diego some ideas Joe

Connor

A

fter spending 10 years failing to find a suitable site to build a new football stadium in the City of San Francisco, Larry Macneil got a letter one day in 2004 from Kevin Moore, then a city councilmember in Santa Clara. Moore had land for the San Francisco 49ers football team’s executive vice president of development to consider. The rest, as they say, is history.

While San Diego’s City Council, tourism officials, hotel owners and the Chargers debate over land to expand the Convention Center and also build a new football stadium, the 49ers recently christened Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara thanks to a partnership few ever envisioned.

Santa Clara, a city of 120,000 residents in Silicon Valley located 38 miles south of the 49ers’ former home at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, lured the team largely because existing infrastructure was already in place to support nearly 70,000 fans coming to and from a typical football game.

But to hear Moore tell it, the biggest factor was that all stakeholders — councilmembers, tourism officials, hotel owners and the team — could envision

the future benefits once the stadium opened. A majority of Santa Clara taxpayers shared the same vision too, voting in 2010 to approve the lease of city property to build the stadium.

“What it’s done for property values is astronomical,” explained Moore, now a realtor in Santa Clara that is also writing

“No one has ever set out to make sure it works out for the team and a convention center. Our plan optimizes space for both.”

-John Kratzer, President and CEO of JMI Realty

a book about his experience helping to lead the project. “That’s revenue for the city. Ultimately, what it’s going to create is a true downtown for Santa Clara.”

Two years after Moore dropped off his letter at the 49ers’ corporate headquarters, Santa Clara expanded its convention center, which is located next to Levi’s Stadium.

“We’re not a big city but [both projects] have taken us to a big-

ger tier,” Moore said. “Before these projects, our land across the street from the stadium had a sign on it but we couldn’t get anybody to lease the property.”

The opening of Levi’s Stadium is also spurning additional growth. For example, the Related Companies is planning to invest $2.3 billion to create a regional shopping and commercial center on the city’s existing golf course nearby. The Montana Property Group, led by football hall-of-famer and former 49er Joe Montana, plans to build a luxury hotel, office and entertainment space on land north of the stadium.

Macneil said the biggest challenges in San Francisco were how to make do with the limited amount of land available in such a high-density city – and also absorb the high infrastructure costs.

“Finding 20 acres of land just to build the stadium was not hard,” Macneil explained. “What makes it difficult in an urban environment is really the parking. You need 140 acres just for 20,000 cars and it also has to be well-served with public transportation.”

The 49ers estimated the cost just to build a new parking garage to support 20,000 cars at $600 million.

Moore, who tried luring the San Francisco Giants baseball

team to Santa Clara in the late 1980s, said the San Diego City Council, Chargers and tourism officials should look into lowering costs by making the most of the existing public transportation infrastructure — as well as the limited land available Downtown — by making an expanded convention literally part of the Chargers new stadium. He cited a recent gala event held on one of the suite levels at Levi’s Stadium.

“You know how expensive it is to put in a new bathroom or kitchen in your home, right? Why wouldn’t the Convention Center utilize this brand new existing [stadium] space?” Moore asked.

“The enclosed bar and restaurant areas inside Levi’s Stadium are a lot better than a lot of convention centers I’ve seen. And they have their own kitchens and bathrooms. That would be a smart way to also help expand a convention center.”

“My experience with Petco has taught me the value of holding a meeting in the Western Metal Building or the OMNI Premier Club,” said John Kratzer, president and CEO of JMI Realty that

11

developed Petco Park and the surrounding ballpark district.

“That’s very exciting to people.”

Kratzer said a football stadium could be constructed on top of an expanded Convention Center for $1.4 billion.

One of his company’s proposed sites would be a short walk from the existing Convention Center.

Such a design has never been done before. Constructing a football stadium and an expanded convention center separately would cost an additional $400 million, Kratzer said.

“The campus style approach can work, because San Diego’s greatest asset is its weather,” Kratzer said. “Comic-Con has shown that a large convention can take over multiple facilities.

I don’t believe [the expansion] has to be contiguous to the existing Convention Center space.”

Dennis Wellner, founder of the architectural firm Populous that has designed more than a dozen NFL stadiums, agrees. Wellner said that the expansive restaurants, bars and lounges within enclosed club-level and suiteSee STADIUM page 15

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12 Mission Valley News

Sept.12 - Oct. 9, 2014

HEALTH & FITNESS

Week of wellness events planned for older adults Kelly

Ostrem

ACSM-HFS, CHES Fitness Expert

G

rowing older is something to cheer, and that’s what the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) will do this month.

From Sept. 21 to 27, the group will hold their annual Active Aging Week to celebrate adults over age 50 and promote the benefits of living an active, healthy life.

The ICAA is spreading the word that “regardless of age, there are always ways to stay active, healthy and engaged in a fun and friendly atmosphere.”

Active Aging Week includes events and activities at more than 3,000 host sites throughout the country. The diverse activities are free and open to the entire community, and they’re offered in a safe and friendly environment for older adults.

The Mission Valley YMCA is one of the host sites in San Diego for ICAA’s Active Aging Week. They will be hosting activities at their Friars Road and Toby Wells locations. Activities are scheduled for each weekday morning and they include fitness classes, coffee hours and health seminars.

“We want to give some examples of things we have going on at the Y,” said Bernadette Mor-

gan, a Y Active Adults coordinator who has worked with older adults at the YMCA for more than 10 years. “We have a nice mix of things here and it’s open to the community during Active Aging Week.”

“I’ve always wanted to build community at the Y and bring people together,” Morgan said.

“You’ll find a lot of people that are very active here. We have fitness classes, pickle ball, coffee socials every Thursday and game days. We have a wonderful knitting and crocheting group.”

Events planned during Active Aging Week are varied to support a diverse concept of wellness. Wellness is a multi-faceted idea of how you can be the best you can be. It includes physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, social, vocational, and environmental health.

Making efforts to care for all these facets of wellness will improve your well being at any age, but it’s especially important for older adults. Challenging yourself in body, mind and spirit will

help you continue to function and thrive throughout your life.

If you continue to be active as you age, you tend to be able to maintain your independence and live well, regardless of any health conditions. That is the ultimate goal: to help you live the healthiest life you can live.

But the push for health shouldn’t end with Active Aging Week. Make it a lifestyle choice, and find ways to be active and engaged every day. Find good outlets and friends to support your goals.

“Aging isn’t becoming old and decrepit. It’s being alive, active and fun,” Morgan said. “That’s what I want people to be able to experience.”

The YMCA’s Active Older Adults group offers ongoing activities to bring older adults together for camaraderie and shared interests. Weekly coffee hours, day trips, social events, informational seminars and other events bring older adults together to be active, learn and have some fun!

Kelly Ostrem is a member of the marketing staff at the Mission Valley YMCA. Call her with questions at 619-686-8862.

For more information about Active Aging Week visit icaa. cc/activeagingweek/aaw-public. htm To learn more about the Y’s Active Adult program, visit missionvalley.ymca.org.u

ICAA Active Aging Week Activities at Mission Valley Y Monday, Sept. 22:

11 a.m. Coffee Social at Toby Wells Y 12:35 p.m. Zumba Gold at Friars Road

Tuesday, Sept. 23:

11 a.m. Wellness Workshop: Cancer Killers at Toby Wells Y 11:30 a.m. Quigong at Friars Road 1 p.m. Computer Q&A at Friars Road

Wednesday, Sept. 24:

9 a.m. Pickle Ball at Friars Road 11 a.m. Optometrist Seminar: 10 Tips about your Eyes at Toby Wells Y 12:50 p.m. Knit a Bit at Friars Road

Thursday, Sept. 25:

10 a.m. Brain Walk & Balance at Friars Road 10 a.m. Coffee Social at Friars Road 11 a.m. Balance Workshop at Toby Wells

Friday, Sept. 26:

11 a.m. Coffee Social at Toby Wells 11:45 a.m. Yoga at Friars Road

Friars Road location

5505 Friars Rd., San Diego, CA 92110 619-298-3576

Toby Wells location

5105 Overland Ave., San Diego, CA 92123 858-496-9622

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LOCAL NEWS

13 Sept.12 - Oct. 9, 2014

sdcnn.com

Last year’s AIDS Walk San Diego was the 24th such event and the last to be held in Balboa Park. This year’s event starts and finishes at the Pride Flag in Hillcrest. (Courtesy San Diego LGBT Center)

On the move after 25 years AIDS Walk celebrates a milestone and moves to Hillcrest

Jeremy Ogul Editor

W

ith a new date, a new route, a new 5K “fun run,” and a new Friday night vigil, this year’s AIDS Walk San Diego could be the biggest yet.

More than 8,000 walkers, runners, volunteers and supporters turned out for last year’s event in Balboa Park, raising nearly $400,000 for 18 San Diego-area HIV/AIDS service organizations, according to event director Ian Johnson.

This year, on Sept. 27, the routes begin and end on Normal Street in Hillcrest. Both the 5K and 10K travel along University Avenue, Park Boulevard, El Prado, over the Cabrillo Bridge and up Sixth Avenue back to University.

“We’re hoping to get a lot more community support by moving it up into Hillcrest and having it on a Saturday instead of Sunday,” Johnson said. “Hopefully it will bring out our neighbors that will want to get involved and see what’s happening.”

While a certified 10K race and 5K walk have long been part of the event, organizers this year added a new casual 5K fun run with a “Heroes and Villains” theme. Costumes are encouraged, and strollers, walkers, in-line skates, skateboards and scooters are welcome.

Also new this year is a Friday night candlelight vigil to commemorate friends and family lost to AIDS. The vigil will be held on Normal Street at University Avenue under the Pride Flag and monument at 7 p.m. on Sept. 26.

The money generated by AIDS Walk is a vital revenue source for nonprofit organizations such as Christie’s Place, which provides support to more than 1,200 women, children and family clients who are impacted

by HIV/AIDS. “It helps to literally keep our lights on and our doors open here at Christie’s Place,” said Liz Brosnan, the organization’s executive director. “AIDS Walk is really sort of woven into the fabric of who we are.”

Shannon Hansen, Christie’s Place program manager and leader of the Christie’s Place AIDS Walk team, said the fundraising aspect of the event is just one part of what makes it important.

“It’s a great opportunity for people who are affected by HIV/ AIDS to see that San Diego

Mark your calendar for these upcoming community events organized to raise money for AIDS Walk San Diego.

Car Wash | Sunday, Sept. 7 2 to 6 p.m.

Metropolitan Community Church 2633 Denver St., Bay Park The Family Health Centers team will host a car wash and donate all proceeds to the cause.

YPC Feud | Saturday, Sept. 20 2 p.m.

Flicks 1017 University Ave., Hillcrest Survey says: the Young Professionals Council will host their own Family Feud-style game show event — YPC Feud — to raise money for AIDS Walk. Entry is free, the bar will offer drink specials and participants can enter an opportunity drawing.

Fierce Fling | Sunday, Sept. 14 2 p.m.

Claire de Lune’s Sunset Temple 3911 Kansas St., North Park Zumbathon | Saturday, Sept. 20 Olive Onemore and Tiffany Tanqueray host 10 to 11:30 a.m.

“Fierce Fling,” an annual AIDS Walk fundraiser Southwest High School featuring outlandish drag performances, men in 1685 Hollister St., Nestor swimsuits and other special guests. A $10 donaZumbathon madness is back for a second tion is suggested, and don’t forget to tip your year, and organizers encourage participants to drag queen. wear their favorite Disney outfit and dance the morning away. Tickets are available for $15 ($10 HRC SD Social | Tuesday, Sept. 16 for Lulu Fitness members). All proceeds will be 7 to 9 p.m. donated to AIDS Walk.

Harvey Milk’s American Diner 535 University Ave., Hillcrest Zumba | Saturday, Sept. 20 HRC San Diego’s monthly networking 1 to 3 p.m. social will double as a fundraiser kickoff for Party Fitness Studio AIDS Walk. Those who donate at this event 4659 Mission Gorge Pl., Grant Hill will be entered for a chance to win fun and The Family Health Centers team will host a fantastic prizes. high-energy fitness fundraiser featuring U-Jam and Zumba workouts. A $10 donation is suggested.

Mission Valley News

cares about them and that peo- first walk. From 1986 through ple want to help them,” Hansen 1988, the event was known as said. “I think that’s a really pow- “Walk for Life,” because the word erful message.”

AIDS was too highly charged. In Other beneficiaries last year 1989, it became AIDS Walk. were Being Alive, Community The event is supported by a HousingWorks, Family Health number of sponsors, including Centers, Fraternity House, the San Diego Human Dignity Mama’s Kitchen, North County Foundation, which provided a Health Services, North County $25,000 sponsorship. Sempra LGBTQ Resource Center, Op- Energy and the Gay & Lesbian eration Samahan, San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program, San Diego Youth Services, San Ysidro Health Center, Stepping Stone, Strength for the Journey, the arcHIVe Project, Townspeople, UC San Diego and the Vista Community Clinic.

No other oneday event raises more money for HIV/AIDS organizations in San Diego County, but it’s not just about the money. As treatments and prognoses have improved, the sense of urgency over HIV/AIDS has faded. It’s important for people to remember that the problem has not disappeared, Johnson said.

The 25th annual AIDS Walk San Diego will benefit Approximately dozens of local AIDS-related service organizations.

15,368 people (Courtesy San Diego LGBT Center) have been diagnosed with AIDS in San Diego County since 1981, Fund for San Diego each proaccording to public health data vided a $10,000 sponsorship. as of June 30. About half of those The following sponsors provided — 7,515 people — are alive now. $5,000: AHF Pharmacy, CareFuAnother 5,466 in the county are sion, Flagship Cruises, Geico, living with HIV that has not pro- Jimbo’s, Revivals, Rich’s, Verizon gressed to AIDS. and Wet personal lubricant.

In 2010, health officials estiAfter the races on Sept. 27, sevmated that an additional 3,171 eral Hillcrest restaurants — inindividuals in the county were cluding Harvey Milk’s American HIV-positive and unaware of Diner, Martinis Above Fourth, their status.

Uptown Tavern and East Coast “We have come a long way, but Pizza — will donate at least 25 don’t be fooled. People are still percent of their proceeds to the passing away,” Johnson said. event.

Though AIDS Walk celebrates Registration is still open for its 25th anniversary this year, its individuals and teams, and orgahistory goes back further to the nizers are still looking for volunmid-1980s, when a group of ac- teers. For more information, visit tivists — including Susan Jester, aidswalksd.org or contact Ian Nicole Murray Ramirez, David Johnson at aidswalk@thecenCoppini, Ken Martin and Chris tersd.org.u Shaw — began organizing the

14 Mission Valley News

Sept.12 - Oct. 9, 2014

LOCAL NEWS & PUZZLES

GINA’S

VALLEY VIEWS

Water-saving ideas in time of drought I

t will be a long time before California begins to recover from its drought, but in the meantime there are a number of steps residents can take to cut down their water use. Take gardens, for example.

“Californians don’t necessarily need to change their gardens drastically in order to save money and water during the drought,” said Eric Asakawa, regional manager of Armstrong Garden Centers.

“Instead, homeowners can change the way they water.”

Some easy-to-accomplish tricks are: Mulch. Placing a two- to three-inch layer of organic mulch on the soil surface around plants can save hundreds of gallons of water every year.

Use trigger sprayers when hand watering.

Trigger sprayers help ensure that water is not wasted while watering gardens.

Add compost to soil. Adding store-bought or homemade compost to planting beds and pots will decrease the amount of water needed.

These three changes alone will save hundreds of dollars and use minimal water.

Mission Valley has two nearby Armstrong Garden Centers: one on Friars Road, to the east of Interstate 15, and one in the Linda Vista area on West Morena Boulevard.

A Latino spin on “The Odd Couple” For the first time ever in San Diego, Neil Simon’s Broadway hit will be produced at the

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Teatro Máscara Mágica and shown at the Lyceum Theater in Horton Plaza from Sept. 11 to 21.

The production stars Paul Rodriguez and Mike Gomez as the two mismatched roommates that made this play so successful on Broadway and in film.

The Director is William Virchis, longtime friend of mine since we worked together on the Mexican American Foundation years ago, and a close friend of Suzie Ditmars for many years.

William worked as the Director of Visual and Performing Arts at the Sweetwater Union High School District for over 30 years. In addition to local accolades, William has been recognized nationally by being awarded the United States Congressional Award for Citizen of the Month and the Presidential Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service.

“I am very excited to be directing this first-time showing of Latino talent in such an important production,” William said.

Tickets and further information are available at 619-987-5616.

—Gina Cord is the founder of Mission Valley News. She welcomes suggestions for “what’s news” and “who’s news” for this column.

Call her at 619-683-2434 or send an email to cordgina@gmail.com.u

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LIBRARY EVENTS

15 Sept.12 - Oct. 9, 2014

sdcnn.com

Alzheimer’s: Know the 10 Warning Signs, Because Early Detection Matters Saturday, Sept. 20, 1 to 2 p.m.

This Alzheimer’s Association workshop will provide attendees with an understanding of the difference between age-related memory loss and Alzheimer’s, and what to do if they or someone they know has signs of the disease. It will include a discussion of the ten warning signs, a basic overview of Alzheimer’s disease, risk factors, what is involved in getting a diagnosis, and the benefits of early detection, including accessing available treatment, planning for the future and participating in clinical trials.

“Ask the Lawyer” Free Legal Clinic First Tuesday of the month, 6 to 7 p.m.

Join attorney Mark Miller the first Tuesday of every month to talk about your legal issues, and learn your options. No appointment is necessary, just show up with your questions.

Assemblymember Weber Mobile Office Monday, Sept. 15, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Connect with Assemblymember Weber’s staff here in your community, and get help with any problems you are having with public agencies, ask questions about legislation, and learn about state and local services. Issues that staff can assist with include renter’s and homeowner’s assistance programs, property tax issues, consumer complaints, and unemployment and disability insurance. No need to make an appointment, just stop in!

Baby Signs Storytime: First and third Tuesdays, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m Parents often wonder, “What is my baby thinking?” There is a way to find out: teaching your baby some basic signs using American Sign Language will fill the gap. Communication is said to be the foundation of a solid relationship; learning to sign with your baby will build that bond early and provide you a bridge from infancy to childhood.

Film Forum: In Secret Wednesday, Sept. 24, 6 p.m.

Oscar Issac and Elizabeth Olsen steam up the screen in Charlie Stratton’s racy gothic thriller of love, lust, betrayal and madness.

Based on Emile Zola’s shocking novel “Therese Raquin,” the film features Olsen as a sexually repressed young woman trapped in a loveless marriage who is swept up in a torrid affair with a dashing family friend (Isaac). Co-stars Jessica Lange and Tom Felton. Discussion to follow.

Natural Approaches for Preventing and Handling Arthritic Pain Wednesday, Sept. 24, 12:30 to 2 p.m.

Dr. Richard Engel of the Foundation for Wellness Professionals will discuss what arthritis is, who is susceptible to arthritis, what causes it, how to relieve it, and steps to help prevent joint disease.

OASIS Presents: Changing Course: The History and Impact of the San Diego River Tuesday, Sept. 23, 1 to 3 p.m.

Gabe Selak, program manager of the San Diego History Center, will navigate the course, history, and impact of San Diego’s most valuable waterway. For thousands of years, the San Diego River has provided life to the surrounding community, and it, in turn, has shaped the river. This presentation is free and open to the public, and no reservations are necessary.

Paws for Reading Second and fourth Mondays, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

New readers can get some valuable practice time with a very nonjudgmental certified therapy dog, courtesy of the non-profit Love on a Leash. Try out those longer words – dogs don’t care if you get them wrong, they just want to hear you read!

Toddler Storytime Fridays, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Storytime designed for toddlers, featuring songs, rhymes, and finger plays.

Yoga for Adults and Teens Tuesdays, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Are you looking for a workout program that’s easy to learn, requires little or no equipment, and soothes your soul while toning your body?

If strengthening your cardiovascular system, toning and stretching your muscles, and improving your mental fitness are on your to-do list, than yoga is for you!u

GET INVOLVED!

Linda Vista Planning Group General Meeting Monday, Sept. 22, 5:30 p.m.

This is an open meeting of the Linda Vista Planning Group.

The public is encouraged to attend. Election of Officers will be held at the meeting for those seeking a leadership role on the Planning Group board. Visit lindavista.org/ lvpg.

The Anime/Manga Club Wednesdays, 5 to 6 p.m.

Discuss fantastic anime and manga new and old: their history, storylines, possible storyline revisions, and the latest news. Club members have a say into what anime and manga titles should be added to the Library collection! For teens only.

Crafts for Kids Mondays & Fridays 4 to 5 p.m.

Stretch your imagination and create fabulous crafts! Every week the craft is different!

Homework Help Wednesdays, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Kids: need help getting your homework done? Our tutors will assist you! They specialize in English, Math, Science, and History. First come, first served.

Mission Valley News

Morning Storytime with Kathie Mondays, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Children and their families are invited to join us for stories, rhymes, and songs.

Spanish Storytime with Devin Saturdays, 1:30 to 2:10 p.m.

Come enjoy exciting stories told in Spanish!

Translated: Venga a disfrutar de emocionantes historias que se cuentan en español!

Storytime with Andie Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Stretch your imagination!

Enjoy a story told energetically!

Toddler Yoga Storytime First Thursday of the month, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Toddlers will enjoy the calming, meditative effects of yoga while interacting with their parents and the other children participating.

Vietnamese Storytime with Nhi Saturdays, 12:30 to 1:05 p.m.

Come enjoy exciting stories told in Vietnamese!

Translated: Hãy đến tận hưởng Câu chuyện thú vị Nói bằng tiếng Việt!u

Linda Vista Branch Library is located at 2160 Ulric St., San Diego.

Visit lindavistalibrary.org or facebook.com/lvlibrary.

The library is open Monday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday 12:30 to 8 p.m.; Thursday and Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; closed Sunday.

Stadium, from page 11

level stadium seating could serve multiple audiences.

“Those are going to be the most expensive parts of the building to design,” Wellner said. “Yet high-end costs such as space used for premium patrons can serve dual purposes.”

No general or enterprise funds were used by Santa Clara taxpayers to pay for Levi’s Stadium and no new taxes were added either, except for a self-imposed tax by local hotels. The city’s Stadium Authority borrowed $850 million from Goldman Sachs, Bank of America and U.S. Bank for construction, with the NFL contributing $200 million. Additional funding came from redevelopment money, which has since dried up in California and created one more challenge for the Chargers.

The NFL stadiums of the Arizona Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts and St. Louis Rams have used their field as a convention hall, but each of these facilities also has a roof.

“When I talk to the world’s leading architects, no one’s really done it right,” Kratzer said. “The real answer is no one has ever set out to make sure

Levi’s Stadium can hold nearly 70,000 football fans. (Photo by Joe Connor)

it works out for the team and a convention center. Our plan optimizes space for both.”

“I’m an underdog kind of guy,” Moore said. “We had to think smart.

“San Diego should think like they’re the underdog. Do something spectacular.”

Note: Mission Valley News reached out to Chargers

spokesman Mark Fabiani; Joe Terzi, CEO of San Diego Tourism and the Mayor’s Office.

None responded for comment on the story.

—Joe Connor is a freelance sports writer that has seen a game at every NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB venue. He can be reached at joecsd@gmail.com.u

16 Mission Valley News

Sept.12 - Oct. 9, 2014

Mail, from page 7 When Davis surveyed community the Postal Service must address, groups in her district earlier this Congress should not get involved in summer, the North Park Planning mandating the specific measures the Committee passed a resolution Postal Service should take. opposing centralized delivery.

Issa disagrees with Davis and “In the older communities in the Peters. mid-city, cluster boxes would affect “The consequence of doing the community character and the nothing to address an Internet-era historicity of a neighborhood like erosion in the volume of traditional Talmadge, which to me looks like mail delivery is a multi-billion dollar Mayberry,” said Vicki Granowitz, taxpayer funded bailout of the Postal chair of the North Park Planning Service,” Issa said. “Unfortunately, Committee. “It’s intact, it’s some [representatives] holding a beautiful, and to have cluster boxes press conference and pretending every so often really destroys what there isn’t a problem won’t solve it.” these communities look like.”

The Postal Reform Act includes Combined with exceptions and bus shelters and provisions that ugly utility boxes, “Just think if you would allow cluster boxes would would want this seniors and others affect property with physical values, Granowitz in front of your hardships to keep said. house. Don’t do their door delivery “Just think if already this to us, please.” ifhavetheyit, and you would want it this in front of your -Vicki Granowitz would give the house,” she said.

Postal Service the “Don’t do this to us, please.” flexibility to determine where to The Postal Service has already implement centralized delivery, Issa begun phasing out door delivery said. in new developments, but Issa’s “In reality, less than 10 percent legislation would essentially make of postal customers would see any cluster boxes mandatory in many change under this legislation to their neighborhoods that currently delivery,” Issa said. receive door delivery. Issa’s bill Despite the financial issues the would require the cluster boxes to be Postal Service faces, the debate placed “in locations that maximize over cluster boxes may amount to delivery efficiency, ease of use little more than hot air in the near for postal patrons, and respect for term. Congress only has about three private property rights.” months left to act on legislation Rep. Scott Peters (D-San in the current session, and neither Diego), who also spoke at the the House of Representatives nor press conference, said that while the Senate have voted on Issa’s or there are economic challenges that Davis’s legislation.u

PUZZLE ANSWERS SUDOKU ANSWERS FROM P. 14

CROSSWORD ANSWERS FROM P. 14

LOCAL NEWS Medipot, from page 1 owns the building.

That case claims Presidential Greens is operating within 600 feet of Warren-Walker School, a private K-8 school at 2231 Camino Del Rio South. It is also operating within 1,000 feet of Marjorie Cook Education Center, a private school at 2255 Camino Del Rio South, according to the city’s complaint.

An attorney representing Naemi filed a reply in court that generally denied all of the city’s allegations. The next court hearing is set for Jan. 9, 2015.

Attorneys for the defendants did not return calls seeking comment by press time.

The cases against Kindest Meds and Presidential Greens are just two among 40 dispensary cases that are currently open in San Diego Superior Court.

City Attorney Jan Goldsmith said his office has achieved a nearly 100 percent success rate in dispensary cases referred by the city’s Code Enforcement Division. The City Attorney’s office counts 163 court orders to shut down dispensaries since 2011.

“The strategy we use was developed in 2011 and has since been replicated by other cities in California,” Goldsmith said in a forthcoming memo to the City Council’s Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee.

Many have asked why San Diego police cannot just raid the dispensaries that have continued to operate illegally. According to Goldsmith, the city does

Presidential Greens offers a number of different cannabis strains.

(Photo courtesy WeedMaps.com)

not have the legal authority to use a police raid before the defendants have been afforded due process, because the city is enforcing local zoning laws rather than federal drug laws.

In zoning cases, the city can only use police to enforce a court order, like it did on July 28 in shuttering a dispensary on Cass Street in Pacific Beach.

Though the city adopted an ordinance earlier this year that provides a legal path for medical marijuana consumer cooperatives, it has not yet issued any permits.

Applications have been filed for several permits to operate

medical marijuana consumer cooperatives in Grantville, Mission Valley and Linda Vista. In Mission Valley in particular, applications have been filed to operate dispensaries at 3455 Camino Del Rio South — the current site of Kindest Meds — and 2815 Camino Del Rio South.

Those applications have not yet been heard by the Mission Valley Planning Group, which will make a recommendation to the Planning Commission on whether to approve or deny the application. The Planning Commission’s decision can be appealed to the City Council.u