Beyond the Bridge December 2022

Kelly

CITY TACOS FOUNDER CAN’T STOP DREAMING UP NEW MENU OPTIONS

Gerry Torres’ unique San Diego taqueria chain expands to downtown and beyond

By Ron Donoho San Diego Sun

Gerry Torres estimates he’s created more than 200 different tacos.

I’m always looking to turn whatever people are eating into a taco,” says the founder of City Tacos, an ever-expanding chain that most recently opened in East Village, right next to Petco Park.

Surf and turf. Scallops. Octopus. Torres’ menu almost always con tains a new “Taco of the Month.”

Torres, 47, opened the first City Tacos in North Park in 2014.

Along with the new-ish down town location, he also has taque rias in Pacific Beach, La Mesa, Encinitas, Sorrento Valley and on the Los Angeles campus of USC.

His brand regularly wins accolades in local restaurant surveys by San Diego Magazine and Ranch & Coast Magazine. He’s currently looking to expand north into Newport Beach and San Pedro.

Torres recently sat down with the San Diego Sun to talk about doing business in downtown, how San Diego’s fare stacks up against Mexican tacos, and what it was like to recently become a United States citizen.

SDSun: Tell me about getting your citizen ship.

Gerry Torres: It was a small ceremony at the downtown U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office. This past June. There were eight future Americans there. People from all over the world. It was a great day. Thirty years in the making. I’ve been a permanent resident since moving here from Mexico.

SDSun: What was it like to have your first Fourth of July as an American citizen?

GT: I saw the fireworks with different eyes. I was very thrilled to be an American. I’m proud of all the opportunities this country has given me.

SDSun: Talk about coming to the United States.

GT: I was born in Mexico City and lived in Tijuana as a kid. I helped build my family’s house and was proud to get paid for it. It helped build my work ethic. I’ve been sup porting myself since I was 16. When I moved to the United States my first job was at a sub shop in Oceanside. At 17, I became the young est manager in the company. I had a side gig setting up stands for vendors at Kobey’s Swap Meet.

SDSun: What happened that put you in the hospital just before you started your restaurant career?

GT: I was in a car accident in Tijuana. We went under a semi-truck. I had 27 fractures. I was the only survivor in the crash. It was a very saddening thing. They airlifted me to Scripps Mercy, where I flatlined. I was out for a couple days. They revived me and then I went into a coma for two days.

SDSun: And your old boss came to visit you in the hospital?

GT: I worked [in downtown San Diego] at La Strada for David Chiodo. He visited me when I was in the coma and said, “Hey, Table 43 needs bread,” or something like that. David said that I moved. (laughs) We kept in touch, and after that we went into business together.”

SDSun: How did City Tacos get started?

GT: After 10 years in business in La Mesa with David, I sold my shares and opened City Tacos in North Park in 2014.

SDSun: And now you have seven locations.

GT: About a year and a half after starting up North Park, I opened two different restaurants. Then I started focusing on City Tacos.

SDSun: And your son is in the food business, too?

GT: My son, Hector Aguirre, is the CEO of Quiero Tacos and services locations for Mike Hess Brewery.

SDSun: How do you describe the tacos you make?

GT: I would say they are very flavor-forward. We think more about flavor than tradition. We choose being great over being traditional. When my original chef, Tony Mcgann, and I started off, we took a risk. It was a risk that paid off. We sold out the first 14 days in business and never stopped.

SDSun: Is being willing to take risks what sets City Tacos apart?

GT: It’s a couple things. I came from a fine-dining background. And I always preach service. We don’t have a traditional taco shop approach to taking care of guests. It’s more about pampering and welcoming people.

SDSun: Are you serving “street tacos?”

GT: Well, yes. But they’re a little bit more refined than the street.

SDSun: How do San Diego tacos compare to Mexican tacos?

GT: Tijuana has great tacos. The original, legitimate tacos are from Mexico City, Guadalajara, mainland Mexico. In Mexico City there are tacos on every corner. You don’t say “Hey, let’s go for a bite.” You say. “Hey, let’s go for a taco.”

SDSun: Did you hear about boxer “Canelo” Alvarez saying negative things about San Diego tacos?

GT: I know he’s affiliated with a taqueria in Guadalajara, through his brother, and they plan to open up here [in Chula Vista]. I imagine they’re looking to do traditional. That’s a com pletely different market than what I’m going after.

SDSun: How do you think San Diego’s tacos rate overall?

GT: San Diego’s tacos are probably the best in the United States. As far as traditional goes, they are not the best in the region if you count Tijuana...But I think if Canelo Alvarez wants to do taquerias, bring him on. I’ll go 10 rounds with him. (laughs)

SDSun: Not in the boxing ring...

GT: With tacos, of course! (laughs)

SDSun: How is your downtown City Tacos location working out?

GT: Year One [2021] was incredibly diffi cult because all of East Village was a basically a ghost town. No conventions. No Padres games. We were actually ready to go in 2020, but we couldn’t open because of COVID. But since the Padres started playing to crowds, and conventions came back, it’s helped a lot.

SDSun: Business here in this location, right next to Petco Park, is super reliant on the Padres, right?

GT: Absolutely. The Padres are a huge draw. Two to three hours prior to games, and after games, I have peaks. We’re increasing sales every month right now.

SDSun: Have any Padres players been in for tacos?

GT: I don’t know, but everybody is welcome.

SDSun: Even Dodgers fans?

GT: (pauses) Yes. (laughs) SDSun

City Tacos near Petco Park

Gerry Torres

A selection of City Tacos

By LinDee Rochelle

During the Holiday Season, all that glitters may not be gold ... it might be ruby, sapphire, emerald, a glittering watch face, or a simple, gilt-edged thank-you.

Is jewelry on your gift list? If not, give it a thought! Buy ing jewelry is always personal, whether it’s for yourself or someone else. It represents milestones, special occasions, and tongue-tied feelings. It helps you make or preserve a memory, share a special moment, and often incites excitement.

Although you might consider buying online for con venience, the best deals and value for your dollar is likely right in your local community. Whatever the reason or the season, knowing your local jeweler makes the buying more fun and secure, and supporting local shops keeps your community thriving.

Stephanie Langlois, owner of Time Wise Jewelers in Clairemont, feels she owes this Holiday Season to her local customers and feels the immense gratitude of the season.

Community Spirit More than a Word

“We were able to stay open and still be here, because of the community,” Stephanie emphasized. “Locals would come in and shop during the pandemic, saying ‘You are a staple in this community, we want you here, we want you to stay, and that’s why we’re here today.’ We are so for tunate to have such great customers. We would not have survived the past two years without their support.”

That doesn’t mean it was easy. Stephanie purchased the thirty-eight-year established, Time Wise Jewelers in late 2018, with her first day as new owner, on January 1, 2019. She wasn’t new to the family-owned business, as she’d been groomed by the retiring owners for more than eight years.

However, hot off their 2018 Holiday “retirement sales”, many local customers as sumed the store would close. “It was difficult

from day one,” admitted Stephanie. “Even though there was no going-out-of-business ads, it took me all of 2019 to convince the community that we’re still open and it’s just a change of ownership. And then the pandemic hit.”

A Little Sparkle Here, A Little There ...

Stephanie made good use of their pandemic down-time, though, to give the store a glittering makeover. “I did a lot. The store was a little dated since it had been there for many years, so I completely repainted the inside. The store location was once a fake flower shop, so everything was originally painted green.”

She installed a chandelier in the center which makes a great store centerpiece to reflect the brilliance of the diamonds and gemstones. Stephanie continued, “There was a lot of extra everything.” Cleaning out the clutter gave her extra room. “I made a little seating area with a little table and installed modern mirrored wall décor.” Time well spent.

Through her vendor connections, she learned that more than sixty family-owned and small community jewelry stores in California closed, in just the first year of the pan demic. This was her dream, and she wasn’t going to give up easily.

For the Pure Pleasure of It

Stephanie thrived in jewelry sales as a seven teen-year-old starting out in the business and learned the ropes on her way up to an assistant manager. Then she found herself in a small watch and jewelry repair shop. “That’s where I learned more of both— jewelry and watches—and the back end of the busi ness in repairs and maintenance,” said Stephanie.

It was when she stepped into a position at Time Wise Jewelers that she excelled. She worked her way up for over eight years, “I learned ever more about both jewelry and watches, and much more on the repair end,” Stephanie recalled. Now, with a well-rounded and comprehensive background, she still does “... a lot of clock and watch repair, and small jewelry repairs” herself. With a team of over twenty experts to help repair any and all of your treasured pieces, she is your go-to place for everything watch and jewelry related. It’s the jewelry designing, however, that she truly loves. “I love working with the customers, figuring out what they want. Designs and tastes are so different.” She enjoys the mystery of conception-to-completion and helps the customer create one-of-a-kind pieces to express their personality, or their sentiment for another.

As she described a particularly interesting and unique request, I was struck by the customer’s depth of feeling.

“I made a ring for this gentleman to give to his wife for their 20th anniversary,” Stephanie began, “It had a lot of meaning—from the design, to how many stones were used—everything was very sym bolic of something. It was very personal; he didn’t let me in on all the details. It was all so mysterious. That ring was two years in the making. He bought stones as he went, because it did have quite a few diamonds in it. I went on this journey with him, finding stones, putting them together, designing the style. To this day his wife still comes in for its deep cleaning, and tells us how much she loves it, and gets compliments on it all the time.”

Sometimes though, you simply must have a piece of jewelry that makes your own statement. “Another woman we created a ring for a few months ago,” said Stephanie, “brought in multiple pieces of her grand mother’s jewelry and we took certain stones out of them and came up with a beautiful, asymmetrical design to make it her own style.” A great compromise expressing her personality, while still honoring the sentiment of her grandmother.

Of course, for several decades now, jewelry hasn’t been coveted just by women. There is a fair share of guys who have come to enjoy its many facets for themselves, from a little sparkle to big bling. And nothing feels better than real gold.

Holiday Cheer with a Twinkle

Stephanie’s looking forward to greeting first-time shop pers and thanking her loyal customers, during a Holiday Season filled with glittering good cheer.

“We have a new case of jewelry that features $500 and under pieces,” to make glittery gifting even more affordable. “There’s a nice mix of pendants, rings and earrings, for great stocking stuffers.”

But if you’re looking for the best bang for your buck, take a gander at their top selling estate jewelry. If you’re thinking it’s just a tray of grandma’s tarnished old rings, you’re in for a bright surprise.

“The best deals are in our estate case,” said Stephanie. “There’s a wide selection, with extraordinary, unique and quality pieces from all over the world. I make sure each piece is restored to ‘new’ condition—they’re polished, deep cleaned, and stones replaced, or the piece expertly repaired.”

That isn’t even the best part ... “I literally figure out what it is worth at full retail, then sell it for half. It’s like buying a brand-new piece for half the price.” And there’s just some thing seasonally nostalgic about vintage jewelry.

From a simple watch battery to custom designing a per sonal and unique item, the mission of Time Wise as your

Wrapping Up the Season

“I’m grateful to be here,” says Stephanie. “I’m so thankful for my customers, and because of them, I get to keep doing what I love, my passion, that I’ve been doing for the past sixteen years. There is no doubt, we wouldn’t be here if we didn’t have such loyal customers.”

sale, know that we have the best prices everyday so come and see us!

But Stephanie and Time Wise likely wouldn’t have such loyal customers without her artful dedication to designing one-of-a-kind pieces and serving her community with pride.

While jewelry is the obvious focus in the store, you can also stop in to say hello. “Recently,” said Stephanie, “a customer came in and brought me flowers, ‘just because’.”

Or maybe, it was to say howdy to Georgia, the Ger man shepherd/basset hound mix “shop dog.” “I have customers come in just to see Georgia; many of them know and love her and will come in just to sit on the floor with her, while we chat. One customer stops by just to give her a bag of treats.” With a twinkle in her voice, Stephanie said, “She adds sparkle to everyone’s day.”

‘Tis the Season to make a trip to Time Wise Jewel ers. See what’s new, what’s old, what’s on sale, and what Stephanie can do for you in a beautiful custom gift.

At-A-Glance

Time Wise Jewelers

Stephanie Langlois

local, go-to jewelry store, is to give each customer extraordi nary service and an unbeatable experience.

Besides the standard affordable sale cases of jewelry, Stephanie is thanking the Clairemont community with a Holiday special of 25-50% off all items, store wide. “The store is fully stocked and we’re ready for the holidays. Get acquainted with us by getting a free jewelry cleaning and inspection while you shop!”

https://www.timewisejewelers.com/about/ 858-560-5503

5643 Balboa Ave, San Diego, CA 92111 (Von’s/Khol’s shopping center)

TimeWiseSanDiego@gmail.com

Hours: Tuesday – Friday: 10 am – 6 pm Saturday: 10 am - 5 pm

Headed Home For The Holidays?

Bags packed and headed home for the holidays this year? Many will be flying or driving the miles to visit family and old friends this holiday season. But how long has it been since you’ve seen your aging loved ones?

If you are visiting an aging loved one for the holidays and haven’t seen them for a while, there are four main areas you will want to pay special attention to.

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

Someone’s physical space or environment can tell you a lot about what’s going on in their lives. How does home look when you get there? What does it smell like? Does it appear clean and tidy? Are there tripping hazards present (throw rugs, electrical cords, etc.)? My mother keeps her home clean and tidy, yet she is a huge fan of throw rugs. She has small dogs and tells me the rugs are more for the dogs than they are for her. Either way, throw rugs are one of the primary causes of falls in the home. How does the exterior of the home look? Is the place falling into disrepair? Our homes are typically one of our biggest investments so keeping the home in good repair – inside and out – benefits not only the person living there but the initial investment put into the home (which has likely skyrocketed in to day’s housing market).

Is there adequate lighting if y our loved one were to go outside af ter dark? Does your loved one still possess the things you are used to seeing when you have visited previously? A family member of my client started noticing that every time they visited, more and more pieces of art were missing. Where once there was a mantle full of hand carved pieces of ar twork, the number of pieces were slowly dwindling with no explanation or recollection of where they had gone or who they may have been given to.

MENTAL/EMOTIONAL STATE

Having conversations with your aging loved ones can help to uncover what may be going on for them mentally. Has your loved one forgotten your spouse’s name or the names of your kids? I had a client tell me tha t he called his mother on the phone and instead of asking how each grandchild was doing, she asked him “how is your family?”

This occurred as odd to him at the time, but once he started putting

the pieces together, he finally realized that his mother was in the beginning stages of dementia.

Are they forgetting to take their medication(s) as prescribed? Having a medication box is a great way to tell if someone is taking their medication as directed. Are they showered and wearing clean clothes or is the bathroom – particularly the bathtub – being used as extra storage? When a client of mine finally let me into her home, I asked to use the bathroom. I found she was using the tub/shower enclosure for storing paper towels, toilet paper and garbage bags full of clothing. There was no way she had been using the tub or shower. I now understood her lack of personal hygiene and found the right kind of help for her.

Have they given up arts, crafts, or hobbies they used to love to do? It could be a matter or physicality, or it could be more of a mental issue… or a combination. Especially during the pandemic, the focus on mental health and how damaging social isolation can be to one’s mental and physical health cannot be overlooked nor taken lightly.

PHYSICAL ABILITIES

While home for the holidays, keep a close eye on how your aging loved one is doing physically. Are they having increased difficulty sitting down or standing up? Do they have stairs in the home they are afraid to navigate? My great aunt lived in an older home and at a certain stage of her aging (and moderate dementia), she stopped going downstairs. The only issue with this was her washer and dryer were downstairs. This meant she was no longer doing her own laundry, which explained why her bed sheets were so dirty. Are they still using that old step stool to reach items being stored in high places? Perhaps it’s time to find alternate storage options.

Is personal hygiene becoming an issue? This will especially be noticeable if your aging loved one is becoming incontinent of bladder and/or bowel. Skin breakdown, due to prolonged contact with urine or feces, can become a very serious and life-threatening matter if left unnoticed or unattended.

Does your loved one have unexplained bruising on their body? Often the person can neither remember how or where they got the bruising, or they have been falling and have been afraid to share that with you.

NUTRITIONAL STATUS

Malnutrition in our aging adult p opulation is on the rise. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, up to half of all adults 65 years and older are at risk for malnutrition. And malnutrition is the “leading cause of morbidity and mortality, especially among older adults.” Malnutrition in our aging population has various causes, many of which overlap with the person’s physical abilities and mental capacity.

Is your aging loved one mentally able to plan, shop for and cook nutritious meals each day? Often, a simple lo ok through the refrigerator or glance at what’s in the garbage can alert you to how well your loved one is eating – or not. Prepackaged and highly processed foods are often eaten by seniors because of their convenience. But the downsides to these prepackaged and “convenient” foods are numerous and often dangerous (high levels of sodium and trans fats, contain high fructose corn syrup and/or high amounts of sugar, levels, and additives like aspartame, monosodium glutamate, and nitrates/ nitrites). Any foods with the words “low fat”, “low carb” or “heart healthy” should be an immediate red flag; it means

that fat, carbohydrates, and other real foods have been eliminated and replaced with chemicals and chemically derived additives.

With a bit of observation and some meaningful conversation with your aging loved one, you can help to ensure they are aging safely. Enjoy this joyous holiday season, hug your loved ones often and remember that our aging population is a precious gift that we have the privilege of knowing and listening to, if only we take the time.

Happy Holidays to all!

Aging Well Partners empower aging adults in finding vetted and trusted resources and services that meet their specific needs.

Local partners

Certified Senior Advisors™

FREE SERVICE Call us to get started (619) 789-1839

agingwellpartners.com References

https://www.eatrightpro.org/newscenter/in-practice/dietetics-inaction/adult-and-seniormalnutrition

HYPER-LOCAL COMMUNITY

ERASE HATE SAN DIEGO

By District Attorney Summer Stephan

This month San Diego County is participating in the statewide United Against Hate Week cam paign, an anti-hate awareness ef fort to call for local civic action to stop the hate and biases that pose a dangerous threat to the safety and civility of neighbor hoods, towns, and cities. Unfor tunately, hate crimes have in creased across our nation, state, and region. By learning about hate crimes and how to stand against them and report them, we can make everyone safer.

For those who don’t already know, prosecuting and prevent ing hate crimes is a priority for me as District Attorney. In recent years, we’ve tripled the number of hate crimes prosecutions, sending an unwavering message that hate crimes will not be tolerated. Last year alone, we prosecuted 30 hate crimes cases, up from 21 in 2020.

We recognize the distinc tive fear and stress suffered by victims of hate crimes, includ ing the potential for reprisal, escalation of violence, and the far-reaching negative conse quences that hate crimes have on our community.

A hate incident is an act, which is bias-motivated, but does not rise to the level of a hate crime. For example, if someone uses a racial slur against another it probably isn’t a hate crime, rather a hate incident. It’s important to un derstand the difference between an act that is understandably upsetting, and an act motivated by hate or bias that is a crime.

A hate crime is against an individual or property that is substantially motivated by bias against the victim’s:

• Race/ethnicity/nationality

• Religion

• Sexual orientation

• Gender

• Disability

• Victim’s association with any above group

In 2020, I set up an online re porting form and hotline on our public website where anyone can report a suspected hate crime they witnessed in San Diego County. The tool was partly in response to reports of hate-relat ed incidents aimed at the Asian community across the nation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The online reporting tool, email and phone number are available for reporting of any type of suspected hate crime.

We know that people often don’t report hate crimes be cause of fear or shame, and we wanted to provide a direct ave nue to encourage victims or wit nesses to hate crimes to report. People can and should continue to report hate crimes to their local police departments and Sheriff’s Department. This ad ditional reporting mechanism will act as a safety net and help ensure reports are reviewed and shared by law enforcement.

If you have been a victim of hate crime, here are tips on what to do:

• If you are seriously injured, call 911 or get to the hospital immediately.

• Whether or not you are in jured, report the crime.

• To help yourself, it is import ant to do at least some of the following:

• See a doctor to treat and document even minor physical injuries.

• Take pictures of any physical injuries or damages to property, even if police already did so.

• If the crime is vandalism, let the police see and photograph the damage before you clean and/or repair.

• If possible, get witnesses’ names, addresses and telephone numbers.

• Write down as many facts about the incident as you can remember.

• Seek a therapist to assist with the emotional aspects of the attack.

• Learn the names of the police officers and prosecutors working on the case and keep in touch with them.

• Get copies of police reports and check them for accuracy.

• Attend necessary court hear ings, whether you are subpoe naed, including arraignment, bail review and sentencing.

• If possible, make a statement in court to the judge about threats, direct or indirect, and possible fears.

The public can find the DA’s online reporting form by searching for hate crimes at www.SanDiegoDA.com. The Hate Crimes email address is hatecrimes@sdcda.org and the phone number is 619-515-8805.

As your District Attorney, I’m committed to increasing com

munication and accessibility between the DA’s Office and the public. I hope these con sumer and public safety tips have been helpful.

LOCAL DECEMBER EVENTS!

December Holidays

12/18 – 12/26 Hanukkah

12/24 Christmas Eve

12/25 Christmas Day

12/26 – 1/1 Kwanzaa

12/31 New Year’s Eve

Holiday Parades

Everybody loves a Holiday Parade. San Diego County has plenty to choose from. From downtown all the way up to Fallbrook, there is a parade for everyone. Don’t miss the Holiday Bowl Big Bay Balloon Parade downtown, San Diego’s premier Holiday Parade!

Coronado Annual Holiday Parade 12/2 6 pm

Encinitas Holiday Parade 12/3 5:30 pm

Escondido Jaycees Parade 12/10 2 pm

Fallbrook Parade 12/5 5 pm

La Jolla Christmas Parade 12/4 1:30 pm

Mission Bay Christmas Boat Parade of Lights 12/10 6 - 9 pm

Ocean Beach Holiday Parade 12/3 5:05 pm

Oceanside Harbor Parade of Lights 12/10 7 pm

Pacific Beach Holiday Parade 12/10 12 pm

SD Bay Parade of Lights 12/11 & 12/18 5:30 pm

SD Holiday Bowl Parade 12/28 time tba

Holiday Happenings

The sights and sounds of the communities come to life with holiday cheer this December. Lots of fun things to do and see to get you in the holiday mood. From Coronado to Vista, there is something for everyone!

Bates Nut Farm Christmas in the Valley 12/9 –12/10 Fri 4 – 8 pm, Sat 9 am – 3 pm

Balboa Park December Nights 12/2, 12/3 Fri 3 –11 pm, Sat 11 am – 11 pm

Balboa Park Kwanzaa Celebration 12/26 –12/30 6 – 9 pm

Chula Vista Starlight Nights 12/4 time tba

Del Mar North Pole by the Sea & Holiday Tree Lighting 12/4 1 – 3 pm

Fallbrook Brunch with Santa 12/11 10 am - 1 pm

La Jolla Hanukkah Happening at JCC 12/18 10 am - 9 pm

La Jolla Holiday Festival 12/4 11:30 am – 4 pm

La Mesa Holiday in the Village 12/3 12 – 9 pm

Little Italy Christmas Village & Tree Lighting 12/3 4 – 8 pm

Old Town Las Posadas 12/16 – 12/24 times tba

Pacific Beach Holiday on Crystal Pier 12/3 8 am – 5 pm

Poway Christmas in the Park 12/9 4:30 – 8:30 pm

Ramona Tree Lighting 12/3 5 – 8 pm

SD Liberty Station Hanukkah Festival & Menorah Lighting 12/18 time tba

SD Makers Arcade Holiday Fair 12/3-12/4 10 am - 5 pm

SD Holiday Market @ Petco Park

Spring Valley Festival of Trees & Lights 12/16 –12/22 5 – 8 pm

Vista Jingle Terrace Live 12/7 – 12/18 various times

Dressed Up for the Holidays

Some of your favorite San Diego attractions will be covered in holiday lights!

Belmont Park weekends in December

The Forward House in Bankers Hill 11/25 –12/31

Holidays at LEGOland 11/19 – 1/8

Hotel del Coronado 11/17 – 1/1

Jungle Bells at the San Diego Zoo 12/9 - 1/1 (except 12/24)

North Pole Limited (Railway Museum) 11/25 –12/17 (Fri & Sat)

San Diego Botanic Garden Lightscape 11/18 – 1/1

San Diego Temple Sights & Sounds of Christmas 11/27 – 1/1

Santee Lights at the Lakes 11/25 – 12/24

SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration 11/14 – 1/8 Seas ‘n’ Greetings (Birch Aquarium) 12/1 – 12/31

Christmas Lights

Want to take your family on a drive around San Diego looking at holiday decorations and lights? Check out San Diego’s Map of Christmas Lights by San Diego Family Magazine. Info: www. sandiegofamily.com/things-to-do/san-diego-sbest-map-of-christmas-lights

Del Mar Racetrack Season

Old Hollywood style meets classic Southern California cool this November at Del Mar with four weeks of elite Thoroughbred racing, fresh events, and musical performances to keep the good times rolling. Location: Del Mar Racetrack. Info: www.dmtc.com/calendar/ detail/2022Season 11/11 – 12/4 12:30 pm – 5 pm

Skating by the Sea at Hotel Del

This spectacular ice rink is located seaside on Windsor Lawn and features stunning views of the Pacific and Coronado beach. Location: The Hotel Del, Coronado. Info: www.hoteldel.com/ activities/skating 11/17 – 1/1 various times

Snow N Glow

Enjoy snow tubing, holiday lights, s’mores, fire pits, rides, and more! Location: Del Mar Fairgrounds. Info: www.snownglow.com 11/27 – 12/26 weekends, daily during Christmas week 4 – 9 pm

Holiday Market @ Petco Park

A fun and festive night for the whole family. This year’s market will feature local & European artisan shops, magical lighting displays, seasonal food & beverages, Santa, and other holiday characters! Location: Petco Park. Info: www.mlb.com/padres/tickets/events/holidaymarket 12/1 - 12/4, 12/8 - 12/11, 12/14 - 12/23 4 – 10 pm

Red Nose Run

A fun run & walk on a beautiful family & dog friendly beach. Location: Powerhouse Park, Del Mar. Info: www.therednoserun.com 12/3 12:30 pm

Sono Fest

A fundraiser for McKinley Elementary with local chili, live music, arts & crafts, indie good, and lots of good vibes. Location: Thorn & 32nd Streets in North Park. Info: www.sonofestchilicookoff.com 12/4 11 am – 5 pm

San Diego Santa Run

Come out in your finest (or ugliest!) Christmas attire as you take part in San Diego’s annual one-of-a-kind holiday experience. Location: 912 Garnet Ave. Info: www.sandiegorunningco.com/ sdrc_events/san-diego-santa-run 12/10 9 am

San Diego Holiday Half Marathon

A fast 13.1-mile course that includes a 711-foot net elevation drop along the “rolling” downhill bike path. Location: Penasquitos Dr. & Carmel Mtn. Rd. Info: www.sandiegoholidayhalf.com 12/17 5:15 am

Dirty December Poker Fun Run

Join in the holiday cheer and run the trails!

In addition to a costume contest and holiday theme, this run will involve a poker element –your poker hand could give you bonus time!

Location: Sycamore Canyon Open Space Reserve, Poway. Info: www.dirtyfeet.us/ trailraces/decemberrun 12/17 8 am

National Funding Holiday Bowl 5K Run/Walk

The 25th annual 5k Run/Walk at the Port of San Diego Holiday Bowl Parade! Location: Harbor Dr. & Ash St. Info: www.holidaybowl.com/5k-walkrun 12/28 time tba

The Holiday Bowl

This signature San Diego event showcases a thrilling matchup of Pac-12 and ACC teams. This year features the return of the 101.5 KGB Sky Show! Location: Petco Park, and broadcast on FOX Sports. Info: www.holidaybowl.com 12/28 5 pm kickoff

San Diego Tango Festival

All the things you expect from a tango festival: forgiving floor, great DJs and teachers and a smooth sound system with LOTS of hours of dancing! Location: Wyndham Bayside. Info: www.sandiegotangofestival.com 12/29 – 1/2 various times

San Diego International Auto Show

Where the cars are the stars! Featuring more than 400 of the latest new models, multiple test drives, exotics, automotive products, and much more! Location: San Diego Convention Center. Info: www.sdautoshow.com 12/30 – 1/2 times tba

Big Night San Diego New Year’s Eve Gala Ring in 2023 at one of the hottest New Year’s Eve parties in the country! Location: Hilton San Diego Bayfront. Info: www. bignightsandiego.com 12/31-1/1 9 pm – 2 am

SAN DIEGO COUNTY FARMERS MARKETS

(updated 10/3/2022)

MONDAY

Escondido 3-7pm 8860 Lawrence Welk Dr.

TUESDAY

Coronado 2:30–6pm

1st St. & B Ave.

Escondido 2:30pm-Sunset 200 N. Juniper St.

La Jolla 10am-2pm (Sep-Jun)

UCSD Town Square

Mira Mesa 3–7pm (Feb-Oct), 3-6pm (Nov-Dec)

Mira Mesa High School

Otay Ranch 4-8pm (7pm during COVID) Birch Rd. & Eastlake Blvd.

Pacific Beach 2-7pm Bayard & Garnet San Marcos 3-7pm 250 North City Dr.

WEDNESDAY

Carlsbad Village 3–7pm (Mar-Oct), 3-6pm (Nov-Feb)

State St. & Carlsbad Village Dr.

Little Italy Mercato 9:30am–1:30pm

West Date St.

Ocean Beach 4-7pm (Oct-Mar), 4-8pm (Apr-Sept)

4900 Newport Ave.

Santee 3–7pm (Mar-Oct), 2:30-6:30pm (Nov-Feb)

Carlton Hills Blvd. & Mast

South Bay 3-7pm 4475 Bonita Rd.

THURSDAY

Linda Vista 12-6pm

6931 Linda Vista Rd.

North Park 3–7:30pm

North Park Way & 30th St.

Oceanside 9am–1pm

Pier View Wy & Hwy. 101

Scripps Ranch 3-7pm

10045 Carroll Canyon Rd.

FRIDAY

Borrego Springs 7-10am (May-Oct), 7am12pm (Nov-Apr)

Christmas Circle

Imperial Beach 2-7pm (Apr-Oct), 2-6pm (Nov-Mar)

Portwood Pier Plaza La Mesa 3-7pm La Mesa Blvd. Rancho Bernardo 9am–1pm Bernardo Winery

SATURDAY

City Heights 9am-1pm 4300 Wightman St. Del Mar 12–4pm

1050 Camino Del Mar Fallbrook 9am-1:30pm 100 S. Main Ave.

Little Italy Mercato 8am–2pm West Date St.

Mission Valley 8:30am-12pm

7960 Civita Blvd.

Poway 8am–1pm

Old Poway Park

Rancho Penasquitos 9am-1pm 9400 Fairgrove Ln.

Santa Ysabel 10am–6pm

21887 Washington St. Vista 8am–12pm

Melrose Dr., S. of Hwy 78

SUNDAY

Chula Vista 10am-2pm

300 Park Way

Hillcrest 9am–2pm

3960 Normal St.

La Jolla 9am–1pm

Girard Ave. & Genter St.

Leucadia 10am–2pm

185 Union St.

Rnch Santa Fe 9:30am–2pm

16079 San Dieguito Rd.

Santa Ysabel 10am–6pm

21887 Washington St.

Solana Beach 12-4pm 444 S. Cedros Ave.

sdfarmbureau.org or cdfa.ca.gov

FINDING HOME

The difficult journey for women veterans experiencing homelessness

By Chris Mayhew, Kevin C. Miller and Brian Buckwalter

Jennifer Badger had been out of the Navy for more than a decade when the circumstances in her life led her into homelessness.

When she enlisted in May 2001, she was looking for a change and a way out of her hometown of Fulton, Missouri. She became an intelligence specialist and deployed to the Persian Gulf in 2002 on the aircraft carrier USS George Washington.

In 2005, she decided to transition back to civilian life. She had become a single mother and wanted to raise her son without worrying about deploying again. In the years that followed her separation from the military, circumstanc es and choices led Badger down a troubled path of drug addiction, abusive relationships and depression. She went to prison in 2019 and got high the day she was released. At that point, she said her family had given up on her. “I lost everything,” Badger said. “I lost all three of my children. I lost everything but my life.” With nowhere to go, she became homeless. She slept on friends’ couch es. She continued to use drugs. She eventually nearly died from an overdose.

Badger’s story is one in a concerning trend among women veterans. With women now comprising 15% of active-duty forces and 19% of reserve units—a number that continues to rise—they have become the fastest-growing segment of the veteran population.

Yet, the availability of services offered to women veterans at risk for home lessness has not kept pace with their increasing numbers.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, women transitioning from the military can face many challenges when returning to civilian life that put them at risk for homelessness: single parenting, domestic abuse, psychological aftereffects related to military sexual trauma (MST) or combat, substance abuse, employment and affordable housing.

Searching for help

Despite experts knowing the needs, many women may find it challenging to know where to go to find help. This was the case for Army veteran Penni Lo’Vette Brown. She said the post-traumatic stress and MST she suffered was initially untreated after she left the military. “My marriage is something I was not prepared for,” Brown said. There was domestic violence, and she needed to find protection for herself and her three young children. But she felt she had nowhere to turn. “In 1999, I became homeless with three babies on my hip,” Brown said.

She made more than two dozen calls looking for a shelter that would allow her to bring her children. Brown said her children’s safety was paramount, and she’s not sure she would or could have left her husband without that assurance. She finally found an emergency shelter in Santa Barbara, California, where she took her children. A month later, she moved to a different shelter in near by Lompoc that offered access to permanent and affordable housing options. She entered the VA’s Veterans Readiness and Employment (formerly known as Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment) program, where she trained and became a barber. And after two months, she was able to move into an apart ment near her children’s school using the Housing Choice Voucher Program through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. She later received treatment for PTSD from the VA.

For Badger, not long after her near-fatal overdose, she decided she was done and looked for any place that would help her.

“I woke up one day and just knew this was not me,” she said.

Badger had realized she was the same age her father had been when he died from a drug overdose and didn’t want her children to experience what she had gone through.

“I needed my kids to have a success story because my dad did not have a comeback story,” she said.

When she finally decided to seek help, she called any number she could find. In her search, Badger was eventually pointed to Welcome Home Inc., a homeless veterans program in central Missouri that receives financial support from the DAV Charitable Service Trust.

“I feel like if there was no Welcome Home,” Badger said, “I would probably still be homeless and using or back in prison or dead.”

Tammy Scott, a caseworker and the organization’s permanent housing program coordinator, was the one who answered the phone, picked Badger up and brought her in.

Scott said up to eight women can stay at the 34-bed facility. It has four permanent rooms designated for women in a locked hallway segregated from the men. Two additional flex rooms can accommodate families or women, depending on current demand. There’s 24/7 camera monitoring, too.

Scott said providing an environment where women feel safe is crucial to getting them help. Women who come to her program, more so than men, come from abusive relationships. They are more likely to have MST in their background or unmet mental health issues.

To escape homelessness, Brown said, women veterans with children do need the VA health care and benefits for themselves and state medical benefits for their children.

Limited options

Both Brown and Badger were fortunate to find homelessness services available to them. They were connected to programs or shelters in their area, but that’s not always an option. Homelessness among women veterans is on the rise, but help can be limited, hard to find or nonexistent.

While Badger had used the VA for some medical care in the past, she didn’t know about its breadth of resources for homeless and at-risk veterans and that

she qualified for them. But because Welcome Home partners with the VA, each of its residents gets a representative from the VA’s Health Care for Homeless Veterans program. This means residents have an entry point to veterans benefits such as medical care, mental health care and even substance abuse counseling.

Badger took advantage of these VA programs and services to get sober and start rebuilding her life.

Decades after her own struggles, Brown now counsels at-risk women veter ans as the DAV Department of California women veterans adviser.

When she experienced homelessness, Brown didn’t reach out to the VA for assistance. Her focus was on her children, not her military background. She said this is a common mindset among the women she talks to, with many staying in abusive relationships rather than risking becoming homeless. They don’t tend to seek out VA benefits when they find themselves in a housing crisis. They look in their community for anything that may help.

Brown points women veterans to federal, state Homeless Veteran Stand Downs California, including homeless veteran stand downs and a regular bus shuttle program. Buses take homeless veterans to women’s clinics and other VA medical care. The bus program is especially targeted at those living in

rural areas miles away from specialty care in bigger cities. She also designed MST training for chapters in California that focuses on how the issue is not gender-specific.

What the VA does

Homelessness and housing insecurity is an issue facing communities across the country. While the VA has made significant strides in addressing this issue, more needs to be done for women veterans.

“With greater numbers of women serving in the military and the greater likelihood of women veterans being single parents, new and more comprehen sive housing and child care services are needed,’’ said Joy Ilem, DAV’s national legislative director. “DAV will continue to advocate for VA to improve outreach to women veterans and ensure VA provides equitable access to programs, facilities and services that meet their distinct needs and ensure that they feel safe and welcomed.”

What the VA is doing includes its Supportive Services for Veteran Families program, which connects low-income veterans to nonprofits to get them into housing. The program typically provides eviction prevention or rapid rehousing, including the first month’s rent and utility and security deposits. The VA credits the program with keeping 19,200 children and 10,500 households together in fiscal year 2021.

The VA also offers a spate of other programs, including the Housing Choice Vouchers Brown used to pull herself out of homelessness. The vouchers pay a subsidy to landlords on behalf of veterans. Veterans typically pay up to 30% of their income for rent. VA statistics show that nearly 11,000 women veterans were helped last year through the Housing Choice Voucher Program. The VA’s grant program to community-based agencies serving homeless veterans served more than 1,300 women veterans in 2021.

VA programs specific to women veterans include the Center for Women Veterans. The center coordinates the VA’s administration of health care, ben efits, services and programs for women veterans. The center has a hotline for women at 855-829-6636. The VA also offers the Women Veterans Health Care program and mental health programs for women.

“The downside to all of the VA’s homeless veteran programs is that they don’t cover communities across the United States equitably,” Illem said. “They tend to cover areas with higher veteran populations.”

Advocacy in action

Homelessness is a major concern for DAV at all levels.

Both the Charitable Service Trust and Columbia Trust provide funding to the DAV Homeless Veteran Initiative, which promotes partnerships and collaboration at all levels of government to develop assistance programs.

The Charitable Service Trust also financially supports many organizations that help veterans experiencing homelessness, distributing more than 100 grants totaling nearly $3.8 million over the past five years.

DAV departments and chapters coordinate and participate in Homeless Veteran Stand Downs at various locations throughout the country.

These outreach events, said Voluntary Services Director John Kleindienst, are meant to connect homeless and at-risk veterans with community resources and assistance, including employment, legal, housing, medical and veterans benefits.

These stand downs also provide veterans with assistance to address some potential underlying causes of homelessness. Benefits advocates are on hand to provide VA disability claims processing support and to educate attendees on employment opportunities such as DAV’s job fairs.

Kleindienst said there are always women-specific VA medical services, cloth ing and hygiene items available to event attendees.

“It’s heartbreaking to think of even one veteran being on the street, and an increase in homelessness for women veterans sets off a lot of alarm bells,” he said. “We see them at the events we’ve hosted at headquarters and try to make an extra effort to ensure their unique needs are met. Women have historically been underserved, and their vulnerability often extends to the children they support.”

Moving forward

Today, Brown is commander of DAV Chapter 91 in Lompoc. She also owns a barbershop that doubles as her office where she counsels women veterans dai ly on homelessness and MST claims. She’s enrolled in law school. Her children are now grown and enjoying successful careers.

She works to get women veterans into emergency shelters in communities where there can be long waitlists for beds. There are still only a few emergency shelter options for women with children.

She said she was blessed, but she also put in the hard work to ensure her experience was temporary.

“It was a tenacity,” Brown said. “I had babies that I had to make sure were OK.”

In Missouri, Badger is still early in her recovery journey but said she’s doing well because of the care she received and the effort she put in to get sober. She has her own apartment and works at the Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital in Columbia as a travel clerk.

She has aspirations to put her bachelor’s degree in human services to work, too, by becoming a peer support specialist at the VA. She said she noticed there aren’t many women filling this role—none where she’s located—and wants to be an example for other women veterans to follow.

“If I can do this in six months, what can I do in a year?” she said.

A DAV Homeless Veteran Stand Down attendee receives supplies and access to community resources.

Penni Lo’Vette Brown advocates for veterans rights on Capitol Hill. Right: Brown, pictured in 1985, worked in air defense artillery in Germany. She served in the Army for eight years.

According to the most recent data from the Department of Veterans Affairs

DOG DAYS? REDEFINING THE POST-COVID DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO

The Downtown San Diego Partnership wants urbanites to participate in a study to update the demographic state of the city

By Ron Donoho San Diego Sun

The Downtown San Diego Part nership is asking for help in pin pointing who lives, works and plays in the 92101 ZIP Code in the postCOVID era.

The nonprofit--which identifies itself as the “driving force behind the eco nomic prosperity and cultural vitality” of the city--also wants to quantify why people choose to live downtown.

And why others don’t. Or, can’t.

The DSDP is calling on people who utilize the urban core to fill out a confidential survey that polls racial/ethnic background, gender, age, work status, leisure and cultural activities, pet ownership and much more.

“We want to understand who works, lives and plays downtown,” DSDP president & CEO Betsy Bren nan says.“The survey will help our ad vocacy efforts with the city and groups like the San Diego Tourism Authority and the Airport Authority.”

The survey is a partnership be tween DSDP, the San Diego Region al Economic Development Corpo ration and the Center for Research and Evaluation at UC San Diego.

Look for a link to the survey on DSDP’s Facebook page. The dead line is December 2, 2022. The report will be released in the first quarter of 2023.

Who Lives, Works & Plays in Downtown?

A Downtown San Diego Demo graphics Study was phased out in 2016, but was reinstated in 2021.

Brennan says last year’s study counted 37,000 residents in 92101-as well as 18,000 dogs. Yes, nearly half of all downtown dwellers own four-legged friends.

Some other findings from the last survey:

• Walkability” is the most-cited rea son (61%) for why people like living downtown.

• More than half (56%) of down town’s residents are white. Blacks make up 9.3% of the population, dou ble the 4.7% across San Diego County.

• 60% of downtown residents are between the ages of 25 and 54, and 72% of downtown households are non-family units (compared to 33% countywide).

• Income disparity is an issue. Earnings for working households ($116,137 in 2019) is 11% higher than the rest of the county. Howev er: Average total household income (which includes public assistance and retirement income) is lower than the country average. Nearly a quarter of downtown households bring in less than $25,000.

• More than 41% of residents are employed in occupations within man agement, business, science or the arts.

• The fastest growing occupation for working residents is life scientists, a number that has tripled over the past two decades.

• 73% of residents dine out at least once or twice per week, compared to 55% of those who live outside down town.

Homelessness Numbers

DSDP’s 2022 Demographics Sur vey doesn’t broach the topic of area homelessness. However, the organiza tion does do a monthly Unsheltered Count of the urban core.

The total number of unsheltered people in 92101 in October 2022 was: 1,660, including 713 people in East Village.

The DSDP’s monthly count saw a steep jump this past summer, from 1,253 in July to 1,609 in August. The number of unsheltered people has slowly risen each of the past three months.

DSDP CEO Betsy Brennan

CANNABIS MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT

By Paul Armentanor

President Joe Biden’s recent direc tive asking the secretary of Health and Human Services and the attor ney general “to initiate the adminis trative process to review expeditious ly how marijuana is scheduled under federal law” shines a spotlight on the federal government’s ‘flat Earth’ cannabis policies.

It raises the question: Why does federal law continue to classify cannabis more like heroin than like alcohol?

Under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act of 1970, the cannabis plant is classified as a Sched ule I controlled substance — the most restric tive category available under the law. By defi nition, substances in this category must meet three specific inclusion criteria:

1. The substance must possess “a high poten tial for abuse;”

2. It must have “no currently accepted medi cal use” in the United States; and,

3. The substance must lack “accepted safety for use … under medical supervision.”

Substances that do not meet these criteria are typically categorized in less restrictive federal classifications (Schedules II through V). These categories are typically reserved for prescrip tion medications. These substances are legally available from licensed pharmacies and they are regulated primarily by federal, rather than by state, agencies.

Alcohol and tobacco, two substances ac knowledged to possess far greater dangers to health than cannabis, are not classified under the Controlled Substances Act. This is why state governments, rather than federal governments, possess the ability to regulate the production and sale of these products as they see fit. These responsibilities include making decisions regarding where and when these products may be sold and to whom.

Congress’s decision to initially classify canna bis in Schedule I was based on limited informa tion. Prior to 1970, there were fewer than 1,000 total scientific publications dedicated to canna bis and its effects. This is hardly the case today. According to a keyword search on PubMed, the repository for peer-reviewed scientific papers, there now exists nearly 42,000 studies specific to cannabis. Over half of these have been pub lished just within the past decade.

Further, the United States now has ample first-hand experience regulating cannabis at the state level for either medical or adult-use purposes. The majority of states regulate thera peutic cannabis products and 19 states regulate the possession and sale of marijuana to adults. No state has ever repealed or rolled back its marijuana legalization laws. These successful real-world experiments with legalization belie the myth that cannabis is a highly dangerous substance worthy of its Schedule I prohibitive status under federal law.

While it remains unknown how the requisite agencies will respond to the president’s direc tive, it must be emphasized that any decision to

reclassify cannabis from Schedule I to a lower category in the Controlled Substances Act would fall woefully short of the federal reforms necessary to appropriately reflect America’s emerging understanding of the marijuana plant and how best to regulate its production and consumption.

Specifically, reclassifying cannabis from Schedule I to II (or even to Schedule III) con tinues to misrepresent the plant’s safety relative to other controlled substances such as cocaine and methamphetamine (Schedule II), anabolic

steroids (Schedule III), or alcohol (unscheduled), and it fails to provide states with the ability to regulate it free from federal interference.

Simply put, federally rescheduling cannabis does nothing to address the growing chasm between state and federal cannabis laws. Under resched uling, state laws authorizing citizens to possess cannabis for either medical or social purposes would still be in violation of federal law, as would be the thousands of state-licensed opera tors who currently serve this market.

It is for these reasons that the only produc tive outcome would be for the administration or for Congress to move expeditiously to de schedule cannabis — thereby removing it from the Controlled Substances Act altogether and providing states the power to establish their own marijuana policies free from federal intru sion. This decision would align federal marijua na policies with those of alcohol and tobacco, and it would respect America’s longstanding federalist principles allowing states to serve as “Laboratories of Democracy.”

EVERY BODY IS DIFFERENT

uct or treatment.

By LinDee Rochelle

We all know that bodily aches and pains are part of life. At different stages, sports injuries, a serious fall, or the natural aging process, can lay you up for a while. Despite standard treatment, do you experience stub born, chronic pain that just doesn’t want to go away? Are you considering an alternative approach?

Shawn Robek, DC, CCSP, ART, TPI, found er of FIX Medical Group, knows just how you feel. It was his own injury and persistent pain a couple decades ago that set him on a path to helping others get back to doing what they love.

“I got into the business,” said Shawn, “because I suffered a bad snowboarding injury twenty-seven years ago, and thought I was going to be left paralyzed. Though I recovered, the injury made me realize how horrible my quality of life would be without the ability to do the things I love with the people I love”.

Because of that painful experience, the mission for Shawn’s medical offices is based on “Getting people back to doing what they love.” For some, in relation to medical treatments, “That premise can be confusing,” said Shawn, “but once they get our purpose, commitment and passion, they understand what we are trying to accomplish.”

What Shawn and his elite staff of medical professionals are working to achieve is easier said than done. But their actions behind the words address a growing number of issues that plague the medical industry.

It’s no secret that our health system is in shambles. With so much misinformation, conflicting statistics, and wild claims profess ing miracles, how can you determine what health methods will work for you and your specific health goals? After all, “every body is different,” and no two people will receive the same exact results from any given prod

Rising above standard medical services FIX Medical Group is an integrated team of medical professionals working with patients and addressing their needs to help them reach their goals. They FIX your body from the inside out, working with you to understand and listen to the messages your body is sending. As their website mentions, “This isn’t a quick fix, it’s a permanent one.”

Shawn has guided his organization in this manner since opening his first location in San Diego, in 1999. Since then, it has grown into four locations, with two each in San Diego, California and Scottsdale, Arizona.

As well as treating the general population in all locations, they also work with many professional athletes from the NHL, NFL, MLB, and PGA.

What is it that makes their services “well-rounded”? “We’re unique,” says Shawn, “blending multiple specialties to change the face of patient care. We believe that doctors should act like coaches, working side by side with patients to help reach their health and wellness goals.”

In traditional medical treatments, a patient may exhibit three areas of concern, yet each specialist in those areas is wearing blinders, looking only for the problem they have been trained to treat. In reality, our bodies are not compartmentalized. They’re made up of interconnected parts to create a whole, like pieces of a puzzle. With current prima ry care services, however, we’re schlepped from one specialist to another, searching for answers until someone yells, “Eureka!”

But Shawn doesn’t see patient needs in that way. His clinics are comprised of cli nicians, chiropractors, medical doctors, physical therapists, nurse practitioners and others, all working as a team to understand what your health goals are and help you to achieve them.

Stirring up a pot of specialties

“Very few clinics,” says Shawn, “offer an experience of so many specialists under one roof that all have the same mindset for the good of the patient.” They’re a unique, dedi cated team, providing a premiere concierge field of treatment to facilitate getting you to a healthier destination, and back to doing what you love.

Some of the core areas of expertise in FIX Medical Group include:

Structural care: an athletic blend of phys ical therapy and chiropractic treatment. It has been described as “aggressive but fun.” As a chiropractic doctor, Shawn knows the value of blending these two areas of treat ment for maximum benefit.

Wellness care: This area incorporates their Restart Wellness Program which works on your internal and external imbalances, enhances your mood, helps you sleep better, addresses weight issues, and provides results that last.

Regenerative medicine: Perhaps you’ve heard of PRP (platelet-rich plasma) or stem cell treatments? They’re the latest in medical

advancements responsible for cell growth and repair for some injuries and illnesses. Though not yet flowing into mainstream medicine, Shawn’s organization is equipped to provide these innovative, and well-tested treatments.

Aesthetics: Shawn noticed in his patients, that there are times when after all the hard work for three to six months in an inter nal wellness plan, some patients wanted to also rethink areas of their external body for aesthetic reasons. To accommodate, he created this area utilizing “truSculpt iD,” a body-sculpting product that aids in muscle sculpting and fat reduction.

With a team of providers, FIX members have access to all services when need ed. Whatever area of health change you choose—one or all—“Your clinician ‘walks shoulder-to-shoulder’ with you,” Shawn said. “We will encourage you through the tough parts, hold you accountable to your commit

ment, and be there to listen whenever you need.”

What does “team” mean?

Each FIX Medical Group location relies on the clinic director and exceptional staff to treat their esteemed clients. However, above-aver age treatment is not limited to your health. “We really live by, and all of our decisions are made, according to our core values, says Shawn. This is especially true when hiring: Clinic directors must have been with the organization at least five years and know how to create an environment where both patients and staff can thrive. They will also be an incredible practitioner that drives patient results, with extraordinary leadership skills.

Providing fanatical customer experience is expected of the elite staff, as well. Along with the clinic director, they must under stand what that means and work diligently to make sure each client or potential patient

has that experience—”not simply doing their job.”

Any provider who is hired must also be selfless and do for others without expecting anything in return.

Demonstrate radical transparency. “We’re an open office organization,” says Shawn. “We speak to one another in a way that we feel the person needs to hear the informa tion. No worries about hurt feelings from miscommunication. We speak freely.

Everyone hired is expected to realize how much suffering there is in the world and how little they have likely suffered in com parison. “We want our doctors (especial ly), to be excited to truly ‘see’ people,” says Shawn, “and be as passionate as they are about their goals.”

Show unconditional gratitude. Each staff member is expected to understand that everyone there is very lucky to be on this earth, doing what they’re doing. “So,” said Shawn with a chuckle, “there is very little whining in our offices.”

While that stringent list may seem a big ask, Shawn is aware that the professionals who come to them pay with the energy they pro vide, which was based on their efforts outside of the office. That reality is respected, and grati tude is shown for choosing to work there.

Shawn’s fourth quarter goals are to rede fine the patient experience and to spread their doctor-coach approach throughout the medical industry, one patient at a time.

Unlike traditional medicine, “We stay in touch with people whether they’re in care, or not,” says Shawn. “We know it’s typically difficult to get answers from doctors, but we’re here for them if they need consulting or guidance, by phone, email, text, or face-toface, regardless of if they’re an active patient.”

The FIX Medical Group difference is their commitment to clients and patients that extends beyond the initial recovery.

STRUGGLING EMOTIONALLY WITH PREGNANCY LOSS DURING THE HOLIDAYS? LOCAL NONPROFIT CAN HELP PROCESS YOUR “WREATH GRIEF.”

Are you struggling emotionally after a pregnan cy or reproductive loss? Has it been years – even decades – since it happened?

You are not alone! One in four pregnancies end in miscarriage – and that is just one type of repro ductive loss. 2.4 million fetal and neonatal deaths occur in the perinatal period - 4 times more than the annual number of deaths from cancer. These num bers don’t include infertility, which carries its own repeated, emotional pain.

Unfortunately, grief after this kind of loss is downplayed, even ignored, in our culture. Yet 60% of bereaved parents experience depression, anxiety and PTSD. And even those who seem to be OK with their loss can struggle during the holidays.

“The holidays can be a very difficult time of year for those touched by miscarriage, infertility, stillbirth and other pregnancy and reproductive losses – even decades after the loss,” said Michaelene Fredenburg, President and CEO of the Institute of Reproductive Grief Care, from their national headquarters here in Mission Valley. “We call these feelings ‘Wreath Grief.’”

“WREATH GRIEF”

“Wreath Grief” is when thoughts of the holidays

– the fun of decorating, cooking and opening gifts – are marred by the pain of pregnancy loss, infertil ity, or the loss of a baby who did not live long. The holidays can bring up an old loss, or make a difficult loss even tougher. And this pain can be felt by friends and loved ones too.

Typical “wreath grief” is thoughts like these: “She would have been 5 years old this Christmas.”

“He would have just been old enough to open his own gifts.”

“Everyone knows someone who is experiencing ‘Wreath Grief,’” explained Fredenburg, who is the global expert on reproductive grief care. “Most peo ple won’t realize that their family and friends may be silently grieve this loss every holiday, even years or decades after the loss.”

When “Wreath Grief,” is ignored, downplayed or marginalized, the result can be a more profound grief that is endured in isolation, where suffers feel invisible and alone during a season that should be filled with happiness and celebration.

HELP FOR “WREATH GRIEF”

Have you personally experienced a pregnancy or reproductive loss? Do you know someone who has? This Institute offers help for you.

Begin by sharing the Insti tute’s #WreathGrief logo and hashtag on social media. This opens the door to conversa tions about your feelings, or invites others to share their feelings with you.

FREE HELPFUL TOOL KITS

The Institute also offers free, online “Helpful Toolkits” for those touched by pregnancy and reproductive loss at Repro ductiveGrief.org. They include:

• Top 10 Terrible Things that people say after pregnancy loss.

• Top 10 Terrific Things that people say after pregnancy loss.

• Toolkit Just for Women

• Toolkit Just for Men

MEMORIAL ITEMS

The Institute also offers the “Forget Me Not Flower” Signature Collection. The “Forget Me Not Flower” symbolizes these losses, and assures families that their children will not be forgotten. The Shop at ReproductiveGrief.org offers “Forget Me Not Flower” sympathy cards, memorial jewelry and comfort gift boxes. As the Institute of Reproductive Grief Care is a nonprofit, all proceeds help those impacted.

“A pregnancy loss or reproductive loss can be decades old, but still be very painful every holiday season,” added Fredenburg. “It’s important to be open and available to listen and comfort those who are impacted and need our help.”

For more information, visit ReproductiveGrief.org.

COMIC-CON MUSEUM CELEBRATES ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY AS YEAR-ROUND POPULAR ARTS HEADQUARTERS

Balboa Park’s Newest Museum to Bring Even More Fandom in Second Year

SAN DIEGO (Nov. 22, 2022) – San Diego Comic Convention’s Comic-Con Museum, showcasing comics and popular arts, celebrates its first anni versary as year-round extension of the premier celebration of its kind in the world, Comic-Con International. Since its opening on November 26, 2021, the San Diego-based Museum has welcomed tens of thousands of visitors to explore its immersive exhibits and expand their fandoms.

“The Comic-Con Museum is build ing its origin story. One year in, we’ve had great success with the premiere of ‘Marvel’s Spider-Man: Beyond Amazing – The Exhibition,’ the launch of our Maker space workshops and more,” said Comic-Con Museum Executive Director Rita Vander gaw. “Soon, we’ll be announcing next year’s exhibits and attractions, as well as our educa tion experiences.”

Popular Arts for All

Aligning to the mission of San Diego Com ic Convention, the museum’s plan to expand their reach includes access for everyone. The Museum’s Education Center and School Access Fund will assist in defraying costs for field trips for San Diego County’s Title 1 schools, expanding dedicated learning spaces in the Museum and increasing its capacity to deliver dynamic, immersive educational op portunities for learners of all ages. To support the fund, those interested can donate directly or become a member at comic-con.org/mu seum/support. The Museum’s new member ship program has various levels that include unlimited general admission, exhibit preview events and other benefits.

Comic Book Happenings

In addition to its featured exhibits, mem bers and visitors can attend special pro gramming, free with Museum admission, including a panel and book signing with “Hemingway in Comics” author Robert K. Elder at the Museum on Saturday, Dec. 17 at 1 p.m. The title matches the exhibit of the same name that explores a collection of comic art from around the world fea turing iconic author Ernest Hemingway or his stories alongside Mickey Mouse, Albert Einstein, Death and more – perfect for those with an appreciation for comics, pop culture and the absurd.

2023 Brings New Attractions

Next year, the Museum’s three floors will display all-new exhibits, to be announced in December 2022, and debut an Education Center that will serve as a learning hub for field trips, a classroom for comic creators to teach their art, a comic book reading lounge offering free, donated comic books and more.

The Comic-Con Museum will be open through January 3, 2023 with its current exhibits, including “Marvel’s Spider-Man: Beyond Amazing – The Exhibition,” the

PAC-MAN Arcade, “Hemingway in Com ics,” Comic-Con Masquerade exhibit, and Feeding San Diego’s Hunger Action He roes, along with hands-on Makerspace workshops. The Museum will be closed temporarily beginning January 4 to install new exhibits and will reopen February 4. Tickets to the museum can be purchased in advance at www.comic-con.org/museum.

About Comic-Con Museum

Comic-Con Museum is a division of San Diego Comic Convention (SDCC) a California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation organized for charitable purposes and dedicated to creating the general public’s awareness of and appreciation for comics and related popular art forms, including participa tion in and support of public presenta tions, conventions, exhibits, museums and other public outreach activities which celebrate the historic and ongo ing contribution of comics to art and culture. In addition to its San Diego convention each summer Comic-Con (the premier comics convention of its kind in the world), SDCC organizes the Anaheim-based WonderCon each spring, and the SAM: Storytelling Across Media symposium in the fall. On the web: Comic-Con.org/Museum, Facebook.com/ComicConMuseum, and follow us on Twitter (@ComicConMuseum) and on Instagram (@comicconmuseum).

SAN DIEGO’S HIDDEN GEM!

By Karen Pearlman

A school with roots in the basement of Faith Chapel of God in Christ southeast San Diego continues to reach some lofty heights in the public education world.

Holly Drive Leadership Academy, an independent charter school started in 1999 for kindergarten through eighth-grade students, is getting ready for construction to begin so where it can open up its own buildings on Elm Street, where it has been sharing campus space with Webster Elementary School since 2010.

The school serves about 150 students in the community, most of whom are considered under-represented and vulnerable – 86 percent are from low-income families that are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. The student population includes 60 percent African-Americans, 28 percent Latinos.

The seven teachers at the school reflect the students’ ethnic backgrounds; most have taught at the school for more than 10 years.

Holly Drive holds at its core producing top students with high morale, positive peer relationships, community partnerships and lifelong inspiration, Holly Drive Principal Alysia Smith says.

Granted a charter by the San Diego County District Board of Education in 2019. Because of COVID-19 challenges faced by schools throughout the county, the school’s charter is approved through 2026.

The school was initially the dream of local church leader Bishop Roy Dixon. Bishop Dixon the former senior pastor at Faith Chapel Church of God in Christ, desperately sought to provide kids in the neighborhood with access to better education and better futures.

It wasn’t too much of a stretch -- education and success have gone hand in hand with Dixon’s strong religious life.

Originally from Georgia, where he was valedictorian of his high school class, Dixon studied liberal arts at the University of Connecticut before moving out west to study business administration at UCLA. Dixon started his own burger chain before turning to a career owning a dozen Taco Bell franchises.

Dixon, now 86, said that when Faith Chapel was built near Lincoln High School in 1985, he heard that the school, which served a predominantly Black and Latino low-income student population, had no true feeder school and that the kids entering Lincoln as freshmen were not

well prepared.

“I heard that 70 percent of the students’ reading and math scores were at the (fourth- to fifth-grade) level,” he said. “The students entering ninth grade were reading at that level. That bothered me. How could we help get kids reading at the ninth-grade level, at a minimum?”

So Dixon went back to the church and its parishioners, “and we birthed the school.”

After it moved out from its church digs in the late 1990s, Dixon found a strong leader in Smith, who has been Holly Drive’s principal since 2000. Smith, a San Diego native, graduated from Point Loma High and San Diego State University. Two of her three daughters graduated on top of their classes at Holly Drive and the third is currently a student there.

According to its charter school renewal petition, Holly Drive has made “significant growth” in both English/Language Arts and math on California’s Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, which measures students’ progress. And as shared in five previous reviews to the board of education, independent audits show the school’s finances, business operations and instruction program meet and exceed state standards.

Smith said that she has as much drive as ever running the school and leading the 150 students and seven teachers with innovative programs. In addition to state curriculum requirements, Smith believes in more “hands on” teaching opportunities for her students, most of whom are on the verge of poverty.

Field trips to places like Sacramento to see government in action to San Juan Capistrano to visit missions to Disneyland, have been profound for many students over the years, part of Holly Drive’s vision of “a classroom without walls,” Smith said.

The school has partnerships with UCSD; the Museum of Photographic Arts; The Language Door for Spanish; chess masters, dance teachers and sign language instructors; the Horton Grand Hotel; the Elementary Institute of Science; the Carlsbad flower fields; and various local sororities and fraternities.

Alexcias Meeks, who attended Holly Drive from 2009-17, a 2021 graduate of San Diego Metropolitan Regional, Career and Technical High School -- where she was valedictorian at both schools -- is currently studying mechanical engineering at Cal Poy San Luis Obispo.

Meeks said she moved around a lot with her family when she was younger and that when she landed at Holly Drive, the small classroom size and close-knit school community became like a family to her. She said she is still in touch with many of her former classmates and teachers, as well as Smith.

Meeks said it was a Holly Drive field trip to Raytheon, a technological company in San Diego, that spurred her into the engineering field of study.

“I always loved math, but I didn’t know there was a huge career available in STEM or math,” Meeks said. “When we went to Raytheon, I got to talk to some of the engineers there and learned a lot about the engineering world. I went home and researched mechanical engineering and I followed through with that. If it wasn’t for that field trip, I don’t know that I would have known about it.”

The school has fought challenges over the years, including back in 2008 when it was asked by the city of San Diego to get a conditional use

permit and with that fix sidewalks and streets. The school later became the poster child for schools with less than 400 students not needing a CUP to operate.

Dixon says that Smith is the reason the school continues to grow and thrive.

“HDLA is Alysia,” he said. “Words just can’t express how good it is to see how that school has kept pace and how she has kept that school going. I am so elated to see it succeed. Of all the things I’ve done in my life, including becoming a bishop, what Alysia has done at the school is right there with all of them. With the teachers she has, these kids have left and gone on to success. Being part of that, it’s just been, Wow!”

Smith didn’t even start out with a plan to be an educator. She aspired to become an attorney. Growing up in the Ocean View area of San Diego, excelling at track and field and gymnastics at Point Loma High, she graduated from SDSU with a degree in political science, with an emphasis on criminology and a minor in Spanish. She was working in the probation department

for the county and at UPS, then taking some classes at National University when she met a woman at a food court who asked her if she was studying to be a teacher.

“She said, ‘If you ever consider it, we are looking for African-American teachers to work,’” Smith said. “She was white, and I said to her, ‘I’m not really a teacher’ but she told me to keep her number if I ever decide to substitute teach.”

She said not long after that she started working as a teacher at the Nubua Academy. She met people working in education, including someone who said John T. Walton, son of Walmart founder Sam Walton. John Walton, who lived in San Diego in the 1990s, cofounded the Children’s Scholarship Fund, which provides learning opportunities for economically challenged families.

Walton, who died in a 2005 plane crash at 58 years old, was a backer of charter schools, and his Walton Family Foundation provided starter grants of up to $250,000 for more than 500 charter schools nationwide. One of those grants went to Holly Drive.

After that, Smith said she never looked back with her leadership role at Holly Drive, long having happily given up her earlier plans for a career as a lawyer.

“We have had lots of mountain top experiences, but the truth of the matter is we have had some valley’s too,” Smith said. “But one thing we are is consistent. Every day we show up. The teachers are in. The staff is invested in the community and want to be a stable part of these kids’ lives.”

Stability was definitely one thing Holly Drive graduate Priscilla Ortiz appreciated about her time at the school. Ortiz graduated in 2015 from Holly Drive, and from High Tech High in 2019. She is currently studying political science and sociology at San Diego State and volunteers as a Spanish language interpreter at Cal Western Law School.

“I went to Holly Drive from sixth to eighth grade, after we moved to San Diego from Puerto Rico,” Ortiz said. “I noticed right away how small the class size was – like 30 in our whole sixthgrade class. Where I had come from had hundreds of kids. I really appreciated the fact that the teachers at Holly Drive were able to give us one-on-one attention and time.

“I also enjoyed that the school is very diverse, I felt at home right away. The school shaped a big part of me.”

KARLENE CHAVISSAN DIEGO’S WEATHER EXPERT

By Vince Meehan

Karlene Chavis is the Chief Meteorologist at Channel 8 News in San Diego. While San Diego’s famously moderate weather has nothing on the east coast, we have our own unique weather events that require monitoring. And our weather can create situations that affect things that are far removed from meteorology. Santa Ana winds can blow over power lines that can create wildfires. Winter storms create havoc on the freeways with notoriously bad California drivers. Summer monsoons create flash floods that trap campers. Chavis’ job is to keep San Diegans informed of any weather changes that may impact their area. This means interpreting scientific weather data and putting that information into a context that viewers can understand. This requires the ability to connect with the audience and let them know what is important.

Q: Tell me a little bit about your background, where you grew up and where you went to school?

A: I grew up in Arizona. As a kid, I was always fascinated by the weather and science, but I also had a passion for writing and journalism. Putting my love for science on the back burner, I went to Ari zona State University to study journalism. I wanted to write for newspapers and magazines. One of my instructors, who later became my mentor, suggest ed that I study broadcast journalism. The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Com munications at Arizona State University has a live nightly newscast called Cronkite News. My mentor realized I was always pitching environmental story ideas. He suggested I try my hand at meteorology and the rest is history. I came back from Spring Break early. I literally got off an airplane and rolled my oversized suitcase into the school’s studio, sat in front of the weather computer, and have been studying meteorology for the last 13 years. As a kid, my parents always told me I was going to grow up to be a Meteorologist. Looks like they were right!

Q: Have you had any formal education in Meteorol ogy?

A: I have a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Arizona State Univer sity, and a master’s degree in Geological Sciences from Mississippi State University.

Q: Are the on-air hours difficult for someone in your field?

A: Yes, they are! It is also difficult for people outside of the business to understand. I started my career working on morning newscasts in Palm Springs, California and Miami, Florida. You have to wake up around 2:30/3:00am and be on-air by 4:30am. That was brutal for a couple years. I was never a coffee drinker until this business. Once I became a Chief Meteorologist in San Diego, I had the polar opposite schedule. Now, I am going to bed at the same time I used to wake up. I work from 3:00pm to 11:30pm weeknights. I’ll admit it is a little bit of a struggle towards the latter half of my shift, but caffeine helps!

Q: What do you like about working in San Diego?

A: I will always remember someone saying it is always 75° and sunny here. They thought maybe I would get bored after working in Miami, covering hurricane season and severe thunder storms, almost daily in the summer, for a little over five years. That has definitely not been the case. I like the variety that San Diego offers when it comes to covering four different areas. We have four microclimates (coast, inland, mountains and desert) within our county. It is fascinating to me to see

how wind events like Santa Anas, summertime monsoons and Pacific storm systems in the winter impact each area differently.

Q: Are you recognized outside of the studio, and if so, how is that?

A: Yes. It happens when I am having a night out with friends, running errands, walking my dogs, getting my nails done, grocery shopping and the list goes on and on. It is nice! A lot of San Diegans have welcomed me with open arms. Literally, there have been a lot of hugs! Sometimes people will ask for a picture, and I am more than happy to oblige. I am reminded that my dedica tion to our community and CBS 8 is appreciated. It is always very humbling. I love our viewers!

Q: What is it like working with the Channel 8 News crew?

A: They are awesome! The way this business works, we spend more time with each other than our own families. I love how viewers can tell how close we are too. Our interactions with each other are authentic. We truly are friends, and a few are family.

Q: What are some favorite restaurants here in San Diego?

A: Whew! So many come to mind right now! I love the restaurants here in San Diego! I will give you my top five spots: Cardellino in Mission Hills (in fact all TRUST Restaurant Group spots are amazing), India Palace, Tahini, Buona Forchetta and Surf and Soul Spot.

Q: Are there any sports events you like to attend?

A: I love going to Padres games! I recently went to a Gulls game. After one game, I was hooked!

Q: Is social media an important tool for you and how so?

A: Yes, social media is an important tool. In fact, it has transformed our business. Most people get their news from a social media platform. I post my fore casts on social media, mainly Twitter and Facebook. More importantly, I use social media to get weather alerts out to our viewers, especially in severe weather situations. In this day and age, people are not waiting around to watch the evening news to find out what is going on with the weather. Most of my weather posts are designed to keep our viewers informed and safe.

Q: Do you have a social network with other local Meteorologists?

A: I am friends with other local Meteorologists and Mets across the country. We use social media to bounce ideas off of each other and to show our support for one another. As far as a social network, I am a member of the San Diego Association of Black Journalists.

Q: Where do you see yourself in five years?

A: Whew, I don’t even know where I see myself in five months! If San Diego will continue to have me, I will still be here.

Q: Anything you’d like to say to your Channel 8 News viewers?

A: Thank you for making me feel at home in San Diego!

At a Glance: Karlene Chavis www.CBS8.com Instagram: @misschavisnews8

Channel 8 News Chief Meteorologist Karlene Chavis.

Channel 8 News crew pose in front of their billboard. ( L to R ) Marcella Lee, Carlo Cecchetto, Karlene Chavis, Jesse Pagan.

BY BART MENDOZA © MUSICSCENESD // MUSICSCENESD.COM

Ariel Levine / Singles Going Steady

Artful rocker Ariel Levine has had a busy year. He recently concluded a series of seven singles, with his most recent, out November 22, “Don’t Give Up” / “Time,” combining Kate Bush and Pink Floyd covers. Winner of the 2018 San Diego Music Award for “Song of the Year” with his single, “Sunshine Part 2: On My Color TV,” it’s the start of a new recording cycle for Levine. He already has his next release lined up, another single, “Shake Your Brain Around.”

Musical inspirations? “David Bowie, Talking Heads, Nine Inch Nails, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, Television, Elvis Costello, Danny Elfman, Aimee Mann, Kate Bush, the list goes on...” he said.

Currently based in North Park, Levine has been a San Diego resident for the past decade. “Following a year of jumping around from Chula Vista, sublets in LA, Long Beach, OB, then back to New York, I finally settled here in February 2012,” he said. “I grew up

was desperately seeking. I preferred the pace, the size, the ocean. It felt foreign to me, yet it felt so much like home... and that was more exciting than anything Hollywood had to offer. San Diego is both a major city and a small town, I don’t know how it manages to be both, but somehow it makes sense. Plus, in 2012, it was still super cheap!”

He quickly learned how welcoming San Diego’s music scene is. “It was more of a community than an indus try,” he noted. “Less competition, less phoniness, less territorial pissings. It meant I could let my guard down, ex periment more, get up on stage more, re-learn to love what I do... and make a few bucks in the process.” In his first year here, LevineI toured the country with an SDMA winning band, joined several other working bands, and began engineering at local studios. “I was happy. After a few more years I felt comfortable enough to start writing and performing my own music again, I launched my solo artist career.

As much as he loves San Diego, Levine keeps his options open. “Do I regret not giving LA a fair chance? Ev ery day. Do I still think about taking the leap and moving up there? Abso lutely. But there’s something about San Diego that keeps me from leaving. Every day brings small reminders that I’m still in the right place... for now.”

What inspired a series of singles, ver sus an album? Why seven? Will these be collected or?

“It’s like a concept album spread out over several releases.”

The reasoning for singles versus album was pragmatic. “I have never released a single before this, and I liked the idea of not having the burden of a full-length LP weighing me down,” Levine said. “Singles felt lighter, more freeing. I could have more fun with production, artwork and promo mate rial.”

in NYC, never lived anywhere else as an adult,” he explained. “At that time, it felt as though New York was failing me; both as a place to live a decent life, and as a place to cultivate a music career. I had no other experiences nor means of exploring opportunities, so I left.”

Levine soon headed west, intending to hit the ground running in the Los Angeles music industry. “But I had ties down here,” he continued. “So, I used San Diego as my home-base, toggling back and forth from here to LA. But the more time I spent between the two cities, I began to realize that San Diego just had more of whatever it was that I

“Every few years I quit everything I’m doing musically” Levine said. “When I feel the walls closing in on me, when I see the writing on the wall, when I can smell the stagnation, I know it’s time to shed my skin and start over.” In 2019 Levine retired his songs, broke up his band and publicly announced his latest retirement “in all its melodramatic glory. I needed time to repair large holes in my personal life and my mental health. Still working on that,” he remarked.

“After like, two full weeks of “retire ment”, the first new single just came pouring out of me... and then the second, then the third... I even failed at retirement. Eventually more ideas started to take shape and turn into songs, and together the songs became a series,” Levine said.

The Seven Singles released are a semi-autobiographical tale, chronicling one’s descent into heartbreak and loss, trauma and rage; the varied hi/ lo phases of grief, depression, and the tumultuous path back into the light.

The original plan was for releasing a new song every 2 months, starting in October 2019. “By all accounts, it should have been wrapped by Oct ‘20, a clean year. But Covid-life threw a very long monkey wrench in between the 5th release, “Spider In A Saltshak er”, and the 6th, “Closure Roaches & Ghosts”, which just came out this past Oct ‘22.”

For now, it’s not likely there will be a physical release of these songs. “I would LOVE to release these songs on one unit, I wrote them to flow into each other as an album would. Realistically I don’t see that happening anytime soon, but it was my goal from the start,” Levine stated.

That said, he’s happy to move on to new projects. “Shake Your Brain Around” is a standalone song, not part of The Seven Singles. From here on out it’s a free-for-all,” he said. “My original idea was to release it on December 22, my 40th birthday, with zero warning or pre-promotion... come morning of the 22nd, SURPRISE, a new song. But I’m a little behind schedule, so its release may not be as ceremonious as I had originally dreamed it would be,” he said.

“But that’s ok. My music and I are not beholden to anybody. We are free from deadlines and schedules. I couldn’t give two rats’ asses about what social media dictates as the new norm. I’m going to release what I want, when I want. Following “Shake” I have plans for a double EP; one acoustic and one electronic. Then I’m going to cover an entire Cyndi Lauper album because I feel like it. As well, I am writing new material for a new live band,” Levine commented.

“Time permitting, my 40’s will be the most prolific decade of my life thus far... time permitting,” he said.

Swive / New Sounds!

Barely a year old, Swive has quickly drawn notice in San Diego’s arts community. Comprised of a quartet of music scene veterans; Indio Romero (guitar/vocals/ Lightning Starts Fire, Subspecies), Sid Merritt (guitar/vocals/ Weenie Roast, Throw Like A Girl, the Rarebit Fiends), Mike San tos (bass / Lucy’s Fur Coat, Seabase, Midnight Rivals) and Charlie Brownell (drums / Scary Pierre, The Nephews, Creepxotica, Buzzkill Romantics). Swive recently released the four-song Earthling Sessions EP on BandCamp, with work on a full album underway.

“We just finished a five-day recording stint at Singing Serpent studio with Ben Moore engineering and Johnny Hickman (guitarist for Cracker) producing,” Meritt said. “I think it is going to be a good record; I’m really excited about what we’ve done so far.”

You can hear some of the songs live when Swive plays on December 4 at Navajo Live on a bill with Super Buffet and The Scott Samuels Band.

While Swive is certainly a rock band, they have two distinct main songwriters in Romero and Merritt, giving their music more facets. “(We write songs) then we bring them to the band, where we arrange them and add parts. Everyone adds their own spin, and the songs become Swive songs. Some of the songs are ones that Indio or I have written in the past, but they get changed by the other members and become Swivestyle. Describing Swive’s music? That’s always a hard

one. It comes from two fairly different song writers, one female/one male, one older/one younger. I think that lends to an interesting array of perspectives and styles. We both sing separately, and we also harmonize together, so the vocals vary. Our guitar playing is also fairly divergent. I think we’re best categorized as alternative rock.”

For her part, Merritt’s songwriting inspi ration ranges from “relationship highs/lows to interesting science information to various inquietudes/injustices.” Bands that have influ enced her musically include the Sun City Girls, the Meat Puppets, the Minutemen, Camper Van Beethoven, Sleater-Kinney, the Pixies, Bar bara Manning, Built to Spill and Elliott Smith. “And hundreds more I’m sure,” she said. “What drew me to music: when I was seven, the girl I absolutely worshipped, Judy Rettelle, started playing clarinet, so I did also. When I was a teen, I started to go to shows, with my fake ID, in Phoenix, and that’s where I saw the Sun City Girls, the Meat Puppets, and bands coming through town on tour.” Her introduction to guitar came via a friend. “My friend Nick Schultz gave me some guitar les sons, taught me several Meat Puppets songs and sold me a ‘59 Les Paul Jr.” A chance meeting with a music legend also helped her early on. “I managed to get backstage at an Oingo Boingo show when I was 18 in Phoenix, and wrangled a guitar lesson from Danny Elfman,” Merritt said. “I told him my plan was to start an all-girl ska band. He

showed me bar chords on his white stratocaster and was so kind and helpful. I felt that he listened to me and took me seriously. What a nice guy.”

Look for new music and some road work from Swive in 2023. “We are hoping to finish our album by January,” Merritt said. “Then pressing the album will probably take a few months. If our album does well enough to break even, or even if it doesn’t, I hope we will be back in the studio next year as well. Meanwhile, we’ll be playing local shows.” She notes a long tour is unlikely, “but we are plan ning to play the International Pop Overthrow Festival in Liverpool England at the Cavern Club in May of 2023, and we may try to do a short European tour at that time.”

What’s Merritt’s favorite thing about being a musi cian? “All of it!” she said. “I love inventing songs, com ing up with guitar parts and lyrics, playing guitar and singing, band practice where we figure out arrangements and perfect songs, loud crunchy chords, feedback, hang ing out with my band mates, being on stage, planning out shows, and most of all, being in the recording stu dio,” Merritt remarked.

www.facebook.com/Swivetheband

Tom Waits & Napoleone’s Pizza House / A Slice of History

Over the past century, there have been many great stories to emerge from San Diego’s music community, but alas little re mains today of the actual locations except the physical street address and sometimes, not even that. One iconic performer whose roots can still be tied to an ongoing San Diego concern, is troubadour Tom Waits.

He resided locally from 1959 to 1971, a mainstay of area cof feehouses and music venues, before heading off to Los Angeles on a path that’s seen him find major success as both a musician and as an actor. Waits time in San Diego would be incredibly important in his development as an artist. It was a time to hone his musical abilities and work on his songcraft. And it was also when he first observed much of what he would go on to write about in his music.

Pretty much all of the old haunts have disappeared in the ensu ing fifty years. But one noted location from Waits formative years is still going strong, Napoleone’s Pizza House. Waits worked there from 1963 to 1968, handling a little of everything in his tenure, from washing dishes to actually making pizzas.

The experience clearly made an impact. Waits 1975 album, The Heart of Saturday Night, includes several tunes now considered standards, including, “San Diego Serenade.” However, more spe cific is “The Ghosts Of Saturday Night (After Hours At Napoleone’s Pizza House),” a song full of observational lyr ics that fully detail what it must have been like at 619 National City Blvd, on a late weekend night in 1967.

Even without the Tom Waits connec tion, Napoleone’s Pizza House is a treasure.

Now in its sixth decade, there’s always great food and a great time guaranteed whenever

someone stops in. But for music fans around the world, that connection with Waits makes the restaurant extra special, a rare case where you can actually visit and experience something, pretty much just as a young music legend once did.

Concerts Top 5

November 26 – A SoCal Tribute To Chicago

/ Navajo Live, Lake Murray. 8 p.m. This show marks the debut of a new Chica go tribute group featuring acclaimed musi cian Jonny Tarr , as well as bassist Ken Dow and saxophonist Troy Jennings . Opening the show is Linda Ronstadt tribute, Love Is A Rose

November 27 – Paul Cowie Memorial / Tio Leo’s, Bay Park. 1 – 4 p.m.

A celebration of the life of Paul Cowie, co-founder of the King Biscuit Blues Band, cov ered by Rosie Flores. It’s an alumni show with many of the musicians who played and jammed with this popular band over the decades taking part.

December 6 – Loretta Lynn Revue / Belly Up Tavern, Encinitas. 8 p.m.

A tribute to the late Queen of country music featuring award winning artist, Sara Petite and friends including Nena Anderson, Alice Wal lace, Chloe Lou and Corbin Turner of The Farmers

December 18 - Roni Lee Rocks Christmas / Rock and Roll San Diego, Midway. 5 p.m.

The 10th annual all-star rock ‘n’ roll Christmas party, which also includes Laurie Beebe Lewis & The Electric Underground, Calamity, Jeff Berkley & The Banned, Ophelia Vibe, 8Five8, The Flutterbyes and True Stories with Mark DeCerbo

December 20 - Joshua Taylor / The Casbah, Midtown. 8:30 p.m.

A special release show for his new album, Unscene. Jeff Berkley & The Banned, Jonny Tarr open the show

New Releases

San Diego Music News

There’s still time to submit your music and videos for the 2023 San Diego Music Awards! You can register your tracks online, it’s fast, easy and free, but you only have until December 31. The awards will take place on Tuesday April 25 at Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay. www.sandiegomusicawards.com/submissions

On October 6, Billy Joel played a surprise pri vate concert at the Rady Shell, playing twenty tunes, including two encores, covers of ZZ Top’s “Tush” and The Beatles “A Hard Days Night.” The occasion was the annual Freightliners din ner at the American Trucking Associations’ 2022 Management Conference & Exhibition, which took place at the SDCC. Country star Walker Hayes closed out the convention in the centers Sails Pavilion

The Loons have released a new 7” vinyl EP of covers, via Norway’s Back to Beat Records. The band plays storming versions of the 13th Floor

Singer Bri Schillings has a new single with her band, Sweet Imperfections. “I am starting a two-year project, releasing one single a month for the duration - 24 songs, 2 years,” she said. First out is “Wings,” with accompanying video. “(It features) six free-divers. My partner Bran don and I went to the coast of Catalina Island and jumped into the 50 degree ocean water for this video and we couldn’t have been happier.”

Tongue in cheek rockers, The Spice Pistols, will have all-star drummer Dave Klein (Agent Orange, The Bomboras, The Seeds etc.) guesting on drums for their upcoming Pacific Records debut. Meanwhile, legendary animator / com ics artist Scott Shaw! (The Flintstones, The Simpsons, Sonic the Hedgehog etc. etc. etc.) will provide the cover art, as well as design cartoon characters of each individual Spice Pistol.

Six String Society’s great run of shows contin ues with the return of the Mardi Gras Cruise on March 4. 2023. This time out the scenic boat ride will feature The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, Whit ney Shay, Euphoria Brass Band, Lady Dottie and the Diamonds, Zydeco Mudbugs and The Sue Palmer Motel Swing Orchestra. Plus, Rob in Henkel and Ben Powell the top deck.

New for this holiday season is a compilation from Pacific Records, the appropriately titled album, A Pacific Records Christmas. Artists fea tured include Laurie Beebe Lewis, The Tour maliners and Audrey Callahan.

Blink-182’s reunion tour has added dates in the U.S. and Australia, including a second night at Pechanga Arena. They will now play June 19 – 20, 2023, with the latter already sold out. Meanwhile, timed for the Blink-182 reunion, Cleopatra has just released a new single from The Dickies, “Blink-183.” The tune is a two decades old outtake, now backed with another unreleased vintage track, this time a version of Elvis Costello’s “Clean Money.”

Music fans aboard the recent Outlaw Country Cruise got a major bonus on November 7, with the surprise reunion of Country Dick Mon tana’s Pleasure Barons! Musicians gathered on stage in honor of the late Country Dick included Joey Harris, Jerry Raney, Mojo Nixon, John Doe, Dave Alvin and Rosie Flores

Marie Haddad recently released a cover of Cher’s “Dark Lady.” Even better news is that she’s started work on a new solo album. Meanwhile, Haddad also plays keyboards with Kate Bush trib ute group, Baby Bushka, who close out the year with two shows: December 16 at the Music Box and December 17 at Zebulon in Los Angeles.

Singer Rebecca Jade will be part of this year’s Dave Koz and Friends 25th Anniversary Christ mas Tour. The road trip kicks off on November 25 in Atlanta, Georgia, wrapping up on Decem ber 23 in Modesto, with a hometown stop on December 15 at the Balboa Theatre.

Elevators’ “Splash 1”, The Unrelated Segments’ “Cry, Cry, Cry”, The Bush’s “Feeling Sad and Lonely” and The Second Helping’s “Let Me In”. The band is currently working on new music at Earthling Studios with Mike Kamoo.

Congrats to Jason Mraz who earlier this month scored an RIAA Platinum single for “The Remedy” AND a Gold single for “You and I Both.” Both were originally released in 2003.

Pianist extraordinaire Sue Palmer is rereleas ing her 2021 album, Movin Along, on vinyl, and fans will be thrilled to know it’s being append ed with three bonus tracks! Recorded with her Motel Swing Orchestra, the album took home the prize for “Best Local Recording” at the 2022 San Diego Music Awards. The updated edition features two new songs recorded at Thunderbird studio, just before it closed: a live version of “Swango,” with Liz Ajuzie on vocals in French and a live version of “My Favorite Things,” with just Palmer, Ajuzie and Laura Chavez. “The third one is a reissue of my original song, “Killer Tiki Boogie,” with David Mosby on lead vocals and Candye Kane on backups. That was record ed about ten years ago, on an album called In the Green Room,” said Palmer. There will be a listening party for the album on December 20 at the Til Two Club, from 6 – 9 p.m.

Pierce the Veil’s next album, Jaws of Life, is out on February 10, 2023. A new video for the first single, “Emergency Contact,” is just out.

P.O.D. is on tour through December 23 when the road trip wraps up with a show at the House of Blues

Switchfoot’s next Bro-Am is set for June 17, 2023, from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Moonlight Beach in Encinitas. In the meantime, the band has released their first holiday themed album, This Is Our Christmas Album, with the first single, “California Christmas.” The band heads out on their This Is Our Christmas Tour to promote the album later this month opening in Knoxville, TN on Novem ber 26 and closing in Mesa, AZ on December 18

The Tourmaliners annual Surfin’ Christmas Party will take place on December 20 at Tio Leo’s. This year the show doubles as a CD release event for their new album, Surfidia. Opening the show will be their Pacific Records label mates, Slack Key Ohana, and the Alter Billies. Music Scene SD editor Bart Mendoza will host this event.

The latest issue of top music mag, Ugly Things, #61 is set to feature articles on The Ma gicians, Jefferson Airplane, Lou Reed and more.

Music icon Roger Waters has released a new version of the Pink Floyd classic, “Comfortably Numb” - should be in parentheses. The track marks keyboardist Robert Walter (Greyboy All stars) first recording released since joining Waters touring backing group.

Seawall

has a

at Won derland

other Wednesday 4:30-7 p.m. (including Dec 7 & 21, etc.) Mean-

Classical music fans will enjoy the new album from cellist Sophie Webber and pianist, Ines Irawati, Roots: Transcriptions of Romantic Works for Cel lo and Piano. Composers featured include Fauré, Schumann, De Falla, and Massenet.

Jonathan Karrant has a new album out for the holiday season, Christmas Wish. Guests on the release include Grammy winning pianist Diane Schuur.

Prophet

residency

Ocean Beach every

while he drops his new EP, Off The Ledge, on December 9 with a release party at The Rabbit Hole.

“NORTH PARK AUTHOR DEBUTS.”

Tom Shess, who founded North Park News in 1993, has published his first novel, Cantina Psalms. Based on Shess’s early career as a San Francisco Examiner reporter and editor in chief of San Francisco Magazine, Cantina Psalms is uncut Bay Area noir with odd crime, characters and catastrophes. Watch falls from grace and the Golden Gate. Available online paperback or e-book at indie giant https://store.bookbaby.com and other major online sites and stores, including paperback at D.G. Wills Bookstore in La Jolla.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Thomas Shess is a former reporter with the San Francisco Examiner and editor in chief of San Francisco Magazine, PSA Magazine and executive editor with San Diego Magazine and San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles Magazine. He is an award-winning prolific freelance writer specializing in travel, food and current and vintage Arts & Crafts and Mid-Century architecture. Together with his wife Phyllis (retired deputy DA), they founded North Park News in 1993 before passing the torch to owners like Gary Shaw, Tim McClain, Bob Page and current publish er/owner Brad Weber. Cantina Psalms is his first novel. www.cantinapsalms.com for an excerpt.

how Hormone Imbalances can affect your sleep cycles, carbohydrate cravings, and fat burning - Why “Counting Calories” doesn’t work for belly fat - Learn the Biggest Mistake that people make with Exercise that prevents weight lossWHAT REALLY WORKS for permanent loss of belly fat and bulges. Safely. Healthfully! (Yes, this is for you men, too!)

Photo: Phyllis Shess

TOM RICE: AUGUST 15, 1921NOVEMBER 17, 2022

hometown Coronado

By Brad Willis

He was just a small town boy… destined to become a hometown hero, a national hero, an international hero, and a man still going strong as he celebrated his 100th birthday.

Heroes. They are often the most ordinary of people doing extraordinary things in times of crisis. They step into harm’s way, even put their own lives at risk, for the greater good of others. They act without thought of rec ognition or reward, simply because it’s the right thing to do. As Joseph Campbell, author of A Hero’s Journey, puts it, “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.”

This was Tom Rice… and then some. Born in Coro nado on August 15, 1921, Tom’s life was fairly typical for a small, sunny, quaint community. He went to pub lic school and was one of the first lifeguards at our local

beach. But historic events were calling young Tom’s generation into action and, after graduating high school in 1940, he joined the Army as WWII was underway with America on the brink of joining the conflict.

Following rigorous training, Tom became a member of the 101st Airborne Division and would command a small paratrooper combat group.

His unit deployed in 1944, and on June 6, shortly after midnight, in terrible weather, they were dropped into Normandy on D-Day.

Tom’s plane came under heavy German anti-aircraft fire just before he jumped. As the pilot maneuvered, flying too fast and low, Tom became hung up on the door of the plane and slammed into the fuselage.

Somehow, he managed to free himself, open his parachute and land safely. He eventually reunited with his unit and fought for weeks as the allies sought to liberate France. During skirmishes with the Nazis he was wounded by shrapnel and a sniper bullet that struck his left knee.

In the fall of 1944, Tom took part in Operation Market Garden, an Allied military campaign in the Netherlands designed to establish an invasion route into northern Germany. That winter he was wounded again, this time fighting in the Battle of the Bulge in Bastogne, when enemy bullets tore a four-inch piece off the radial bone just below his right elbow. In 1945, Tom was in Germany when the 101st Paratroopers unit captured the “Eagle’s Nest” on Kehl stein Mountain in the Bavarian Alps where Hitler had planned his conquest of Europe.

On May 7, 1945, the Germans surrendered. Tom was honorably discharged in 1946, and subsequent ly awarded numerous military honors including a Purple Heart with two Oak Leaf Clusters, two Invasion Arrows, a Combat Infantry Badge, a Bronze Star with Cluster, a Good Conduct Medal, a French Fourregue (a decoration instituted by Napoleon I for units which distinguished themselves in battle), a Belgium Lanyard (awarded to American units who fought with distin guished service in the liberation of Belgium in WWII) and a Parachutist Badge (a military badge of the US Armed Forces also commonly referred to as “Jump Wings”).

In April 2015, the French government honored Tom and thirteen other veterans by appointing them Knights of the Legion of Honor for their heroic service in the liberation of France during WWII. This is the highest honor that France grants to citizens and foreigners.

Tom kept a souvenir from the capture of the Eagle’s Nest in the Bavarian Alps: A copy of Adolf Hitler’s auto biographical manifesto, Mein Kampf.

After being honorably discharged, Tom returned to live in his family home in Coronado, went on to graduate from San Diego State University, fathered five children, and taught social studies and history in San Diego for 44 years. Tom continued to participate in commemorations of D-Day and the Battle of Norman dy. He also wasn’t about to stop jumping out of planes. At age 97, he parachuted in tandem near his original landing spot in France during celebrations of the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

From a

lifeguard to a WWII Paratrooper who jumped into Normandy on D-Day and became an American Hero who inspired millions.

Photo by Jeff Rease, WWII Veterans Portraits of Honor Project

Images provided by Christophe Dugas, Team Tom

Tom Rice at his Coronado home January 14, 2022. Photos by Brad Willis

D-Day Veteran Tom Rice Freedom Rings

WWII Paratrooper Tom Rice’s 100th Birthday Jump

SCAN CODES TO SEE VIDEOS OF TOM RICE

I met Tom in Coronado while doing a story on a documentary on Tom’s Normandy jump premiering at our local theater. It was the work of CJ Machado, an advocate for patriots, an author, filmmaker and adventurer (she even jumped herself at the Normandy remem brance).

Like everyone else, I was immediately taken with Tom. Despite my former career as a foreign correspondent, which included being on the front lines of wars, conflicts and insurrections, I had never met such a humble, resilient and inspirational leader. Here was a hometown hero, a national hero, an international hero, and a man still going strong as he approached a full century of life.

On June 6, 2021, the 77th anniversary of D-Day, Liberty Bells were rung in remembrance starting in Normandy and spreading around the world.

I was with Tom onboard the U.S.S. Midway in San Diego as he rang the ship’s bell, chanting “never forget, never forget”.

I would soon become an informal member of “Team Tom,” and help facilitate a special event on August 15, 2021, the day Tom Rice turned 100 years old. His plan was to jump into Normandy again, but the pandemic prevented international travel. Undaunt ed, Tom celebrated his centennial birthday by boarding the Com memorative Air Force’s C-53D D-Day Doll and parachuting onto

the beach at the Hotel del Coronado as thousands cheered him on.

Tom’s 100th birthday jump was a spectacular and unforgettable event. It brought our community to gether during the pandemic just as many were feeling isolated, alienated and divided. I’ll never forget how awestruck we all were as he floated down through the sky towards the soft sand of the beach, his landing area secured by retired Navy SEALs. The crowd cheer ing and singing happy birthday as he touched down.

Children’s eyes were open wide with awe, knowing in their own way that here was someone special, some surely dreaming that one day they might do great things themselves.

Tom reminded us that if we dig down deeply enough we might just find something within ourselves we didn’t know was there. One day, in the near or distant future, one of us might step far beyond our perceived boundaries and perform a heroic act of our own, little realizing that our actions were prompted, in part, by a flame ignited in our hearts on the day we cheered as WWII Paratrooper Tom Rice celebrated his 100th birthday by parachuting down from the D-Day Doll. This is what heroes do. They inspire us. Bring us together. Show us what’s possible. This was Tom Rice. Patriot. Hometown Hero. Humble, resilient and inspi rational. A man whose remarkable life will be remem bered and honored by millions of people around the world. All of us blessed enough to have known Tom Rice will surely hold him in our hearts forever.

NOTE: Tom’s 100th birthday jump would not have hap pened without the sustained efforts of so many, most notably CJ Machado of Operation Call to Service, Christophe Dugas of Team Tom, parachutist Art Shaffer of Skydive Palatka, Honor Flight San Diego, WWII Living History Paratroopers, “Be yond The Teams” prior Navy SEALs, the Hotel del Coronado, Discover Coronado, City of Coronado and Tom Jones - CEO of Seaborne Cocktails.

A young girl watches Tom Rice parachuting onto the Coronado beach. Image by Laura Plumb

MISSION TRAILS REGIONAL PARK

By M. Gibson, Trail Guide

One of Mission Trail Regional Park’s most prolific bloomers, broom baccharis (Baccharis sarothroides), also known as desert broom, makes a showy appearance in the fall. We see a forest of these large bushy plants edging the Visitor Center Trail and throughout the coastal sage scrub habitats. They provide late-year nectar for insects, plentiful ground cover for small animals, and nesting material for birds. They help to stabilize soils and the deep tap root helps to break up hard soil.

When in bloom, close observation reveals it is dioecious (having male and female flowers on separate plants), as the two flowers look quite differ ent. My observation is that the small male flowers open first. A member of the Asteraceae (sunflower) family, the male, or staminate, flower heads lack rays but have a cluster of disk flowers that look like many tiny petals surrounding pale yellow pollen on sta mens. The females, just prior to open ing, look like tiny white paint brushes. Later, the female heads look like fluffy cotton. Pollination is by insects and the wind. The great purple hairstreak but terfly (Atlides halesus) especially favors broom and is frequently seen around the bushes.

Broom baccharis thrives in dis turbed and dry soil, is considered a “pioneer” plant (first to fill in vacant land) and is considered invasive near landscaped areas. At maturation the seeds on the female plants are attached to silky fluff making the bushes look like they are covered in feather down. The thousands of tiny seeds are carried on the wind every

where without regard to anyone’s determination that they stay in one area. It was interesting to me that I found the most mention of the inva siveness problem on Arizona web sites, perhaps it is more of a problem in that state when they attempt to use it as a landscape plant. Removal of a well-established mature plant takes extreme measures. The actively growing plant should be sawn off to stump level and immediately saturat ed with environmentally safe herbi cide so it will filter down the tap root. It is this tenaciousness that gives us our dense broom forests in MTRP.

Broom baccharis is not a plant used extensively by the Kumeyaay for medicinal reasons, but mostly to sweep, as bedding, and as cover on their ‘ewaa if nothing else was avail able. The Seri indigenous people of Sonora made a decoction by boiling the twigs. The drink or wash was used for colds, aches, and sore muscles. Ongoing, modern studies, on other compounds found in the plant, such as flavonoid, cite minimal effects as cures. Broom baccharis is often blamed for allergies when the seeds fly, but there is no pollen present when the seeds are airborne. Rag

weed often blooms at the same time and is more likely the cause.

Enjoy these beautiful blooms while they’re here as they only last about a month. See if you can find the male and female flowers on separate bushes.

THE SMALL WORLD OF MTRP: TEXAS STRIPED SWEAT BEE

By Patricia Simpson, Trail Guide

The Texas Striped Sweat Bee (Agapostemon texanus) is one of the most common native bees in San Diego County and can be seen year-round. That said, its smaller size (about half that of a honey bee) means it isn’t being noticed by everyone. For shame because their bright green metallic colors are just stunning!

Before I go on, let’s address the elephant in the room. Why are they called ‘sweat’ bees? Do bees sweat? If so, do they use deodor ant? Maybe they don’t need to since they hang on nice smelling flowers all day. Okay, enough of the nonsense, here is the dirt: bees do not sweat, yet they are occasionally attracted to human sweat! Why? They simply like to supplement their diet with moisture and salt. I have been around A LOT of sweat bees and have only experienced this interaction once, so don’t be wary about them landing on you after a jog through our beautiful Mission Trails Regional Park trails. It most likely will never happen.

Male and female Texas Striped Sweat Bees are easy to tell apart: females are all green, while males sport black and yellow bands on

their abdomen, as in our observa tion seen at https://www.inaturalist. org/observations/64999010 by park volunteer Brian Wright.

There are other species of Striped Sweat Bees (genus Agapos temon) that are very similar and hard to tell from A. texanus. For example, if you ever see a sweat bee with a striped abdomen and pollen balls on the hind legs, you are indeed looking at a different, but extremely similar species: the Honey-tailed Striped Sweat

Bee (Agapostemon melliventris).

Females of A melliventris also have a black and yellow striped abdomen and since male bees do not collect pollen, that’s one way to tell these two related species apart.

Texas Striped Sweat Bees are gen eralists, which means they are not too picky about what flowers they forage on. That’s one reason they are found just about everywhere in San Diego County, except in the desert areas. You might even find

them in your yard. However, since they are ground nesters, they need access to undisturbed soil. Like most bees, Agapostemon texanus is a solitary species. This means a female will not share her nest with another bee, and although it is en tirely possible another female will nest nearby, the tunnels from the two nests will not connect. A nest consists of one main tunnel with several narrower branching tunnels ending in a single cell. The female will deposit an egg and food for a larva in each of these cells and then seal them up. When the egg hatch es, the larva will consume the food (a ball of pollen/nectar), pupate, and emerge as an adult, usually in the spring. Females have been observed nesting in horizontal soil as well as vertical cliffs.

Meanwhile, males have been spotted in “slumber parties”. They will sometimes congregate on one branch or leaf and rest together through the night. However, they seem to be unaware that much fun could be added with some facials, movies, and pillow fights. Here is a video (https://youtu. be/99LhmtLeoeY) with both male and female foraging on Chaparral Bushmallow at Cabrillo National Monument. Enjoy!