How some graffiti vandals became graffiti artists, thanks in part to City Heights’ Writerz Blok art park.

Cheap Trick is the latest band to back out of a booking at SeaWorld Orlando over the theme park's treatment of orcas, as shown in the recent documentary Blackfish. Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander, and the …

The continued presence of three JDS security guards at Sweetwater Union High School District board meetings is a monthly reminder of the deteriorated relations between the district, the public, and teachers. Even with the presence …

“Our show is a lot more than music,” says Guy Boyd, guitarist for the ’80s tribute band Hott Mess. “It’s tongue-in-cheek, but when you get the critical mass — the energy between audience and band …

“This year, I’m giving the kids the gift of raptors,” said Patrick. Lord, help me, I thought he said Rapture. But, no: we have several sons who are nature enthusiasts, and Patrick had just stumbled …

Let me begin by thanking Marx and Lickona for allowing me to cover the San Diego Film Critics Society year-end vote for The Big Screen. It's been my pleasure to work the society pages at …

Qualcomm, the San Diego–based cell-phone technology giant founded by billionaire La Jolla Democrat Irwin Jacobs, made a total of $2,955,786 in politically related expenditures during the 12-month period ending this past September, according to a …

From playing on buses around Tijuana to winning Rockampeonato in 2012, Cañamo has evolved. They have opened for international acts such as Café Tacvba, Don McCarlos, Los Cafres, and Cultura Profetica. Together for more than …

College bowl games are all about money — for sponsors, advertisers, television, university athletic departments, coaches — everybody except players (the players claim, anyway.) Decades ago, bowl games featured top teams playing other top teams. …

The news is that Jake E. Lee’s on the comeback trail with a new band and a new record and everything is okay. For fans of ’80s hard rock, not a whole lot about that …

Residents of Olivenhain, a community within the City of Encinitas, east of El Camino Real, continue their fight against a proposal from Woodbridge Farms Estates, LLC, to raze 7.87 acres of parkland at Desert Rose …

My favorite moment in The Desolation of Smaug, part two of Peter Jackson’s epic expansion of J.R.R. Tolkien’s children’s book The Hobbit, came when the titular hobbit and his thirteen dwarvish companions were buried under …

In addition to a pair of settlements already announced this month, the lawyer representing both victors over city attorney Jan Goldsmith's office has declared a victory of his own. Bryan Pease — whose clients included …

Current Owners: John & Kathleen Urquhart Listing Price: $16,950,000 Beds: 6 Baths: 8 In order to be allowed on the grounds to look at many of the homes featured in Unreal Estate, you’ve got to …

The Highland Valley Trail is part of the San Dieguito River Park trail system. Eventually it will extend 55 miles from Volcan Mountain near Julian to the Pacific Ocean at Del Mar. The Highland Valley …

“The moment I came to San Diego, when I asked about making an album of music, Gregory Page was the man everyone remembered,” says singer/songwriter Tom Brosseau, whose upcoming album, Grass Punks, includes a song …

The first Flyboard video I saw was a game-changer. There was a man in a wet suit, slowly emerging from the ocean. His head, now shoulders, now torso, grow out of the water. And then …

“It’s a concept album, with a storyline that goes with the music,” says Chapman Stick player Tom Griesgraber, whose newest collaboration with Bert Lams (California Guitar Trio), Unnamed Lands, is a prog-rock western set in …

There are no free dinners, except for San Diego politicos. That’s the word contained in a lobbying disclosure report filed by the County of San Diego last month. According to a recently amended statement with …

The beers of Acoustic Ales Brewing Experiment (1718 Hancock Street, Mission Hills) have been available at local bars and restaurants for much of the past year, but it took the company a long time to …

San Diego's job market will be mild in the first quarter of 2014 — slightly weaker than this year's first quarter, according to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey. In next year's first quarter, 15 percent …

Ex–San Diego city councilman and Democratic assemblyman Ben Hueso, suspected by California’s Fair Political Practices Commission of chowing down gratis at a June 20, 2010, developer event, was let off the hook when he explained …

On June 13 of last year, Tom Gildred, chief executive officer of Emerald Textiles, got one of six San Diego “Entrepreneur of the Year” awards from the accounting firm of Ernst & Young. The honor …

December is the month for all kinds of partying, including political. In San Diego, the season kicked off last week with “Legislative Lounge,” at downtown’s U.S. Grant Hotel, a newly instituted function by the San …

Sloppy Work I was quite surprised to read the article, “Border Patrol Combats Crowd of 100,” (News Ticker, December 5) and find typing and grammar error after error. Do you know about spell check and …

Contact: 1600 Buena Vista Drive, Vista, 760-941-4319; vistauu.org Membership: 180 Pastor: Beth Johnson Born: Chicago, Ill. Formation: Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, CA Years Ordained: 10 San Diego Reader: What’s your favorite subject on which …