$25 off DOWNTOWN’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER San Diego Community Newspaper Group JANUARY 2012
San Diego experienced an unprecedented citywide blackout on Sept. 8. DON BALCH
Initial Cleaning New Customers Only
www.SDNEWS.com Volume 13, Number 1
Occupy San Diego protesters have made their presence known in Civic Center Plaza since the beginning of October. PAUL HANSEN
America’s Cup returned to San Diego in November after a nine-year hiatus. PAUL HANSEN
Hello to 2012 Will Irwin Jacobs move ahead with the Plaza de Panama plan or will park preservationists stand in the way? PAUL HANSEN
Will an overhauled Convention Center really bring the promised economic growth to downtown? COURTESY
Will San Diego finally have an iconic structure to call its own with the “Wings of Freedom” installation? COURTESY
New state laws grow teeth Business owner, nonprofit founder Changes abound for smokers, gun fans, workers, bullies and motorists BY PATRICIA WALSH | DOWNTOWN NEWS Fasten your seats belts (properly) and leave those unloaded handguns at home. A slew of new state laws that took effect Jan. 1 are sure to make life’s ride a little more interesting in 2012. What’s in: recycling for renters and revised standards for use of car seats for children. What’s out: smoking for renters, open carry of unloaded handguns and selfservice check out of alcohol at retail stores. In the realm of technology, out-ofstate online businesses will be subject to a California use tax, and digital readers won’t have to worry about Big Brother watching. California will also become more equal for all with a gay-bullying law
SB 332 says landlords may prohibit smoking in apartment buildings and other rental properties.
and a gay history law — the first state law of its kind in the nation. Animals are also the source of greater protection, with laws shielding sharks and cracking down on abusive pet owners. Every employer and employee will want to read the fine print of a compendium of new workplace-related laws that will help the world’s eighthlargest economy going for another year. Here’s a look at just some of the new laws for 2012 that took hold Jan. 1.
8 — or who are not yet 4 feet, 9 inches tall — to use a booster seat securely fastened in the back seat of the car. The revised California Child Restraint Law, twice vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in October. It replaces the old law that required children who were CAR SAFETY 6 years old or younger — or who • California has a new booster-seat weighed at least 60 pounds — to be law that requires children younger than SEE LAWS, Page 6
helps nourish a healthy San Diego BY MARIKO LAMB | DOWNTOWN NEWS When Scott Lutwak, owner of Fit San Diego, launched his business in February 2008, he wanted to create much more than just a gym. He wanted to create a new generation of health-minded fitness enthusiasts, and he chose the East Village for his blank canvas, expanding his health-club concept from its beginnings in Houston, Texas. “I took my family on vacation here and fell in love with this city,” said the Chicago native. “I knew when it came time to expand Fit Houston, I would relocate to San Diego. San Diego is considered one of the healthiest cities in America, and I wanted to establish the Fit brand here.” Today, the San Diego location provides members with the opportunity to relax Scott Lutwak brought his successful busiby the pool, take advantage of nutrition- ness model from Houston to downtown’s East Village when he opened Fit San Diego
SEE LUTWAK, Page 8 in 2008.
Courtesy photo