EAT, DRINK & SHOP IN PB: Check out the 8-page holiday gift, dining and parade guide for the deals Pacific Beach has to offer. 14-21
LOOKING FOR A GOOD TIME? Great food and a good atmosphere keep diners coming back for more at Good Time Charlie’s. 22
Weekend Surf Report SATURDAY
Hi: 8:28 a.m. Low: 2:05 a.m. 10:33 p.m. 3:56 p.m.
Surf: 2-3 ft.
Wind: 8-18 mph
Waves: 2-4 ft.
Wind: 6-22 mph
SUNDAY
Hi: 9:18 a.m. Low: 2:56 a.m. 1:26 p.m. 4:45 p.m.
Thursday, December 11-21, 2008
www.beachandbaypress.com
New council members sworn into office BY SEBASTIAN RUIZ | BEACH &BAY PRESS
MERCY ARCOLAS | BEACH & BAY PRESS
He may look mean, but the Grinch remains a popular favorite with the kids at the annual Pacific Beach Holiday Parade.
Pacific Beach hosts a packed weekend of holiday events BY LARRY HARMON | BEACH &BAY PRESS
Pacific Beach is ringing in the holidays with a funpacked weekend beginning with the Mission Bay Boat Parade of Lights on Saturday evening, followed by the Holiday Parade and a special December Concert on the Green on Sunday. The decorated ships will begin lining up in Quivira Basin after sundown, and the procession of illuminated boats will begin promptly at 7 p.m. The vessels will head north to Sail Bay, then past Crown Point toward the Campland on the Bay. From there the parade route will sail along SEE HOLIDAY, Page 11
Fountain for Youth
PAUL HANSEN | BEACH & BAY PRESS
Children play in the geyser created when a hit-and-run driver knocked over a fire hydrant at Vickie and Westknoll drives in Pacific Beach. It took the city approximately 30 minutes to shut the water off.
Four new City Council members sworn into office Monday, Dec. 8, have landed in the middle of a backand-forth budget battle between the council and the mayor’s office as they try to close an estimated $43 million midyear shortfall. The Council put off decisions to name a new council president and assign committee members until the next day following the tragic jet plane crash in University City Monday morning. On Tuesday, the council voted 6-2 to name District 8 Councilman Ben Hueso. Last month, the City Council made the decision to keep fire stations fully operating as well as to keep libraries, recreation centers open until June 2009 despite calls for deep cuts by the mayor. The decisions remain intact after City Council members unanimously overrode a mayoral budget veto during a Friday, Dec. 5, council meeting. SEE COUNCIL, Page 9
Marine fighter jet slams into University City neighborhood BY ALYSSA RAMOS | BEACH &BAY PRESS
“The pilot was nearing the end of his training,” said USMC Miramar Two days after an F/A-18 Hornet public affairs spokesperson Cpl. Jessifighter jet crashed into a University ca Aranda. Officials drove the pilot, City neighborhood, the County Medidentified by as Dan Neubauer, to ical Examiner’s Office confirmed four Balboa Naval Hospital. Marine Corps fatalities — those of two adults and officials said he is expected to make a two infants — found inside one of full recovery. the five homes destroyed or damaged Maurice Luque, spokesperson for in the accident. the City of San Diego Fire-Rescue The pilot, a first lieutenant with Department, said the two destroyed Marine Fighter Attack Training homes – the Yoon residence at 4416 Squadron 101 from United States Cather Ave. and an unoccupied Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) house next door — immediately Miramar, was flying Monday, Dec. 8 caught fire from the crash. Rescuers from the USS Abraham Lincoln off from the Fire-Rescue Department San Diego’s coast toward MCAS and MCAS Miramar discovered three when one engine failed, said MCAS victims after sifting through debris Commanding Officer Col. Chris and rubble Monday evening. With O’Connor. the help of search dogs, the fourth At about 11:58 a.m., the jet victim was found the next day. reportedly lost its second engine, The victims were identified as causing the plane to crash into two Youngmi Yoon, 36; Yoon’s mother, homes in the 4400 block of Cather Suk Im Kim, 60; 15-month-old Avenue in University City, two miles Grace Yoon; and 2-month-old short of the air base. The pilot safely DON BALCH | BEACH & BAY PRESS Rachel Yoon. ejected from the plane and was Emergency officials comb the site of a deadly military jet crash in University City on Monday that left four people dead found in a nearby canyon. SEE JET, Page 4 and two homes demolished. The pilot of the F/A-18D Hornet ejected safely.