Recent SEDC Audit to City Raises More Questions than Answers
The City of San Diego Redevelopment Agency director and 4th District council member Tony Young was recently heard to say that a little fiscal mismanagement was part of any government agency, and that the $20 million or so involved in …
The Most Recognizable Man in Movies Dies
So, who do you think it is? Nicholson? DeNiro? Nope, Don LaFontaine. What, you don't recognize the name? Well, you'd recognize the voice. He's the king of the movie trailors. And, the first time many of us saw his face, …
Why Independents Support Whitburn
I served in the Navy, and I've worked in IT/Telecoms around the world. San Diego's parks, roads, water, sewer, and public safety have all been cut while we subsidize ugly condos downtown. We have become "Enron by the Sea", with …
Cut Locks, Big Bucks
There have been times I'm writing about a party, that someone comes over and says "You work for the Reader? Oh, I don't read it. I just look at the ads. And read 'News of the Weird'." In our last …
A new Civic Center?
Padres lose but are on pace for the race to finish without losing 100 games this season. Lofty goals!! So, the officials (City Council, mayor and several agencies) are now talking about a complete new Civic Center complex. Talk about …
The Hope to be found in Vista's Identity Crisis
I live in Vista and I like living here. I like it here because Vista is like me, an entity not certain about its identity. As such, Vista is always looking to a future when the identity crisis will be …
Disolve CCDC and SEDC
After all the scandals, and the clear inability of the city to oversee these quasi-private companies, it's time to dissolve the Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC) and Southeastern Economic Development Corporation (SEDC). These two organizations are unaccountable to voters, and …
Chargers and Referees
I hadn't planned on talking about the refs and how they cost the Chargers a game. But then watching Monday Night Football, the refs did some similar things. An Eagles receiver caught a bomb thrown by Donovan McNabb. He was …
Bodies in Trunks and Many White Horses
Silly me...I thought the trunk of a car was for the spare tire and jack. And the occasional suitcase when you're off to the airport. But in the paper lately, I'm reading about the amount of bodies in trunks. I …
Gloria Signs Coming Down
What a weekend! After the Voice of San Diego revealed that District 3 Council Candidate Todd Gloria took illegal contributions from disgraced CCDC head Nancy Graham, (http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/election/) and sold his first vote on the council for a union boss endorsement, …
Follow the yellow-lit road
Disneyland -- The Happiest Place on Earth
I went to Disneyland today. I was expecting the worst. It's a Saturday. Great weather, the place would be packed. I drive up and see parking is $12. Lame. But then, at a Charger game a few weeks ago, parking …
Using Guns....and O.J. Simpson
So many interesting things on the news today. Well, interesting to me. I was on the phone and heard there was a shark attack in Hawaii. The guy had a chunk taken out of his thigh. He was in the …
Fraud, CCDC, SEDC, and the not-so-controlling parent CSDRA (AKA San Diego City Council)
In most towns and cities, there is but one redevelopment agency, if there is one at all. Here in San Diego, we have three, and none of them is without controversy. Papa bear is the City of San Diego Redevelopment …
Guilty Until Proven Innocent -- The Stealing Art Edition
I remember the funny scene in The Freshman where Mathew Broderick goes to a girlfriends house. There are armed security guards. The family is obviously in the mob. And, he sees a Mona Lisa painting and comments that it looks …
Why I live as an un-hyphenated American
Seven years ago, I woke up around 6 AM for no good reason, turned on the television in the living room, and said "OH MY GOD" as I saw a replay of a jet smashing into one tower of the …
Wedding Bells
Congratulations to CCDC Board Member Jennifer LeSar and lame duck District Three Council Member Toni Atkins. The happy couple, who have been dating for seven years and cohabiting for one year, finally tied the knot in a small private ceremony …
Octogenarian -- No, it's not a Bond film.
Since I talked about an old lady from Oceanside the other day, I thought I'd go back to that theme. Herbert Woodward II (you can tell he's old from a name like that), and Wani Bielinski live in an elder-care …
County Grand Jury recommends consolidation of CCDC, SEDC into single redevelopment agency
In its June 2, 2008, report CCDC: WHAT DOES IT DEVELOP AND WITH WHOSE MONEY?, the San Diego County Grand Jury recommends that both the functions of the Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC) and the Southeastern Economic Development Coporation (SEDC) …
Into The Desert
My mom never reads my blogs, but she was on the computer, logged on, and was disgusted by what she saw. It made me glad she never found my dirty magazine collection in college. But I digress. She called and …