PETERS MOVES TO THE PORT: Despite protests from Councilmembers Frye and Young, outgoing members hand Port Commission seat to Scott Peters. 7
DEFENSE HOLDS THE LINE: The Bolts defense stops Kansas City cold during the Chiefs’ final push for a 2-point conversion in the final seconds. 11
Weekend Surf Report SATURDAY
Hi: 9:23 a.m. Low: 2:56 a.m. 11:43 p.m. 4:56 p.m.
Surf: 2-3 ft.
Wind: 4-10 mph
Waves: 1-2 ft.
Wind: 4-12 mph
SUNDAY
Hi: 10:14 a.m. Low: 3:45 a.m. 5:57 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 13-26, 2008
www.BeachAndBayPress.com
Mayor’s call for cuts will slice beach services BY SEBASTIAN RUIZ | BEACH &BAY PRESS
Midyear city budget cuts to make up an estimated $43 million 2009 budget shortfall has residents concerned over looming threats of loss of public facilities and services. Closing the Ocean Beach library, eliminating pressure washing services at Ocean Beach Pier and shuttering of about 14 restrooms in Mission Beach during winter — all on the list of possible money-saving cuts, according to a mayoral report. The list also contains a proposal contracting out medical services for La Jolla Fire Station 9 to stave off cuts in services. The recommendations represent a reduction of expected incoming property, sales and tourists’ tax dollars in a slowing economy, said Rachel Laing, spokesperson for the mayor’s office. “It’s not as if we didn’t anticipate lower tax revenue, and we were really conservative if not pessimistic about estimates,” she said. “It’s just that nobody knew just how deep it would be and how short we would fall.” The City Council listened to residents’ concerns in a daylong hearing Wednesday, Nov. 12, but an official response by the council or the mayor’s office was not available by press time. Councilman Kevin Faulconer, who sits on the city’s Budget and Finance Committee, said he’s working with an independent budget analyst to “look at the assumptions behind the numbers.” He didn’t have specifics as to what facilities and services would likely get the ax. Asked which programs and buildings in the beach communities he would like to see survive budget cuts, “Everything that’s on that list is important,” Faulconer said. While city officials scramble to come up with answers to the community’s questions, those directly affected by impending cuts have to deal with an uncertain future. Cabrillo Recreation Center, located at 3051 Canon St., is named one of nine centers recommended for closure, which would save the city about $2.3 million in personnel and maintenance costs. Walter Heyward, who’s worked as SEE CUTS, Page 5
DON BALCH | BEACH & BAY PRESS
SEAFOOD SNACK
A White Egret prepares to gulp down an anchovy netted for fishing bait on the Seaforth Landing boat dock, 1717 Quivira Road, on Mission Bay.
Drama in the court: Cravens’ attorney goes on the attack to Deputy District Attorney Sophia Roach. Jury deliberations continued this Roach froze and gave no reaction to week in the Seth Cravens trial following the outburst. She rose and told jurors in a dramatic closing argument Monday a rebuttal argument that “insulting by his attorney who got within five words are not a defense.” Roach told inches of the prosecutor’s face and jurors Yanke lied about the exchange yelled an obscenity while pretending to between Cravens and Kauanui and that be slain surfer Emery Kauanui Jr. Cravens was the aggressor, not Attorney Mary Ellen Attridge called Kauanui. Yanke didn’t say Kauanui the prosecutor’s murder case “a runyelled the expletive three times as away train” in which she asked that Attridge had illustrated. Cravens, 22, be acquitted of secondRoach urged the nine-man, threedegree murder and manslaughter in the woman jury to compare Yanke’s testiMay 28, 2007, death of Kauanui in mony to that of other witnesses, such as front of his mother’s home in La Jolla. the victim’s neighbors who called police “Choo, choo!” concluded Attridge. and Kauanui’s girlfriend, Jennifer Attridge claimed Kauanui was “not Grosso. She said Grosso was “a courasome docile victim” and instead was the geous, courageous young woman” who aggressor, citing the testimony of was “the only person to try and stop the Matthew Yanke, 22, who told jurors last attack” at the scene by Cravens and four week that Kauanui stepped up to others around 1:30 a.m. on May 24, Cravens and yelled at him within five 2007. inches of Cravens’ face. “There is no self-defense here. Seth “How the (expletive), how the (exple- comes at him at a pace, delivers a punch tive), how the (expletive) did you come that knocks Emery out before he hits the over to my house?” Attridge screamed BY NEAL PUTNAM | BEACH &BAY PRESS
SEE CRAVENS, Page 9
Changes planned for Beach & Bay Press To consolidate our resources, the Beach & Bay Press will begin publishing every other Thursday beginning this week. The consolidation will allow us to present a bigger and better newspaper for Pacific Beach, Mission Beach and Mission Bay. Despite the longer time between issues, our writers and reporters will remain dedicated to telling the stories that are important while maintaining the quality publication our readers and advertisers have come to expect. The revised publishing schedule will also give our reporters the opportunity to focus on in-depth stories that are difficult to tackle with a weekly timetable. We will also increase our focus to post breaking and timely news online at www.BeachAndBayPress.com. We welcome your letters and opinions on this and any other topics. We can be reached at 4645 Cass St., San Diego, CA 92109. Phone: (858) 270-3103 ext. 132. Email: BBP@SDNews.com.
Next publication: Thursday, Nov. 27