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VOLUME 22 ISSUE 1

January 2021 Follow us on social media

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

News briefs P. 3

North Park brewer wins national award

HISTORY P. 5

Meet the Robinsons

OBITUARIES P. 6

Remembering Pat Taylor

LITTLE ITALY P. 7

Megan Stone holding their Craft Beer Marketing Award (Photo courtesy Megan Stone) Marianna Brunetto’s oral history KENDRA SITTON | Downtown & Uptown News

San Diegan Megan Stone was honored in the Craft Beer Marketing Awards as the first-ever recipient of the ‘Woman of the

FASHION P. 9

Year’ Award in 2020. Industry peers selected her for the award based on her experience as a brewer, marketer, social media influencer and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) advocate.

“I put these efforts in because it’s things that I care about and I don't necessarily sit there and think about l how people think of me or how popular I am. It was just nice to know that people

appreciated the work,” Stone said. “I think it's nice to have a woman of the year category because it shines the light on the SEE BREWER AWARD, Page 14

Pie Eyed: Pop Pie Co. keeps feeding Uptown VINCE MEEHAN | Downtown & Uptown News

Profile: Juliet Sailo

Index Business Opinion Service directory Classifieds

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Four years ago, Steven Torres and his husband Gan Suebsarakham opened a cozy eatery in the heart of University Heights called Pop Pie Co. This unique shop features both savory and sweet pies along with comfort food sides such as creamed corn and mashed potatoes and gravy.

Many savory pies are traditional meat-filled pies like chicken potpie and lemon and lime pies fill out the dessert menu. Their global options like Thai and Australian inspired pies add creativity to the menu. The menu is rounded out with a wide selection of beverages including coffee, tea, local craft beer on tap, wine and even cider.

As with all local restaurants, the state’s shutdowns have impacted Pop Pie Co. immensely and forced Torres to adjust and adapt to keep his eatery open. Luckily for him, the small footprint of his building has made the transfer into to-go service easier than most.

“I don’t know if easy is the word, but certainly compared to some of our peers that we see facing some challenges going from a service model that they are not accustomed to, to all of a sudden doing the take out thing,” noted Torres. “For us, we’ve had our doors closed since March – no one has been in here – and we’ve been really protective of SEE PIE EYED, Page 15

Gan Suebsarakham (left) and husband Steven Torres hold up pies from their popular eatery. (Photo by Vince Meehan)

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BUSINESS sdnews.com Celebrating leaders: Trusted advocate Jeannine Savory San Diego Downtown & Uptown News January 2021

By Dave Danielson

Each transaction represents much more than a property being bought and/or sold. As you know, it represents a relationship… a bond of trust that has made a difference for all those involved.

One of those who knows all about those relationships is Jeannine Savory.

As a realtor and team leader with The Savory Group as part of Coldwell Banker West, Jeannine builds relationships through advocating for the people most important to her.

“For my family, clients, team, and community, I am an advocate. I can’t not do it, it’s how I’m wired, its who I am,” she said.

DESIGNING HER FUTURE

As Jeannine graduated from high school, she designed a course for her future.

“As I went to college, I pursued life as a designer in Los Angeles,” Jeannine recalls. “I studied Interior Design at Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (F.I.D.M) and worked as a project engineer for a construction company on the San Diego State University expansion pro-ject.”

She went on to practice interior design and worked with a design firm based out of Del Mar be-fore dedicating herself to real estate full time in 2001, beginning

her career at the age of 21 with Coldwell Banker as an apprentice to a real estate agent ranked in the top 1% worldwide.

That led to her becoming a buyer’s agent for a few years, while she earned her B.A. in Business Administration. Her professional background culminated in a desire to expand her expertise beyond residential real estate and into commercial and development markets as well.

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE TAKES A TEAM EFFORT Jeannine continued to build her business — along with a team.

Jeannine’s success is rooted in her determination to diversify her expertise and resources in or-der to fulfill the needs of her clients, whatever their real estate goals. Today she and her team, the Savory Group, work with everyone from the sellers of small condos to clients with multi-millions dollar residential and commercial properties.

“My team caters to whatever the client needs, versus specializing in any specific field or area of the business. We work with clients that can have very specialized needs and have the under-standing to meet their needs, including building a team of experts outside of our area of exper-tise to maximize our clients return on investment and other goals they may have. I think this

makes us unique – most brokers will refer out rather than expand and adapt,” Jeannine said.

Though the team’s clients are diverse, approximately 50% of her business has evolved to servic-ing development projects throughout San Diego County.

“We’ll help developers find the dirt … we facilitate the underwriting on land, and we see what the residual is there to help developers acquire property. After that, they build, and we sell what they build,” she said. “It has really evolved to include an exciting and unconventional type of real estate.”

The results have been rewarding. In 2019, the Savory Group received lofty accolades, including qualifying for the Circle of Excellence, the 40 Under 40 award, the Recognition of Excellence Platinum Award, and the Commercial Transaction of the Year from the San Diego Association of REALTORS®.

MAKING AN IMPACT

The Commercial Transaction of the Year Award is an outstanding example of the drive and dedication that Jeannine and her team demonstrate.

“The project we earned that honor for was a complicated transaction that stretched over a few years. When I pitched for that project, I pitched against 14 other agents and was interviewed four times… it took five years,”

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The Savory Team (Photo courtesy Jeannine Savory) Jeannine explains. “There was a restaurant involved that had closed years ago, and the owner wasn't ready to sell. When the time was right, the family hired me to sell it.”

The far-reaching project has made a very visible impact on the community.

“It will change the fabric of the community going forward in the Hillcrest area. Before the pro-ject, the retail in the area was starting to suffer. It needed more density.

My client and I assem-bled a group of experts and started the Hillcrest Gateway Council and took on a density preser-vation approach for two years to prevent the down zone of that area. We went to the city coun-cil, and they approved our plan to maintain density and potentially increase it by way of a spe-cific plan currently underway.

It ended up being a very good project with so many variables that came up.”

HOME PRIORITIES

Away from work, Jeannine looks forward to time spent with her family, including her 16-yearold daughter, Jayden, and her 12-year-old son, Shane.

In their free time, they enjoy camping and traveling together, including taking train trips to Los Angeles, as well as an occasional trip to Hawaii. They also look forward to time spent with friends.

Jeannine also enjoys international travel and in recent years has enjoyed working on film projects with a team.

“Filmmaking has been a great outlet for me. I needed a way to SEE JEANNINE SAVORY, Page 3

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Uptown // Downtown Briefs DEADLINE EXTENDED FOR SMALL BUSINESS RELIEF FUNDS Small businesses and nonprofits now have some extra time to apply for $500 million in State of California COVID-19 relief funds.

The San Diego & Imperial Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Supervisor Nathan Fletcher and The San Diego Foundation have partnered to make sure those funds get into the hands of those who have been most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Interested entities can apply at CaReliefgrant.com.

They have until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, January 13, 2021.

Governor Gavin Newsom announced in December $500 million in grant funds for small businesses and nonprofits. This is not a first come first serve grant.

All applications will start to be reviewed following the closure of the application period. These grants are to cover business expenses and specifically for small businesses hit by the pandemic.

“Our team of over 100 business advisors provided over 20,000 hours of one-on-one assistance in 2020 helping small business owners access disaster assistance and get through the pandemic,” said Daniel Fitzgerald, Regional Director, San Diego & Imperial SBDC Network. “With the new state and federal programs, our team will be ready and available to help small businesses who continue to need our help.”

The Federal Government’s new stimulus package, that includes new and renewed assistance for small business owners and non-profits, including: • Additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), allowing businesses who did not receive a loan to apply and receive a loan equal to 2.5 times their monthly payroll.

• Options for businesses who have had at least a 25% drop in revenue to apply for a second PPP loan. Certain industries hardest hit, such as restaurants and hospitality, can receive up to 3.5 times their monthly payroll.

• $15 billion for grants for live venues that have been shuttered, including theaters and museums.

• An extension of the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, including a renewal for the up to $10,000 grant program for businesses that did not previously receive the funding.

• Availability of PPP loans for nonprofit 501 (c)(6) organizations.

“The new state and federal funding measures are an opportunity to bolster the nonprofit sector as it continues to provide much-needed relief for San Diegans impacted by COVID-19,” shared Mark Stuart, President & CEO of The San Diego Foundation. “We will educate and inform San Diego nonprofits about the SBDC services and training available to them to assist in application development

NEWS / BUSINESS

so we can bring federal and state funds home to San Diego to help our community.”

Anne Fege (Photo by Delle Willett)

LOCAL NURSERIES PARTNERING WITH KATE SESSIONS COMMITMENT TO PLANT TREES

Local nonprofit Kate Sessions Commitment is partnering with Walter Andersen Nursery, City Farmers Nursery and Mission Hills Nursery to offer new, affordable 5-gallon trees for a perfect, pandemic-safe winter activity.

Delia Juncal, Director of Tree Nursery Partnerships said, “Growing or gifting of trees demonstrates hope for the future, and planting a tree is such a positive way to start the new year.”

Kate Sessions Commitment is an active network of arborists, gardeners, community advocates, climate activists, local businesses, and neighbors across San Diego.

Its mission is to advocate and take action for the equitable advancement of a San Diego County tree

San Diego Downtown & Uptown News January 2021

3

Jeannine Savory CONTINUED FROM Page 2

canopy to benefit community health, well-being, climate, and economic opportunities.

Explained Team Leader and Urban Forester, Anne Fege, PhD., “Planting and caring for a tree is an act of creating a better future and leaving a legacy for future generations. And it’s something that can be done safely, outside in the fresh air, either alone or with family.”

The Kate Sessions Commitment program offers high-quality nursery trees that are relatively easy to grow in San Diego. Certified arborists have been working with local nurseries and have reserved ornamental, native trees, and fruit trees to receive the Kate Sessions Commitment logo as an indication of meeting quality standards.

Participants can choose from over 20 varieties of trees including natives and fruit trees, hand-selected for optimal growth and sustainability in the local climate.

View the full list of trees on the pre-order page at katestrees.org.

Kate Sessions Commitment chose to launch this program now, as winter is the ideal time to plant new trees. They chose 5-gallon trees because that is the ideal size for an individual or family to plant without the need for tree delivery or other assistance, keeping people safer during the pandemic.

They also specified healthy young trees that have roots that can continue to stretch and grow.

The price range for the trees is $25 to $60, making it affordable for any neighborhood in San Diego, or as a viable donation or gift.

Trees offer many benefits: They create shade to cool our neighborhoods and reduce energy costs.

They improve our air and water quality. They encourage people to get outside for fresh air and recreation, explained Fege.

How to get the trees: The 5-gallon trees are now available at Walter Andersen Nursery at 3642 Enterprise, San Diego 92110; City Farmer’s Nursery, 3110 Euclid Ave. 92105 and Mission Hills Nursery, 1525 Fort Stockton Dr. 92103. Trees may also be ordered for delivery to Walter Andersen Nursery at the Kate Sessions Commitment website, katestrees.org.

CIVIC COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND NORWOOD DEVELOPMENT FORM MIDDLE-INCOME HOUSING FUND

Civic Community Partners and Norwood Development Strategies announced the formation of a San Diego housing investment fund to increase the production of housing in San Diego County that is affordable to middle-income families.

SEE NEWS BRIEFS, Page 12

not take my work home with me. I had heard that trial attorneys take acting classes. Not because they want to act in the process of what they do, but because it helps them focus and get into character to deal with things objec-tively,” she says.

“This is something creative that helps me focus and put on and take off what I do and not bring it home, so that I can be fully present for my children.”

For all of her achievements in business, Jeannine’s primary priority is her family.

“My life revolves around my kids and how they develop into adults,” she smiles. “I want to be remembered for how good of a mom I was above all else.

In this industry, it's easy to get caught up in the momentum of things, but 20 years have come and gone really fast, and the fires never go away.

Keeping my kids the center of my world is what is most important to me.”

And that family spirit keeps going.

“I’m committed to supporting my kids as they become adults and go through different life expe-riences. And that commitment I feel goes on,” she emphasizes. “That translates to the way I am with my clients …

I am their advocate, I’m always on their side, its who I am.”

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HISTORY Many things for many people: Tin to tacos San Diego Downtown & Uptown News January 2021

SANDEE WILHOIT Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation

In the 1840s, many young men were heading west, hoping to make their fortune in the newly discovered gold fields in San Francisco and Sacramento.

William Augustus Begole was no exception. In the 1852 California State Census, he was listed as a “miner” living in Calaveras County, but by 1855, he had settled in Red Dog Digging, Nevada.

Begole seemed to do quite well in Red Dog, as he became a successful businessman, property owner and civic leader. He had learned the tinsmith trade and opened a hardware store.

W. A. Begole, with his chief partner and cohort, Dr. D. A. Crane, also ventured into hydraulic mining, supplying water to miners and politics. He and Dr. Crane and others went to the American Party National Convention, where due to disagreements regarding immigration and anti-Catholicism, the party split. Begole, Crane and others returned to Red Dog as newly The Higgins-Begole Building (1873 - 1906 - 1921) 529 5th Avenue Architectural Style: Art Deco Architect: Payne and Lacey

minted Republicans.

By 1857, his Begole and Company mining claims were paying big. He further expanded his holdings by lending money and taking miners’ claims as collateral. He built a 300-seat theater, and became a Board Member of the newly formed Red Dog Fire Department.

Although Begole was doing very well, Red Dog was not.

Throughout the 1860s, it was beset by numerous natural disasters, including two calamitous fires during which the theater was destroyed, and torrential rains and flooding, which practically wiped the town off the map.

Begole headed south to San Diego.

He arrived in San Diego on September 24, 1868 with gold in his pocket, his tin smithing trade, Masonic connections and Republican credentials — all very good things to have in Alonzo Horton’s Newtown. He promptly purchased a double lot at 529 Fifth Avenue with plans to open a tin shop. Within weeks, Begole aligned himself with Horton, Horton’s brother-in-law, Ned Bushyhead, publisher of the San Diego Union, Joseph Nash, Lewis and Douglas Gunn and lawyer brothers, Daniel and William Cleveland. These men, all known as the “69ers,” remained his lifelong friends.

In 1869, Begole constructed a one-story brick building for

his stove, hardware, plumbing and tin business. It is the oldest documented brick structure in the Gaslamp. In 1878, he added a second story, and in 1886, a third story was added. It was ultimately described by the San Diego Union as “a handsome building with a fine iron front, large shop windows and galvanized iron cornices.”

To the right, T.J. Higgins, a dealer in real estate and insurance, built a two-story brick edifice in 1873. It was designed by early San Diego architects, Payne and Lacey, and featured an iron front and was said to be completely fireproof. The San Diego Union also stated that it was “one of the handsomest buildings on 5th.”

Payne and Lacey additionally designed Old City Hall and the Nesmith-Greeley Building. Upon completion, Higgins used a portion of the building for his real estate business, and rented the rest to Steiner and Klauber, who sold groceries, dry goods and hardware. They remained until 1877 and the Fashion Saloon then moved into the downstairs.

They were followed in 1881 by Philips and Eisen, who operated a wholesale business dealing in wine, liquor, cigars and tobacco.

The cigars were actually made from tobacco grown in San Diego County! From 1882 until 1887, the Star Restaurant downstairs advertised that they offered “nice

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furnished rooms to let upstairs in the Higgins Brick Block.” It was also reputed to be a brothel. Higgins, in the meantime, decided to go into the whaling business and moved his base of operations to the peninsula opposite Ballast Point.

In 1921, both facades of the buildings were joined The Higgins-Begole Building (Photo by Tim making it appear as one. Trevaskis) The upper floors have a history as rented rooms or a small the direction of Lim and Gladys hotel, and the lower floors usual- Lee from 1927-37, and George ly ran billiards parlors. Frank S. Obayashi operated the restauKaneko and Kenjiro Yamamoto rant from 1938 through 1941. both ran billiards parlors on Afterwards, the space was occuthe first floor of the buildings pied by various Mexican eateries from 1906 until 1909, with Y. on the lower floors until 1959, Masumoto and T. Uyezi continu- when the entire building was taking through 1917. The Hotel Togo, en over by the San Diego Rescue run by T. O. Kusu, offered rooms Mission. The Rescue Mission, in the Higgins Building from 1916 serving San Diego’s homeless, reuntil 1919, when it was taken over mained until 1985. In 1988, the

by Mrs. Venni Lolani and operat- building was purchased by Martin ed as the Hawaiian Hotel from and Cindy Blair, early Gaslamp 1921 until 1958. In the Begole restoration pioneers. After an exBuilding, George Ramsey and his tensive renovation, they opened wife, Rena, ran the Oakland Hotel the Kansas City Steak House and from 1924 until 1927. George Stingaree Saloon. was known as San Diego’s Mayor The building now houses of Harlem, as he was the propri- Volcano Rabbit, a Mexican restauetor of the Creole Palace, known rant and craft tequila bar. as the Cotton Club of the West.

The Creole Palace, in the Douglas —Sandee Wilhoit is the historian Hotel, was on Second and Market and lead tour guide for the Gaslamp Streets. On the first floor, the Quarter Historical Foundation. She Hong Kong Cafe, serving chop can be reached at swilhoit@gaslampsuey and chow mien, was under foundation.org.

WHERE DOES YOUR PROPERTY GO IF YOU DIE WITHOUT A WILL OR TRUST? By: Dick McEntyre and Chris von der Lieth, Attorneys at Law Except where you hold title with another as a joint tenant, or have designated your beneficiary under an insurance policy, retirement plan, or IRA, if you die without leaving a will or a trust (called dying “intestate”), your entire estate will pass in accordance with what are called the laws of intestate succession.

Assume you own a home and some mutual funds, and you die intestate, here’s what would happen under California law: 1.If, when you died you were married and had two children, and the home and mutual funds were owned by you and your spouse as community property (meaning, essentially, any property acquired by either spouse while you are married, except acquired by gift or inheritance) (in which each of you own an undivided one-half interest), your spouse would receive your one-half community property interest (in addition to the onehalf interest that he or she already owned).

2. If, when you died you were married and had two children, and the home and mutual funds were owned by yourself as your separate property (meaning property you, alone, had acquired by gift or

inheritance, or had owned before you were married), your spouse and two children would each receive one-third of your estate.

3. If, when you died you were unmarried and had two children, each of your two children would receive one-half of your estate.

It gets more complicated where you have no spouse and no children. Your estate then passes by “degree of kinship” to your parent(s); but if none surviving, to your brothers and sisters; but if none surviving, to your grandparents; but if none surviving, to your uncles and aunts, and so-on down the line.

The point of all this: to avoid what would perhaps be an unintended disposition of our property, and also to avoid a costly and timeconsuming court-required administration (“probate”) of your estate, we should each pass on our estates by the appropriate written instrument – trust or will.

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619-865-2220 miker@sdnews.com

HISTORY

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San Diego Downtown & Uptown News January 2021

5

Meet the Robinsons San Diego street names: Part nine of the series

The original name of present-day Ray Street was Robinson Street. This narrow road marks the boundary between William Jefferson Gatewood’s West End tract and Joseph Nash’s Park Villas tract. Both men knew multiple Robinsons in early San Diego.

One possibility for the original street name is William N. Robinson (1841-1878), who arrived in San Diego from Texas in 1850 as a young boy with his father and mother. The family settled in Old Town. In 1867, 10 years after his father died, William and his mother sold their large land holdings in the western part of San Diego and moved to a ranch in Jamul. The 1870 federal census listed him as a farmer.

He served in the state assembly in 1869 and 1870, during which time he was favorably mentioned in several issues of the San Diego Union. The December 30, 1869 issue noted, “Hon. W.N. Robinson, our member of the State Legislature, will please accept the thanks of this office for favors at Sacramento.” The February 3, 1870 issue reported under a letter from Sacramento, “I don’t know what our San Diego people are after, but I have noticed several of our leading citizens here lately. W. Jeff.

Gatewood has been at the Capital all along, and within the past

This bust of English naturalist John Ray by French sculptor LouisFrançois Roubiliac is at the British Museum. Ray may be the scientist honored when City Engineer Louis Davids changed Robinson Street to Ray Street in 1900. (Photo by Stephen C. Dickson, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

few days I have seen Judge Bush, Sheriff McCoy, and other familiar faces. Representative Robinson is always at his post, and votes regularly on every bill that comes up.”

Robinson and Gatewood connected in the effort to bring the transcontinental railroad to San Diego. The San Diego Union’s October 10, 1868 issue listed William N. Robinson as one of the directors of the San Diego and Gila Southern Pacific and Atlantic Railroad Company, of which Gatewood was president.

The San Diego Union’s June 3, 1871 issue related a connection between Robinson and merchant Joseph Nash in a short news item stating, “TALL OATS – We saw at Mr. J. Nash’s store yesterday, stalks of oats eight feet in height, that came from Mr. W.N. Robinson’s Ranch in the Jamul Valley. Mr. Robinson will cut about one hundred and fifty tons of oat hay on his ranch this season.”

When Robinson ran again for the Assembly in 1873, Gatewood endorsed him at a rally of Democrats, as reported in the Daily Union’s September 3, 1873 issue. Robinson lost the race, however, and the stress led to a mental breakdown reported in the Daily Union’s September 18, 1873 issue as a “sad calamity that has befallen one of the leading citizens of Southern California.” Judge Thomas Bush committed him to the Stockton State Hospital. After a few months, Robinson recovered and was discharged in January 1874. He returned home to Jamul and lived with his mother until his death on October 30, 1878 at the relatively young age of 37. His obituary in the San Diego Union’s October 31, 1878 issue noted he was “to be buried at Old Town where the remains of his father and wife repose.” This is El Campo Santo cemetery, although these Robinsons are not in marked gravesites, and their names are not on the list of known burials.

William N. Robinson’s street name could also recognize his father, James W. Robinson (17901857), a prominent California pioneer who played a significant role in Texas history before William was born. In 1835, when Texas was pursuing its independence from Mexico, James W. Robinson was elected lieutenant governor of the provisional government. He

James W. Robinson was a prominent attorney and provisional lieutenant governor in Texas before he came to San Diego in 1850. Ray Street was originally named Robinson Street, possibly for James or his son, William N. (Courtesy of Wikipedia)

The graves of James W. Robinson and his son William at El Campo Santo cemetery in Old Town are not marked. Ironically, “Yankee Jim” Robinson — a thief successfully prosecuted by District Attorney James Robinson in 1852 — has one of the few marked graves, possibly because Yankee Jim is reputed to haunt the nearby Whaley House. (Photo by Katherine Hon)

briefly served as governor in early 1836, when the original governor, Henry Smith, was deposed. But Smith refused to relinquish the office, so Robinson joined the Texas army and fought at the battle of San Jacinto. He served as a judge from December 1836 to 1840, practiced law, fought in battles at San Antonio, was imprisoned in Mexico in 1842, and may have participated in negotiating the 1843 armistice between Texas and Mexico.

In 1850, James W. Robinson arrived in San Diego with his wife, Sarah, and their young son.

They had traveled in a wagon train that included Louis Rose, another prominent San Diego pioneer. Attorney James Robinson took cases throughout the state, many involving land claims, his

specialty. He served as district attorney from 1852 to 1855, and in this capacity, he prosecuted an individual who has surpassed most Old Town pioneers in name recognition to this day — “Yankee Jim” Robinson (no relation).

Under the headline, “An Interesting Page of San Diego History — How the Pioneers Disposed of Offensive People,” the Daily Union’s October 4, 1872 issue related the story of a crime and trial that occurred twenty years earlier in the summer of 1852. The article described how James Robinson, alias “Yankee Jim,” a Canadian Frenchman of “dangerous character,” and two companions stole a boat in the harbor, afterwards deserting it and turning it adrift.

The three men were arrested on the

charge of grand larceny. The article noted that “James W. Robinson, father of Hon. Wm. N. Robinson, was at that time the District Attorney and conducted the prosecution.”

Yankee Jim was found guilty. He was hanged a month later “on the spot where Whaley’s brick house now stands.” His spirit is reputed to haunt the Whaley House in one of San Diego’s most popular ghost stories.

Unaware that Yankee Jim’s story would reverberate through time while his own story would become obscure, District Attorney James W. Robinson continued his contributions to early San Diego civic development. He helped establish the Democratic party in

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James W. Robinson’s family home on the Old Town Plaza was built in 1853, demolished about 1900 and reconstructed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation in 1989. (Photo by Katherine Hon)

SEE ROBINSONS, Page 11

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San Diego Downtown & Uptown News January 2021

Guest Editorial

The way forward: Jobs for all BRIAN SCHRADER

Once the pandemic is under control, we can finally focus our attention on the crippling recession caused by our delayed and haphazard response.

When that day finally comes, we should be ready with a plan to increase prosperity for all Americans. To right our wrongs, we need to be bold, we need to be swift, and we need to be ready to make history.

Assuming we actually did create a suitably large pandemic contact tracing workforce, once the pandemic is under control and the need for tracing declines, we should reject the predictable urge to wind down the program; instead, we should increase the program’s funding immensely.

We should direct the program to hire even more unemployed workers, and encourage local and state governments to re-train them for other work in their communities. What our economy lacks right now is jobs. The service sector has collapsed and it will take time for the sector to recover. Rather than simply boosting unemployment insurance (which we should also continue to do while the recession lingers) the federal government should ensure that any American who wants a job can get one in their community. To do this, Congress need only make the funding available to states and local governments so that they can hire those seeking work.

Such a workforce could number in the millions, and by allowing state and local governments to direct their efforts, these workers would be directly benefiting their communities in a time of decreased local tax revenue and cuts to state services.

There is no shortage of work to be done. Anyone who walks our streets, enjoys our parks, hikes our trails, or fishes in our lakes knows that there are plenty of trails that need restoring, waters that need cleaning, roads that need sweeping, trees that need trimming, and erosion damage that needs repairing.

Such a workforce could repaint and repair public spaces, fix broken or falling signage, or simply pick up trash all around the country. Currently much of this work goes undone because cities, counties and even states lack the funds or political will to make it happen. If such institutions one day found that they had a well-paid and wellstocked workforce of people to do routine work, this work would actually be done. Since the federal government would

sponsor the worker’s wages and benefits, the cost to cities, counties, and states is negligible and local agencies would need only to oversee the work and determine the priority of projects.

A federal jobs program would effectively eliminate unintended unemployment in the United States —as well as reduce underemployment, where a person works less than they’d prefer because they can’t find a job that fits their needs. This workforce should all be given benefits and be paid $15 per hour.

People helping to restore their community would bring pride to cities and counties across the nation, build camaraderie between those who work a federally-backed job and those in the larger labor market, help stabilize the economy during future economic downturns, and raise working standards for all Americans. Unemployment and disability insurance can and should still be made available to those temporarily out of work but looking for other private-sector employment or those who simply cannot work, but anyone unable to find private-sector employment would have the option of a job helping their community thrive.

To those out there who see this as another unpaid-for social program, keep in mind that these workers would in fact pay state, local, and federal taxes (thereby boosting local and state tax revenues substantially). Additionally, studies by economists have demonstrated that such a program, even if implemented without increasing taxes to pay for it, would have a negligible effect on inflation in a 10-year window and would go a long way towards bringing the U.S. economy to full strength. This easily offsets the impact of such deficit spending.

A universal federal jobs guarantee might seem like a fantasy, but America has done similar things before. After the Great Depression, the federal government sponsored grand building projects, in addition to promoting and celebrating a generation of artists and musicians. While today’s iteration can and should be more universal and less federally directed, the foundation is already laid for us to build the future we want, one where everyone can have their share of the prosperity that is coming. We just need to give everyone a job.

—Brian Schrader is a local business owner, software developer, writer and San Diego resident living in Normal Heights.

OPINION / OBITUARY In memoriam: Pat Taylor inspired reading J.M. GARCIA | Downtown & Uptown News

Pat Taylor taught reading.

But more than that she taught her students to love to read and to love the very idea of books and stories put to paper. She believed reading made people better citizens and exposed them to ideas they otherwise never would have considered. Taylor read endlessly.

If a child liked turtles, she could recommend two or three books on the subject. She reached even the most reluctant student because she knew so many books.

“Pat never said why she liked teaching,” her husband, Don, recalled recently. “It was her gift, something she just had to do.

She’d come home and say, ‘There was this kid with a negative attitude and I got him to read and he said find me another book.’ That made her day.”

Taylor, 75, died of a heart attack on Dec. 13, 2020. She left behind her husband and dozens of friends and former students who attribute their love of reading to her. Actively engaged in community issues, she also made an impression on local officials.

Sometimes she wrote to them on the back of advertising flyers, her way of promoting recycling and sustainability. Her handwritten notes, distinctive for her precise penmanship, interweaved her political thoughts with chatty and witty observations. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, who met Taylor in 2007 when he first campaigned for city council, exchanged notes with her for a decade. The day before she died, he received a letter from her about the U.S. Senate races in Georgia.

“When I think of the model citizen, it’s Pat,” Gloria said. “She had a life of service as a teacher and was active in retirement.

She was concerned about her community and the people in it.”

Taylor, however, prioritized teaching above all her other interests. She oversaw the Independent Readers’ Club at McKinley Elementary School from 2001 to 2018 and the Rolling Readers program at Logan Memorial Educational Campus since 2008.

At Logan, Taylor would meet students in the teachers’ lounge at 1:30 p.m. She came early and brought treats and waited for the children to arrive. She never went

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EDITOR Kendra Sitton kendra@sdnews.com

Pat Taylor (Photo courtesy Don Taylor) to them. She had expectations.

The students took her seriously and when they showed up, they were prepared to discuss a book.

She also engaged them in arts projects. They called her Miss Pat. I’m here to teach, Taylor would tell them, and we’ll have fun.

“Miss Pat had plans for the kids she worked with,” said Logan principal Antonio Villar.

“She would leave me letters with ideas she had. Miss Pat had a force of her own. I don’t know if I could have ever said no to her.”

Taylor grew up in Minnesota, the fourth of 11 children. She graduated from college with a degree in elementary education and taught in Connecticut, Georgia and Minnesota before she and Don moved to California in 2001 to be near Don’s mother.

By then, Taylor had retired after more than fifteen years of teaching but she remained committed to working with young people. That year she approached McKinley about volunteering.

“Miss Pat would ask a kid to give her a report on the book they’d read,” said retired McKinley principal Julie AshtonGray. “She’d tell the other students to keep reading but of course she knew they would listen to the student give their report and they did and then they wanted to read that book, too.

She could act gruff and pretend she didn’t care but she had these tricks to keep them engaged.”

College freshman and former McKinley student and book club participant Emily Mattson, 19, described the club as a “coveted program.” “To get an adult to give you individual attention about a book you read made you feel special,” Mattson said.

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Jeff Clemetson x130 Tom Melville x131 Dave Schwab x 132 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Toni Atkins Diana Cavagnaro Tom Cesarini Dave Danielson J.M. Garcia Christopher Gomez Katherine Hon Vince Meehan Brian Schrader Summer Stephan Sandee Wilhoit

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 2021. All rights reserved.

SEE PAT TAYLOR, Page 15

LA JOLLA

Taylor at McKinley (Photo courtesy San Diego Historical Society)

WEB / SOCIAL MEDIA Kendra Sitton

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Small businesses in their own words

San Diego Downtown & Uptown News LITTLE ITALY 7 January 2021 Making her mark: Marianna Brunetto

By TOM CESARINI

Little Italy News

By CHRISTOPHER GOMEZ Our commitment is to our Little Italy community, so I have turned over my San Diego Downtown News piece to include the great stories of our community. I encourage you to read each one and discover the love, passion and resilience that makes Little Italy so incredible.

BOLT BREWERY

We’ve been in business for six years and through the years we’ve been able to provide a fun, laid back place for members of our community to hang out, and grab some beer and food. We’re constantly motivated by Team Bolt, a combination of our amazing staff and fantastic customers that all come together to create the unique atmosphere. The best way to support us right now would be through ordering to-go.

We’re currently offering the pandemic special: 1 beer, 1 shot and 1 chicken tender meal for $15.

THE PHYSICAL THERAPY EFFECT We’ve had our door open since 2013 to provide high quality oneon-one care to our community.

Truthfully treating our neighbors and keeping them healthy is what has driven me all these years. Helping people to remain active or get out of pain is the most satisfying reward. Seeing our clients walking or running around the neighborhood daily drives us to keep growing our community connection. The best way to support us right now is for you to know that we are currently open, as we are a proven option for those in pain that are seeking alternatives to painkillers and/or surgery.

D3 HOME MODERN FURNITURE

We’ve been in Little Italy for 3 years now and have loved every minute of it. We strive to offer livable modern furniture solutions to a bold and adventurous audience.

Giving back is important to us and we always do it throughout the year.

Starting January 1st - 31st we will be running a You Buy Furniture, We Plant Trees Event. We partnered with One Tree Planted, a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to reforestation efforts to have one tree planted for each piece of furniture purchased in-store and online during this time.

CIVICO 1845

My brother Pietro and I have been in business for 5 years. We moved to the United States with a life-long dream to open our Italian Restaurant and bring the most authentic and contemporary Italian experience to the US. Even through the hardships, the exceptional support of our community drives us every day, pushing us to

Little Italy Culture & Heritage

always bring something new from our beautiful Italy. The best way to support us right now is by ordering take-out and delivery. We have great menu offerings including the most delicious cocktails and bottles of wine to choose from.

M WINE HOUSE

Being in business for six years has allowed us to share our love of wine with our community and transport them to a different location, by offering wine tastings from around the world. The relationships we have been able to build with our customers is what continues to drive us every day.

The best way to support us right now is through purchasing bottles of wine to take home.

CLOAK & PETAL

We just recently celebrated our third birthday in Little Italy!

What really drives us is creating a unique experience for our community. We love being able to serve the creations we’re proud of, as well as continuing to reinvent ourselves and provide amazing hospitality and service. The best way to support us right now is through take-out. We’re constantly trying to give back to our staff and frontline workers as well, so please stay up to date on our social media for ways to give back.

SEE LITTLE ITALY NEWS, Page 11

The Convivio Now and Again Series comprises oral histories from Italian-community members. In this excerpt from an interview with Marianna Brunetto, she discusses some cherished remembrances of her time growing up in Little Italy and the impetus that led her to take a leadership role with the Little Italy Association.

Without question, Marianna Brunetto’s family has had a vital impact on her life. Her dedication to her family, especially her bond with her grandparents, remains at the core of who she is.

She fondly recalls a memory of her great-grandmother, one that perhaps serves to highlight her connection to and affection for her great-grandmother.

She said, “We always remember my Nanna. She loved CocaCola; she would drink a liter of soda almost every single day.

But it was always flat. She never refrigerated it. She never put the cap on; she always had this piece of foil over it. And so as kids we hated it, because it had no taste, it was flat, and it tasted horrible.

But she would have that glass of soda for us, so it was kind of like, ‘Well, we have to chug it down— Nanna wants it.’”

Marianna’s mother’s side of the family resided on India Street, while her father’s side lived on Columbia Street. She chuckles as she recalled, “I remember playing in the wine cellar... I miss those times where you’d cram 60 people into this teeny-tiny room at my Nanna’s house and we would eat, and we would talk, and we would laugh.”

Marianna (age 3) and brother, Stefano (age 5) growing up in Little Italy. (Photo courtesy of Marianna Brunetto)

Growing up her best memory she was of “our fat family gatherings, and I was very fortunate because it wasn’t just the holidays that we got together; it was every Sunday,” Marianna said.

Marianna’s introduction to the Little Italy Association was serendipitous. While attending San Diego State University, Marianna began to work for San Diego National Bank. There she would meet Louis Palestini—manager for the North Park branch and board member of the Little Italy Association—who would take her under his wing, especially as he already knew many of Marianna’s family members.

“When I started working for the bank, I went full time, after I stopped going to SDSU, and I just had a desire for more. I wanted to somehow get involved. My family contributed so much to what this neighborhood was, and I felt like I grew up and I enjoyed it. I really took pride in it. I was happy to grow up and be Italian American—all the values and the traditions that I grew up with. At that time I felt like, ‘Okay, well, what’s my responsibility to carry this on? My grandparents and my parents aren’t going to be alive forever. I feel

Marianna overseeing the development of Litte Italy’s social center, the Piazza della Famiglia. like they have their legacy in this neighborhood—what’s going to be mine?’” Marianna said.

“So I started talking to Louis because I knew he was involved in the Little Italy Association. I wanted to make sure that this neighborhood was something in 20, 30, 40 years. And he sat down and told me the board is the backbone of this community, and they needed younger people to get involved. But more importantly they needed people that have heart in the neighborhood and had ties to the neighborhood to get involved. So I came with him to a board meeting, and I loved it from the first one, because I felt like it was more than just a board,” she said.

Marianna contends that the neighborhood itself, as well as the changes it has undergone, influenced her idea of what it means to be Italian American.

Moreover, the neighborhood is the foundation for her desire to preserve some of its more salient history.

“I want to make sure that the element of what this neighborhood was doesn’t get lost. And I was fortunate to grow up here, and I love SEE MARIANNA BRUNETTO, Page 12

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POLITICS sdnews.com 2021’s legislative priorities Don’t be fooled by counterfeit Notes from Toni COVID-19 vaccines San Diego Downtown & Uptown News January 2021

By TONI G. ATKINS Happy New Year. As we embark on 2021, there are unknowns and challenges ahead of us, but also opportunities.

January is all about fresh starts. This year though, more than most, our fresh start begins with meeting ongoing challenges.

As the 2021 Legislative Session gets underway on January 11, the COVID-19 pandemic remains our top priority. Too many lives have been lost and many more disrupted by this virus. The Senate will continue to work to find ways to help renters, homeowners, schools and businesses survive the impacts of this pandemic. In addition to vaccine procurement and distribution, the Legislature and the Governor will be working with our new federal partners on funding solutions for Californians.

COVID-19 has exacerbated what was an already-critical need for more affordable housing and more housing supply in our state. In taking a leadership role, the Senate has introduced the ‘Building Opportunities for All’ Senate Housing Package, which includes six bills aimed at offering housing opportunities and solutions for Californians.

I have two bills in the Senate housing package — SB 7 (The Housing + Jobs Expansion and Extension Act) which would expand and extend the existing CEQA streamlining process for environmental leadership development projects. SB 9 (The California Housing Opportunity and More Efficiency (HOME) Act) — which will help streamline the process for new housing units while maintaining local control and preserving neighborhood character. It would allow more homeowners to create a duplex or subdivide an existing lot in a residential area.

We have a unique opportunity to pursue legislation and policies that support the housing needs of local governments and all Californians and I’m excited that the Senate is leading the way.

More information can be found here: focus.senate.ca.gov/housing We also must tackle the other crisis that touches all Californians: climate change.

Given the wildfires, record high temperatures, and persistent drought conditions, I introduced SB 1 (The California Sea Level Rise Mitigation and Adaptation Act of 2021), which helps local communities address sea level rise. That need is particularly critical in San Diego, since it affects both our economy and military. The Senate will also be advancing a $4.1 billion bond

measure to help communities invest in climate resiliency—including addressing sea level rise, preparing for droughts, and preventing wildfires.

I’m also proud to co-author SB 2 with my colleague Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena), which requires law enforcement officers to have their certifications revoked following the conviction of serious crimes or termination from employment due to misconduct. This legislation is a social justice commitment to ensuring that no one is above the law.

There is important work ahead. I am deeply honored to have been re-elected to represent the 39th Senate District and humbled by the opportunities my community has given me to serve. Should you ever need to get in touch with my office, please do not hesitate to reach out to my District Team.

By Phone: (619) 645-3133 Submit a comment online: sd39.senate.ca.gov

—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

District Attorney News

By SUMMER STEPHAN The end of the pandemic is in sight. The Pfizer vaccine has been approved by the FDA and the first phase of distribution to states has begun. In addition, the Moderna vaccine recently received FDA approval. Even though the vaccine will eventually be available to all Americans free of charge, we are months away from that prospect and the demand will greatly outpace the initial supply.

Pfizer and eventually Moderna will distribute 100 million doses each in the U.S. The distribution of these 200 million doses will be divided among the states based on populations.

Only healthcare workers will receive the vaccine through their employers and public health agencies in phase one. Additional distribution phases will release the vaccine to elder care workers, residents of skilled nursing and long-term care centers and first responders before the vaccine is made available to the general public. There is no way to buy early access to the vaccine.

Any claim that offers an opportunity to purchase the vaccine is a scam.

By now, we know that unscrupulous scammers are always waiting for their next opportunity and the COVID-19 vaccine is no different. Already bad actors have been counterfeiting pharmaceutical company logos for many years and will likely quickly move into producing a look-alike vaccine for sale through already established illicit supply chains.

Keep these tips in mind to avoid falling for a counterfeit vaccine: • Fake vaccines may appear early and look genuine.

• Because vaccine production will continue to increase, enough genuine vaccines should be available to all Americans for free by this summer.

• Scammers understand this and will try to exploit the next six months of limited availability by offering bogus opportunities to buy the vaccine early.

• Purchasing a vaccine from an unauthorized distributor is extremely dangerous.

• Counterfeit drugs are frequently manufactured in unsanitary conditions and are usually contaminated.

• For drugs that have long been on the market, such as Viagra, the chemical structure of the drugs is widely known and can be SEE VACCINE SCAMS, Page 9

San Diego Downtown & Uptown News FASHION / POLITICS 9 January 2021 Designer Juliet Sailo makes couture custom sdnews.com

India. During her earlier years, she spent time in both Burma and India before coming to the United

By DIANA CAVAGNARO States in 2012.

After deciding to go to school Juliet Sailo is a multitalent- here, she first went to City College ed designer with a retail store studying costume design and then located in National City. She went on to graduate from Mesa specializes in custom made gar- College in the Fashion Design ments for both men and women. Program in 2015. Immediately Everything is made to measure. I after graduation, she began a asked Sailo when she first knew business making evening gowns, that she wanted to be in fashion. wedding gowns, and menswear.

She said when she was 10 years In addition to this she also started old her mom went shopping at doing alterations and repairs for Christmas time and she didn’t her customers. like the designs or fabrics of readyI asked Sailo how she was afmade clothes. This is when she fected by the pandemic and she knew that she wanted to designer. said that her store was closed Originally, she is from Burma and for three months. In that time, her parents were from Mumbai, she found businesses that could no longer import from China so they hired her to create the sketches, patterns and samples.

Business was slow and when it picked up, she started getting orders for wedding gowns. These gowns take a minimum of two weeks to create from sketch, pattern, fittings, and the final wedding gown. The range of prices begins at $1600 and up.

I asked her how peoChiara Ariè (All gowns and clothing in pictures are ple found out about her made by Juliet Sailo. Photos courtesy Juliet Sailo) and she said that she

Fashion Files

Chiara

Chiara

PopOpera

relies on referrals and gives a 15% discount on regular clothing, eveningwear and 40% off for wedding gowns. Recently she started designing for customers overseas and does all of this with video calls.

Sailo has to follow trends very closely and uses the best fabrics for her wedding gowns. The fabric that she uses are lace, sequins, and see through fabric for the brides. For the evening wear designs the gowns are sexy and close fitting. The fabric is stretchy, shiny and glittery. Sailo always includes her logo in gold metal on each one of her creations.

Sailo has designed for many customers on the red carpet. One is an Italian singer Chiara Ariè

who is a “mezzo soprano” that has crossed over to pop with her PopOpera Album. Most recently she made a custom-made gold gown for Antoinette Love Ransom for an editorial shoot for Playboy.

Additionally Sailo has also started to teach people one on one how to sew, repair, and do alterations.

She also gives training on how to cut the fabric without a pattern.

I asked her what her future goals are and she wants to move to a bigger location and open a Wedding Store. Look for this in the times ahead. For an appointment call 619-534-7735.

—Diana Cavagnaro is an internationally renowned Couture Milliner based in Alpine, California.

Learn more about our Hat Designer, Teacher & Blogger at www.

DianaCavagnaro.com

UPCOMING EVENTS January 17, 2021 Bridal Bazaar Bridal Expo & Wedding Expo at the San Diego Convention Center from 9:30am-4pm. Free advance tickets at bit.ly/3o9gdm4

March 6, 2021 Soroptimist International of San Diego will feature “Women With Vision.” This is a live virtual fashion show produced

by Gretchen Productions. The afternoon also feature the “Live Your Dream” Awards. For info: 619-670-9880

Chiara & Juliet

Chiara

Chiara

Antoinette Love Ransom

Antoinette Love Ransom

Vaccine Scams

• If you buy a vaccine from any source, you are at a heightened risk of getting a counterfeit product.

• Even if the product is in an official looking vial, it is not real.

Outside of the U.S., there are two other vaccines in use. Sputnik V in Russia, and SinoVac in China and Brazil. Both vaccines were released in their countries, but are not approved in the U.S. The United Kingdom is currently using

the Pfizer vaccine but has a vaccine developed by AstraZeneca/Oxford in final stages of approval. None of these vaccines have been approved for use in the United States.

Scammers may attempt to sell these foreign vaccines to desperate individuals. Counterfeiters may also attempt to repackage foreign vaccines in Pfizer or Moderna packaging.

The light at the end of the tunnel is real, but patience and

following sound practices including wearing a mask, observing social distancing and frequent handwashing are still needed until the vaccine is widely available.

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.

—District Attorney Summer Stephan has dedicated more than 28 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.

duplicated, so counterfeiters are able to put some of the active drug in the counterfeit product.

• However, the COVID-19 vaccine is cutting edge technology.

Counterfeiters will not under any circumstances be able to create a real vaccine.

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NEWS sdnews.com Regional Taskforce on the Homeless creates new board structure Two boards rather than one will guide efforts by the Regional Taskforce on the Homeless (RTFH) to end homelessness in San Diego County while enhancing the organization’s ability to bring critical funding to the region.

By separating its board of directors into a policy advisory board and a new, financially oriented board more akin to traditional nonprofit boards, the RTFH hopes to create a stronger governance infrastructure for the organization tasked with leading the region’s efforts to end homelessness.

One board, the Advisory Board, will continue to convene the region’s elected officials, service providers, and civic leaders for discussions about policy and best practices. The second board, the 501c3 Non-Profit Board, will focus on the fiscal oversight of the organization, acquiring funding and allocating it where it’s needed most.

“First and foremost, this was a decision-based in good governance,” said Tamera Kohler, CEO of RTFH. “The evolution of the RTFH into an agency responsible for tens of millions of dollars of funding to homelessness programs throughout the region created an opportunity for us to separate our policy experts and the decisions they make from those responsible for fiscal oversight. It also gives us the opportunity to more aggressively apply for government grants, fundraise and deploy funding in a more fiscally

responsible way, with the intent always to help more people out of homelessness.”

The RTFH is the authority and lead coordinator in the San Diego region for new and best practices and policies to prevent, alleviate and ultimately end homelessness in San Diego.

The RTFH board of directors historically has had 31 members, has been chaired by an elected official and has included homeless service providers, elected officials, business and civic leaders and those with lived experience. That body, known as the Continuum of Care (CoC), remains intact and continues to advise on new and emerging initiatives and coordination of services throughout the region.

The RTFH also oversees the distribution of funding throughout the San Diego region from a diverse range of sources, including the state of California’s Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Grant Program (HHAP), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HU D) Notice of Funding Availability and a Flexible Housing Pool. This funding responsibility will now be that of the new nonprofit board of directors and RTFH staff.

In 2018, the RTFH was given the responsibility of allocating more than $18 million in funding from the state of California’s Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) and nearly $8 million from the federal government’s Youth

Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP).

“When Tamera took over as CEO of the RTFH in 2017, she quickly identified that the organization was growing in its role and responsibility in the region and that at some point, the board of directors would need to evolve with it,” said nonprofit chair Ray Ellis. “This was a well-thoughtout decision that will help not just our own organization, but will better serve cities, organizations and people working to end homelessness in San Diego.”

The CoC remains responsible for the policy, advocacy, and research; the annual countywide Point-in-Time Count; and management of the region’s Coordinated Entry System (CES) and Homeless Management Information System (HMIS).

“The RTFH is an invaluable partner to service providers, government agencies, volunteers and people who are in need of housing,” said Rick Gentry, chair of the CoC and president of the San Diego Housing Commission. “They have the ability to work directly with the folks doing the work in the community because we are on their board. So they hear us, and then they look at things from the system level, see where things are and are not working to offer expertise and insight that makes our regional system stronger.”

For more information about the Regional Taskforce on the Homeless, visit RTFHSD.org.

SOHO releases annual list of endangered historical sites Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO), San Diego’s only countywide historic preservation advocacy group wraps up this year with its 22nd annual Most Endangered List of 12 historic buildings, sites, and landscapes. The pandemic’s stressors of uncertainty, inequity, and loss underscore the unifying power of our shared multicultural heritage and venerated historic places. The pandemic also threatens historic buildings and places that are not now regularly used, visited, or monitored due to restricted activities.

These threatened sites also reflect and define San Diego’s authentic character, and cry out for preservation before it is too late.

This year’s Most Endangered List, ranges from the seriously neglected Presidio Park in Old Town San Diego to Granger Music Hall, an acoustic gem in National City designed by renowned San Diego architect Irving J. Gill to dozens of century-old pepper trees under threat by the City of San Diego along historic Kensington streets.

These are the sites that stitch together an irreplaceable patchwork quilt of stories, deeds, and ach ieve me nt s.

Any or all of these pieces could burn, crumble, topple, or otherwise vanAn image of the historic Hillcrest business district ish forever if not (Photo courtesy Vintage San Diego) vigilant. SOHO is sounding the The 2020 list includes prom- alarm about these 12 places. inent and remote buildings • Chase Bank, Pacific Beach and sites throughout San Diego • Kensington Pepper Trees County carried over from the • Roberts Cottages, Oceanside 2019 list. Two were removed • Marine Corps Recruitment from last year’s list (La Playa Depot, San Diego Piers are likely saved, the na• Merriam House, San Marcos tional award-winning San Diego • Presidio Park, Old Town Stadium is being demolished), and • Hillcrest Commercial Core six are new entries.

Historic District, Uptown SOHO releases this annual list • Red Rest, Red Roost to raise awareness among the Bungalows, La Jolla Cove public, property owners, decision • Barrett Ranch House, Jamul makers, students, and developers • G ra n ge r Mu s ic Ha l l, regarding threatened landmarks National City and memorable places in historic • Big Stone Lodge, Poway built and natural environments.

• Pottery Canyon Kiln, La Jolla

sdnews.com

Robinsons CONTINUED FROM Page 5

San Diego, serving as a local delegate to the state convention in 1855. He served as president of the three-member City Board of Trustees from 1852 to 1853 alongside Louis Rose as treasurer. In 1851, Robinson helped establish San Diego Masonic Lodge No. 35. He followed Philip Crosthwaite — Gatewood’s brother-in-law — as Master of the Lodge in 1856. Robinson strongly supported development of a railroad connection for San Diego, serving as president and a director of the first San Diego and Gila railroad company organized in 1854. He died on October 27, 1857 at the age of 67.

Creating historical confusion, the only Robinson grave marker at El Campo Santo cemetery is for Yankee Jim, which lists the executed man’s name as “James W. Robinson.” The known burials also list Yankee Jim’s name this way, with his age as 31 and date of burial as September 19, 1852, the day after his hanging. Charles L. Spratley notes in his book, “Piercing the Veil: Examining San Diego’s Haunted History,” that “If you ever see a picture purporting to be the Yankee Jim who was hanged, chances are it’s a photo of James W. Robinson, a highly distinguished and prominent judge, attorney, and businessman.”

James W. Robinson built a grand two-story house on the Old Town Plaza in 1853. The first floor was adobe painted to look like wood siding, and the second floor was wood frame painted to look like adobe.

Through the next 50 years, the building served various purposes, including private residence, offices for the San Diego Herald — Old Town’s newspaper during the 1850s — general store, schoolroom, law office, medical office, jail cell, and the County Clerk’s office.

Louis Rose bought the house from James W. Robinson’s widow in 1868. By about 1900, the house had been demolished, but it was reconstructed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation in 1989 and now serves as the Old Town visitor information center.

Robinson Street in West End was changed to Ray Street in May 1900 at the recommendation of City Engineer Louis Davids. With his admiration for early scientists, perhaps Davids wanted to honor John Ray (1627-1705), an English botanist, ornithologist, zoologist, theologian and naturalist at the University of Cambridge who established species as the ultimate unit of taxonomy.

—Katherine Hon is the secretary of the North Park Historical Society. Reach her at info@northparkhistory.org or 619-294-8990.

HISTORY / LITTLE ITALY Little Italy News CONTINUED FROM Page 7

have for the past two years, is by ordering takeout – all our stations are open!

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We’ve been part of the Little Italy community for the past six years. We wanted to start a conversation around local ingredients and the people who source them.

We wanted people to try new produce, meats, and seafood by using them in familiar, nostalgic ways, while treating the more familiar, traditional ingredients in unique and unprecedented ways. What drives us is not just our passion for food and creative technique, and wanting to share that passion with our guests, but also the farmers, fishermen and local purveyors who find the most pristine quality San Diego products and allow us to have fun with them. The best way to support us right now is through the Juniper and Ivy at Home Program: exploretock. com/juniperandivy – we offer a rotating menu of 3-course meals of locally sourced comfort food starting at just $25 each week, for curbside pick-up or staff delivery.

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We’ve been in business since 1989, but we opened our Little Italy location in 2004. Coming from a long line of amazing women bakers — my grandmother and her sisters and my mother and her friends who shared recipes and creative ideas in the kitchen — I just knew having my own pastry café was for me! The creative challenge to “Wow!” our clients and have them include us in their most celebratory moments and events is extremely fulfilling. It is what inspires me to continue to do what I do. The best way to continue to support us is by ordering takeout and delivery through our website. Something extraordinary for birthdays and other special occasions is still available for pick-up as well.

HARBOR BREAKFAST

Harbor Breakfast opened in 2014 in a building that has been a continuously operating business on India Street since 1887. We wanted to keep the historic building alive, after it was being threatened by re-development in 1995. We love the history that comes with the building, but also having people from all walks of life stopping by for a bite and telling their stories.

Times have been very tough and the best way to support us right now is by ordering takeout.

San Diego Downtown & Uptown News January 2021

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM YOUR DUI DEFENSE FIRM 4 YEARS IN A ROW!

We’ve been operating since 2014. We opened to bring our unique culinary vision to San Diego, and we have continued to feed our passion by elevating cuisine as well as elevating the wine and cocktail programs around the city. The best way to support us currently is through takeaway orders, as well as gift card purchases.

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We’ve been in Little Italy since 2012. As a chef, I am passionate about good food and hospitality. I understand that when customers dine at my restaurants, they want the whole experience and authenticity of an Italian meal such as fresh pasta, wood-fired pizza and Italian family wine. This, combined with grit, is what drives me to continue to do what I love. The best way to support us right now is through takeaway orders, as well as stopping by once Al Fresco dining can return.

For more information on ways to support the over 150 small business in our Little Italy community, please visit littleitalysd.com. You can also follow us Instagram @ littleitalysd, Facebook @littleitalysd and Twitter @littleitalysd.

—Christopher Gomez has been Little Italy’s district manager since 2000. Reach him at chris@littleitalysd.com.

FREE CONSULTATION 619.260.1122 LAW OFFICE OF SUSAN L. HARTMAN SanDiegoDUILawyersBlog.com

Charle a Hair Studio At Charle a Hair Studio we work with women who are sick of struggling with hair loss. We custom design incredibly natural looking hair replacement systems, made with only the very finest quality of human hair. Unlike wig shop products, our hair replacement systems are built from scratch, according to the specific needs of each individual client. This customized approach along with Charle’s rigorous attention to quality and detail results in hair replacement systems that look, fit, and feel extremely natural. Our mission at Charle a Hair Studio is to help women of any age regain their confidence and feel powerful again. Whether you have trichotillomania, thinning hair, no hair at all or are going through cancer treatment, sex/gender transition; no matter the hair loss situation, Charle a Hair Studio has a solution. We are located in North County, San Diego. Please call to schedule a free, private consultation.

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We’ve been part of the Little Italy famiglia for almost 3 years now. The mission for all our Grain & Grit concepts (Little Italy Food Hall, Not Not Tacos, Graze by Sam) is to create the most compelling guest experience possible.

For us, it’s more than just food.

It’s about the people (our people and the people we get to serve), the connection we get to create with them, and the opportunity to positively impact as many people as possible. The best way to continue to support us, as you

11

San Diego: La Costa, Carlsbad

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BUSINESS & SERVICES / LITTLE ITALY / NEWS sdnews.com Marianna Brunetto

San Diego Downtown & Uptown News January 2021

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listening to stories. And that’s why this needs to be documented, because those memories and those stories are what need to be preserved. As modern as this neighborhood is becoming, we need some sort of way to preserve what it was and the people who built it and the people who made it this,” Marianna said. “Unfortunately, with redevelopment some of the old is going to go, but I think it’s very important that not only the board supports redevelopment, but they also support historical preservation, and we have some sort of way of documenting everything that this neighborhood was way back when.”

The idea of leaving a legacy has always been important to Marianna, as she emphasized, “Growing up, I wanted to work towards building that legacy, and I wanted to somehow make my mark into this world, and those are two huge things for me.”

And while she said that she still doesn’t know entirely what that mark will be or how the desire will evolve in the future, Marianna does assert, “I feel my involvement with Little Italy is where that’s supposed to be. My heart is in this neighborhood.”

—Tom Cesarini is the executive director and founder of Convivio and also serves as the Italian honorary consul in 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 (Facebook / Instagram / Twitter)

News briefs CONTINUED FROM Page 3

To launch the fund, Civic has contributed $400,000 through the Middlemarch Fund which has in turn made its first investment in Secoya on Fifth.

“Secoya” is an upcoming eight-story, 100-unit mixed-income housing development in the heart of Bankers Hill, steps from Balboa Park.

According to developer Russ Murfey of Murfey Company, “we acquired the best site we could find near Downtown’s employment base along transit and designed a mixed-income housing development that intentionally mixes a broad spectrum of household income levels under the same roof. We are breaking ground today (Monday), and the project should be complete in 2022.”

The goal of the Middlemarch Fund is to raise $100 million from employers, foundations, and social impact investors to invest in a number of similar projects located throughout the county. Civic and Norwood are actively working to identify qualified projects to receive this type of investment.

For more information on funding and the qualification requirements, SEE NEWS BRIEFS, Page 14

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San Diego Downtown & Uptown News January 2021

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.

sdnews.com

2965 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

CLUES ACROSS 1. Partner to “oohed” 6. Relaxing places 10. Humorous monologue 14. Simple elegance 15. Bearable 17. Disobedience 19. Express delight 20. Gov’t attorneys 21. Wake up 22. A type of band 23. Remain as is 24. Turfs

26. Battle-ax 29. Volcanic crater 31. The mother of Jesus 32. One’s life history 34. “Rule, Britannia” composer 35. Doubles 37. Jacob __, American journalist 38. House pet 39. S. African river 40. Broad sashes 41. Establish as a foundation 43. KGB double agent Aldrich __ 45. Part of a book

46. Taxi 47. Pancakes made from buckwheat flour 49. Train group (abbr.)

50. Frames per second 53. Have surgery 57. Formal withdrawal from a federation 58. Guitarist sounds 59. Greek war god 60. 2,000 lbs.

61. Helps escape

CLUES DOWN 1. Currency exchange charge 2. River in Tuscany 3. Breakfast dish 4. Defunct European currency 5. Upper class young woman 6. Part of a purse 7. Self-contained units 8. Boxing’s GOAT 9. Legislators 10. Flightless birds 11. U. of Miami’s mascot is one 12. Floating ice 13. Low, marshy land 16. Seldom

18. Lyric poems 22. Law enforcement agency (abbr.)

23. Full extent of something 24. __ Claus 25. Naturally occurring solid material 27. Acquired brain injury behavior science (abbr.)

28. Thirteen 29. Partner to cheese 30. Member of a Semitic people 31. One thousandth of an inch 33. Former CIA 35. Most lemony 36. Engage in 37. Small Eurasian deer

39. Provisions 42. All humans have them 43. Swiss river 44. Storage term (abbr.)

46. Famed Broadway lyricist Sammy 47. Dutch colonist 48. Full-grown pike fish 49. Egyptian sun god 50. Flute 51. Flew off!

52. Scottish tax 53. Young women’s association 54. Populous Brazilian city 55. Malaysian Isthmus 56. Pointed end of a pen

14

NEWS

San Diego Downtown & Uptown News January 2021

News briefs CONTINUED FROM Page 12

contact Michael Lengyel at lengyel@civicsd.com.

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS ANNOUNCES NEW SAN DIEGO CHAPTER PRESIDENT

The American Society of Landscape Architects, San Diego Chapter, announces a new president for 2021, Christopher Stebbins with KTUA Planning and Landscape Architecture, San Diego.

Christopher Stebbins Stebbins is a specialist in urban design, environmental planning, and landscape design as well as a veteran geographer. He is passionate about the advocacy, establishment, planning, and optimal design of urban public spaces such as plazas and promenades.

Said Stebbins, “Throughout my relatively fresh practice as a landscape architect focused on urban design, I naturally seek

out opportunities from challenging circumstances. As incoming 2021 President for the San Diego chapter of ASLA, this occasion is no different.”

Stebbins’ academic and professional interest is to establish urban public spaces that enhance the social, civic, and economic needs of a community. His research includes a methodology for evaluating the social effectiveness of existing urban plazas as well as creating socially vibrant new ones. His research has been accessed over a hundred times by academics and practitioners worldwide, and has provided presentations on this work internationally.

Stebbins has dual masters degrees in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning and Design from the University of Georgia and a Bachelor of Science in Geography and Anthropology from UC Santa Barbara.

Throughout his life he has identified himself as someone who puts the interests of the public and the natural world before himself. “It’s my version of making the world a better place.”

Currently living in Bankers’ Hill, Stebbins grew up in Clairemont and North County before living throughout other parts of California, the country and the world, returning to San Diego in August of 2018.

The American Society of Landscape Architects is the national professional organization, founded in 1899, representing landscape architects in private, public, and academic practice.

The local chapter was formed in 1976 to serve both the profession and the public on local issues dealing with the practice of landscape architecture.

The mission of ASLA is to lead, educate and participate in the careful stewardship, wise planning, and artful design of our cultural and natural environments.

SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT’S ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT $4.1 BILLION

The San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) annually generates $4.1 billion in economic activity, according to the latest report from a labor market analytics firm that lauds the SDCCD for playing a pivotal role in reducing economic inequities.

According to Idaho-based Emsi, the $4.1 billion generated by the SDCCD is enough to support nearly 42,000 jobs, or 1 out of every 52 jobs in the region.

Among other highlights of the report: • 98 percent of SDCCD students remain in the region after graduation and their impact alone amounted to $3.5 billion in added income in fiscal year 2019-20.

• Students will see a return of $6.20 in higher future earnings for every $1 they invest in their education.

• For every dollar of public money invested in the SDCCD, taxpayers will receive $1.40 in return over the course of students’ working lives.

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Brewer award CONTINUED FROM Page 1

different people that make up this industry.”

Stone started in the craft brew industry as a server and became fascinated with the process of brewing.

“That's where my obsession with beer started. I just thought it was so interesting how unique beer can be,” Stone, who is non-binary and uses she/her and they/them pronouns, said. “As a seasonal server, my orientation was a brewery tour, and after the brewery tour I was just in complete awe and in love with everything and decided that I wanted to be a brewer, so I propelled myself into that world.”

During their breaks, they would read books on brewing and eventually entered an employee brewing contest which they won alongside more experienced brewers. From there, Stone transitioned into brewing full-time.

After moving to San Diego from Delaware, Stone began the Instagram profile with the ‘isbeeracarb’ handle that would launch them into social media popularity and a new career. Stone has over 33,000 followers who view beautifully shot photos of her interests, including beer, fashion, travel and colorful hair. In addition, Stone shares some of their experiences as a member of the LGBT+ community in a male-dominated industry and advocates for inclusion that helps people from all backgrounds thrive.

"I've always been a very creative person and a very visual person so it was definitely a natural occurrence. I didn't seek out anything from Instagram. I wasn't looking to be Instagram famous or an influencer it just sort of happened...

And then from there, all these opportunities arose,” she said.

“As a female in the craft beer industry as well, I applaud Megan Stone’s efforts,” said CBMAS co-founder, Jackie DiBella in a press release. “We’re here to support her endeavors, and equally proud to honor and celebrate the amazing efforts our industry has contributed in our new category for human rights.”

Stone’s burgeoning popularity on Instagram led to another career pivot from solely brewing into running social media, marketing and consulting for breweries across the nation and even internationally.

Like when she first became interested in brewing, Stone took to reading everything she could find and listening to podcasts about marketing. Despite never enjoying school and even dropping out of high school, Stone loves to learn in hands-on ways.

“I just like to immerse myself entirely in that world. I love learning and that's one of the things about brewing is you're constantly learning and same with marketing — trends in the industry are constantly evolving so it's really stimulating and challenging and that's something that I really enjoy,” they said.

Megan Stone holding their Craft Beer Marketing Award (Photo courtesy Megan Stone)

As she used her knowledge to help friends with small businesses, Stone found new opportunities to be a part of the beer industry as a marketing consultant and social media manager.

Stone has worked for San Diego breweries like Refuge, Mikkeller, Modern Times and Societe. Stone brewed collaborations in Panama and the U.K. In 2019, she founded a DEI apprenticeship at U.K.-based Laine Brew Co. Beyond advancing her career, Stone used her platform to discuss problems she and others faced in the largely straight, white male industry. Stone said they always cared about equality and that they have focused on issues in the craft beer industry for the last few years because they are already so passionate about it. Advocacy was not something she initially sought out but started in response to other people making her feel she did not belong.

"I definitely had a lot of great experiences and a lot of great people in my life and great mentors, but sometimes the people who are not so great are a lot louder," Stone said. "I try really hard to change people's perspectives... I didn't want to have a platform that was just beautiful photos. I wanted it to have some sort of impact. I realized that I had this platform and this sort of reach with an audience and that it was very useful in encouraging people to be better and to do better."

The CBMAS recognize 34 beer-marketing categories that celebrate the best of craft beverages. Presenting sponsor, Hillebrand supports CBMAs’ mission to honor the individuals and teams that promote beer industry growth through innovative and creative marketing.

“I’m so glad Megan was nominated for this award. Her passion is contagious. She is a human rights warrior!” said CBMAs co-founder, Jim McCune in a statement.

In 2020, CBMAs extended to judging hard seltzer, cider, and mead. New categories have been added and the awards competition now includes entries from all over the world to be judged by 330 industry professionals.

—Reach Kendra Sitton at kendra@sdnews.com.

FOOD AND DRINK / OBITUARY

sdnews.com

Pie Eyed CONTINUED FROM Page 1

who comes in our shop. So now, everything happens at our windows. In the beginning it was really hard to speak through the masks and the plexiglass, not to mention the cars passing by, it was a challenge for our staff, but kudos to them for adapting and we’re all still here serving the community.”

There normally is a small seating section for customers to eat on site, but that has been closed due to COVID restrictions. However, a good number of Torres’ customers preferred to take their pies home even before the shutdowns, so the take-out service has made it possible to keep his staff working. In addition, local companies such as Kaiser Per ma nente, Sony and Motorola have been placing bulk orders of pies to serve in their lunch rooms.

As with many Uptown eat er ie s a nd breweries owned by a married couple, there is usually one partner who runs the business side of things while the other is the creative chef. Torres is the business-minded one, while Suebsarakham creates the delicious pies that give the place its reputation. But how did these pies become a central culinary specialty in a place like San Diego?

“Our pies derive from a need really. Savory pies are a big part of a lot of cultures here locally, and we felt like it is underserved here in the states,” said Torres. “There

are different ways to approach this, so we decided to go the craft route by making everything from scratch – as labor intensive as that is – and packaging it all with a solid brand and great product. And lastly, we focused on the long-lost art of customer service that a lot of places now struggle with. We figure that it is a huge expectation for what we do, to treat people right, with respect and give them a good product. And they keep coming back, so that’s been our model since day one.”

Suebsa ra k ha m i s f rom Thailand, which has a very sizable British population, so he is very familiar with the savory pie phenomenon, which is so popular there. He uses this experience to make authentic pies for different cultures. “We have

Pop Pie Co. 4404 Park Blvd.

University Heights

focus on one specific region, his goal was to be more globally inspired and represent many different cultures. The thought being that people could not only visit to enjoy their traditional pie, but to also be exposed to different pies from different cultures and expand their palette.

In addition to pies, Torres and Suebsarakham now serve ice cream in the property next door – Stella Jean’s Ice Cream, which they acquired two years ago – after taking over

the lease of a pet food store, “That just happened by chance, I think a lot of things in life come organically that way. It’s our second child, it’s our little girl as we like to say,” said Torres.

Torres also credits social media as being a huge part of the success of his business by attracting out of town visitors to Pop Pie Co. Five-star reviews over multiple platforms create honest word-ofmouth advertising, which cannot be bought. Torres said over 1,000 good reviews keep the customers coming for his pies. “I think it’s a credit to the choices we made with the food, and then the service we provide.”

(Photo by Vince Meehan)

a steak and ale pie – very British influenced – with a braised steak and dark ale beer. Also we have an Aussie meat pie – influenced

by Australia - with minced beef, caramelized onions, a tomato sauce, and a bit of vegemite. We even have a vegan savory pie with roasted veggies and a Thai yellow curry, and a vegan butter crust.” Suebsarakham added that the vegan pie is very popular with non-vegans as well.

Torres noted that while the few pie shops in American typically

San Diego Downtown & Uptown News January 2021

Along with the savory pies, Pop Pie Co. also serves sweet pies, which San Diegans are probably more familiar with. However, just as with their savory pies, Torres and Suebsarakham like to raise the bar with their unique selections such as a honey bourbon pecan pie – made with real bourbon – and a seasonal poached pear pie with an almond paste at the base of the pie. “My personal favorite is the salted maple. It’s a maple custard with some caramel in there,” said Torres with a grin. “It’s got a nice texture with sea salt flakes on top. It reminds me of a real good French toast that kind of touched the bacon a little bit so you get some of that saltiness.”

The guys are hopeful that things will return to normal soon, not only for their sakes, but also, for ever ybody else in the business. They are pleased that their unorthodox menu has been a hit in Uptown, and are looking forward to introducing more and more customers to its pie scene.

They feel they stand out locally, and give many transplants a place to find their comfort food.

“As a small business in San Diego with its thriving food scene, we decided to shed that whole taco-town thing, even though tacos will always be in our blood,” Torres added. “We feel like we came at the right time where there was a lot more diversity in the types of foods here. So we kind of carved a little piece of that for ourselves – a piece of the pie!”

—Vince Meehan can be reached at vinniemeehan@gmail.com.

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Pat Taylor CONTINUED FROM Page 6

Taylor gave students points for reading and oral reports.

She quilted pillows for them to sit on and gave them foreign coins as prizes for completing a book. A child could get away with an easy book once or twice but then Taylor pushed them to read something more demanding. She had a knack for suggesting books that would help a child deal with issues at home such as a death in the family or divorce.

About twice a year, Taylor took book club members to Sammy's Woodfired Pizza & Grill in San Diego where they were treated to ice cream sundaes courtesy of the restaurant as a reward for their participation.

“I would drive some of them to Sammy’s,” recalled Ashton-Gray, “and they’d all be in the back seat reading a book. You’d think they’d be listening to music but they were reading. Miss Pat inspired them.”

In 2012, Taylor received a $3,000 literacy grant from the Rotary Club of San Diego and financed a visit from poet and children's-book author Gary Soto to read at McKinley and Logan.

“Pat was a very loving person,” Soto said from his home in Berkeley, California. “She really cared. Teaching wasn’t just a job to her. Pat thought she could improve the lives of children through reading.”

—J.M. Garcia is a freelance writer/photographer in San Diego.

He can be reached at j446_garcia@hotmail.com.

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San Diego Downtown & Uptown News January 2021

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