THREE DECADES OF DEALS
www.SDNEWS.com Volume 25, Number 20
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2010
San Diego Community Newspaper Group
Local sewer, water lines undergo $30M upgrade
Kobey’s: wheeling and dealing under the sun for 30 years
BY KEVIN MCKAY | THE BEACON More than 12 miles of decadesold concrete sewer pipes and about 10 miles of fragile, deteriorating cast-iron water pipes in Point Loma are being targeted by a $30 million replacement project by the city. The improvements, which will be broken out in staggered segments through October 2011 to minimize inconvenience to residents and motorists, are intended to reduce the risk of sewer main spills and watermain breaks in the community, according to Ana Maria Rojas, public information officer for the city’s Engineering and Capital Projects Department. Rojas said 13 total sewer and water-main replacement projects are slated — some currently in con-
City crews install a sewer manhole base in the alley between Centraloma and Bernice drives as part of a $30 million sewer and water-main replacement project in Point Loma and parts of Ocean Beach. Work is expected to continue COURTESY PHOTO through October 2011.
SEE PIPES, Page 4 An aerial view of Kobey’s Swap Meet, the huge outdoor market that is celebrating 30 years of bargain-hunting in the parking lot of the San Diego Sports Arena in Point Loma. From a humble beginning with about 30 vendors three decades ago, the swap meet today averages between COURTESY PHOTO 600 and 1,000 vendors who cater to an average of 10,000 to 15,000 shoppers Fridays through Sundays every week.
BY JOSEPH GREENBERG | THE BEACON Kobey’s Swap Meet, the hustling, bustling outdoor market where customers can snare a caged canary, snap up hard-to-find church pews or Vietnam War artifacts and drool over countless knick-knacks and collectibles, continues to flex its collective muscles at the San Diego Sports Arena after 30 years of bargain-basement deals. The sprawling swap meet has been a family-run affair since its inception, and offers up a feeding frenzy of consumerism where bargain-seekers stalk, treasure hunters pan and vendors earn livings while performing feats of salesmanship on an asphalt stage seen by SEE KOBY’S, Page 21
Planning board to give Liberty Station growth plan closer look BY ANTHONY GENTILE | THE BEACON
Kobey’s Swap Meet has been tantalizing shoppers with deals for 30 years outside the San Diego Sports Arena, drawing long lines of bargain hunters like these, seen in a historic phoCOURTESY PHOTO tograph from the late 1970s.
The Peninsula Community Planning Board (PCPB) is taking a closer look at proposed changes to the potentially volatile NTC Precise Plan — the document governing growth and alterations at Liberty Station — before formally sharing its thoughts. At the Sept. 16 PCPB meeting, the board’s NTC Precise Plan Subcommittee presented a summary of public comments gathered at a community meeting held in August. Representatives from Corky McMillan Cos. originally presented the pro-
posed changes to the NTC Precise Plan at the July PCPB meeting. The presentation included three amendments to building uses contained in the precise plan. The first proposed amendment includes the expansion of the types of uses for the historical district buildings located at the north end of Liberty Station. Those buildings are currently reserved for visitor and community uses. The second proposed change involves demolishing the Liberty StaSEE PCPB, Page 3
Day of Discovery
Cabrillo Festival to dig into city’s historical roots BY ANTHONY GENTILE | THE BEACON A Spanish fleet is sailing into Ballast Point this weekend to claim the Peninsula for its queen and king. Point Loma is not exactly under siege, though. It’s just a reenactment of a 468-year-old scene commemorating local history during the 47th annual Cabrillo Festival on Sept. 25-26. “The Cabrillo Festival is nations coming together that were associated with the first European coming to the West Coast and, basically, the birth of the city of San Diego,” said Idalmiro Manuel da
Rosa, Cabrillo Festival vice president. Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo was a 16thcentury Portuguese navigator working for the King of Spain who was sent on a mission to the West. When Cabrillo landed in Point Loma on Sept. 28, 1542, he originally named the area San Miguel in honor of St. Michael’s Day, which was to be celebrated the next day. “Back in those days, there were a lot of navigators who worked for both countries [Portugal and Spain], based on their experience,” da Rosa said. “It is believed that Cabrillo was a Portuguese navigator who went to work for the king of Spain
and came to the western side of the United States.” Shortly after he left what would become San Diego, Cabrillo died of an infection on the islands outside Santa Barbara. In honor of his discovery of the West Coast, Sept. 28 is recognized as Cabrillo Day in California. The local festival will be held over two days at Cabrillo National Monument and Ballast Point, which is located on Naval Base Point Loma. It will feature a host of events on both days, with Saturday’s lineup centered on Cabrillo National SEE CABRILLO, Page 3 Costumed volunteers share history with eager visitors during a past Cabrillo Festival in Point Loma. This year’s festival is Sept. 25-26.
PHOTO BY MARIA EPSTEN I THE BEACON
E R S Beacon Readers Choice 2010 D EA I C E R Point Loma High School tennis standout Carley Cooke H O R D SE S You, the reader, chose the best of the best in C AS E R V I C retail and services in Point Loma and Ocean will help lead the Lady Pointers in the quest to / AW L AI
Credit where credit is due
Taking aim at Eastern League title
Point Loma Nazarene University honors individuals and firms who make a major difference in the region. 9
dethrone reigning league champions Patrick Henry. 11
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