Mission Valley News - December 2013

December 13, 2013 On the Internet at www.MissionValleyNews.com Volume VII – Number 12

Tailgating at a football game brings family cheer, enjoy-

ment and activities with friends and strangers. Among some of these activities in-clude a game of Corn-hole, beer pong, a bet-

ting pool and tossing a football around. One of these activities can cost one’s wallet a pretty penny.

Chargers fan Jesse Unger was dealt a whopping $280

ticket earlier this sea-son at the Monday Night Football game

against the visiting Indianapolis Colts, the

U-T reported. Unaware of the existing ordinance that prohibits the throwing of a football on the parking grounds of Qualcomm stadium, Unger told the officer that gave him a first warning that it was “coach’s orders” that he keep throwing the ball to his friends.

Unger had been unaware of

Some of the most important parts of Old Town’s history have been buried under

a state office building since the mid-20th century, but a recent move by the California state leg-islature has finally cleared a path for officials to demolish the build-ing and enact a new vision for the property. State lawmakers agreed in No-

vember to transfer the old Cal-trans office building, at the cor-ner of Taylor and Juan streets, to the state parks system. The transaction adds approximately 2.48 acres to the existing 12.96 acres of the Old Town State His-toric Park. “It’s certainly the most signifi-

cant addition since Old Town was created,” said Clay Phillips,

superintendent of the San Diego regional district of the California state parks system.Parks officials plan to use the

property to tell the story of Old Town’s relationship to the San Diego River, which flowed rough-ly where Taylor Street is today

before the river was redirected into Mission Bay, Phillips said. It will also be used help park

visitors understand the his-tory of Native Americans in the area, whose presence at the site stretches back to approximately 500 C.E., when ancestors of the

Kumeyaay tribe established a village there on the banks of the river. The transfer was originally pro-

posed more than seven years ago, when Caltrans moved its offices

See CALTRANS page 9

Old Town on new path with acquisition of old Caltrans buildingCalifornia state legislature clears a path

Holiday shoppers get to business at Mission Valley malls

INTERCEPTED BY THE PARKING LOT POLICE

The old Caltrans building will soon be demolished and a new building will inherit the property.

By Jeremy OgulMission Valley News


Shoppers are looking for the best deals at the malls.

By Chris MadafferMission Valley News

See FOOTBALL page 14

See SHOPPERS page 7

Photo by David Keen for Mission Valley News


Online shopping may be gaining more and more

popularity, but you won’t see many empty storefronts in Mis-sion Valley’s shopping centers

this holiday season. Holiday shoppers are still will-

ing to brave traffic, crowds and weather for an up-close and per-sonal shopping experience.

Jacob Shmuel, manager of the Vine Vera beauty supply kiosk, said business is brisk as ever.

“Locals don’t stop coming

here,” he said. “Fashion Valley has a good energy.”

The mall attracts customers both locally and internationally, from La Jolla to Tijuana to tour-ists from around the globe, he said. Fashion Valley in par-ticular draws customers from Mexico who cross the bor-der to shop at high-end luxu-ry brand shops such as Nord-strom, Burber-ry, Coach and Hermes.

As a retail manager, Shmuel said he appreciates the level of security and service the mall provides to vendors like him.

“I’ve worked in a lot of malls

all over the U.S., and Fashion Valley is the best,” Shmuel said.

Mall managers are happy with the turnout so far this year, said Robert Doherty, a manager at Fashion Valley.

“It’s too soon to tell but we are very pleased to see so many people out and shop-ping,” Doherty said. “We’re seeing lots of bags, which is always a good

sign.”Doherty said the shopping

mall model continues to thrive because it offers an experience

“It’s too soon to tell but we are very

pleased to see so many people out

and shopping.”


2 MISSIONVALLEYNEWS.COM — DECEMBER 13, 2013

A real estate development firm, T2, has proposed building a

new Marriott Residence Inn on Camino Del Rio South just east of Highway 163 on the site of what was once an El Torito restaurant.

The Mission Valley Planning Group board voted unanimously to recommend that a city hearing officer approve the project.

“This is a very high quality project,” said board member Per-ry Dealy. “This should be a good addition to that location.”

Another board member, Karen Ruggels, said she supports the project because she wants to see

Mission Valley grow its hospital-ity base.

“I love seeing hotels come back to Mission Valley,” Ruggels said.

Board member Deborah Ross-meyer told the representatives of the developer that this project and others the developer is work-ing on will be good for an area that is sagging under the weight of many outdated and run-down hotels.

“I know you are in this to make a profit, but you are also doing a public service by taking and refurbishing these hotels,” Ross-meyer said.

Burglary ring busted

Police arrested five people suspected of orchestrating

a series of commercial burglar-ies over the last several months, said San Diego Police Officer Adam McElroy.

There were as many as 60 cases of commercial burglar-ies, mostly of cash registers and safes, over the past several months reported in Mission Val-ley, mid-city neighborhoods and the northern beach communi-ties, McElroy said.

The suspects were part of an ethnic gang in southeastern neighborhoods of the city, and as soon as the arrests were made the number of commercial bur-glaries dropped dramatically, McElroy said.

Long road to more affordable housingOnly a quarter of the people

who are eligible for afford-able housing in San Diego actu-ally have access to it, said Colin Parent, policy director of the San Diego Housing Commission.

With such a high demand and low supply of affordable housing throughout the city, increasing access to affordable housing will require clever policy changes and possibly greater spending commitments by local govern-ments, Parent said.

“If we’re really going to take seriously the housing afford-ability issue in our communities, we really have to think about … parking requirements, height limits, density restrictions,” Par-ent said. “There are some mean-ingful public policy impacts that occur with a lot of these things.”

In Mission Valley the biggest housing problem seems to be the homeless population concentrat-ed in the open space along the San Diego River.

Unlike downtown, which has a higher homeless population, Mission Valley does not have the social services and homeless out-reach programs the population needs, Parent said.

“A lot of the homeless in Mis-sion Valley are living in the river valley, and the tools that would be necessary to address that would be different and probably not really fully fleshed out,” he said.

Board endorses new Residence Inn designs

Rendering by Joe Cordelle for Jones Ballard Architects

UPDATE: UPDATE:

UPDATE:

COMMUNITY NEWS

An update on crime in the area, a briefing on affordable housing, news from the San Diego River and a design proposal for a new hotel in Mission Valley were the top topics on the agenda of the Mission Valley Planning Group, which met Dec. 4.

Mission Valley Planning Group Updates

MISSIONVALLEYNEWS.COM — DECEMBER 13, 2013 3

Although most people are aware of the seriousness of a dog bite, many do not know that cat bites can be even more harmful. The risk of infection from a feline bite is much higher than that of a canine. Between 28% - 80% of cat bites become infected and a severe infection can occur within 4-8 hours of the incident. Those most at risk are children, the el-derly, and people with immuno-compromised conditions. Due to the sharpness of the feline teeth, they can actually penetrate way beyond the skin into the tendons, joints, muscles and even bone injecting pathogens that cause infection. Infected bites that involve knuckles of the hands, finger joints or feet can be par-ticularly serious, often requiring surgery and hospitalization. It is estimated that anywhere be-tween 400,000 – 750,000 people present to medical facilities each year with bites from a cat and 13% of those require hospitaliza-tion.

The reason these bites are so harmful is that the bacteria can spread to the surround-ing tissues causing cellulitis or through the blood to other areas of the body. Cat bites that bleed

freely are often the least serious as the blood will often filter out the pathogens. It is the puncture wounds with little bleeding that leave only a small spot on the surface of the skin that are the most dangerous.

If you are bitten by a cat, careful handling of the wound is essen-tial. First, control the bleeding, then wash the wound thoroughly with an anti-bacterial soap and warm water and apply a ban-dage. If the wound is a puncture wound or you are medically com-promised, you should seek medi-cal attention right away. If you do not feel it is a wound requir-ing immediate medical attention, watch for the signs of infection which include: redness, swelling or pus at the wound site, swell-ing of the lymph nodes, sudden fatigue, fever or pain. If any of these symptoms develop, get

medical help.The best remedy is to avoid

getting bitten in the first place. Never try to handle a stray or feral cat. Most domestic cats will only bite if they feel trapped, cornered, startled or restrained. They will also sometimes bite when they are over-stimulated. Cats are hunters. Often when we are playing with them, our hand movements can represent prey to them and their natural instinct is to attack. When interacting with your kitty, use toys that al-low you to keep your hands away. Recognize a cat’s body language when he is getting ready to at-tack. Generally, the cat will get in a crouch position, its ears will lie back on its head, and its tail will curl inwards. If you see this behavior, back off. When pilling your cat, putting it in a carrier, or otherwise causing it stress, try wrapping it in a heavy towel and keep your hands away from its mouth.

Remember, even though your kitty loves you, he can and will bite if the circumstances are right. Practice safety and stay vigilant.

Sari Reis is a Certified Hu-mane Education Specialist and the Owner of Mission Valley Pet Sitting Services. For more infor-mation please contact her at 760-644-0289 or www.missionvval-leypetsitting.com.

Feline Fangs Can Be DangerousBy Sari ReisOwner of Mission Valley Pet Sitting Services

www.missionvalleypetsitting.com

Bike rental kiosks coming soon

The city is finalizing its implementation strategy

with DecoBike, the company that will install 180 kiosks with 1,500 bicycles for rent through-out San Diego, said Ed Clancy, the city’s program manager for bicycle initia-tives.

The first bike kiosks will be-gin to appear in downtown loca-tions in March and April; the plan is to grad-ually spread out from down-town, Clancy said.

There are eight to 12 sites that have been proposed as locations for bike kiosks within Mission Valley, Clancy said. There will probably be a kiosk on Fenton Parkway near the library and

trolley station, one in the Civita development, one near Hazard Center and one near Staples on Camino de la Reina at Camino del Este, Clancy said.

“The city has ultimate au-thority on this,” he said.

The bikes are expected to have a lim-ited range due to the 30-min-ute grace pe-riod — during which using the bike is free with a membership — and the fact that the bikes

have only gears.“With three gears you can’t

get out of Mission Valley,” said Deborah Rossmeyer, a member of the Mission Valley Planning Group board.

UPDATE:

There are 8 to 12 sites that have

been proposed as locations for

bike kiosks.

COMMUNITY NEWS


By Gina Cord, founder of Mission Valley News

GINA’SVALLEY VIEWS

ANOTHER PEARL ADDED TO PACIFIC RIM PARKS

It has been some time now since our readers were brought up to date on the construction progress of the Pacific Rim Parks. Since the organization was originated here in San Di-ego by the creative genius of re-nowned architect/artist James Hubbell, and since the monthly board meetings are held here in Mission Valley at the Town & Country Hotel, it is important that everyone is aware of the current activities.

The idea was born 20 years ago by Mr. Hubbell, who en-visioned a string of pearls all around the Pacific Ocean to fur-ther knowledge of the various cultures of the nations that face the Pacific. A symbolic pearl is built into each of the parks which now number seven com-pleted parks: Vladivostok, Rus-sia (1994); Shelter Island, San Diego, Calif. (1998); Yantai, China (2001); Tijuana, Mexico (2004); Puerto Princesa, Philip-pines (2009); Jeju Island, South Korea (2010).

Aug. 10, 2013 marked the dedication of the newest park,

in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.The land on which the parks

are built is donated by the gov-ernment of the area and the work is completed on the con-struction by university students who are majoring in art, engi-neering and architecture from all of the participating coun-tries. When the park is com-pleted, it is then turned back to the area for their use as a public domain for their people.

The government of Jeju Is-land was so enthusiastic with the completion of the park that they created and financed a summit meeting following the dedication, and suggested that a similar conference be held every two years involving everyone who had participated. This bi-yearly summit would be spon-sored by the country is which it was to be held.

The government of Vladivo-stok has volunteered to host the next summit in July 2014 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the building of their park. In conjunction with the San Diego/Vladivostok Sister City associa-

tion and the Pacific Rim Parks organization, it is currently be-ing organized to include a Youth Forum, as it is the youths who will be carrying on this impor-tant work in the years to come. All members of all countries will be invited to attend this special festival and educational confer-ence.

Members of the Pacific Rim Park board include Mr. James Hubbell, Executive Director and Artistic Chair; Mr. Kyle Berg-man, President who lives in New York; Richard Earnest of Del Mar who was formerly the Mayor of Del Mar; Jackee Ear-nest; Rotarian Chungsam Doh of Carlsbad and formerly from Seoul, Korea; Rotarian Rob-ert C. Coates retired judge and currently an attorney; Rotarian Floyd Morrow, Vice President; Rotarian Gina Cord, Secretary; Professor Stephan M. Haggard, Asian Studies UCSD; Carole Ca-parros of Alliant International University, Treasurer; Mitz Lee, who is currently running for a City Council seat; Mr. Chuck Lang, builder; and Ms. Ilisa Goldman of San Diego Children and Nature Collaborative.

The board is currently propos-ing parks for Japan, Chile and Maui and hopes one day to build a park in the demilitarized zone of Korea — a big undertaking for a handful of volunteers.

We welcome “What’s News” and “Who’s News” tips for this column. Call Gina Cord at (619) 683-2434 or email [email protected].

By Kelly OstremACSM-HFS, CHESFitness Expert

REFRESH YOURSELVES

H.I.I.T. »High Intensity Inter-val Training has really

surged in popularity as CrossFit gyms pop up all over country. While CrossFit is a great ex-ample of a HIIT workout, there are many other ways to get in on this trend. The key is to do a short burst of very high inten-sity work with longer intervals of active rest in between. For ex-ample, sprint for 45 seconds then jog for 90 seconds and repeat. Boot camps and similar classes

Along with refreshing our calendars, many people look at the start of a new year as a time to refresh themselves. Recently, the American College of Sports Medicine re-leased their list of the top trends in fitness for 2014. Here’s a guide to find which one might work for you:

also use this technique by push-ing through an intense training phase and then quickly moving to the next exercise. Because of the high intensity of these work-outs, it’s best not to do HIIT on back-to-back days, to allow the body time to recover. HIIT is gen-erally shorter in duration, but it keeps the heart rate elevated throughout the session, making for a tough and very popular way to work out.

Body Weight Training» A more recent trend sends us back to the basics

with body weight training. This is a very popular exercise method because it can be done anywhere at any time and requires no equip-

ment, making it very inexpensive! Body weight training includes ex-ercises like push-ups and sit-ups, but with some creativity can ex-pand beyond the gym class basics to a challenging, heart-pumping, full-body workout.

Educated & Experienced Professionals» As fitness consumers,

we have a wide variety of needs and abilities when it comes to working out. It’s important to have experienced and edu-cated professionals as resources to help us make the most of our time exercising. This made the list as more and more exercisers are using experts such as per-sonal trainers to help them reach their goals. The key is to look for a pro that has experience work-ing with clients like you (athlete, seniors, prenatal, rehab). Find a pro with a certification from an agency accredited by the NCCA (National Commission for Certi-

fying Agencies). This certification proves they have the educational background to know the field of fitness.

Strength Training» Strength training isn’t just for bodybuilders, and more

and more people are learning about the great benefits of build-ing strength. Strength training should be a major component of any exercise regimen, along with cardiovascular training and flex-ibility. The wide variety of ways to build strength makes it some-thing everyone in every life stage

can do, from kids to seniors. It can improve balance and strengthen bones. It allows everyday activities to be easier and more functional.

Most gyms, including the YMCA, will offer an equipment orientation with a staff member who can show you how to use dif-ferent equipment safety and effec-tively.

So whether you choose some-thing more traditional like lifting dumbbells or using machines, or try different equipment like kettle-bells or resistance bands, strength training can be something you feel comfortable and confident doing.

Exercise & Weight Loss» If your goal is to lose some weight, there are many

programs available to help you get there! Look for a program that is both safe and realistic. It should combine sensible nu-tritional guidance with regular exercise. A healthy amount of weight to lose in a week is one to two pounds. Plans that prom-ise dramatic numbers in a short amount of time can hurt the body, and any results that are obtained will likely not last long-term.

The Mission Valley YMCA of-fers programs like Team Chal-lenge that coach participants toward making »lasting healthy lifestyle change and weight loss. The key is a program that helps you track your progress, allows for flexibility and has a support system to encourage you and keep you accountable to your nutrition plan and exercise routine.

HEALTH & FITNESS

MISSIONVALLEYNEWS.COM — DECEMBER 13, 2013 5Cruising down the river on a Portuguese afternoonBy Tom Leech

Authors of Outdoors San Diego:Hiking, Biking & Camping

For an enjoyable getaway that combines scenic views, a chance to unwind, and gourmet dining, all in a terrain not likely known to most of your travel pals, con-sider a river cruise in Portugal. You will get all of the above while sharpening your vino taste buds.

Portugal’s Douro River is home terrain for vineyards, stretching up verdant terraced hillsides and wineries (called “quintas”) by the dozen. Although most river cruise devotees have long been enjoying floating on the blue Danube, the splendid Rhine and the romantic Seine, recently trips along the Douro have been gaining in popularity. Several cruise companies provide this itinerary, including Uniworld, our company of choice.

Our trip began in the capital city of Lisbon. Starting in an el-egant hotel, with an orientation meeting by our Lisbon guide, Pilar, we were introduced to Portuguese culture, cafes and customs that would prove useful to us on our journey along this stretch of land bordering Spain and the Atlantic Ocean. Follow-ing a guided tour of Lisbon, an impressive city, we rode by bus north to the Coimbra. This his-toric city is especially known for being home to one of the world’s oldest universities. Especially

& Leslie Johnson-Leech

impressive was the library with its imposing architecture and masses of ancient books. And how interesting to note the tra-dition of students garbed in black capes, no matter how hot or cold the day!

Next stop was Porto, where we boarded the brand new ship, Queen Isabel. As is typical for river cruises, the boat is sleek and low in height, allowing for ease in sailing under the many

bridges along the river. How fas-cinating to watch the Captain’s bridge and the top deck of the ship being dismantled whenever more space was needed beneath a bridge.

At our initial onboard orienta-tion we were welcomed aboard by the ship’s captain, the head chef, Hotel Manager Jorge, and Cruise Manager Kirsten. They described every detail of our travel upriver, covering the

130 miles to the Spanish bor-der (where the river changes its name to the Duero River). En route we would cruise through six locks as we accommodated the varying water levels.

Before setting sail, we took a guided walking tour through hilly Porto. Our local guides c o m m u n i -cated with us via individual walkie-talkies. Porto’s wind-ing streets, cobble stone roads and in-teresting architecture made for a pleasant stroll. Much renova-tion is taking place as residents in formerly rent controlled areas move away.

As we started our upstream sail, we enjoyed what makes riv-er cruising a pleasant, relaxing and scenic experience. The coun-

tryside and nature, small towns, parks and marinas, small trains on tracks right by the river and all of this while enjoying morn-ing tea or an afternoon brew from a comfortable deck chair. The size of the ship and the number of passengers (usually 75 – 200) makes interactions and the forming of new friend-ships easy. And, then, to quote another passenger, “No one gets seasick on a river cruise.”

It is fun to watch as the ship arrives at a lock, slowing to await directions from the opera-tors on the dam. Once the ship enters the lock and gates are closed, water is released so that the ship can rise and continue upriver. The opening of the front and back barriers inside the lock

is a most impres-sive feat that requires careful teamwork, from both the boat crew and the dam operators. Many locals line the upper levels of the dam and watch just as we were doing on the ship’s decks.

Both shorelines of the Douro River are marked with hillsides where much of the land is ter-raced for the vineyards and some olive orchards. This is the only region that grows the grapes used in the making of

See RIVER page 10

Photos from the Leechs’ Portugal river cruise

When the band performed, an

impromptu conga line formed in the

room and virtually no one could resist tapping their toes!

TRAVEL

6 MISSIONVALLEYNEWS.COM — DECEMBER 13, 2013DINING

www.oggis.com

2245 Fenton Pkwy Ste 101Mission Valley

619.640.1072

Full Service Bar!Award Winning Microbrews with Brewery on Premises!

Check it out!Pizza • Burgers • Wraps • Pasta • Wings

Quesadillas • Salads • Sandwiches

We Deliver!

J&T Thai Street Food5259 Linda Vista Rd, San Diego, CA 92110(619) 294-7500

J&T Thai Street Food serves up delicious chicken dishes

Those looking for a familiar yet exotic dining option need look no further than J&T Thai Street Food. This casual res-taurant, located at the Presidio Trolley Plaza off Linda Vista Road, has only been open a year but is already popular with Uni-versity of San Diego students longing for comforting dishes with an Asian slant.

Although Thai food is the mainstay of this eatery, there’s a lot to satisfy the different tastes of carnivores and vegetar-ians. The menu is comprised of familiar and tasty appetizers like chicken satay with peanut sauce, barbecue pork, fried tofu, chicken wings and lettuce wraps (all $3). Other regular dishes include tom yum and tom ka soups ($3 to $5), various cur-ries and pad Thai. Prices for the entrees range from $7 to $9 and are dependent on your choice of protein (tofu, chicken, beef, shrimp, calamari or salmon). Regardless of what you choose, all are a great deal with noth-ing over $9. But the real star on J&T Thai’s menu is the chicken rice, which has been known to sell out in the evening.

The steamed chicken rice ($7) is nothing to look at but what it lacks in appearance makes up for in taste. The rice is cooked in the same broth that is used to poach the chicken. This cooking process imparts subtle chicken flavor and is a perfect accompaniment to the steamed meat. Additional broth is served along the dish for your sipping pleasure. For those wanting a bit more texture, the fried chick-

en rice ($7) is the same dish with the addition of crispy skin. The sauce that accompanies the chicken is a bit on the sweet side but is easily remedied by the ad-dition of one of many condiments at the front counter, including chili garlic sauce and Sriracha.

The only sweet endings to a meal here can be found in the drinks. There is Thai tea and coffee (both $2) with an option to add chewy boba for an addi-tional 50 cents.

Naysayers will claim the food served here is not authen-tic Thai, but J&T comes pret-ty close. Based on the people crowding this tiny eatery during lunch and dinner hours, they don’t seem to mind.

J&T Thai offers takeout and limited delivery service is open until 10 p.m. every day except Sunday, when they close an hour early.

Darlene Horn is a San Diego-based food blogger and has been penning her opinions on food for nine years at MyBurningKitch-en.com. She’s also the author of the semi-autobiographical, food-centric comic, The Girl with the Donut Tattoo, drawn by her hus-band and artist, Paul Horn.

MISSIONVALLEYNEWS.COM — DECEMBER 13, 2013 7LOCAL NEWSShoppers, from page 1

Mushrooms Can Add Flair to Your Holiday Cooking

StatePoint - Want to add some interesting taste, texture and depth to your holiday cooking? Think mushrooms. While most varieties are available year-round, many foraged choices are at their peak during the holiday season.

“A lot of cooks underestimate mushrooms, thinking of just a few common varieties,” says James Parker, a produce buyer for Whole Foods Market. “But mushrooms are incredibly ver-satile. From earthy and nutty to buttery and even fruity, mush-rooms can add a wide array of flavors to dishes.”

To get the most out of mush-rooms, use them quickly so they remain firm and blemish-free. Refrigerate them in a paper bag or container that allows cool air to circulate and make sure they’re not too dry or damp. When ready to cook, clean mush-rooms with a damp cloth or rinse briefly and dry with a towel.

This handy guide can help you experiment with different fla-vors and textures:

Wild•Chanterelle -- nutty and deli-cate.•Morel -- intense and earthy.•Porcini -- robust and woodsy.•White Truffle -- delicate and aromatic.•Black Truffle -- fragrant and fla-vorful.

Want to give a few kinds of mushrooms a try at once? Try this recipe from Whole Foods Market for Mushroom and Gruyere Quiche, which serves 6-8 people:Ingredients•1/4 pound cremini mushrooms, cut into quarters or eighths, depending on size•1/4 pound portobello mushroom caps, diced•1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and discarded, cut into quarters•1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced•1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil•1/2 teaspoon salt•1/2 teaspoon black pepper•1 frozen 9-inch pie crust, thawed•1/2 cup heavy cream•2 eggs•1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme•4 ounces gruyère cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)

Directions»Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, toss mushrooms with onion, olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for about 15 minutes, or until cooked and firm. Re-move from oven and set aside.»Prick pie shell all over with a fork. Pre-bake shell for 10 to 15 min-utes, until lightly browned. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.»Whisk together heavy cream and eggs with 1 tablespoon thyme, salt and pepper. In a large bowl, combine roasted mushrooms, onion, gruyere and remaining thyme. Spread mixture in the bottom of the pie shell evenly.»Pour cream-egg mixture over the mushroom mixture, ensuring the mushroom mixture is covered. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room tem-perature.

Cultivated•White button -- mild and versa-tile.•Cremini -- firm and flavorful.•Portobello -- rich and meaty.•Oyster -- mild and sweet.•Shiitake -- savory and satisfying.


people cannot get online. “Fashion Valley is a place for

people to gather and socialize with their friends,” said mall manager Robert Doherty, in an email interview. “Shoppers come to the mall for dining op-tions, the sensory experience of visiting our retailers — they can see a diamond sparkle and feel a cozy sweater — and they can take advantage of a variety of entertainment options, like movie theaters and seasonal programming…”

Among the downsides of brick-and-mortar retail stores, howev-er, is robbery and theft. Several shops have suffered robbery at-tempts this season, according to news reports.

Police are still looking for a man attempted to rob the Kay Jewelers store on Dec. 6 but got away with nothing more than an employee’s lunch bag.

The man, carrying a black handgun, approached employ-ees as they were closing up around 9:35 p.m., demanded the paper bag one of the employees was carrying and ran off, the U-T reported.

Two days later, a woman was arrested after running out of the Salvatore Ferragamo store with arms full of expensive handbags, according to CBS 8.

The woman and an accomplice cast off the stolen goods as they fled from security guards. Police

arrested the woman after they found her hiding under a car in the parking lot, CBS 8 reported.

Meanwhile, online shopping seems to be taking a greater market share this season, if the first days after Thanksgiving are any indication.

On “Cyber Monday,” the big-gest e-commerce day of the year, sales were 20.6 percent higher than last year, according to data from IBM Digital Analytics Benchmark reported by the Los Angeles Times.

Sales during the five-day pe-riod spanning Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday increased by 16.5

percent over the same period in 2012, the IBM figures showed, and Cyber Monday sales gar-nered 31.5 percent more rev-enue than in-store Black Friday sales this year.

One of the biggest challenges for retailers this year is the trun-cated period between Thanks-giving and Christmas, which was shorter this year than it has been in more than a decade due to Thanksgiving falling on Nov. 28.

It remains to be seen whether consumers will squeeze more shopping into less time.


Account SupervisorAnna Crowe

Assistant Account Executive

Paige Nordeen

PR manager promotedGable PR, one of the west’s most experienced public relations

firms known for managing complex strategic programs and crisis PR, announced Nov. 26 that it has promoted Anna Crowe from senior account executive to account supervisor.

Crowe joined the Gable PR team in June 2011 as an account executive and was promoted to senior account executive within one year as she managed programs for AT&T, Bridgepoint Education’s academic institutions and Kimpton’s Hotel La Jolla and Hotel Palomar San Diego. Crowe has been successful in launching creative PR initiatives, securing local and national print, online and broadcast coverage for agency clients and forging strong relationships with clients and media. In her new position, she will take on an additional leadership role in creating and managing long-range client programs, creating budgets, supervising and providing direction to account executives and other junior staff and assisting in new business development.

“Anna has helped many clients break through the media relations clutter with compelling stories,” said Tom Gable, CEO. “With PR as the driving force in creating plans and content to launch and build brands, it’s now all channels, all the time. Anna will be leading strategic programs that integrate media relations, new media, events, promotions and community engagement to help our clients grow.”

Prior to joining Gable PR, Crowe spent several years as a senior marketing manager for AT&T Mobility in San Diego and as a director of sales and marketing for EMI Music Marketing (Capitol Records) in Hollywood, Calif. Crowe has a master’s degree in business administration, with an international marketing concentration, from the University of San Diego and a bachelor’s of science in accounting, with a minor in Russian literature, from Rutgers University.

PR coordinator promotedGable PR, one of the west’s most experienced public relations

firms known for managing complex strategic programs and crisis PR, announced Oct. 21 that it has promoted Paige Nordeen from account coordinator to assistant account executive.

Nordeen joined Gable PR as an intern in July 2012 and was promoted to account coordinator in January 2013. She has supported agency programs for numerous clients, including AT&T, Kimpton’s Hotel La Jolla and Guild Mortgage. Nordeen has assisted with research, media monitoring, press release distribution, writing, media list generation and social media. In her new position, Nordeen will take on an increasing role in connecting with media and continuing to support the agency in its community relations plan.

“Paige will support our agency teams, taking on new responsibilities and challenges for client programs, particularly in social media,” said Tom Gable, CEO. “Clients have already benefited from her contributions and are looking forward to her ongoing commitment.”

Prior to joining Gable PR, Nordeen contributed to San Diego State University’s newspaper, The Daily Aztec, as the senior opinion columnist and served as the opinion editor of The Mesa Press while she attended San Diego Mesa College. Nordeen contributed well-researched opinion columns ranging from politics to controversial immigration topics. Additionally, she previously worked in the hospitality and marketing industry.

Nordeen graduated from San Diego State University with a bachelor of science in journalism and media studies with a focus on news-editorial writing and cultural geography.

Attorney certified in information privacyJake Romero, an attorney in the Privacy & Security and Corporate

& Securities Practices of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., has been credentialed as a Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States (CIPP/US), having passed the rigorous CIPP/US exam along with the requisite Certification Foundation exam.

The Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States (CIPP/US) program launched in October 2004 as the first professional certification ever to be offered in information privacy. It has since become the preeminent credential in the field of privacy and remains the IAPP’s single largest educational program with several thousand CIPP/US-certified professionals working successfully in the field today.

“By achieving this significant designation, Jake has demonstrated his knowledge of U.S. privacy laws and regulations,” said Cynthia J. Larose, a Member and Chair of Mintz Levin’s Privacy & Security Practice and a Certified Information Privacy Professional. “Privacy and data security regulations vary by jurisdiction. Jake’s familiarity with California regulations in particular provides our international practice with an important West Coast presence.”

The CIPP/US credential demonstrates a strong foundation in U.S. privacy laws and regulations and understanding of the legal requirements for the responsible transfer of sensitive personal data to/from the United States, the European Union and other jurisdictions. Subject matter areas covered include:•TheU.S.legalsystem:definitions,sourcesoflawandsectoral

modelforprivacyenforcement•U.S. federal laws forprotectionofpersonaldata:FCRAand

FACTA,HIPAA,GLBA,COPPAandDPPA•U.S. federal regulation of marketing practices: TSR, DNC,

CAN-SPAM,TCPAandJFPA•U.S.statedatabreachnotificationandselectstatelaws•RegulationofprivacyintheU.S.workplace:FCRA,EPP,ADA

andECPAplusbestpracticesforprivacyandbackgroundscreening,employeetesting,workplacemonitoring,employeeinvestigationandterminationofemployment

Prior to joining Mintz Levin, Mr. Romero served as a judicial extern for the Honorable William McCurine Jr. of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of California. He is a frequent contributor to Mintz Levin’s Privacy & Security Matters blog, where the members of Mintz Levin’s Privacy & Security Practice follow and comment on current events and ongoing developments related to data privacy and security.

AttorneyJake Romero

Jack in the Box promotes three executivesJack in the Box Inc. on Dec. 3 announced the promotions of three

executives: Mark H. Blankenship, Ph.D., to Executive Vice President and Chief People, Culture & Corporate Strategy Officer; Paul D. Melancon to Senior Vice President of Finance, Controller & Treasurer; and Keith Guilbault to Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer.

Blankenship, previously Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, is responsible for the company’s Human Resources, Compensation & Benefits, Jack’s University, Training & Development, Consumer Intelligence & Analytics, Internal Brand Communications and Corporate Strategy process. He joined Jack in the Box Inc. in 1997 as Division Vice President of Training & Development and Field Human Resources. In 2005, Blankenship was promoted to Vice President of Human Resources, and in 2010 was promoted to Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer. Prior to joining Jack in the Box Inc., Blankenship was Vice President of Human Resources for Mitchell International. He has a doctorate and a master’s degree in industrial organizational psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology in San Diego and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from California State University, Sacramento.

Prior to his promotion, Melancon had served as Vice President and Controller since joining Jack in the Box Inc. in 2005. He added the title of Treasurer in 2008. A certified public accountant, Melancon has 34 years of experience in accounting and finance. Prior to joining the company, he was a senior executive at several major companies, including Guess?, Inc., Hyper Entertainment, Inc., and Sears, Roebuck and Co. He also spent 11 years with the accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. Melancon received his MBA from the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Texas at Austin.

In his new role as Chief Marketing Officer for the Jack in the Box brand, Guilbault now has responsibility for all marketing functions, including marketing communications, advertising, media and merchandising, as well as oversight of the brand’s menu strategy and several functions integral to product development and marketing, including Research & Development, Regional Marketing and Operations Support. Guilbault, who had served as Vice President of Menu & Innovation since 2012, has held several positions of increasing responsibility since joining the company in 2004 as a Regional Vice President in Central California, including DVP of Brand Innovation & Regional Marketing, DVP of Operations Initiatives and Vice President of Franchising. Prior to joining Jack in the Box Inc., Guilbault held management positions for several large companies, including Mobil Oil Corporation, Priceline Webhouse Club and Freemarkets, Inc. Guilbault received his MBA from Pepperdine University and a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Rhode Island.

Sughrue Mion, PLLC Partner

Karen Dow

Attorney named “Woman Who Means Business”

Sughrue Mion, PLLC, a leading global intellectual property law firm, announced Nov. 18 that San Diego Partner Karen Dow has been named one of San Diego’s Women Who Mean Business by the San Diego Business Journal. Winners were selected from more than 160 nominees across San Diego County representing a range of industries including legal, academic, non-profit, corporate, medicine, and the military.

“We have always known that Karen means business – whether that means getting results for her clients or having a broader impact as a mentor. We are so proud that the San Diego business community has recognized her outstanding contributions,” said Mark Boland, Managing Partner of Sughrue Mion. “Karen’s vast experience in biotech and pharma issues has been vital to the growth and success of our San Diego office – and the firm as a whole in our work around the globe.”

The Women Who Mean Business Award recognizes excellence in both the workplace and the community. It is bestowed upon extraordinary women who not only make significant contributions to their professions, but who also serve as role models for other women in the community. For more than 20 years this award has been presented to extraordinary female leaders within the San Diego business community.

Other honors for Ms. Dow consist of being included in Patent Buddy’s Top Patent Prosecutors Survey, and being selected as one of the San Diego Daily Transcript’s Top 10 Intellectual Property Lawyers, a “Transcript 10” Top Attorney for San ‎Diego County, and a nominee for the Athena Pinnacle Award, Individual in Technology.

Movers & ShakersMovement in San Diego’s Business Community

“Jake has demonstrated his knowledge of U.S. privacy

laws and regulations.”“Anna has

helped many clients break

through the media

relations clutter with compelling

stories.”

“Clients have already

benefited from her

contributions and are looking

forward to her ongoing

commitment.”

“We have always

known that Karen means

business.”

BUSINESS NEWS


A sudoku puzzle is a grid of nine by nine squares or cells, that has been subdivided into nine subgrids or “regions” of three by three cells.The objective of sudoku is to enter a digit from 1 through 9 in each cell, in such a way that:1. Each horizontal row contains each digit exactly once2. Each vertical column contains each digit exactly once3. Each subgrid or region contains each digit exactly once

Sudoku

Try to fill in the missing numbers.Use the numbers 1 through 16 to complete the equations.

1. Each number is only used once.

2. Each row is a math equation. Each column is a math equation.

3. Remember that multiplication and division are performed before addition and subtraction.

Math Squares

1. Start in the center of the maze.

2. Get to the exit on the left as fast as possible.

3. If you make it to the exit on your first try, congratulations!

Maze Escape

ANSWERS ON PAGE 13 ANSWERS ON PAGE 13 ANSWERS ON PAGE 13

from the building to a new, larg-er complex on the north side of Taylor Street, adjacent to In-terstate 8. The transfer was de-layed, however, by bureaucratic red tape that limits the ability of state agencies to sell their prop-erty directly to other state agen-cies. “This action preserves a site rich

with our heritage and removes an eyesore from the historic cen-ter of our city,” said California State Assembly Majority Leader Toni Atkins, whose legislation fa-cilitated the transfer. Since 2009, $762,000 in parks

funds have been set aside for planning and design for the site, and total of $7.1 million in bond funds have also been designated for the project, according to At-kins’s office. The transition will take many

years, Phillips said. Before demolition can begin, the

state must put together an envi-ronmental impact report that ac-counts for the existing building’s historic value as well as the en-vironmental hazards associated with demolition. The demolition will require extra care on the part of work crews because of hazard-ous substances such as asbestos that pervade the building. There is also a gasoline plume in the soil beneath the building. Park officials don’t expect to be-

gin demolition on the building for another year and a half, Phillips said. Upon demolition, officials will

begin excavating the property in search of historic artifacts. Historians expect to find evi-

dence and remnants of Fitch’s store, the first retail store in Cali-fornia, built in the mid-1800s by Henry Fitch, a titan of Old Town history. They also expect to find evidence of Lyon’s Bowling Sa-loon, built in 1853 by a man who would later become sheriff, a sev-eral adobes dating to the 1830s. “It really is our Plymouth

Rock, our Plymouth village, our Jamestown,” said Bruce Coons, executive director of the Old Town-based Save Our Heritage Organisation. There are few places more sig-

nificant to the modern history of the western U.S., Coons said. The existing building has some

historic value itself as a represen-tative of the mid-century mod-ernist architectural style. It is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and other state and local historical designations and protections, which makes demolition more precarious. “Our modernist group looked

at it and felt that the building was important, but that the un-derlying history was even more important. It’s a hard judgment sometimes,” Coons said. In the early 20th century, be-

fore the office building was estab-lished, the property was home to a Mission revival building that housed an olive processing facil-ity. Workers from that business were the original clientele of what became the La Pinata Mex-ican restaurant on Juan Street today. Park officials will consult with

stakeholders to develop a plan for the future use of the site. Those stakeholders include American Indian tribes with ties to the land, local historians, Old Town business owners, nearby resi-dents and organizations with an interest in the San Diego River.The site will ultimately serve

as Old Town’s new front door, Coons said. Coons said he hopes the future

redevelopment of the site will capture the rural feel of the vil-lage on the river banks, complete with the native plants and grass-es that you would have seen in the 1800s. “It’ll transform the whole area,”

Coons said. “I think it will feel completely different.”


Location of the new community park next to Carmel Pacific Ridge

Caltrans, from page 1

LOCAL NEWS

The developer that built Lin-da Vista’s big new apartment complex, Carmel Pacific Ridge, broke ground last month on a new community park next to the apartments on Linda Vista Road.

The 2.93-acre park will be situated just east of the apart-ment complex and just west of the Friars Village condominium complex. The park is named after Edward Tyler Cramer, whose history of business and civic involvement in Linda Vista goes back to the neighborhood’s founding in the early 1940s.

The park will include a “tot lot,” a winding walking path, an open turf play area, a drinking fountain, concrete picnic tables, barbecue amenities, connections to public access loop trails and dozens of trees and shrubs. It was designed by Howard Associ-ates, a local landscape architec-ture firm.

The park will also have two handicapped-accessible parking spaces but no additional park-ing. As a result, the park will probably mostly serve people who live close enough to walk or ride a bicycle, said Doug Beck-ham, chair of the Linda Vista Recreation Council.

Visitors to the park will notice the high-tension electrical wires overhead. That’s because the property was owned by San Di-ego Gas & Electric until the city of San Diego required the devel-oper to purchase the property for a park as a condition of approv-ing the apartment complex.

The original plan was to name the park Linda Vista Terrace Park, but the community moved to name it after Cramer upon his

Construction underway on new Linda Vista park

death in 2008. Cramer and his family owned

two of the most popular busi-nesses in the neighborhood’s early days — a liquor store and a drive-in theater — and they con-tinue to own and operate prop-erty and businesses in the area.

“He always had an affinity for the community and helped out in a lot of ways,” Beckham said.

Cramer chaired the Linda Vis-ta Planning Committee for six years and also had leadership roles in the area Kiwanis club.

“That record will probably never be equaled,” Beckham said.

Cramer gave generously to groups in the community, Beck-ham said.

“Ed was a remarkable fel-low — very patient,” he said. “He had a lot of empathy for the poorer people in Linda Vista… He’d sit down and write a $500 check and not bat an eye.”

Cramer Park, once it opens, will help close a big gap in recre-ational space in Linda Vista. Es-

timates show the neighborhood is severely lacking in park space according to city standards. The park should be complete and open by early or mid-2014.

“We are honored to work close-ly with the city of San Diego to develop a wonderful new park for the community that pays tribute to someone who gave so much back to this neighborhood,” said Dan Garibaldi, senior vice presi-dent of development for Carmel Partners, in a press release. “We look forward to opening the park early next year and know it will be a wonderful addition to the area.”

A 2009 city staff report esti-mated that it would cost the city about $25,000 a year to main-tain the park.

The park land was purchased and developed as part of the de-veloper’s agreement with the city to build the adjacent 533-unit apartment complex. Own-ership of the park property will be transferred to the city once construction is complete.


Stylehas a home.

Civita is a master plan development of Quarry Falls, LLC. All information is accurate as of date of publication, but information and pricing is subject to change at any time.

civitalife.com

And now you do too. Modern award-winning architecture. Urban

details with rooftop decks and multi-story window walls. The

latest trends in sustainability. Electric cars on hand. Civita is the

perfect blend of urban chic and village charm, right in the heart of

Mission Valley. With its eclectic mix of neighborhoods—and more

coming this year—Civita is the cure for bland. Visit us on Civita

Blvd.—two blocks north of Friars Rd., off Mission Center Rd.

ORIGEN by Shea Homes • From the low $500s • 866.696.7432

ALTANA by TRI Pointe Homes • From the mid $600s • 888.619.3500

FRAME & FOCUS by Shea Homes • From the mid $400s • 866.696.7432

CIRCA 37 by Sudberry Properties • Luxury apartment rentals • 619.378.3037

Port wine. We were fortunate to visit the home of one of the vint-ners who lavished a wonderful feast upon us, complete with live entertainment and many tast-ings of the famed Port wine (as well as other varietals).

Before the banquet, our host took us to the small neighboring village where bakeries prepare special bread (8,000 loaves each day) which gets shipped to other cities. The owner of the bakery, Manuela, demonstrated how the bread is baked in clay ovens and treated us to samples all the while accompanied by musicians to whose music she danced while we tasted the delicious warm bread.

One of our main stops was the town of Regua, with its river-front cafes and shops. We learned about the history and nature of the Douro valley in a lecture at the local museum. From here we took a side trip to Salamanca, Spain, a United Na-tions UNESCO World Heritage Site. Among its scenic and his-toric aspects is the University of Salamanca, which dates back nearly a thousand years. It hosts students from around the world and is a city full of energy and golden beauty.

One highlight of our cruise was an evening performance, on board, by a local folk and Fado group. Fado is music exclusive to Portugal. It is generally ro-mantic and mournful in nature. We’d witnessed a Fado show in Lisbon that stuck to the tradi-

tional sound. The eight musi-cians who entertained us on the ship were a combination of Fado and folk and the contrast was amazing. When they performed the folk music, with their drums and accordions, an impromptu conga line formed in the room and virtually no one could resist tapping their toes!

Our return to Porto was sim-ply a reverse in direction, and as we headed downriver, we once again passed through the intriguing locks and enjoyed the picturesque scenery along the way. Everyone disembarked in Porto, more relaxed and ready for the next pursuit, perhaps homeward bound or off for an-other holiday excursion.

Tom Leech is a frequent Mis-sion Valley News contributor, former Outdoors Editor for San Diego Magazine Online, and lead author of Outdoors San Di-ego: Hiking, Biking & Camping and On the Road in ‘68: a year of turmoil, a journey of friendship.

Leslie Johnson-Leech is a long-time teacher of Tai Chi and Qi-Gong for seniors, history of musi-cal theater and film.

River, from page 5

Hungry readers, rejoice: two popular restaurant chains opened new locations in Mission Valley this autumn, and another old standby got a facelift.

Dining News in Mission Valley

Buffalo Wild Wings 1640 Camino Del Rio N.Ste. 1376

NFL star Junior Seau’s death last year led directly to the closure of his namesake restaurant, which had been open at the Westfield Mission Valley shopping center since 1996.

Buffalo Wild WingsThe space sat empty for more than

a year, but people who like chicken wings with their ESPN can finally return to the former Seau’s space on Dec. 16, when Buffalo Wild Wings opens its doors.

The restaurant, which bills itself as “the ultimate place to get together with your friends, watch sports, drink beer and eat wings,” is known for its chicken wings with 21 different sauces and seasonings. The menu also includes sandwiches, finger foods, wraps and salads as well as seasonal specials.

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse1370 Frazee Rd.

Hazard Center may have lost specialty Mexican restaurant Maria Maria in 2012, but it finally gained something new on Nov. 18: BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse.

BJ’s is best known for its big menu that features lavish deep-dish pizzas and extravagant “ P i z o o k i e ” desserts. The restaurants also serve a variety of

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse

Joe’s Crab Shack7610 Hazard Center Dr.

After closing briefly for renovations, Joe’s Crab Shack at Hazard Center re-opened Nov. 26 with a redesigned exterior and added design features throughout

Joe’s Crab Shack

This is the first restaurant Buffalo Wild Wings has opened in the city of San Diego, though the company has restaurants in Chula Vista and Santee. The company has at least 972 restaurant locations throughout the U.S. and Canada.

“We are very excited to be bringing the Buffalo Wild Wings

experience to San Diego and we look forward to becoming a part of

this dynamic community,” said Buffalo Wild

Wings Executive Vice President of Global Brand and Business Development Kathy Benning in a press release.

beers crafted by the company’s team of in-house brewers.

The restaurant, which was rebuilt to accommodate BJ’s, is approximately 9,000 square feet and has enough

space for about 290 guests, according to a company

press release. This is the

restaurant chain’s second location in the city of San Diego; the other location within

the city

is in La Jolla. BJ’s also has

restaurants in La Mesa, Chula

Vista, Escondido and Carlsbad. The

company has at least 145 restaurants

throughout the U.S., mostly in California and

Texas. The San Diego market

already has some of the company’s highest sales volumes, said BJ’s President and CEO Greg Trojan in a press release.

the dining and bar area meant to evoke the theme of a quaint Gulf Coast seafood shack.

Restaurant staff went through extra training during the closure, including a half-day boot camp that tested employees on every recipe and service standard, according to a press release.

“As we remodel our restaurants, we are looking at every element to ensure it surpasses expectations,” said Janet Geiselman, vice president

of marketing for the restaurant chain, in the press release. “From the updated restaurant to our refreshed team members’ service skills and menu knowledge, the San Diego community is sure to see and feel the changes at their local Joe’s.”

LOCAL NEWS


A sewage spill in Mission Valley led county authorities to shut down beaches adjacent to the mouth of the San Diego River on Dec. 2.

An estimated 22,500 gallons of sewage spilled and entered the San Diego River, which flows out to the ocean near the southern portion of Mission Beach and the Dog Beach area of Ocean Beach, according to a county spokesperson.

Officials from the county Department of Environmental Health closed those beaches to public access. They will remain closed until field measurements indicate the ocean water is again safe for recreational use.

The spill was caused by roots in the sewer line near the intersection of Friars Road and Interstate 15, said Arian Collins, a spokesperson for the San Diego Public Utilities Department.

“Not only was it a blockage but it also ended up offsetting two sections of the pipe,” Collins said. “They’re out of alignment.”

The city’s Public Utilities Department cut off sewage flow through the pipe as soon as they learned of the problem, and they are now working to repair the damaged pipes, Collins said.

This is the first major spill the city has reported in several years.

“We used to have quite a few large spills, but we’ve been able

to do a lot of improvements to our system,” Collins said.

In February 2000, 34 million gallons of raw sewage issued from a broken line near Adobe Falls at the eastern end of Mission Valley, the San Diego Reader reported.

In February 2004, a clogged sewer line in Balboa Park sent 4.6 million gallons of raw sewage into the San Diego Bay, the U-T reported.

In March 2007, a corroded sewer main burst under Buena Vista Lagoon in Carlsbad and spewed 7.3 million gallons of untreated sewage into the lagoon over three days, according to San Diego Coastkeeper.

In September 2011, a massive power outage led to the spilling of nearly 3.5 million gallons of raw sewage into Los Penasquitos Lagoon and the San Diego Bay when two pump stations lost power, according to a Public Utilities Department report.

On Wednesday, March 5, 2014 the Mission Valley Planning Group (“MVPG”) will hold a general election of members to serve on its board. The general meeting and election will be at noon in the Community Room of the Mission Valley Library at 2123 Fenton Pkwy.

The MVPG Board represents the general members of the Mission Valley Planning Group and is an all-volunteer group. Its primary purpose is to advise the City Council, Planning Commission and other governmental agencies as may be appropriate in the initial preparation, adoption of, implementation of, or amendment to the general or community plan as it pertains to the area or areas of influence of Mission Valley.

Only general members who have attended a minimum of two meetings of the MVPG in the twelve months prior to the February 2014 regular meeting qualify to fill any board position. Attendance at the required meetings must be documented in the minutes of the meetings. Each term is four years, so all terms beginning in March 2014 will expire in March 2018. Three positions will be filled in the general election in each of the following classifications:

Class I: Property owner, who is an individual identified as the sole or partial owner of record, or their designee, of real property (either

developed or undeveloped) within the community planning area.

Class II: Person (including residents or persons representing business entities) paying property taxes on any parcel of real property in the community planning area.

Class III: Resident, who is an individual, whose primary address is an address in the community planning area (either an owner or renter).

Class IV: Local business person (including persons representing business entities), who is a local business owner, operator or designee, with a business address in the community at which employees or operators of the business are located.

A candidate forum will be held at the regularly scheduled monthly board meeting in the same location as set forth above at noon, on Feb. 5, 2014. For further information, please contact John Nugent at [email protected]

BEACHES CLOSED AFTER SEWAGE SPILLS INTO SAN DIEGO RIVERBy Jeremy OgulMission Valley News

Notice of Mission Valley Planning Group General Election

LOCAL NEWS

Facebook.com/Hazard.Center


Dear editor,The recent Mission Valley

News article that the Mission Valley Post Office will be re-maining open was very disturb-ing in my opinion. For those un-aware of the pertinent points of the story, the U.S. Postal Service had decided to close the Mission Valley mall retail center as a cost saving measure and move its services to the close-by Linda Vista Post Office. The pertinent reasons for the closing were stated that the mall location was not a full service post office (with mail carriers), the mall rent was $18,000 per month (though not stated, the lease probably also had escalator clauses), the fact that though busy during the

holidays, it did not pay for itself during the year and parking was many times a problem for postal customers, not for lack of but for distance to.

The Mission Valley Plan-ning Group and some area resi-dents were up-set that USPS would think of taking this location away from the area, as it is the only one in Mission Valley, though the Linda Vista location is within a few min-utes’ drive at all times of day

and could easily have been re-named the Mission Valley/Linda Vista Post Office. That the move would cost $56,000 to add P.O. boxes to Linda Vista was con-stantly noted as a “significant” unnecessary cost, though never was it matched against the an-nual outlay of over $200k to keep the mall post office open.

In my opinion there was little logic, common sense or even more importantly fiscal sense shown by the Mission Valley Planning Group, residents, the Mission Valley News and other news sources regarding this matter.

Nowhere did I see the true facts trumpeted as the logical approach to cutting waste and saving money while hardly be-ing a burden to postal custom-ers. These were, but are not limited to: The mall post office requires a vast majority of its customers to have to drive or

take the trolley (questionable, in my opinion), which would be the case if us-ing the Linda Vista post of-fice. Parking in the mall often is difficult, and to reach the retail level even for disabled people

requires stairs, a steep ramp or a moving belt, all of which can require a significant walk from a parking space to the postal

store. The major economic im-pact of $18,000 per month in rent, or $216,000 a year, which nobody but the USPS highlight-ed, was a significant reason to close the mall site. However, the anti-closure folks failed to take in account that the USPS is a quasi-government institution on the verge of bankruptcy due to pension costs and irrational business methods not used by private profitable institutions such as UPS and FedEx. The one-time cost of $56,000 to reno-vate the Linda Vista Post Of-fice seemed to be a burdensome

obstacle and rally cry used by many as a reason not to move to Linda Vista, without noting the actual cost savings.

Wiser, more rational minds should have pointed out that the Linda Vista post office is easily reached by a short drive up Ulric Street and is less than 1.5 miles from the mall. Parking at the Linda Vista office is plentiful, as anyone who has used that of-fice over several decades and at all times of the year can attest, and it is within feet of the office itself. Moving the USPS person-nel from Mission Valley to Linda Vista would add to time sav-ings in customer service which would aid all postal customers from both Linda Vista and Mis-sion Valley. If there was an eco-nomic (profitable) reason to have a postal location at the mall, say during the Christmas holidays, then a kiosk or tent could be erected on rented mall space for a month.

process was coming out of the fire hydrants and was “not being charged, with taxpayers picking up the tab.” That is completely false. All water used in the grad-ing and construction process is either metered and paid for or has been recycled from captured rainfall. He also asked if Civita was using “non-potable water, as required for dust abatement and construction.” The fact is the city has no such requirement. And while the use of reclaimed water is an important element of San Diego’s future water supply and why Civita is working on an on-site treatment plant, it is not the best environmental solution during this phase of construc-tion, since it would require wa-ter be trucked to the site from miles away.

Sudberry Properties and the Grant family, which has owned the property for approximately 75 years, are striving to build a community that will enhance the value of the Mission Valley community. At the grand open-ing of Circa 37, then-Mayor Jerry Sanders said, “Thanks for doing right by Mission Valley; thanks for doing right by San Diego.” We are committed to continue to do just that.

We are happy to address any questions through the CivitaLife website.

Sincerely,MARCO A. SESSASenior Vice PresidentSudberry Properties

QUESTIONS REMAIN ON MISSION VALLEY POST OFFICE

Civita responds to project criticismsDear editor,

I am writing to clear up inac-curacies and answer some ques-tions about Civita that were posed in a letter to the editor written by Stuart Rachmuth and posted Nov. 15, 2013.

Mr. Rachmuth ques-tioned the legitimacy of the awards the master-

planned community has re-ceived and likened them to “the building industry patting each other on the back.” Civita and neighborhoods at Civita have re-ceived a number of architectural awards from industry groups on the local and national level. We are proud of them and the many honors we have received for our sustainable design. Most nota-bly, in 2009 Civita was honored with the California Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA) for Comprehensive Land Use Plan-ning, and in 2010 Civita was designated by the California De-partment of Housing and Com-munity Development as one of the Catalyst Projects for Califor-nia Sustainable Communities. Just last month, Civita was hon-ored by Move San Diego, a local nonprofit that advocates for sus-tainable transportation.

Mr. Rachmuth said there are a “lot of unanswered questions” particularly

about the community’s impact on surrounding roads and the is-sue of water. Civita was meticu-lously studied by the City of San Diego during the 10-year entitle-

ment and environmental review process. The city does not toler-ate “unanswered questions.” De-tails of the project are available to the public on the city’s web-site under “Quarry Falls Spe-cific Plan.” Anyone with a ques-tion not covered in the 221-page document can contact Sudberry Properties through our CivitaL-ife website, CivitaLife.com.

Specifically regarding wa-ter usage, Mr. Rachmuth said that Sudberry “was

relying on rainfall estimates from the city that showed that the area would be receiving rain-fall of biblical proportions.” Mr. Rachmuth’s reference is correct as it pertains to the design of Ci-vita’s stormwater infrastructure, but mistaken as it pertains to water availability. It is custom-ary to plan a storm water system for the “100-year flood” (a flood event that has a 1 percent prob-ability of occurring in any given year), and that is what we have done at Civita. The reference to “100-year flood” has nothing to do with water consumption. In fact, Civita is anticipated to use 50 percent less water per person than typical suburban develop-ment.

Regarding Civita’s traffic impact on Mission Val-ley, Civita is investing

approximately $50 million in road improvements in Mission Valley and surrounding commu-nities. Major improvements are being made to Friars Road and funds have been paid to the city

for upgrades to the Friars Road-Highway 163 interchange, with construction anticipated in the near future. To date, Civita has built improvements on Texas Street, Mission Center Road, Fashion Valley Road, Camino de las Tiendas and Murray Ridge Road.

Mr. Rachmuth questioned Civita’s assertion that the community is tran-

sit-oriented, saying that some residents drive to the shopping center across the street. That may be true, some do drive, but a number of them walk – many more than in other parts of San Diego. They are not just walking to the stores, but to the trolley and other Mission Valley ameni-ties. As a developer, we cannot control residents’ transportation habits, but we can make land use decisions that promote alter-native forms of transportation. The Civita plan calls for a pedes-trian bridge over Friars Road, which will give most residents in

Civita a five- or ten-minute walk to the trolley. Right now, Civita has a fleet of Car2Go electric ve-hicles on site, which are heavily used. As the community devel-ops, there will be on-site stores, shops and dining establish-ments, which will all encourage residents to walk.

Mr. Rachmuth asks, “Who will be policing the no smoking rules?”

There are no “no-smoking rules” for the community of Civita. Sudberry Properties’ Circa 37 Apartment Community is non-smoking, monitored by the management company and the residents themselves, many of whom moved there because it is a non-smoking community. Smoking will not be allowed in Civita Park, which is a city park, as smoking is banned at all City of San Diego beaches and parks.

Lastly, Mr. Rachmuth as-serted that the water be-ing used in the grading

This is a simple example, in my

opinion, of why our country is

in such poor fiscal shape.

See LETTER page 15

A map of Civita. There are neighborhoods, a park with

trails and gardens, and a retail center with shops, restaurants

and entertainment.

OPINION

If you would like to submit a letter to the editor, email your opinions to [email protected]


MISSIONVALLEYNEWS.COM

SUDOKU ANSWERS FROM P. 9

MATH ANSWERS FROM P. 9

MAZE ANSWER FROM P. 9

In a city with a vastly diverse music scene and a plethora of venues, it is common to see rock clubs change hands, change formats or shut down completely. The beginning of 2013 saw downtown club Anthology close its doors and Eleven in Normal Heights become The Void. A haven for electronic dance music, Voyeur, became the latest casualty last month abruptly announcing they’d be closing.

A handful of venues, such as Brick by Brick in Linda Vista, have managed to survive the tumultuous scene for several decades. They first opened as The Spirit Club in 1976, later becoming Brick by Brick in 1995. Although they’re known for harder styles of music, the venue caters to an array of bands.

“[We host] more genres of music than any other venue to my knowledge,” said general manager Jaret Jahn. “We have always done metal and punk here due to its success at the venue but do not consider ourselves to be a metal or punk bar.”

Looking at recent lineups it’s easy to see the range their calendar represents — everything from singer-songwriters to blues ensemble to indie rock groups play

Linda Vista concert venue keeps the party going

the Brick by Brick stage. The size of the venue and high-quality sound system attracts national acts in addition to local shows.

“We get to host musicians you might not otherwise get to see in an intimate setting,” Jahn said. “Simply put, Brick by Brick is a great place to see your favorite band up close and personal.”

The venue also strives to make patrons feel welcome with shows every night they are open (Wednesday through

Sunday). Ticket prices are kept reasonable, from free shows to around $25, with most being in the $5 to $10 range. They also have pool tables, arcade games, pinball and a smoking patio to keep you busy between bands.

Another highlight for Jahn, who rarely misses a show, is the great people who frequent the venue, especially the ones you may not expect.

“Most of the people that come to metal and punk shows are the nicest and most respectful people that I deal with on a daily basis. The ones that look the scariest are usually the ones helping you up the pit or opening the door for you as you leave,” Jahn concluded. “There are a few bad eggs in each group I suppose, but I think you find that anywhere alcohol is served. People that carry assumptions about going to (or the people attending) a show should stay home where it’s safe. Rock ‘n’ roll has been disrupting things in a good way since the British Invasion and I’m pretty sure it’s going to continue.”

To keep up on the happenings at Brick by Brick visit their website: www.brickbybrick.com

Upcoming Show SelectionsfromBrickbyBrick:Dec.13: The Filthy Violets with

The New Varsity and Everything Said. 7 p.m. $8 adv/$10 day of show.Dec. 21: Good Riddance with

Pulley, Battalion of Saints, Skipjack & Maniacal Laugh. 8 p.m. $15 adv/$20 day of show. Jan.3: Poison Idea with Attitude

Adjustment, Dissention, Out of Tune, and D.E.A. 8 p.m. $12 adv/$15 day of show. Jan. 21: The Aristocrats with

Points North and The Travis Larson Band. 6:30 p.m. $22. Feb. 1: Authority Zero with

Guttermouth. 8 p.m. $17 adv/$20 day of show.

By Jen Van TieghemMission Valley NewsMusic Writer

“Rock ‘n’ roll has been disrupting things in a good

way since the British Invasion

and I’m pretty sure it’s going to

continue.”

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT


JAzzWednesdays– Gilbert Castellanos Jazz Jam at Seven Grand. Free. 9 p.m. SevenGrandBars.com.

Wednesdays–Jazz with Kice Simko and Friends at Riviera Supper Club. Free. 9 p.m. RivieraSupperClub.com.

Fridays – Sam Johnson Jazz Group at Cosmos Coffee Cafe. Free. 3 to 5p.m. CosmosCoffeeCafe.com.

Saturdays – Jazz with George and Alan at Bistro Sixty (formerly San Diego Desserts). Free. 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. www.SanDiegoDesserts.net

Saturdays – Douglas Kvandal with the LiveJazz! Quartet at the Amigo Spot at the Kings Inn. Free. 7 p.m. www.kingsinnsandiego.com

Dec19 – Steph Johnson with Fernando Gomez, Zack Chase, Jason Shatille, and Harley Magsino at 98 Bottles. 8 p.m. $12 adv/$15 day of show. www.98BottlesSD.com

Dec.20– The Cherries Jubilee Holiday Show with Live Jazz and Cabaret at Seven Grand. 9 p.m. Free. www.SevenGrandBars.com

ALTERNATIVEDec.21 – Deadly Birds, Leanna May and the Matadors, Neighbors to the North, and Sexrat at The Griffin. 9 p.m. $6. www.TheGriffinSD.com

Dec.28 – Get Back Loretta , The Heavy Guilt, The Palace Ballroom, and Chess Wars at The Casbah. $10 adv/$12 day of show. 9 p.m. www.CasbahMusic.com

Dec.28 – Sad Robot and Diatribes at Bar Pink. Free. 9 p.m. www.BarPink.com

Dec.31 – New Year’s Eve Party with Brothers Gow at Winston’s. Free. 9 p.m. www.WinstonsOB.com

Jan10 – Brothers Weiss EP Release with Strange Vine and Buddy Banter at Soda Bar. $8 adv/$10 day of Show. 8:30 p.m. www.SodaBarMusic.com

CLASSICALDec.15– “Many Strings” with Chris and Jamie Burns at Mission Trails Regional Park Visitors Center. Donations welcome. 3 p.m. www.mtrp.org

Dec.16-17 – Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker at Copley Symphony Hall. $30 – $90. 7:30 p.m. www.SanDiegoSymphony.org

Dec.20–22 – Holiday Pops: An Americana Christmas at Copley Symphony Hall. $20 – $85. Fri. 8 p.m. Sat. 2 p.m. & 8 p.m. Sun. 7:30 p.m. www.SanDiegoSymphony.org

Jan.17–18 – Ballroom with a Twist at Copley Symphony Hall. $20 - $85. 8 p.m. www.SanDiegoSymphony.org

Jan.19 – “Zene Strings” with Evelyn Kooperman at Mission Trails Regional Park Visitors Center. Donations welcome. 3 p.m. www.mtrp.org

POPTuesdays– Suzanne Shea at Bistro Sixty. Free. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. www.SanDiegoDesserts.net

Thursdays – Greg Shibley at The Westgate Hotel. Free. www.westgatehotel.com

Fridays – Nathan Welden at Bistro Sixty. Free. 6:30 p.m. www.SanDiegoDesserts.net

Dec.27 – Get Groovin’ at Pal Joey’s. Free. 9 p.m. www.PalJoeysOnline.com

Dec.28 – People of Earth at San Pasqual Winery Tasting Room. Free. 7 p.m. www.SanPasqualWinery.com

Bands, venues, and music-lovers: Please submit listings for this calendar by emailing [email protected].

Football, from page 1

the law. When he argued that the fine was ludicrous, the judge agreed with him and reduced the charge to $75 after Unger plead guilty to throwing the ball, accord-ing to the U-T. Unger was able to make his case when he had stated that the police officer had said originally that the ticket was for $60.

The City Council adopted the ordinance in September 2006 in an effort to protect public health and safety. It prohibits throwing or launching objects like footballs, Frisbees, baseballs as well as fire-works, smoke bombs and stink bombs.

The idea behind the prohibi-tion is to prevent a stray football or other projectile from injuring someone or damaging property. It also protects the city, which owns the stadium, from legal liabilities arising out of accidents.

There are only three other stadiums in the NFL that have similar laws: Century Link Field in Seattle, Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and LP Field in Ten-nessee, according to the U-T.

While it may seem odd that twenty-nine other cities don’t be-lieve in enforcing a similar law, the liability that a city faces is still present.

City Councilmember Scott Sherman, whose district includes the stadium, said he thinks the law is silly but that it was adopted because of the “litigious society” we live in today.

“This is a good example of how our legal system has gotten out of hand,” Sherman said. “It restricts our everyday enjoyment of throw-ing a football around at the game with our family.”

Despite the fact that it has been in place since 2006, police appar-

ently have not consistently en-forced the ordinance.

“I’ve been playing catch with my cousins and family for the past couple of seasons here at the Q and I’ve never once seen a po-lice officer stop to warn anyone or give out any tickets for throwing a football,” said Diego Dominguez, a die-hard Chargers fan.

Dominguez said that he thought it was unfair for Unger to have been cited a ticket, not because of being warned initially but because the police should never have bothered him. He also said the law is unfair and that it shouldn’t interfere with family games and activities.

Perhaps a designated throwing area in the parking lot would be an ideal way to appease both sides of the argument, but that would be up to the City Council.

COMMUNITY NEWSLinda Vista Planning Group News

Parking safety questioned

Wage changes affect landscaping

Food truck regulations considered

The moving trucks that park on Via Las Cumbres make near-by residents feel unsafe, said planning group board member Tisha Rocha.

Aside from being an eyesore, the trucks often block visibility for drivers entering or exiting the Friars Village condomini-um neighborhood via Camino Costanero, Rocha said.

“Somebody could get killed coming out of our complex,” Ro-cha said.

Some neighbors also feel the trucks are inviting graffiti and other crime into the neighbor-hood, she said.

San Diego Police Officer David Surwilo said there is little police can do about the trucks under current law.

“We have sent our parking enforcement out there, and we mark the tires, and the trucks move,” Surwilo said. “They aren’t staying there longer than 72 hours.”

Oversized vehicle parking, living wages and food truck restrictions were the top three issues on the table at the Nov. 26 meeting of the Linda Vista Planning Group, a city-sanctioned advisory body representing the residents of Linda Vista.

The cost of labor to maintain the landscaping within Linda Vista’s special district will go up significantly in next year’s budget as a result of minimum wage increases adopted by the city of San Diego, said Ron Tomcek, chair of the Landscape Maintenance Assessment Dis-trict committee.

The group spent $88,000 for landscape maintenance in the fiscal 2013 budget, but that number will rise to $103,580 in the proposed fiscal 2015 budget, Tomcek said.

“We have a company that’s working for us now that’s doing a really great job that employs more than 25 people,” Tomcek said.

Fortunately, revenues will also rise now that the Carmel Pacific Ridge apartments are open, he said.

In the fiscal 2015 budget, as-sessment rates will go up to $19 from $16, where the rate has been since 2009.

The planning group discussed the draft rules that the city has proposed to regulate food trucks. The group decided that it did not have the time or the expertise to wade through the many detailed pages of proposed rules, but they generally agreed that food trucks were not hurting their neighborhood.

“These food trucks seem to fill a niche,” said planning group board member Tom Cleary. “They’re not just for construc-tion sites.”

Jorge Riquelme, executive

The city recently adopted an ordinance that restricts over-night parking for large vehicles such as moving trucks, but it may not go into effect for anoth-er six to eight months, said Lx Fangonilo, a staff member from City Councilmember Scott Sher-man’s office.

Rocha said she would propose a formal action item at the next planning group meeting.

director of the Bayside Com-munity Cen-ter, said that the community should support small, startup b u s i n e s s e s while also being sensitive to the needs of estab-lished brick-and-mortar restau-rants.

The Mexican food truck that regularly sets up in Linda Vis-ta contributes positively to the

community, Riquelme said. “The truck owner buys his

food from Linda Vista, from a store here, so it’s generating op-portunities for low-income small entrepreneurs,” he said.


The USPS, bending to slight but loud pressure, will stay in its current location at the mall and has announced that it will someday move to a smaller space in the mall (no mention of cost but certainly probably close to $200,000 per year). Ironi-cally, tenant improvement costs in a new mall location were not mentioned but may very well be higher than the $56,000 cost to move to Linda Vista.

This is a simple example, in my opinion, of why our country is in such poor fiscal shape. Log-

ic and common sense, which can-not be taught, are overshadowed by the lazy (yes, I said lazy) en-titled populace and is backed up by, I am sorry to say, news out-lets such as the Mission Valley News and other San Diego news sources that, instead of editorial-

izing how this was a logical cost saving measure, backed the loud but not necessarily wise citizens who want what they want and reason, fiscal sense and logic be damned.

-MARC SKORA

EDITORJeremy Ogul, ext. [email protected]

PUBLISHERMission Publishing Group, LLCJim [email protected]

ADVERTISING MANAGERBecky Suffridge, ext. [email protected]

CREATIVE DIRECTORTodd Kammer, ext. [email protected]

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSJen Van Tieghem • Gina Cord Kelly Ostrem

STAFF WRITERJeremy Ogul, ext. [email protected].

MissionValleyNews.com6549 Mission Gorge Road #199San Diego, CA 92120 • 619.291.0200

Mission VALLEY nEWs

publishers ofMission TiMes Courier

la Mesa Courier

Circulation: 15,000. Published 12 times in 2013 and delivered throughout our circulation area of Mission Valley, San Diego, California by Mission Publishing Group, LLC. Clas-sified ads and articles must be submitted by mail, e-mail or dropped off at our business address, 6549 Mission Gorge Road #199, San Diego 92120.Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisements or material submitted which are deemed to be objectionable. Publisher’s liability for errors: Mission Valley News assumes no financial liability for errors nor for omission of copy and upon request will furnish a letter of correction to the advertiser. The Publisher, Mission Publishing Group, LLC., shall not be liable for any error in published advertising unless an advertiser proof is requested in writing 12 days prior to publication date and clearly marked for corrections. If the error is not corrected by the Publisher, the liability, if any, shall not exceed the space occupied for the error. Further, the Publisher shall not be liable for any omission of an advertisement ordered to be published. On written request, Publisher shall reschedule and run the omitted advertisement at the advertiser’s cost. All claims for adjustment must be made in writing within 30 days of the date of publication. In no case shall the Publisher be liable for any

general, special or consequential damages.Equal Housing Opportunity: Real estate advertising in Mission Valley News is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Mission Valley News will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate that is in violation of the law. This is to notify Mission Valley News readers that all dwellings adver-tised in Mission Valley News are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or TTY at 1-800-927-9275.News and information printed in Mission Valley News is obtained from sources consid-ered to be reliable, but accuracy on information sent to the paper cannot be guaranteed. Articles and opinions of writers or letters to the editor that are submitted for publication to the Mission Valley News are the views of the writers and should not be considered the views of the publisher. Content of paid advertisements is solely the responsibility of the advertiser. © 2007–2013, all rights reserved.

OUR NEXT ISSUE The next issue of the Mission Valley News comes out Friday, Jan. 17. The advertising deadline is Monday, Dec. 30.

GET INVOLVED!

Letter, from page 12

Crafts for KidsDec. 13,16,20,23 and Jan. 6, 10, 13, 17, - 4 to 5 p.m.Kids: use and enhance your cre-ativity by making a craft! And you get to keep the finished product!

Morning Storytime with Ka-thieDec. 16, 23 and Jan. 6, 13 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.Children and their families are invited to join us for stories, rhymes, and songs.

Hopscotch Tiny TotsDec. 17 and Jan. 7 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.Join Miss Kim for a great time with music, stories and crafts for babies and toddlers.

Toddler Yoga Storytime with Aryn RannazzisiJan. 2 , 10 to 11 a.m.Toddlers will enjoy the calming, meditative effects of yoga while interacting with their parents and the other children partici-pating.

Friends of the Linda Vista Branch LibraryJan. 4 11 a.m. to NoonThe Friends of the Linda Vista Branch Library meet to coor-dinate activities including our booksale, Homework Help pro-gram, and more.

Linda Vista Planning Group General MeetingJan. 27 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.This is an open meeting of the Linda Vista Planning Group. The public is encouraged to at-tend.

Linda Vista Branch Library is located at 2160 Ulric St., San Diego. Visit lindavistalibrary.org orfacebook.com/lvlibrary.The library is open Monday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Tues-day and Wednesday 12:30 to 8 p.m.; Thursday and Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Sat-urday 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; closed Sunday.

AssemblymemberShirleyWeber’sMobileOfficeDec.6,10a.m.toNoonConnect with Assemblymember Weber’s staff here in your community, and get help with any problems you are having with public agencies, ask questions about legislation, and learn about state and local services. Issues that staff can assist with include renter’s and homeowner’s assistance programs, property tax issues, consumer complaints, and unemployment and disability insurance. No need to make an appointment, just stop in!

HealthandWellnessthroughTaiChiThursdays,2to4p.m.(*NoclassDec.19orDec.26)This class is designed for adults 55 and up and will teach students strategies for implementing physical exercise and relaxation techniques in addition to Tai Chi.

YogaTuesdays,6to7p.m.Are you looking for a workout program that’s easy to learn, requires little or no equipment, and soothes your soul while toning your body? If strengthening your cardiovascular system, toning and stretching your muscles, and improving your mental fitness are on your to-do list, than yoga is for you!

ZumbaBasicMondays,4to5p.m.Join the Zumba craze! Find out what makes this fun workout such a hit. A towel and bottled water are recommended for our Zumba sessions.

ZumbaGoldFridays,1:30to2:30p.m.Zumba Gold is a lower impact version of our Zumba Basic class on Mondays, but just as fun! The moves have been carefully designed to be easy to follow by participants of any size or age.

BabySignsStorytimeFirstandthirdTuesdays,3:30p.m.Parents often wonder, “What is my baby thinking?” There is a way to find out: teaching your baby some basic signs using American Sign Language will fill the gap. Communication is said to be the foundation of a solid relationship; learning to sign with your baby will build that bond early and provide you a bridge from infancy to childhood.

PreschoolStorytime&CraftThursdays,10:30a.m.Preschoolers are invited to a storytime, then a fun craft right afterward.

ToddlerStorytimeFridays,10:30a.m.(*NoclassDec.27)Storytime designed for toddlers, featuring songs, rhymes, and fingerplays.

YogaforKidsFirstandthirdMondays,1:30p.m.Kids will learn how to calm and quiet themselves , develop strong & healthy bodies, and set a foundation for life-long well-being in a relaxed and fun environment.

LIBRARY EVENTS

16 MISSIONVALLEYNEWS.COM — DECEMBER 13, 2013LOCAL NEWS

Mission Valley News - December 2013

Documents

Transcript of Mission Valley News - December 2013