2019 Five Star Professional Award for the Fifth Year
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(619) 564-6355 Point Loma Branch 4980 North Harbor Drive, Suite 203 San Diego, CA 92106 DRE #01883404
FRIDAY, AUGUST 2019 FRIDAY, DEC. 20, 16, 2019
San DiegoCommunity CommunityNewspaper NewspaperGroup Group San Diego
EMOTIONAL ‘May the best day of yourMEMORIAL past be the worst day of yourMovement future’
INSIDE INSIDE
HEALTH & HAPPINESS THIS NEW YEAR for cleaner OB streets BY DAVE SCHWAB | THE BEACON
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Readers Choice Awardsprep Point Loma Pointers for for bestseason restaurants opener SEE SECTION INSIDE SEE PAGE 11
Melinda White (left) embraces an emotional Eva King during the memorial at Sunset Cliffs for Mike White, a well-known angler and surfboard shaper who grew up on Ladera Street. Melinda, Mike’s sister, helped organize the memorial and paddle out where dozens of friends and family, including King, who was a life-long friend and former girlfriend, came out to celebrate Mike’s life on Sunday, Aug. 11. ‘Sunset Cliffs was THOMAS MELVILLE / PENINSULA BEACON his world and his playground,’ said Melinda. ‘He loved it here.’ See page 10 for the story.
A double rainbow straddled the Ocean Beach Pier earlier this month after a rainstorm.
Miss Match Ocean Beachcelebrates mom-preneur 10 years in Ocean Beach leads Sexy Mama Movement SEE 8 13 SEEPAGE PAGE
SEE PAGE 18 SEE PAGE 6
SEE CLEAN, Page 7
Identity thief takes name of Point Loma toddler who died in 1957 was an especially sophisticated and devious Longtime Ocean ‘This Beach surfboard shaper trying to rebuild after fire fraud that victimized U.S. taxpayers for decades By Neal Putnam | The Beacon
The name of a toddler who died DAVEa SCHWAB HE BEACON in 1957BYin traffic| Taccident on Rosecrans Street has surfaced in a B surfboard maker recent identity theft case with the Albert “Ace” Elliott lost imposter sentenced to 30 months much of what he’s in federal prison. acquired, Lyle Keithincluding Lindsey, 1,50-year-old was killed memorabilia, when byirreplaceable a car on Jan. 16, 1957, and he was his shaping on Froude Street buried at Fortshed Rosecrans National near Saratoga Avenue caught fire Cemetery. A federal agent investion Aug. gating the6.identity theft visited his Elliott’s workspace was full of grave, according to court records. old photos ofLindsey, friends Hisboards father,and Kenneth madedied custom boardsand for. his a he’d veteran, in 1999, “I saw myLindsey, bike wasdied on fire my mother, Lela in in 2016 backyard andburied I tried tobeside put it out,” and they are each said at Elliott, who’s beenaccording riding eother Fort Rosecrans, bikes for years. “I picked up a fire
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Son-father coaching tandem Best local restaurants for Pointers basketball for sunset dining
esidents are being asked to sign a petition on Ocean Beach’s Neighborhood Watch Facebook page to take action to “help to keep our sidewalks clean ensuring a healthier environment for everyone.” “One complaint that is often heard about the downtown area of Ocean Beach is how dirty, stained, and smelly the sidewalks are,” the online petition reads. “The OB Clean & Safe Program, a project of the Ocean Beach MainStreet Association, is looking to change that by applying for funding to provide bi-monthly cleanings of Newport Avenue sidewalks, in addition to installing additional trashJIM bins along the street. GRANT / PENINSULA BEACON
and forced a family to revisit a traumatic loss.’ ROBERT BREWER, U.S. ATTORNEY
to findagrave.com. A man from Senegal fraudulently assumed the toddler’s identity in 1988 and obtained $84,033 in government grants and loans. The imposter’s true name, Almamy Baba Ly, 65, was ordered to pay $84,033 back to the U.S. Department of Education and $4,518 in food stamps to San Diego County by U.S. District Court Judge Anthony Battaglia on Dec. 9.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Hill recommended a 2 1/2 year prison term while Ly’s attorney, Jeremy Delicino, sought an 18-month sentence. “This prison sentence sends a message to those who commit fraud and identity theft: there will be consequences, and your crimes will not go unpunished,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer after the sentencing. “This was an especially
The charred remains of Albert ‘Ace’ Elliott’s shaping shed in OB. SCOTT HOPKINS / PENINSULA BEACON
sophisticated and devious fraud that victimized U.S. taxpayers for decades and forced a family to repulledsaid theBrewer. plug, hit visitextinguisher, a traumatic loss,” the fire — and it exploded. It just “Finding out that someone is blew up in my face, like little committing crimes in the nameshotof gun shells going off.” a child who was lost many years “It was a nightmare,” added ago brings unacceptable anxiety to Elliott of his loss. “It was my little his survivors,” said Brewer. go-back-in-time sanctuary. It’s not The toddler is survived by a sister dollar thing.” andashe assisted the U.S. Attorney’s the OB fire station officeFortunately, and Homeland Security inwas just around the corner vestigations, court records say. and they cameguilty and put it outcounts sparing Ly pleaded to three damage toproduction the main residence. of unlawful of identififire] took allreceiving my boards cation“[The documents and tools, got mymoney. truck and andand concealing public camper,” noted Elliott. SEE IDENTITY, Page 6 SEE FIRE, Page 5