He defrauded clients, then plotted their murders
Ramona's Steven Martinez gets almost 24 years in prison
Former Internal Revenue Service agent Steven Martinez of Ramona today (April 12) was sentenced to 286 months (almost 24 years) in prison for defrauding clients, then plotting to have four of them killed to keep them from testifying against him. …
More on Greinke vs. Quentin
Apparently, after Thursday night's game and the brawl that interrupted it, Carlos Quentin and Matt Kemp squared off
It was learned that late after the game on Thursday between the Dodgers and Padres where a brawl broke out, that after players had dealt with media and showered and dressed that there was an altercation between the Padres Carlos …
Past and present officials from three South Bay school districts arraigned
Trial date set for alleged pay-to-play defendants.
On April 12, in the South Bay courthouse, officials and ex-officials from the South County school districts were arraigned. Despite urgings on the part of the district attorney's office for an earlier trial date, Judge Ana Espana set the trial …
Mexican sweat lodge open to public for the 15th annual Dance of the Mother Earth
The traditional temascal and purification dance will be held in Baja between Mexicali and Tecate.
A temascal is a permanent, circular structure often made of volcanic rock, cement, and mud. A relative of the Native American sweat lodge, the temascal (“house of heat”) dates back to pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican times, when it was used for purification …
Review: Paris-Manhattan
Remember this indescribably perfect pair of street strangers that Woody Allen solicits advice from in Annie Hall: http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/12/43622/ She's very shallow and empty and has no ideas or anything interesting to say and he's exactly the same way. Give these …
In stunning reversal, Sweetwater board votes to restore occupational programs, cut everything else
"Who are we kidding? These kids don't need trig. They need triage."
DANCING AROUND AN ENORMOUS BONFIRE OF PAPERBACK COPIES OF FAHRENHEIT 451, SWEETWATER HIGH SCHOOL - Yesterday, the Sweetwater Union High School District board voted to shut down the Regional Occupational Programs that provided career-oriented training to students and other members …
Dig a hole: Jonathan Winters
God must have been in dire need of a good laugh. Someone please inform Jerry, Albert, Howard, and Joan they are free to move one rung up the ladder of living comic legends. Jonathan Winters died yesterday. He was 87. …
El Take it Easy set to close April 22
Jay Porter weighs in on the closure of his "New Baja" restaurant and shares his plans for the future.
El Take it Easy lasted much longer than a lot of us gave it credit for. It has always attracted a small cadre of fiercely defensive loyalists, and a larger majority of vocal detractors, which isn’t a conventionally successful business …
Little Italy: Mezcal, corn dogs rule at Art & Commerce
The 90-year-old art of making corn dogs is revived for the after-work crowd
"St. Germain?" says Christian. "The ketchup of cocktails." So wow. You know you’re in sophisticated circles just from that. He's mixing the yellowish French liqueur in with a bunch of other stuff, including absinthe. Me, I'm happy downing my Old …
Downtown lobbyist from Carlsbad seeking San Diego city council seat
Interim president and CEO of Terry Brown-backed lobbying group seeks redrawn sixth council district spot, filing says
Chris J. Cate, interim president and CEO of the San Diego County Taxpayers Association - the lobbying organization that has been a key player in the effort to force Democratic Mayor Bob Filner to sign a funding contract negotiated by …
Miramar Air Show replaces Blue Angels with characters from Pixar's Planes
"They get free advertising, we get free recruitment. It's a win-win."
MUMBLING SOMETHING ABOUT "CHILD SOLDIERS," MIRAMAR - "There's no question that the sequester hurt us," says Cruise Topgun, Head of Youth Outreach for the Miramar Air Show. "When the word came down that they were cutting the Blue Angels' $35 …
Pendleton's "Godfather" charged with bribery
Construction supervisor Cervantes allegedly extorted bribes from contractors
Natividad Lara "Nate" Cervantes, who referred to himself as the "Godfather at Camp Pendleton," was arraigned today (April 12) on bribery charges, according to the U.S. Attorney's office. Cervantes, supervisor for construction and service contracts at Pendleton, used his position …
Free movies of the week: The Jackie Robinson Story
What differentiates The Jackie Robinson Story (1950) from 42, the $40 million biopic -- based on the life of the legendary Brooklyn Dodgers player who broke baseball's color barrier -- opening today at a theatre near you? The most obvious …
New releases opening this week: 42, Trance, Room 237, and more
When you've got a story like Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball, maybe the best move is to put the story out there and get out of the way. And that's what 42 does - well, …
Del Mar prepares to enact measure to allow food trucks back into city
After a considerable delay and multiple extensions of an emergency ban on the licensing of gourmet food trucks within its city limits, Del Mar appears poised to implement regulations that would allow the trucks to roll once more by the …
Carlos Quentin vs. Zack Greinke: The real reason for the brawl
Was there really a history between Quentin and Greinke or is this just baseball at its core?
There is a history between Padres Carlos Quentin and the Dodgers Zack Greinke that dates back several years, according to Quentin, and that was where the events that lead to Thursday night’s brawl started. Greinke denies that he ever intentionally …
Brawl mars Dodgers victory over Padres
A benches-clearing brawl with several ejections interrupts the Padres loss to the Dodgers
http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/12/43580/ No one could have considered that there would have been a brawl on Thursday in the rubber match between the Dodgers and the Padres. There were other concerns and questions before the game to ponder, questions that could possibly …
David Copley's "Foxhole" mansion on sale for $7.95 million
15,300 square feet, nine full baths, three half-baths.
Former Union-Tribune publisher and owner David Copley, who died at age 60, in the 1970s built a small home and then began expanding it. It grew into a 15,300 square foot mansion with seven bedrooms, nine full bathrooms and three …