San Diego Uptown/Downtown News, November 6th, 2020

VOLUME 21 ISSUE 11

November 2020 Follow us on social media

Columbia • Core/Civic • Cortez Hill • East Village • Gaslamp/Horton Plaza • Little Italy • Marina

Comments open on port plan Page 9

Early results in election shore up Democrats’ power in SD

NEWS P. 3

Inequities in graffiti clean-up

KENDRA SITTON | Downtown & Uptown News

HISTORY P. 5

The Fern Street Circus performed at meal distributions while passing out information regarding the census.

(Photo by Gary Payne Photography)

In-person performances return to boost civic engagement

North Park street names

FILM P. 10

KENDRA SITTON | Downtown & Uptown News

With COVID restrictions still in place, many artists are only holding events virtually but a few groups have found creative ways to

bring their audiences outside while maintaining safety precautions.

Blindspot Collective and Fern Street Circus both held creative in-person events that promoted civic engagement.

In lieu of its typical neighborhood tour, Fern Street Circus brought its performers out to meal distributions at local SEE IN-PERSON EVENTS, Page 16

Different realities at top and bottom of housing market

‘The Outside Story’ delights

DOWNTOWN P. 14

KENDRA SITTON | Downtown & Uptown News

Supporting local businesses

Index History Politics Film Fashion Classifieds

4 8 10 11 13

Contact us Editorial/Letters 858-270-3101 x136 kendra@sdnews.com

Advertising

619-961-1958 miker@sdnews.com

sdnews.com

San Diego Community Newspaper Group

As the economy suffers amid the pandemic, California’s housing crisis has come into sharper focus, highlighting disparities in income and housing security. Even as many San Diegans struggle to pay the rent, housing prices are reaching record highs, most recently a median of $650,000 according to the San Diego Union-Tribune, amid tough competition for the few homes on the market. While SEE HOUSING MARKET, Page 2

Inside Uptown Safe Haven, a transitional housing center for chronically homeless people with severe mental illness. (Photo courtesy Episcopal Community Services)

RARE & ENDANGERED HELP GROW AND SAVE THEM Add one or more to your garden, landscape, or patio/indoor pots.

• Locally grown from seeds • Pickup at: Mission Hills Nursery Order online at:

www.joshuatreeplantadoptions.com

The election results will not be certified for another month but early leads, some of them insurmountable, paint a picture of who will potentially be representing Uptown and Downtown’s neighborhoods next year.

While this area has been consistently Democrat for years, some of the other areas in San Diego County shifted blue. After eight years of Republican Mayor Kevin Faulconer and a much longer Republican majority on the County Board of Supervisors, that office and the board flipped blue thanks to Terra Lawson-Remer defeating incumbent Supervisor Kristin Gaspar. City Council will have a Democrat super-majority.

State Senator Toni Atkins, City Attorney Mara Elliott and Assembly member Lorena Gonzalez all won their re-election bids handily.

While late ballots being counted could boost Council member Barbara Bry’s campaign, Assembly member Todd Gloria had a healthy lead in the mayoral race. However, like in the primary, that could change.

District 3 Council member Chris Ward will replace Gloria in the 78th Assembly District. Then, Democrat Stephen Whitburn, favored to win from the start, was elected to the District 3 seat with a huge portion of the votes. Sean Elo-Rivera had similar returns in District 9 and will replace Council President Georgette Gomez.

Gomez failed in her campaign to fill the House seat vacated by SEE ELECTION RESULTS, Page 12

2

San Diego Downtown & Uptown News November 2020

Housing market CONTINUED FROM Page 1

local and state governments added some protections to ensure people remain sheltered, worry remains that this just pushes an eviction crisis into next year.

Despite a slight decrease in rents since the pandemic began and new regulations, San Diego remains an enticing market for real estate investment. Cain International, a multi-national real estate investment firm, entered the San Diego market for the first time by purchasing the recently renovated historic Spreckels Building at 625 Broadway in February. By the end of September, about onethird of the units were full. Chris Nickerson, Senior Vice President of Cain International, said the apartments are not filling as fast as they would pre-pandemic but those numbers are still good.

“Frankly, relative to some other markets, in our view, San Diego is doing quite well... and then San Diego has a lot going for it in terms of weather and quality of life to attract people moving from some of these other markets,” Nickerson said.

He referenced one trend San Diego homesellers are seeing: significant interest from Bay Area tech professionals working remotely looking for relatively cheaper places to live.

San Diego’s booming life science industry is expanding Downtown.

In September, IQHQ real estate

NEWS

investment group acquired five-blocks of a bayfront development to create a biotech campus.

Council member Chris Ward said Downtown has long seen a reverse commute from residents in Downtown going to Carmel Valley and other areas each day for their jobs. He said moving some of those jobs to Downtown will cut down on commutes so the city can meet its climate goals. As the industry grows, he is not concerned that housing those professionals could exacerbate the housing A private room inside Uptown Safe Haven (Photo courtesy Episcopal Community Services) crisis.

“We have an abundance of lux- who qualified for Section 8 hous- run by Episcopal Community ury housing Downtown that's ing vastly outnumbered the stock Services came from the San Diego already built, some of which — available, with a waiting list for Convention Center, which was it's really difficult to pin down housing eight to 12 years long. converted into a homeless shelter the number — may not even be To some on the ground, those when the pandemic began. filled right now, don't even have shortages have gotten even worse Designated funding for the shelresidents down there. So we don't during the pandemic. ter runs out at the end of the year “The overall need has definite- and San Diego’s general fund is see a net replacement of affordable housing units that are in the ly increased and the inventory is strained. There is a rush to make low,” said Stacie Perez, the hous- sure the people in the center reDowntown area,” Ward said.

He added that any new develop- ing and clinical services director main housed instead of winding ments will have either affordable at Uptown Safe Haven. up back on the street. According units in them or putting money Uptown Safe Haven provides to Ward, by October there were towards the affordable housing transitional housing to seriously 700 individuals at the conventrust fund because of inclusionary mentally ill people with a histo- tion center who had already exhousing requirements. He said ry of homelessness. In the home- ited through a positive connecincentivizing building affordable like environment, 19 clients are tion – either a family member or housing will be key to meeting the connected to psychiatric care placed in a home. Another 400 shortages at the lower end of the and caseworks that help stabilize will be moved to hotels converted them as they look for permanent into housing within the next few housing market. months.

While luxury apartments are housing. plentiful, affordable housing is Some of the new clients in the In addition to buying hotels limited. Even pre-pandemic, those haven near Cambridge Square to convert into housing, the

sdnews.com city has provided rental assistance to families at risk of being evicted or falling into homelessness. Still, demand is much higher than what was provided.

For some activists, this is not enough. The crisis renters are facing has spurred several protests and organizing actions.

In a Sept. 30 town hall ahead of eviction filings restarting in October, activists said housing is a human right, not an investment.

During the pandemic, Ward said he has not heard of any affordable units going offline — need just outpaces availability.

According to reporting by Voice of San Diego, San Diego’s voting patterns show they are looking for dramatic solutions to the housing crisis. Although it likely fell short of being approved according to current counts, a majority of San Diegans voted for Measure A which would raise taxes to fund affordable housing.

Still, the new mayor, city council and county board could change the trajectory of the housing crisis.

Even without their action, many developments are slated to be complete in 2021 with affordable housing units.

—Kendra Sitton can be reached at kendra@sdnews.com.

sdnews.com

Uptown // Downtown Briefs

(Photo courtesy San Diego Tourism Authority)

CHICANO PARK TO BE SURVEYED FOR POSSIBLE INCLUSION AS A NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AFFILIATE The National Park Service (NPS) will undertake a reconnaissance survey to recognize the national significance of Chicano Park and its murals as an affiliated area of the National Park System.

This comes after a hearing on Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51)’s legislation H.R. 484, the Chicano Park Preservation Act of 2019 in front of the U.S. of House Representative’s Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands hearing on Oct. 29, 2019. The bill would require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a thorough study of San Diego’s Chicano Park to evaluate its national significance.

At the hearing, NPS expressed their openness to conducting the necessary study through administrative action rather than needing passage of the bill. After the hearing, Vargas sent a follow up letter to the NPS urging them to conduct the necessary study administratively.

“I’m very pleased to learn that the National Park Service will begin their preliminary assessment of Chicano Park early next year.

The National Park Service affiliation will help protect the park’s longevity and legacy,” said Vargas.

NPS affiliation would allow Chicano Park to be recognized, preserved, and protected as an American history landmark.

The affiliation would also make Chicano Park eligible for technical or financial aid from NPS. “Chicano Park is our spiritual home and represents a defining moment of victory for the Barrio Logan and Chicano community,” said Vargas.

Chicano Park was created after a group of dedicated residents came together to boycott the construction of a highway patrol station on the site of what is now Chicano Park.

SAN DIEGO RANKED SIXTH NATIONALLY FOR CLIMATE ACTION Five years following the adoption of a landmark Climate Action Plan, the City of San Diego has been ranked sixth in the country for reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in a national scientific study

by The Brookings Institution.

Examining climate action progress in the 100 largest U.S. cities, the “Pledges and Progress” report provides a thorough analysis of

climate policy and actions at the city level, taking into account the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In order to create the ranking, The Brookings Institution looked closely at the most recent GHG inventory and baseline emissions levels for each city.

In San Diego, the comparison was between 2010 and 2017 with a 21 percent reduction. Using more recent data from 2018, the City of San Diego has recorded a 24 percent decrease in GHG emissions since 2010.

THE SAN DIEGO FOOD SYSTEM ALLIANCE SEEKS COMMUNITY INPUT ON FOOD VISION 2030 STRATEGIES The San Diego Food System Alliance (SDFSA) invites all San Diego County residents to provide input as they develop the final set of strategies for Food Vision 2030. After a robust community engagement process earlier this SEE NEWS BRIEFS, Page 5

San Diego Downtown & Uptown News NEWS 3 November 2020 Analysis: Poorer neighborhoods receive slower response to graffiti KENDRA SITTON | Downtown & Uptown News

A new analysis of reported graffiti in San Diego has interesting findings about the city’s response to vandalism, including that wealthier neighborhoods like La Jolla and Pacific Beach had faster clean-up times than poorer areas like Mid-City.

Defense Attorney George H. Ramos, Jr. And his firm partnered with data visualization firm 1Point21 Interactive to build a map based on all the removal requests of graffiti from 2018 to September 2020 on the Get It Done app.

While the city aims to send crews to clean graffiti within five days of a request, the group found that the average time between when a report is made and when the city sends a team to clean up the graffiti is 23.5 days, a number that includes cases that are still in process. In some areas, the wait time for a crew to come was much longer.

In Pacific Beach, it took an average of 17.8 days to respond to a request compared to 42.7 days in Mid-City.

“The data shows very clearly shows that graffiti in wealthier areas is cleaned up much faster than in lower income areas; in fact, almost twice as fast,” Sam

A screenshot of the interactive map. Each dot represents a request to remove graffiti. For blue dots, the cases are closed. Orange means the case is still in process. Green dots were referred to another agency, such as Cal Trans. (Photo courtesy George H. Ramos & Associates) Larson of 1Point21 Interactive said.

The pandemic has affected removal requests. The report found that since lockdown began, reports fell by 27% compared to the same period in 2018.

In total, the analysis found that in the two-year period there were 85, 841 requests to remove graffiti. The largest portion, 13,794, were in MidCity: City Heights. While a

complaint-based system of solving issues can favor wealthier areas, in this case, the area with the most complaints still had a slower response than wealthier areas — suggesting not enough resources may be allocated to address the need there.

View the interactive map bit. ly/3mSUbmX. —Kendra Sitton can be reached at kendra@sdnews.com

4

HISTORY Military connections in West End San Diego Downtown & Uptown News November 2020

sdnews.com

San Diego street names: Part seven of the series

As discussed in earlier PastMatters columns, many 1870s San Diego pioneers lost their street name honors in North Park in 1899 and 1900. The original street names from present-day Alabama Street to Pershing Avenue were discussed in previous columns. This time the focus is on original names of northsouth streets in the West End tract, which extends from present-day 28th to Ray streets and was formed in 1873 by William Jefferson Gatewood (1830-1888).

Gatewood was born in Illinois and came to California by 1850, when the federal census recorded him as a miner living in Sacramento. Two years later, the California state census recorded him as a miner in Calaveras County. By 1860, he was living in San Andreas, Calaveras County and working as a lawyer. Starting in 1867, he edited and published a newspaper there, called the San Andreas Register. He moved to San Diego in 1868 at the urging of Philip Crosthwaite — a San Diego resident since the 1840s and Gatewood’s brother-in-law.

Crosthwaite wanted Gatewood to bring his newspaper to San Diego.

Gatewood published the first issue of the San Diego Union on October 10, 1868. Less than a year later, Gatewood sold his interest in the newspaper and focused on his career as an attorney who also dealt in real estate. The newspaper

continues to this day as the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Gatewood was actively involved in efforts to bring the railroad to San Diego, serving as president of the San Diego and Gila Southern Pacific and Atlantic Rail Road Company in 1869, and president of the San Diego and Fort Yuma Railroad Company in 1870. He became editor of another newspaper — the San Diego Daily World — in July 1872. Businesses advertising in the early issues included “J. Nash, general merchandise,” and “A.E. Horton, real estate.”

Gatewood died on March 26, 1888. The San Diego Union’s March 27, 1888 issue announced his passing under the headline “Colonel Gatewood Dead: One of the Early Pioneers of San Diego Closes an Eventful Life.” The article noted, “He filled many positions of public trust, and it may be said was always faithful to his constituents, regardless of party affiliations.” Gatewood and his wife, Mary Crosthwaite — who died in 1881 — are buried at Mount Hope Cemetery.

Gatewood named his northsouth streets after people he knew. From present-day 28th Street eastward, the original street names were Pemberton, Winder, Johnson, Gatewood, Brunson and Robinson. In the ordinances of 1899 and 1900, Pemberton became Idaho (later 28th), Winder became Utah, Johnson became Sherman (later Granada), Gatewood became Kansas (later 29th), Brunson became Nebraska (later 30th), and Robinson became Ray. Joseph Nash’s Park Villas

This sidewalk stamp on 28th Street at Landis Street reflects the state name 28th Street had between 1899 and 1914. The original name was Pemberton Street. (Photo by Katherine Hon)

Wealth Management

Taxes

(619) 295-0200 www.rowling.com

Financial Planning

tract is on either side of West End; the shared streets now called 28th and Ray may have been named by Nash in 1870.

Historical records do not reveal a San Diego pioneer with the last name of Pemberton. If Gatewood provided the name, perhaps he wanted to recognize First Lieutenant (later Major) John Clifford Pemberton (1814-1881), who fought valiantly with the U.S. Army 4th Artillery in the Mexican-American War during the late 1840s. Gatewood served in the 3rd Regiment of Illinois Volunteers during this war, and may have fought in some of the same battles.

An argument against Gatewood honoring John C. Pemberton with a street name is that Gatewood was an ardent Unionist, while Pemberton fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War. Lieutenant General Pemberton surrendered Vicksburg to Major Utah Street was originally named Winder Street for William Andrew Winder, General Ulysses S. Grant in 1863. a San Diego pioneer and the fascinating subject of this 2019 book by Civil However, Gatewood wrote in the War author, researcher and lecturer Jane Singer. (Book photo by Katherine Hon) first issue of his San Diego Union newspaper in 1868 that his “in- San Diego’s Old Town, where Fail to See Winder Tract, situated fluence shall be used in urging the Gatewood had set up shop for his within five minutes’ walk of the people to lay aside the animosities San Diego Union newspaper.

Motor Line soon to be completed to Old Town.” engendered within the last few years.” Maybe that also Winder played a role in establishing important inapplied to Gatewood’s own opinions about the Civil War. frastructure by participatIf prominent merchant ing with others — includNash provided the name, ing Gatewood — in the San he may have wanted to recDiego Bay Shore Railroad ognize Mark Pemberton, Company to build a rail line who was born in Ireland from Old Town to Horton’s in 1833 and came to the Addition. Winder also helped U.S. in 1868. In 1870, Mark develop the San Diego Water Pemberton was living in Los Works, which brought well Angeles. He became involved water from Mission Valley to the growing town. He in contacting businesses and residents to subscribe had the most success practo that growing city’s first ticing medicine in early San directory. The San Diego Diego. Although Winder Daily Union’s December never attended medical 16, 1871 issue mentioned school and did not have an under “Los Angeles Items” official license when he bethat “M. Pemberton, who William Jefferson Gatewood came from San gan, he was referred to as “Dr. Winder” by 1872 and has commenced canvassing Andreas in Calaveras County to San Diego in and established the San Diego Union for a Directory, is meeting 1868 newspaper. He named what is now 29th Street in established an office in New with encouraging success. his West End tract Gatewood Street for himself.

Town in 1873. He attended We understand that the (Courtesy of Calaveras County Historical Society) to Gatewood’s wife when Directory will embrace… she fell from a fishing boat Anaheim…and other places in the Winder’s varied post-military and nearly drowned in 1875 and county and will be a most valu- career included surveying, min- treated many other prominent able publication for all business ing and real estate. City deeds San Diego residents. men.” document that in February 1869, Winder left San Diego in 1894 While the actual person be- Winder acquired the 80-acre east for a special government aphind the Pemberton street name half of Pueblo Lot 1127 from the pointment in Round Valley near is conjecture, there is no doubt city trustees for $20, and Philip Sacramento, followed by other Gatewood named Winder Street Crosthwaite acquired the 80-acre assignments in South Dakota. He for his Old Town compatriot west half for the same amount. By died of cancer on March 6, 1903 William Andrew Winder (1823- 1873, City Lot Book 1 indicates in Omaha, Nebraska. Although 1903). Born into a prominent those 160 acres had changed he lost his North Park street name Maryland family, Winder stayed hands. Joseph Nash mapped the in 1899, a Winder Street survives loyal to the Union while his father east half as part of his Park Villas in Middletown, extending east of became an infamous Confederate tract, and Gatewood mapped the India Street for a few blocks not far general during the Civil War. west half as his West End tract. from the Winder Tract.

Lot Book 1 also records that by Winder’s interesting life story is The next PastMatters column told in “The War Criminal’s Son: 1873, Winder had purchased 10 will examine the original names The Civil War Saga of William A. acres in Pueblo Lot 1122 — an ar- of more North Park streets in the Winder” by Jane Singer. He spent ea in Middletown north of Upas West End tract. much of the Civil War command- between Curlew and Kite streets. ing a post at Alcatraz, then a mil- Throughout most of 1887, Hart & —Katherine Hon is the secretary itary prison and a fortress guard- Stern advertised lots for sale in the of the North Park Historical Society. ing the Bay of San Francisco. “Winder Tract,” exhorting read- Reach her at info@northparkhistoIn 1869, Winder arrived in ers of the San Diego Union, “Don’t ry.org or 619-294-8990.

HISTORY / NEWS Liquor, lockers and lively music

San Diego Downtown & Uptown News November 2020

sdnews.com

News briefs CONTINUED FROM Page 3

SANDEE WILHOIT

summer, SDFSA has developed a short survey for residents to select strategies that are most important to them and their communities. Food Vision 2030 is a bold, 10-year plan and movement to cultivate a healthier, more sustainable, and more just food system in San Diego County. Responses will be used to create a first-of-its-kind roadmap—one that will uplift food workers, allow more equitable access to nutritious food and easily withstand future catastrophic events like the coronavirus pandemic. The survey is open now through Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020) by visiting: engage.sdfsa.org.

Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation

This property, like all others, was originally owned by Alonzo Horton. In 1868, he sold the lot to another notable early San Diegan, Capt. Samuel S. Dunnells, for $500 in gold coin. Capt. Dunnells is credited with building the first hotel in Newtown (San Diego) in the early 1850s. Throughout the years, the property exchanged hands on a regular basis, with the only buildings on the site being a series of frame, one-story structures, which housed various businesses. These included a millinery store/residence run by Mrs. Artie A. Cosper, a jeweler, real estate offices, two restaurants, barbers, a photographer and a cigar store.

The most consistent businesses, however, were the Mercantile Restaurant and Fashion Dye Works.

Finally, in 1910, the property was sold to S.W. Grier and Arthur and Louise Cosgrove. The new owners initially hired contractor T.W. Coates to construct the current building, but a contract dated two weeks after Coates was hired indicates that the actual commission was awarded to the Standard Iron Works. Coates was to have constructed an adjoining building, also with a 50-foot frontage, for a different owner, who also replaced Coates with Standard Iron Works. It was additionally noted that the new building would replace the last frame landmarks on the Fifth Avenue business corridor. The cost for the combined buildings was $55,000.

The structure was designed in the modern commercial style, which was beginning to be the norm in the burgeoning commercial district. It was said to be patterned after the nearby Fritz Building on Fifth and F streets.

The three-story building was built of cream-colored pressed brick with prism glass and plate glass fronts. As the building was intended for commercial use, the

The Onyx Hotel Building today

The Onyx Hotel Building today (Photos by Sandee Wilhoit) large plate glass windows allowed for maximum display opportunities. On the interior ground floor, located between two 25-foot storage areas, was a stairway leading to the upper floors. The upper floors were divided into rooms and apartments. The central doorway was crowned with decorative stained glass. As the earliest and longest tenant was the Onyx Hotel, the words “The Onyx” were outlined in green and white tiles in the inside of the main entrance, as well as on the stained glass above the entrance.

The Onyx Hotel Building 1910 852 Fifth Avenue Architect: Unknown Architectural Style: Modern Commercial

From 1911 through 1938, the Onyx Hotel operated on the upper floors. Throughout those years, it had several proprietors and managers, and several who

had auxiliary enterprises on the premises.

Things were not always peaceful at the Onyx. In 1917, under the direction of Mayor Louis Wilde, a police squad raided the hotel.

It was widely rumored that the current owner/manager, Mrs. Alexandrea (Ramon) Garcia, was illegally selling alcohol to servicemen. Indeed, numerous sailors and soldiers were caught at the hotel, and bottles of beer, wine, gin and whiskey were confiscated. Later, it was rumored to be a “locker club,” where servicemen could keep a locker with their civilian clothes to change into before embarking on a night on the town. The 1921 Sanborn Fire Map clearly reveals steel trusses built to hold up lockers and labeled as such. In 1939, the Onyx became the Rex Hotel, and in 1941, it became the Gates and remained so until 1956. It later became SRO affordable housing under the ownership of Mrs. Zondra Schmidt, a local pioneer in the modern Gaslamp revitalization and restoration.

The downstairs of the building housed a variety of businesses that were more stable in longevity than the earlier businesses in the frame structures. Robert Cleator operated a retail shoe store from 1911 through 1915, and Smith’s Clothes for Men would sell you a new Fall suit for $15.00! From 1917 until 1925, San Diego Gas and Electric occupied the lower floor. They were followed by an optometrist, an insurance company and several attorneys.

The most recent incarnation for this historic structure is the Onyx subterranean nightclub, boasting music, local DJs, international talent and the best night in the Gaslamp. Unfortunately, it is now temporarily closed due to the COVD 19 pandemic restrictions.

—Sandee Wilhoit is the Historian and Lead Tour Guide for the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation. She can be reached at swilhoit@gaslampfoundation.org.

TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF 2020 GOLDEN WATCHDOG & FLEECE AWARDS The San Diego County Taxpayers Association (SDCTA) hosted its 25th annual Golden Watchdog & Fleece Awards, recognizing the best and worst in local government spending and decision-making in San Diego County. Below are the winners announced during the virtual celebration, which included networking and humorous skits featuring San Diego elected leaders.

Among the winners of the awards was the County of San Diego for doubling down on affordable of San Diego, City of San Diego and partners for launching Shelter to Home to house unsheltered people at the Convention Center and a public-private partnership that assisted police officers buying homes in the City of San Diego as part of a community policing initiative. The City of San Diego

5

was also given a special COVID award for letting restaurants to expand into the streets.

The losers for the night were the Port of San Diego for an unlawful fee for rental cars and the City of San Diego for the 101 Ash Street debacle.

CITY COUNCIL APPROVED SALE OF DOWNTOWN PROPERTY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING The City Council unanimously approved the sale of a piece of City-owned land on Cortez Hill in Downtown to Community HousingWorks, an affordable-housing developer that plans to demolish the existing building and replace it with apartments priced as affordable for low-income residents.

Until this past May, the property, located at 1449 Ninth Ave., was occupied by the Cortez Hill Family Shelter, a 47-unit transitional center for families lacking permanent housing. The three-story building had fallen into severe disrepair, and on May 19, 2020, the City Council declared the land to be “surplus,” paving the way for it to be sold.

“With the sale of this property, the City could potentially be creating more than 100 new homes for families and individuals who would otherwise struggle to find affordable places to live,” said Council President Georgette Gómez. “This is exactly what we should be doing with our surplus land. I look forward to seeing the City do more of this with excess property in the future.”

The sale price at the appraised value of $11,593 takes into account the deed restriction that comes with the property requiring 44 units to continue to be priced as affordable for SEE NEWS BRIEFS, Page 10

6

OPINION

San Diego Downtown & Uptown News November 2020

sdnews.com

Guest Editorials

Q’Anon threatens How local churches can foster to unravel the racial justice and reconciliation work to end human trafficking

By DAVID E. CUMMINGS

By KIM BERRY JONES and DR. JAMIE GATES

Part of an $810 million underground illicit sex economy in San Diego alone, human trafficking is hiding in plain sight in our community. It impacts thousands of people from all ages and backgrounds. At the same time, our mobile phones ping us with notifications throughout our day; we are constantly filtering social media messages, determining what’s important and what we need to ignore. Now a duplicitous and even dangerous string of messages has cropped up: an attempt by Q’Anon sympathizers and supporters to co-opt the fight against human trafficking.

The work to end human trafficking in San Diego is a decades-long collaborative effort supported by multi-sector partners who work to identify those who are exploited, provide services to restore victims and track down and prosecute traffickers. A critical part of this effort is public awareness, helping our community understand what human trafficking is, how and where it happens in San Diego and what each one of us can do to end it.

Enter the social media messaging of Q’Anon supporters and promoters, luring people into a web of lies that threatens to distract, mislead, divide and tear apart decades of hard-fought advances in the fight against human trafficking.

While human trafficking is an intractable social issue, it consistently draws bipartisan support with the Trump administration and past administrations funding services and visibility that has done much to advance the cause. Q’Anon’s entrance to the conversation around human trafficking threatens to unravel this critical collaboration across the aisle of political rivalry. Q’Anon, once a fringe phenomenon is now a rapidly spreading set of conspiracy theories flooding social network platforms.

Q’Anon supporters and sympathizers are using people’s passions about the atrocities of human trafficking as bait to lure those sympathetic to the anti-trafficking cause into their broader and more diffuse disinformation campaign. As reported elsewhere, “MarcAndré Argentino, a Ph.D. candidate at Concordia University who is studying Q’Anon, said he had identified 51 Facebook groups that branded themselves as anti-child trafficking organizations, but which were actually predominantly sharing Q’Anon conspiracies.”

Kristina Davis recently reported on this issue in the San Diego Union Tribune, engaging local Q’Anon inspired rally attendees and noting that experts worry Q’Anon conspiracies are diverting essential attention and resources from the actual fight against child trafficking.

In often subtle and sometimes notso-subtle ways, Q’Anon proponents SEE Q’ANON THREATENS, Page 14

Bishop AB Vines of New Seasons Church in Spring Valley knows a thing or two about racial bias first-hand.

“If I get a ticket for a light not being lit, there’s five cops, guaranteed, because I’m 5 foot 10 inches, 300 pounds.

That’s not happening to you [looking at me]. I’ve done all the right things. I went to college. I’ve been married for over 25 years, been in ministry for 30 years, I became vice president of the [Southern Baptist] Convention, but I still get nervous when a cop comes by. All he sees is a black guy. I should not have to have that fear. You [looking at me again] don’t have that fear. I live that fear every single day.”

New Seasons is a large, multi-site church comprising a diverse array of ethnicities.

“Everyone goes through pain, everyone wants to experience love, and we can’t survive without hope,” says Vines. “Everybody at some point needs those three things. It’s universal.”

Despite our shared humanity, however, the majority population sets the standards for intelligence, success, and acceptability.

“The Anglo population thinks or has been thinking or assuming that they are the model and the measure for success,” says Juan-Daniel Espitia, Pastor of Hispanic Ministries at Solana Beach Presbyterian Church in North County. “The Anglo ethnocentric perspective has criminalized whomever looks different, whomever has an accent, whoever’s skin is like mine [brown]. It has been criminalized and thought of as a thief or someone who is going to hurt you or me and our children so we must get rid of them.”

While the church may not be able to undo four centuries of racial injustice entirely on its own, it is in a unique position to facilitate one of the greatest needs of our time.

A c c o r d i n g t o C it y Life Church Pastor Dale Huntington, “there’s a lot of wisdom we can gain from people in these neighborhoods. For the longest time I thought that I needed to speak up on behalf of people, and [now] I’m trying to learn how to speak up for people to listen to other people. We need to have a learning posture from all people.”

As close communities with common beliefs and values,

churches are ideally situated to foster open and honest conversations about race.

Espitia agrees.

“I think one of the things we need to cultivate is learning to listen to each other,” says Espitia.

“There are a lot of assumptions, New Season Church Bishop AB Vines (Courtesy prejudices, judg- photo) ing before, and that means that there is fear shopping at Nordstrom’s, I’m and ignorance about ‘the oth- going to get followed. Those er.’ We need to learn to listen things have got to be really with empathy and respect.” recognized and dealt with,” Mid-City Church of the says Vines.

Nazarene in City Heights Espitia believes that the takes this principle one step kind of dialogue that makes further by ensuring that mul- a real difference requires hutiple ethnicities are represent- mility. “Humility is the one ed in the church’s leadership. characteristic that would al“I think the beauty in the low us to see ‘the others’ the multi-congregational model way God sees them. Humility is in how we make decisions would be the prerequisite.” together and govern together With humility and emwhen it comes to ministry or pathy as the guiding prinresponses to, say, Black Lives ciples, Espitia and Solana Matter,” says Mid-City Pastor Beach Presbyterian Church Becky Modesto. “Because you held monthly meetings on have so many different cul- hot-button immigration istural perspectives, you have sues. “Many ministers are to really listen well. Taking aware of these things, but time to have people who are they are scared of what their different than you at the table congregation is going to do,” he told me. is really important.”

During recent protests in After a year of complex San Diego to police brutali- immigration conversations, ty, Mid-City didn’t unilater- they decided to ask a parishally take action to express ioner named Pedro who had its opinions. Instead, they migrated to the United States reached out to the local stake- to share his story with the holders to hear what they felt church body. “When he prewould be most helpful from sented his testimony, the conthe church. gregation started to applaud “I called several leaders and stood up.” No one, not here and just asked, ‘how even Espitia, expected that can we best walk alongside kind of gracious response. you?’” says Modesto. “[It’s “Churches need to find about] listening to people’s their voice, and they need to stories, that empathy of just be the nourishing environsitting there, just listening ment where open, honest, and understanding.” humble, and respectful conEmpathetic conversation versations occur.” with people who are not like Today, the local church has us or with whom we disagree, an opportunity – some would however, is not easy. “One of say a responsibility – to step the problems is that we’re up and make a tangible difnot willing to see if perhaps ference in the lives of people we’re participating in system- in our communities who feel ic racism and benefiting from unheard, unvalued, and ofit,” says Huntington. “We’re ten unwelcome. The time has just willing to say, ‘I’m not a come to open our minds, our racist.’ And there’s so much hearts, and our front doors to empathetic and humble more digging to do.”

Overt racism is easy to spot conversations about racism and easy to correct. It’s the in San Diego. subtle biases, the things we think and say and do with—David Edward out even realizing it, that are Cummings, PhD is a profesmost insidious. sor of biology at Point Loma “If I go into an elevator, a Nazarene University and author white woman is going to hold of “Everybody’s Got Bears,” her purse tighter. When I go available on Amazon.

1621 Grand Ave. Suite C San Diego, CA 92109 858-270-3103 sdnews.com Facebook.com/sandiegodowntownnews Twitter: @sddowntownnews Instagram: @sd_downtownnews

EDITOR Kendra Sitton kendra@sdnews.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Jeff Clemetson x130 Tom Melville x131 Dave Schwab x 132 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Toni Atkins Sarah Brothers Diana Cavagnaro Tom Cesarini David E. Cummings Dr. James Gates Christopher Gomez Katherine Hon Kim Berry Jones Vince Meehan Summer Stephan Sandee Wilhoit

WEB / SOCIAL MEDIA Kendra Sitton ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Mike Rosensteel (619) 961-1958 miker@sdnews.com Lauren Vernon (571) 259-1530 lauren@sdnews.com BUSINESS CONSULTANT David Mannis (619) 961-1951 david@sdcnn.com ACCOUNTING Heather Humble x120 accounting@sdnews.com PUBLISHER Julie Main x106 julie@sdnews.com

OPINIONS/LETTERS: San Diego Downtown News encourages letters to the editor and guest editorials. Please email either to kendra@sdnews.com and include your phone number and address for verification. We reserve the right to edit letters for brevity and accuracy. Letters and guest editorials do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or staff.

SUBMISSIONS/NEWS TIPS: Press releases and story ideas are welcomed. Send press releases, tips, photos or story ideas to kendra@sdnews.com.

For breaking news and investigative story ideas contact the editor by phone or email.

DISTRIBUTION: San Diego Downtown News is distributed free on the first Friday of every month.

Copyright 2020. All rights reserved.

LA JOLLA

San Diego Downtown & Uptown News LITTLE ITALY 7 November 2020 Annual holiday traditions Amici House celebrates the return to Little Italy Italian-American experience sdnews.com

in-store specials and discounts for shoppers to enjoy. Businesses will be extending their hours to help

By CHRISTOPHER GOMEZ you find those perfect gifts for everyone on the list from fashion acThe time has come to start cessories and home décor to good spreading a little holiday cheer! eats and gift cards. For more inLittle Italy remains determined formation, visit LittleItalySD.com. to support its local businesses The annual Little Italy Tree and residents while attempting Lighting Ceremony kicks off to maintain a sense of normalcy December virtually with the with public health and safety at Little Italy Holiday Special that the forefront. While we may be will be streaming on Saturday, celebrating a little differently this December 5th at 5:30 p.m. on year, Little Italy is still shining various platforms. One of the bright and looking forward to most anticipated events of the another spectacular holiday sea- year, Little Italy will shine bright son—with a few changes. during this 45-minute “Hallmarkstyle” broadcast. The Special will include the tree lighting ceremony of the 30-foot tall live Christmas tree in the Piazza della Famiglia led by the Little Italy Association leadership with an Italian countdown initiated by Father Joe Tabigue of Our Lady of the Rosary and exciting performances including a musical performance

by Our Lady of the Rosary Choir in the historically renovated Church, a reading of Twas the Night Before Christmas by Santa & Mrs. Claus, and Holiday decorations in Little Italy (Photo courtesy Little Italy Association) much more. For more information, visit Get started on your holiday LittleItalySDTreeLighting.com. shopping during Small Business Little Italy is also excited Saturday on November 28. to announce the return of its Boutiques, galleries, restaurants Wednesday Holiday Market and other locally owned businesses in Little Italy will be offering SEE HOLIDAY TRADITIONS, Page 9

Little Italy News

Little Italy Culture & Heritage

By TOM CESARINI Art. Science. Music. Food.

Fashion. The components that form Italian culture are multifaceted, foundational, and continue to inspire. The word “Italian” is certainly synonymous with “rich” and “vibrant.”

AMICI HOUSE

Amici House in Little Italy— through its own revamping of the Italian American experience— has become a touchstone for celebrating the Italian-immigrant story in recognition of its value to the foundations and fabric of our nation and for emphasizing the

Italian component in the abundant multicultural landscape of our city. At Amici House, we celebrate the Italian American way.

To provide a better experience for our visitors, we have redefined our indoor and outdoor space: Inside, you will find new images covering the walls, celebrating all things Italian as well as honoring the past through local historical photographs donated by community members.

Outside, our new patio deck houses our caffè—Little Italy’s only nonprofit coffee bar—providing an abundance of beverages and snacks. Proceeds help to support our arts, culture, and heritage programs as well as supporting unsheltered and at-risk children at Washington

Caffè Caritàzza at Amici House, Little Italy’s only nonprofit coffee bar. (Photos courtesy Convivio)

Elementary in the neighborhood.

Stop by, grab your favorite beverage, learn more about our nonprofit work, and feel good about supporting the community!

ITALIANSANDIEGO— RELAUNCHING THIS MONTH! We are hard at work on relaunching the updates to our networking program, Italian San Diego, a virtual piazza of resources in our Italian community and a variety of special offers for community members. This free online resource will provide a directory of local Italian links to restaurants, retailers, and organizations in one convenient location. An event calendar will SEE AMICI HOUSE, Page 9

Amici House interior. New prints serve as conversation pieces in an intimate setting.

8

POLITICS Giving thanks during November San Diego Downtown & Uptown News November 2020

communities in the world in the colleagues, Assembly member 39th Senate District—and I’m Todd Gloria and Congress memgrateful to serve a region whose ber Scott Peters, to hand out

By TONI G. ATKINS agricultural bounty helps grace the 2,500 boxes of fresh food provided nation’s Thanksgiving tables with through the U.S. Department of Thanks! That is a word that is crops valued at almost half a billion Agriculture for families in need. increasingly in our minds and dollars—and that’s just consider- And I’m grateful for California’s hearts when November rolls ing our avocados, citrus, vegetables Office of Emergency Services for introducing me to COPE around. and vine crops and fruit trees.

While the upcoming holiday I am grateful for the first re- Preparedness, so that we could faseason will be different than usu- sponders, medical professionals, cilitate the distribution of donated al—as everything in 2020 has teachers, grocery and pharmacy masks and hand sanitizer along been—there are many things that workers, and small businesses with the food, as well as with acwill stay the same, including the who have been working so hard curate public health information gratitude we feel for the blessings to keep us safe and providing as in an effort to help stop the spread in our lives, blessings that shine much “normalcy” as possible of COVID-19. through even in tough times. during this pandemic.

I am also grateful for the members of my I20SDG16438_Gas know I am grateful for the privI am grateful for theNetwork__RUN: oppor- hard-working Crew Safety__SD Community News July 2020__ staff here in San Diego who, in ilege of serving some of the finest tunity I recently had with my 1/2 pg Vertical, 4C__Trim: 6.1” x 10.96”

sdnews.com

Notes from Toni

SDG&E GAS CREWS NEVER SLEEP. SO YOU CAN REST EASIER.

who provide the blessings in our lives, and that we can express our gratitude by shopping small businesses and supporting local restaurants for take-out meals to make the holidays special. Filling the shelves at our local food banks and shelters. Maybe even changing the life of a senior pet and bringing them to their new forever home for the holidays. There are so many ways we are blessed.

And so many ways we can help bless others.

Wishing you and your loved ones all the best as the holiday season ramps up!

—Toni G. Atkins is President pro Tempore of the California Senate. Having previously served as Speaker of the California Assembly, she began her tenure in the Senate in 2016. As Senator for District 39, she represents the cities of San Diego, Coronado, Del Mar and Solana Beach. Website of President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins: Senate. ca.gov/Atkins

Pay your bills, not scammers District Attorney News

By SUMMER STEPHAN

They’re out there every day and night. SDG&E® safety workers respond 24/7 when a gas leak is suspected. At times, SDG&E crews or gas technicians may need to access a customer’s property to inspect the gas meter and other equipment to keep our system safe and reliable. If you smell a gas leak, go to a safe area away from the leak and call 911 or 800-611-SDGE.

Learn more at sdge.com/safety

Follow us on: © 2020 San Diego Gas & Electric Company. Trademarks are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

20SDG16438_Gas Crew Safety_SDComNwsNtwk_6.1x10.96.indd 1

addition to their regular workload, helped with that event and have successfully aided more than a thousand constituents navigate issues involving the Employment Development Department and other agencies during this pandemic. Our goal is to keep advocating for solutions that will make it unnecessary for folks to go outside of these agencies for assistance, but we remain here to help as well.

I am eternally grateful for the love and support of my spouse Jennifer and our friends and family, including the two furry members of our household, who are generally adorable, and only occasionally divas when yet another Zoom meeting comes along to delay their walk or snack needs.

Of course, while having “thanks” in our minds and hearts is terrific this time of year, it’s even better when we have “thanks” on our lips and in our wallets as well.

So I hope we can all go out of our way to say thank you to all those

6/22/20 8:20 AM

Paying bills online is very common, but unfortunately even something as mundane as paying a utility bill can become a rollercoaster ride now that scammers frequently pose as utility companies. The scam involves a bad actor calling the victim and pretending to be the representative of a utility company and claiming to have encountered a problem with address information or payment method. Using this excuse, the scammer asks the victim for sensitive information that allows the scammer to open a fraudulent bank or credit account using the victim’s information. Additionally, the scammer will often ask the victim to buy gift cards or to wire money directly to them in order to pay a “late fee” or “overdue balance.”

Professional scammers are very good at pretending to be legitimate companies and encountering a mistake on a bill is not out of the ordinary, so it’s easy to fall prey to this scam. Keep these tips in mind to avoid getting swindled.

• If you suspect you received a phony utility company call, hang up and contact the company directly using publicly available phone numbers to verify they were trying to reach you.

• Utility companies may not change your service unless they

provide advanced notice. If a company is going to disconnect a service, they will typically let you know at least a few weeks in advance in writing by mail or email. If you receive any phone call claiming an imminent and immediate shut-off of a service, it is a scam. Hang up and contact the company directly using publicly available phone numbers.

• A utility company will never make you feel pressured. If you receive a call pressuring you to wire money or release sensitive personal information, then it is a scam call. Hang up and contact your utility company directly.

• Some scammers have gone as far as to mail customers fake checks claiming to provide a refund for an overpayment on the account. This is a common scam and individuals should be on the lookout for such fake letters. If you receive one, contact your utility company directly and verify that your account has not been compromised.

• A common tactic scammers use is asking victims to buy gift cards or wire money in order to pay an overdue balance. A utility company will never ask you to buy a gift card or wire money. Do not buy a gift card or wire money and immediately hang up on any caller asking you to do so.

• Finally, don’t let yourself be fooled because a scammer calls from a number matching your SEE PAYING BILLS, Page 11

sdnews.com

NEWS / LITTLE ITALY

Downtown San Diego residents invited to review Revisded Draft of Port Master Plan Update Downtown San Diego residents are invited to review the Port of San Diego’s Revised Draft of the Port Master Plan Update and learn about proposed changes that would affect future hotel development, view corridors, access to the waterfront and height limits.

Continuing robust public outreach efforts for its Port Master Plan Update (PMPU) process, the Port of San Diego has invited the public to review and provide feedback on the Revised Draft PMPU. This document will guide future waterfront business uses, public access and development of water and land within the Port’s jurisdiction on and around San Diego Bay. The PMPU has something for everyone who enjoys San Diego Bay. A major milestone, this latest draft considers and reflects extensive and valuable community input received on the Discussion Draft released in April 2019. At this step, the Port encourages and welcomes additional public feedback.

In response to extensive public input, there are sections that may be of interest to Downtown San Diego residents in the Revised Draft PMPU. Looking ahead, the plan will allow for redevelopment of the area that includes the Wyndham San Diego Bayside and the Navy property at 1220 Pacific Highway. With any future development, the Port will protect all view corridors that are contemplated in the Downtown Community Plan. Responding to resident concerns, the Port has ensured that any new development will provide the porosity necessary to allow the public to traverse between Downtown and the waterfront, with activated pedestrian corridors. In addition, the Port codified “visual porosity,” through view corridors, setbacks and strict height limits.

People walking along the port.

The Port also reduced projected hotel rooms to ensure an appropriate transition in density from the urban core to the water. The result is a vision for improving and activating this area with amenities for residents, workers and visitors to Downtown, while protecting the beautiful views of the bay.

Key components of the Revised Draft PMPU that concern the North Embarcadero Subdistrict include: Building heights lowered – The Port’s Discussion Draft released in 2019 proposed limit heights based on the adjacent jurisdiction, which would have allowed structures up to 450 feet. Responding to community input, the Revised Draft PMPU proposes much stricter building heights than originally proposed in the area bounded

by Ash Street, B Street, Pacific Highway, and North Harbor Drive. The maximum building height is now proposed to range between 80 feet and 200 feet in this area.

View corridors expanded – The 2019 Discussion Draft proposed to establish and preserve View Corridor Extensions at Hawthorn Street, B Street, West Broadway, and E Street. The Revised Draft PMPU expands the establishment and preservation of View Corridor Extensions to several additional

locations, including Hawthorn Street, Grape Street, Ash Street, A Street, B Street, C Street, West Broadway, E Street and F Street.

Hotel rooms reduced – The 2019 Discussion Draft proposed the addition of up to 1,400 net new hotel rooms in the North Embarcadero.

After extensive community dialogue, the Revised Draft PMPU has been revised to reduce that number to 950 new hotel rooms that would be allowed between Ash Street and Broadway. This will also include 30,000 square feet of retail, restaurant, and/or meeting space.

Waterfront access improved – The reconnection of A Street and B Street will establish porosity and greater ease of access to the waterfront.

Navy Pier’s future – In the Revised Draft PMPU, the Navy Pier is assigned the Recreation Open Space designation, setting the stage for a future park.

Window to the Bay Pier/waterfront destination park – The Revised Draft PMPU includes a vision for adding more green space and connection to a public pier.

This will include synergy with the iconic County Waterfront Park.

To review the Revised Draft and provide feedback, go to portofsandiego.org/pmpu. Feedback will be accepted through Tuesday, November 17, 2020.

A view of the Coronado Bridge from Seaport Village (Photo courtesy Port of San Diego)

San Diego Downtown & Uptown News November 2020

Holiday traditions CONTINUED FROM Page 7

running every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through the month of December, with the exception of December 30th.

Located in the Piazza della Famiglia, you can once again find your favorite farmers, artisan food producers, local crafters, and gifts all within the heart of the community. The Holiday Market will be operating under similar COVID-19 guidelines as the Little Italy Mercato including restricting the number of people allowed inside at one time and asking that shoppers wear facial coverings and maintain proper social distancing with a minimum of six feet between them and the vendors.

Spread some cheer to a child in need during the 10th Annual Little Italy Toy Drive. Over the past decade, the Little Italy Association has hosted the annual toy drive benefiting the foster children of New Alternatives, Inc. and has brought in over 6,000 toys. Participating restaurants, retailers and the Little Italy Mercato will host drop-off

Amici House CONTINUED FROM Page 7

link to all the goings-on in our community, while our blog will highlight noteworthy updates in the community. Be on the lookout for the launch this month by following us: @italiansandiego.

ITALIAN HONORARY CONSULATE IN SAN DIEGO The office of the Italian Honorary Consulate is located at Amici House in Little Italy.

The office has been closed temporarily due to the pandemic,

9

boxes where guests can drop off new, unwrapped toys for children ages 1 to 18. The Little Italy Toy Drive will go from November 2nd to December 14th.

Little Italy will be “decking the halls” of the neighborhood with festive décor and embellishments as a way to spread holiday cheer and spirit throughout the season. The Little Italy Association also plans to introduce several other activities on its social media and other platforms.

As Little Italy begins to slowly and safely reopen, the Little Italy Association is constantly looking for new and creative ways to allow people to enjoy the neighborhood and experience some of the best shops and eateries in San Diego. This holiday season, more than ever before, we must be there to support one another and lend a hand to those in need.

—For the latest updates on Little Italy, please visit us at LittleItalySD.com or follow us on Instagram @LittleItalySD, Twitter @LittleItalySD and Facebook @ LittleItalySD. Christopher Gomez has been Little Italy’s District Manager since 2000. Reach him at chris@littleitalysd.com. but assistance is still available through the Web or by phone.

For more information, please visit sditalianconsulate.org or call 619-800-7974.

—Tom Cesarini is the executive director and founder of Convivio and also serves as the Italian honorary consul of San Diego. Convivio cultivates community and fellowship, advances Italian cultural identity, and fosters multicultural awareness across myriad disciplines through education and research, social enrichment, and innovative programming. Visit: conviviosociety.org | Follow: @conviviosociety

10

FILM sdnews.com News briefs San Diego Int’l Film Festival occurs virtually San Diego Downtown & Uptown News November 2020

CONTINUED FROM Page 5

households earning no more than 30% of area median income (AMI). The new project is expected to consist of between 75 and 110 apartments, including the 44 units that will be deed-restricted as affordable for households earning no more than 30% of AMI. The remainder of the units will be priced as affordable for households earning between 30-80% of AMI. In her 2017 Housing Action Plan, Council President Gómez stressed the need to amend the City Council’s policy on the disposition of surplus land, known as Council Policy 70010, so that providing additional affordable housing is a primary consideration. The proposed revisions to Council Policy 70010 were heard at the City’s Land Use and Housing Committee on Oct. 15, where it passed on a unanimous vote. The proposed changes to Council Policy 70010 are expected to be heard by the full City Council before the end of 2020.

‘The Outside Story’ about neighborliness among cache of relevant comedies for this dark time

and anxiety, each time I scrolled through the feature films options, The San Diego International I was only drawn to comedies.

Film Festival occurred digitally Despite all the options, I avoidlike so many of San Diego’s biggest ed thrillers, documentaries and events this year. Instead of crowd- dramas – genres I typically enjoy. ing into theaters, participants, in- What I wanted from this festival cluding me, could watch dozens was undiluted escapism, even if I of feature films, documentaries would later have to write about it and shorts from their homes. A for work. few major films showed as driveTo that end, there were plenty of in movies in La Jolla’s UTC mall feature-length comedies to choose although I skipped those. from including “Eat Wheaties!”

A dizzying array of film op- starring Tony McHale (“Arrested tions were available for live Development”), which won for streaming or on demand, as well best comedy, coming-of-age dramas conversations with filmmak- edy “The Miseducation of Bindu” ers. Screened at the festival was and wickedly sharp dark comedy Oscar-bait movie “Nomadland” “Ms. White Light.” Short films starring Frances McDormand, brought their own hilarious mowhich won an Audience’s Choice ments, with the LGBTQ section beaward. Other award winners at ing particularly potent. I watched the festival may not be high in the campy musical “Romance is contention for Academy Awards Dead” directed by former SDSU but still impressed the judges and student Todd Jackson on repeat audience. “Drunk Bus” won best as each time I noticed a new defeature film, “MLK/FBI” won best lightful detail. documentary and “150 Million Among the comedies worth Magical Sparrows” won best in- your time was “The Outside ternational feature.

Story” from debut writer and diThe film festival also high- rector Casimir Nozkowski. In his ORCHIDS & ONIONS GO TO lighted the work of many local first lead role in a feature, Brian LOCAL PROPERTIES filmmakers with several shorts Tyree Henry (“Atlanta”) stars as blocks and a handful of feature introverted and heartbroken vidThe San Diego Architectural Foundation (SDAF) has anfilms, including one made during eo editor Charles Young who gets nounced this year’s architecthe quarantine. After a year of locked out of his Brooklyn apartture and design winners and stress, depression, financial crises ment. Through his attempts to get back into losers throughout San Diego his apartment County at the 2020 Orchids & Onions award ceremony. to meet a deadThe ceremony revealed this line, he beyear’s Orchids (winners) and friends many of Onions (losers) chosen from the the neighbors he had previ101 nominations received in the categories of architecture, ously avoidhistoric preservation, interior ed. The film is good-hea r tdesign, landscape architecture and miscellaneous. ed and fun as “The Outside Story” is Brian Tyree Henry’s first lead role neighbors slowin a feature film.

SEE NEWS BRIEFS, Page 12 ly help Henry lighten up and repair his relationship.

The people Charles interacts with are burgeoning stars in their own right. In a Q&A session, di• Sand and Finish • Hardwood rector Nozkowski explained that • Four Generations of • Luxury Vinyl he thought getting Henry in the • Trimwork Serving San Diego role was a longshot but reached out to his agent anyway. When • FREE Estimates and Referrals AARON DAY Henry enthusiastically came on 619.665.9572 floorworxSanDiego@gmail.com board, the cast quickly filled out with Sonequa Martin-Green, Sunita Mani, Olivia Edward, Asia Kate Dillon and others in a screenplay that calls for over a dozen lead speaking roles.

KENDRA SITTON | Downtown & Uptown News

Floorworx

Sitting there waiting for customers?

Call or text Paul to advertise today!

858.926.9063 • paul@sdnews.com

Stills from the Outside Story (Photos by Brandon Munoz) Henry gives an excellent per- only scene that comes across as formance with understated too short is between Asia Kate physical humor punctuated with Dillard (“Billions”) and Rebecca bursts of action. The effervescent Naomi Jones as partners who disSunita Mani (“GLOW”) delivers cover they both cheated on each an anxious and enthusiastic per- other. In his Q&A, Nozkowski adformance as a pedantic parking mitted that their quick reconciliaenforcement cop. tion verges on unrealistic. That is Unlike many films and shows an understatement but the point set in New York City, this was of the scene is achieved: Charles actually filmed in the Big Apple. needs to learn to lighten up in his Nozkowski is a life-long resident of own relationship. the state, which perhaps i nformed his decision to subvert a New York stereotype about rudeness to show how neighborly many are. The cast is very diverse which brings more verisimilitude to a story set in New York. Sunita Mani was one of the most hilarious supporting While the film actors in the film. is warm-hearted and certainly believes that more The movie is particularly timely human interaction is beneficial, as many people find themselves it is not under the illusion that isolated at home. As the cast inall people are good. Some minor teracts in close quarters without characters like a group of bullies masks, it is downright utopic.

Other aspects have aged poorly and a controlling mom are clear villains without much in the way between the filming and its reof positive attributes. lease after a summer where peoIn the tight 85-minute film, ple have protested against the ill there are many hilarious mo- treatment of Black people by poments, including Henry repeat- lice. Police aggression is played for edly interrupting a threesome in laughs over and over in some of the upstairs apartment, teaching the funniest scenes in the movie. an elderly neighbor how to use “I couldn’t hear you over the online dating apps and acciden- injustice,” Charles says to a cop tally dropping a water balloon on mumbling an apology in one of an enraged Officer Slater (Mani). the movie’s final scenes.

Overall, keeping the movie It requires cognitive dissonance short without prolonged come- to watch without also thinking dic scenes with diminishing re- of the many ways a police officer turns was a smart choice. The targeting a large Black man could go in real life. Sami’s Officer Slater has the best redemption arc in the film and her performance is still heartfelt. Henry does get several quips about his treatment by the police even as some of the scenes are unintentionally cringy.

Despite its few flaws, “The Outside Story” gives Henry a chance to show off his acting chops on the big screen (well, small in this case) and shows audiences should look out for future Nozkowski projects.

Sonequa Martín-Green filmed all of her scenes in only a few days between other projects.

—Kendra Sitton can be reached at kendra@sdnews.com.

sdnews.com

FASHION / POLITICS

San Diego Downtown & Uptown News November 2020

11

Paying bills CONTINUED FROM Page 8

One of the bikinis sold by Hola Swim

The Hola Swim storefront

Many of the suits incorporate animal print.

Hola Swim keeps the summer going in style Fashion Files

By DIANA CAVAGNARO Hola Swim is a local business operated by Aida Soria and Syncletica Maestas. These two have been lifelong friends here in San Diego and decided to start a company when they couldn’t find swimwear that they liked.

Soria received a communications degree from San Diego State University and Maestas received a business degree at Parsons, The New School for Design.

When I interviewed them many years back their business was called Dos Caras Swimwear. People had trouble pronouncing it so they changed it to Hola Swim which reflects their Latino heritage. Hola means ‘hello’ or ‘wave’ and communicates a warm feeling. Last year they opened an adorable storefront on Logan Avenue and currently are open by appointment only. The store is very intimate and they have events on the street during the year.

This amazing duo creates comfortable and stylish swimwear for all sizes and have had everything made here in San Diego until coronavirus lockdown measures.

In March, many operations were halted which left them with a lot of left-over fabric. They found that it was taking too much time bringing their new line from the pattern maker, and then to the cutter, and onto the sewer. These small businesses here in the US were too slow and they found that everything was delayed. Soria and Maestas felt their next option was to make small capsule collections in a factory in Bali that will do everything for them. Now they won’t have to wait and wonder if the cutter will complete the job in time to give it to the sewers. It will all be done with this one company. Since this is a second job for both of them this will take away a lot of stress and they will be able to meet their orders now.

In 2018 ,they had rave reviews when they showed a collection at Fashion Week San Diego. In February 2013 they went to NOLCHA at New York Fashion Week and then again in February 2019 they showed at Pier 52 with small emerging brands. There was a lot of press there which led to being featured in Vogue Paris and Cosmo Latina. A pivot in their life was going to the Small Business Counseling Development Center.

They helped them to come up with

—District Attorney Summer Stephan has dedicated more than 29 years to serving justice and victims of crime as prosecutor.

She is a national leader in fighting sex crimes and human trafficking and in creating smart and fair criminal justice solutions and restorative justice practices that treat the underlying causes of addiction and mental illness and that keep young people from being incarcerated.

The brand is size inclusive. a plan to help grow their business.

Since they moved online, their business has grown remarkably.

In addition to online sales, they also sell wholesale. These swimsuits are very versatile and multifunctional. Their swimwear can be worn day or night and appeals to a much larger audience. If you would like more information about this rapidly growing business contact them at holaswim.com.

—Diana Cavagnaro is an internationally renowned Couture Milliner based in Alpine, California. Learn more about our Hat Designer, Teacher & Blogger at DianaCavagnaro.com.

utility company. Scammers use spoofing technology to display phone numbers that are different from their real numbers.

Always verify any call yourself by hanging up and calling the company directly.

If you find yourself at the end of a utility scam, immediately call your utility company and financial institution in case your account is compromised.

You can also contact your local non-emergency police line or report it to the Federal Trade Commission. These reports help the FTC and other law enforcement stop any future scams.

As your District Attorney, I’m committed to increasing communication and accessibility between the DA’s Office and the public. I hope these consumer and public safety tips have been helpful.

AVOIDING FUTURE TRUST OR WILL CONTESTS By: Dick McEntyre and Chris von der Lieth, Attorneys at Law Although most trusts and wills contain a “no contest clause,” disgruntled persons, especially one’s children, who feel they were improperly left out of a decedent’s disposition of property, may still vigorously challenge the provisions of the decedent’s document(s) in question following the deceased person’s death. The grounds for such a challenge can be: (1) alleged fraud or undue influence exacted by the taker under the trust or will; (2) purported lack of mental capacity of the trustor or testator resulting in the estate going to the “wrong beneficiary”; or (3) especially in the instance of children, when a child believes he or she was inadvertently left out (“forgotten”) of the trust or will. Such challenges can slow up the administration of the trust or estate, cause anxiety, and be very costly to all parties involved.

To help avoid such a future challenge, when a trustor of a trust or the testator of a will believes there may be future discontent among his or her children, he or she should strongly

consider having a before-the-fact meeting with the children and advise them of his or her intentions regarding the future disposition of the trust and/or estate.

While such a meeting may be uncomfortable, in the long run it could be beneficial, since it may well allow the trustor or testator to die in peace, knowing that there should be no challenge to his or her estate planning disposition, with its attendant delays, costs, and anxieties. Further, such a meeting may provide for a reconciliation of those presently estranged children. Another idea which may be helpful is making a videotape of the trustor’s or testator’s signing of the trust or will along with such trustor or testator making a statement of why he or she is making the disposition in question.

The above statements are not to be taken as legal advice for the reader’s particular situation.

Richard F. McEntyre practices law in the area of estate planning and administration, having served the San Diego community as a lawyer for over 40 years. Chris von der Lieth is Dick’s associate lawyer, having worked with Dick for over 6 years. Affordable rates. Highest quality services. House calls available.

Our office is conveniently located at 2615 Camino Del Rio South, Suite 101 (in Mission Valley just east of Bully’s restaurant) (Telephone (619) 221-0279) www.richardfmcentyre.com.

Two more suits from the growing brand. (Photos courtesy HolaSwim)

12

BUSINESS & SERVICES / NEWS

San Diego Downtown & Uptown News November 2020

SERVICE DIRECTORY ATTORNEY

SERVICE DIRECTORY

CLEANING

FLOORING

Power

OLD WORLD O CRAFTSMAN A

PERSONAL INJURY – ACCIDENTS

Auto | Cycle | Pedestrian Dog Bite | Slip and Fall Brain Injury | Wrongful Death

SANITIZE YOUR Outdoor Living Area

University Avenue

3180 University Ave. Suite 220 San Diego, CA 92104 (619) 682-5100

Poinsettia Village

7220 Avenida Encinas Suite 203 Carlsbad, CA 92011 (760) 931-2900

www.kdcinjurylaw.com A Professional Corporation

AUDIOLOGY

619-460-8177

by Cecilia Sanchez

Comprehensive Hearing Test

Free estimates & excellent references

HANDYMAN

CARPET & TILE CLEANING

Handyman with 30 years experience

10% OFF W/ THIS AD

(UP TO $50 MAX FOR DISCOUNT)

Cleaning Carpet, Tile, Upholstery for over 28 years.

CARPET CLEANING SPECIAL

3 ROOMS

SAVE $45

$99

25% OFF Tile & Grout Cleaning 25% OFF restretching or carpet repairs Must mention ad. Some restrictions apply.

619-677-6523 Or visit our website at

(excludes oil changes)

www.service-kings.com

2938 GARNET AVE., PACIFIC BEACH

CONTRACTOR

May not be combined with any other offer.

(858) 273-2411

10% Senior Discount

• Gardening Services • Lawns • Hedges • Weeding & Trimming

HEALTH

149

.95

$

TREATMENT & RECOVERY CENTER

Lic. #1032673

Home Improvement Specialist AFFORDABLE ON-BUDGET EXPERIENCED

WINDSHIELD

SPRING SPECIAL

(Most cars, some restrictions apply.

Mobile Service Available.)

DECKS, DOORS & WINDOWS

REPLACEMENT

(619) 265-2811 5803 El Cajon Blvd. wcautoglass.com

OUTPATIENT TREATMENT If you or a family member is struggling with addiction, we can help!

858-397-4773

15% OFF

Covid 19 compliant

619-541-1737

State Certified Facility

Flexible schedules

• Design & Build Projects • Major Remodels

15% OFF DAILY DEALS: MUNCHIE MONDA AY Y ... EDIBLES TOPICAL TUESDA AY Y ... TOPICALS WEED WEDNESDAY ... FLOWER THIRSTY THURSDA AY Y ... DRINKS

• Weekly • Licensed • Free Estimates • Bi-Weekly • Monthly • Reliable

C10-0000242-LIC

• Kitchens, Baths & Garages

FREE ESTIMATES (619)755-9651

Regular Deep Cleaning Move in/Out Services

hagbergsd.com 858-292-5009

Mention codeword “Community Newspaper” for 10% OFF MSRP

dinghydr.com • 619.384-2733 3302 Kurtz St.

3570 Hancock St, Sports Arena

Private Dog Training Dog Walking Portable Agility & Dog Socialization Professional Certified Dog Trainer & Dog Behaviorist Call/Text Wendi for information: (619) 742-4482

619-577-5847

ELECTRICIAN

Fischbeck Electric

For all your electrical needs: Solar Systems Green Energy Ssavings Panel Upgrades and Changes Remodels Recessed Lighting, etc.

CA Lic. #900788 (10-12)

(619)749-7105 FischbeckElectric.com

REMODELING • Bath & KItchen Remodeling • Plumbing Repairs & Installations •Heating and A/C Repair & Installations Kitchen & Bath Showroom

Free Estimates

619-463-1600 8348 Center Dr. La Mesa

ZZZ KDLVKDLQVXUDQFH FRP

Construction

• REMODELS • TENANT IMPROVEMENTS • REPAIRS • EVALUATIONS • CONSULTING • BIG/SMALL JOBS • FREE ESTIMATES • FAIR PRICING

REMODELING

Since 2000

MEDITATION

Full-length stories Online updates Comments Event calendars and more!

sdnews.com LANDSCAPE/GARDEN

TREE SERVICE

Featuring: • Zodiac, AB & Achilles Inflatable Boats • Yamaha, Honda & Tohatsu Outboard Engines Sales + Service + Technicians

(619) 269-3036

SECURITY

Call Mark

(619) 295-6792 PHYSICAL THERAPY

619.297.2231

CROWN POINT CLIPPERS, INC.

INFLATABLE BOATS & OUTBOARD ENGINE DEALERSHIP

PET SERVICES

doesn’t mean rustic!

Attention Designers, Contractors Architects or DYI home owners!

• Showroom located next to our lumber yard • Pre-made Mantels • Live-edge Slabs • Wall Displays, Furniture & more!

• Custom Projects • Open 7 Days reclaimedwoodsandiego.com

DOG WALKING PET VISITS

FREE ESTIMATES!

• FINE PRUNING & THINNING • ARTISTIC TREE LACING • TREE & STUMP REMOVAL

CROWNPOINTCLIPPERS@GMAIL.COM

(858)270-1742 Fully licensed and insured. Lic# 723867 SERVING THE LA JOLLA AREA FOR 40 YEARS

Helping you achieve optimal health since 2000 Call us today!

858-220-3213

Divorce made less painful through mediation • Property Taxes • Custody • Debt Repayment

619.702.9174

www.afairway.com

Lic.# 634838

BOAT SALES/SERVICE

619-584-8155 www.harborpest.com

RECLAIMED WOOD

Kingsinnsandiego.com

Check out our portfolio online

GENERAL CONTRACTOR

CLEANING

LIC. 684628

1333 Hotel Circle South San Diego, CA 92108

• New Additions

STARBOARD

1150 Silverado St, La Jolla La Jolla Professional Bldg.

LODGING

Cannot be combined w/other offers.

10671 Roselle St. #100 | San Diego, CA 92121

Residential & Investment Realtor

Loving Pet Care at Your Home

SUNDA AY Y FUNDA AY Y ... VAPES

www.torreyholistics.com

Mercedes La Fond

Turner Landscape

Retro Hotel Centrally Located in Mission Valley Waffle Spot Locals Favorite Amigo Spot – Old Charm Mexican Cuisine

• New Home Construction

ORDER ONLINE

Since 1948

INSURANCE WE SPECIALIZE IN:

FREE DELIVERY OR CURBSIDE PICK-UP

Allied Garden Resident Since 1993 30 Years Experience Specializing in Local Communities

johnmartinconstruction.com

ALT. MEDICINE

LA JOLLA COVE REALTY

RECLAIMED WOOD Fumiga eneral Pest Contol | Termites | Ants | Roaches | Rodents | Spiders | Wasps | Bed Bugs

PAINTING

Over 20 years in Pacific Beach!

www.tasspt.com

PLUMBING

Bill Harper Plumbing.com Licenced Plumber with years of experience in residential homes Prompt, Professional and Affordable Phone Estimates, Cash Discounts

CALL BILL 619-224-0586 Lic #504044

554 N. 2ND St. El Cajon, CA 92021 619.243.3992 PPO# 15632 securityandpatrol.com

SENIOR CARE

CareGiver/Companion

Can Do: Hospice, Alzheimer’s Parkinson’s, ALS, and more.

Medications, Appointments Errands, Bathing, Wonderful Cook, Lite Housekeeping, Pet Care, Live in/out, I’ll help with your daily needs.

Call Laura for interview at 858-243-8288 Thank You

“When Quality Matters”

We specialize in complete interior & exterior projects Gutters Kitchen Concrete Bath Windows Moldings Waterprooing Baseboards Masonry Flooring Brickwork Painting Drywall Remodels and more!

Stucco Senior & Military Discounts Free Estimates from owner John Gregg

619.665.0754

Member BBB • Lic. #950146 • doublegpainters.com

06 731 Lic.5

A Lifestyle of Choices

FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED

BY A VIETNAM VET San Diego’s Oldest Plumbing Company.

Offering quality service & repair for 110 years.

858-454-4258

5771 LA JOLLA BLVD #5 ERLINGROHDEPLUMBING.COM

1451 Garnet Ave. Pacific Beach

858-270-6565

REALTOR

mercedes@lajollacoverealty.com

(619) 523-4900

We Do It ALL!

AUTO GLASS SPECIALIST WE DO ALL TYPES OF AUTO GLASS INSTALLATION

$40 A VISIT MAINTENANCE WEEKLY • BI • MONTH SPRINKLER DOCTORS IN CLEAN-UPS•HAUL/DUMP SENIOR TO SENIOR 10% CA. ST. LIC. #0783646

tony@pointlomalandscape.com

www.beelinebrakes.com

EXCELLENT SELECTION FAIR PRICES EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE 5807 EL CAJON BLVD. 619-795-1444

GansFitness BANKERS HILL

SAN DIEGO’S

Experts on Rolex, Patek Philippe, Cartier & all Fine Watches WE BUY GOLD Genuine Factory Parts Batteries Installed while you wait.

OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE

Smoke Shop

Bus: (858) 454-0157 Cell: (858) 232-5565

619-933-4346 www.iluvjunk.com

Legacy

PERSONAL TRAINER

Your health is your wealth -

CON

Full

Onl

Com

CA Lic. #925325

PEST CONTROL

SUMMER SPECIAL!

You Call-We Haul!

No Job Too Small!

Evictions, cleanouts, construction debris, tree trimming, etc.

Watchmaker & Jeweler

chuckgjr@cox.net

MAINTENANCE EXPERTS

WHERE YOU ARE TREATED LIKE ROYALTY!

London Gate

www.chuckiespainting.co

Ask for Bob 619-742-0446

HAULING

WATCHMAKERS

(619) 795-9429

Hourly or Bid

POINT LOMA LANDSCAPE

SMOKE SHOP

Painting Company

Rgans24@hotmail.com

Prompt, Affordable, Professional Insured

PLUMBING

Chuckie’s

Many Skills

Non-licensed

(619) 248-5238

PAINTING

MAKE IT COUNT! 858.531.818

RENT-A-HUSBAND

AUTOMOTIVE

• 30/60/90K Maintenance •

Specializing in lawn removal & beautiful low-maintenance, water-friendly landscapes

C-27#797867 • LawnAlterNativessd.com

Cleaning Service

#1 vacation rental experts

• BRAKES • SINCE 1947 • ALIGNMENT • • A/C SERVICE •

• Water rates are increasing…

• Supplies are decreasing…

• It’s Time we make a change!

(619) 920-5296

sdklean.com

Dr. Robert A. Faillace AuD Dr. Lucia Kearney AuD

Bee Line

Got a Lawn?

FREE ESTIMATES

Office, residential & vacancy cleanings

3590 Camino Del Rio North # 201 Located inside the Senta Clinic 619-810-1204

619-606-5954

House exteriors, Patios, Driveways, Walkways, Entryways, Pool decks, Rain gutters and More!

Family owned & operated 15 years experience.

Hearing Aids Sales & Service

LANDSCAPE/GARDEN

Water Saving Landscapes

– Free Consultation | No Recovery, No Fee –

Serving our community for over 30 years

sdnews.com

619-464-6801

5740 Lake Murray Blvd La Mesa

Election results CONTINUED FROM Page 1

retiring Rep. Susan Davis. Instead, the 53rd seat will be filled by Sara Jacobs, child anti-poverty advocate and granddaughter of Qualcomm co-founder Irwin Jacobs.

While these results are not final, they certainly point to San Diego’s continued blue-ward shift. Once a conservative stronghold, now only a few areas around San Diego County have kept Republicans in office.

—Kendra Sitton can be reached at kendra@sdnews.com.

News briefs CONTINUED FROM Page 10

Orchids & Onions began in 1975 as an educational program to raise public awareness and appreciation for the design and development of built projects that improve the quality of life of San Diegans. Orchids go to projects completed in the past three years and honor excellence in design. Onions go to those that come up short.

Here are some of the architecture and design winners.

Uptown: • Lousiana won two Orchids – one for Architecture and one for Interior Design • BLVD North Park Apartments won an Onion for Architecture Downtown: • Apartments at 1836 Columbia Street won the Grand Onion for Architecture, as well as the Teen Choice Onion • Lofts on Laurel won an Onion for Architecture • The Guild Hotel won an Orchid for Historic Preservation • Broadstone Makers Quarter Common Areas won an Orchid for Interior Design

EPISCOPAL COMMUNITY SERVICES CEO ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT Lesslie Keller, CEO of Episcopal Community Services (ECS), has announced her retirement from the agency, effective December 31, 2020.

Ms. Keller has been the CEO of ECS since March 2007 when she moved from Chicago to San Diego to help the agency that was struggling financially. Under her leadership, ECS has grown to a $30 million organization serving more than 6,000 people every year.

SEE NEWS BRIEFS, Page 15

Eve

and

sd

CLASSIFIEDS / PUZZLES

sdnews.com

San Diego Downtown & Uptown News November 2020

13

CLASSIFIEDS

CARS/TRUCKS WANTED!!! 2002 and Newer! Any Condition. Running or Not. Competitive Offer! Free Towing! We’re Nationwide! Call Now: 1-888-416-2330.

EDUCATION Train online to do medical billing!

Become a Medical Office Professional at CTI! Get trained & certified to work in months! 888-572-6790.

(M-F 8-6 ET) Computer & IT training program!

Train to become Computer & Help Desk Professional! Grants & scholarships for qualified applicants on certain programs. 888-449-1713 (M-F 8-6 ET) AIRLINES ARE HIRING - Get FAA approved hands on Aviation mechanic training. Financial Aid for qualified students – Career placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 888-686-1704

HEALTH & FITNESS GENERIC VIAGRA and CIALIS! 100 Pills $99.00 FREE Shipping! 100% guaranteed.

24/7 CALLNOW! 888-889-5515 SERIOUSLY INJURED in an AUTO ACCIDENT? Let us fight for you! Our network has recovered millions for clients! Call today for a FREE consultation! 1-888-409-1261 VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS! 50 Generic Pills SPECIAL $99.00 FREE Shipping! 100% guaranteed. 24/7 CALL NOW! 888-445-5928 Hablamos Espanol Dental insurance - Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Covers 350 procedures. Real insurance not a discount plan. Get your free dental info kit! 1-888-623-3036 www. dental50plus.com/58 #6258

HOME IMPROVEMENT Life Alert. One press of a button sends help fast, 24/7! At home & on the go. Mobile Pendant w/GPS. Free first aid kit with subscription. 877-5378817 free brochure.

MEDICAL Attention oxygen therapy users!

Inogen One G4 is capable of full 24/7 oxygen delivery. Only 2.8 pounds.

Free info kit. Call 877-929-9587

MISCELLANEOUS Two great new offers from AT&T Wireless! Ask how to get the Next Generation Samsung Galaxy S10e FREE. FREE iPhone with AT&T's Buy one, Give One. While supplies last! CALL 1-866-565-8452 or www. freephonesnow.com/cadnet Stay in your home longer with an American Standard Walk-In Bathtub.

Receive up to $1,500 off, including a free toilet, and a lifetime warranty

on the tub and installation! Call us at 1-855-481-3969 or visit www.walkintubquote.com/national Eliminate gutter cleaning forever!

LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection.

Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-855-402-0373 Cross country Moving, Long distance Moving Company, out of state move $799 Long Distance Movers. Get Free quote on your Long distance move. 1-844-452-1706 Call Empire Today® to schedule a FREE in-home estimate on Carpeting & Flooring. Call Today!

1-855-404-2366 DIRECTV - Every live football game, every Sunday - anywhere on your favorite device. Restrictions apply. Call IVS - 1-855-781-1565 Need IRS Relief $10K - $125K+ Get Fresh Start or Forgiveness Call 1-877-378-1182 Monday through Friday 7AM-5PM PST Thinking about installing a new shower? American Standard makes it easy. FREE design consultation.

Enjoy your shower again! Call 1-855337-8855 today to see how you can save $1,000 on installation, or visit www.newshowerdeal.com/cadnet GENERAC Standby Generators.

The weather is increasingly unpredictable. Be prepared for power outages. FREE 7-year extended warranty ($695 value!) Schedule your FREE in-home assessment today.

Call 1-855-447-6780 Special financing for qualified customers.

The Generac PWRcell, a solar plus battery storage system. SAVE money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services available. $0 Down Financing Option.

Request a FREE, no obligation, quote today. Call 1-866-586-7248 DISH Network $59.99 For 190 Channels! Add High Speed Internet for ONLY $19.95/month. Call Today for $100 Gift Card! Best Value & Technology. FREE Installation. Call 1-855837-9146 (some restrictions apply)

Call Mike Rosensteel

(619) 961-1958 miker@sdnews.com San Diego Community Newspaper Group

Wesley Financial Group, LLC timeshare Cancellation Experts. Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt & fees cancelled in 2019. Get free info package & learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consult. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 844-909-3339 Generac generators. Weather is increasingly unpredictable.

Be prepared for power outages. Free 7-yr ext warranty. Schedule free in-home assessment 1-844-3348353. Special financing if qualified.

The Generac PWRcell solar plus battery storage system. Save money, reduce reliance on grid, prepare for outages & power your home. Full installation services. $0 down financing option. Request free no obligation quote. 1-855-270-3785 Eliminate gutter cleaning forever!

LeafFilter, most advanced debrisblocking protection. Schedule free estimate. 15% off Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-855-995-2490 Protect your home w/home security monitored by ADT. Starting at $27.99/mo. Get free equipment bundle including keypad, motion sensor, wireless door & windows sensors. 833-719-1073 AT&T Internet. Starting at $40/ month w/12-mo agmt. 1 TB of data/ mo. Ask how to bundle & SAVE! Geo & svc restrictions apply.

1-888-796-8850

Thinking about installing a new shower?

American Standard makes it easy. Free design consult.1-888-674-3005 today to see how to save $1,000 on installation or visit www.newshowerdeal.com/display HughesNet Satellite Internet – Finally, no hard data limits! Call Today for speeds up to 25mbps as low as $59.99/mo! $75 gift card, terms apply.

1-844-863-4478

Dish TV $59.99 190 channels + $14.95 high speed internet. Free Install, smart HD DVR & voice remote.

Restrictions apply. 1-833-872-2545.

New authors wanted! Page Publishing will help self-publish your book. Free author submission kit!

Limited offer! 866-951-7214

WANTED TO BUY Wants to purchase minerals and other oil and gas interests. Send details to P.O. Box 13557 Denver, Co. 80201 Reader Advisory: The National Trade Association we belong to has purchased the above classifieds.

Determining the value of their service or product is advised by this publication. In order to avoid misunderstandings, some advertisers do not offer employment but rather supply the readers with manuals, directories and other materials designed to help their clients establish mail order selling and other businesses at home.

Under NO circumstance should you send any money in advance or give the client your checking, license ID, or credit card numbers. Also beware of ads that claim to guarantee loans regardless of credit and note that if a credit repair company does business only over the phone it is illegal to request any money before delivering its service. All funds are based in US dollars. Toll free numbers may or may not reach Canada.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

844-334-8353

FREE

7-Year Extended Warranty* A $695 Value!

Offer valid August 24, 2020 - December 31, 2020

Special Financing Available

*Terms & Conditions Apply

Subject to Credit Approval

Satellite Internet That is Unlimited With No Hard Data Limits!

2

25 Mbps Download Speed 25mbps download and 3mbps upload1

No Hard Data Limits Wi-Fi Built-In Connect your wireless devices at home

2

Call For Special Offers In Your Area Pricing varies by region

CALL TODAY - LIMITED SPECIAL OFFERS IN YOUR AREA!

1-855-973-9254

HughesNet is a registered trademark of Hughes Network Systems, LLC, an EchoStar Company.

2 If you exceed your monthly plan data, you will experience reduced data speeds until the start of your next billing period. Reduced speeds will typically be in the range of 1 – 3 Mbps and may cause Web sites to load more slowly or affect the performance of certain activities, such as video streaming or large downloads/uploads.

Dental Insurance

Get dental insurance from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company to help cover the services you’re most likely to use –

Cleanings

X-rays

Fillings

Crowns

Dentures

1-877-308-2834

Call now to get this FREE Information Kit! dental50plus.com/cadnet Product not available in all states. Acceptance guaranteed for one insurance policy/certificate of this type. Contact us for complete details about this insurance solicitation. This specific offer is not available in CO, NY; call 1-888-799-4433 or respond for similar offer. Certificate C250A (ID: C250E; PA: C250Q); Insurance Policy P150 (GA: P150GA; NY: P150NY; OK: P150OK; TN: P150TN).

6154-0120

Local Present this coupon to obtain discount.

Free Fries and Soft Drink With Any Menu Item Casual eatery with a drive-thru serving vegan burgers, burritos, and shakes.

SUDOKU PUZZLE

SCHEDULE YOUR FREE IN-HOME ASSESSMENT TODAY!

CASH FOR CARS: We Buy Any Condition Vehicle, 2002 and Newer.

Nationwide Free Pick Up! Call Now: 1-800-864-5960.

Hearing aids!

Bogo free!

High-quality rechargeable Nano hearing aids priced 90% less than competitors. Nearly invisible!

45-day money back guarantee!

833-669-5806

Directv Now. No Satellite. $40/mo 65 Channels. Stream news, live events, sports & on demand titles. No contract/commitment.

1-866-825-6523

Prepare for unexpected power outages with a Generac home standby generator

Attention homeowners! You can protect your appliances & systems.

For just a little more than a $1.00/day.

Call now for 1st month free, $75.00 / off 1st year. 1-855-514-1183

Dine YOUR AD HERE ver ch o 0 a e R 0,00 20 ers read

Boy Scout compensation fund Anyone inappropriately touched by a Scout leader deserves justice & compensation! Victims may be eligible for significant cash settlement.

Time is limited. 833-729-0164

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

AUTOS WANTED CARS/TRUCKS WANTED!!! All Makes/Models 2002-2019! Any Condition. Running or Not. Top $$$ Paid! Free Towing! We're Nationwide!

Call Now: 1-888-985-1806

2965 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

CLUES ACROSS 1. Dutch word for “language” 5. Popular music style 8. Body part 11. Largely dry valleys 13. Brew 14. Ancient Greek sophist 15. Where rockers play 16. Human gene 17. One point east of northeast 18. Adversary 20. Small cask or barrel 21. About ear

22. Benign tumors 25. In a different way 30. One charged with a crime 31. Chinese principle underlying the universe 32. Long, narrow straps 33. Passover 38. Ottoman military commander 41. One who does not succeed 43. Data 45. 3D image 47. Whale ship captain 49. Japanese title

50. Made of wood 55. Yokel 56. Exercise system __-bo 57. Supreme being 59. Playing card with three spots 60. Hostelry 61. Spiritual leader 62. Single lens reflex 63. Time of the 90th meridian, used in the central U.S. 64. Thomas __, American cartoonist

CLUES DOWN 1. Shuttered airline 2. Swiss river 3. Port city in Yemen 4. It can be straight 5. Tennis player’s tool 6. Estranged 7. Garden archway 8. Assists 9. Grain crop 10. Millisecond 12. U.S. Founding Father Adams 14. Small, deerlike buffalo

19. Easily manageable 23. Male parent 24. Nearsightedness 25. Patriotic women 26. Decorate a cake with frosting 27. __ fi (slang) 28. A joke rooted in wordplay 29. Attack violently 34. Keyboard key 35. __ juris: independent 36. Corporate executive (abbr.)

37. Adult female bird 39. Pertains to knowledge

40. Pashtoes 41. Prefixed title for Italian monks 42. To be fired from a gun 44. A way to position 45. __ process: produces ammonia 46. Follow instructions 47. Humanistic discipline 48. Throw 51. Swiss river 52. American hate group 53. Actor Idris 54. Seizes 58. Baseball stat

14

San Diego Downtown & Uptown News November 2020

Q’Anon threatens CONTINUED FROM Page 6

and sympathizers confuse the public with misleading human trafficking statistics, misleading characterizations of the nature and scope of human trafficking (sex trafficking in particular) and misleading claims about the fundamental causes and sources of this heinous crime.

Opportunist politicians are blurring the lines between legitimate human trafficking data and concern and the Q’Anon conspiracy morass. In a twisted logic, the concern for human trafficking victims itself becomes a dog whistle for politicians interesting in wooing the votes of Q’Anon sympathizers. The bogus anti-trafficking statistics and stories promoted by Q’Anon are making their way into current political campaigns. It is incumbent upon those of us that know better to call out the false human trafficking statistics and theories in the mouths of public figures.

The influence of Q’Anonrelated ideologies continue to grow. Recent reports out of the United Kingdom highlight the growth of Q’Anon beyond U.S. shores. Twitter and Facebook are scrambling to prevent Q’Anon and its ideologies from spreading any further, but Facebook, at least, is increasingly losing this battle. Shutting down the conspiracy pages and hashtags has seemed to cause some of the opposite effect, invigorating the claims that there is a conspiracy against them.

At Point Loma Nazarene University we are more than casual observers of the anti-trafficking movement. A Christian University with a strong commitment to educating and resourcing the community, PLNU and its Center for Justice and Reconciliation have played a central and leading role in studying and engaging against human trafficking in San Diego County since 2005. The Beauty for Ashes Scholarship for survivors of human trafficking and the kNOw MORE! Anti-trafficking curriculum are critical pieces of the puzzle to prevent exploitation and

empower victims to heal. We also coordinate quarterly meetings and annual conferences for researchers of human trafficking. PLNU professor Dr. Jamie Gates, with Dr. Ami Carpenter (USD), co-authored the groundbreaking study measuring sex trafficking in San Diego County in 2016.

In particular, we are deeply troubled by signs of how deep and wide and with what ease Q’Anon is spreading through Christian communities across the U.S. Christians in particular have been on the front lines of the anti-trafficking movement, and people of faith have been a driving force building the current anti-trafficking infrastructure that we have. It has been a hard road bringing light into this darkness, sorting out truth from lies in an industry that is built on lies, intentionally bridging communities that don’t necessarily see eye-to-eye with one another like activists and law enforcement, survivor advocates and the judicial system, people across many faith traditions, Democrats and Republicans.

Lies that masquerade as truth have the danger of unravelling decades of carefully nurtured cross-ideological collaborations as they thrive on aggrieved mistrust while they drive people and communities further apart.

Those who are passionate about doing and being good in the world can sometimes fall into acting more out of passion than wisdom. This tendency has not been uncommon in our fight against trafficking, but we have worked hard to educate our communities on the facts, to bring disciplined thinking and discernment to tackling one of the most complicated crimes in our midst.

It is time to mobilize our community to work harder at seeking truth, and to continue the real fight instead of being distracted by the shadows of conspiracy theories.

OPINION / FEATURE sdnews.com Downtown businesses get a boost from the Downtown loyal SARAH BROTHERS | Downtown San Diego Partnership

Downtown residents are no strangers to the uphill battle being faced by the hospitality industry in their neighborhoods. They have watched as many of the familiar storefronts, venues and restaurants have temporarily closed, pivoted their services and innovated to continue operating.

The Downtown San Diego Partnership knows that it is those same coffee shops, restaurants, hotels and more that help give our neighborhoods their unique character and make Downtown San Diego an amazing place to live and visit. They are part of what drew so many people to call Downtown home in the first place and what will continue to bring us together safely as a community.

As the voice of Downtown, we have been in constant conversation with residents, stakeholders and businesses since the beginning of the year to hear what challenges they’re experiencing and what needs they’re seeing in their neighborhoods. The feedback we heard from residents and stakeholders as stay-at-home orders continued was clear. They wanted to help support the businesses in their neighborhood but weren’t sure of the best way to do so.

At a time where that kind of support from the community could mean a world of difference to help small businesses and others to stay open, the Downtown San Diego Partnership came up with a unique way for people to get involved. The Downtown

Partnership)

Loyalty store was created to leverage philanthropic funding from corporate and personal donors to subsidize discounted digital gift cards to participating businesses.

For each $25 a customer spent, they could get an additional $10 of philanthropic funding to spend at their Downtown favorites and the entire $35 went immediately to support their business of choice.

“It has been nothing short of remarkable to see the grit and dedication of Downtown’s business over the past several months.

We know they’re doing everything they can to hang on, but we were certain we could find a way to match the generosity of our community with a creative idea to provide them some direct revenue alongside our other efforts to promote economic prosperity and cultural vitality in

—Dr. Jamie Gates is a sociology professor at Point Loma Nazarene University and Kim Berry Jones is the Director of the Center for Justice & Reconciliation at Point Loma Nazarene University.

Call Mike Today to Advertise!

The Butcher Shop is a popular local business.

Mike Rosensteel (619) 865-2220 miker@sdnews.com

MICHAEL KIMMEL Psychotherapist Author of "Life Beyond Therapy" in Gay San Diego 5100 Marlborough Drive San Diego CA 92116 (619)955-3311 www.LifeBeyondTherapy.com

Tajima Beer Garden in Downtown (Photos courtesy Downtown San Diego

A view of Downtown

Downtown,” said Betsy Brennan, President & CEO of the Downtown Partnership. “The success of the Downtown Loyalty store thus far has been a testament to the level of support there is for these businesses in our community.”

The first sale of the Downtown Loyalty store launched in July and the second sale wrapped up in September. Each sale sold more than 600 gift cards in less than a week, contributing nearly $50,000 in direct economic impact to participating businesses.

“We had a feeling the store was going to be popular, but we were blown away by the community’s response during both sales,” said Alex Gutierrez, director of special districts for the Downtown Partnership and manager of the store project. “What has been especially rewarding is seeing some of these smaller businesses pivot into the digital world for the first time to participate and the opportunity we have had to help them explore opportunities to connect with new customers.”

The next sale of the Downtown Loyalty store is stepping up to support another part of the hospitality industry and give the gift we know is most in-demand this year, a vacation away from home! Stay tuned during the holiday season for updates on the staycation packages being designed especially for the Downtown Loyal. You can find updates at downtownsandiego. org/downtown-loyalty.

While the store is closed for now, there are still a lot of ways the Downtown community can support these businesses. You can order take-out for your next outdoor picnic, leave a positive review, try a new activity, or even reshare their social media content with your friends. Now is as good a time as any to check off “become a regular” from your bucket list and explore the neighborhoods so many of us know and love.

—Sarah Brothers is the Director of Marketing & Communications at Downtown San Diego Partnership.

NEWS

sdnews.com

News briefs CONTINUED FROM Page 12

“I am full of gratitude to have been a part of ECS,” said Ms. Keller. “The chance to serve our community by providing life-changing services to thousands has been the opportunity of a lifetime. I am proud of the work we have done together, and I am filled with optimism about the agency's future, because I know the talent, dedication and leadership that exist here.”

She added, “In addition to our outstanding staff, ECS is blessed with loyal and generous supporters, volunteers, and dedicated partners. As I plan the next chapter of my life, I am confident that Episcopal Community Services is in a strong position and will continue to exemplify our values of excellence, compassion, and service.”

Under Keller’s stewardship, ECS obtained a new County of San Diego contract to provide substance use disorder treatment services to adults and transition age youth. This enabled the formation of the ECS Central East Regional Recovery Center (CERRC) which has nearly quadrupled in size since its start in 2017. Keller has overseen the expansion of the organization’s Para Las Familias

program that provides bilingual behavioral health services to children age five and under in the South Bay. The program has grown from a small office to serving nearly 250 children and their families every year. ECS Head Start remains one of the largest providers of Head Start and Early Head Start services in the South Bay area of San Diego, increasing the number of children served by nearly 25% since 2007 and last year added State Preschool for 128 children

JUNIPER-FRONT COMMUNITY GARDEN RECEIVES GRANT The American Society of Landscape Architects, San Diego Chapter (ASLA-SD), has selected Juniper-Front Community Garden to receive its 2021 $5,000 Community Grant to redesign and renovate the garden.

The Juniper-Front Community Garden provides a green-belt in

San Diego Downtown & Uptown News November 2020

the culturally and economically diverse urban neighborhood of Bankers Hill, located just north of downtown San Diego.

The garden, which will be 40 years old in 2021, is believed to be the oldest community garden in San Diego County. It opened in 1981 through the vision and collaboration of the San Diego Senior Center and the Port of San Diego, and continues today through the Port Authority’s commitment to providing open spaces that benefit the community.

Said Robin Parry, Ph.D., President of the Juniper-Front Community Garden, “We are grateful to the San Diego chapter of ASLA for awarding the grant to our garden and excited to partner with ASLA member Leigh Kyle at Spurlock Landscape Architects.

Leigh and the Spurlock team can guide us in using cutting-edge landscape architecture principles to redesign and renovate two garden areas and showcase this project during our 40th-anniversary celebration. This $5,000 grant is crucial seed money in our community garden’s desire to be good neighbors and stewards of the natural environment.”

The two-part renovation plan will enhance the natural environment by creating a sustainable landscape through the use of indigenous plants that require less

water are drought-tolerant, and require minimal maintenance.

Highlights of the upgrade plans include renovating the street-side planting areas (those that neighbors interact with the most) into public-education gardens and upgrading a series of tree terraces on the west side of the property that need to be stabilized.

Given its 40-year history in the neighborhood, the garden’s new public education spaces will highlight landscape architecture's pivotal role in designing sustainable environments and the benefits of using indigenous pollinator plants.

Pollinator plants, essential components of the agricultural growing cycle, will attract bees, butterflies, birds, and other pollinators, ensuring a vibrant, healthy environment for the garden’s yearround crops of vegetables, fruit and flowers.

PUBLIC ART INSTALLATION AT NORTH PARK GALLERY The PGK Dance Project (Peter G. Kalivas, Founding Artistic Director) is pleased to announce that the Company’s 2020 season will continue with PGK Dance For Film – Public Art Installation, a filmed version of Peter Kalivas’ original choreographed work PERSPECTIVES, will play as an

15

installation from Nov. 5-8, 2020 in the front façade windows of the ArtProduce Gallery in North Park San Diego (in partnership with MEDIA ARTS San Diego film production). The ArtProduce Gallery is located at 3139 University Ave., San Diego, CA 92104. For more information, visit thepgkdanceproject.org/upcoming-events.

The sound score will be audible via mounted speakers on the top of the façade. Surrounding the LED screen, the other ArtProduce windows will display fifteen 22" x 34” images captured by photographers Dena Bloom Meeder and Elwood Nickerson during the PERSPECTIVES creative process.

Finally, Mr. Kalivas and the dancers will be present in person for Meet-&-Greets on Thursday, November 5 and Friday, Nov. 6 from 6-8 p.m., and on Saturday, Nov. 7 and Sunday, Nov. 8 from 2-6 p.m. Sparkling cider and light bites will be served, and there will be a book available for attendees to record their personal reflections about the installation.

Up next, The PGK Dance Project will present live performances of PERSPECTIVES and Ollin on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020 at 3:30 p.m., as part of Mission Federal Credit Union’s ARTWALK Little Italy.

The performance will take place on the corner of Grape and India Streets.

REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE

Call 858.270.3103 to get your property featured today!

WELCOME TO

HARBORVIEW SENIOR ASSISTED LIVING HarborView Senior Assisted Living is a boutique assisted living home located next to downtown San Diego in the Uptown Banker’s Hills neighborhood. HarborView is dedicated to offering compassionate, individualized care and support services for residents living with Alzheimer’s or related dementia. We also promote the physical, social, and spiritual aspects of our residents’ lives. Our well-trained and considerate staff works around the clock in this charming Italian renaissance chateau.

619-233-8382 • 2360 Albatross St., San Diego, CA 92101

COLEMAN

Place Your Ad Here!

MOVING SYSTEMS INC.

Let Us Bring More Customers To You!

Office/Residential | Free Wardrobe Use | Piano Moving Last Minute Moves | Packing/Unpacking Discount Packing Materials | Moving all over CA, AZ, NV

For More Information Contact Francisco Your Sales Consultant

7 DAYS A WEEK | FREE ESTIMATES FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1979

Mike Rosensteel miker@sdnews.com / 619-961-1958

Giving Back

to the

Community

619.223.2255 STU AND MATT COLEMAN BBB MEMBER | INSURED LIC #CAL T-189466

FO

...Since Day 1.

We donate

Monica & David Stone

619.206.1551

of our commissions to

local charities . . . always have & always will.

David@GreaterGoodRealty.com • DRE #01423800 | #01888818

www.GreaterGoodRealty.com

G!

E!

AL RS

N DI

N

PE

Representing Buyer 325 7th Avenue #1105

530 K Street #313

2 BR • 2 BA • 1,079 SQ FT • $875,000

2 BR • 2 BA • 1,002 SQ FT • $579,999

Ballpark gem with many upgrades and a huge private patio approx 400 sf. South and West views of Coronado, the bay and city lights. Comes with 2 parking spaces.

Located close to Petco Park. This 2 BR unit is located in the heart of Downtown San Diego’s world renowned Gaslamp Quarter.

16

FEATURE

San Diego Downtown & Uptown News November 2020

sdnews.com

In-person events CONTINUED FROM Page 1

schools. This pop-up entertainment brought joy to families dealing with the financial strain and hunger exacerbated by COVID-19 but served a dual purpose — the jugglers, clowns, acrobats, musicians and drummers carried signs about filling out the census.

“When the cars are in line and they see what we're doing, they will often roll their windows down and they've got kids in the back and we'll wave and talk with them and we talk about the importance of the census, what benefits the census will bring to their communities,” Fern Street Circus Executive Director John Highkin said.

Participating in the census is essential for San Diegans as it dictates federal resources for the next 10 years, meaning it could affect funds for things like free meals and other assistance these families need as well as government representation.

People listening to the production of “Good Trouble.” (Photos by Kendra Sitton) When the Supreme Court allowed census counting to end sooner than advocates wanted, the circus pivoted to promoting another form of civic engagement: voting.

Meanwhile, local theater company Blindspot Collective toured its original audio production of “Good Trouble.” The play, titled from late Rep. John Lewis’ famous words, was an oral history of sorts about the protests and activism of this summer in San Diego.

Since Lewis began his activism early in life, the play focused on current experiences of youth activists who are following in his legacy.

“I am so hyper-aware that the people we are interviewing now are the age that John Lewis was when he became an activist. For us, there is a direct sort of lineage of activism... you can trace from the Civil Rights movement and figures like John Lewis to today,” “Good Trouble” co-writer Blake McCarty said.

Returning to in-person performances came with challenges. After its first pop-up event, Highkin felt the performers were too crowded together. The next time, they moved to sidewalks across the street from the school so there was more space to spread out.

The Fern Street Circus at an elementary school (Photos by Gary Payne Photography)

BE SEEN ONLINE AND GET RESULTS!

We now offer 2 great ways to give your business online exposure!

Expert Advice • Up to 1,000 Words Includes a photo and headline • Be seen as an expert in your field • Can be changed out every six months • Your article never expires!

Blindspot Collective co-founder Catherine Hanna Schrock leads a discussion after the performance.

Blindspot Collective decided against having live performers at its tour. Instead, audiences gathered in a public park to listen to a stream of the pre-recorded play on their individual devices. After the stream finished, the audience gathered in a large circle to discuss what aspects of the play were meaningful to them. The stream called for audience participation, including chanting, singing, standing, raising a fist and, at the end, dancing.

“It was a bit experimental and we weren’t sure how it would work,” the co-founder of Blindspot Collective, Catherine Hanna Schrock, said.

As people sat on their own blankets and chairs throughout the park while participating in a collective experience, it felt similar to a group meditation as the words of the activists washed over them.

The co-writers decided against holding a live performance because of the ever-changing COVID restrictions but still wanted to provide an opportunity where people could at least lay eyes on other humans amid the isolation.

“At least we can gather as a community and be in physical solidarity,” McCarty said.

The pre-recorded play was unique in that it sounded much like a series of interviews with activists interspersed with songs and sounds of the protest. In reality, the entire play was scripted and performed

by actors. The playwrights interviewed 40 young activists in San Diego about their experience then created a handful of composite characters based on those interviews. Voice actors were hired to play each of the characters.

“A lot of the actors who were drawn to this were already activists. One of the actors was an interview subject herself. There was a communal vibe during the rehearsal process because they would reflect on how much things resonated for them,” Schrock said.

Blindspot Collective and Fern Street Circus both pay their performers, which is especially important as artists face significant income loss during the pandemic.

The Los Angeles Times reported in October that an estimated 284,000 creative jobs have been lost since March.

“To be able to employ artists — that's a real key thing for us.

We believe that artists need to be paid, that we have to pay them and that that is a way that we're able to contribute to the economies of quite a number of people,” Highkin said.

Highkin said no one is getting rich from performing in the circus but he hopes that over the long-term, artists’ lives are improved by being paid to uplift their communities.

—Kendra Sitton can be reached at kendra@sdnews.com.

JUST $249 FOR ONE SITE ($200 for each additional site) Available on: sduptownnews.com sandiegodowntownnews.com missiontimescourier.com lamesacourier.com missionvalleynews.com sdnews.com

Sponsored Links • Great referral source for our online readers • Increase your Google Rankings • Your sponsored link never expires!

JUST $99 FOR ONE SITE ($89 for each additional site) Available on: sduptownnews.com sandiegodowntownnews.com missiontimescourier.com lamesacourier.com missionvalleynews.com

Contact Mike R. to have your article or link placed today!

619.865.2220

People driving through the food distribution watched the circus performers.

(Photos by Gary Payne Photography)