Help decide who has the best photo of the Peninsula area! Come by The Beacon’s booth (#122) at the Ocean Beach Street Fair to cast your vote. Street Fair details on page 9
Backbone of school support scrutinized
SPICIN’ UP THE SIZZLE OF SUMMER — OB STYLE
Foundations in SDUSD crosshairs BY ALYSSA RAMOS | THE BEACON
About ten parents representing foundation organizations from several San Diego city schools gathered Monday, June 15 outside a Scripps Ranch Starbucks to discuss concerns regarding an agenda item slated for a school board meeting the following day aimed at foundation-funded teachers. Parent-teacher organizations (PTOs) — including those in the Ocean Beach/Point Loma area — use school foundations to raise money to supplement shrinking school district allotments, in some cases writing checks directly funding programs such as choral, art, computers and libraries. But San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) board member John de Beck said the board voted during the June 16 meeting to form a committee focused on creating uniform standards and policies regarding teaching positions
formed as the result of school foundations’ money. De Beck said the issue was raised because school foundations have paid for many positions through the district. “As soon as they cross over, they run into the issue of unions,” de Beck said, regarding foundations choosing teachers, but paying them through the district. “There’s certain rules … Say that person leaves, then [the school foundation that hired them] has a problem because they gave us the money but we were the employers. That falls into the union contract.” Some school foundations – such as La Jolla’s Torrey Pines Elementary School (TPES) – use additional funds to hire support teachers in an effort to reduce class sizes, while other foundations such as the Friends of Pacific Beach Secondary Schools raise funds solely to pay for SEE FOUNDATIONS, Page 7
OB smoke shop among 4 raided in police paraphernalia crackdown BY ANTHONY GENTILE | THE BEACON
Police raided four smoke shops in search of drug paraphernalia on June 18, including Freak Factory in Mission Beach and 420 Smoke Shop in Ocean Beach. The raids took place at about 12:30 p.m. in response to numerous citizen complaints and subsequent police investigation in which underage operatives purchased paraphernalia at the shops on June 4. “Our approach is when the community says there is a problem, we’ve always been a very responsive police department,” said San Diego Narcotics Capt. Miguel Rosario. “We’re going to respond when we get complaints that any type of crime is occurring.” Rosario said police seized items
www.SDNEWS.com Volume 24, Number 24
THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2009
San Diego Community Newspaper Group
that are illegal to furnish, sell and possess according to California Health and Safety Code Section 11364.7. This includes marijuana pipes, bongs, compartments used for hiding controlled substances, grinders used to separate seeds and stems from marijuana, detoxification drinks that assist in passing drug tests and materials for packaging and weighing drugs. “If it’s illegal we take it,” Rosario said. According to Rosario the raids were not initially scheduled for the same day – it just ended up that way. The four shops were specifically targeted after residents complained about them. “[Citizens] feel that when they sell paraphernalia it brings in SEE RAID, Page 7
Smokin’-hot chili recipes will compete for attention during the 30th annual Ocean Beach Street Fair and ChiliPHOTOS BY PAUL HANSEN | THE BEACON Cook-Off Festival on Saturday, amid a host of music, booths, food and activities.
Street fair, chili cook-off hits 30-year mark BY ANTHONY GENTILE | THE BEACON
projected 70,000 people will get a taste of Ocean Beach on Saturday, June 27 — and it might make some eyes water. The Ocean Beach Street Fair and Chili Cook-Off Festival returns for its third decade from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. along the 4800-5000 blocks of Newport Avenue with a wealth of fun, food, music and family activities. “The special events you do around the holidays always help to define what the community is about,” said Denny Knox, executive director of the Ocean Beach MainStreet Association. “There are people that fall in love with Ocean Beach and they come back every year for the event.” This year marks the 30th anniversary of the summertime tradition in Ocean Beach. Despite the staggering economy, Knox said the street fair will not be a scaled-back version of previous years. “We have so many new vendors this year,” Knox said.
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“People get very creative in tough times.” The wildly popular chili cook-off will be held at the end of Newport Avenue near the beach from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Twenty-one amateur and four restaurant teams will stir up their tastiest recipes as they compete to please the most palettes. Wesley Slack is participating in the chili cook-off for the third time. Slack finished first in 2006 and third in 2007 and is preparing a smoked tri-tip chili this year. “I cook a lot of food and I actually enjoy feeding people,” Slack said, “seeing the faces on people when you feed them good food.” Organizers said 800 tasting tickets will be available for $10 for those who want to sample each of the 25 recipes and vote for the people’s choice award. For those with more of an appetite, the committee chili made on behalf of Entertainment will abound along Newthe street fair committee by port Avenue on Saturday with family fun, food and entertainment. SEE FAIR, Page 10
PHOTO BY MARIA EPSTEN | THE BEACON
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