Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Imperial Beach, Our Coastal Orphan

San Diego Reader, November 5, 1981
San Diego Reader, November 5, 1981
  • Thirty-Five Years Ago
  • [A] local symbol has almost gone up in flames. The hut at the base of Bonair and Neptune Place was damaged in a fire last week. Refurbished with new palm fronds each year by surfers, the hut...has stood without serious damage for years. Some members of the beach community suspect vandalism. The beach has been a focal point of dissension between residents who want more municipal involvement in regulating the activities of beachgoers and some of the surfers, who prefer less regulation.
  • — “WINDANSEA HUT IN FLAMES,” Rich Louv, November 4, 1976
  • Thirty Years Ago
  • “You almost have to be coming to Imperial Beach on purpose to come here at all,” says Bill Russell, the owner of the Marina Inn. In other words, Imperial Beach isn’t on a path to anywhere. If it were a street, it would be a turnaround. For a businessman it’s bad news. For residents — well, as Russell puts it, “We’re kind of a small town next to a big city.”
  • If this sounds a little unusual for coastal San Diego County — a strip better known for luxurious playgrounds like La Jolla, Del Mar, La Costa, and points north — it is. But unusual is a good word for Imperial Beach. It has some of the last vacant oceanfront lots in the county, and nobody will buy them.
  • — “WHERE THE RIVER MEETS THE SEA,” Gordon Smith, November 5, 1981
  • Twenty-Five Years Ago
  • Sitting at the Improv watching Dennis Blair get laughs as he lampooned the most successful rock musicians of our time, it occurred to me that in some small way this type of schtick represents a form of professional revenge. For years young comics have been the rodeo clowns of the pop-music world; whenever a rock-concert promoter needed a nonmusical opening act or simply wanted to avoid the expense of staging hassles of hiring a second-billed band, he has reached for a stand-up comedian.
  • — “ROCK ZINGER,” John D’Agostino, November 6, 1986
  • Twenty Years Ago
  • I began dumpster diving about a year before I became homeless.
  • I prefer the term “scavenging” and use the word “scrounging” when I mean to be obscure. I have heard people, evidently meaning to be polite, use the word “foraging” but I prefer to reserve that word for gathering nuts and berries and such, which I do also according to season and opportunity. “Dumpster diving” seems to me to be a little too cute and, in my case, inaccurate because I lack the athletic ability to lower myself into the dumpsters as the true divers do, much to their increased profit.
  • — “The ART OF DUMPSTER DIVING,” Lars Eighner, November 7, 1991
  • Fifteen Years Ago
  • I liked the premise. I would waddle out to a campaign event and talk to politicians about sports. Since politicians are egomaniacs, it would be interesting to push them off the topic of self and then see how they function.
  • To wit: I have talked to two city councilmen and three aspirants for public office and received absolutely nothing. They all recognized the name “Chargers” and all agreed that the name is good, and that is the beginning and end of it.
  • — SPORTING BOX: “HEY, BUDDY, HAVE YOU TALKED TO A THERAPIST LATELY?” Patrick Daugherty, November 7, 1996
  • Ten Years Ago
  • It had to happen sometime. The Man Who Wasn’t There is the first Coen brothers movie to disappoint me. That’s not to say that it’s not good, certainly not to say that it’s not even as good as their first, Blood Simple, when I had no expectations of them at all and so could not be disappointed. Nor is it to say that someone without my elevated expectations might not be able to enjoy it without qualm or quibble. Or in other words enjoy it — another first — more than I. It’s simply to say that on my personal scorecard it brings to an end, or at least to a drop-off, one of the great streaks, if not the single greatest (and yes, I realize what I am saying), in the history of American cinema.
  • — “BLOOP,” Duncan Shepherd, November 1, 2001
  • Five Years Ago
  • The name Robbers Peak commemorates the notorious outlaws Joaquin Murietta, Three Finger Jack, and others of the late 1800s. Swooping down out of the hills, these bandits terrorized farmers below and preyed upon passengers traveling the Butterfield Stage route. From Robbers Peak the miscreants could easily spot and evade sheriff’s posses by slipping into the rugged ravines leading back toward the Santa Ana Mountains.
  • Whatever historical charm Robbers Peak has is not reflected in the current condition of its summit.
  • ROAM-O-RAMA, Jerry Schad, November 2, 2006
  • Sponsored
    Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

San Diego Gen Z-ers spend 17% more than millennials did on rent

Half of local renters pay more than 30% of income on housing
Next Article

Why you climb El Cajon Mountain at night

The man with no rope fell 500 feet
San Diego Reader, November 5, 1981
San Diego Reader, November 5, 1981
  • Thirty-Five Years Ago
  • [A] local symbol has almost gone up in flames. The hut at the base of Bonair and Neptune Place was damaged in a fire last week. Refurbished with new palm fronds each year by surfers, the hut...has stood without serious damage for years. Some members of the beach community suspect vandalism. The beach has been a focal point of dissension between residents who want more municipal involvement in regulating the activities of beachgoers and some of the surfers, who prefer less regulation.
  • — “WINDANSEA HUT IN FLAMES,” Rich Louv, November 4, 1976
  • Thirty Years Ago
  • “You almost have to be coming to Imperial Beach on purpose to come here at all,” says Bill Russell, the owner of the Marina Inn. In other words, Imperial Beach isn’t on a path to anywhere. If it were a street, it would be a turnaround. For a businessman it’s bad news. For residents — well, as Russell puts it, “We’re kind of a small town next to a big city.”
  • If this sounds a little unusual for coastal San Diego County — a strip better known for luxurious playgrounds like La Jolla, Del Mar, La Costa, and points north — it is. But unusual is a good word for Imperial Beach. It has some of the last vacant oceanfront lots in the county, and nobody will buy them.
  • — “WHERE THE RIVER MEETS THE SEA,” Gordon Smith, November 5, 1981
  • Twenty-Five Years Ago
  • Sitting at the Improv watching Dennis Blair get laughs as he lampooned the most successful rock musicians of our time, it occurred to me that in some small way this type of schtick represents a form of professional revenge. For years young comics have been the rodeo clowns of the pop-music world; whenever a rock-concert promoter needed a nonmusical opening act or simply wanted to avoid the expense of staging hassles of hiring a second-billed band, he has reached for a stand-up comedian.
  • — “ROCK ZINGER,” John D’Agostino, November 6, 1986
  • Twenty Years Ago
  • I began dumpster diving about a year before I became homeless.
  • I prefer the term “scavenging” and use the word “scrounging” when I mean to be obscure. I have heard people, evidently meaning to be polite, use the word “foraging” but I prefer to reserve that word for gathering nuts and berries and such, which I do also according to season and opportunity. “Dumpster diving” seems to me to be a little too cute and, in my case, inaccurate because I lack the athletic ability to lower myself into the dumpsters as the true divers do, much to their increased profit.
  • — “The ART OF DUMPSTER DIVING,” Lars Eighner, November 7, 1991
  • Fifteen Years Ago
  • I liked the premise. I would waddle out to a campaign event and talk to politicians about sports. Since politicians are egomaniacs, it would be interesting to push them off the topic of self and then see how they function.
  • To wit: I have talked to two city councilmen and three aspirants for public office and received absolutely nothing. They all recognized the name “Chargers” and all agreed that the name is good, and that is the beginning and end of it.
  • — SPORTING BOX: “HEY, BUDDY, HAVE YOU TALKED TO A THERAPIST LATELY?” Patrick Daugherty, November 7, 1996
  • Ten Years Ago
  • It had to happen sometime. The Man Who Wasn’t There is the first Coen brothers movie to disappoint me. That’s not to say that it’s not good, certainly not to say that it’s not even as good as their first, Blood Simple, when I had no expectations of them at all and so could not be disappointed. Nor is it to say that someone without my elevated expectations might not be able to enjoy it without qualm or quibble. Or in other words enjoy it — another first — more than I. It’s simply to say that on my personal scorecard it brings to an end, or at least to a drop-off, one of the great streaks, if not the single greatest (and yes, I realize what I am saying), in the history of American cinema.
  • — “BLOOP,” Duncan Shepherd, November 1, 2001
  • Five Years Ago
  • The name Robbers Peak commemorates the notorious outlaws Joaquin Murietta, Three Finger Jack, and others of the late 1800s. Swooping down out of the hills, these bandits terrorized farmers below and preyed upon passengers traveling the Butterfield Stage route. From Robbers Peak the miscreants could easily spot and evade sheriff’s posses by slipping into the rugged ravines leading back toward the Santa Ana Mountains.
  • Whatever historical charm Robbers Peak has is not reflected in the current condition of its summit.
  • ROAM-O-RAMA, Jerry Schad, November 2, 2006
  • Sponsored
    Sponsored
Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

For its pilsner, Stone opts for public hops

"We really enjoyed the American Hop profile in our Pilsners"
Next Article

Casinos for Roulette in 2024: How to Find the Best Real Money Gambling Site?

Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.