Clairemont times February 2017

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The

Clairemont Times Serving Clairemont, Bay Park, Linda Vista & Kearny Mesa

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News of the Neighborhoods

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LOCAL POSTAL CUSTOMER ECRWSS

FEBRUARY 2017

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Bill Bender - Old Fashioned Success

by Douglas Smith, Lifeguard II SDLG

Bill Bender encapsulates a specific type of individual, a walking representation of both a golden era of lifeguards, and a humble man who rarely boasts about his unique skills and accomplishments. After 35.7 years with the San Diego Lifeguard Service, Bender, a Bay Park resident... is retiring.

Bill is a gifted waterman, an amazing free diver, a champion swimmer and has been involved in thousands of rescues. You would never know any of this though, because he would never tell you. I do not know Bill as well as many, but I was asked by his friend Sergeant Ed Harris to submit something that emulates him on behalf of his closest peers.

Ed Harris,“Yes, Bill has executed so many rescues in his career. The most notable for me was when he saved my life in 1993. Bill and I were free diving in Cabo San Lucas. We made a breath hold dive to 100 feet. On the way up, I did not feel right and had the urge to breathe. As soon as I reached the surface, I passed out...a situation we call ‘Shallow Water Blackout’.

Bill observed me lose consciousness and begin to sink. He was able to grab and bring me back to the surface. If not for his quick actions I surely would have died.”

Bill has worked every station in the service, and is qualified to operate every piece of equipment we have. While this alone is a major accomplishment in itself, those closest to him keep pointing to the numerous swim records he

holds and his unique gift as an expert free diver.

Juan Gonzalez, Dive Team Member and co-worker,“You watch him under water, he has a grace and flow that cannot be taught or learned. He was born with it.”

Ask Bill about his long career, and he answers with his classic smile,“It’s a big blur.” The most true and steadfast illustration of his time as a SEE Bill Bender, page 4

2 • The Clairemont Times • February 2017

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From the Publisher

By Chris O’Connell

Well, we got through a long overdue rainy spell, thank goodness!

Here we are, another month in the books, hopefully, as always you will learn something new as you skim through the following pages. If you are looking for presidential news, or maybe NFL news no dice, consider yourself spared.

It seems the last few months a lot of businesses are closing; the bottle and can redemption center at Clairemont Town Square is no longer in business, now the closest recycling is Miramar Landfill. A longtime advertiser in this paper Clairemont Car Wash has also closed due to, what I am told was a lease issue. The neighborhoods are experiencing some changes it will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Stay tuned.

With that being said this would be a good time to mention to check out our website throughout the course of the month www.ClairemontTimes.com, I try my best to stay current with what is happening around town and update accordingly. If you have questions, feel free to contact me directly (858) 752 9779 or chris@clairemonttimes.com Some sad behind the scenes news to report, five plus years ago I started

this newspaper and to say I was green was an understatement. I thought I had my ducks all lined up and submitted a mockup of the first edition; a couple months prior to the first real print. Shortly after, I was summoned out to El Cajon because the printer “saw some issues” with my first potential edition. The owner of the printing company sat me down and spouted off a bunch of printing terms and graphic design jargon that quite frankly had my head spinning. I was in a bit of shock and he then introduced me to a man sitting at his computer,“this is Greg, and you are going to want to have a nice talk with him about this “newspaper” of yours.”

To say that Greg saved my arse is an understatement because without him, his patience and his graphic design skills this paper would have never gotten off the ground. We worked together for a while and parted ways, sadly I recently received news Greg had passed on. Greg will be missed and his contribution to this paper in its early hectic days will be never be forgotten.

As always, enjoy this edition.

Chris O’Connell, Publisher

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The Clairemont Times • February 2017 • 3

4 • The Clairemont Times • February 2017

Bill Bender Continued from page 1

lifeguard can be drawn by his wife of 36 years, Michelle. She is candid when she says,“Bill mostly didn’t bring the details of his workday home.” Here are some of the sound bites Michelle was able to pry out of her husband throughout his career: • I saved two children from drowning today.

• I was on the news ... again.

• I jumped out of a helicopter.

• Another mass rescue. Everyone survived.

• Recovered underwater crime evidence with The Dive Team.

• Another cliff rescue today.

• Supported The River Rescue Team.

• Fire Boat Training.

• Responded to a fire at Sea World.

• I reunited a lost little girl with her family today. ... and the list goes on.

Michelle also contends,“Bill witnessed, experienced and was a part of the evolution of the San Diego Lifeguard Service into the professional organization that it is today.” She also adds,“The one constant over his career was that everyday Bill would say, ‘I get to go to work today’, as

Art for Sale Beau Britt is a local artist born in 1979 and raised in the Clairemont community of San Diego, CA. His passion for art is rooted from his childhood and prefers to use the medium aerosol (spray paint) for his craft.

He is a born-again Christian and

opposed to, ‘I have to go to work today’. Yes, he is a Lifeguard Sergeant, a member of the Dive/Recovery Team, a Boating Safety Unit Level 3 Boat Operator, and a Field Training Officer for all disciplines...but when you ask Bill what he does for a living, he always responds with pride, ‘I’m a Lifeguard’”.

Congratulations Bill.

August 11th, 2016, 5:00 pm Ocean Beach.

The gun blasts, starting this season’s Lifeguard Relay race, which is our version of “The Company Softball Game”. The Boating Safety Unit rarely puts a team together that is a threat to win, but they have surprisingly taken an early lead on this particular day. I am there to give a somewhat humorous play by play on the radio. The BSU member who is holding first place has completed his leg and walking up the beach. From the observation tower, I am having trouble making out his face.

I radio to my partner on the beach, “Dan, who is that guy who just put the BSU in first place?”

Dan’s reply…. “Dude, it’s BENDER.”

shares his faith tied into some of his pieces. All work custom painted and truly one-of-a-kind with nothing duplicated.

Beau also paints custom murals of large and small on commission basis to meet any needs. He showcases his artwork through Instagram @ipaint2serve and can be reached there or through email at syckmayd_art@yahoo.com

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Mesa’s HIM Junior Class Embarks on Journey to Baccalaureate

by Lauren J. Mapp

As the premier junior class of San Diego Mesa College’s Health Information Management bachelor’s degree program moves into their second semester, the program is accepting applications online until April 27 for the fall of 2017.

One of the first bachelor’s programs offered at a community college in California, Mesa’s HIM program began in fall of 2016, and has been met with great enthusiasm by initial enrollees.

After Gov. Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 850 into law Sept. 28, 2014, which allows community colleges to offer baccalaureate degrees, the San Diego Community College District got to work and put its plan into action.

The first HIM junior class is comprised of 18 full-time pilot program students, all of whom are Mesa alumni from the classes of 2000 through 2016, per HIM Program Director Connie Renda.

The group takes two courses every eight weeks and is on track to be complete their graduation requirements at the end of four semesters. In addition to the HIM courses, students in the Program will also take upper-division course in English, psychology and computer and information sciences.

The requirements for entering the two-year Program include already having a Registered Health Information Technician certification.

Those who graduate with the bachelor’s degree will be prepared to earn the Registered Health Information Administrator certification as well.

Though members of the pilot junior class have already received their associate degrees, Renda said that future groups will likely begin “as freshman, and go all four-years straight through.”The associate’s degree has been available at Mesa since the late 1960s, but Renda sees the addition of the bachelor’s as “icing on the cake” and an addition that is great for the community of San Diego.

“The reason we developed it was for affordable access to a four-year education – it’s only $10,500 for all four years,” Renda said.“It’s kind of an important thing for people to know, because a lot of times when people are looking at going to four-year school, even state schools are more than that per semester.”

Class of 2004 RHIT graduate and HIM junior Benjelene Andriga, who works as a Hospital Unit Coordinator at Kaiser Permanente, said that the affordability and proximity of the

program has now made it possible for her to earn a bachelor’s degree. She encourages others in the field to pursue a baccalaureate degree at Mesa, as it can be a great stepping stone for success in one’s career.

“Mesa is a really good school, and going here, they have really good teachers, and it’s closest,” Andriga said.

“It’s affordable right now, and the Health Information Management industry is booming, so we’re going to need more people.”

Though the competitive price is certainly a major motivating factor for students to choose Mesa College’s HIM program, there are other clear benefits that the students have been able to enjoy.

Student Brandee Raaz has been waiting for a bachelor’s degree program since graduating from Mesa with her RHIT degree in 2003 with “eager anticipation.” She currently works at UCSD as a Manager of Coding Compliance.

From her experience, Raaz said that she sees bachelor’s degrees “becoming much more of a required minimum” for those who work with health information. Now that she is several months into the program, she said that it was the right decision for her to choose Mesa.

“They have a great reputation in the community and very close ties to our profession locally,” Raaz said.“Mesa has an in-person education – much better than an online only program – and it’s still flexible for working adults. There’s lots of support that you don’t see at other institutions – socially and financially – they really care about you succeeding here.”

Blair Watson, who graduated with the RHIT in 2012, is currently working at Sharp Coronado Hospital as the Supervisor of Health Information. She said that her fond memories of her time at Mesa helped to solidify her choice to continue her education there.

“I love Mesa, it’s a great place,” Watson said.“As far as the HIM program, the faculty – there are just a lot of different faculty who have been amazing – and I enjoy the students that I’m in class with, the curriculum, the resources, the environment, and the classes are nice.”

For more information about Mesa’s Health Information Management bachelor’s degree program, contact Connie Renda via email at crenda@sdccd.edu or via phone at (619) 388-2606.

The Clairemont Times • February 2017 • 5

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27 Easy Fix Up Tips to Give You the Competitive Edge When Selling Your Clairemont Area Home possible.

In this report you’ll discover how to avoid financial disappointment or worse, a financial disaster when selling your home. Using a common-sense approach, you will get the straight facts about what can make or break the sale of your home.

You owe it to yourself to learn how these important tips will give you the competitive edge to get your home sold fast and for the most amount of money.

Order your free report today. To hear a brief recorded message about how to order your FREE copy of this report, call toll-free 1-800-277-3160 and enter 1023. You can call anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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Because your home may well be your largest asset, selling it is probably one of the most important decisions you will make in your life. And once you have made that decision, you’ll want to sell your home for the highest price in the shortest time possible without compromising your sanity.

Before you place your home on the market, here’s a way to help you to be as prepared as possible.

To assist home sellers, a new industry report has just been released called “27 Valuable Tips That You Should Know to Get Your Home Sold Fast and for Top Dollar.” It tackles the important issues you need to know to make your home competitive in today’s tough, aggressive marketplace.

Through these 27 tips you will discover how to protect and capitalize on your most important investment, reduce stress, be in control of your situation, and make the best profit

This report is courtesy of Mary Fickert BRE# 01192082 - HomeSmart Realty West. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. Copyright © 2016

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6 • The Clairemont Times • February 2017

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IN MEMORIAM

Jacaranda Lady Dies

Lifeline Café Invites You to Join Us for

A FREE Identity Theft Workshop at Holy Cross Lutheran Church Wednesday, February 22nd 6:00pm to 7:00pm 3450 Clairemont Drive San Diego, CA 92117 858-273-2886 to RSVP or for details Lifeline Café is a Community Outreach Mission sponsored by Holy Cross Lutheran Church

Chapman Team Chatter The inventory of homes for sale is still low, however Freddie Mac is predicting it will not mirror 2016. The experts are predicting there will be more interest in the following months.

So far this month we have seen nothing to indicate the inventory will grow in San Diego. Still 2016 has been touted as the best year for real estate transactions since the “Great Depression”.

San Diego did hit the power list of being the 5th “hottest” market in metropolitan areas according to the

Associate of Realtors. Our homes were on the market a medium of time of 53 days compared to 88 days nationally.

The limited inventory increased the number of offers received on one property which could have affected the price.

Median price of homes in San Diego for 2016 was just under $500,000.00.

The interest rate bounced around over year end between 4.00% and 4.25%.

The interest rates are averaging approximately 4.125% on a 30 year fixed loan and the 15 year rates are

Bay Ho resident, Dorothy “Jacaranda Lady” Carroll, profiled in “Squaremont” (October 2016), died of renal failure and hypertension on January 12, 2017.

She was 85 years old.

“My mother came from a long line of strong women,” said her son, Michael Murphy.“Her grandmother was an early suffragette in New York.

During her lifetime, she was an executive secretary and wrote a weekly gardening column,“Ask Dorothy,” for the Union-Tribune.”

Carroll, a 40-year charter member of the Village Garden Club of La Jolla, was well-known and respected for her campaign to plant jacaranda trees throughout San Diego County.

She told the Clairemont Times,“I’ve been a stage 4 breast cancer survivor since 2000. I’ve thought about what people would say at my funeral and hope they’d say, ‘She did a good job.’”

Funeral services will be held at 11:00AM on February 18, 2017 at El Camino Memorial Park in Sorrento Valley. Memorial donations in her name to the Jacaranda Tree Project can be made to Faye Kitceh (fayebird49@aol.com) with the Village Garden Club of La Jolla.

You did a good job, Dorothy.

Bill Swank

In Memory of Greg Davidson On January 2nd, we said goodbye to Greg Davidson, a great guy with an amazing sense of humor. Though we will miss him tremendously, we will always remember who he was: A Kearny high school all-star journalist, a backyard horseshoe tournament competitor; a talented graphic designer; the official photographer for his family and friends and youth basketball in Vivian, Louisiana; the unofficial photographer for Blue Oyster Cult, KISS, Van Halen and every other epic band he went to see in the 70’s; and a proud supporter of the Raider Nation.

He loved doing nice things for other people – anything from buying someone a soda, to dog-sitting for the weekend. He loved moving dirt around in his garden. He loved convincing people he knew celebrities by showing them pictures he had masterfully created in near 3.375%.

If you are planning to buy or sell real estate in 2017 we would be

PhotoShop featuring him alongside famous musicians. He loved giving people ridiculous gifts that made them laugh. He loved inventing games at the spur of the moment to pass the time.

He loved standing up for what was right, and he wasn’t afraid to do so.

Greg, thanks for inspiring us to help one another, be creative, laugh every day and to not take ourselves too seriously. We will miss you. honored to work for you. Call Diana at (858) 344-3358 or Bobbie at (619) 208-9430

The Clairemont Times • February 2017 • 7

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Clairemont Woman’s Club

by Marge Weber

Welcome February…a busy month what with Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, George and Abe’s birthday and the Clairemont Woman’s Club 63rd year of serving the community. There will be a potluck for members to celebrate our birthday.

You may ask how we serve our community. We give two $1000 scholarships to Madison and Clairemont High Schools. We support Meals on Wheels, the Storefront for homeless kids, Boxtop for Education to Cadman Elementary, Cleveland National Forest, leadership programs for youth, Heifer International and local agencies to help those in need.

Our major fundraiser “Bunco With a Purpose” will benefit The Boys and Girls Club right here in Clairemont.

The club helps local youths to keep on the safe and narrow path with their wonderful programs and counseling. It will be held at the Comedy Palace on Clairemont Mesa Blvd., East of Rte. 163 on March 25th from 11:30 to 3.p.m.

Tickets are $40 for a delicious buffet of marinated chicken, gyros with peppers

and onions, salad, rice pilaf, pita bread and hummus, baklava dessert, coffee, tea and soda, and an afternoon of fun playing Bunco with great prizes and helping our youth. Mark it on your calendars as a worthwhile activity and at the same time get rid of the winter doldrums or to celebrate the return of Spring. Contact Bea at 858 272 1821 or Jackie at 858 273 7664 for tickets.

Our March meeting will be on Wednesday, March 1, the same day The Clairemont Times hits the newsstands, so mark that on your calendars, too.

March is Woman’s History Week and our historian, Pat Rodrigues, will present a program on that very theme.

We meet at the Balboa Community Church, 6555 Balboa Avenue. Please park around the corner on Mt. Albertine in the church parking lot.

The meeting starts at 1 p.m.

Refreshments will be served. Hope to see you there.

For more information about CWC, visit our website at www.clairemontwomansclub.com or “like” us on Facebook. You may also call Jackie at (858) 273-7664 or Evelyn at (858) 279-4367 Contact us or attend a meeting to learn more.

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Religious Directory Clairemont Lutheran Church www.clairemontlc.org 4271 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92117 Sunday Worship Times 8:30, 10:00 (English) & 11:30 am (Spanish) Sunday School for kids 9:45am Holy Cross Lutheran Church www.holycrosslcmssd.360unite.com 3450 Clairemont Drive, San Diego, CA 92117 Church (858) 273-2886 Sunday Worship 9:00 am Visit Lifeline Community Outreach on Facebook

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St. Catherine Labouré Catholic Church www.stcatherinelaboure.net 4124 Mt. Abraham Ave., San Diego, CA 92111 Phone (858) 277-3133 Weekend Mass Times Saturday 5:30pm Sunday 8:00, 9:30, 11:00am, 1pm/Spanish St. David’s Episcopal Church & Preschool www.saintdavidschurch.com 5050 Milton Street, San Diego CA 92110 Sunday Worship Times: 8am Holy Communion Rite I (Traditional) 9:25am Sunday School & Adult Forum 10:30am Holy Communion Rite II (Contemporary) Childcare available Sunday’s from 9am to Noon For information on advertising your place of worship in the Religious Directory please call or email Chris O’Connell, Publisher (858) 752-9779 chris@clairemonttimes.com

8 • The Clairemont Times • February 2017

Squaremont

By Bill Swank

Pictured: Bill Swank outside the Buena Vista Garden Apartments on Cowley Way in 1955, with East Clairemont off in the distance.

First Kiss A Valentine Story

had a little girl, Laura. I visited her farm and was impressed with a cutout picture mounted on plywood of her husband wearing his Larwill High School basketball uniform. It was in a place of honor on top of the TV set.

Her dream came true. She had married a basketball star. I was happy for her.

In 1978, my ten-year-old daughter Karen accompanied me on a trip to the Midwest. My wife didn’t want to go. Karen and I met Mary Ellen at the Whitley County Fairgrounds where Laura exhibited her horse. Karen, being ten-years-old, was quite impressed. Mary Ellen joined us and we drove around Columbia City to show Karen what I did when I was her age.

I stopped by the alley on Oak Street and we walked to the street

Who can forget their first kiss? But, what if you never had a first kiss?

This is a true story. I know it’s true, because it didn’t happen to me.

In 1951, I was captain of the Pirates, a Junior Athletic Association basketball team.

That may not sound like a big deal, but in Columbia City, Indiana, it was.

I had a cute girlfriend named Mary Ellen who, like everybody else in the state of Indiana, loved basketball. We were in the sixth grade and went together to all the high school games at the gym.

One Saturday afternoon, Mary Ellen and I were going to double-date with Kaye Deane and Terry to see “The Thing” at “the picture show.”

In my opinion, this really was Bill and Mary Ellen at the Olde Hitchin’ Post, 2016 a big deal. Other than attending the high school basketball games, it would have been light. My daughter understood the our first “official” date. significance of the location, but Mary Saturday morning, Mary Ellen called Ellen had completely forgotten my it off, because of a problem between indecent request.

Kaye Deane and Terry.

My plan was for Karen to take a What was the problem? picture of me kissing my first Whatever it was, it was nothing girlfriend, but Mary Ellen again and, stupidly, I said,“That’s nothing.” refused. Indignant, she informed me, I should have learned a valuable “I’m a married woman. I can’t do lesson from this, but, of course, I did that.” I tried to explain that I wasn’t not. After all, I was a stupid 11-year-old suggesting a lip-lock, but she was kid who didn’t understand that when adamant. a girl (or woman) says there is a I was too California for her ... and problem (no matter how trivial), it is she was too Indiana for me. a problem.

In the meantime, although I didn’t When we went to the basketball graduate from high school in games, I would make popcorn, walk to Columbia City, I was invited to Mary Ellen’s home and we walked reunions. Mary Ellen never attended. I together to the high school. was asked to be the speaker at the Eventually, the time seemed 2013 reunion. Wearing my Santa hat appropriate to take our budding and Hawaiian Santa shirt, I worked romance to the next level. Under a Mary Ellen into my talk. It got a laugh street light in an alley, I suggested to when I explained how Mary Ellen Mary Ellen that we should kiss. refused to kiss me back in 1951.

Her response was quick,“No.” I pointed out that as we grow older, We went on to the game, ate the old friendships become very popcorn and cheered for the Eagles to important and we shouldn’t be shy win. A few months later, my parents about expressing our affection for one divorced and I moved away. another.

When I got out of the Marines in I shifted my tone and said,“Johnny 1962, I stopped in Indiana and looked (former District Attorney of Whitley up Mary Ellen. She was married and County), I love you and I’m going to

www.clairemonttimes.com give you a kiss!”

As I approached, he looked more terrified than Mary Ellen in 1951. I reached into my bag and handed him a Hershey’s Kiss. It got a big laugh.

I continued.“I love all of you and I’m going to give everybody a kiss.” I went around the room handing out Hershey’s Kisses. Several of the women reciprocated with real kisses in return.

A few months later, a letter arrived from Mary Ellen. Several people told her about my talk and a correspondence developed. I was invited to another reunion in September 2016. The plan was to visit Mary Ellen’s farm before the reunion and finally meet her husband, Larry.

As I drove up, there was a basketball hoop on the barn. We were too old for some one-on-one, but thought I could at least shoot free throws with Larry.

Three women came Larry Wilkinson, Larwill Trojans photo by Bill Swank from the house. I assumed one was Mary Ellen and she dinner. I was still wearing my Santa looked great. cap from the reunion which, of It was her course, focused attention on our daughter, Laura, who picnic table at the outdoor eatery. Kids said,“My father died came over for photos with Santa. this morning. My Rather than being low profile, mother wants to see attention was focused on our table. you.”

Mary Ellen was seated beside me.

My first reaction Suddenly, she leaned over and kissed was to wish I was a me on the lips. It was completely million miles away unexpected and over in an instant. She from Indiana. may have been more surprised by her Mary Ellen was action than I was... a pure and photo Gary Wilkinson standing in the innocent moment between kitchen, still in 11-year-olds. Nothing was said. shock. I held her and I would have liked a picture, but don’t recall much was said. She was that would have ruined a beautiful and crying softly and shaking. As an old simple childhood memory. friend, I was able to offer support and comfort. Clearly, she would not be attending the reunion. I offered to take her and her family out for dinner the next evening.

She was reluctant, because, “It wouldn’t look proper.” Laura stepped in and said, “It’s OK, Mom. We accept.”

During our conversation, I Mary Ellen Pritchard and Billy Swank photo Columbia City Reflector learned that Mary Ellen loved During dinner, Mary Ellen’s son, Christmas. Every year, she made a Gary, said that I would have liked his pilgrimage to Bronner’s Christmas father. Laura later wrote,“You came at Wonderland, the “World’s Largest just the right time to ease the pain” Christmas Store,” in Frankenmuth, When I got home and told my wife, Michigan. My stories as Santa Claus in she smiled and said,“You waited 65 San Diego provided diversion for her years and finally got your ‘first kiss.’” and the girls.

Happy Valentine’s Day. The next evening, we met at The Olde Hitchin’ Post in Larwill for Bill@clairemonttimes.com

The Clairemont Times • February 2017 • 9

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Madison Students Compete in 13th Annual Teen Iron Chef Competition

Tecolote Canyon 8-inch Sewer Main Replacement Background Tecolote Canyon 8-Inch Sewer Main Replacement project is part of the City of San Diego’s continuing annual capital improvement program that replaces old, deteriorated sewer mains within the City’s right-of-way.

The vitrified clay and cast iron sewer mains to be replaced as part of this project are nearing the end of their useful life and replacement is necessary in order to decrease sewer main stoppages and improve the sewage collection systems.

Project Overview Tecolote Canyon 8-Inch Sewer Main Replacement will replace/install approximately 250 linear feet of 8-inch sewer main which would occur in the City’s right-of-way. Currently, the existing sewer main crosses Tecolote Creek and is supported by concrete pillars.

As part of the proposed project, the concrete pillars will be substantially removed and the newly installed sewer main will be supported by a pre-fabricated steel truss bridge with

concrete abutments on both sides of Tecolote Creek. The remaining, underground sewer main replacement will be installed by open-trench method. The pre-fabricated steel truss bridge is sized and designed for pipe support only. In addition to the sewer main replacement, new sewer manholes will be installed, construction BMPs, as well as post-construction re-vegetation.

Construction Information Tecolote Canyon 8-Inch Sewer Main Replacement is estimated to begin construction in January 2017 with an estimated completion date of December 2017.

Construction hours: Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 3:30pm.

Contractor Information: Blue Pacific Engineering & Construction Construction Cost: $ 518,000 FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PROJECT Call: (619) 533-4207 Email:engineering@sandiego.gov

Last month four students from James Madison High School Culinary Arts Program competed in a 60 minute cookoff against 5 other local high schools held at the Art Institute of California. The task; prepare a 3 course meal that must incorporate a “secret ingredient” which they would not be revealed until the competition began.

The students practiced their menu for about a week, both in class and at home for the competition. On the day of the competition, they were given 60 minutes to prepare their dishes and 10 minutes to plate and present to the panel of judges.

Their 3 course menu consisted of an appetizer; which was a seafood medley of salmon, lump crab and shrimp ravioli, roasted corn bisque and roasted red pepper coulis.

The entrée was an achiote seared swordfish, cilantro lime risotto, refried black bean cream, pickled onions and guacamole.

The dessert course they prepared was a dark chocolate fondant, passion fruit mousse, roasted almond brittle and the secret ingredient Trefoils Girl Scout Cookies.

The local celebrity judges included: - Harris Golden, President of the San Diego Pretzel Company - Chef Bernard Guillas, The Marine Room | La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club | Executive Chef; - Chef Ken Irvine, Bleu Boheme &

Sea 180 | Owner and Partner; - Chef Deborah Scott, Cohn Restaurant Group | Partner; - Chef Larry Lewis, San Diego Culinary Institute Program Director | Senior Executive Chef; - Chef Jim Phillips, SYSCO Business Development | Culinary Specialist; - Nicole Treadaway, The Art Institute of California - San Diego | Dining Room Operations Manager.

All four students were on point and demonstrated excellent knife skills, time management and communication throughout the competition.

Ultimately Garfield High won the competition, however each student gained some experience and went home with a goody bag of kitchen products as well as some fun high school memories.

To see more pictures from the kitchen competition, visit www.ClairemontTimes.com

February on the Mesa With a new spring semester come new opportunities to apply for scholarships, learn about transferring to four-year schools and making donations to San Diego Mesa College.

The Stand Grand Opening: The Stand – a food, toiletry and business clothing pantry for students in need on campus – will hold its official grand opening on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 11:30 a.m. in the Student Services building.

Councilmember Chris Cate will be joining President Pam Luster to speak at the event. Attendees are encouraged to bring ready-to-eat, non-perishable food items; travel size toiletries and new or gently-used business clothing to donate to The Stand. For more information, contact Johanna Aleman at jaleman@sdccd.edu or via phone at (619) 388-5940.

18th Annual Black College Expo Bus Trip: Mesa College students interested in transferring to Historically Black Colleges and Universities can attend a free trip to the LA Convention Center for the

Black College Expo on Saturday, Feb. 11 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information on how to sign up, contact the Transfer Center at mesatransfer@sdccd.edu or via phone at (619) 388-2473.

Jumpstart Your Success: Thinking about attending Mesa College? Come to our Jumpstart event on Saturday, Feb. 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to learn about the support services, academic departments, clubs and the community that makes up the Mesa family. For more information, contact Dean of Student Affairs Victoria Miller at vmiller@sdccd.edu.

Scholarship Deadline: Current Mesa students interested in applying for scholarships must complete their applications by Tuesday, February 28.

For more information about applying for scholarships, email Dean of Student Affairs Victoria Miller at vmiller@sdccd.edu or visit the application website at https://sdmesa.academicworks.com.

10 • The Clairemont Times • February 2017

Be Aware When Observing Ocean Swells and Waves Commentary By Ed Harris

The rocky shore between the Ocean Beach Pier and Santa Cruz Cove is an area that has claimed several lives.

On January 21, two women were swept into the water at Santa Cruz Cove while observing the waves and ocean swell.

Lifeguards responded and learned a citizen had rescued one woman, but the other was still in the Rescue 44 Multi Purpose Emergency Response Vehicle which water. The surf at this specializes in cliff rescues. point was 15 feet, making the rescue attempt times, they are memorial warnings difficult and dangerous. Lifeguards entered the water unable to see her as placed in areas where waves have washed away families. On a recent they battled strong surge and tried to trip to Iceland, I read about those breath in the thick ocean foam. After 40 minutes, the woman was recovered killed after venturing onto the glacier.

The Kern River has a running number and transported to the hospital, but of people who perish annually. unfortunately did not survive. Several lifeguards sustained minor injuries, I encourage Ocean Beach to work and two were taken to the hospital for with the City of San Diego to honor observation. those who have perished and protect This scenario has happened there those who visit by placing signs that before. I recall a stormy night in the describe the danger and the names of early nineties when we lost another those lost. Signage should be posted young woman in the same spot. This at each of the entry points. Some area has claimed several lives in my entry points should be closed during career and even before I started. It’s heavy weather, as we do for the pier time to try and prevent this from and the jetties. We are behind on this; happening again. we should make it happen quickly In my travels to other countries, I before another life is lost. have seen signs that warn people about similar dangers. The signs are Ed Harris is a San Diego Lifeguard Sergeant not just simple warning signs – often

www.clairemonttimes.com

City Seeks Storm Damage Data Survey Will Assess Damage to Residential Property The City of San Diego is asking residents to participate in a survey to assess damage done by the recent storm that hit the area. The City is teaming up with the County of San Diego to assess damage to see if renters and homeowners may have access to federal emergency funding through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

If so, the information collected will help determine if the region is eligible to receive emergency SBA funding.

Renters and homeowners may borrow up to $40,000 to repair or replace clothing, furniture, cars, or appliances

and Former San Diego City Councilmember

Clairemont Community Planning Board Interested in serving on the CCPG Board? Here’s your chance to have direct input on the going-ons in Clairemont!

Elections are coming up in March.

Must be a resident of, own property in, OR do Business in CCPG boundaries. Please send an email by Feb 10th to clairemontplanninggroup@gmail.com expressing your interest and for the needed paperwork.

Potential candidates must have

attended 3 CCPG meetings of the last 12 held to be eligible. Verified by attendance sign-in sheet.

Thanks for Your Interest in Your Community!

Meetings for the Planning Group occur every 3rd Tuesday of the month at 6:30 pm at Cadman Elementary (4370 Kamloop Ave 92117). Meetings are open to the public and your input is greatly appreciated. www.facebook.com/ClairemontPG www.twitter.com/ClairemontPG

See answers in next month issue.

damaged or destroyed in the storms.

Homeowners may apply for up to $200,000 to repair or replace their primary residence to its pre-disaster condition.

Visit www.sdcountyrecovery.com/damagesresulting-from-disaster to fill out an initial damage survey. The City will work with the County to determine if the region meets minimum damage estimates for federal support. If the region qualifies, you will be notified and given the opportunity to submit a formal application for SBA funding.

For additional information, please contact the SBA Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (TTY: 1-800-877-8339) or e-mail disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

The Clairemont Times • February 2017 • 11

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Anti Regents Road Bridge Alliance A failed public safety mandate endangers region.

Commentary by Louis Rodolico

If you sat at all the hearings to remove the Regents Road Bridge from the plan, as I did, two dominant social realities surface. 1) Houses on a main road are less desirable and often have a lower value. 2) Businesses want to be on the main roads to harvest the customers all those vehicles represent.

These two fundamental realities are what formed the Anti Regents Road Bridge Alliance.

With the exception of two council members who represent Clairemont, City Council agreed with this alliance on December 5th. Support to remove the bridge from the plan came from residents on the Regents corridor seeking higher property values. The University Community Planning Group (UCPG) chair is a registered lobbyist and the houses of planning board members are clustered around the Regents corridor, see: October Clairemont Times page 1. You cannot get on the UCPG board if you want the bridge built, so according to polls 60%

of the community is excluded from the “Community” planning group. Some UCPG Board memberships are under review so currently UCPG represents considerably less than 40% of the community. To help create a private enclave, residents on the Regents corridor funded a city council representative specifically to remove the bridge.

Businesses on the Genesee commercial corridor want as many vehicles (customers) as possible. It was a business on the Genesee corridor that contributed the half million dollars to fund the EIR that would remove the Regents Road Bridge from the plan. According to City Planning: “The traffic analysis and associated environmental analysis are being funded through a contribution of $500,000 by Westfield UTC”. By putting all north-south vehicles on the Genesee corridor customers are not diverted to the Regents commercial

corridor. Good business plan for the Genesee corridor, but a reckless public safety plan all around. City government has failed its mandate here.

When Council voted on December 5, 2016 to remove the bridge and widening of Genesee from the plan they triggered a requirement whereby the city must now give back about 60 million dollars in fees collected from developers. The fees are listed in the 2013 North University FBA, Table 7 Project Summary Table, pdf page 21, Item 21 Regents Road Bridge 35.2 million dollars, Item 29 Genesee to Nobel 24.3 million dollars. These fees fueled the alliance. City managers are not certain how much will be returned to which developer or when. They will need to reverse engineer all contracts with developers going back 70 years; this process could take a decade.

The winners on December 5th were; property owners on the Regents corridor, the businesses on the Genesee corridor, politicians and lobbyists. There is a long list of losers: the residents on the Genesee corridor, the businesses on the Regents corridor, anyone in critical need of the fire department, anyone who needs an

ambulance, anyone who needs an ambulance to get them from their home to the Emergency Room quickly, anyone traveling within our community will continue to have further to travel, no alternate route when Genesee is closed, no bike lanes across Regents as shown in the Bicycle Master Plan and no conflagration egress via Regents Road. As a result of Genesee being the only north south road the daily traffic jams will continue to add 10 million pounds of CO2 into the atmosphere each year, so much for the Climate Action Plan. Anyone harmed by long emergency response times can cite the EIR Executive Summary (pdf pages: 508-510) and easily demonstrate how they have been harmed by inadequate roads; this puts taxpayers in a poor litigation position since the city’s actions are indefensible.

The alliance pits neighbor against neighbor and the majority of residents

are left wondering how a heartless minority can be so effective. They have been effective because they were organized. It is unfortunate that our city government put corporate and private profits ahead of public safety, but the only way to improve this public safety nightmare is to directly confront our own city The Citizens for the Regents Road Bridge have sued the city to get the December 5th ruling reversed..

What about the future? We need only look to the past. When the Governor to I-5 connector was taken off the plan 15 years ago the access to Rose Canyon from Governor was removed. Next the 2010 Citygate Report (pdf page 17) shows a new Fire Station on the west terminus of Governor at Stresemann which guaranteed that the Governor to I-5 connector will never be built.

Checkmate. At Regents Road the process is repeating itself. The Bridge is taken off the plan, if the past offers any lesson the access to Rose Canyon will be quietly removed (it was never about sharing nature and the canyon) and all the existing bridge approaches rezoned, removed or built over. Once the private enclave in West UC has been irreversibly established, then and only then will the city bestow all residents, planning group board eligibility.

If the Regents Road Bridge option is

physically eliminated there will eventually be a cry to widen Genesee, then and only then will the city provide ambulance service times.

Since this will bring a generous meal to lobbyists, we will hear anthems like “it is time to put public safety first”.

The private enclave in the west will continue to demand more and more additional private redundant services, like the Fast Response Squad 56.

For the foreseeable future we are looking at about 7 unnecessary deaths and a dozen unnecessary cases of paralysis each year our regional road system remains incomplete. I have never witnessed a City government fail its public safety mandate so thoroughly.

Links: October Clairemont Times page 1 https://issuu.com/theclairemonttimes/docs/clairemont_time s_october_2016 North University FBA https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/fy_2013_nuc_p ffp_-_amendment_ii_publication.pdf Bicycle Master Plan https://www.sandiego.gov/planning/programs/transportati on/mobility/bicycleplan Executive Summary https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/ucp_amendme nt_final_peir.pdf The Citizens for the Regents Road Bridge http://www.citizensfortheregentsroadbridge.org/ Citygate Report http://www.louisrodolico.com/uploads/7/5/2/2/75221087/cit ygate-associates-inc-fire-service-standards.pdf Commentary by Louis Rodolico has been a resident of University City for 15 years.

12 • The Clairemont Times • February 2017 LoloLovesFilms

This Month:

Split

by Lolo & Big J

The Clairemont Times PO Box 17671 San Diego, CA 92177 (858) 752-9779 Founding Publisher: Chris O’Connell Graphic Designer: Elaine Hall Contributors: Andy Eakes Gary Hyde Susan Lewitt Josh & Lauren Rains Brian Riehm Robert Ross Rob Stone Bill Swank

The Clairemont Times is a free publication published each month and circulated throughout the neighborhoods of Clairemont, Linda Vista, Bay Park & Kearny Mesa. Story ideas, advertising & editorial questions can be sent to The Clairemont Times P.O. Box 17671, San Diego, CA 92177 or chris@clairemonttimes.com Copyright ©2011-17 The Clairemont Times/McSierra Publishing. Reuse of material from this edition or past editions is strictly prohibited without permission from the publisher.

The opinions in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of The Clairemont Times/McSierra Publishing but instead, of each individual author/contributor.

The Clairemont Times is proud to partner and contribute with:

Three girls are abducted by a man with multiple personalities and unimaginable power. Now, they must figure out a way to survive.

“Split” is written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, who is known for films like “The Sixth Sense,” “Unbreakable,” and “Signs.” It stars James McAvoy as a man with Dissociative identity disorder who abducts three teenage girls, played by Anya Taylor-Joy, Haley Lu Richardson, and Jessica Sula. Joining them is Betty Buckley, who plays Dr. Karen Fletcher, a psychologist who has been working with McAvoy’s character and is primarily in the film as a means of exposition to explain his condition and the abilities that stem forth from it.

Over the past few years, people have started to lose faith in M. Night Shyamalan. He had a string of terrible movies and even started to become a punchline at one point. In 2015, however, Shyamalan started to turn that opinion back around by returning to what got him noticed in the first place with the small scale horror thriller “The Visit.” Now, he returns to that formula yet again and delivers another solid offering in “Split.”This winds up being a great, slow-burning psychological fantasy thriller with some stellar acting if you can get over the initial slowness at first. James McAvoy is brilliant as Kevin and his many other personalities. He really shows his versatility as an actor here.

His ability to create numerous different characters within the same body by changing his speech, mannerisms, habits, and even his body chemistry is exactly what an actor dreams of being able to do. He’s excellent in this picture and the movie is worth watching for McAvoy alone, though he is not the only good performance. Anya Taylor-Joy also does a fine job as Casey, the main focus of the three abductees.

Taylor-Joy is able to deliver a strong emotional performance as someone in a perilous situation who already has faced a lot tragedy in her life. She is seemingly seasoned in how to prepare herself for such terrible circumstances, though we do wish Shyamalan had kept the tight shots of her face to a minimum because they seriously happen every 5-10 minutes. Sula and Richardson don’t get a whole lot to work with in their more limited roles, but for the times they are on screen, they create an effective show of panic and determination to get out of their situation.

“Split” is very engaging at times. We found ourselves enthralled for a good

www.clairemonttimes.com portion of its run time, though there were points towards the middle of it when we wondered if there was something bigger at play. By movie’s end, it all comes together and explains why Kevin is able to do what he does, so just let it happen, but go into the film knowing as little as you can.This previously unearthed prospect leaves us extremely excited for M Night.

Shyamalan’s future, and maybe, just maybe, the old and new will converge at some point.

Our rating: 3.5/5 “Split” is directed by M. Night Shyamalan and stars James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, Haley Lu Richardson, Jessica Sula, and Betty Buckley. It is rated PG-13 for some intense, disturbing themes and behaviors, violence, and brief language.

Visit our blog at www.lololovesfilms.com for more reviews, and follow us @lololovesfilms on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat for extra content! For inquiries or comments, please email: lololovesfilms@gmail.com.

Clairemont Movie Nights Under the Stars Presented by

Sundown Outdoor Movies

FRIDAY NIGHTS MOVIE EVENTS FEBRUARY: 2/24 Alcott Elementary MARCH: 3/03 Toler Elementary 3/10 Holmes Elementary APRIL: 4/07 Bay Park Elementary 4/14 Sequoia Elementary 4/21 Whitman Elementary 4/28 Lafayette Elementary MAY: 5/05 John Muir Elementary 5/19 Whitman Elementary The event starts at 5:30pm Movie time will start at 6:30-6:45pm

For more information visit: www.SundownOutdoorMovies.com or call Ernie Navarro (619) 786-3250

Town Hall Meeting for 52 Weeks of Science The Clairemont Mesa Education Foundation and Clairemont Hills Kiwanis are partnering with the Fleet Science Center to bring the science education and community engagement program,“52 Weeks of Science”, to the community of Clairemont in 2017.

52 Weeks of Science aims to bring a full year of fun science events and discovery opportunities to the community every week of the year. At 52 Weeks of Science events community members can meet with scientists to talk about their work, look through telescopes and talk to astronomers about the mysteries of space, interact with robots, listen to talks about recent scientific discoveries, explore spectacularly

messy science through hands-on demonstrations or learn about the science that goes on around us every single day. The goal is to inspire interest and wonder for community members about science.

Bringing science education opportunities to the community will be enhanced by input from the community. The upcoming meeting will include a presentation from Fleet Science Center about 52 Weeks of Science. The community will be able to give input on the process of developing events and which partners they would like to see brought in for events.

6pm February 16, 2017 at Madison High School Performing Arts Center, 4833 Doliva Dr. 92117

The Clairemont Times • February 2017 • 13

www.clairemonttimes.com

Beers by the Bay Acoustic Ales Brewing Experiment – Music to My Palate

by Brian Riehm

I ventured outside of the Clairemont area to Mission Hills to visit Acoustic Ales Brewing Experiment tasting room located in the historic Mission Brewery building at 2120 W. Washington St. Acoustic Ales has an old west ambiance inside with a beautiful copper and

ingredients, for example, he uses fresh fruit to make use in fruit infused ales.

Sometimes, this approach can’t scale, so he doesn’t want to get too big.

Currently, Acoustic Ales has a small capacity 7500 barrels per year.

However, he is looking for a larger facility for a move in 2017, just not too big.

Tommaso recommended some drinks for me and discussed some of their origins. First up was Hopski, whose recipe is modeled on a pre-prohibition lager, using 6-row barley and corn. It had great caramel malt character and although lightly hopped, had more hop taste than a standard

Tommaso Maggiore in the tasting room.

wood top bar and traditional bar stools.

There is also a lounge area with comfortable overstuffed brown lounge chairs and sofas. Oak barrels and murals of old San Diego add to the decor.There are two large screen TVs featuring your favorite sports, but they are not obtrusive to the atmosphere. A decent modern music selection was playing on the sound system at reasonable volume.

I spoke with owner and brewmaster Tommaso Maggiore. Unlike some other San Diego brewers, he did not come out of a home brewing background.

Rather, he was a pub and restaurant owner who had traveled internationally looking for great beers. His goal with Acoustic Ales Brewing Experiment is to bring the best styles from all over the world here to San Diego. The name comes from his love of music as a teen, with “delusions of grandeur of becoming a rock star,” as he put it as wells as from the fact that he keeps experimenting with a wide range of styles. The art work on the beer bottles has a musical tie-in, too, having been designed by the artist “ScroJo” who has also produced the posters advertising musical acts at the Belly Up Tavern. He opened in 2012, taking over the facility from Coronado Brewing Company, making beers from scratch using recipes for his favorite styles. He said it is important to maintain high-quality

German lager. Hopski was also a short-lived soda produced by the Mission Brewery at the dawn of Prohibition in an attempt to find a product other than beer to produce.

Some of Acoustic Ales names pay homage to pop music, for example, Wit Snake is a Belgian Wheat with coriander and lemon notes and nice pine flavor as well, but I don’t quite see the relation to 80s hair bands. The Groupie is a Belgian Blonde that started as a homebrew recipe from a friend of Tommasso’s. It is a very pleasant, a little sweet and easy to drink. The Verve is a bittersweet stout that has a dry character, not as thick as some other San Diego stouts. It pours very dark and has a chocolate roasted flavor.

These were all high quality beers.

I also tried some beers on my own to round out the review. First was Mad Dub a Belgian Brown, which captures the best of both styles, both spicy and a bit sweet. It was my favorite beer of the night. I also tried the ESB, which was a little more bitter than standard, with toasted malt. Tush is a ginger IPA, which overcame my doubts and was very good.The ginger was subtle, but strong enough to enhance the hops.

Willow Wolves is another favorite of mine, it has a powerful, bitter, juicy taste. If you like your hops to dominate the beer, this is your beer. Tommaso said this a bit of homage to Pliny the

Elder who supposedly called hops “Wolves among the Willows.” Hopway to the Danger Zone was a very boozy and hop-forward Imperial IPA. It had very strong piney flavor, and you might want to sip it slowly to enjoy its 10% alcohol content. I finished with a Belgian Quad, Westbound and Down. It had the full flavor I expected, but a little sweeter and less taste of alcohol

than other quads.

Acoustic Ales experiments with both global and local styles are really paying off. Their tasting room should be a stop for every local beer connoisseur.

Brian Riehm is a long-time Clairemont resident and follower of the local craft beer scene. You can keep up with all his beer reviews by following @BrianRiehm on Twitter and reading his blog (brianssandiego.blogspot.com/)

14 • The Clairemont Times • February 2017

www.clairemonttimes.com

HEALTH & WELLNESS Join Hands Acupuncture Wellness (858) 568-5628 • www.joinhandsacupuncture.com Elizabeth Naijia Guo L.Ac

7297 Ronson Road, Suite C, San Diego, CA 92111 Acupuncture Provides Relief Without Medications.

• Less Pain • Less Anxiety • Better Sleep • Better Digestion

Make Senior Life Easier

by Elizabeth Naijia Guo, L.Ac

As the Polish poet Stanislaw Jerzy Lec said well,“Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art”. As people age they require new ways to maintain and improve their wellness.

Chinese medicine has been helping people age gracefully for over 3,000 years. It does this by using a variety of methods, including acupuncture, herbs, moxibustion, cupping, Chinese massage, dietary guidelines, and wellness exercises as well as unique diagnostic methods.

When a patient first sits down with a Chinese medicine practitioner there will be an in- depth discussion of what the patient’s overall health situation is.

This discussion will include not just the immediate physical problem but also other aspects of wellness such as sleep, emotions, diet, digestion and elimination. Chinese medical practitioners place a great emphasis on treating not also the manifestation of physical ailments, but also the root of problems.

The most famous treatment method used in Chinese medicine is of course acupuncture. Acupuncture is a method of encouraging the body to promote natural healing and to improve physiological functions.This is done by inserting needles and applying heat or electrical stimulation at very precise acupuncture points. Evidence-based research has shown acupuncture to be a clinically effective and cost efficient

approach for many age-related health problems. Acupuncture is shown to protect the immune system against the negative effects of stress and aging by inhibiting inflammatory cytokines, 4 modulating leukocytes and increasing T-cells. Some research shows acupuncture treats pain through an analgesic and antidepressant effect resulting from increasing endorphin, serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain. Other research shows acupuncture improves microcirculation in the bodies.

Acupuncture provides relief without medications. It triggers natural painkillers, decreases inflammation, strengthens the immune system and improves circulation.The results are less pain, less anxiety, better sleep and better digestion. Moreover, acupuncture can also stimulate collagen and elastin production, improve lymphatic drainage, and restore your skin’s moisture and muscle tone.That is why acupuncture is the hottest new secret of anti-aging skin care.

Join Hands Acupuncture Wellness specializes in working with individuals to help them age gracefully.

Acupuncturist Elizabeth Naijia Guo is a native of Taiwan who obtained her Master of Science in Traditional Oriental Medicine from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine and is licensed to practice here in California. She can be reached at (858) 568-5628 or www.joinhandsacupuncture.com.

Celebrate the New Year, Set a Sankalpa, and Plant a “Seed” for Growth

by Christi Iacono

Sankalpa is the yogic word for intention or resolution, but with a yogic twist. While a New Year’s resolution is an expression of desire for change, a sankalpa is about coming to peace with the past and setting a positive intention for what’s to come. We take a different approach, perhaps one that is more successful to achieve.

I encourage my students at the start of class to bring awareness to the heart space,“Bring the palms to heart center. Drop the chin towards the chest and acknowledge the heart. Take a moment to notice is there a longing or a need, or a feeling of health or contentment?”This is an opportunity to acknowledge something you are subtly aware of that is ready to be brought into the forefront of consciousness.

When setting an intention in yoga, we plant a “seed” to bring more of something that already exists into our lives. For example: I am healthy, I am enough, or I let go of fear and allow myself to trust in the universe or God(s) to provide. Quiet the mind and check-in on an internal level in order to set a meaningful intention. Like an

internal vow or prayer, it accentuates an already present state of being. I am happy, I am powerful, my feelings are non-negotiable.

When practicing yoga, we are encouraged to let-go of things that do not serve us in our lives.

Sometimes the very things that do not serve us, are the desires to want our situations to be different. If I lose ten pounds, I will be happy. If I change jobs, I will be happy. Perhaps if we take a moment to acknowledge and accept the positive things that already exist in our lives, we will find that we have enough and are enough to be happy and find peace. Take a moment to quiet the mind, make peace with 2016, and plant a seed to grow into fruition in 2017.

To learn more about yoga for all levels and ages, and healthy back yoga walls class, please email Christi at christi@inrhythmsyoga.com or call 619 952-4957.

“Whatever we put our attention on will grow stronger in our life.”

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Christi Iacono, 500 hr. Yoga Teacher, Happy Back, Yoga Walls certified, Owner, In Rhythms Yoga, Clairemont, SD www.inrhythmsyoga.com

ADVANCED PODIATRY WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH Walter Jolley, D.P.M 5222 Balboa Avenue, Suite 41 San Diego, CA 92117 858-560-0390 • Board Certified Foot and Ankle Surgery • Serving Clairemont for 30 Years • Treating all Painful Foot Conditions • Toenails to Major Deformities

Taxes and Health, What a Conundrum

by Bob Berg

New administration, affordable care act, delay on certain refunds, identity theft, leaving current employment, 401K rollovers, Individual retirement accounts (IRA), Is there a reason to be stressed at this time of the year?

Maybe yes, maybe NO. Take some of the stress out of the

tax season by visiting a professional licensed tax professional. Someone that has been attending continuing education and updating their tax knowledge year round. Also one that is available to answer questions throughout the year as regulations are changed or updated.

See my ad/new client special on page 6.

The Clairemont Times • February 2017 • 15

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Tecolote Nature Center

5180 Tecolote Road San Diego, CA. 92110 • 858-581-9959 Monday – Closed, Tuesday –Saturday 9:00-4:00, Sunday 9:00-2:00 Wednesday, FebruBEARy 15 1:30 – 3:00 PM Art & Activities for Kids – Free!

Who hibernates? Fun nature crafts and activities

Save the Rainforest on Valentine’s Day & All Year: SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE PALM OIL

by Susan Lewitt

This Valentine’s Day, will your gifts contain sustainable palm oil, or unsustainably grown palm oil that displaces rainforests? Palm oil is in many products, including cosmetics, detergents and biodiesel, not just foods. Look for Vegetable Oil, Vegetable Fat, Palm Kernel, Palm Fruit Oil, Palmate, Palmitate, Palmolein, Glyceryl, Stearate, Stearic Acid, Elaeis Guineensis, Palmitic Acid, Palm Stearine, Palmitoyl Oxostearamide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Kernelate, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Sodium Lauryl Lactylate/Sulphate, Hydrated Palm Glycerides, Etyl Palmitate, Octyl Palmitate, and Palmityl Alcohol. All those mean palm oil.

Members of RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) have pledged to use only sustainable palm oil, to protect the rainforests. Members, including Avon, Palmolive, Proctor and Gamble (P&G), General Mills, Kind, Smucker’s and Clorox, have signed on to help by

using sustainable palm oil and other measures to improve our planet. Some of the measures include using recycled materials and natural materials, cutting emissions, and reducing water usage. These policies protect our planet and our resources, keep our water, land and air healthier and help preserve biodiversity.

An even better choice would be from companies that have pledged to be sustainable and produce some or all organic non-GMO and recycled products.They include Wholesome Valley Foods, Barefoot & Chocolate, Bradford Soap, Endangered Species Chocolate, Hain Celestial Group. (Rudi’s, Earth’s Best, Garden of Eatin’), Seventh Generation, Justin’s and Boulder Brands.

Look up your favorite companies on the internet to see their current practices. Call them or email them to tell them that you appreciate their efforts. If you see there is something they could be doing and are not doing, ask them if they could do more to help our planet. Always, be polite and thank them for listening.Then give Valentine’s gifts from a company using sustainable palm oil and organic ingredients.

Community Meetings - Open to the Public CLAIREMONT TOWN COUNCIL 2/2/17 (1st Thurs. of the month) 6:30 PM Cadman Elementary Auditorium 4370 Kamloop Ave, 92117 CLAIREMONT COMMUNITY PLANNING GROUP 2/21/17 (3rd Tuesday of the month) 6:30 PM Cadman Elementary Auditorium 4370 Kamloop, 92117 LINDA VISTA TOWN COUNCIL 2/16/17 (3rd Thursday of the month) 6:30 PM Baha’i Faith Center 6545 Alcala Knolls, 92111 LINDA VISTA PLANNING GROUP 2/27/17 (4th Mon. of the month) 5:30 PM Linda Vista Public Library 2160 Ulric St, 92111 MARIAN BEAR REC COUNCIL Please visit our website at marianbearreccouncil.wordpress.com or our Facebook page at Marian Bear Natural Park Recreation Council for meeting dates and locations

Saturday, February 18 9:00-11:00 AM – Weed Warriors Canyon clean up with Ranger Janice Sunday, February 19 9:00 AM Nature Walk – Chateau Drive entrance Join the Tecolote Canyon Interpretive Group on a guided nature hike in one of our most popular locations.

Sunday, February 19 9:00 AM Sunday in the Garden Volunteer with Park Ranger Steven Get dirty, have fun, help out your community Activities are posted at www.meetup.com/Friends of Tecolote Canyon Natural Park and Nature Center. Like us on Facebook – Friends of Tecolote Canyon

16 • The Clairemont Times • February 2017

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FEBRUARY LIBRARY EVENTS NORTH CLAIREMONT BRANCH 4616 CLAIREMONT DR. 92117 (858) 581-9931 Something interesting is happening at the North Clairemont Library in February: System Technology Upgrades! What does this mean for the Clairemont Community?

It means two new self-checkout machines and a quicker, more streamlined check out process. This important improvement has been highly anticipated and is already installed and running at several San Diego Public Library locations. In order to accommodate this upgrade, this branch will be closed Monday, February 13 through Friday, February 24. The doors will re-open promptly at 9:30 a.m.

Saturday, February 25 and we are thrilled to show you how easy it is to use the new machines.

Coming up in March, the Second Tuesday Concert will feature Adrienne Nims and Spirit Wind with a contemporary jazz sound that is perfect for this library’s warm, intimate setting.

Also, we are pleased to invite all local inventors to Pursuing the Spark: Moving Inventors and Creators Forward. This eight-part series will be presented every Tuesday evening during March and April beginning at 5:30 p.m. Topics to be covered include: How do I evaluate my product for viability and planning to develop?; What is a patent and how do I get one?; What are my options for introducing my product to a company?; What are affordable prototypes?; What are Crowdfunding and Kickstarter?; How do I create marketing and business plans?; and How do I present my ideas? Please join us and learn how to move your idea forward.

There is always an exciting opportunity, development or inspiration happening at your library!

Ongoing, Always Free, Programs for Adults Include: Second Tuesday Concert Series Adrienne Nims and Spirit Wind 2/14 6:30pm Third Tuesday Banned Books Club – 2/21 pm Meeting at an alternate location Wednesday: Chair Yoga 11:30am except 2/15 & 2/21 E-Book Clinic - various Saturdays 10am Call or come in to sign up.

Basic Computer Skills - various Saturdays 10am Call or come in to sign up.

Bargain Book Sale, 2/11 9:30-1pm Find lots of high quality books at low, low prices!

Ongoing, Always Free, Children’s Programs: Mondays: Sign Language Story Time Ages 1-5 10am except 2/13 & 2/20 Tuesdays: Rhythm & Rhyme Story Time Ages 1-5 11:45am except 2/14 & 2/21 Wednesdays:Craft Time Ages 3-8 5pm except 2/15 & 2/22

Saturdays: Lego Builders’ Club (Ages 3-8) – 2pm except 2/18 Crazy 8 Math Club ages 6-12 years - ON BREAK! Beginning Season 2 in March Do Your Homework @ the Library Receive free assistance with your K-8 homework. Mondays through Thursdays only. Will be located at the North Clairemont Recreation Center, 4421 Bannock Avenue, during the branch closure.

BALBOA BRANCH 4255 MT. ABERNATHY AVE, 92117 (858) 573-1390 Happy Valentine’s Day! May your February be filled with love – from Balboa Library!

There is much to celebrate at your library during the month of February!

Stop by and checkout our terrific book displays commemorating US Presidents, Black History Month, football facts and fiction, Chinese New Year, and of course, Valentine’s Day! And can you guess how many sweethearts are in our jar? Visit the library beginning February 1st and submit your best guess and you may be the winner!

Good luck! Winner receives a special prize and candy. Results announced February 18th.

Special Events Wee Reads Valentine’s Day Special 2/10 10:30am Calling all families who love jamming to music, singing silly songs, watching puppets and having fun together... mark your calendar for this terrific, interactive family entertainment program. Head to the library and have a great time! Birth – 5 y/o New! STEAM Series 2/17 3:45-5pm Sign-up begins 2/1 Join us for the Technology component of our new STEAM Series! Learn about electronics by playing with Snap Circuits. Show us your budding tech skills! Sign-up required. 3rd – 6th grades Wednesdays: New! Homework Help 3:30-5pm Volunteer, Miss Nicole, will assist students with their homework questions.

K-8th grades Thursdays: New! Adult Writers Group 2-3pm Gather with other new writers to participate in writing exercises and discussion, designed to develop your talent. And for a special treat, our writers will be sharing their progress on 2/23 @ 2:00 pm by reading an original short story or excerpt. Come meet these promising authors!

Recurring Events Children’s Events Mondays: Lego Club 2/6, 2/13 & 2/27 4-5pm Build amazing creations, crafted from Lego, with fellow budding engineers.

Grades K-6 Wednesdays: Chapter Book Storytime

with Miss Terri 6pm Storytime for our early readers.

Come& listen to an entertaining chapter book while practicing listening skills K-2nd Grade Thursdays: Preschool Story Crafts with Miss Remi 2/2 & 2/16 10am Listen to a terrific story and enjoy creating a related craft. Preschool-5 y/o Thursdays: Signing Storytime with Miss Jennifer 2/9 & 2/23 10am Miss Jennifer enhances well-loved children’s stories with signing, followed by singing and bubbles! Birth-5 y/o Fridays: Wee Reads 2/3, 10 & 17 10:30am Join us for a fantastic time at the library w/stories, rhymes, and songs.

Experience a special, themed Wee Reads session on 2/10, featuring the music of Little Catbird. Birth – 5y/o Saturdays: Kids Krafternoon 1-2pm Enjoy working on a new craft each week. Bring your creativity and a friend and have fun!

Paws to Read 2/14 6pm Emerging readers, come read to our Love on a Leash certified dogs. They listen to stories as you practice reading in a positive and encouraging environment.

Grades K-5 D.I.Y. Teen Craft 2/15 3:30-4:30pm Join us on the patio each month for a new craft. This month we’ll be making adorable plant-able valentines; make, plant, and grow! Teens 12-18 Pajama Signing Storytime 2/21 6pm Come in your PJs, relax and enjoy signed stories with Miss Jennifer before bedtime. Birth-5y/o Drop in & Play 2/24 10:30am Parents and children, come enjoy an informal playtime while getting to know other families in the community.

Birth-5y/o Children’s Book Club Discussion 2/24 3:45-4:45pm Sign-up begins February 1st. Join us for a lively discussion of Three Times Lucky

by Sheila Turnage. Copies available at the Library. Grades 3-6 Adult Events Mondays: Chair Yoga for Adults 2/6 & 2/13 11:15-Noon Join us for this relaxing fitness program, presented by Lois Schenker.

Tuesdays: ESL Group for Adults Noon-3pm Hosted by Mrs. Henderson, adults will receive assistance in reading, writing, and speaking English in everyday life.

Tuesdays: Stitching Circle 2/7 & 2/14 1:30-3pm Bring your knitting, crocheting, and other stitching projects for a chance to share ideas and helpful hints with fellow hobbyists.

Balboa Branch Library Book Discussion 2/21 11:45am Engage with fellow readers through a new selection every month. This month we’ll read and discuss The Blind Assassin

by Margaret Atwood.

CLAIREMONT BRANCH 2920 BURGENER BLVD, 92110 (858) 581-9935 Adults Literary Book Club 2/1 6pm The Book Club will be discussing, When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi.

Music Concert with Camarada Guitar and Flute Duo 2/22 6pm This free concert is sponsored by the Friends of the Clairemont Library.

Tweens/Teens Tuesdays:Homework Help 6pm Free help is available for children who are stuck on a particular question or concept or just need assistance with a paper or report.

Thursdays: Kids Craft Club 4pm Craft time with volunteer Rod! Something new every time!

Saturdays: Button Making 10:30am Express yourself by making your own buttons to decorate your backpack or clothes!

Art Class 2/1 4pm Robert Gulli, a local artist presents an art class each month for kids & teens. All painting supplies are provided.

African Drum Workshop 2/4 Noon Join Nana Yaw Asiedu for a fun and informative drum lesson for kids of all ages! Lots of drums to practice on!

New Program:Book Club for Kids Starting 2/28 is a book club especially for kids ages 9 and up! This student-run club is a chance for young people to read and discuss their favorite books. Snacks too! Sign up by visiting or calling the library.

Children Thursdays: Sign Language Storytime 2/2 & 2/16 10:30am Children and their caregivers can learn ASL sign language while hearing great stories!

Presented by Jennifer Duncan.

Fridays: Preschool Storytime with Miss Fran! 10:30am Join Miss Fran as she reads fun picture books and sings songs!

ARF! Animals Reading Fun! 2/18 10am Children can practice reading by sharing a book with a pet provided by the SD Humane Society.

All Ages 3D Printer Clairemont Library’s own 3D printer is available for use by interested young people and adults.

We have yet to set up regular open times but those interested in printing something can talk to library staff for details. Designs should be saved as .STL files. To see thousands of pre-made designs go to www.thingiverse.com.

Prints should take less than two hours.

The Clairemont Times • February 2017 • 17

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Pepper (Oni) (Oni in Japanese folklore is the word for demon) BREED: Black Labrador DOB: 5/28/16 Place of Birth: Hemet, CA Likes: All food, swimming, retrieving balls, sticks & more, meeting new dogs & people & helping Toni in the kitchen Dislikes: Being left alone & taking commands

Adoptable Pet of the Month

Name: Piston Age: 3 years old Gender: Neutered male Breed: Shar Pei/Labrador mix ID #: 233538 Adoption Fee: $95 Piston, a 3-year-old Shar Pei/Labrador mix, is looking for a new best friend. This friendly, good-natured boy came to us when his parents got divorced and now is ready for new love! He may be little shy at first, but after a treat or two he will warm right up and wiggle his way into your heart! He loves going for fun adventures and has a real zest for all life has to offer.

According to his previous owners,

this happy-go-lucky boy has done well around children, cats and other large dogs, but doesn’t always like to share his things so older children may be best.

His adoption fee includes his neuter, current vaccinations, permanent microchip identification, 30 days worry-free insurance from Trupanion Insurance, and a certificate for a free veterinary exam!

Piston is available for adoption at the San Diego Humane Society’s Escondido Campus at 3450 E. Valley Parkway. To learn more about making him part of your family, please call (760) 888-2275. www.sdhumane.org ADOPTION HOURS: 7 DAYS A WEEK 10 A.M. TO 6 P.M.

San Diego Gulls Invite Chargers Season Ticket Holders to Celebrate San Diego Sports The San Diego Gulls, proud affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks, announced today that the American Hockey League (AHL) club will host a “Join the Nest” Bud Light Pregame Tailgate party to invite Chargers season ticket members to celebrate San Diego Sports on Saturday, Feb. 18 at Valley View Casino Center.

The Bud Light Pregame Tailgate will take place prior to the Gulls game vs. the Tucson Roadrunners on Feb. 18 (7 p.m.). All Chargers season ticket members that have RSVP’d and received email confirmation will receive a free Gulls game ticket and a complimentary Gulls “Join the Nest” t-shirt courtesy of Bud Light.

All current Gulls season ticket holders will also receive a complimentary Gulls “Join the Nest”

t-shirt.

A limited number of complimentary tickets will be available on a first come, first served basis to watch the Gulls take on the Roadrunners at 7 p.m.

The Bud Light Pregame Tailgate will take place from 5-7 p.m. in front of the box office on the North side of Valley View Casino Center. Fans can enjoy a pregame party in the parking lot with Bud Light featuring an appearance from Gulls head coach Dallas Eakins, $5 Bud Light drink specials, $5 Banzai Bar food specials, photos with Gulliver and the Gulls Girls, interactive games, entertainment, raffles, a chance to win prizes and more.

Chargers season ticket members must RSVP at SanDiegoGulls.com/JoinTheNest

USD Toreros Take Down BYU Cougars in WCC Clash

by Rob Stone

The University of San Diego (USD) Toreros men’s basketball squad evened their record at 9-9 overall as they took down Brigham Young University (BYU), clawing the Cougars by a final score of 88-75 in a West Coast Conference (WCC) ballgame played at the Jenny Craig Pavillion on the campus of USD in Linda Vista.

“I thought Cameron Neubauer was the difference maker tonight,” said Toreros head coach Lamont Smith.

The six-foot-seven-inch, 220-pound Neubauer, a junior forward, contributed 22 points, a team-high nine rebounds, and five assists to the cause, but maybe more importantly, held the Cougars 6-foot-10-inch, 230-pound sophomore forward Eric Mika to only 11 points in the winning effort for USD. “Neubauer did a good job locking in on Mika and at the other end he had an outstanding game,” said Smith. “Our players did a good job of getting him the ball down the stretch.”

The other player the Toreros were looking to get the ball to was 6-foot-2, 190-pound sophomore shooting guard Olin Carter III, who finished with a game-high 28 points to go along with four rebounds, three assists, and one steal on the evening.

“Our players knew our backs were against the wall after dropping two close home games and knowing the importance of wining your home conference games and protecting your home court,” said Smith.

Helping to protect their home floor for USD were 6-6, 205-pound senior

forward Brett Bailey with 16 points, five rebounds, and one steal and 6-8, 190-pound freshman forward Juwan Gray with 10 points, nine rebounds, one assist, and one steal.

“This is a program win for our players and it equals the amount of victories from last season,” said Smith.

Despite being held to only 11 points

by Neubauer, Mika still managed to pull down 15 rebounds for Brigham Young, while 6-4, 170-pound freshman T.J. Haws went off for the Cougars with a team-high 27 points to go along with two rebounds, two assists, and one steal.

Brigham Young, the third place squad in the WCC, came into the contest with the Toreros with impressive wins over the likes of the Princeton Tigers (82-73), Saint Louis Bilikens (92-62), Colorado Buffaloes (79-71), and San Francisco Dons (85-75) and close losses to the likes of the USC Trojans (91-84), Illinois Fighting Illini (75-73), and Saint Mary’s Gaels (81-68).

Rob Stone is a lifelong resident of the San Diego area and is also a certified talent scout through Sports Management Worldwide. He may be reached at: (858) 262-3966 or Sportsguyrob@att.net

18 • The Clairemont Times • February 2017

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The Clairemont Times • February 2017 • 19

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BUSINESS/SERVICE DIRECTORY YARD SERVICES

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POLICE BLOTTER Residential Burglary 5300 Via Carancho 3300 Cowley Way 6600 Manning St. 2300 Crandall Dr. 4200 Clairemont Dr. 3300 Karok Ave. 3500 Conrad Ave. 4500 Nido Lane 3000 Stockett Way 2900 Clairemont Dr. 4200 Mt. Herbert Ave. 6900 Cam Degrazia Vehicle Break In 3600 Clairemont Dr. 4300 Quapaw Ave. 6700 Glidden St. 5100 Tecolote Rd. 2400 Cowley Way 5400 Via Bello 4500 Jicarillo Ave. 3700 Balboa Terrace 5900 Lauretta St.

Fraud 6500 Osler St. 3300 Morena Blvd.

4300 Clairemont Dr. 3200 Cowley Way

Greg’s Garden & Tree Service Since 2004

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Maintenance Clean Ups Landscaping Irrigation Installation/Repair Tree Trimming Stump Removal Hauling Services

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Trees Removed Along Morena Blvd.

During a couple Saturdays in January, crews removed trees located within the Mid-Coast Trolley project area on the west side of Morena

Boulevard.

Once complete, the Mid-Coast Trolley project will extend service from Old Town to the University City

Boulevard near Baker Street in the City of San Diego.

Twelve eucalyptus trees and one palm tree were removed. Upon completion of construction, trees and other types of vegetation will be replanted along Morena Boulevard where there is sufficient distance between the street and the new Trolley extension. For safety purposes, tree canopies when fully grown must be kept away from the overhead catenary lines associated with the new Trolley project. For this reason, trees cannot be replanted at all locations along Morena

community, serving the VA Medical Center, UC San Diego, and the busy commercial and residential districts along Genesee Avenue. Major construction work began in 2016, with service anticipated to begin in 2021.

For more information on Mid-Coast project construction, go to KeepSanDiegoMoving.com/MidCoast.

Vehicle Theft 2200 Dunlop St. 3000 Clairemont Dr. 6700 Glidden St. Commercial Burglary 4100 Genesee Ave. 1900 Morena Blvd.

Battery 4700 Hidalgo Ave. 2900 Clairemont Dr. Vandalism 6900 Linda Vista Rd. Assault 5900 Linda Vista Rd.

“If you do not report it or call us, in our mind it did not happen” San Diego Police Officer Call 911 to report an emergency Non Emergency 24 hours (619)-531-2000 www.sandiego.gov/police Compiled from info at www.CrimeMapping.com

Potholes in your Neighborhood?

Report the Street & Cross Street to City of San Diego Streets & Potholes Division

619 527 7500

20 • The Clairemont Times • February 2017

San Diego Group Reveals Concept Plan for Qualcomm Stadium Site Features an expanded river park, modern stadium for professional soccer and collegiate football, and other community benefits, without a taxpayer contribution A group of San Diegans led by businessman Michael Stone, and including former Qualcomm President Steve Altman, technology entrepreneurs Massih and Masood Tayebi, and Padres owner and local investor Peter Seidler, recently unveiled a concept plan for the 166-acre site in Mission Valley now occupied by Qualcomm Stadium.

The plan would require no taxpayer contribution and includes: • Preserving and building a 55-acre park along the San Diego River • Building a state-of-the-art stadium for professional soccer and collegiate football that could serve SDSU • Establishing a transit-oriented, mixed-use development including student-focused housing • Creating a Sports & Entertainment District with restaurants, shops, bars and live music • Launching a youth soccer academy to develop the best young players from across the region • Setting aside land sufficient to build an NFL stadium to preserve the City’s

ability to attract a franchise • Establishing the quickest path to completely eliminate the City’s quarter-billion dollar liability of operating Qualcomm Stadium.

• All of this, without any contribution of taxpayers dollars The group is working exclusively with Major League Soccer to bring an MLS team to San Diego. It will submit an application to the league by MLS’ January 31st deadline.The league plans to select cities sometime this fall, and are requiring the selected cities to have their expansion teams playing in a soccer-sized stadium in time for the 2020 season.

“San Diego is a soccer town and deserves a Major League soccer team,” said Stone, who is founder of La Jolla-based FS Investors and Chief Investment Officer of Rise, a social impact fund whose board includes U2 frontman Bono.“Soccer is the world’s most popular sport and we’d like nothing more than to bring it – with all its excitement and pageantry – to one of the world’s greatest cities,” added Stone.

“Drive around the San Diego region today and you’ll see people playing soccer just about everywhere – boys and girls, kids and adults – in pick-up games, organized leagues and tournaments,” said Altman.“With our proximity to Mexico

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and the Pacific Rim, we believe San Diego will quickly become one of the world’s top soccer cities. In addition to attracting an MLS team, our intent is to draw the world’s best national and club teams to compete in San Diego.”

The popularity of soccer in the San Diego market is strong and routinely ranks as one of the top markets in the country. During the last men’s World Cup final in 2014, television ratings in San Diego were the second highest in the nation, ahead of Los Angeles and New York.

The group has begun working with various stakeholders to gather their input.

“We have shared this concept plan with officials from San Diego State, as well as other key community members and are continuing to have productive discussions with them,” said Nick Stone (no relation to Michael), a partner with FS Investors.

The group is proposing to secure the entire 166-acre site from the city at fair market value determined by independent appraisal. Moreover, the group says no tax dollars will be needed or sought.

“Unlike other discussions about the Mission Valley site, we are not asking taxpayers for a single penny,” said Michael

Stone.“As San Diegans, we know this is important, and as business people, we have both the experience and resources to get this done.”

As part of its concept plan to reinvigorate the site, the group is proposing a mixed-use development, combining transit-oriented housing near the city’s largest Trolley station, an exciting sports and entertainment district, and commercial and office space with particular appeal to Millennials During the month of February, the group will begin gathering signatures through a citizens’ initiative in order to meet MLS deadlines and requirements to secure a franchise.After collecting the nearly 72,000 required signatures, they plan to bring the proposal, including extensive environmental reports, before the San Diego City Council for consideration this summer.