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Stories by Mike Madriaga

No limit to College and Rolando spring break ragers?

Urinating students, pounding-bass music, snarky comebacks, and matching green thongs by SDSU were the last few straws pushing College and Rolando neighbors — many fellow SDSU alums — over the edge. College-area resident Cindy Sonboleh …

Coronado car thief can't drive stick shift – and it shows

A car thief was caught near the Hotel Del Coronado earlier in the month because the thief couldn't drive a stick shift, reads a police report online. The pursuit began when Officer Chan of the …

March 21, 2023
The sad fate of San Diego Wienerschnitzels

A former Wienerschnitzel A-frame building in Chula Vista caught on fire again, marking the tenth reported blaze at a California-based Wienerschnitzel building in the last couple of years. Right before 11:30 am on March 9, …

Trouble for you, Imperial Beach rogue golfer

Over a dozen Imperial Beach locals have found and heard errant golf balls land in their yards and hit their roofs. The closest golf course to the beachfront city is about nine miles north in …

Gonzo Report: Covers community meets cosplayers at Rocket Con afterparty

Shortly after the conclusion of the fourth annual San Diego Rocket Con comic and toy convention held in the Scottish Rite Center on February 18, dozens of cosplayers, comic book and toy collectors, and collectible …

Is a closed O.B. Pier such a bad thing?

San Diego lifeguards locked up the partly damaged Ocean Beach Pier due to safety concerns when the January waves destroyed its railing. Now, locals say, people keep cutting the locks and opening the gates leading …

Gonzo Report: Fallbrook winery hosting hundreds of moves

The heavy rains and windy roads on SR-76 leading into Fallbrook added to the adventure of my January 15 visit to the Country Wine Dancing shindig at Monserate Winery. As I pulled up around 6 …

Why those big rigs are parked on the side of I-8

On February 12, a wind advisory was made on I-8 from Willows Road in Alpine next to Viejas Casino & Resort to the Imperial County line a little past Jacumba, according to CA-17.com. The wind …

January near misses in Tourmaline, Windansea, Sunset Cliffs surf

Last month, San Diego's gnarly surf kept lifeguards busy towards the tail end of January. The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department lifeguards even helped rescue folks from a plane that landed on the surf. On January …

Gonzo Report: Bang Bang’s Tokyo subway motif and Chicago house music

The recent storms and floods didn’t deter hundreds of electronica and house music fans — myself included — from bundling up and rendezvousing at downtown’s Bang Bang Japanese restaurant and nightclub on January 14. Electronic …

February 2, 2023
Bepul Kicks footwear gearing up for local hip-hop following

Bepul Kicks, a sneaker and fit shop in National City’s Westfield Plaza Bonita, has become command central for local hip-hop artists such as 22Gfay and Lil Weirdo. “Most of the time, my gear is in …

February 2, 2023
Will high egg prices relax San Diego's poultry raising rules?

On January 6, prices of large white eggs in cartons dropped from $7.50 per dozen to $7.37 per dozen in California, according to the USDA site. But even at those high prices, Ashley Hahn noticed …

January 30, 2023
Kids in Baja will skate anything

“In Mexico or Baja California, there is a lot of corruption done by the municipal police force as they arbitrarily arrest people and the officers ask for a bribe to release them, without going before …

Where’s the weed when Ziggy Marley christens new Del Mar venue in February?

“Hi, hi, hi, high / Marijuanaman, marijuana man / Say we gonna save the land.” So go the lyrics of Ziggy Marley’s 2016 joint “Marijuanaman.” On February 3 and 4, the oldest son of the …

San Diego cops bust Christmas drifting sideshows

On Christmas Day, the San Diego Police Department caught the drivers of three Chevy Corvettes and a Ford Fox Body Mustang for participating in a "drifting sideshow." They impounded all four vehicles and posted the …

Eastlake – square footage over location

What am I doing in Eastlake? The western end of the loop consists of a series of shopping centers, all butted up against Eastlake Parkway, and all bearing names that declare their neighborhood allegiance: Eastlake …

Padre Libre’s baseball song comes with its own team mascot

“I started the San Diego Super Padres motto,” says masked fan Padre Libre, whose new baseball rap will debut next opening day, March 30. “I found some guys to make the music for my song, …

January 5, 2023
Uber drivers share war stories of Southwest melt-down

As thousands of people were stuck at the San Diego International Airport during and after Christmas because of canceled flights, many people rented cars inside and near the airport and drove to their destinations. One …

Bay Park wants its own status

Bay Park remains a mere neighborhood Bay Park was around long before there was any movement in Clairemont. Bay Park has history going back to 1877. Clairemont wasn't developed until the 1950s. Ocean Beach lives …

January 2, 2023
Gonzo Report: Pop wunderkind Debbie Gibson brings Winterlicious to Viejas

Debbie Gibson’s Winterlicious concert at Viejas Casino & Resort in Alpine was an early Christmas gift bestowed to local “Deb Heads” on Thanksgiving weekend. “That’s Debbie’s name for her core group of fans,” Jenny Corriveau …

December 29, 2022
The effect of parking spots deleted from North Park

Since the 2.25-mile bike lane replaced over 460 parking spots on 30th Street from Normal Heights down to North Park last year — 34 businesses shut down, and some are boarded up, said Pat Sexton …

Tom Shaw and heavenly transport on Imperial Avenue

Apostolic Prayer Temple, house of exaltation I came here, to the Apostolic Prayer Temple, a storefront in between a nightclub and a fish market in Encanto, to see the Rev. Tom Shaw in the Gospel …

December 18, 2022
No DUI deaths in San Diego Thanksgiving weekend

On the recent Thanksgiving weekend, 44 driving under the influence (DUI) arrests were made and reported within San Diego County, per CrimeMapping.com. However, as this article went to print, no DUI fatality reports were made …

December 12, 2022
Brake checking on San Diego freeways

Raul Estefania was driving eastbound along the 94 after 2:30 pm on November 16 when he saw a black Scion tC sitting on its roofline on the side of the freeway. Just minutes before, "The …

Charles Crehore can't shut down his Facebook page

"I find your postings on Coronado Happenings boring because it lacks a vibrant exchange of ideals and is a quintessential example of the cancel culture. It's an exercise in groupthink, mindless and without merit." — …

November 22, 2022
San Diego buses and trolleys abound with riders

Last month drivers for the Metropolitan Transit System witnessed three accidents on their bus and trolley routes. First, on October 19, at about 4:30 pm, a black-colored vehicle collided with the trolley. Then the car …

How to deal with San Diego's Moped thieves

San Diegans are switching to mopeds and motorcycles for transport to work to deal with California's highest gas prices in the U.S. and limited street parking throughout the county. But as more locals purchase or …

Dockless bikes trashed off Sunset Cliffs and Chollas Creek

Water polluted by tossed bikes That’s a reef shelf at Sunset Cliffs and Hill Street,” Proctor said. “The area the bikes were in is inaccessible without a waist deep wade around one of the points …

October 29, 2022
Gonzo Report: Notes from Jack Harlow’s Come Home The Kids Miss You tour

It was a chill vibe heading into the September 17 Jack Harlow concert at SDSU’s Viejas Arena. Packs of students strolled to the show — part of the 24-year-old Kentucky rapper’s Come Home The Kids …

October 27, 2022
Mixed reviews for homeless in El Cajon motels

So far this past year, the El Cajon's Police Department responded to 7,379 calls for service related to homelessness which is a "massive jump compared to approximately 2,500 calls in 2014," posted the city of …

October 24, 2022
Gonzo Report: DJ Dopamine returns to Oceanside’s Super Girl competition

The 16th annual Nissan Super Girl Surf Pro contest and concert series ran from September 16 to 18, and played host to events such as Saturday’s Super Girl Sound Session, an all-female DJ competition. Booming …

October 19, 2022
IZOLA Bakery policy works for some, angers others

“IZOLA Bakery will not exploit this local artist any longer,” reads a recent Instagram post from local singer Fre3sty13, “as they expect us to art inside their shop for free; that’s modern-day slavery… You want …

San Diego firebugs ignite late summer blazes

On October 5, someone called the Chula Vista Police Department regarding a burglar alarm on 3rd Avenue and F Street, says 911 Video News on their YouTube video. The police found a fire at the …

Sierra Hubbard has 60 tattoos

When Sierra Hubbard posts up by the Surfhenge art installation at the IB Pier entrance in her red ‘68 Chevy Nova, folks take notice. The 60 tattoos adorning her 5’10” frame play a large part …

October 6, 2022
Kayakers lifted out of La Jolla Cove

On September 24, before 2 pm, Erica was eating lunch at Eddie Vs on Prospect Street in La Jolla; she noticed a fire truck crane extended over La Jolla Cove across the street. So she …

September 27, 2022
Gonzo Report: Tenelle leaves no Pacifica stranded at Island Vibe Fest

For many attendees, the annual Island Vibe Music Festival at Downtown’s Spanish Landing on August 13 radiated a hearty homeland vibe from the get-go. For others, the evocation of the islands was enough, and by …

San Diego River neighbors worry about homeless fires

On September 3, Patricia Fillét said she and her Old Town neighbors smelled and saw smoke billowing atop the Morena Boulevard and I-8 interchange. They logged onto the NextDoor and Citizen apps to warn each …

Pechanga fight tickets say San Deigo – guess why?

Just days before UFC Fight Night at the Pechanga Arena last month, Nathaniel Fox, who lives in North Park, had his own bouts — online. "I fell victim to a scam from a Craigslist listing," …

Imperial Beach sandcastles avoided using ocean water

Local fishermen recently spotted and photographed the red tide near Imperial Beach, according to an August 27 619newsmedia report. Besides the red tide's picturesque neon blue-colored waves at nighttime, the red-orange-tinged water affects beachgoers, boaters, …

Traffic signal headaches in Peñasquitos, I.B., and Imperial Avenue

In 2022, there were 5417 traffic signal reports made on San Diego's GID (Get It Done) app; over a dozen of those reports were made on August 20-21 about a particular set of Peñasquitos traffic …

Monarch butterflies in San Diego up against the wall

The monarch butterfly was added to the IUCN Red List as "now endangered" last month — for many reasons. The insect is eaten as an egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, or bright orange and black colored butterfly. …

DJ Bassassin thugsteps to Step Brothers

Dubstepping to Step Brothers: Much of the 140 beats-per-minute dubstep and hip-hop-fused stomper “Riddim And Blues,” by Tyler “DJ Bassassin” Williams was created on a computer in his Poway studio. It’s where he pulls beats …

August 11, 2022
7-11 beer runs and now Blind Lady's fermenter tank

On July 22, the Blind Lady Ale House, referred to as BLAH in the Normal Heights neighborhood, recovered its stolen fermenter tank. It's worth $5,000 and is a large piece of steel equipment used to …

Comic-Con covid protocols spark debate

Over the weekend of July 21-24, Comic-Con International returned to the San Diego Convention Center for its first full-blown four-day show since 2019. But it did so without at least one long-time attendee and vendor: …

San Diego's weird pet rescues in 2022

On July 11, Camo, a five-year-old veiled chameleon, escaped from his indoor and outdoor cage in a Mission Hills home. "I live next to a row of Juniper trees, so he will likely climb to …

Does the crash at Swift and Meade show roundabouts are unsafe?

"About two weeks ago, there was an accident where a person drove up on the rocks in the middle median on the roundabout just down the street from ours on Swift Avenue," Kira Hawkins said …

PurpleAir fire sensors dotting San Diego's North County

On June 25, Steve Sedio noticed a fire blazing in Carlsbad about 30 miles west of his Valley Center home. "An arsonist started the brush fire in Carlsbad," he told me on July 9. The …

K-9 dog Jester stabbed in head, but survives

About 4 am on July 4 — the sheriff's department, police department, and the police department's K-9 unit — were called out to a Lemon Grove home where a gun was shot, lodging into the …

Skateboarders annoy, inspire downtown San Diego

At about 2 pm on June 21, Amanda Vazquez Defran heard a peculiar noise below her Banker's Hill home balcony. "I work from home, so I get a front row seat to a lot of …

Souped-up cars eyed warily by Vista cops

On June 18 — a $5.8 million vehicle, an SUV carrying $1 million cash, Lamborghinis, Ferraris, McLarens, Lotuses, Bugattis, Porsches, and a 2012 BWM 135i — were not given special "pedigree privies" in the city …

June 21, 2022

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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
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