A lot of people will tell you that their favorite restaurants are “holes in the wall,” or “hidden gems,” or at the very least, “obscure.” It’s seldom true. Then, there’s Kim’s Texas Barbecue, down in …

On Wednesday, January 29, the new majority-owner of hyper-local news site Patch.com laid off all but one of its San Diego County reporter-editors, remaining editor Michelle Mowad confirmed. The layoffs include journalist Khari Johnson, whose …

With the mayoral election less than two weeks away, both candidates David Alvarez and Kevin Faulconer say they want to be a partner in the effort to build a new Veterans Plaza in Ocean Beach. …

Two schoolteachers were carrying picket signs in protest of the Alpine Union School Districton the corner of Jackson Drive and Fletcher Parkway in La Mesa on January 29. From about noon to 5 p.m., Kim …

With over 3,700 band pages in the Reader’s Local Music Database, we’re constantly chronicling updates and changes, from albums dropping or in progress to current video releases, breakups and reunions, plus new and departing members. …

South Bay residents expressed disenchantment with decisions being handed out in judge Ana España’s South Bay courtroom on January 30; then, España reduced former Southwestern College vice-president of business affairs Nicholas Alioto’s felony to a …

The Griffin was packed for Johnette Napolitano’s Friday night date. We arrived after the opening acts, so fans had their spots staked out — as usual, big and tall “gentlemen” stood up front. We saw …

The San Diego District Tennis Association last week began soliciting donations for its third annual National Tennis Camp for Wounded Warriors, to take place in San Diego the week of May 19–25. "This event is …

The owner of Humphrey's by the Bay, the legendary music venue on Shelter Island and a big donor to Republican city councilman Kevin Faulconer's campaign for San Diego mayor, is facing off against organized labor …

Tucson’s becoming a hipster destination? Get out of town! Recently, Tucson was named one of the top up-and-coming "hipster" cities in the U.S. Someone must have stumbled out too deep into the desert and started …

California native Stephen Malkmus has added a deep-cut notch to his indie-rock belt with the release of Wig Out at Jagbags. Jagbags is SM’s sixth release with the Jicks and it reveals a certain comfort …

ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER, PINE VALLEY — "We always knew this day would come," said Jedidiah McTavish, his eyes fixed on the interstate that would inevitably bring the marauding hordes to his doorstep, gallon jugs …

Joshua Bell is a busy, busy, man but he will be coming to San Diego to give a solo recital on Friday February 7th. We all know and love him in San Diego for his …

This time I really was in a hurry. Had a limousine departing Imperial Beach in ten minutes, and a three-minute run up to the bus stop. So I'm on Rainbow Drive, heading up from Palm …

It seems like only yesterday that Grantville had nary a brewery in its little-understood boundaries. That’s because it was almost yesterday that this was the case. But no more. With last year’s arrival of Benchmark …

Local biomedical device maker Valor Medical and four employees admitted yesterday (January 30) that they did not provide the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with required information that would have cast doubt on Neucrylate, a …

School-district unification raised its controversial head again at a January 28 Chula Vista City Council meeting. Councilwoman Mary Salas, who is a candidate for Chula Vista mayor in November 2014, moved to agendize a council …

The kitchen at Ballast Point’s Little Italy tasting room unveiled an updated menu last week to coincide with the opening of a monstrous (as-yet-undecorated) patio. It’s not a total replacement of the former menu, but …

TURNING UP MY HEARING AID SO AS NOT TO MISS A WORD — "The State of your County Government is good," said Dianne Jacob, speaking slowly and distinctly to her visibly graying audience. "But I …

As it grows ever more intense, the big-cash battle for mayor of San Diego has taken some interesting turns on both sides. Once imprisoned ex-super lawyer Bill Lerach — put behind bars by the administration …

So over at Vanity Fair, there's a story about how Jennifer Lawrence's fondness for Doritos on the set of American Hustle resulted in some...wardrobe difficulties. Particularly when it came to this big lady-kiss scene in …

Ion Theatre has earned an impressive reputation — and a number of Craig Noel Awards to back it up — for quality acting. I asked Claudio Raygoza, the artistic director, to provide a behind-the-scenes look …

"I'm so honored that you've all chosen me over the president," Saru Jayaraman joked to several dozen people assembled at Queen Bee's Art & Cultural Center in North Park. She was there to give a …

Some type of major law-enforcement action seemed to be taking place on the southbound I-5 through Camp Pendleton on January 29 at around 2:00 p.m. There were numerous law-enforcement agency vehicles parked at the Las …

It may yet be years before Paris opens its first San Diego-style restaurant (though it has apparently availed itself of California cuisine in food truck form). While French gastronomy might be missing out on the …

Blake Kraus, a graduate of UCSD and Kearny Mesa High, spends his days working amongst some of the tallest trees in the world in Sequoia National Park searching for clues on how to keep the …

Regardless of how difficult court victories might be for those suing the city for dangerous sidewalk conditions, as long as conditions on city streets and sidewalks remain subpar, the lawsuits will continue. In the latest …

I write about beer and food. As anyone who's really invested in these mediums might guess — hell, as anyone who has ever had any good beer and/or food would suppose — I am privy …

Geneva Karwoski explains how Urban Corps can help you get work ready. What is Urban Corps? Urban Corps is a certified local conservation corps and WASC-accredited charter high school that offers young adults a chance …

Jeffrey Bednarek, a former employee at the El Cajon Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office, pleaded guilty on January 28 to document fraud, bribery, and witness tampering. The case began in May of 2012, when …

From the producers of Underworld and one of the the scripters responsible for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl comes...frankly, if that ignominious ancestry doesn’t scare you off, nothing will. January …

One of my first tasks in my first job was to scrounge paper clips from throughout my newspaper plant so my paper clip-dependent department would have enough for the entire week. Paper clips were essential, …

Got on the train a meat-eater; got off the train a vegan.

American kids don’t just pick up the clarinet or tuba like Mexican youth do. Dario Velasco, 20, is a student at Southwestern College who plays in Estrella de Pacifico, one of a handful of local …

Another Oscar season, another opportunity to wonder aloud why it is that, in this age of supposedly dwindling attention spans, there has not been an explosion of interest in the short-film form. Tired of formulaic …

All the greatest questions and answers from Matthew Alice’s Straight from The Hip column which ran for over 25 years in the San Diego Reader.

Marcelo Radulovich and Enrique ‘Bugs’ Gonzalez made a record, Nohayquepreocuparsepornada, “a bit of rock, noise, quirky pop, funk, drone, no-time-signature ambience, shades of jazz, acoustic and electric, all wrapped up and served as songs, with surreal stories and observations as lyrics, in English and Spanish.”

The owner of The Commons Bar, Jake Pescatello, does more than deliver the rent and sign the paychecks of his employees. Starting in his father’s modest East Coast restaurant empire as a dishwasher and busboy, …

The battle with San Diego city attorney Jan Goldsmith over public records requests is heating up. Yesterday, Cory Briggs, attorney for watchdog group San Diegans for Open Government, filed a lawsuit against the city and …

While the rest of the country braces for the next ice age, San Diegans take lackadaisical bike rides to neighborhood brew pubs to catch a buzz with a few friends under the burning winter sun. …

Shocks of Mighty, the rock-steady band Michael Thompson formed, turns 20 this year. Trumpet player/singer Thompson’s allegiance to the proto-ska sounds created in Jamaica in the early ’60s wasn’t what his other bandmates wanted six …

I sit here shivering. Ends of fingers white, no blood. Only my hands are warm. And that’s because I’ve got them wrapped around a toasty-warm glass of, uh, beer. No kidding! I was just as …

A well-financed campaign on behalf of Republican city councilman Kevin Faulconer for mayor that is being waged by the San Diego Police Officers Association has been bankrolled not by the cops themselves, but by a …

The Lower Santa Ysabel Trail, now reserved for hikers and equestrians, takes you beside a lush riparian forest of towering sycamores, willows cottonwoods, and spreading oaks, draped with native grape vines as it travels beside …

On a Tuesday evening in late September, Lindsay Marks stands in the center of a group of people at Spike Africa’s Fresh Fish Grill and Bar on Broadway. She wears a cheek-stretcher of a smile …

Current Owner: Deborah Szekely Listing Price: $1,945,000 Beds: 5 | Baths: 5 This week’s property is hidden in Mission Hills, tucked away along a dead-end street and shielded by a wall of towering bamboo interrupted …

I stretched my arm out across the bed, but when my hand felt only fabric, a pang of panic gripped me. I cast about in the darkness, a sense of desperation rising in my chest, …

“The park offers a bird’s-eye view of downtown skyscrapers, planes lifting off from the airport, Mission Bay, the ocean...”

The soft drinks Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, and Pepsi One contain excessive amounts of a carcinogen, methylimidazole (4-MeI), and parent company Pepsico is keeping that secret, according to a lawsuit filed January 23 in federal court. …

Nice Legs is the title of a collection of short stories published by guitarist Jack Beddows and a songwriter-producer named Larry Zeiger. Each of the stories, they tell the Reader, was inspired by the drinking …

Facing the growing popularity of electronic cigarettes, the City of La Mesa on Tuesday, January 28, took up a consideration to ban their sale within city limits at the behest of mayor Art Madrid. "We …

A lot has been written about special interests getting in bed with the state legislature, figuratively speaking. Now a group of prominent women Democrats from San Diego has raised the bar with a “speed dating” …

Tony Elgindy, back living in San Diego area after a long spell in prison, helped finger the Wolf of Wall Street, who got off easy for egregious crimes.

Could Saturday be the last show at Brick by Brick? On Tuesday afternoon rumors started circulating that the venerable Bay Park nightspot was rescheduling some of its shows booked for February. Tuesday evening Brick by …

In January 1986, a month after quitting as San Diego mayor following his conviction in a campaign money laundering scandal, Roger Hedgecock was asked by the Evening Tribune his pick to win that year’s Super …

Half His Drive I just finished your cover story about Theo Tucker. If someone in America’s Finest City doesn’t grab this promising young man and offer him a full-time position at a living wage, you …

I had a little Sorrow, Born of a little Sin, I found a room all damp with gloom And shut us all within; And, “Little Sorrow, weep,” said I, “And, Little Sin, pray God to …

God — praises to Him — is not His own creature, and not a part of His creation or an attribute of it. He is the Praised and Exalted, set apart in His holy Existence, …

Administrators at Castle Park Middle School created controversy in August 2013 when they spent thousands to improve the school’s appearance for secretary of state Arne Duncan’s visit. Another controversial Castle Park makeover is now under …

Driving from the upper Midwest through Illinois, immediately across the state line is the historic town of LeClaire, IA. We quickly pulled off the I-80 exit, but not to visit the quaint old buildings in …

It was back in October that I learned the Red Door Restaurant & Wine Bar had acquired a new executive chef: Karrie Hills, a graduate of the California Culinary Academy. Chef Hills spent most of …

The new border station in San Ysidro is nearing completion. Here is a series of photos showing the new station and some of its features.

There’s good news about Cygnet’s show: Amanda Sitton is back on a stage. She took time off — a decade, it seemed — for maternity leave. She’s in tip-top shape as Jenna, a social-mediated NYC-ite …

Investigators claim they were able to connect a repeat felon to a string of burglaries in San Diego County through fingerprints and DNA he left behind. Thirty-one-year-old Roberto Lazaro Dimas pleads not guilty to eight …

Instead of trying to box the Wood Brothers into a style corner by examining the trace elements of jazz, blues, and rock in their music, can we just agree to call them clever? Good. But …

On January 9, the City of San Diego’s Development Services Department issued a notice of site development at the corner of Granada Avenue and Fir Street in South Park. Within days, dozens of nearby residents …

As happens with so many restaurants, Bino’s Bistro fell victim to protracted delays as the Hillcrest crêperie sought a beer and wine license. Kudos to the restaurant for soldiering through a drawn-out permitting process (which …

Michael Hemmingson — screenwriter, novelist, poet, playwright, literary critic, and guitarist — died of a heart attack on January 9 in Tijuana. He was 47 years old. He covered local music, the crime beat, and …

The new video from killwave duo Prayers, “Ready to Bleed,” was filmed in the alleyway behind vocalist Rafael Reyes’s home in Sherman Heights and at Saint Jude’s Catholic Church in Shelltown. “Both are heavy gang …

According to Bloomberg News, the Defense Department is withholding funds from some of its largest contractors, including San Diego's General Atomics. The Pentagon says the companies have to correct inadequate business systems. Doug Fouquet, a …

Once again, troubled Thomas Jefferson School of Law was last in bar-passage rates in 2013 among state American Bar Association-approved law schools. Only 50.3 percent of Jefferson's first-time test-takers passed — down from 52.33 percent …

I can remember that day like it was yesterday. I woke up in the morning like I always do, rolled up in my wet, blue sleeping bag around 3:50. I knew the finkin’ sprinkler system …

When you think about it, Mexican restaurants are everywhere. But South American restaurants? Not so much. Tonight, I'm wandering away from the crowds on San Diego Avenue in Old Town, heading down Twiggs in the …

As San Diego's latest money-laundering scandal continues to unwind, an initial spotlight has been drawn to Marc Chase, who lists himself as owner of Symbolic Motor Car Co. in La Jolla, a go-to luxury-car dealership …

From bow-ties to jerseys, hundreds of candidates dressed to impress and rehearsed in front of Petco Park as they waited for the chance to become the new public address announcer for the San Diego Padres …

Two men are in custody today (January 27) after being caught in the act of burglarizing a San Marcos church in the early morning hours. Daniel Arango and his newphew Luis Arango were seen forcing …

On May 23 of 2012, Dave Maass, then with CityBeat, wrote a story titled "New Dumanis Super PAC backed by Mexican businessman" ( and subtitled "San Diegans for Bonnie Dumanis keeping its plans under wraps"). …

Tom Newton sounds a lot like the Stage Manager in Thornton Wilder’s Our Town. He welcomes us to the North Crawford Mask & Wig Club, in Connecticut. With a down-home, folksy voice he says his …

Attorneys for the city who are representing former mayor Bob Filner have made an agreement with Gloria Allred to delay the discovery phase of the lawsuit against Filner to give time for settlement talks, says …

In this age of nanos and neighborhood-geared breweries, many brewing companies’ beers will only ever be available at their tasting rooms or, at best, on draft. In the case of the latter, most of those …

Catherine Rampell, economics writer for the New York Times, tried in yesterday's (January 26) issue to find the source of that ever-recurrent prediction that a Super Bowl brings $550 million to $600 million to the …

Allegations made in a September 2010 lawsuit against luxury car dealer Marc Chase — at the center of criminal charges that have enveloped city hall and district attorney Bonnie Dumanis — seem sure to fuel …

We get a lot of MP3s sent for review by performers in the Reader’s Local Music Database, which currently features over 3,700 band pages along with related discographies, videos, songs, links to Reader articles, and …

Stand at the Torrey Pines Glider Point and face south. If you squint, La Jolla looks like a quaint Mediterranean fishing village. Houses, engulfed by dark green shrubbery, bleacher down from the top of Mt. …

The new San Diego Central Library officially opened its doors to the public on September 28, 2013, capping 3 years of construction, 17 years of planning, and 36 years of talking about it. The 500,000-square-foot …

Guess who is on district attorney Bonnie Dumanis's endorsement list for her current election campaign? Aaron Feldman, head of Sunroad Enterprises, which seemingly can't stay out of trouble. There is now an investigation of Sunroad's …

Saarbrücken, the capital of the German state of Saarland that’s right on the French border, was part of an independent nation-state created after WWI. It changed political control back and forth: at times it was …

County clerk Ernest Dronenburg remains a target for those who wish to unseat him for petitioning the state supreme court to reconsider their decision to overturn the same-sex marriage ban, also known as Prop 8. …

In a Chula Vista courthouse on January 24, Paul Pfingst, defense attorney for Jesus Gandara — the former Sweetwater Union High School District superintendent indicted on corruption charges — asked for a postponement of the …

I’ll Take Care of You, the new true-crime story from Caitlin Rother, is on bookstore shelves throughout San Diego. The exhaustively researched book recounts the murder of Bill McLaughlin, shot in his Newport Beach home …

CVS Pharmacy, which wants to set up shop in the long-abandoned Apple Tree supermarket in Ocean Beach, can breathe a long sigh of relief following a decision by the San Diego Police Department to not …

The battle over control of San Diego's city hall — being fought in large part by cash from unions versus corporate and real estate interests — is getting more vigorous. The city's GOP Lincoln Club …

When I’m in the mood for something easy, affordable, fresh, and flavorful for lunch, I head over to the 3rd Corner Wine Shop and Bistro in Ocean Beach. On the rare occasion there’s not an …

Hundreds of crust-punk enthusiasts showed up to Tijuana’s El Tigre bar for a night of total destruction. The bands DLT, New Breed, and Pornoestereos, from Tijuana and Mexicali, started the show before punk quartet Anti …

Hopefully Liam Gallagher wasn't serious when he claimed Beady Eye would be "bigger than Oasis." He must realize he’s pissing in the wind with that one. While their debut album was a decent collection of …

A pizza restaurant in La Mesa is hoping to make more dough by offering hookahs for delivery along with the pizza, sandwiches, and spaghetti on their menu. GiGi Pizza, formerly Palermo Pizza, started renting out …

I'm not above a little light reading before dinner. So when the menu at Brabant — South Park's newest Belgian theme restaurant — opened with a list of recommended food and beer pairings, I embraced …

Border Patrol agents arrested two men in a Volkswagen Jetta on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and possession of marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms, according to a January 22 release. Around 10 p.m. on the 21st, …

Trying to capitalize on the latest media craze of gay men as fashion accessories, a trio of prom queen probables (Sasha Pieterse, Xosha Roquemore, and Andrea Bowen) battle over friendship rights to their recently outed …

In Temecula on January 21, about 50 people waved American flags and held up signs in front of Helen Hunt Jackson Elementary School in a rally to support the family of a first-grade girl who …

Natividad "Nate" Lara Cervantes, who reportedly referred to himself as the "Godfather of Camp Pendleton," pleaded guilty on January 21 to a kickback scheme in the awarding of construction and service contracts at the Marine …

The Firehouse, one of the newest sports bars in Coronado, has closed its doors, after only 3-1/2 years in business. The signs are already down, and the interior is being cleared out. The Firehouse may …

The Vex Robotics League of Chula Vista held its final competition for the year at Sweetwater High School on January 18. While many praise robotics programs for their connection to the new educational buzz word …

Little differences matter. Imagine hobnobbing with a group of hoity-toity snobbish types, drinking port and discussing great matters of Western Civilization. They’re talking about Richard Burton and how he helped get the Kama Sutra first …

Steadily growing, family-run Vista interest Mother Earth Brew Co. recently signed a distribution deal that will help them to get more beer to an expanded number of accounts throughout Southern California. Obviously, this is good …

“It seems like Border Patrol read your Tijuana junkie and dealer article,” my brother jokingly told me on Facebook. He had recently noticed a new sign posted near the border that reads “Medical marijuana prohibited …

Conservative author and philosopher Dinesh D'Souza was indicted yesterday (January 23) for violating federal campaign-finance laws by using straw donors to funnel money to a United States Senate candidate. The indictment did not name the …

The Air Force prayer has a line that goes, "I slipped the surly bonds of earth and touched the face of God." That’s pretty heady stuff – but the next time you're feeling trapped by …

At the time, it was the biggest cash robbery ever committed in the United States. Not the daring 1978 Lufthansa heist at New York's JFK International Airport that inspired Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas. I'm talking about …

The court case over whether the city should pay the legal costs for six former pension-board members is now one step closer to being a done deal. The most recent appeal filed by the city …

It's not likely Don Pepe loaded up his first tamale cart thinking his name would echo through San Diego lore as a street food legend. Then, it's equally unlikely his pursuit of the American dream …

San Diego–based Bumble Bee Foods, LLC, located near Petco Park, has been sued in federal court in the Northern District of California over claims it makes about its tuna products. The plaintiff argues that Bumble …

Police in El Cajon are searching for a man accused of beating a jewelry store owner with the blunt end of a hatchet and stealing a gun on Wednesday afternoon (January 22). Around 3:30 p.m., …

A rogue male aphid’s dining on Agnes and her new friend Peter? No, he says. Must be a female, a “matriarchal aphid,” and she isn’t just slicing skin, she’s spawning a world-wide infestation from a …

The dead-in-the-dirt “Atmosphere” downtown condo project, which crashed in 2004, is getting a new lease on life. Now it will definitely become a low-income apartment complex, through efforts by Centre City Development Corp. (now Civic …

In 2009, filmmaker Ron Krauss (Puppies for Sale, Alien Hunter) paid a visit to his brother in New Jersey. While there, he learned about a shelter for young mothers, just a mile away. He decided …

A 56-year-old employee of the Pine Hill Egg Ranch is currently under investigation by the District Attorney for the abuse of several chickens under his care. The chickens, which had slowed in their production, possibly …

As San Diego's latest corruption scandal unfolds, it is casting fresh light on the well-monied political network of Republican district attorney Bonnie Dumanis and her consultant Jennifer Tierney. Tierney, a longtime confidante of the D.A., …

Gaidi Finnie was one of the first people I met upon arriving in San Diego during the winter of 2000. He acted as co-director of the Museum of Photographic Arts during my tenure as their …

San Diego Opera's production of Pagliacci opens on Saturday, January 26th. The show starts at 7:00 pm at The Civic Theater. There are only four performances: January 26th, 28th, 31st and February 2nd. Read part …

I try to live my life in accordance with the famous quote attributed to Walt Whitman: "Be curious, not judgmental." On a recent visit to Balboa Park, camera in hand, I came across a plethora …

In this age of political action committees, it's hard to fathom that there wasn't already a committee dedicated to fight for medical marijuana initiatives and boost pro-pot politicians. Well, now there is. On January 6, …

Abbey’s Real Texas BBQ makes bold moves, claiming “Best BBQ Brisket In San Diego” at the head of its website. Well, says who? These kinds of claims always beg for upholding or debunking. The restaurant …

Though San Diegans logically think of succulent, sauce-slathered meat at the sounding of the words Phil’s BBQ, the minds behind the business aren’t singularly focused on ‘cue. Phil Pace and company also harbor a devotion …

Canada has joined the United States in warning its citizens of the potential dangers they may face when visiting Mexico, with specific reference to Baja California. In an advisory posted on the home page of …

“Ethiopia?!” cried my mother, her eye wide shut. “Why are you going there?” It’s not on everyone’s “to go” list, for a variety of reasons, but for anyone with a devil-may-care attitude to travel, this …

She's like, "It's cycling, running, and swimming stuff." And I'm like, "I don't swim."

Barry Minkow (formerly Rev. Barry Minkow) admitted today (January 22) that he defrauded his former San Diego Community Bible Church of more than $3 million. Minkow is currently serving time in the Federal Medical Center …

A group of UC San Diego students and activists gathered Tuesday (January 21) to commemorate the four-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling and to renew demands …

For now Galactic Girl, a work by professional aerosol artist Caleb Aero, resides where she has for the past several years — among 15 to 20 other 6´x 4´ paintings decorating the wall above the …

Superior court judge John S. Meyer has ruled against the Union-Tribune in a class-action suit brought in early 2009 by the newspaper's carriers. The carriers claimed they were misclassified as independent contractors when they actually …

Hotel Nelson premiered in 1948 as an extravagant south-of-the-border vacation destination boasting telephones in every room and the first elevator in northwest Mexico. Thanks to its central location and (at the time) luxurious accommodations, the …

“A lot of chefs are rebels and punk rockers at heart, and this carries over to music,” says Josh Kopelman, organizer of “Battle of the Chef Bands,” a charity concert taking place January 27 at …

After listening to a Skinny Puppy record, one feels as if having been yelled at by an angry parent. Dark moods, riddled with an irritation that either leaves you speechless or that you can completely …

There are a couple of significant changes afoot on the local music-venue front, as Belly Up in Solana Beach is about to announce a new talent buyer and the Griffin in Bay Park is up …

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times... Super Bowl 48 will be played in the $1.6 billion MetLife Stadium, which is nestled within the romantic confines of East Rutherford, New …

Back in October 2012 we first reported here on a conspicuously large contribution made to "San Diegans in Support of Bob Filner for Mayor - 2012," an independent expenditure committee formed to support the Democratic …

“Don’t get me wrong. If I didn’t love my place up in the Hollywood Hills, I’d come live down here.”

Walks around town, walks in the mountains, walks next to the freeway that make it easy to pretend you’ve gotten away from it all (if you ignore the sound of traffic).

Lake Poway Recreation Area is a convenient starting point since it provides abundant free parking during much of the year. The lake also provides numerous additional recreational opportunities. The hike to Lake Ramona offers a …

Officer Robert Craig said at a court hearing on January 21 that he was called to speak with a distraught woman on the evening of November 3 of last year. Twenty-seven-year-old Catalina Botello said she …

Joseph Waters' “Raccoons in the Pool,” performed and recorded entirely underwater, is a fanciful piece that shapeshifts, builds on maddening waves of tension, then resolves in a crest of sonic textures.

Last year wasn’t the best in the ethics department for the University of California San Diego. The nadir was reached with release of an email by the university after a public records act request. It …

An excerpt from The Sanctuary of Illness: A Memoir of Heart Disease by longtime Reader contributor Thomas Larson.

It’s too early to tell if it’s a phoenix, but something has risen from the ashes of the defunct La Jolla Brew House. Namely, La Jolla Brewing Company (7536 Fay Avenue, La Jolla). The space …

For a party dubbed “El Futuro,” the Tijuana-modern house situated above the Caliente greyhound track felt perfect. The façade’s dominant feature — a series of angled mirror-windows — echoed the outside swath of streetlights and …

Officials of the San Diego port authority who remained close to home during the party season still managed to take advantage of many free opportunities to celebrate in style. On November 9, it was the …

Steve Poltz has recorded a new duet version of the hit song he originally wrote with Jewel, “You Were Meant for Me,” with Valencia, Spain–based singer Soledad Vélez and produced by six-time Grammy Award–winner Chris …

A Florida judge awarded a billion dollars in damages to builder Lennar Corporation in a defamation suit against Nicolas Marsch III and fraudster-turned-pastor Barry Minkow. Marsch filed bankruptcy. Minkow went back to prison.

Following the lead of his boss, a staffer for freshman Democratic congressman Juan Vargas has jetted off to Israel, courtesy of the American Israel Education Foundation, a project of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, …

The Barking, the Biting, and the Smell Someone is inhabiting the wrong place (“La Jolla Cove Is Becoming a Sea Lion Cesspool,” January 16 cover story. Mr. Merkel referenced the colony of sea lions saying …

Interview with Lawrence Bausch of Holy Trinity Parish of Ocean Beach. He says “it’s the fullness of the Catholic faith that keeps the mind open to mystery,” echoing Flannery O’Connor.

Ravneet Singh, head of a Washington DC political firm, was arraigned today (January 21) on charges that he conspired to steer illegal foreign money into San Diego political campaigns. Also charged was retired San Diego …

Over the weekend, I posted this story announcing the new website and name, Balboa Park West End, which was created to alert the public to the fact that the museums and institutions at Balboa Park …

The last time Frank Porretta sang with San Diego Opera was the last time he sang the role of Duca in Verdi's Rigoletto. His voice has matured into roles such as Andrea Chenier, Calaf, and …

Next to edible pizza, Italian beef "sangwitches," and Pekin House egg rolls (made with baby shrimp, morsels of barbecued pork, and peanut butter to bind them), squirrels are what I most miss about Chicago. Apart …

Sommeliers, professional wine experts in charge of ordering and pairing wines, are fairly common in upscale restaurants. One San Diego restaurant pro is doing the same thing with mezcal, one of Mexico’s most important contributions …

Everybody is oohing and aahing over this bit from Fight Club where Tyler Durden has been digitally edited out. Well and good. But when are they going to edit the rabbit into Harvey?

“What would I be if I weren’t strong?” asks one of the characters in director Jeremy Teicher’s Tall As the Baobab Tree. Strength is a quality that reverberates throughout the six films to be screened …

Low Gallery’s new show, “Eternal Spring,” opened with an artists’ reception and live performance on January 17. The ongoing show features work from Portland-based photographer, Colin Manning; LA visual artist and psychic, Marcella Kroll; and …

It’s been a busy few days of disclosure by treasurers for the two candidates for mayor — as well as their big-money backers — as next month’s run-off election looms closer. Republican April Boling — …

Uptown Tavern’s bar back Miguel Duran is in the advanced placement class of bartenders-in-training. Observing Uptown’s bartenders at work, he’s come up with his own signature cocktail. When he began creating what’s now known as …

On January 13, Encinitas resident Youssef Boulaalam, through his attorney Allen Berrey, filed a 40-page claim of civil rights violations, illegal search, fabrication of evidence, false arrest, and imprisonment against Mono County and their sheriff’s …

If Ramona has one must-stop spot, it’s Pepe’s Produce, a grocery store in an ex-Pizza Hut. The place may be the king of dingy little holes in the wall. It’s a little country store, with …

Up until now, the battle over One Paseo, the 1.4-million-square-foot mixed-use development proposal, has been fought in Carmel Valley. Residents there claim cramming the super-sized project on 23 acres of land will clog nearby streets …

Jewish media such as the Jerusalem Post and Jewish Telegraphic Agency are reporting that San Diego's Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center canceled a performance by singer Eyal Golan because of member protests about Golan's alleged …

Show up at North Park's URBN pizza restaurant on a Friday night after 7 and here's what you'll see: beautiful well-dressed people stacked at the bar, waiting to be served by beautiful people, and creating …

"I'm in a phone booth baby. Your number's scratched up on the wall. I'm new here in San Diego. Ain't got no-one else to call..." It's that Robert Cray song, "Phone Booth." Boy. Christian Hastings …

Another sunny winter day in Pacific Beach resulted in crowds of people on bikes and skating and walking along the boardwalk on Saturday, January 18. A noticeable difference in the beach scene must have brought …

A former San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station engineer and inspector claims he was forced out of his job by plant operator Southern California Edison as retaliation for raising safety and security concerns in a newly …

A big blow-up in Barcelona over biotech patents and research cash may bring a famous world master of stem-cell research back to La Jolla's Salk Institute full time, according to accounts in Spanish and science …

The county and the Sweetwater Authority are still trying to figure out which agency is going to be responsible for moving a closed trail around a newly discovered patch of fairy shrimp, an endangered species. …

The landlocked (and usually overlooked) country of Bolivia in South America is home to the largest salt flats in the world, visible by astronauts in space. The Salar de Uyuni is 25 times larger than …

The military is doing cartwheels over passage of the 2014 defense appropriations bill by Congress. More than $99 billion for procurement in the base and war sections has the Penteagon particularly pleased, according to the …

I tend to be averse to sweetening food that's meant to be savory, so I've long put off visiting Eclipse since it moved in to South Park last year. William Gustwiller's confections are unquestionably delicious, …

Does the name “North Park Flavordome” sound good to you? Probably not without a little context, but when one considers it follows in the footsteps of the “Lomaland Fermentorium,” that crazy moniker makes a little …

In an effort to shore up attendance at its museums now that the massive retrofit of the Cabrillo Bridge is under way, Balboa Park has unveiled a new website, along with a new moniker: Balboa …

Twin brothers Anthony Donald Casias and Leo Ronald Casias Jr. on Friday (January 17) were sentenced to prison for defrauding local sports fans. Customers paid their L&T Sports Events Inc. money for travel, lodging, transportation, …

Somebody should write a musical: The Last of the Tap Dancers. There’s only one left and the uniquely American art may vanish. When the Tap Dancer learns he/she’s the end of the line, he/she goes …

If there were some sort of Reader coffee shop design award, Te Mana Cafe (4956 Voltaire Street) would be on the short list to win. This OB newcomer proves just how right it can be …

Every week, we add around a dozen acts, new and old, to the Reader’s Local Music Database, which currently features over 3,700 band pages along with related discographies, MP2s, videos, links to Reader articles, and …

Sweetwater teachers who are on the verge of a strike over health benefits, class sizes, and campus safety issues picketed board president Jim Cartmill’s house early January 18. There are only 30 days left for …

The San Diego County district attorney is ready to meet with defense attorneys regarding the possibility of seeking the death penalty in a high-profile murder case, a prosecutor said on January 17, 2014. Nearly two …

Shortly after 3:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon, January 17, paramedics and firefighters responded to a report of a man who had succumbed to a head injury after a fall. The incident occurred at the Palomar …

Darrell Issa has established a reputation for publicizing potentially sensitive government documents — in May 2011 he leaked documents that had been placed under court seal in his Fast and Furious investigation into a botched …

Fitch Ratings has affirmed the BB+ rating on Palomar Health's outstanding debt and revised the rating outlook to negative from stable. Only two years ago the healthcare operator, formerly known as Palomar Pomerado Health System, …

Grilled cheese sandwiches are great, but most foodies won’t drive out of their way to eat one — especially not to Santee. But a Korean BBQ grilled cheese sandwich? Now that’s something special. And it’s …

Califone's show at the Soda Bar fell on a Sunday night, five days after New Year's Eve. The event was a mellow "last hurrah" for the holiday season. A subtle transition into the standard workweeks …

The La Mesa City Council on January 14 removed mayor Art Madrid from the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) board in a 3-2 vote that designated vice mayor Kristine Alessio as La Mesa's primary …

A salad! A salad! My kingdom for another salad! Running out of time, getting closer and closer to 12th and Imp and the bus I've got to catch in, like, half an hour. Without a …

Mark Ferron, commissioner of the California Public Utilities Commission, resigned yesterday (January 15). In 2012, he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Pete Hasapopoulos, organizer for the San Diego Chapter of the …

San Diego’s own, here, live for the fumes. They live for each new spume. Imagine that perpetually smoking RV from Breaking Bad and substitute some stinky green, which at least won’t kill you quite so …

This was supposed to be the month that Douglas Manchester finally broke ground on his latest mega-money development, the $350 million Fairmont in Austin, Texas, according to an announcement back in October of last year …

Only hours after playing for a full house at El Dorado Cocktail Lounge (1030 Broadway, Downtown), Bob Dazzla had over 60 records stolen from in front of his Bankers Hill home at around 6:30 on …

KEEPIN’ IT REAL IN NORTH PARK — On January 8, U.S. attorney Laura Duffy unsealed federal indictments against 24 defendants, alleged members of a sex-trafficking ring based out of San Diego. The alleged crimes took …

Most of the time, even dedicated dog-friendly dining establishments don't allow a pooch inside. I'm sure this is due to some issue of sanitation or municipal regulation, etc. So, as pup and I walked up …

Deeper and deeper we go into the cinematic void that is January. The stygian emptiness is so encompassing by now that we must ask ourselves pointless, unanswerable questions just to keep going. So: will 2014 …

According to a resident of the fourplex community off South El Camino Real, behind the Target store, the whole neighborhood woke up to the sound of crashing cars around 1:00 a.m. on January 16. A …

18-year-old Natasha Tang lives in Milwaukee. After taking a summer road trip with her boyfriend to California she is now considering transferring to SDSU. With her parents in tow, I found Tang touring the campus. …

The California Coastal Commission on January 10 approved another attraction for Mission Beach’s Belmont Park — a 300-foot zip-line. The zip-line and a laser-tag arena that’s already approved and under construction, will be operational on …

Since reviving a historic brand six years ago, the folks behind the current iteration of Mission Brewery (1441 L Street, East Village) have been slow to roll out new beers. This isn’t a knock on …

Jim Romenesko, the media columnist at jimromenesko.com, reported today (January 16) that he received multiple communications from Orange County Register newsroom employees who got the axe. Romenesko said that, as of last count, 32 newsroom …

Who needs a Big Ben wind-up to sound the alarm on the morning of Oscar nominations day? Long before the cock crowed, this reporter was parked in front of his trusty Trinitron waiting to have …

New numbers from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation on Wednesday (January 15) suggest that fewer prisoners are returning to incarceration after being released. The state's 2013 Outcome Evaluation Report looks at the recidivism …

Bad news: You have until today to see Kaya Scodelario’s American big screen debut, The Truth About Emanuel, at the Gaslamp. The good news is you can watch it tonight on VOD. The camera loves …

Bleu Bohème’s French farmhouse interior, comprised of stone walls, menus on chalkboards, and white candles dripping wax over their holders, brings me right back to lazy afternoons with my love in Provence. On my most …

Reporters for the UT San Diego have a friend in city attorney Jan Goldsmith. Whether it was the flap over the Tourism Marketing District, the project-labor agreement for the convention center, the pension deficit, Goldsmith’s …

During last fall's primary election for San Diego mayor, Qualcomm took a lot of heat from the GOP Lincoln Club for backing Republican-turned-Democrat Nathan Fletcher for mayor. The volley of hit pieces against Qualcomm executive …

I thought it might be interesting to ask some of the nominees for Craig Noel Awards for their best advice. Am so glad I did. Steve Gunderson, Featured Performance in a Play, Male. “The late …

Agents of the U.S. Marshals Service raided a house in South Park on Wednesday January 15, at 4:30 p.m., arresting at least one occupant and detaining two others while they searched the house. Ten armed …

Few people are aware that Budapest is actually two cities, Buda and Pest, situated along the banks of the Danube River. Most visitors stay in Pest – it's got more to offer in terms of …

A lifelong lover of dogs who says she lives in fear of them now is asking the Imperial Beach City Council to ban pit bulls along the shoreline. Caesarina Kelley planned to present a petition …

Kim Mohiuddin is a nationally certified résumé writer, president of both MovinOnUpResumes.com and Authentic Executive Careers, and Certification Chair for the National Résumé Writers’ Association. Why don’t you start by telling me exactly what you …

When Wolfgang Verkaaik, the paid shill reviewer for U-T San Diego, recommends a spot, it’s usually a sign of a place to avoid. However, his review of Slides managed to pique my interest. It’s a …

Martin Arnold of Oceanside set out to become a big-time computer programmer, but quit school a month before graduating to become a youth pastor in Ghana. His parents were disappointed and his girlfriend was surprised, …

A contractor hired to revamp Otay Mesa's Silver Wing Recreation Center is suing the City of San Diego, saying staffers targeted the small minority-owned business and demanded additional work for no pay and impeded progress …

Sadly, macro-lager keggers will likely always rule at SDSU, but when it comes to on-campus drinking, Aztec nation will soon have a quality craft beer option. Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Company just won out on …

Whoever said recession is the mother of invention was right. Or, they would have been, had anyone ever said that. That’s because the latest recession to hit the economy of the United States has left …

Increases in the chihuahua and pit bull populations have led the Chula Vista city government to offer a free spaying clinic specifically for South Bay owners of those breeds of dogs. “A serious pet-overcrowding issue …

If they can raise $35,000 through a Kickstarter campaign, a group of high school students and their teachers want to purchase a food truck and retrofit it to include mobile film screening alongside basic food …

The jewel of San Diego is flawed. Business owners claim they’ve done everything they can to appeal to San Diego city government to try and eliminate the stench and growing aggressiveness of sea lions at La Jolla Cove. City officials claim they are taking things a step at a time.

A San Diego area couple, Rim and Tarik Alahmad, are defendants in a lawsuit brought forth by an Indonesian woman who claimed she was enslaved for 13 years in the United States. The suit was …

Interview with Taz Taylor, whose 2014 album Deja Voodoo won’t include any vocals — just pure shredding, metal heads! Deedle-eedle-eedle-eedle-leedle-dee-dee!

Juilliard-trained David Garrett won’t talk about departing the Royal College of Music in London after one semester, but he can play 13 notes in one second and is scheduled to play Balboa Theatre on January 26 — so what’s the big deal?!

No one was surprised to see that the Sweetwater Union High School District board failed to agree on a process to replace former trustee Arlie Ricasa at a January 14 special meeting. (Ricasa pleaded guilty …

A third lawsuit has been filed against ousted former mayor Bob Filner over charges of sexual harassment made while he was in office. This time the plaintiffs are Marine veteran Katherine Ragazzino and her nurse, …

Brick by Brick’s liquor license is suspended for a year…and though management seems confident they’ll get it back, they’re cautious about talking about it.

“Hi there!” “Hello. Care to see...” I notice they target the man every time. Good strategy.

Andrew Savage says his band Parquet Courts is no joke, but they like to joke around. He says he never thought Light Up Gold would be reissued and they’d be touring it.

The son and daughter-in-law of Richard Silberman, the fallen San Diego financier who was once a powerful advisor to Democratic governor Jerry Brown, have cast their lot with Brown's fellow Democrat, city councilman David Alvarez, …

In person, if you didn’t know her, Deborah Gilmour Smyth wouldn’t strike you as a performer. Soft-spoken and humble, she calls little attention to herself. But onstage, Smyth blooms into someone else, literally and figuratively, …

Not unlike the Japanese tourist who kicks off Paolo Sorrentino’s latest cinematic feast by collapsing under the scenic force of his search for the great beauty of Rome, I find myself more than a bit …

Marketing reps for Muscle Milk set up their camp in the Lake Murray parking lot for only about ten minutes on January 13 at 2:30 p.m. The two pretty girls who came to the lake …

Ratt frontman Stephen Pearcy talks about the ’80s San Diego glory days…but — BUT! — the band is getting to roll again. Can’t keep a good Ratt down. Take note, so-called “pest controllers”!

In 1907, General Land Office (GLO) survey records note “Mid Peak” as the peak between North and Cuyamaca peaks. It was not until 1970 that “Middle” Peak appeared on forest maps. Middle Peak used to …

I sifted through the messy pile of papers on my desk, growing more agitated by the moment. “I know I wrote down the confirmation number,” I said to David, who was standing beside me, waiting. …

At the beginning of the last century, the most powerful man in San Diego was E.W. Scripps, a bearded newspaper king who ruled a big chunk of the nation’s journalism and print opinion from the …

“This is a mess,” said judge Harry Elias, commenting on a bloody street fight that happened last October in San Marcos; the matter came before his court January 14. The alleged victim, Elvis Gonzalez, claimed …

A period of adjustment accompanies nearly every brewery expansion. Going from one system to another, particularly a much larger brewing apparatus, requires some getting used to. Recipes need to be ramped up, efficiencies tested, recipes …

A long legal battle between a disgruntled vendor and a proto-bank sponsored by real-estate guru and U-T publisher Douglas Manchester is about to have another round in court, this time in Houston, Texas. The extended …

San Diego vaporizer salesmen see the devices as instrumental in weaning smokers from tobacco smoke. They refute the notion that “vaping” is attracting children. Legislators seem to be lumping the practice in with tobacco smoking and all its accompanying prohibitions.

San Diego–based Vector Planning & Services yesterday (January 14) admitted that it criminally defrauded the Department of Defense. The company agreed to pay $6.5 million to resolve civil and criminal cases. The company admitted that …

The conservative Blue brothers, Linden and Neal of La Jolla, are well known for their backing of Republicans near and far. During the fall mayoral special election, Linden tossed in $5000 for San Diego County’s …

Gentle Disruption A practical solution to the La Jolla wildlife stench problem could be to, on a calm day, run one of the Port of San Diego’s new harbor police/fire-fighting vessels around to the waters …

To your voice, a mysterious virtue, to the 53 bones of one foot, the four dimensions of breathing to pine, redwood, sworn-fern, peppermint, to hyacinth and bluebell lily. to the train conductor’s donkey on a …

Love for God is the furthest reaches of all stations, the sum of the highest degrees, and there is no station after that of love, except its fruit and its consequences…nor is there any station …

“Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death.” Rosalind Russell is the larger-than-life Mame, a quirky socialite who becomes the guardian of her young nephew at the outset of the Depression. …

To me, Prince of Darkness is one of John Carpenter’s scariest films. Not so much having to do with blood and gore but rather because of the psychological suspense and taking a controversial topic and …

Little known in the U.S. and not to be confused with The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, The League of Gentlemen is a jet-black, surreal, BBC comedy — sort of Monty Python meets the Addams Family …

The mystery of who will end up with millions of dollars in cash from the late David Copley’s estate continues, with the latest annual IRS filing of his mother’s foundation shedding no light. According to …

Less screamo, more hardcore — at least since 2008. That was the year Las Vegas quintet Escape the Fate made a course correction and swapped singers with the announcement that Craig Mabbitt would replace founding …

Animal-rights activists staged a demonstration at the entrance to SeaWorld on Saturday afternoon, January 11. Approximately 50 activists brandished picket signs and formed a line along Sea World Drive on both sides of South Shores …

When I scored tickets to ARTessence’s CAPTIVATE: Cirque de l’Artisan, a fashion show in Middletown promoted as “providing the experience of a party and a show in tandem: live graffiti artists, professional dance teams, aerialist …

The area around 31st and University in North Park has seem some unusual transformations over the years — an old church added a rock venue (The Irenic), a bank turned into a 7-11, and now …

Philadelphia federal judge Anita B. Brody today (January 14) rejected the National Football League's agreement to pay $765 million to settle claims with players who have suffered concussion damages. Most observers viewed the August 2013 …

Some residents of Uptown fear that the San Diego Association of Governments is trying to grab money meant for pedestrian improvements in order to install a dedicated bikeway for cyclists to commute on Fourth and …

On January 7, a Texas man wanted on various skipped warrants was apprehended while flipping hamburguesas at a shop in the Tijuana neighborhood of Las Playas. Gilbert Sanchez Jr., 44 years of age and from …

A woman with a gun robbed a coffee-kiosk tip jar in South Park Tuesday, January 14, at approximately 9:50 a.m. Armed with what appeared to be a black semiautomatic pistol, a woman driving a two-door …

It’s been a year since Gang Kitchen’s initial Reader review, and the restaurant’s kitchen has seen some shakeups. Craig Jimenez, formerly of Roseville Cozinha and Craft and Commerce, is in as the new executive chef, …

City attorney Jan Goldsmith's office, carrying a somewhat tarnished image after a string of recent defeats, the failed prosecution of a man scrawling anti-corporatist rants using sidewalk chalk that drew national headlines, and a questionable …

In 1960, Rafael Trujillo, the brutal dictator of the Dominican Republic, confessed to his inner circle: “My only two problems are the church and the Mirabel sisters.” Patria, Minerva, Maria Teresa, and Dede Mirabel grew …

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released its Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2012 report. Statistics for some diseases are broken down by metropolitan area. The San Diego metro area (the county) did poorly …

Sara´s London Shop, a popular perfume store in downtown Tijuana that once attracted tourists from around the world, has closed its doors after 70 years in business. The store, at the corner of Avenida Revolución …

Billed as the “Horse Capital of the World,” Lexington, Kentucky, is also home to some of the world’s greatest bourbon. And, surprisingly, it hosts a robust, thriving food scene, showcasing an innovation more typical of …

In addition to Sycamore Den’s decision to get a few bites of food on the bar menu, the Normal Heights cocktail lounge with the beards-and-shotguns flair has a new series of winter cocktails ($9) rife …

San Diego Opera has a casting problem. They need an actor to be featured in the upcoming production of The Elixir of Love. Why the problem? I mean, the role is paid, it’s a non-singing …

In March of last year, a curious lawsuit was filed in superior court against the Internal Revenue Service; the plaintiff was "John Doe Company." Now, two healthcare-related publications, Healthcare IT News and Modern Healthcare, have …

Condoleezza Rice was here. Bigwigs of the PGA eat here. That's the kind of place it is. Only reason I'm here is their happy hour. And that's not in the luxe back room. It's at …

La Jolla's Linden Blue, whose General Atomics makes the Predator drone along with other exotic military hardware for the world's armies, has given $1000 to Republican city councilman Kevin Faulconer, who is running for San …

San Diego Fire-Rescue responded to a report of heavy smoke seen rising from a Pacific Beach alley on Sunday night, January 12, at 6:25 p.m. The crew arrived at the 4700 block of Mission Boulevard …

Twenty-five years ago, Chris Cramer had an epiphany when he entered an Australian brewpub called Sail and Anchor and drank one of its house beers. The concept of brewing beer on-site blew him away, leading …

Jamul Indian Village and Penn National Gaming on January 10 announced that ground is being broken on a $360-million casino in Jamul even though ongoing controversy culminated in a lawsuit challenging the tribe's existence. The …

“I could swim in a sea of that.” That was my seven-year-old son’s reaction after tasting the boeuf bourguignon at BO-beau La Mesa. Can’t argue with him, the beefy French-inspired stew has a rich meaty …

At least 500 mountain-bikers, hikers, and equestrians paraded through Mission Trails Regional Park on Saturday morning, January 11, to protest the closing of popular trails in the northeastern section of the well-used open-space area. "There's …

Among the 3,700-plus band pages in the Reader’s Local Music Database, there are a surprising number of local-centric all-girl groups. Occasional Rugburn Gregory Page is actually the son of a member of one of the …

With its varied climates, landscapes and ecosystems, California is a one-of-a-kind state. When European settlers first arrived here, one of the signs of this uniqueness they discovered were the mammoth trees of California, the sequoia …

Two men who were allegedly shot when they tried to rob a Vista restaurant earlier this month were brought into court on January 8. Louis Enrique Cruz, 18, and Sergio Rivera Ramos, 24, both pleaded …

Must have been about five years ago now first I began hearing press — I'm sorry, word of mouth — about Kogi, the Los Angeles Korean BBQ/taco/food truck/phenomenon meant to revolutionize the restaurant industry forever. …

Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, along with employee Emmanuel Iheke, have been hit with a superior-court sexual harassment and battery lawsuit by another employee, Adriana Arias. The suit claims that Iheke, who …

“Sycamore Den got food!” That was the rumor, anyways, that the Normal Heights hipster-centric cocktail lounge, styled after a dreamy and favorable vision of the 1970s where men were men, had augmented its menu with …

Aren't the people's choice awards handed out every Monday morning when the weekend box office receipts hit the trades? It’s been years since I sat down and watched a telecast of The People’s Choice Awards …

Disney Exec to General Atomics COO: "If we could make people sympathize with an ecosystem's top predator (LION KING), we can make them sympathize with a robot death plane."

La Jolla Democratic congressman Scott Peters and fellow House Democrat Ron Barber of Arizona, under fire by ads sponsored by the billionaire GOP Koch brothers of Wichita, Kansas, have set up a joint fundraising committee, …

The California Coastal Commission is in San Diego this week, holding meetings from January 8–10 at the Catamaran Resort on Mission Bay. On Thursday, the group took comments on the so-called North Coast Corridor Public …

M.I.A. has once again delivered an engrossing platter of ear candy with her latest effort Matangi. From the opening of “Karmageddon” through the closing track “Sexodus,” M.I.A. brings the listener along as she dominates the …

On the eastbound off-ramp of Highway 78 at Jefferson Street — the location that inspired a 2012 panhandling article — a turf war developed on January 8, causing three California Highway Patrol units to respond. …

"I like being early," says Terryl Gavre. She's the wunderkind gal who started up Café 222 (remember her on posters wearing a waffle on her head?), and then Bankers Hill Bar/Restaurant, and then Bankers Hill …

Pop artist Matthew Sweet played a 15-song show and 2-song encore to a partisan, enthusiastic crowd that seemed to know the words to every song. Sweet has been a regular visitor to San Diego since …

With the camaraderie between San Diego County breweries, collaboration beers are natural and frequent occurrences. For many brewers, the only inhibitor to embarking on a group project is the inability to fit a collaboration into …

While it may not matter to those who don't live there, one group is fighting another over the boundaries of University Heights. The University Heights Community Development Corporation (UHCDC) is battling with the University Heights …

San Diego-based CareFusion Corp. yesterday, January 9, agreed to pay the government $40.1 million to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by paying kickbacks and promoting its products for uses not approved …

According to the San Diego County Sheriff’s search-warrant log, a young woman suspects that she was given a date-rape drug while she was bar-hopping in Encinitas last month; she reported waking up later in a …

San Diego’s first and only whole animal butchery, Heart & Trotter, has yet to find a place to call home (they’ve been eyeing North Park for a few months now), but their sustainable, locally sourced, …

Will it be Redford or Streep? Captain Phillips or Philomena? The Croods or Despicable Me 2? Masters of Sex or The Big Bang Theory? Do you really care who or what takes home a Golden …

As the opera season is zooming up on us I thought it might be fun to take a look at an older San Diego Opera Production that showed up on YouTube a few months ago. …

Fallen San Diego mayor Roger Hedgecock, who has long described himself as a "recovering politician," has suffered another relapse, judging by the $10,000 that his corporation — Worldwide Community Forum, Inc. — gave January 7 …

“I just thought that doing My Little Pony toys would be different,” says Rizzo Michelle, reflecting on her decision to customize unwanted toys and try to sell them at Comikaze 2013. “When I went there, …

On January 8, construction on the Carlsbad Desalination Project hit the one-year mark. The venture is one in which Poseidon Water will turn sea water into potable drinking water for the San Diego County Water …

You don't think of "Asian" and "salad" in the same breath. But here I am up in the wilds of 47th street, heading behind a garage/tire shop. Looking for a low building with the sun-faded …

I bet you thought that miraculous, playoff berth-clinching Chargers victory was the coolest thing to happen on December 29. Well, you’re probably right about that. But nearly 60 miles east of Qualcomm Stadium, something big …

Those holiday gift cards gathering dust in your drawer are now good for something other than a day at the movies, an elaborate latte, and a few plates of lackluster potato skins. Adult website Naughty …

Being a little nontraditional when it comes to Thanksgiving (I hate turkey and brown food, and avoid it like the plague), we were thrilled when our friends, who feel the same about Thanksgiving, invited us …

Pesticides kill bugs — how can they not be killing people? San Diego — indeed, California — is a leader in the production of organic vegetables and fruit.

Milkweed grows by my fence. Don’t ask me to pull it. Weeds were my friends in childhood — emerald explosions in the dull cinders of train track, green lace at the sleeves of our water …

“We’re a musical pantomime troupe,” says Christopher “Bunny” Bennett of Steam Powered Giraffe. “Most know us as ‘those singing robots.’

An indictment was unsealed today, January 8, charging 24 North Park gang members and their associates wth running a racketeering conspiracy involving cross-country sex trafficking of underage girls and women as well as murder, kidnapping, …

South Bay judge Ana España and district attorney Bonnie Dumanis do not appear to be on the same page. In a widely viewed January 2012 news report, Dumanis declared that “the widespread corruption uncovered in …

The Legend of Hercules is the first of this year's two Hercules films. The second, due in July, will star Dwayne Johnson, a suitably gigantic actor for the part of the original strongman. But Kellan …

The new year is kicking off with a herd of earworms, including the debut full-length from jazz-funk dancehall drifters Mafard, whose first single, “Finger Lickin’ Chicken Pickin’ Mexican,” has been stirring the controversy pot. An …

Gloomy music pretending to be happy: that’s Pinback. Their particular vibe comes as the result of living here in the banana belt of San Diego where the weather is almost always balmy. Or so says …

Ed gets punched by a nubbly, crunchy, and salty burger at Nunu’s in Hillcrest.

The Kraken puts an end to the Doug Allen-hosted Monday- and Tuesday-night jam sessions due to insufficient bar sales.

A fire reported at 5:41 a.m. on January 4 destroyed two portable toilets and the wood-shake roof of nearby restrooms at Sunshine Park, according to La Mesa Police Department lieutenant Ray Sweeney. Restrooms at the …

It’s a new year, and the Kelly family is looking for a new adventure. “Zip-line riding is on my bucket list,” offered my husband. “I’m on it,” I said. “Our flight-line Safari is pretty popular,” …

With election day less than five weeks away, campaign cash to both sides in the battle for San Diego mayor is gushing through a sometimes confusing and byzantine network of corporations, unions, and political committees. …

At first glance, you might be tempted to think that Spike Jonze’s latest film is titled Her because it’s about her: Samantha, the sentient operating system (fetchingly voiced by Scarlett Johansson), who is purchased, befriended, …

Remember the three-out-of-four-NFL-wildcard-games-might-be-blacked-out story? Things are changing in the NFL. Which makes sense; my relationship with the NFL has changed several times. Relationship 1. I’m hitchhiking with Gretchen, heading south on Highway 99, somewhere around …

Chargers All-Pro linebacker Dwight Freeney is back in court over a series of misguided investment moves, just weeks after the conclusion of his latest case. Last month, Eva Weinberg, who'd quit her job at Merrill …

Current Owners: Templeton Investment Assets, Inc. Listing Price: $5,200,000 Beds: 6 Baths: 8 Not every home in the tony La Jolla neighborhood can boast sweeping ocean views, but that doesn’t stop many properties from commanding …

Bring friends, as this is a trail less traveled. The route averages a 7 percent steady climb with short sections of 60 percent (stairs) at the 4588 peak before reaching the plateau to Corte Madera …

A big-time lawyer from San Diego who has been nominated by Barack Obama for a seat on the oft-controversial U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has revealed his income and net worth as …

The words Clarity-Ferm won’t mean much to the average beer drinker, but the impact of that product, which was introduced in 2013 by local yeast-production company White Labs, is likely to be so huge that …

Police found evidence connecting two men with at least four armed robberies that occurred recently in Escondido. One of them was due to be arraigned in San Diego’s North County Superior Courthouse for felony robbery …

Federal court requires defendants to be shackled; this is estimated as a presumption of guilt before before being found innocent, say some people.

An audit by the office of California controller John Chiang has demanded a refund from the City of San Diego for allegedly overbilling the state for domestic-violence reports required under California law. A state mandate …

Radio reggae show Yard Sound, hosted by Ras Charles, gets yanked by Palomar College station KKSM (1320 AM).

Post Title: Good News of the Year | Post Date: December 31, 2013 “Good News” is all around us. For the second year in a row, we’ve compiled a list of some of the greatest …

Contact: 858-277-2511; holyangelssandiego.com Membership: 60 households Pastor: Father Robert Pipta Age: 46 Born: Anaheim Formation: St. Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Seminary, Pittsburgh, PA Years Ordained: 20 San Diego Reader: What is your favorite subject …

Demonized Unions With reference to the December 19 cover story, “We’re Constantly in Fear,” I am fully aware of the disparity in the treatment of adjunct and tenured faculty. You see, I was a tenured …

Part four of a four-part story about apartheid-era South Africa. First published in The Monthly, November 1986. Reprinted in the Reader, summer of 1990. In memory of Nelson Mandela.

Thursday 9Nineties-grade alt-rockers No Knife culled a biggish but brief career from angular slash-and-burn pop deconstructions that evoked, at turns, the Clash, Fugazi, Archers, and Mission of Burma, but Mitch Wilson’s first-person lyrics and emotive …

The question of whether it is legal to tax hotel guests for the purpose of expanding San Diego's convention center is far from over. On Tuesday, January 7, opponents of the 3 percent tourist tax …

South Park easily claims the title of my dog's favorite neighborhood. It's home to her favorite dog park, pet shop and bar (Hamilton's, naturally). It's also where to find her favorite mid-walk water dish – …

Though it is just after the buying season, San Diego border businesses are expecting an increase in traffic from the Mexican sales tax hike of 2014. "As of right now, it's pretty slow. We're not …

The Chargers-owning Spanos family have more than their team's current comeback to be happy for; they're also the beneficiaries of $110,000 in new carpeting at their taxpayer-provided San Diego facilities. Although it isn't widely known, …

A mainstay business in downtown Carlsbad since 1947, El Corral Pottery, is closing its doors. Located at 340 Carlsbad Boulevard (Coast Highway), the location is the last independent seller in Southern California of the colorful …

It’s evident in the first bite from Coop’s West Texas Barbecue (2625 Lemon Grove Avenue, Lemon Grove). You can taste the crutch. The Texas crutch, that is. The crutch, an aluminum foil wrap applied to …

Even from the bleachers, a safe distance from the corral, the bull looked dangerously close. A sea of young men surrounded the bull, and every time the animal flinched, waves of contestants rippled away in …

Ramona real estate agent Teresa Rose is headed to prison over her involvement in a multimillion-dollar loan scam, Courthouse News Service is reporting. Rose was among three people facing federal indictment last May, though the …

Diners in Pacific Beach may soon be able to order a beer with their bacon and eggs — that is, if the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control board grants the Denny's restaurant on Mission …

We’re going to go Bach versus Bach here in the second match of Germany’s World Cup of Composers: Johann Sebastian Bach (papa Bach) versus his son, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. CPE Bach was a classical …

It took forever to remodel Pink Noodle and turn it into East Village Asian Diner (406 University Avenue), a second location for the successful, Encinitas restaurant. Reportedly, permitting troubles plagued the buildout, but the construction …

In November, shortly before Thanksgiving, the City of Chula Vista sent heavy equipment and personnel to clean out homeless encampments in the Lower Sweetwater Valley. Tractors and trucks worked all day and then returned about …

U-T San Diego’s recent spending slashes have employees worried about possible layoffs — perhaps as early as this week. Three management moves have generated the rumors: (1) The company told employees that it is ending …

On January 5, a day that saw the San Diego Chargers advance in the NFL playoffs with a 27-10 win over the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati and the SDSU Aztec men’s …

San Diego–based Chhatrala Group, which owns hotels around the country, is in trouble for back taxes in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Victorville. The company has a limited-liability company named Chhatrala Grand Rapids, LLC. The Grand …

On January 4, LMFAO arrived at Lake Murray between the hours of 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. to have their monthly meeting, which they hold on the first Saturday of every month. In this case, …

The times, they are a-changin’…for the better, if you’re a fan of spirits. With the New Year comes a change in state policy allowing local distilleries to offer samples of their products to customers, and …

Tijuana police will begin using drones to patrol crime-plagued areas of the city beginning today, January 6, according to the daily newspaper El Sol de Tijuana. The city has acquired two drones to add to …

From the outside, there's not a lot to distinguish Friend's House from the many restaurants lining Convoy Street. It sits at the end of a shopping center, touting photos of dinner specials on a poorly …

I saw the bubbles all the way from the far end of the Ocean Beach Pier on New Year's Eve day. When I got closer, I couldn't believe how huge they were! Bubble-meister Alan Kier …

The back patio of Southpaw Social Club, in the East Village, is the Park at the Park at Petco, so the place is probably hopping during the 81 games played there during baseball season. The …

A couple of guys attempting to deliver a package triggered a shutdown of the main gate access to Balboa Naval Hospital on Thursday, January 2. For approximately two hours, San Diego police blocked access to …

After a memorial service in Laguna Nigel, about 100 family members, friends, and those who never knew Fallbrook’s McStay family, showed up at the San Clemente Pier for a memorial paddle-out on January 4. The …

While everybody has been obsessing over the protracted buildout process for Lucky Liu’s (Alex Thao’s new Downtown Chinese restaurant), the restaurateur quietly renovated Celadon, his Hillcrest Thai restaurant. Reborn as French Concession (3671 5th Avenue) …

The largest state in India, Rajasthan, located in the northwest of the country, is known as “the land of the kings." Rajasthan is wrapped in vibrant colors, with impressive cities including the Pink City of …

Former San Diego district attorney, current criminal defense lawyer Paul Pfingst will remain as counsel for a woman accused of murdering her husband, a judge ruled on January 3. In November, prosecutor Keith Watanabe alleged …

With the state's prison system still facing overcrowding issues despite a 2011 order from the Supreme Court to address the issue, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced on January 2 that plans had …

No sooner had I finished praising Reading Cinemas and Jennifer Deering for their illustrious 40-Foot Films series do I check to see what films are on the January schedule. None. It's over. Finished. Kaput. Even …

In the College area, Tokyo Sushi Loha (recently relocated to 6502 El Cajon Boulevard) is a powerhouse. The place used to do slamming business out of strip mall, but the owners managed to finagle the …

So, over at Mr. Marks' Wolf of Wall Street review, the conversation has turned, as it does, to "Whatever happened to Robert De Niro?" For the longest time, my answer to that question has been, …

A group of teenagers and a young adult who pretended to be police officers — ordering people out of their cars and onto the ground — were arrested December 27 after a tipster informed police …

Tijuana's famed zonkeys — donkeys painted to look like zebras — would be permanently retired and replaced by fiberglass replicas if an international animal-rights organization gets its way. In recent years, the zonkeys have fallen …

One San Diego resident has taken aim against big-box retailer Target and the retailer's recent admission that their credit card database had been compromised, revealing the credit card and pin numbers for nearly 40 million …

At first glance, the three-page set list that Mario Escovedo and friends followed during their annual “Exile on Kettner” show looked like little more than an intimidating list of randomly assorted Rolling Stones songs. But …

Turnout was sparse on Thursday afternoon, January 2, at a rally organized by San Diego Veterans for Peace to celebrate a decision by the Federal Aviation Administration not to use the skies over San Diego …

A self-styled legislative watchdog group is out with a report on the array of gifts given California's elected officials that spotlights the largesse received by San Diego politicos. Entitled Gifts, Influence, and Power, A Report …

The trouble with Years in Review: over 300 shows and very few words to sum them up. What, just for instance, about Moxie and Mo'olelo Performing Art’s wonderful co-production of The Bluest Eye? An adaptation …

Frederick Joseph Hengl, 69, accused of killing his wife and cooking parts of her on the stovetop in their Oceanside home, died in a “natural” manner, according to the county medical examiner. Hengl was found …

Hailing from Seattle, all-girl surf-rock group La Luz conjures images of Washington fog with Dick Dale–era inspirations. The quartet’s debut, It’s Alive, shows off their ability to work the tricks of different eras into their …

Police in El Cajon are asking for assistance in identifying a man they believe to be tied to at least two fast-food robberies in recent days. On Monday, December 30, a suspect described in a …

While adding new and old ensembles to the Local Music Database (now containing over 3,700 band pages), we’ve come across some interesting new groups worth watching in 2014, Here are the top picks, followed by …

Oh Lawdie. Some much gunk. This whole holiday season I have gone ape on burgers, spuds, chocolate cakes, Cool Whip, donuts, burritos, donuts, grog, beers, vino... Time to pull back. Take the higher road. Eat …

There has been some hubbub about director Peter Jackson's decision to inject "feminine energy" into his Hobbit adaptation through the inclusion of Tauriel, a lady elf. I thought it a lame decision in a movie …

Lots of changes happening 'round our town’s live venue circuit, not the least of which is the much lamented loss of Croce's downtown. Look for its newest incarnation in Bankers Hill, Croce's Park West, set …

People who complain that 2013 has been a lousy year for movies are spending too much time in a multiplex with only three letters in its name. Of the twenty films I single out as …

Bloomberg News reported earlier today, January 2, that three National Football League playoff games this weekend could be blacked out in home markets because of lagging ticket sales. Thousands of tickets are still available in …

You'd think it was hard to muck up a restaurant holding down one of the best spaces on the west coast — an oceanfront location so prime, surfers can see into it from the line-up. …

A fundraising event for conservative Republicans quietly took place this fall at publisher and real estate magnate Douglas Manchester's well-appointed Grand del Mar resort in the northern reaches of San Diego. Details of the exclusive …

On February 10 at the La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art, the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle will offer awards in the following categories.. RESIDENT MUSICAL. Chicago, San Diego Musical Theatre, Fiddler on the Roof, …

Joe Hruska, founder of RescueTime, explains how you can become more efficient in your job search or job upgrade process. First, please tell me about RescueTime. What’s the story behind it? RescueTime began as a …

The vacancy sign for jobs at hotels, resorts and on cruise ships across the country is blinking bright right now. There’s no better time to make a reservation for an interview in the travel and …

Coinciding with opening day of horse-racing season at the Santa Anita track in L.A., Ocean’s Eleven Casino in Oceanside premiered coastal North County’s only off-track betting lounge on December 26. Where once was the card …

What do you love most about your work? That’s a simple question, but you might be surprised that far-and-away the thing people love most about their work is the people they work with. They still …

San Diego–based Cubic Corp's Transportation Systems, which specializes in fare-collection systems, installed the "Ventra" payment system in Chicago during 2013. But there were slipups and hiccups from the outset. The Chicago Transit Authority calculates that …

Big-money special interests from both sides of San Diego's race for mayor celebrated New Year's Eve with sizable injections of out-of-town cash. Reports posted online by the California Secretary of State's office yesterday reveal that …

The first goal of the new “Art Speaks” salon series at Thumbprint Gallery 2, at the back of Hillcrest’s Bamboo Lounge, is to “provide a platform for artists to engage in dialogue with their community …

Tom C. Vuong, 50, allegedly made a ruckus at the Walmart on the corner of College Boulevard and Highway 76 on December 15. He was arrested for his actions. According to testimony given in court …

Fashion was all over the map in 2013. I like to think of it as the year of individual style. We saw a lot of camo-inspired gear — combat boots and military jackets. There was …

The money-slinging has officially begun for the special mayoral election to be held on February 11. On December 29, the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Associated General Contractors of America wrote big …

Baja Californians awakening today, New Year's Day, face what the daily newspaper El Mexicano describes as "a cascade of taxes." In addition to an increase in the sales tax to 16 percent, Baja Californians will …

John Moores, former majority owner of the Padres and longtime crony Charles Noell have pulled another financial coup: Merriebelle Stables, which they own jointly, sold a broodmare for $8.1 million, the highest price ever paid …

Have a nice day. Have a memorable day. Have (however unlikely) a life-changing day. Have a day of soaking rain and lightning. Have a confused day thinking about fate. Have a day of wholes. Have …