Anchor ads are not supported on this page.
Print Edition
Classifieds
Stories
Events
Contests
Music
Movies
Theater
Food
Life Events
Cannabis
April 17, 2024
April 10, 2024
April 2, 2024
March 27, 2024
March 20, 2024
March 13, 2024
March 6, 2024
February 28, 2024
February 21, 2024
February 14, 2024
February 7, 2024
January 31, 2024
Close
April 17, 2024
April 10, 2024
April 2, 2024
March 27, 2024
March 20, 2024
March 13, 2024
March 6, 2024
February 28, 2024
February 21, 2024
February 14, 2024
February 7, 2024
January 31, 2024
April 17, 2024
April 10, 2024
April 2, 2024
March 27, 2024
March 20, 2024
March 13, 2024
March 6, 2024
February 28, 2024
February 21, 2024
February 14, 2024
February 7, 2024
January 31, 2024
Close
Anchor ads are not supported on this page.
Have you ever smuggled anything?
As a teen, I smuggled firecrackers in my pants pockets. At ages 19 and 20, I hid bottles of rum in the seat stuffing and side arms of my friend's English Morris-Minor car. We got stopped in Interstate 5 in the wee hours of darkness one Saturday morning and the Highway Patrolman searched the car. He actually lifted the seat crammed with bottles, but only looked below. Then he let us go. As I drove off, all the bottles shifted with a loud "Clink!" Startled, the office looked up, so I waved as I drove off. I never tried to smuggle anything again after that incident.— December 31, 2009 12:15 p.m.
Merriam Mountains has its skeptics
The E.A. Barrera article, "Play the Sneaky Developer Game," represents another stage in what might be the most corrupt County of San Diego administration. This is the cauldron which spawned Bill Horn's candidacy. Back in the 1980s, the Board of Supervisors approved the Hidden Meadows Project and placed a huge oak forest in an "open space lot" to mitigate the impact of housing. Then another developer bought the lot and planned his own housing subdivision that would mow down the oak forest. When told he would need to prepare an Environmental Impact Report, he bought the Valley Center Roadrunner and began a campaign of propaganda stories trashing the Department of Planning and Land Use and advocating electing a property rights supervisor. His cohorts found Bill Horn in the Valley Center Community Planning Group and sponsored his run at the north county seat. Once elected, Horn hired the developer's crew on his staff and they circulated a list of planning department employees they wanted fired. When County Counsel advised this illegal, they then stripped the budget and eliminated 80% of the department staff, but failed to eliminate the man who directed the EIR. But this is the historic context in which Gary Pryor re-shaped the deparment to respond to powerful land developers and their lobbyists. Merriam Mountains and GP 2020 are just links in the chain. Viking 13— December 6, 2009 11:37 a.m.
Playing Post Office
Why not incorporate the Old Post Office building into the park and create a community center for the downtown population? The rooms could become meeting spaces, film viewing rooms, reading rooms, computer rooms, and study places for college and K-12 students. I actually object to changing the Post Office parking lot to a green park because there is an enormous parking problem downtown. I believe there is a shortage of at leat 50,000 parking spaces for the existing uses. This is exacerbated by CCDC's renting of parking spaces in the public parking structures. Where would the users of the Post Office Building park, if the lot were greenbelt? And finally, why plant landscaping during a drought? Watering a pocket park of this size would have a significant impact on the water supply for the entire downtown area. Ronald V. May 100 Coast Boulevard La Jolla, CA 92037— August 21, 2009 2:41 p.m.
Ax the Tree, Grow the Branch
I invested an entire career fighting to save forests, waterways, ancient Native American sites, and old buildings from bulldozers driven in the name of progress, only to learn the City of San Diego is contemplating cutting down three heritage trees to expand a tiny library in a pocket park that serves over 1,500 families. Can nothing be sacred to the City of San Diego? Those trees in Kensington Park were planted in 1909 for the benefit of everyone. Since the park is City of San Diego property, it belongs to us all, as do the trees, lawns, and playground equipment. It is a City Park. The trees have already been declared heritage trees, and so be it. If the City of San Diego wants to expand their library, then they can write a draft Environmental Impact Report on the legislative approval of the funding. If Kensing-Talmadge Community Planning Group wants to vote on the project, they can comment on the EIR.— March 2, 2009 5:12 p.m.
Gloria's Hit Piece: "No Backroom Deals", Backfires
The scandalous "Clawgate" attack on 3rd District Candidate Stephen Whitburn is the slimiest piece of political hit literature I have seen since Peter Navarro ran for mayor of San Diego. Why on earth would anyone accuse Whitburn of a "backroom deal" wiht Daniel Soderberg? After all, Dan works on Whitburn's campaign. Moreover, Dan tirelessly volunteers his time working for neighborhoods to protect historical buildings for unscrupulous land development. And Tom Mullaney? Tom has spent years of his time fighting to protect urban canyons and keep land use density at serviceable levels for water and sewer, not to mention he donates his office for community meetings and merits a medal for all his efforts to protect our rights. The guys who paid for that devil's claw hit piece should be sued for slander. Ron May La Jolla, California— October 30, 2008 3:44 p.m.
San Diegans Arthur Lipper and Richard Russell on the current gloom
The Bank of Scotland issued dire warnings that the Western World is in for a bigger depression than America felt in the 1930s and cautioned investors from trusting the American banks. This report has me wondering what to believe in the dark horse days of the Bush Administration?— June 18, 2008 8:27 p.m.
Updates
Gee, Cindy McCain owns a lot valued at $1,000,000 in La Jolla. It must be vacant.— June 18, 2008 8:06 p.m.
Big Blues
I wondered what happened to Admiral Froman after the Sundroad investigation. So what do we infer from this expose'? Does the Blues Brothers debaucle in Telluride mean they underwrote the GOP funding for Mayor Jerry Sanders in order to make sure no small town in San Diego can prevent a developer from laying waste to the environment? Sorry, I do not get the connection.— June 18, 2008 8:02 p.m.
Kensington Business Balks at New City America
I am wondering why such an important issue as remodeling the Kensington Library is limited to the Business Improvement District when it is such am important issue not only to the residents of Kensington, Talmadge, Normal Heights and even the rest of the City of San Diego? Most people do not realize that inside the little building is an even smaller 1920s vintage Spanish style building that got incorporated into the current shape. The older building may actually have historical significance to the entire City of San Diego. In fact, I think any proposal to change the appearance of Adams Avenue ought to be classed by the City of San Diego as a legislative act subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the pros and cons of spending $200,000, alternatives to the proposed project,the cumulative effects on the greater community, and feasible mitigation measures ought to be circulated for public review. Changing the appearance of the public library affects us all, not just a few business owners.— February 28, 2008 8:08 a.m.