San Diego Food Co-Ops ca. 1975

Thirty-Five Years Ago
Food cooperatives in San Diego County began in June 1970 when approximately 50 students from UCSD unified their enthusiasm with two grants from the university and an assessment of ten dollars a household. They formed the Solana Beach People’s Food Store.

The precedent was set. Two years later, in the summer of 1972, the second co-op, the Ocean Beach People’s Food Store, got under way.
— “FOOD CO-OPS,” Clay Kemperer and Kathy Brown, October 9, 1975

Thirty Years Ago
People, including twelve male and six female saints, are the second-biggest source of local place names. “Take Thing Valley [south of Mount Laguna], for example. It’s got quite a story to it. It was settled by two Welsh brothers whose family name had originally been Hogg. They didn’t like that so they went to court to get the name changed. The judge agreed and asked them what they wanted instead. They didn’t know, so they answered, ‘Anything!’ So the judge thought about it and decided to make it ‘Thing.’”
— CITY LIGHTS: “GAME OF THE NAME,” Jeannette De Wyze, October 9, 1980

Twenty-Five Years Ago
Six years ago, [Michael] Glass, a longtime Hollywood script doctor, was given one week, $7500 in cash, and a Malibu mansion to do a massive rewrite for a movie. As part of the package, which he says is standard practice, he also received a mound of cocaine. The week passed by quickly. The work was never done. And Glass suffered a “coke-induced heart attack.”
— “CATS AND COKE,” Jeff Smith, October 10, 1985

Twenty Years Ago
He’s not black, this Clairemont killer. Contrary to police reports, he’s from India and speaks with an accent. His skin is tan, the color of coffee with cream. He lives in Clairemont, near the killings. His hair is black and straight but curled at the end. He’s thin and wiry — about 5´7˝ — but older than police think: 27, not 18 to 23. That’s how seven San Diego professional psychics “see” the man who has stabbed five women this year in their Clairemont and University City homes.
— CITY LIGHTS: “PROFILES IN MURDER,“ Colin Flaherty, October 11, 1990

Fifteen Years Ago
Anne Albright’s article regarding Barney didn’t hit my funny bone. Now, I admit the Barney show, and especially the songs, can get stuck in a parent’s head. You may even walk around singing, “I love you, you love me.” However, Barney teaches children so many things. Telling your ten-month-old child her favorite purple dinosaur is dead is very sad. Although these shows may be ridiculous to a parent, a child thrives on them. What kind of parent voids out Barney in a child’s life, just because the parent doesn’t enjoy it?
— LETTERS: “BARNEY IS DEAD, LONG LIVE BARNEY,” Laura Travis, Clairemont, October 5, 1995

Ten Years Ago
[Rod] Page is known for his storytelling, brutal on-air honesty, and his “old friend” tag line. After three years as the evening DJ on KPOP (AM 1360), Page said he was fired because his engineer mistakenly had his mike on while Page ranted about a technical error.

“There was this intense, maddening feedback sound.” Page exploded. His rant went out over the air. “I had no idea the mike was on.” Page admits he berated the station on the air.
— SCENE: “HE SOLD TUXEDOS,” Ken Leighton, October 5, 2000

Five Years Ago
I got invited to a biker party.

When one guy rolled up on a Harley, I asked him why they were so loud. “This isn’t loud,” he said. He didn’t seem friendly, so I didn’t ask him further questions. I went back to Austin, who told me, “When a motorcycle is stock, it’s quiet. Even Harleys. A lot of riders change out the exhaust pipes for more power, a better sound, and to be heard. When some car hits or cuts you off, they say they didn’t see you. Colorful vests don’t provide the answer. Drivers are sometimes startled by the noise, but sometimes it helps them hear you.”
— CRASHER: “DANCING BIKE,” Josh Board, October 6, 2005