Ben Schachter brought long-time East Coast associates in for an exciting show.

98 Bottles was the spot for a rare appearance by saxophonist Ben Schachter's "East Coast" trio with bassist Leon Boykins, drummer Matt Scarano and special guest John Swana on EVI, (Electronic Valve Instrument) Oct. 3. Opening with the Ornettian "For …

Second annual gathering at Mission Valley’s Town & Country Resort

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/oct/04/54299/ The second annual ComicFest is running through October 6 at the Town and Country Resort Hotel and Convention Center. “Some of us Comic-Con founders and other folks who put on the early Comic-Cons joined together to put on a …

Tijuana/San Diego beats and bliss producer is a three-day weekend in your earballs.

On his recent debut Ocean Bound EP (free download), San Diego/Tijuana chillout producer Coastral retells some of nature’s classic narratives – the sun setting over the sea, the dawn of a new day, the churning depths of the deep - …

Committee which hopes to overturn the bill includes more than a handful of local residents.

A new bill aimed at improving access to resources for transgender, gay and lesbian students in California's public schools is coming under fire by "Pro-Family" groups and religious institutions. Now, a group which calls itself the "Privacy for All Students- …

Comments by aide to GOP's Hunter suggest shutdown of Marine air show backed by military contractor cash is Obama political move

It's a tale of two air shows. Up in Sacramento, according to a report in today's Sacramento Bee, the stunt flying will go on as scheduled this weekend at the California Capital Airshow, while San Diego's famous Miramar air show …

Former Vegas showgirl and mannequin for the late, great Mr. Blackwell, Barbara Sinatra, has broken her silence concerning the paternity of Ronan Farrow. Those of you keeping score at home remember earlier this week when Mia Farrow let slip that …

New cafe ups the ante for hangout spots.

Filter North Park’s departure left the neighborhood shy one coffee house. The opening of Young Hickory on the site of the ex-Filter at 4096 30th Street addresses the lacuna, and then some. The expensive and extensive remodel was more than …

Oh boy, did I like Gravity. I know, I know - so did everybody else. I don't care. I liked it. When I walked out of the theater, they asked for my reaction. I said, "I'm still thinking. Sometimes it's …

Adam Brown re-trial for sanity, five years after mother was stabbed

“Mister Brown killed his mother,” the defense attorney immediately told the jury. Adam Brown has been held in custody since June 2008, after he surrendered himself to authorities. Brown approached a deputy in San Diego’s downtown courthouse and told the …

Three basses? Two drummers? Somehow these cats pulled it off.

Tenor saxophonist Ben Schachter brought together a large and unusual ensemble into Dizzy's on Oct. 2, for a wonderful and unique musical experience. Think of this group as a double-trio with special guest: on stage left Schachter lined up with …

Biotech cooked up price-capping scheme, says shareholder suit

A shareholder has filed a derivative action against biotech Sequenom in federal court, according to Courthouse News Service. The suit claims that doctors were hesitant to prescribe the company's prenatal test for Down Syndrome because insurers were reluctant to pay …

Matthew Lickona: Tell about how you conceived of the film. Peter Landesman: I didn't want to go down the path that so many people have gone down, the murder mystery and conspiracy nonsense [surrounding the Kennedy assassination]. There's no point. …

Group will clean streets three times weekly for the cost of private contractor's semi-annual visits

A new partnership with the Urban Corps of San Diego County will lead to much more frequent pressure washing of sidewalks and the local seawall, the City of Carlsbad says. Under a previous contract with a private company, the Carlsbad …

Appeals court can't believe it. He's on his way to prison

Bryan Laurienti was a broker for the now (mercifully) defunct Hampton Porter brokerage house, one of San Diego's smelliest, which went out of business a dozen years ago. According to Courthouse News Service, the 9th Circuit appeals court ruled that …

The following is to be played on a loop while reading: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkM0m-fB2Uw Last week was my mother's Yahrtziet. Twelve years. It's the only day of the year when I find it impossible to focus on a feature. And, oh, how …

Oh, good grief. http://www.sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/oct/03/54188/ Because you have been counting the days until you could buy tickets to this sequel. Sometimes I think I could do okay in movie marketing. Then I see something like this and realize I'm just not …

A conclusion (of sorts) and a trip to Mexican Fiesta in Little Italy.

All the searching and it’s come to this: Mexican Fiesta (1460 India Street) in Little Italy. http://www.sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/oct/03/54184/ Developed buildings reach for the sky all around, but this squat taco stand resists the passage of years, crumbling in on itself like …

Moneyman who gave $56,000 to Bob Filner, key booster of controversial sole-source "Bajagua" plan to treat U.S. sewage in Mexico, shows up on disclosure of Qualcomm-favored Democrat

During his final decade in Congress, Democrat Bob Filner and his Republican House colleague Brian Bilbray were doing some big favors for their mutual campaign donor, Rancho Santa Fe's Enrique Landa, who was promoting a plan to treat United States …

With more than one month remaining until special election, cash continues to flow from unions and large corporations

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/oct/03/54148/ The pro-David Alvarez political action committee Working Families for a Better San Diego set up by the local Labor Council is collecting some major checks from their fellow union members. The United Food and Commercial Workers Union is the …

Counsel allegedly assured owner of two pot shops that federal agents would leave him alone

Ronnie Chang, a medical marijuana dispensary operator, has sued his former lawyer Jeff Lake in state court, claiming that Lake assured him that California state law would shield him from prosecution, only to have his shop raided by federal agents …