Downtown San Diego Stories
On a Sunday in September of 1929, 15 members of San Diego’s elite gathered to carry the coffin of an old friend. Among the pallbearers were a future mayor, a …
They are mostly young, fast, reckless, with a conditional respect for the laws of nature and the city of San Diego. they come from as far away as Temecula and …
Throughout the end of the week and weekend, protesters rallied downtown against ICE and the Trump administration, with several hundred people carrying signs and chanting. Protests were also held around …
Rocket from the Crypt (RFTC) is so synonymous with Halloween performances that they should receive a royalty check every time someone carves a pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern. The final show …
Downtown San Diego Stories
Many low-income and unhoused San Diegans whose cars have been towed by the city have ended up losing their means of transportation — and sometimes, their homes.A 2022 performance audit of the city’s towing program …
The Reader has started this series of its best stories from the past 52 years — 2600 cover stories and some remarkable interior features — to help make up for the loss of its physical …
Steel Beans is the long-running music project of Washington native Jeremy DeBardi. His story was a familiar one: a local act playing original material to thin crowds for years on end, churning through various lineups …
The Reader has started this series of its best stories from the past 52 years — 2600 cover stories and some remarkable interior features — to help make up for the loss of its physical …
As he drove home yesterday, September 29, Ian Bogan was stunned to see a plane sitting on the 15. "Traffic was stop and go until I got past the big tow truck and crane that …
At the trolley stop, I ask Brenden Walton if he and his girlfriend Ting Goskrra are taking the trolley downtown to see King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. When he says yes, I can’t help …
Downtown San Diego might soon swap out its bike lanes for burnout marks and drift trails; the hum of rush hour could be drowned out by the thunder of V8-powered stock cars. According to a …
In recent months, San Diego Uber and Lyft drivers have been attacked. Some gig drivers were allegedly assaulted by a pink-haired woman, a road rager, and a McDonald’s patron. Another rideshare driver was kidnapped. These …
While Silent Movie Mondays is returning to the historic Balboa Theatre downtown, other movie theaters throughout San Diego County are anything but silent.Something strange is going on inside local cinemas — and it’s sending people …
On June 1, two men walked into Junot Ignacio's family toy store in Escondido and stole a rare Labubu doll—similar ones currently selling online for more than $1,000. The plush in question, a Labubu x …
On any given weekend 20 years ago, you could find me running around Downtown, usually armed with a pack of Marb Milds, a fake ID, and a head full of confetti ice cream where my …
The Reader has started this series of its best stories from the past 52 years — 2600 cover stories and some remarkable interior features — to help make up for the loss of its physical …
The deadly crashes at the highway 94 eastbound to I-15 northbound connector on April 3 and March 29 are the latest examples of growing safety concerns along the 94 corridor. Since November, this short stretch …
Dine-and-dashers are striking in droves, according to restaurant and bar workers in San Diego County. Photos and videos of these hungry thieves are frequently posted online by frustrated business owners and managers hoping someone will …
As San Diego weighs new options to replace scrapped plans for a 1,000-bed homeless shelter in Middletown, there's another idea not being considered by the city that offers to "end homelessness in 100 days." The idea …
They call it the Funkiest Disco Day on Earth. In 2008, The Mustache Bash started growing its upper-lip hair with a core group of San Diego State University pals. Eleven pals to be exact. Opposed …
Since early February, people in Hillcrest, downtown, and Point Loma have been posting photos and videos of peculiar-looking Waymo taxis gliding through our streets—its exterior adorned with spinning LiDAR sensors, cameras, and high-tech gadgetry.Currently, the …
Chuck Norris once busted into my hotel room and beat up a drug dealer. For real! He was filming a movie in downtown San Diego in the late 70s, with one scene at the storied …
Since President Trump's federal immigration policy threatened to deport undocumented immigrants across the nation, protests have broken out in San Diego County. These differed from earlier protests, as they included show vehicles and lifted trucks …
Recently, my main squeeze Jamie Estrada joined me for an evening among the fairies and pixies in the Voodoo Room at the House of Blues. For a while, I thought I might need a little …
I’ve been a singer — around town and internationally — for a long time. Opera, operetta, musical theatre, variety — these were my stomping grounds. My talents, and the experience I brought to the table …
Downtown pedicabs with dazzling lights and thumping stereo systems are undergoing a significant change — many operators no longer play loud music, especially near the convention center. This shift has led to a "50 percent …
Two days after we got a new (old) President, I found myself back Downtown to check out a new live music space called The Beat. Despite all the noise leading up to the voting, the …
After decades of limping along with concert venues based on old movie theaters and whatever the Civic Theatre is based on, San Diego now has a world-class classical music hall. For the past three years, …
On September 9, a confrontation at the Henderson Sports Complex in the Mountain View neighborhood turned violent when a 37-year-old man was shot in the head, according to the San Diego Police. Though the victim …
Cortez Hill is tucked away east of Little Italy and south of Balboa Park. Interstate 5 is its northern boundary and Front Street to the South. It’s named after the El Cortez building, which is …
It was 6:45 in the evening, overcast. A couple of sprinkles nicked me while I was on the ferry from Coronado to the Convention Center, but it wasn’t a bad way to travel, and just …
Video:FEAST!:Following pistachios to Lucca Italian Sandwich ShopIf you look over at just the right moment, you might spot the little counter shop as you pass by its B Street location. But you could be standing …
“You’re dealing with a bunch of Gen Zers and Millennials who never get out of the house because of anxiety,” says Sonya, a mother who goes to shows with her daughter. She’s sporting a “No …
Selfies taken in San Diego have earned us international acclaim. The most recent buzz was generated by actress Jennifer Garner, who took a selfie video while stuck in an elevator at Comic-Con over the weekend. …
Starting in August, Caltrans is running a California Road Charge Collection Pilot program that, if passed, will tax California drivers for the amount they drive. You heard that correctly — a Road Charge for every …
Video:GONZO: House of Blues’ Voodoo Room hosts Mind’s EyeA cursory look at the downtown House of Blues’ calendar reveals that the venue has been booking nearly as many acts into their smaller events space (the …
One morning, after surfing at Imperial Beach, my friends and I were hanging out and bragging about one thing or another. Someone shared a story they had heard about how easy it was to catch …
Video:TIN FORK: Dobson's Bar and RestaurantIt’s not often that a restaurant commissions a song in honor of itself. But Marcos Luciano, the Mexico City-born restaurateur who took over Dobson’s Bar and Restaurant from the man …
Before 1 pm on May 22, a tragic incident unfolded in South San Diego when a person was struck and killed by an MTS trolley, according to 619newsmedia.San Diego MTS tweeted in part that Wednesday, …
“Use the force, young Skywalker” reads the note attached to the mixing board at Little Italy’s Music Box. Jedi hijinks might help to explain the flow at Commotion Explosion, which sees several bands taking the …
Hundreds of threatened animal species live in neighborhoods where the city wants to build more housing and trails for humans.Where will the non-humans go?Blueprint SD, an update to San Diego's general plan, is supposed to …
Video:TIN FORK: Kiko’s Place gets a new space downtown on C Street. The OG fish taco is still just $3.50.My true love Diane and I have been to Kiko’s Place — the food truck near …
In the streets of San Diego County, a shady trend is on the rise—sneaker thefts. But these aren't your average shoe burglaries; we're speaking of sneakers that cost as much as a home rental payment. …
“You ever seen a prettier car show than this?” asks Tim. He’s into cars. We’re walking among antique and vintage classics parked in this brilliant green meadow, under trees, with the smell of wildflowers mixing …
It’s an odd feeling. I’m standing here at 12th and Imperial, waiting for my stretch limousine, aka the number 901 bus, when I spot these gentlemen. And gentlemen they are: they’re dressed in white shirts, …
Video:BLURT: Archie Thompson sings “My My My Little Baby” from the Bill Burr film Old DadsArchie Thompson’s music-intensive life is back in full swing after being derailed by Covid for a couple of years. His …
An East Village house given historic designation in 2021 won't be saved, even though supporters say there are very few Victorian era buildings left in San Diego.The city council on Monday unanimously overturned the Historical …
Nearly 7,000 graffiti reports have been logged onto San Diego's Get It Done app since the start of the year—many of which were spray painted at places where young children with their parents and guardians congregate. …
Today, the gentrification of San Diego’s Downtown and the attendant transformation of the city’s skyline is nearly complete. It’s a feat that’s been a long time in the making.The opening of Petco Park in 2004 …
During the recent heavy rainfalls and floods in San Diego County, cars were swept away and moved to other locations, parking meters were not correctly functioning, and streets and city parking lots were inaccessible, losing …
Video:GONZO REPORT: Roni Lee, Monette Marino, Shamini Jain bring love and support for Jamie Shadowlight“I can’t even begin to understand what you’re going through,” says a woman, comforting her friend as we wait in line …
When we take Unreal downtown, we usually wind up looking at a penthouse suite with commanding views of the city and San Diego Bay beyond. There’s a good reason for that: high-rise condos comprise most …