Eastlake boomed and then busted in the housing crisis.

There are no plans to raise rates for rooftop solar users, SDG&E spokeswoman Stephanie Donovan said in a July 30 interview. "There is nothing in the current proposed rate design," she said. The prospect of …

Roscoe Riddle, 18, of Murietta, fought for 30 minutes with a large bat ray before it was hoisted onto the planks of the Oceanside Pier on July 28. The catch drew a steady stream of …

San Diego painter and "builder of all things cool" has a sweet facility downtown that's immune to the effects of sun and moon.

While Noble Experiment is the worst kept secret among San Diego saloons, its sister ship, Polite Provisions, has a number of secrets yet to be discovered. “Here at Polite Provisions,” says bartender Aaron Zieske, “we’re …

Detroit native takes her solo exhibition to Queen Bee's Art & Cultural Center in North Park.

Tijuana's La Segunda newspaper this week offered a report that sanitary meat — be it beef, chicken, or pork — is out of control in Tijuana, devoid of any kind of quality control or review. …

Two things catch my attention: First, the song coming out of this eatery — “You Don’t Own Me.” Leslie Gore. I know it ’cause Carla sings it every time she thinks I’m pushing my weight …

Easily accessible falls and multiple crossings of the Sweetwater River through chaparral, riparian, and meadow habitats.

Both concert venues RIMAC and Jenny Craig Pavilion (at UCSD and USD, respectively) have had a sharp decline in shows presented there, largely due to the fact that booze can’t be sold when school is in session.

Everything you always wanted to know about honeybees but never thought to ask is answered in the sweet documentary More than Honey. Who knew that one-third of what we eat would not exist without these …

Shakedown club booker Josh Barnes goes independent because new owner Anilee Griffin has changed the way things are done too much.

Escondido taco-shop owner Juan Rivas got into an altercation with his employees a week before Christmas. Though he claimed not to have been an instigator, he did go to jail for slashing at employees with a utility knife/tool.

They’re wedded to avoidance behavior, abetted by gallons of vino fino.

Does icPurple, that so-called independent expenditure committee set up by La Jolla computer mega-millionaire Ted Waitt to back Nathan Fletcher’s run for mayor last year, have a big future? Ex-Assemblyman Fletcher, who switched from Republican …

Son Volt: better than Uncle Tupelo, I think, which was a band that I wanted to and should have liked far more than I did at the time. Great bones in the songwriting and in …

When Democrat Bob Filner was a congressman, he could always count on plenty of campaign cash from the Falics, a well-heeled Florida family who own a string of duty-free shops along the U.S.-Mexico border all …

A Vista resident who can't read English says he's victimized by a bank's fine print.

Reggae may seem forgotten in San Diego, but it’s not. Upcoming shows and DJ acts prove it.

Correction Last week’s cover photo incorrectly identified the girl in front of Panca’s mural as Panca. We regret the error. — Editor Defending Marines On your recent cover (“Baja Is Back,” July 25) you made …

Is Death miles away from this house, reaching for a widow in Cincinnati or breathing down the neck of a lost hiker in British Columbia? Is he too busy making arrangements, tampering with air brakes, …

Last year, when attending a meeting of local cheesemaking club QuesoDiego, I met someone whose zeal for craftsmanship seeped like runny Cancoillotte from fromage into the fermentation arts. His name is Wes McCann and, while …

And the daughter of the mountain betraying her emotion by her limbs like quivering young kadamba-shoots, stood with head bent, her face all the more lovely with her turned-away glance. Then the three-eyed god [Kama], …

As has been widely reported, Sweetwater Union High School District trustee John McCann was in a serious accident on July 24. The two- car collision occurred in Chula Vista on Telegraph Canyon Road. The police …

Local print zine finds its footing in open-submission multimedia art.

My wife and I were deep in the Amazonian rainforest of northern Peru, traveling on a small river boat. Our local guide, Uciel, was born and raised in this tropical jungle, and his passion for …

The strong smell of black coffee served in a plastic cup no bigger than a shot glass startled me from my deep slumber. As one flight attendant pushed the cart forward, tightly squeezing it along …

In April 2012, I wrote about “The Summer of Karl,” noting new developments for Karl Strauss Brewing Company. That included the 24-year-old stalwart, which is known for having been ahead of most local operations in …

It will cost Tijuana about $20,000 to repair a severely damaged statue honoring an indigenous Baja California tribe, according to the city's assistant director of urban maintenance. The bronze statue dedicated to the Kumeyaay tribe …

Early in the morning on July 29, a driver crashed his car through a gate near Osprey Street and flew off of Sunset Cliffs into the sand below. The car flipped in mid-air as it …

Rhode Island is America’s smallest state by area and its eighth-least populated. Despite this, it’s one of America’s most historic states, having been settled in 1636. Rhode Island was established as a colony by Roger …

Fugitive Ramiro Espinoza, sought on a one-million-dollar warrant for attempted murder, was arrested by sheriff’s SWAT officers early on Friday, July 26, after a seven-hour standoff in Imperial Beach. Twenty-two homes on Elkwood Avenue were …

Pushing ahead with the Russians we get to Khachaturian versus Borodin. Khachaturian was a Soviet composer while Borodin was a Russian composer--there’s a difference. Even during the Soviet period we can divide composers such as …

Let’s look at guidepost number two from Audition by Michael Shurtleff. If we recall, guidepost number one is relationship and we’re supposed to look for the love. Guidepost number two is what are you fighting …

On Thursday, July 25, Camp Pendleton Marines honored Staff Sgt. Reckless, an equine soldier of the Korean War, in a ceremony at Marine base in Oceanside. According to a couple websites and Cpt. Bradley Yates, …

Rookie operation delivers big, intriguing flavors via a hybrid beer style.

At the Escondido City Council meeting on July 24, Juanita Hayes, one of SDG&E’s public affairs managers, gave a presentation describing her company’s latest rate hike scheduled to be effective September 1. “If you have …

San Diego author talks about her new book, Bodies of Water, getting lost in the past, and finding the seeds of a novel surprisingly close to home.

If you’ve visited the major sites in Italy and yearn for something unique and different, consider Civitanova Marche, a pleasant seaside village with a distinctive local flavor. The little fishing town and seaside resort in …

During the early evening on July 25, an underground transformer overheated and exploded on Dickens Street in Point Loma. Power was knocked out at homes and businesses along the bayfront, from North Harbor Drive and …

East Village along the top of the Market Street hill, just past the Park and Market trolley stop, is a fine place for a memorable date or simply a night out with friends: wine-and-cheese bistros, …

If the line to the men's room was any indicator, there were a lot of old guys at Humphreys reliving their prog-rock heydays. And that goes as well for the old guys onstage, a 60 …

David Bowie’s latest is a testament to his iconic status as a musical and artistic chameleon. The Next Day ranks as one of the most surprising and rewarding efforts produced this year. This album deals …

Some Fletcher Hills residents want Gillespie Field airport to consider adopting the Scottsdale Airport pilots’ "Good Neighbor" pledge, a statement that pilots voluntarily sign to declare they are "sensitive" to community concerns such as noise. …

Bank of America is seeking larger building signage for its 20-story regional headquarters downtown at 450 B Street. Civic San Diego received a request from BBL, Inc., to install two signs larger than the current …

A few months back, I contacted restaurateur Jay Porter to see if he’d like to have himself and his businesses spotlighted for a chef feature I was working on. To my surprise, he wasn’t interested. …

In the Middle Ages, back when canals were the super-highways of Europe, Bruges experienced a surge of wealth and culture. Before the canals started silting, there was a direct route to the sea from the …

At the monthly Ocean Beach Town Council meeting on July 24, no permanent solution was arrived at pertaining to the annual Fourth of July “marshmallow wars.” The tradition of throwing marshmallows at people following the …

Looking for an off-the-beaten-path island adventure with pristine beaches, wildlife, historical sites and plenty of activities? Consider Bohol in the Philippines. This unassuming island is full of baroque colonial architecture in the form of its …

Tijuana is making a comeback, thanks to hipsters, hypesters, and people that never gave up on the border city.

U-T San Diego CEO John Lynch referred to mayor Bob Filner several times during his talk at the July 23 Allied Gardens Community Council town hall meeting at Ascension Lutheran Church. Lynch also spoke about …

The city of Tijuana this week launched a limited special municipal bus service to provide secure transportation for women traveling alone or with children and for the elderly of either gender. The pink line began …

Performance art from Margaret Noble and Justin Hudnall explores generational narratives and struggles with family history.

KSDS assistant music director Chad Fox plays nontraditional jazz: “I’d say that at least 85 percent of our listeners have been very positive.”

What are you reading? “I’ve read two books lately that my wife turned me on to: The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls, and Half-Broke Horses, which is also by Walls. The Glass Castle is a …

At Linda Vista’s Bale Restaurant & Deli (serving Vietnamese, Chinese, and Thai Cuisine), Ed attacks an egg loaf and other morsels.

If you can stomach some ’tude with your food, hit the Turf Supper Club in Golden Hill.

The release party for Shiva Trash’s new seven-inch happens at Til Two in City Heights on Friday, July 26, with Northern Tigers, the Natives, and California 666 also playing sets. The same day will see …

Interview with Grossmont College’s Raul Sandelin, who is near completion of the film A Box Full of Rocks: The El Cajon Years of Lester Bangs. Sandlein: "I'm an El Cajon cheerleader."

Stand-up paddle board lessons are a good, easy way to learn how to surf. But don’t do it. Surfing is no fun.

Alejandro Rose-Garcia, from Austin, Texas, goes by the stage name Shakey Graves. If this makes him sound like an itinerant Delta bluesman, in the design of his performance, he is — partly. Graves is a …

Making a living as a professional athlete is for a very few. Making a good living is for a tiny percentage of the very few. Introducing Zeke Hindle (real name), 27, professional tennis player. Zeke …

Mark Alan Hamilton bought a downtown record store in 2007 (Fiesta Records) and his timing couldn’t have been worse. Now he says vinyl is making a comeback (probably so we’ll publish an article about his record store).

Unusual rock formations, views, and a variety of landscapes and habitats make this one of the better hikes in the county.

Sitting on a one-acre lot that the listing office describes as the “highest point in Bonita,” the 9045-square-foot estate at 368 Surrey Drive is the most luxurious property currently available in any of San Diego’s …

Former M Theory record store founder Eric Howarth thins his record collection while at the same time staging “Vinyl Junkies” record swaps.

County government is poised to take over the Julian Cuyamaca Fire Protection District. Whether that’s good or bad is an open question, even to those residents who are emotionally involved.

Sometimes I forget that a mere 15 miles away from downtown San Diego is a-whole-nother country, with its own customs and laws that, despite their close proximity to America, are light years away from those …

What’s news to NBC-owned TV station KNSD, at least according to its latest federally required “issues and program list,” covering the operation’s news coverage during the period between April 1 and June 30? First, a …

"It would transform the way travelers use our airport, reduce traffic congestion around [Lindbergh Field] and take advantage of the airport’s close proximity to Interstate 5 by providing access right into the airport.” That was …

Federal regulators have sent UCSD a warning notice regarding the university’s alleged violation of federal regulations in the treatment of an animal at one of the school’s experimental test labs. On April 8, administrators were …

The controversial possibility of installing new electronic billboards downtown continues to be a lucrative affair for GOP lobbyist Paul Robinson. According to his latest financial disclosure report of July 11, he got $5000 from Capitol …

A Brit ex-pat marvels at American ways, especially when at Starbucks.

Correction Gather No Moss last week included a misidentified photo; the ruins of St. Paul’s Cathedral are in Macau. — Editor G-Rated Humor I was amused and delighted to read Barbarella’s “Laugh Lines” (July 18 …

The toll of large-scale biblically illiterate Christianity.

You come in big and high from the beach though your shoulders are small your arm is in place around the red board and your orange swim trunks are just where they should properly be …

Shortly after 1 p.m. on Sunday, July 21, I was driving home and noticed many law-enforcement vehicles at the corner of Bancroft Drive and Kenwood Drive. I later learned from sheriff’s department spokesman Sgt. Matt …

Since opening two years ago, locavore lair Local Habit (3827 Fifth Avenue, Hillcrest) has gained a reputation as one of San Diego’s beeriest eateries. That reputation came on the back of numerous meet-the-brewer dinners, pairing …

Okay, N. Richard Nash's pluvicultural comedy has a woman reinventing herself during the Depression on the far side of nowhere. And it premiered during the sexism-clogged McCarthy Era at that. But this is one slight …

Most elements of the proposed Tijuana Aeropuerto Binacional have been settled and, theoretically, construction could begin in a few weeks. The airport will feature a trans-border facility that will obviate the need for American travelers …

In Uganda, gorilla tourism is an economic engine. It benefits not only the mountain gorillas that the tourists track, but also the human communities in and around the forests in which the animals live. It's …

“You’re American? What are you doing here? Usually Americans just visit Berlin.” This was the response I received after a vendor asked me a question in German. Apparently, most American tourists forego 1,000-year-old Potsdam, Berlin's …

Members of the Westboro Baptist Church — known for picketing the funerals of American servicemen killed overseas — showed up at Comic-Con on Saturday, July 20, just as they had in 2010 to protest the …

They say passion is the secret ingredient in any good consumable. While genuine affinity doesn’t guarantee success in the fermentation arts, I have found that brewers without passion are at a severe disadvantage when attempting …

On July 22, the National Weather Serve activated San Diego County’s Emergency Alert System. Monsoonal moisture was causing large thunderstorms, running from Barstow south into Baja. The storm in San Diego was going to be …

The County of San Diego on July 19 published a request for proposals to develop 31.47 acres of industrial property at Gillespie Field, vacant land located at the northwest corner of Cuyamaca Street and Weld …

New England was founded by spiritualists escaping feudalistic persecution in Europe. Puritans, Lutherans, Jews, Quakers – even Shakers. It's hardly surprising then that personal retreats of every denomination abound, from cliffs overlooking the Atlantic to …

One of the greatest aspects of San Diego, apart from the stellar weather, is how each of it's neighborhoods has a distinct style. Take OB for instance, it is known as a mecca for free …

Ever seen the South Park trees wearing colorful banded crocheted sweaters and wondered who did that? I've unraveled the mystery! I was downtown with my Nikon shooting Comic-Con attendees and came across a slew of …

One hundred pesos doesn’t cut it anymore if you want to beat the rap in Tijuana. And 1000 dollars won’t do the job either, as a coyote (human-smuggler) learned this week. The suspect, Leonel Rivera …

In the early 1970s, Cardiff resident Rick Crocket met the love of his life in a physics class at Encinitas’ San Dieguito High School. The couple went to prom, dated for a year after his …

A twenty-two year-old Lakeside man was rescued from the attic of a burning home by San Diego Sheriff’s deputies yesterday (July 18). Upon arriving at the scene of a reported house fire on the 12500 …

When interviewing Alpine Beer Co. owner Pat McIlhenney about how he'll soon have some of his beers brewed at Green Flash Brewing Company’s Mira Mesa facility, we met at craft beer bar O’Brien’s Pub (4646 …

Maybe the most produced play in San Diego this side of A Christmas Carol. We've seen everything from high-caloric cutsie to Jack O'Brien's magical 1985 staging — David Ogden Stiers and Katherine McGrath as a …

The “zonkey,” the zebra-esque black-and-white painted burros seen in several locations along Tijuana’s Avenida Revolución, is a dying breed. Lack of tourism along the route is blamed for the dwindling resources allocated to the creatures. …

On July 17 at about 11:30 p.m., the Santee sheriff’s station received a call of a house fire on Cajon Vista Court in the Winter Gardens neighborhood of El Cajon. The first deputy to arrive …

“These policies are on the books, but informally everyone knows you are penalized for using them.”

My friend Mark’s biggest pet peeve is the existence of beautiful women with tattoos. “I just don’t understand why all these pretty girls are covering their bodies in tats,” he said in frustration after spotting …

Klaus Janson gives an insider's pespective on Comic-Con, revealing that there's a lot more to the con than movie stars and cosplay.

At approximately 9:30 p.m. on July 18, I came upon a car stopped in the middle of Bacon Street facing sideways; the front right fender was smashed and the tire was flat. It looked like …

A true professional is one who learns every aspect of the job, and who exhibits appropriate behavior at all times.

The first stop of Steve Miller's 2013 summer tour at the San Diego County Fair was everything one could ever wish to witness at a classic-rock concert — bacon-wrapped foodstuffs, random horses, fair-game carnies, nine-dollar …

From the surface details, it may appear She & Him’s latest is a gloomy break-up record. Songsmith/multi-instrumentalist M. Ward incorporates more melodramatic string arrangements while Zooey Deschanel lyrically digs deeper into heartbreak. Compared to its …

The U.S. State Department has just issued its most recent advisory for U.S. citizens contemplating travel to Baja California, prompting an angry response from Tijuana mayor Carlos Bustamante. The advisory, issued on Friday, July 12, …

Alpine Beer Co. (2351 Alpine Boulevard, Alpine) benefits from a rabid cult following. On the surface, this is the perfect situation, but for many years this small brewery has been unable to produce anywhere near …

Saluting five years of easy love for the hard stuff, the San Diego Spirits Festival kicks off on Saturday, August 24 at the Broadway Pier Port Pavilion. The two-day jubilee promises cocktails, culinary confections, and …

After exploring the dizzy heights of the Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce National Parks, we had low expectations for Utah’s lesser-known Canyonlands. One week on the road and landscape fatigue was starting to wear us …

One of the most popular events on Opening Day at the Del Mar racetrack is the Hats Contest. Entrants are judged in five categories: 1) Most Glamorous 2) Best Fascinator 3) Best Racing Theme 4) …

As I was bicycling away from the OB Farmers’ Market to catch the sunset on July 17, I came upon a man named Eric, who was being arrested. He was obviously inebriated and was being …

Approaching the island of Ometepe is a bit foreboding. As the ferry moves nearer and nearer, it's too easy to invoke movie images of Jurassic Park or King Kong. The tops of the two volcanoes …

Remember the building boom that skyrocketed in California almost a decade ago? No? That’s because most people in the construction industry are trying to forget the crash that followed. But the pop-pop of nailguns and …

Opening day at the Del Mar Racetrack was packed. True to San Diego form a wide variety of spectators were in attendance. There were young 20-somethings, the middle-age set, families with young children, tourists, and …

Stand-up is darker and gritty. Improv is happier and supportive.

Jean-Pierre Grumbach’s (Melville was the French filmmaker’s nom de guerre, appropriated in honor of his literary correlate, Herman) acutely minimalist take on American gangster films resulted in a formal probity unlike anything cinema has experienced …

A history of the clubs that have inhabited 3519 El Cajon Boulevard since 2001 (Little Equity, Zombie Lounge, Silver Dragon).

Lisa Badgett was shot in the face while behind the wheel of her truck. She’d gone to Oceanside to pick up her boyfriend. The perpetrator was a neighbor who suspected his gas was being stolen by Robbie Robbins, the boyfriend, who did not survive the assault.

“Our dream is to make the seafood sandwich as available as the hamburger.”

This ridge climb to a historic site has panoramic views of Lakeside and East County mountains.

W.S. Di Piero proves photography is authentic fine art.

Come Back, Matt! What happened to Straight From the Hip? I have been reading that in the Reader for multiple years. I make a beeline for it every Thursday. Straight From the Hip is the …

It’s been a busy few weeks for sex-related allegations at San Diego city hall, thanks to the now self-admitted but unspecified indiscretions of Democratic mayor Bob Filner. If the mayor’s accusers ever emerge to confront …

Like Hamlet’s father’s ghost, they only exist between the footlights and the proscenium.

It probably wasn’t as exciting as a clash in city council chambers between mayor Bob Filner and city councilman Todd Gloria, and the booze wasn’t on the house, but nothing beats Adams Avenue for homespun …

It appears that Papa Doug got mini-cameo roles as a reward for investing in films.

Rundown of music-related attractions at this year’s Comic-Con International.

Grand Tarantula: it’s a name that comes up in conversations about bands in town that are good to go and check out. The band has a lot of friends and admirers, and for good reason. …

If you’ve wondered what your favorite horror directors would do with unlimited creative freedom, then Masters of Horror is for you. The first season collects 13 veteran horror directors such as John Carpenter and Tobe …

Staff for Republican congressman Darrell Issa have been hitting the road frequently of late, journeying afar with the ostensible aim of picking up hints on everything from “drafting legislative policy” to “office management” and “mail.” …

Shane Culpeper, a studio owner/producer/promoter, talks about his experience in attempting to bring back the Metaphor Café and how it didn’t work out; he’s still looking for a venue.

Blade Runner draws you to insight instead of just excitement. I love how the story twists from the original assumptions of its myth: from inhuman replicants who are far more human than us. To have …

From George Higgins’s book, The Friends of Eddie Coyle is absolutely the best, grittiest, most expertly crafted crime thriller made in the golden decade of the genre — the ’70s. Shot entirely in Boston, this …

My father refused to teach my mother how to drive his car. He said it wasn’t ladylike in 1949; a woman driver was no better than a streetwalker. She was to take the bus and …

She shines upon the white lotus arisen from the water, pervading the world. She holds in her hands scissors, a sword, a skull and a blue lotus. Her ornaments are snakes in the form of …

Blog entries by a British man living in Tijuana. His fiancée is Mexican and he’s enthralled.

The East County Economic Development Council’s “strategic aerotropolis roadmap” for land surrounding Gillespie Field airport could include proposals for hotels and a facility for veterans to certify for civilian employment, development council president Jo Marie …

The Santee Sheriff’s Station has announced that deputies will be conducting “live shooter” training on the Grossmont College campus beginning this afternoon (July 16) at 2 p.m. and continuing until as late as 10:00 tonight. …

Craft beer is spilling over into other subcultures. One that’s lapping up that overflow with great fervor is the vegan sect. Locally, vegans’ greatest ally in accessing quality craft beer with cuisine that matches their …

My walk from the barracks to the connex is familiar. Begrudgingly, my boots start on the walk to work. For exactly 100 steps, large gravel rocks are the path. They are everywhere the pavement or …

The houses slant sideways and the opium dens are gone, but Locke, California, takes visitors back more than 90 years to a unique Chinese farming community. Thanks to the work of a few locals with …

Despite initial claims to the contrary, it appears Baja California's July 7 elections were fair and clean — and the final vote tally seems to prove it. Over the weekend, Fernando Castro Trenti, the candidate …

Statistics show that Vista is home to more breweries per capita than any other municipality in the United States. It’s not surprising considering how hospitable the City has been in fostering the establishment and growth …

Matthew Weaver, former Cal State San Marcos student, was sentenced to a year in prison today (July 15) for stealing identities and passwords of more than 700 fellow students so he could win the campus …

The San Ysidro Community Planning Group held a special meeting on July 10 at the Colonel Irving Salomon Community Activity Center to receive input from residents and business owners about land-use plans for the border …

Eliza Jane Schneider always had a fascination with dialects and has an impressive list of vocal credits, including many of the female characters on the TV show "South Park" and some of the fish in …

The Friends of the San Carlos Library organization is linking the promotion of the branch's upcoming 40th anniversary celebration to increasing awareness about plans for a new library. The 9500-square-foot branch opened on January 9, …

Rome, Venice and Florence are all amazing experiences, but it’s also nice to just relax in a small Italian village with the locals and experience Italian culture in a different way. Few Americans have heard …

South Park artist paints love in many forms, dishes on the Camino de Santiago and The Real World San Diego.

LA-based gallery Steve Turner Contemporary curates eight international artists at Casa GS.

The following conversation took place in Section 103 at Petco Park during the Padre’s 10-1 rout of the San Francisco Giants on Sunday, July 14. The conversants were Giants fans visiting from the Bay Area, …

“Okay, if you’re just tuning in — uh — the mayor is in the hot seat again,” says U-T TV’s Taylor Baldwin at the start of one of her Primetime programs recorded sometime this week …

Many travelers still want to visit Baja California, but are concerned with safety or even bored with Tijuana day trips. A great alternative is to skip Tijuana and head to Ensenada for a weekend stay. …

A new paranormal investigation group has popped up in Ocean Beach, and they are willing to help you determine who has been haunting your house, free of charge. Jennifer Kacizak, self-proclaimed “Grave Babe,” is the …

Police captured a man who reportedly confessed to murdering a TJ techie after he failed to properly hook up the killer and his four-man crew to the red mundial (internet) in Tijuana. The alleged killer, …

Though Societe Brewing Company (8262 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, Kearny Mesa) is a young business (its two-day, four-session first anniversary celebration takes place this weekend), owners and brewers Douglas Constantiner and Travis Smith possess a deep-seated …

This morning, July 11, a beach at Sunset Cliffs displayed a reminder of the dangers of being too near the bluffs. Many of our county beaches are backed by sandstone cliffs. While they add a …

Smeary, I was going to say. But smeary implies an overall indifference to control. This stuff, collected from 1969 in Europe, demonstrates control on multiple levels — if it achieves smeariness, it does so if …

The audience waited. The roadies slipped offstage. Finally, the spotlights blazed to reveal...a skinny guy holding an accordion. Weird Al Yankovic came to the San Diego County Fair and with his “polka axe,” he held …

A July 10 rear-end collision on the northbound I-5 Birmingham Drive on-ramp caused one car to be pushed over the side of the freeway. At around 7:15 p.m., a navy-blue Toyota Prius stopped on the …

You may know him, you may not. You may have heard about him, but if you haven’t, let me introduce the man, who is not a myth, but he is definitely a legend in San …

If you look at a map of Colombia in South America, you see a huge region in eastern Colombia comprising sprawling, seasonally flooded plains that have been ignored by tourists due to their location (former …

Following an enthusiastic kick-off on May 11, a petition drive by the Escondido Country Club Homeowners Organization (ECCHO) gathered 9360 signatures for its Citizens’ Property Rights Initiative and delivered the petition to Escondido City Hall …

In my long-range travels I have learned two great lessons: 1) the people most removed from the modern world not only think differently than I do but are far more logical, and 2) Western-style capitalism …

The “Burrito Boys” is a group of young and old men who make burritos in Tierrasanta on a Saturday night and take them downtown to give away to the homeless and hungry on Sunday. The “Burrito Babes” apply the hot sauce.

Decobike has won a contract with the City of San Diego to put 180 solar-powered kiosk locations around the city for the first-ever bike-sharing program here, according to Andy Hanshaw of the San Diego County …

A manhunt spanning two-and-a-half hours early Tuesday morning (July 9) resulted in the rescue by Border Patrol agents of a 28 year-old Mexican national who got lost trying to enter the United States illegally near …

"As a country, we're quite sick," the authors say on page four. Less than 20 pages later I realized that this must be one of the - if not the - most radical books I …

Some 10 percent of prescription and over-the-counter drugs sold in Mexico’s domestic market are believed to be of dubious origin, and, in fact, pirated. This estimate was reported in Tijuana’s daily El Sol de Tijuana …

The $8 million settlement of a class-action lawsuit between wireless phone users and the City of Chula Vista means thousands of residents are eligible for refunds — but valid claims must be filed by July …

Giannini Was Right Regarding your cover story about Jeff Olson against the Bank of America (“Mad Chalker,” July 4). In 1985, Mrs. Claire Giannini Hoffman, who was the daughter of Bank of America founder A.P. …

Tijuana’s seasonal Arts & Trees craft bazaar, an indication of the city’s movement away from disposable, lowest-common-denominator culture.

Better than music is sex, says Nocturnals guitarist Scott Tournet, who recently released a solo album recorded at Earthling Studios.

Former City Serene drummer Mike Buxbaum recounts the devastating tour-bus accident in 2009 that short-circuited his music career.

Considering the field of competitors for the America’s Cup sailing challenge in the aftermath of a declaration that boats are unsafe because rudders aren’t long enough.

Texas oilman slashing price on Coronado home.

Discover a hidden treasure in the heart of Ramona.

Hey, did you hear the one about how the foreign market now accounts for 75 percent of the take on big studio releases? How ’bout the one where China, Japan, and the U.K. are the …

When 250-pound William Gruytch came to Jeff Burleson’s door to serve his wife papers, he knocked as though trying to beat the door down. Burleson didn’t know who he was (Gruytch didn’t identify himself), so he went for his shotgun, which he didn’t bother loading. He still got into a lot of trouble.

Rundown of musicians — national acts and locals — who have recently had bouts with ill health.

An invisible ice-pick pierced my right ear and I yelped in agony. The pain was both frosty and fiery, biting and burning. No matter how hard I pushed my head back into the pillow, there …

Former city councilman Carl DeMaio, who lost his bid for mayor to Democrat Bob Filner, hasn’t yet received the official GOP endorsement for his congressional run, but he’s already looking to at least one high-power …

KGB/101.5 airs commercials for Bad Company with Paul Rodgers featuring the music of Bad Company with Brian Howe. This is a big deal (to some).

Did Michael Vilikin go hunting for bear in Encinitas, only to kill his neighbor, John Upton?

Ex-state senator Steve Peace is at it again. The onetime Democrat-turned-independent whose hopes for state office were dashed by mangled public utility regulation reform efforts back in the ’90s, is currently co-chairman of a group …

Survey of accessories (some useful, many useless) to make your car look good and sparkly.

Myrtle Cole, the San Diego city councilwoman who beat fellow Democrat Dwayne Crenshaw in a knock-down, drag-out fight between big labor and the wealthy GOP Lincoln Club, has finally gotten her just rewards. Besides being …

Just last Sunday, Agape Community Baptist Church in Poway had Anglos, African-American, Filipino, Ethiopian, Chinese, Cambodian, Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Persian congregants in attendance.

A mother-to-be draws an analogy between accepting a year’s employment in Bangladesh and impending motherhood. Then she points out where it stops.

I saw the fox running by the side of the road past the turned-away brick faces of the condominiums past the Citco gas station with its line of cars and trucks and he ran, limping, …

Nico Vega (it’s the band’s name, not an actual member) broke out after “Beast” got licensed for use on the trailer of a video game called BioShock Infinite. “That’s so weird,” says Aja Volkman, the …

In Mechelen – pronounced with a guttural "ch" – religion has played a tremendous role for over 800 years. The city's provided shelter, freedom for women, even beer...and it’s also served as a dark double-edged …

I’m not a frequenter of the unincorporated town of Fallbrook and, hence, was unaware of the weekly exodus that occurs when its residents pick up and head out in search of good times, Friday through …

Earlier this year, after roughly a year of mismanagement and passable but lackluster-by-San-Diego-standards beer, El Cajon Brewing Company closed its doors, leaving behind a rather appealing skeleton. With a good-sized dining room, serviceable kitchen, and …

The Museum of Photographic Arts showcases a year in photojournalism.

In an attempt to bolster public confidence in the practice of plastic surgery in Baja California, the state's secretary of health has published a list of certified plastic surgeons on its official website, saludbc.gob.mx. The …

The historic San Diego Hardware Company building in the Gaslamp Quarter is almost done with its transformation into a new bar/restaurant called Lucky Bastard Saloon. According to sandiego.eater.com, the majority owner of Lucky Bastard Saloon …

A hurled Molotov cocktail, a hijacked box of votes, and three individuals posing as journalists while doing some last-minute stumping for their party were reported as the most egregious examples of voting irregularities on election …

Sometimes new breweries pop-up out of thin air, coming online within weeks of me finding out about them. Then, there are the operations that stay on my lead list for a lengthy period before being …

Local craft beer conviviality consortium Brews Up’s message to San Diego suds fan this summer is “riddle me this.” The organization, whose mission it is to unite artisanal beer fans whiles also shepherding macrobeer drinkers …

Surfers in Imperial Beach created a seaborne bonfire on July 4 in protest of the city’s decision to not participate in the Big Bay Boom fireworks show. Calling their event “Light the Sea in IB,” …

Border construction projects by the governments of the U.S. and Mexico were advancing at a rapid clip through the month of June. On the U.S. side, in San Ysidro, the three-story superstructure of the new …

It was all hack and slash in Spreckels Park over the 4th of July long weekend. Sir Clevwen Bardic and Sir Callon Bryn Corey saluted, then they started hacking away at each other with, well, …

Preface: I do not usually gush about entire countries. I do not work for the Slovenian office of tourism. 1) Ljubljana (pronounced "lube-ee-ana") is a beautiful city with a central old town and a river …

Hillcrest art and music institution The Ruby Room recently reopened doors as nautical-themed lounge.

In the Escondido City Council meeting of June 26, deputy mayor Olga Diaz pulled the employment contract renewal of city manager Clay Phillips and city attorney Jeffrey Epp from the consent calendar. What started out …

I was there when charcuterie ace-turned-brewmaster Rey Knight sold the first of his beers to the public at Ritual Tavern in 2011. I hardly knew what to expect. I knew the guy could fashion fantastic …

Faith tourism is a booming billion-dollar industry, yet humans have sought refuge from the mundane drudgery of their daily lives and taken "holidays" in remote sanctuaries from the beginning of time in order to revive …

San Quintín, a bucolic beachfront community about 185 miles south of the international border, will apparently become Baja California's sixth officially recognized municipality. By a 23-0 vote on June 28, the state legislature approved a …

On July 1, the Chula Vista Public Library raised its fee for photo reproductions from its digitized photographic collection from $3 to $125. In June, photo reproductions were suspended until the implementation of the new …

Has it really been 40 years? Well, their eponymous debut album was recorded in 1973 but actually released June 26, 1974. Just one day short of 39 years from the date of their near sell-out …

The band calls it “Brooklyn country.” I call it a revival! I call it another notch in the hipster-folk movement’s belt. I call it a new-age folk masterpiece featuring one of the most impressive male …

From Las Vegas and Atlantic City to Macau in China, jobs in the casino industry are a sure deal for a career in these lean times. You can bet the house that these jobs are …

Landing a job with the Central Intelligence Agency isn’t easy. But now that Edward Snowden, a 29-year-old former technical assistant for the agency and current employee of the defense contractor Booz Allen Hamilton quit and …

The mayor, the San Diego City Park and Rec. Department, along with San Diego police, the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park Rec. Council, and park users and neighbors have come together to address park safety and …

I’ve always believed that hiring is the most important job any manager has. When you hire the right employees, you increase your chances for success. Hire enough of them and your company will be pretty …

Last weekend, a new local brewery and a local distillery opened to the public…under the same roof. That double-pronged operation goes by the name of BNS Brewing & Distilling (10960 Wheatlands Avenue, Suite 101, Santee). …

In mid-February of 2012 Jeff Olson walked through the aisles at the CVS Pharmacy on University Avenue in North Park. He was there to pick up gifts for his nephews. The 40-year-old former staffer for …

A woman wearing a dog costume at the annual Surf Dog Competition in Imperial Beach found out she was caninus non grata when sheriff’s deputies asked her to leave at the request of the event’s …

By the time Palms plays the first of their tour dates in San Diego, their delayed self-titled CD will finally have been released. Palms is one-fifth Deftones and three-fifths Isis, an L.A.-based quartet consisting of …

Ed skips Paris, goes to the Plaza Bar at the Westgate Hotel instead.

La Valencia’s Whaling Bar as the place to go to sit and sip and sop up La Jolla sunsets has been replaced by the La Sala Lounge. La Sala bar manager Scotty Moises says the …

A survey of sports played (and not played) by the left-handed.

Erin Goss, a publicist by trade, and Louis XIV drummer Mark Maigaard start Sound Off Tees, which will enable featured bands to direct 40 percent of profits to their desired charity.

Fathom Bistro Bait & Tackle on Shelter Island doesn’t specialize in fish — oh, no — it’s sausage and beer and nautical fact and science fiction.

This hike includes trails beneath an old oak canopy, morteros, open meadows, two creeks, and a small pond with a stone weir.

The list of things that are terrible about The Lone Ranger is long. Reading a complete version might take longer than the film itself (a murderous 2 hours and 20 minutes). It might also be …

Chris Cote, cofounder/drummer/singer with Kut-U-Up, extols the wonderful offerings of the Garage, a music-and-art venue in Encinitas that opened last year.

The Wave House in Mission Beach will present Barrington Levy July 4. Promoter Eat.Drink.Sleep is charging only $10 for tickets but will raise the price as the date comes closer.

Adam Gimbel of Geezer (a geriatric Weezer spoof band) talks about an upcoming gig at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall.

Utilities such as San Diego Gas & Electric are trying to frustrate rooftop solar. But despite all the utilities' clout and big bucks, rooftop solar will prevail some day.

Miles Anderson does amazing things as Shylock in the Old Globe’s Merchant of Venice, but his most understated choice sets the tone of the play. Bassanio wants to wed Portia, “a lady richly left/ And …

Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps All-One-God-Faith, Inc., the Escondido hemp oil-mongering outfit — whose president David Bronner was busted last year during a protest in which he locked himself into a cage on the sidewalk in …

Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and his wife Ann Romney have been lobbying hard to build a new dream manse by the sea in La Jolla’s tony Barber Tract, going so far as to …

Best Brewery Contender Regarding Brandon Hernández’s comment on Saint Archer Brewery I agree that Saint Archer has come in with more of a whimper than a bang. But...they currently have Yiga Miyashiro as head brewer. …

A restaurant employee offers blunt tips for diners who are annoying.

Sunday July 4th 1836 I made a vow within my soul, O Child,When thou wert laid beside my weary heart,With marks of death on every tender partThat, if in time a living infant smiled,Winning my …

In the midst of the Ocean of Nectar, where covered with groves of heavenly wishing trees is the Isle of Gems, in the mansion of wishing jewels with its grove of nipa trees, on a …

Every year a different hue gets dubbed the new black. This year the new black is black. In the words of Karl Lagerfeld, “One is never over-dressed or underdressed with a Little Black Dress.” I …

Liberty Station is the second largest enclave of arts and culture organizations in San Diego after Balboa Park.

Back up, I think I might blog. Yup, here it comes… You see that beat-down Brazil put on Spain in the Federations Cup final? Madonna mia! Three nil’s the same as 19 to nothing in …

In Venice, I was a third wheel. Or more like a unicycle. The other wheels were found on a bicycle built for two, riding in the opposite direction. This was not the best city for …

More children are being abandoned on the streets of Tijuana to fend for themselves because nearly half the city's orphanages have closed during the past few years, according to the director of an orphanage specializing …

At the Imperial Beach City Council session on June 26, the council worked out a plan to hold a series of meetings to enable the public to take part in the decision of whether or …

Even with craft beer available in the many restaurants dotting 30th Street and its bar- and eatery-packed cross-streets, North Park residents are salivating over the upcoming arrival of a long-awaited project touching down in a …

The weekly group ride celebrates its birthday with, you guessed it, a spin around town.

After leaving the surreal and creepy ghost town of Chloride, AZ, we stopped for an obligatory chocolate malt at one of the many charming diners on Route 66 and considered the time. With five hours …

Two Egyptian Americans walked along the boardwalk at Pacific Beach on Saturday, June 29th, letting people know how they feel about President Obama's support for Egypt's "dictator,” Mohamed Morsi, the country’s first democratically elected president. …

According to the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), the region's population will increase by 1.25 million people by the year 2050. Between now and then, close to 500,000 new jobs will be created. A …

Singapore is known as one of Asia’s tigers for its robust, fast-growing economy. One of the secrets of its success is its diversity. Although set on an island off the Malay Peninsula, Singapore is an …