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Opera operative advised no discussion of fat checks
Others worry about getting paid: lawsuit reportedly filed by opera singers: http://www.cbs8.com/story/25257241/singers-file-l… Also, people making moves to become the new SD Opera? On April 14, 2014, there was a new California State business filing named "San Diego City Opera." http://www.sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2014/a…— April 20, 2014 10:12 a.m.
Might Chargers eye property occupied by opera studio?
I think Myers is blowin' smoke. What else to expect, other than inflated property value hype, from "an attorney and real estate buyer who owns property in the area"? That area of Commercial, geographically distant from any kind of development activity, is light-years from being a point of interest to developers. As for the Chargers and the Mill's daily hype, you have to love the juxtaposition of two photos and headlines today. It's a Tale of Two Spins. See photos. http://www.sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2014/a… http://www.sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2014/a…— April 19, 2014 3:28 p.m.
Familiar face remains as Faulconer cleans house
Great reporting. You can't read it straight like this anywhere else.— April 18, 2014 6:12 p.m.
FreePB.org wins records act lawsuit against city
Not being a big fan of use of alcohol in public spaces, I'm sort of ... meh. But, excellent, really great and cogent legal reporting.— April 12, 2014 7:18 p.m.
New police trailer rolls into O.B. Pier parking lot
I've never understood the turmoil surrounding the presence of the police and their trailer. Eight feet makes a difference in what? A view of the people who hang out on the sidewalk in front of the parking lot? What is the history of the real basis of the hoo-ha? I like the police there, plus or minus 8 ft.— April 10, 2014 7:38 p.m.
Toni Atkins pulls Community Benefit District legislation
I don't believe Toni Atkins is telling the whole truth. She must have other reasons for abandoning this fifth attempt (first four by Vargas) at finding a legal way to create new assessment districts. After all, in 2011, the North Park Main Street BID very much wanted to turn their BID into a PBID (the failed North Park Overlay MAD). There was little concern about ceding real control to the few property owners that the BID would have had to allow on their management board, in exchange for a big wad of money. The bill Atkins has pulled created a PBID-MAD blend. You can call it what you like (and Li Mandri DID commercialize the CBD term), but a Community Benefit District is a PBID-MAD blend that has no current State law to authorize it. Atkins was trying to fix that for Li Mandri, the creator of illegal "commercial MADs," which is what San Diego government creatively called them before one was ruled illegal (Li Mandri's creation in Golden Hill). Another Li Mandri creation, the in-limbo illegal Barrio Logan commercial MAD, is called a Community Benefit MAD. The Atkins/Vargas/Li Mandri CBD bill, like a legal PBID, gave financial control to a paid third-party entity (typically business groups), yet allowed residential and commercial property assessments, like a legal MAD, to use for a very broad number of purposes not allowed by MAD laws. Or by PBID law, even though the Downtown PBID spends monies on many disallowed activities. We don't have a City Atty to stop them. Since Atkins was first elected to council, she's been involved in attempts to pervert the only two State assessment laws: The 1994 PBID law, for assessing property owners and business owners, and the Landscape & Lighting Act (1972)/ Article XIIID of the California Constitution (Proposition 218), for MADs, which assess only property owners. Some charter cities have created ordinances for allowing CBDs. I suspect that is the next thing for San Diego. Gloria would be the main Council booster. Faulconer is receptive and has people on his transition committee who to plan push him to support CBD ordinances. Related news (??) is that the Planning, Neighborhood, and Economic Development Dept has revised their 2014-2016 strategy that included converting the City's BIDs to PBIDs. They struck that text entirely. See the doc on the 4/09/2014 agenda for the Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations Committee. Stay tuned. http://www.sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2014/a…— April 8, 2014 2:24 p.m.
Toni Atkins pulls Community Benefit District legislation
Well said. What do you think about the North Parker project across from the Jack-in-theBox?— April 8, 2014 11:40 a.m.
Still Crazee after all these years
Ah, thank you, Ian. I ate my last-ever Crazee burger not long ago. I had the plain beef burger, but the larger, 2/3-pound size. Big mistake to get twice the (tasteless) meat on the same small bun. The beef patty was way too thick. You want to deliver twice the meat, you have to use a bigger bun. Not rocket science. The beauty of a burger is the correct proportion per bite of meat, bun, condiments, and vegetables. There was little pleasure in each thick, dry mouthful of Crazee's extremely boring, unseasoned meat, which was all I could taste. The hard rib of lettuce and tasteless tomato only helped the too-thick meat patty slip and slide out of the skimpy bun. And worse, the bun quickly disintegrated. I ordered the meat to be cooked medium, but when my burger was delivered with that of my friend, the waitstaff didn't ask who had the "medium." That would be because both burger patties were equally charred. I dislike a huge mouthful of unseasoned meat, but, man, I really, really dislike it when the meat is burned. Whatever quality Crazee thinks is imparted by "Angus," let me say: all I could think was that a Carl's burger, a BurgerKing Whopper, or my own well-seasoned, charcoaled ground round burger would have been 10 times better and lots cheaper. Crazee cook: You can't cook meat without some kind of seasoning!— March 27, 2014 3:49 p.m.
Maintenance deferred
Are City golf courses always privatized? Couldn't the City (Park & Rec) maintain the grounds? Here's a bit of interesting history on the course, written 3 years ago: http://blog.sandiego.org/2011/04/presidio-provide… And background on the more recent problem: http://www.clubandresortbusiness.com/2013/09/16/c… http://scoopsandiego.com/mission_valley_news/loca…— March 26, 2014 4:51 p.m.
Broadway bayside blighted, Manchester lawyers say
*Privatization* could the new entry in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV, under Section 304 (Dependence). San Diego is touted to be the new Republican model, based on Faulconer's triumph, courtesy of Manchester *et al*. Nausea, worse than I can describe. Can't wait to attend EDGE 2015. What?— March 21, 2014 6:48 p.m.