Mission Valley News - July 2013

See marriage page 16

See cosmopolitan page 14 See Zion, page 7

Fiesta De Reyes Owner Takes Over The Cosmopolitan

By Jeremy OgulThe changes were already visible in San Diego just days

after the U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark decisions on same-sex marriage.

Gay and lesbian couples lined up at county administration offices to register for marriage licenses. Local wedding industry professionals updated their marketing materials to promote their gay-friendly services. Politicians were quick to issue statements celebrating the court’s decision.

Tamara Martin and Molly McKinley showed up at the San Diego County Administration Center to take advantage

of their newly granted rights to marriage. The couple had already celebrated their union with a big

wedding at Pala Casino Spa and Resort more than a year ago, but they went to the county building on the Embarcadero downtown to make it official July 3.

“I didn’t think it would feel any different, but it really, really does,” said Martin, a student at California Western School of Law.

With anything less than a state-recognized marriage, “you still had the option of walking away,” Martin said. Now

By Andy CohenStepping into the

new Zion Market is like walking into nothing you’ve ever seen before. The nearly 100,000-square-foot behemoth is part supermarket and part shopping mall, all with a decidedly Korean flavor.

May 23, 2013 marked the start of a new era for the iconic market, as it moved from its old location on Mercury Street to its massive new home at the southwest corner of Clairemont Mesa Boulevard and Convoy Street; a move that allowed the market to more than

Citing untapped potential for the iconic restaurant and hotel in the heart of Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, Old Town Family Hospitality Corp. took the reins of The Cosmopolitan Restaurant & Hotel. Owner and president Chuck Ross has held the concession to operate

The Cosmopolitan for four years, but chose to have it run by a sub-concessionaire while concentrating on rebuilding the two other restaurants and 19 shops that comprise the Fiesta de Reyes concession in the State Park.

The former operators ran the Cosmopolitan for the past

three years and recently made a decision to step away to pursue their other businesses. Their decision to step away from the concession created the opportunity for Old Town Hospitality to reclaim the Cosmopolitan and add it back into the Fiesta de Reyes

Zion Market Begins a New Era

July 12, 2013 On the Internet at www.MissionValleyNews.com Volume VII – Number 7

Photo by Maurice Ramirez

Dear Ask the Cop: I live in the Vista Del Cerro area near Patrick Henry High School. I have young neighbors who frequently send very loud boom box and vocal music toward my house during their pool parties while drinking beer in the pool and around their house. I have tried to contact them several times to tell them to quiet down. They just do not want to be good neighbors. Their noise goes right to my house with vibrations right in our rooms. Their noise is what SDPD would classify as “unreasonable sound.” They have thrown raw fruit and vegetables over the fence into my yard and onto my roof as revenge for calling SDPD. The SDPD dispatcher has told me not to contact them and stay away and let SDPD take care of this case. I really need help with this noise problem. It’s been going on for a long time and SDPD does not seem to know what to do about the problem. I would like to have mediation with my neighbor. Can someone help? -Neighbor for Peace & Quiet

another person by loud and unreasonable noise. (3) Any person who uses offensive words in a public place which are inherently likely to provoke an immedi-

ate violent reaction.Always keep in mind the officer has the discretion to decide if the noise is at an unreasonable level. The officer could also just give a warning. If the noise continues or gets louder, call police again and state the noise is still a problem. If you would like to have mediation with your neighbor instead of call-ing police, contact the Na-tional Conflict Resolution Center. They will set up a confidential meeting with you, your neighbors and

a trained, neutral mediator. The majority of their cases reach an agreement. You can go to their website to find out more infor-mation at www.ncrconline.com. You can also call them at (619) 238-2400.

Wow! Living next to people who do not want to be good neighbors is not a good situation. It sounds like you have taken all the right steps. The first step would be to talk to your neighbors. Do the neighborly things, for ex-ample, bring over some cookies sit down and talk with your neighbors in or-der to come to a solution. It sounds like this did not work in your case. The next step is to call police, and call police every time your peace is disturbed. I want to clarify a myth. There is no law stating people can make as much noise as they want from the hours of 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Anyone’s peace can be disturbed at any time of the day or night. If your peace is disturbed be-cause of a noise level that is unreasonable, then call police. I have shut down many parties because the noise level reached an unreasonable level for the neighbors. Once you have placed a call to police you can tell the call taker that this is a chronic problem. You can also ask to have contact from the officer. When you have contact from the officer you can explain the chronic problem, and let the officer hear the noise level from inside your home for him or herself. You can ask the officer to shut down the party.

There is another step you can take. You can make a citizen’s arrest. When you call police, tell the call taker you are willing to sign a complaint for the noise and would be willing to make a

citizen arrest. The California Penal Code Sec-tion 415 states: Any of the follow-ing persons shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for a period of not more than 90 days, a fine of not more than four hundred dollars ($400), or both such imprisonment and fine: (1) Any person who unlaw-fully fights in a public place or challenges another per-son in a public place to fight. (2) Any person who mali-ciously and willfully disturbs

Officer Holland Tafoya SDPD Eastern Division Community Liaison Officer

Have a question for Ask the Cop? Email [email protected].

If you’re keeping up with local real estate news you might believe that the San Diego general economy must be doing well. Home sale prices are going up while the availability of resale homes has dried up. New home subdivisions are experiencing more activity than the last several years; both in terms of supply and demand from pent up buyers.

On the rental side of the real estate market rents are still increasing through showed slowed somewhat in apartments. The vacancy has tamped down and mortgage money for investments real estate is loosening up.

Now the fears echoing throughout the local market among more than a few real estate leaders is that a bubble is coming, interest rates are going up and there is still shadow inventory lurking to spoil the buzz.

However, these fears appear to be as short sighted as the optimism of 6-7 years ago that local real estate prices could do nothing but go up forever.

The underlying facts tell the real estate story and like any real story there are good parts for some characters and issues to be resolved; some known and other will be a surprise.

Let’s look at some of these underlying factors and explore the implications to local real estate sales and rentals-

•The long recession has crippled the supply line of constructing new housing in the local development environment. Multifamily apartments and condos will move to market faster but still it always takes longer than intended with resistance at each stage of approval.

•Future housing development will need to be smarter; more urban neighborhoods in fill than suburban spread move mixed use that traditional bedroom.

•On the demand side the millennial generations (ages 18-34) has been on the side line during the recession thought this huge demographic fuels rental demand and eventually become real estate buyers. Locally, this group is enjoying relatively the best improvements in employment and want to create households. They are also the most flexible when it comes to what these households look like. Adult roommates (coming out of school and the military) with their continued incomes can be interested in apartment’s rental condos and individual homes. Renters will continue to need about half the housing stock in San Diego.

•In addition to millennials this region is a magnet for a variety of first and second generations ( 39 native languages spoken locally) with comprehensive immigration reform in view San Diego will grow dramatically.

•Future and economic growth will cluster within mega regions described in a study 5 years ago as being composed of closely linked cities creating populations of (10-50 million) producing hundreds of billions of dollars in economic output. These mega regions can cross state and U.S. borders and harness human creativity on a massive scale. There are 10 small regions in the U.S. and are becoming the source of the lion’s share of the world’s scientific achievement and technological innovations. San Diego is the geographical coastal center of the SO Cal mega region stretching from Los Angeles to the North and into Tijuana, Mexico to the south. ( Population 21.4 million with economy of $711 billion) These mega regions are also attractive to active older population than want to stay involved and perhaps employed.

These are the large brush strokes that support our contention that our local real estate market is becoming far more dynamic than in past generations but requires patience and expertise. The real estate investment potential is robust but requires innovation. Rental ownership survives as the leading vehicle of building real wealth and producing tax favored cash flow but must be managed as a business in a demanding world of return and consumer protection.

Rent Sense:Where are we headed?By Neil Fjellestad and Chris De MarcoFBS Property Management

MissionValleyNews.com — July 12, 2013LocaL News

enjoyable and your pet(s) will have a great time, too.Sari Reis is a Certified Hu-mane Education Specialist and the owner of Mission Val-ley Pet Sitting Services. For more information you can con-tact her at (760) 644-0289 or www.missionvalleypetsitting.com.

By Sari Reis Summer vacation is just around the corner. For many families, that means travel away from home. Although most of us consider our pets family members, it is not al-ways feasible to take them with us, so finding the right pet care is essential. Boarding is a good option, but depend-ing on your situation, it is not always the best answer. Cats generally do not do well with boarding and if you have sever-al pets, a health-compromised animal, an elderly pet or an under-socialized dog, homec-are would be a much better solution. Finding the suitable person can be a challenge. Re-member, the person you select will not only be caring for your precious pets but will have ac-cess to your home. Here are some very important points on what to look for when hiring a pet sitter.

Choosing a Pet SitterThe pet sitter should:• Be insured and bonded

and able to provide the appropriate documentation.

• Have Pet First Aid Certification.

• Be a professional and belong to a professional association.

• Have species specific experience i.e. if you have birds, she should have experience with birds.

• Be able to deal with any behavioral issues your pet may have. If your dog is dog reactive, she should know how to handle him around other dogs.

• Be skilled and experienced in administering medication if required.

• Be able to provide references. Be sure to check them out.

• Come to your home to meet you and your pets. This meet and greet should give you an excellent indication of whether this is the right person by the

way your pets respond. Be sure the person who will actually be caring for your animals is there, not just the company owner.

• Ask a lot of questions regarding your pets care including: feeding, medications, state of health, behavior issues, favorite activities, etc.

• Offer to communicate with you on a regular basis to keep you informed of your pet’s well-being.

• Request veterinary information.

• Have a written contract for you to sign.

• Offer to bring in mail, newspapers, packages, water plants, switch lights and blinds so your home looks occupied while you are away.

When making the decision about which pet sitter to use, cost should not be the most important or decisive factor. To avoid having to settle for a less-than-perfect situation, be sure to include the cost of pet care when budgeting for your vacation. Check pet sitter

company reviews online, check with friends and associates to see if they can recommend someone to you. The best pet sitters get booked up quickly so be sure to call early. Your peace of mind knowing your pet sitter is competent, reli-able, responsible, trust-wor-thy and experienced will make your vacation so much more

MissionValleyNews.com — July 12, 2013 PeTs

WHPacific, Inc. Hires Survey Party Chief

WHPacific San Diego welcomed Steven Pollock, RLS, CFedS, as survey party chief. Pollock has more than thirty years’ experience in surveying and research, specializing in boundary, construction, civil, route, and utility surveying. As a Certified Federal Surveyor, Pollock brings an extensive knowledge of BLM Manual of Instructions as well as title searches, ALTA/ACSM, and legal description preparation.

“Steven is a second generation land surveyor with over 26 years of experience in the electric utility industry,” states WHPacific’s Project Manager, Mike Hart. “He witnessed many changes in surveying and mapping technology, so he understands show those changes, along with emerging technology, can be leveraged in the industry.”

Previous to WHPacific, Pollock was Survey Analyst and Survey/Right of Way Representative at Arizona Public Service Co. He also served as party chief for Mingus & Associates, Boyle Engineering, Pinnacle Engineering, and Earth Engineering and Associates. Pollock is the latest addition to WHPacific’s new San Diego office.

Administrator Appointed

Cavignac & Associates, a leading San Diego risk management and insurance brokerage firm specializing in the building industry, has hired Claire Owens to serve in the position of Service Team Account Administrator, announced Jeffrey W. Cavignac, CPCU, ARM, RPLU, CRIS, MLIS, president and principal of the firm.

Bringing to Cavignac & Associates five years of experience in the insurance industry, Owens is responsible for providing support

San Diego Opera Elects New Board

San Diego Opera’s 2013-2014 Board of Directors and Executive Committee members were elected at the Company’s Annual Meeting at Point Loma Nazarene University June 24. Their terms began July 1.

The Executive Committee includes Stacy Kellner Rosenberg as President of the Board of Directors. She succeeds Karen S. Cohn who becomes Chairman, only the second in the Company’s history. Also on the Executive Committee is Jennifer Greenfield, Executive Vice President and 50th Anniversary Co-Chair; Harry Suh, Vice President, Finance; and Carol Lazier as Corporate Secretary.

Members at Large include Robert B. Horsman, Community Outreach Chair; David E. Kleinfeld, Governance Chair; Karen Sedgwick-Tyler, Audit Chair; Pam Slater-Price, Nominating Chair; Iris Lynn Strauss, Life Director and Development Co-Chair; Lori Walton, 50th Anniversary Co-Chair; Joe Watkins, Strategic Planning Chair; Moses Urbano, Student Ticket Initiative Chair; Sheryl White, Corporate Development Chair; and Faye Wilson who remains a Life Director.

“Being a member of a not-for-profit Board of Directors is no easy task, and the demands placed upon members are great. But San Diego Opera prides itself in attracting some of the best of San Diego to provide leadership which keeps the Company vital and stable,” comments Ian Campbell, General and Artistic Director and CEO of San Diego Opera. “I welcome our new Board members under the guiding hand of president Stacy Kellner Rosenberg and her executive committee, knowing that they will continue a proud tradition of commitment as we approach our 50th Anniversary Season in 2015. I also wish to thank those members who have finished their terms, particularly retiring president Karen Cohn, whose graceful leadership of the Board and support of the goals of the Company and its staff, have taken us safely into our 49th Season.”

At this meeting Dr. Harry F. Hixson, Jr. was also named a Life Director of the Company, making him the sixth Life Director in the Company’s 49 years. Dr. Harry F. Hixson, Jr. has been the Chief Executive Officer of Sequenom Inc since 2009. Dr. Hixson co-founded BrainCells Inc. and served as its Chief Executive Officer from July 2004 to September 2005. He has been involved with the start-up of several biopharmaceutical companies, including Neurocrine Biosciences and Signal Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Hixson earned a Ph.D. in Physical Biochemistry from Purdue University, an M.B.A. from University of Chicago and a BS Degree in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University.

Just in Time for Foster YouthSelects Board Member

Just in Time for Foster Youth, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping youth leaving the foster care system obtain essential transitional support that sets them on a pathway to success, has named Kristy Gregg to its Board of Directors, where she is Board President Elect with a July 1, 2013 inaugural date.

Gregg is the Vice President/Community Affairs Manager for U.S. Bank in the Southern California region; and Vice President, Marketing/Community Relations, responsible for advertising, public relations, special events. Her activities have included implementing a financial literacy program for high school students; coordinating a recycling program; developing partnerships with San Diego City Schools, including a staff volunteer program, and two scholarship programs.

Prior to working at U.S. Bank, Gregg co-owned a retail business and served as a real estate associate and financial investment advisor. She has also worked in management and administration in the construction, architectural and medical fields.

Gregg’s vast history of community engagement includes serving on the board of Nice Guys and the board and executive committee of LEAD San Diego. Her other board memberships include San Diego Neighborhood Funders, the Children’s Initiative, STAR/PAL, and United Way. She is a member of San Diego Grantmakers; the finance committee of the East County Economic Development Council, the San Diego County’s Childcare and Development Council, Sharp Hospice Care Regatta, the San Diego Women’s Foundation, and the San Diego Unified School District’s Literary Task Force.

New Executive Director for The Burn Institute

The board of directors of the Burn Institute is proud to announce the arrival its new executive director, Dr. Ronald Hendrix. Dr. Hendrix comes to the organization after a12-year tenure as Executive Director of the Parkinson’s Association of San Diego, Inc. where he was instrumental in creating greater awareness of the agencies’ programs & services while also expanding the organization significantly.

“Ron brings a wealth of successful non-profit leadership and executive management experience to the Burn Institute. The Burn Institute reaches thousands of children and adults each year through fire and burn prevention education, burn survivor support

programs and the funding of burn care research and treatment. We are extremely excited to work with a professional like Ron and our key partners on the shared goal of providing these very important programs and services at an even higher level,” said Board President David Ott.

Dr. Hendrix has accumulated over 40 years of diversified management experience while directing several non-profit organizations that served seniors, developmentally disabled, learning disabled and/or traumatically head injured young adults. Previous to joining the Parkinson’s Association, he served for 11 years as the CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association of San Diego where he developed the agency into a major community asset for the growing numbers of Alzheimer’s patients and their families in San Diego County.

Dr. Hendrix has a Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut in Educational Psychology & Rehabilitation Research and a M.Ed. in Rehabilitation Counseling from Pennsylvania State University as well as a B.A. in Psychology History and Sociology from Susquehanna University. He officially joined the Burn Institute on July 1.

Assemblywoman Appoints Chief of Staff and District Director

California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) announced today the appointments of Evan McLaughlin as Chief of Staff and Humberto Peraza as District Director for the 80th Assembly District.

McLaughlin was most recently the Political and Legislative Director for the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, AFL-CIO, a federation of 135 local unions representing 200,000 workers in the region. He served the Labor Council from 2008 to 2013 as the chief deputy to Ms. Gonzalez on matters involving public policy, electoral campaigns and community organizing when she headed the Labor Council. McLaughlin also served as Campaign Manager to Ms. Gonzalez’s campaign for State Assembly in 2013. McLaughlin co-founded the San Diego chapter of the New Leaders Council and serves on the boards of directors for the League of Conservation Voters of San Diego, San Diego Leadership Alliance and Empower San Diego. McLaughlin was an award-winning politics and government reporter at Voice of San Diego from the nonprofit news website’s inception in 2005 until 2008. McLaughlin resides in City Heights but will be moving to Sacramento with the new position.

Peraza is an elected member of the Southwestern College District Governing Board and has been a longtime advisor to

elected officials in the region. Peraza served as Policy Advisor to San Diego City Council President Ben Hueso; District Chief of Staff to Congressman Bob Filner; San Diego & Imperial Counties Area Director/Statewide Latino Director for U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer; and also worked for Congressman Xavier Becerra in both Los Angeles and Washington D.C. Most recently, Peraza was owner of Counter Point Government Relations LLC, where he advised private sector clients on matters of public safety, education and business development. Peraza has also served on the City of Chula Vista’s Charter Review Commission and on the boards of League of Conservation Voters San Diego, MOVE San Diego, Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest and its Action Fund. He resides in Chula Vista.

Iris Strauss, Dr. Harry Hixson, Jr. Faye WilsonLife DirectorsSan Diego Opera

MoveMent in san diego’s business coMMunity

Kristy GreggDirectorJust in Time for Foster Youth

Ronald Hendrix, Ph.DExecutive DirectorThe Burn Institute

Evan McLaughlinChief of StaffAssemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez

Humberto PerazaDistrict Director80th Assembly District

Steven PollockRLS, CFedSSurvey Party ChiefWHPacific San Diego

Claire OwensRLS, Service Team Account AdministratorCavignac & Associates

MissionValleyNews.com — July 12, 2013BusiNess News

and assistance to each team within the agency. She is charged with endorsement and policy processing, billing and cancellation issues, certificates of insurance processing, administrative follow-up, audit reconciliation, contract reviews and various account manager tasks.

Prior to joining Cavignac & Associates, Owens served as a commercial lines customer service representative for BH Gold Insurance Agency in San Diego, where she was employed for five years. During her tenure there, she assisted the firm’s producers with renewals and endorsements, remarketed accounts, answered clients’ coverage questions, invoiced clients, and prepared certificates and policies to send to clients. She also trained all the company’s new front desk coordinators.

Previous job experience includes have served one-and-a-half years as executive/administrative assistant at San Diego Headache & Facial Pain Center in Encinitas, Calif.

Owens studied at Saddleback Community College in Mission Viejo. Through the years, she has undertaken various executive assistant/office coursework. She holds a California Property & Casualty Broker/Agent license.

Her community involvement includes

having participated in the American Cancer Society Breast Cancer Walk for the past for years.

Born and raised in Orange County, Calif., Owens currently resides in the San Diego community of Rolando Park with her husband, Patrick, and one-year-old Labrador Retriever named Ringo. She played varsity softball in high school and now runs half-marathons. She used to play keyboard in a Jamaican-style, nine-piece ska band through which she met her husband, who is the drummer.

Brand Rep Transfers to SoCal

\SKINS Compression, the world’s leader

in gradient compression sportswear, today announced the relocation of brand rep Alex Moore to Southern California, the new North American home of the internationally-known sportswear brand.

As part of the brand’s continued effort to grow the SKINS North American business, Moore will specifically concentrate on growing the core Southern California market as an exclusive in-house territory manager for SKINS.

Moore, who has been SKINS’ northwest brand rep for the past year, has contributed extensively to the progression of SKINS in the northwest and Northern California markets, while also enhancing the brand’s relationship with target consumers, specialty retail partners and the CrossFit community. Moore has brought a significant number of specialty retail accounts on board within the past year, and has also brought key accounts back to the SKINS brand.

Given Moore’s remarkable track record, SKINS is refocusing his sales efforts to aggressively target the active Southern California community, a primary area of focus for the brand. Moore will continue to grow the specialty retail channel and key SKINS accounts, in addition to overseeing long-range planning and forecasting.

“Moore has continued to amaze the SKINS team with his distinctive ability to generate a continuous stream of new retail partners and simultaneously expand other key specialty accounts crucial to the growth of SKINS,” said Johnny West, General Manager of SKINS

North America. “In a short span of a year, Moore has helped set the stage for explosive growth within North America and relocating him to the heart of where our target consumer is will allow him to be even more heavily involved in adding to our company’s success moving forward.”

“I look forward to relocating to California and immersing myself in a community that is so passionate about about leading an active lifestyle – this is who we as a team strive to be and who we target to grow our business,” said Alex Moore. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to further add to the SKINS powerful portfolio – both on a consumer and retailer level.”

Moore continues to bring a wealth of noteworthy knowledge and insight to the SKINS brand, having more than seven years of retail and managerial experience in the sports apparel sales and sporting goods business. Prior to joining the sports apparel industry, Moore spent time as a ski and swim instructor. Moore is a graduate of the University of Portland with a Bachelor of Science degree in both organizational communication and Spanish.

SHE SNORES MORE THAN I DO, BUT I STILL LOVE MY HUMAN.

— BANDIT adopted 11-26-09

MoveMent in san diego’s business coMMunity

Do you have business news about new hires, promotions or awards? Send it to [email protected].

Alex MooreRepresentativeSKINS Compression

MissionValleyNews.com — July 12, 2013 BusiNess News

league pitcher Mike Johnson. “I wasn’t Sparky Anderson’s favorite guy,” Locklear said.

Locklear saw some playing time with the Padres and with San Diego’s Class AAA affiliate in Hawaii before being traded to the New York Yankees in 1976. That made Locklear part of the 1976 Yankees who reached the World Series before losing to the Reds, although he did not play in the 1976 post-season and was not a starter on the team.

Locklear played more regularly once the Yankees optioned him to their Class AAA farm team in Syracuse; in 1977 he tied an International League record by homering four times in the same game.

Locklear then played in Japan. “I was making big league money,” he said. “It just wasn’t my cup of tea.”

Locklear closed out his professional career by going to Spring Training with the Reds before retiring. “I had something else I wanted to do with my life,” he said.

Locklear obtained an art degree and now focuses on his paintings. “I can make a living with my art,” he said.

Gene Locklear Fields Questions at Friends of Business Lunch

By Joe NaimanGene Locklear, whose

10-year professional baseball career included four San Diego Padres seasons, was the featured speaker at the July 2 Friends in Business networking lunch at Randy Jones Sports Grill.

Locklear returned to San Diego County following the end of his baseball career and now lives in Rancho San Diego, where he also has an art studio.

“It’s only by the grace of God that I am where I am today,” Locklear said.

God apparently

answered Locklear’s nightly prayers to get out of the rural poverty he experienced as a child in North Carolina. In the 1960s, that wasn’t an attractive venue for professional baseball scouts. Locklear, a full-blooded Indian, attended two tryout camps including one in which nobody was signed. “I was the fastest kid there, I could throw the ball the farthest, and I hit three home runs in five swings,” he said.

The scout who declined to sign him was later fired after Locklear won two minor league batting titles. Locklear signed his first professional contract

with the Cincinnati Reds in 1969 and made the Reds’ Opening Day roster in 1973. The Reds were managed by future Hall of Fame member Sparky Anderson, and Locklear’s teammates included future Hall of Fame members Tony Perez and Johnny Bench. The Reds’ outfielders included Pete Rose and Cesar Geronimo as well as Locklear. “Everybody thought Geronimo was the Indian on the team,” Locklear said.

Locklear noted some comparisons between himself and Rose. “One of the things Pete Rose had that I had was a lot of determination,” Locklear said.

Locklear explained that neither he nor Rose was physically gifted but that such players can still fulfill their dreams of playing Major League Baseball. “What makes them different is what they have in their heart,” he said.

The Reds also had a promising outfielder named Ken Griffey, who made his major league debut in 1973. In June of that year the Padres sent left-handed pitcher Fred Norman to the Reds for Locklear and minor


Zion, from page 1

triple their square footage.The location is also home

to 38 other businesses that lease space from Zion Market, including Paris Baguette café

and bakery, a travel agency, a real estate office, an eyeglass shop, a jewelry shop (that has yet to open), an herbal tea shop, and several restaurants, among others, most of them featuring Korean style products and services.

“We wanted to balance out Asia Town,” said store manager Tim Moon, referring to the multitude of Vietnamese, Thai, Laotian, and Japanese themed businesses along Convoy Street, concentrated mostly to the south toward Linda Vista.

Zion Market has grown to become a small chain with

six locations, all in Southern California, with the very first location opening in San Diego in 1979 at Convoy and Ruffin Road. The ownership has changed hands a few times, all within the family,

and is now wholly owned by Moon’s youngest uncle, Kyu Hwang. Since its inception, business has continued to grow at a steady pace. From the day they first moved into

the Mercury Street location 11 years ago, said Moon, they began their search for their next home in anticipation of the next expansion.

The store is routinely jam-packed with customers. “We realized early on that wherever we set up shop in the area our customers would follow,” said Moon. “We have a very loyal following. We’re confident that once someone sets foot inside, we’ll have a long time customer.”

Through the years they examined several locations, including Dixieline Lumber on Convoy, the 24 Hour Fitness location on Balboa Avenue, and the Costco Business Center (formerly Home Depot Expo) on Mercury next door to Target,

before settling on the former K-Mart and Sears location on Clairemont Mesa and Convoy.

The new location features

over 1,000 parking spaces, as opposed to 132 spaces at their former home, with 50 additional auxiliary spaces that were leased from the Mercedes Benz dealership across the street.

The added space has also allowed the business to feature a broader variety of products to include more Japanese and Hispanic products in addition to the massive variety of Korean items.

The move would seem to be fully justified, as demonstrated by the huge crowds that can be found inside the store during a mid-week afternoon.

The business model, said Moon, is a Wal-Mart style philosophy, concentrating on offering the lowest prices possible. “We are very inexpensive,” he said. “We try not to sell bad products.”

“Our markup is very low,” he said.

The biggest attraction is the store’s produce section, which functions as a loss leader, according to Moon. “You can’t beat our prices” on produce, he said. Zion Market also features one of the largest selections of barbeque products and marinated meats to be found anywhere in San Diego, including one of their most popular items, their barbeque short ribs.

“Our BBQ and produce are what pulls customers

in,” said Moon. “We have become Chargers tailgate central.”

The business is now headquartered in Los Angeles, where they operate their distribution warehouse in close proximity to a multitude of suppliers based in the area. And while most of Zion’s product offerings are locally sourced in Los Angeles, the location also gives them easy access to the Port of Los Angeles, where most of their imported products are shipped through.

“We’re not competing with Vons, Albertsons, or Sprouts,” said Moon. Rather, their operation occupies a very unique niche in San Diego with their Korean product offerings.

The next phase in the legendary business’ expansion is the introduction of a Hispanic themed market called Monte De Zion, already opened and operating in Downtown Los Angeles, according to Moon.

MissionValleyNews.com — July 12, 2013 LocaL News

loan payments and skip the months of July and August,” said Teresa Halleck, SDCCU president/CEO. “This is just one way, as a market leader, we are providing breakthrough banking products and services to our expanding customer base, and giving our families some flexibility during a busy time of year when they might be dealing with extra expenses.”

SDCCU said its deferred loan offer is restricted to new auto loans and does not apply to other loan arrangements. A one-time, non-refundable fee applies for participation. SDCCU, with assets of more than $6.2 billion and 246,000 customers, operates 31 branch locations in San Diego, Orange and Riverside counties.

L’Ecole No 41 Columbia Valley Semillon 2011 can be found at Bacchus Wine

Market downtown, Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido and The Wine Connection in Del Mar. Other great producers of Washington Semillon worth m e n t i o n i n g are Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia Crest Winery. W h i c h e v e r producer you choose to enjoy, Semillon is definitely an exceptional wine worth a taste!

Karen Irizarry is a certified sommelier who has worked vintages in Australia and Germany and is currently working vintage in New Zealand. She developed a passion for wine while working under advanced s o m m e l i e r

and wine director Brian Donegan at San Diego’s Market Restaurant and Bar. Irizarry’s passion for food and wine is reflected in her blog, whiteorred.blogspot.com.

WhiteRedor

By Karen Irizarry,Certified Sommelier

Summer has arrived! With the warm weather rolling in, one needs a perfect sipping wine to enjoy on the long, sunny days and a great wine to pair with the fresh, light cuisine of summer. Loved for its freshness and vibrancy, Semillon is the perfect choice. And when one thinks of Semillon from the United States, Washington State is the first place that comes to mind and is one of the best new world growing regions.

Bordeaux, France is considered the home of Semillon, where it is the most widely planted white grape varietal. Here it is most commonly blended with Sauvignon Blanc to create the classic dry wines labeled Bordeaux Blanc or the sweet wines of Sauternes. Semillon is exceptionally popular in Australia and often blended with Sauvignon Blanc as well. While Semillon is an important grape varietal,

it never seems to attract attention in the same way other popular whites like Chardonnay or Riesling do. It is usually considered second rate by its tendency to be blended rather than marketed as a single varietal but Washington is giving this unsung grape variety some much-deserved attention at last.

Washington has a diverse growing climate, offering warmer appellations for Bordeaux and Rhone red varietals in areas such as Walla Walla and cooler appellations for cool climate whites in Columbia Valley. The combination of Columbia Valley’s sunny, dry climate and glacial soils rich in complex minerals produce some truly remarkable white wines. Among Washington’s other white wine varietals, Semillon stands out as something uniquely expressive and Columbia Valley produces some the world’s best Semillon. In its youth, Washington Semillon offers a broad spectrum of

flavors, ranging from crisp citrus to melon and fig to fresh pears. Or with time, can age beautifully

into rich, honeyed, nutty wines.

These days, L’Ecole No 41 is a c k n o w l e d g e d as the leading producer of W a s h i n g t o n Semillon, offering multiple bottlings in a variety of styles. Many other wineries choose to blend their Semillon with Sauvignon Blanc and produce sweet dessert wines for traditional Bordeaux blends. And while L’Ecole No 41 produces such styles, it also makes a single varietal Semillon showing the true potential of this grape. The 2011 Columbia Valley Semillon is a benchmark for young, fresh W a s h i n g t o n Semillon. It is summer in a glass with its striking nose of citrus blossom, melon and floral aromas, great fruit intensity and honeyed nuance on the palate and a balanced citrus finish.

Few Semillons show their

richness and complexity as those produced in Washington. The wonderful

growing conditions of Columbia Valley help to ensure crisp natural acidity, making this an impressive food pairing wine. This fantastic Semillon is ideal with oysters, shellfish and summer citrus salads. The

It’s good to be a new car owner with a loan at San Diego County Credit Union this summer.

San Diego County Credit Union (SDCCU), San Diego’s largest locally-owned financial institution with a Mission Valley branch office at 2245 Fenton Parkway, Suite 107, in the Fenton Marketplace, just west of Qualcomm Stadium, has launched a Summer Saver Auto Loan promotion that invites qualified SDCCU auto loan borrowers to skip their regular monthly payments for the months of July and August throughout the term of their loan.

“We’re telling our auto loan customers to keep their cash, take a vacation from their summertime

Credit Union Tells Customers to Skip Auto Loan Payments

MissionValleyNews.com — July 12, 2013DiNiNG

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 a the Kings Inn. Free. 7 p.m. www.kingsinnsandiego.com

July 19 – Sure Fire Soul Ensemble at Riviera Supper Club. Free. 9 p.m. www.RivieraSuppperClub.com.

ALTERNATIVEMondays – Stevie Harris at The Go Lounge. Free. 8 p.m. www.TheGoLoungeSD.com.

July 16 – 91X Loudspeaker Live presents Uniform Victor, The Filthy Violets, and Act Natural at The Griffin. $5 or Free with RSVP. 8:45 p.m. www.TheGriffinSD.com.

July 20 – Pacific Rails at Chico Club. Free. 8 p.m. www.ChicoClub1940.com.

July 21 – The Postal Service at Open Air Theatre at SDSU. $25 -

$60. 8 p.m. Events.SDSU.com

Aug. 10 – Gloomsday, Schitzophonics, The Paragraphs, and Chess Wars at Soda Bar. $7. 8:30 p.m. www.SodaBarMusic.com.

CLASSICALJuly 12-13 – Summer Pops: Music of The Bee Gees at Embarcadero Marina Park South. $25-$89. 7:30 p.m. www.sandiegosymphony.org

July 14 – Summer Pops: Pop Goes Classical at Embarcadero Marina Park South. $20-$79. 7:30 p.m. www.sandiegosymphony.org

PoPTuesdays - Suzanne Shea Reed at Bistro Sixty. Free. 6:30 to 9:30 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

July 26-27 – Summer Pops presents Amy Grant at Embarcadero Marina Park South. $20-$84. 7:30 p.m. www.sandiegosymphony.org.

Aug. 14 – Jonas Brothers at Vieja’s Arena at SDSU. $20 and up. 7 p.m. Events.SDSU.com

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

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construct a new conveyance tun-nel to protect the state water sup-ply; improve the Delta ecosystem through habitat restoration; and remove pollutants, invasive spe-cies and other “stressors” harm-ing the Delta environment.

But the BDCP isn’t without critics.

On June 17, a statewide co-alition of fishing, wildlife and farming community groups an-nounced the filing of a lawsuit against the California Delta Stewardship Council to vacate its Delta Plan. The lawsuit as-serts the Delta Plan violates the 2009 Delta Reform Act, and the California Environmental Qual-ity Act (CEQA), and the state Administrative Procedure Act, and seeks to have it set aside.

The groups said the $54.1 bil-lion project would have devastat-ing impacts on California’s farm-ing and fishing, and put several endangered species – including salmon – at increased risk of ex-tinction. The lawsuit was filed in San Francisco Superior Court on behalf of groups from both north-ern and southern California.

And while balancing the need for a proactive plan with the fish-ing, wildlife and farming com-munity groups’ requirements may be a formidable challenge, facing a situation in which noth-ing was done in time to address inevitable threats against the water supply will likely prove to be more terrifying.

This article is the second in a se-ries on the state of San Diego’s Water Supply.

By Genevieve A. Suzuki Looking upon the Sacramen-

to-San Joaquin Delta, it’s easy to dismiss it as just another mod-ern marvel, crafted to bring 25 millions of Californians drinking water. Water flows in and out of our faucets, hoses and toilets ev-ery day; it’s a given we all take for granted.

All it takes is one of Metropol-itan Water District’s inspection trips to the Bay Delta to force you to confront reality about wa-ter truly being one of our more precious resources. And, as with any precious resource, there is a wealth of issues surrounding its maintenance and distribution.

The 1,100-mile Delta levee system faces serious threats by the three S’s: subsidence, sea level rising and seismic vulnera-bility. It’s not difficult to imagine the kind of damage the latter of the three could do – in 2011, the Tohoku earthquake that trig-gered a tsunami that caused bil-lions of dollars worth of damage and claimed thousands of lives demonstrated that our modern marvels are not as protected against natural disasters as we’d like to believe. The Japanese earthquake, which was the fifth most powerful earthquake in the world since 1900, immediately left 1.5 million people without water supplies.

The U.S. Geological Survey

said there is 60 percent chance of a magnitude 6.7 earthquake hitting the Bay-Delta region by 2032. Moreover, there is a 25 percent chance of an earthquake causing 30 islands in the Delta region to collapse in the next 25 years, which could cost the state more than $30 billion, according to the California Department of Water Resources.

Already, within the past century, 162 Delta levee breaks have occurred. “What nature took 7,000 years to create, about half of that was destroyed in about 100 years,” said Delta ex-pert Curt Schmutte during a recent presentation to attendees from San Diego.

More than $100 million is being spent to keep the levees in place. Schmutte said the only way to effectively deal with the issue is to be proactive.

As a result, federal and state officials, water agencies and oth-er interested parties have pro-posed the Bay Delta Conserva-tion Plan (BDCP), which would

Fighting for the DeltaProactive measures necessary to resolve issues affecting water supply


Authentic, hand-painted Mata Ortiz Pottery, colorful Mexican folk art and vibrant artisan jewelry will be just some of the artwork featured at the annual Latin American Festival and Mata Ortiz Pottery Market, Aug. 2 to 4, at the Bazaar del Mundo Shops in Old Town, San Diego.

AnnUAL FeSTivAL ShoWCASeS MexiCAn ArT, CLoThing AnD JeWeLry

The vibrant marketplace ensconced beneath a colorful array of umbrellas with artists from Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Ecuador and other Latin American countries, showcases one of the most extensive collections of genuine Latin American folk art, traditional clothing and textiles, colorful collectibles and dazzling jewelry this side of the border.

San Diego’s largest collection of authentic Mata Ortiz pottery, a centuries-old art form renowned for its detailed process and

hand-painted geometric and ancestral symbols, will be the highlight of the event with several skilled potters showcasing their wares, including Jorge Quintana, a principal Mata Ortiz artist whose work has been displayed in museums all over the world.

Live demonstrations will be performed for eager festival-goers, as artists hack away at wooden stumps to reveal life-like animal figures, weave hand-pulled wool into intricate textiles and skillfully paint delicate designs onto hand-formed clay pots.

Other traditional crafts and sought-after handmade goods include: San Antonio embroidery, tinwork, Talavera pottery, Oaxacan wooden animal carvings, Guatemalan weaving, various colorful and symbolic wall art and sculptures, Huichol yarn and bead paintings and one-of-a-kind pottery from the farthest regions of Mexico.

Some of this year’s selected artists include:

Tiburcio Soteno Fernandez: masterful pottery artist from Metepec, Mexico, specializing in

spectacular “Trees of Life” ceramic pieces

Jose Jorge Garcia Garcia: traditional silver jewelry artist from Oaxaca, Mexico

Lacey Waddell: Day of the

Dead jewelry artist from San Diego

TINKU, a Latin American Folk band, will perform over 19 musical rhythms from throughout Latin America on authentic native instruments.

M o u t h - w a t e r i n g Mexican cuisine from neighboring Casa G u a d a l a j a r a restaurant will be for sale, completing the cultural aesthetic, making visitors feel as though they’ve stepped into one of Mexico’s rural markets.

The event runs 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Inside the colorful stores, shelves will be brimming with gifts and goods imported from Mexico and Latin America, as well as books on travel, culture, architecture, arts and crafts and food.

The San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors approved June 27 wholesale water rates for calendar year 2014 and adopted a $1.5 billion budget for fiscal years 2014 and 2015.

The new two-year budget is 5.2 percent larger than the current budget, mostly to cover higher costs for the purchase and treatment of imported water. Wholesale rates that the Water Authority charges its 24 member agencies next year will increase by 2.6 percent for untreated supplies and 3.5 percent for treated supplies.

“This budget upholds our mission of providing a safe and reliable supply of water for San Diego County,” said Thomas V. Wornham, chair of the Water Authority’s Board of Directors. “We’ve trimmed expenses where it’s prudent, tapped millions of dollars in grants and refinanced debt to lower the cost of borrowing. The net result will allow us to maintain our multi-billion-dollar water-delivery infrastructure and continue providing a vital resource for the region.”

The Board held a public hearing about the 2014 rates, followed by a vote on the rates. The Water Authority

WATer AUThoriTy BoArD ADoPTS TWo-yeAr BUDgeT AnD APProveS 2014 rATeS

budgets two years at a time, but it sets rates annually so it can most effectively adjust to changing conditions.

Water rates for 2014 were proposed in May in conjunction with an independent cost-of-service study that confirmed that the Water Authority’s rate structure complies with legal requirements, cost-of-service standards, industry best practices and Board policies.

Next year, the Water Authority will charge its member agencies an “all-in” rate of $1,029 per acre-foot for untreated water, or $26 more than they currently pay, and $1,303 per acre-foot for treated water, or $44 more than in 2013. An acre-foot is about 325,900 gallons, enough to serve two typical four-person households in San Diego County for a year.

The recommended budget for fiscal years 2014 and 2015 also was released in May, before two special budget workshops were held in June for the Board. It is $74 million more than the current budget.

The biggest cost drivers are related to the purchase and treatment of water, which rises by $132.3 million (19 percent) in the newly adopted budget compared

to the current budget. The higher costs are linked to slightly larger sales volumes coupled with scheduled increases in the cost of water from the Imperial Irrigation District as part of a long-term conservation-and-transfer program approved in 2003. The budget for fiscal years 2014 and 2015 also accounts for the planned purchase of water to store in the newly expanded San Vicente Reservoir, along with a 5

percent increase in treated water rates by the Los Angeles-based Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

The Water Authority’s fiscal strategy also impacts its rates and budget, which were crafted to ensure debt-coverage ratios maintain the agency’s strong credit ratings and minimize the cost of borrowing money for construction projects. The Water Authority has credit

ratings of AA+ with a stable outlook from both Standard & Poor’s and Fitch ratings, and Aa2 with a stable outlook from Moody’s.

Increased e x p e n s e s are partially offset by a $64.7 million (20 percent) decrease in funding for the Water A u t h o r i t y ’ s C a p i t a l Improvement P r o g r a m in the new b u d g e t , which takes

effect July 1. After more than a decade of major infrastructure projects, such as building Olivenhain Dam and raising San Vicente Dam, the Water Authority is transitioning to an era of less construction and greater focus on operations and maintenance.

The new budget for operating departments is up just 1.5 percent from the current budget, in line with changes in the Consumer Price Index for San Diego. Operating departments account for about 6 percent of the Water Authority’s overall spending.

The current budget – for fiscal years 2012 and 2013 – is 16 percent smaller than the previous two-year budget because the Water Authority aggressively adapted to changing conditions that included lower water sales and a sluggish regional economy. The Board deferred $150 million in spending on 14 capital projects, and the Water Authority eliminated 30.75 full-time staff positions.

To read the Water Authority’s recommended budget for 2014 and 2015, go to www.sdcwa.org/budget.

– Courtesy of San Diego County Water Authority


10 SUMMer Driving TiPS To BeAT The heAT

With the arrival of sum-mer, more drivers will hit the American highways for summer vacations. Valvo-line Instant Oil Change ser-vice centers shared a few summer driving tips to help prepare your vehicle and en-sure it is in optimal driving condition for your vacation getaway or day-to-day driv-ing in hotter weather condi-tions:

1. Change your motor oil regularly

Regular oil changes with the correct grade of motor oil can improve gas mileage up to two percent. Synthetic oils are best for high temper-ature driving conditions and for added protection when towing.

2. Check your tire pressure

Keeping your tires prop-erly inflated can help im-prove gas mileage up to three percent. Be sure to check your tire pressure be-fore you begin driving for the day. This allows you to get a cold pressure read-ing (the number commonly referenced in your owner’s manual).

3. Clean your fuel systemThis helps improve fuel

economy and maximize en-gine performance by remov-ing dirt and deposits from the fuel system.

4. Use cruise control on highways

This will help you main-tain a constant speed, which in most cases helps improve fuel economy.

5. Do not idle It requires less gas to re-

start a vehicle than to let it idle.

6. Park in the shade or a garage

The sun zaps fuel from your gas tank. Parking in the shade or garage will lessen the amount of evapo-rative emissions.

7. Check your cooling system (radiator)

It protects your engine from overheating in hot summer conditions. Follow your owner’s manual for

regular maintenance.8. Check your serpentine

beltReplacing the serpentine

belt when needed helps pre-vent breakdowns. It keeps your vehicle’s power steer-ing, alternator, water pump and AC running.

9. Check your air conditioning system

Nothing makes the sum-mer heat more unbearable than traveling with an air conditioning system that will not cool properly.

10. Check your wind-shield wipers and wiper fluid

The combination of bad wipers and a summer down-pour can leave you with no view of the road. Be sure you have plenty of wiper fluid to help keep your windshield clear of dirt and debris.

Also, remember to fol-low the vehicle maintenance procedures outlined in your owner’s manual. These can help improve your fuel econ-omy and prolong the life of your vehicle. The following should be included:

• Check your transmis-sion fluid: Changing the fluid when needed helps restore your vehicle’s op-eration by protecting the gears from grinding. • Rotate your tires regu-larly: This prevents un-even wear, which can shorten the life of your tires. It also improves ve-hicle handling and traction. • Check your gearbox flu-id: Changing the fluid when needed restores additives to protect the gears from grind-ing. This is especially im-portant for four-wheel drive vehicles because they have three gear boxes.

To learn more or to find a Valvoline Instant Oil Change near you, visit vioc.com.

STrUggLing For CiviLiTy in CiTy hALLBy Jeremy Ogul

As city leaders struggle to work effectively together, some elected officials have begun to air their dirty laun-dry in the public forum.

San Diego City Council-member Kevin Faulconer penned a harsh public con-demnation of Mayor Bob Filner’s actions in the past month.

“Unfortunately, Mayor Filner’s bizarre actions and combative personality now stand in the way of San Die-gans getting the government they deserve,” Faulconer wrote in the opinion, which was posted at utsandiego.com on July 4.

Filner’s office did not pro-vide a response to Faulcon-er’s opinion piece.

Faulconer blamed Filner for a surprise vote by the city’s pension board that re-sulted in a more expensive pension bill for the city, $20 million more than the mayor and the city council had bud-geted for in the fiscal year be-ginning July 1.

Faulconer also blamed Filner for the fallout from an ongoing series of disputes between the mayor and City Attorney Jan Goldsmith.

“The city’s latest bond of-fering alerted investors to the embarrassing fact that the city attorney and mayor

aren’t on speaking terms,” Faulconer wrote.

Filner acknowledged at a press conference June 28 that the conflict with Gold-smith was dragging the city government down.

“This is bad for the city that these disputes are occur-ring,” Filner said, according to a transcript made by U-T San Diego. “I do not want them to happen. They’re not in my interests. They’re not in Jan’s interests. They’re not in the city’s interest. So we do have to find a way of working them out.”

Filner supporter Donald

See civility, page 14

GettinG HeaLtHy BeGins witH youBy Genevieve A. Suzuki

The dog days of summer may have you panting from the heat, but they provide an ideal time to get in shape. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, anyone who needs to drop a few pounds would likely see an improvement in blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood sugars after losing 5 to 10 percent of their total weight.

Kelly Ostrem of Mission Valley YMCA said anyone who wants to get healthy should establish a healthy lifestyle and maintain a nutritious diet and consistent exercise routine. “Eat well and stay active, and your normal life will be a healthy and in-shape life,” she said.

Mission Valley YMCA offers several programs to help people make regular exercise a habit, according to Ostrem.

The Y’s Fit 4 Me program includes one-on-one meetings with a wellness coach as well as a structured exercise program and personal coaching. Another Y program that targets weight loss – the six-week Team Challenge program – has helped participants shed a whopping total of 5,500 pounds since its inception in 2009.

The first thing to start with, as any Biggest Loser trainer would bark at you, is your attitude. Ostrem suggests keeping an open mind when starting any health program.

“Be open to trying new things, whether it’s a new class or sport,” she said. “Once you find a form of exercise that you love, it will be easy to make it a part of your life. And you may find that the most fun and rewarding exercise something you never expected.”

Another key to fitness success is support. Ostrem said being active as a family is one of the best ways to establish healthy habits.

“This can be as simple as going for a walk after dinner,” she said. “Take a bike ride or go on a family hike over the weekend. Go swimming or head to the beach and play in the sand.”

The Mission Valley YMCA offers several kinds of family memberships as well as financial assistance for anyone who can’t afford full price, said Ostrem. “The Y has several ways families can be active together as well: stop in for open swimming in our pools. Several of our group exercise classes are kid or tween-friendly so the whole family can participate together. We have family karate. Tweens and teens – after an orientation – can use the fitness center and workout alongside their parents,” she said.

And if you can’t make it to the gym, Ostrem recommends taking action in or around your home or office: “Go for a walk around your block. Go to a park and run around with your kids or your dog. Fill some of those empty spaces in your day by doing simple exercises like squats, push-ups or jumping jacks. These fit in great while you watch a commercial, brush your teeth, wait for the microwave to ding. Do stretches at your desk during the workday.”


Photos By Andy Bartotto

year for San Diego Music Thing and will appear at the Whistlestop this year as part of Robin Roth’s showcase. “Being chosen to play out of the million bands who submit feels good, too. Gives you a little confidence boost.”

This year’s showcases offer exposure for local heavy hitters, such as Transfer, Little Hurricane, The Album

Leaf, The Burning of Rome, and many more. Many bands from outside our fair city will also join the jam, including Palma Violets, Ra Ra Riot, The Big Pink, Wild Nothing, and FIDLAR.

Badges, wristbands and individual showcase tickets are on sale now. With more exciting announcements sure to come, it’s likely that many of these will sell out soon.

The San Diego Music Thing is produced by the San Diego Music Foundation and proceeds benefit the Foundation’s experiential music programs in 65 schools around San Diego County. For more information, tickets, and announcements visit www.SanDiegoMusicThing.com.

goT A Thing For MUSiC

By Jen Van TieghemEach year San Diego

Music Thing descends upon America’s Finest City for a feverishly fast weekend built for musicians and music-lovers alike. As SDMT celebrates six years of rocking through some of the best venues in town on Sept. 13 and 14, this year’s conference and performances look to be bigger and better than ever.

Kim Gordon of legendary rock band Sonic Youth and Mike Herrera of quintessential punk group MxPx have been announced as the featured speakers of the conference portion this year. Gordon will also perform in an SDMT showcase at the Casbah on Saturday, Sept. 14, with her band Body/Head. The daytime panels, interactive sessions, and presentations will be hosted at the Sheraton Mission Valley (1433 Camino Del Rio South). Specific times and new features will

be announced in the weeks to come, but many local talents are already showing excitement for SDMT weekend.

“San Diego Music Thing is an important event for any local musician to attend,” said Al Howard of several local alternative bands including The Heavy Guilt who will, again, play a showcase this year. “You get the perspective of industry vets and an opportunity to see nascent talent of our town and beyond. Plus there’s a

pool.” This unique weekend

event offers a way for music professionals from near and far to educate themselves via the conference, plus music fans are treated to an eclectic variety of bands at the showcases. The combination of these events fosters growth in our music community while celebrating the passion of performers.

Tickets for individual performances start at $20

with two-day and Super Badges granting more expansive access. Super Badge holders will also get exclusive access to special daytime performances and artist sessions with Lol Tolhurst (The Cure) and Scott Page (Pink Floyd and Supertramp) along with other artists to be announced, plus the nighttime showcases.

“You’re playing alongside some of the best San Diego bands, and now that touring bands have been included it’s starting to seem more like a national conference, like a SXSW Junior,” said Will Lerner of Bar Pink showcase band Shake Before Us. “You have to give your absolute best performance at SDMT because you want to stand

out amidst so much talent. We love the challenge and hope that SDMT just keeps getting bigger, more popular and more of a national event.”

In addition to venues like the Casbah and Bar Pink, who have hosted SDMT showcases in past years, several new venues are getting a taste for the first time. Among others, Seven Grand in North

Park and The Griffin in Bay Park are both set to entertain participants with evening performances.

“The SDMT shows are always fun because there’s a little different kind of energy in the room. Folks seem to be a bit more enthusiastic and it’s the end of summer – people wanna get down and dirty,” said guitarist Dustin Lothspeich, whose band Boy King played Casbah last

MissionValleyNews.com — July 12, 2013aRTs & eNTeRTaiNMeNT

Photos by Andy Bartotto

Friends of the Linda Vista Branch LibraryJuly 12, 10 to 10:30 a.m.Hopscotch Storytime: A Taste of AsiaAfter taking a look at some Asian food books and cookbooks, we’ll listen to some traditional Japanese-American music while making our own felt sushi and rice plates. We’ll also play a Chinese game everyone is familiar with: Chinese checkers!

July 18, 10 to 11 a.m.Mad Science Show! Science made fun by the folks at Mad Science. Step into our Mad Scientist’s wacky imagination as he embarks on an adventure to dream up new and exciting experiments! Teachers and groups: Please reserve your spot for this program.

July 19, 10 to 11 a.m.Hopscotch Storytime: A Taste of AustraliaCome for a trip to the outback and learn about the vegemite tradition with a toast and tea craft. We’ll make an adorable

Australian bracelet and have a guest from Australia read us a story from her homeland.

July 26, 10 to 10:30 a.m.Hopscotch Storytime: A Taste of Antarctica Because people in this area are living in research facilities, we’ll take a look at some books regarding what type of science is studied in this area. And, we’ll make instruments using fruit and vegetable cans (since that’s what people eat here!)

July 30, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.Manga-Japanese Cartooning ClassTweens and teens (ages 10 and up) will enjoy learning how to draw Japanese-style cartoons in an easy to follow, step-by-step format with Art Instructor/Illustrator Lisa Davis DeMattei. Art materials will be provided. No registration required.

Aug. 1, 10 to 10:30 a.m.Toddler Yoga Storytime with Aryn RannazzisiJoin us for a family yoga storytime.

EDITORGenevieve A. Suzuki, ext. [email protected]

PUBLISHERMission Publishing Group, LLCJim [email protected]

ADVERTISING MANAGERBecky Suffridge, ext. [email protected]

ART DIRECTORTodd Kammer, ext. [email protected]

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSJen Van Tieghem • Gina Cord Jeremy Ogul, ext. 127

Staff WriterJeremy Ogul, ext. [email protected]

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PublishingGroup, LLCpubLishErs of

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Circulation: 15,000. Published 12 times in 2013 and delivered throughout our circula-tion area of Mission Valley, San Diego, California by Mission Publishing Group, LLC. Classified ads and articles must be submitted by mail, e-mail or dropped off at our busi-ness 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 & Views 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 adver-tiser 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 discrimi-nation.” Mission Valley News & Views 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 advertised in Mission Valley News are available on an equal oppor-tunity 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 considered 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 submit-ted 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.

get involveD!The Mission Valley Planning Group meets at the Mission Valley Library on the first Wednesday of every month at noon. This is a public forum and your chance to voice your opinion. No decisions get to the city council without going through the Mission Valley Planning Group first. The meeting is held in the community room and is accessed from the outside patio on the North side of the building.

Young Adult Employment WorkshopsJuly 10, 6 p.m.Interview Secrets—Become an expert at interviews!July 22, 1 p.m.Tools You Will Need to Land a Job – Resumes, Cover Letters and more!Aug. 5, 10 a.m.Creating the Best First ImpressionMovie Night: Moonrise Kingdom (2012)July 24, 6 p.m. Patriarch of eccentric quirk Wes Anderson is back with a breezy 60’s romp about troubled kids and young love. Suzy and Sam fall in love and run away together, tossing the small New Endland island where they live into turmoil. With Bill Murray, Ed Norton, Frances McDormand and Bruce Willis. Discussion to follow.OASIS Class: An Introduction to Color & Sound HealingJuly 29, 1 to 3 p.m.With Dr. Liana Carbón, The Mystical ShamanScientists, alchemists, ancient physicians and shamans before them have known for centuries that everything in this world is in a constant state of vibration. More recent scientific evidence has shown that certain types of energy healing using sounds and colors are quite effective at soothing and uplifting the body. Using certain soothing sounds and colors to calm down, and brighter, more energetic ones to rev up can be easy, natural ways to get in the right mood. During this talk, we’ll explore the diverse worlds of sound and color and how to use them to heal ourselves and others.Career Fair at the Mission Valley LibraryAug. 9, 1 to 4 p.m.Employers on site – please dress professionally and bring copies of your resume. No registration required. zumba BasicMondays, 4 to 5 p.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. YogaTuesdays , 6 to 7 p.m. For adults and teens. Learn yoga, an easy to learn workout program that requires little or no equipment and soothes your soul while toning your body. Sumi-E Art ClassWednesdays, 2:30 to 5 p.m. Learn the classical Japanese style of ink and brush.Summer Reading EventsThursdays, 10:30 a.m. (Through Aug. 15)

OUR NEXT ISSUE The next issue of the Mission Valley News comes out Friday, Aug. 9. The advertising deadline is Tuesday, July 23.

MissionValleyNews.com — July 12, 2013 coMMuNiTY

Photos by Andy Bartotto

Aug. 8, 10 to 11 a.m.Magic with Extreme RahimJoin us for incredible magic, songs, and stories with Extreme Rahim. *Teachers & groups: please reserve your spot for this program.

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

Stylehas a home.

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

Urban details with 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.

For directions visit our website at civitalife.com.

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

Opening in August — Altana by TRI Pointe Homes. 3 to 4 bedrooms, up to 2,180 square feet.

Vacation Bible SchoolJuly 22-26 • 9 am -12 pmAgeS 4 - finiShed 4th grAde

COSt: Pre-registration, $30/child. Payment at the door, $40/child. extended CAre: 8-9 AM & 12-5:30 PM by advance reservation. Cost $15/child per day, prepay with registration.

fumCSd.Org/VBS

First ChurChF i r s t u n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r C h

2111 Camino del Rio South, Mission Valley · 619-297-4366 · www.fumcsd.org

Everyone, it appears, is either jogging, walking, or cycling, but it’s not much fun to do it alone, especially when you can attend the 24 Hour Fitness center almost next door and have some companions to compete with in your task to keep healthy.

Open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, right in the heart of Mission Valley, is a 24 Hour Fitness center located in the Mission Valley Shopping Center about halfway between the Macy’s store and the Outback Restaurant on the south side of the mall. It is a huge location with every type of exercise equipment that you can possibly think of and a very large enclosed room which is used for the daily supervised exercises. Exercises include Yoga, Turbo Kick, Body Pump, Zumba, Hip Hop, Step and Strength, etc. each with a specialized instructor.

I visited in the middle of the afternoon and the

center was packed with clients all doing their own special exercise but the most active was the line of about twenty treadmills. Unfortunately, the manager, Jennifer, was out to lunch but membership director Andrew was most helpful in explaining the various types of exercise equipment and the lounge where snacks and beverages may be purchased. Lockers are available as well as showers and dressing rooms. Personal trainers are available for a small fee which allows for special requirements as well as nutritional assistance and that’s an easy way to get to your personal ideas of exercise and weight loss.

The corporate office, located in San Ramon, Calif., was likewise accommodating and helpful with information about the more than 400, possibly 420 at this time, 24 Hour Fitness centers located across the country. Founded

By Gina Cord, founder of Mission Valley News

Valley ViewsGINA’S

siLveR Fitness

in 1979 in California, they have a well-established reputation in the business.

I was particularly interested in a program entitled “Silver Sneakers,” which is a complimentary part of the Sharp Reese Sealey health insurance program under United Healthcare. The insurance company pays for the membership to 24 Hour Fitness center and the client may attend any of the classes and use any of the exercise equipment. That’s a really good deal and I am delighted to be a part of that program, because I really dislike exercising alone.

We welcome What’s News and Who’s News in Mission Valley. Call Gina Cord at (619) 683-2434.

Cosmopolitan, from page 1

family. Old Town Family

Hospitality currently operates two restaurants in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park – Casa de Reyes and Barra Barra Saloon – and Ross looks forward to adding The Cosmopolitan to his portfolio. Both of Ross’ restaurants have enjoyed steady year-over-year sales increases since he took over the Fiesta de Reyes concession in 2009.

“The Cosmopolitan Restaurant & Hotel represents fantastic potential to provide discerning San Diegans with a unique dining experience,” said Chuck Ross, president and owner of Old Town Family Hospitality Corp. “We are very excited to push the boundaries of what people expect to find when they come to Old Town and provide a complete fine dining experience.”

Ross said there will be no interruption of services at both the restaurant and hotel and all reservations will be honored. He added that he plans to retain most, if not all, of the employees.

Hotel manager Hazel Diaz, who has worked at The Cosmopolitan since its opening in 2010, said it looks like it will be a good year for the company. Diaz said she is happy to have Fiesta de Reyes at the helm.

Any changes, she said, will be “positive changes.”

After a three-year,

multimillion-dollar restoration to return the building to how it appeared in 1869, The Cosmopolitan Restaurant & Hotel reopened in July 2010 as a restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, two saloons, 10 hotel rooms on the second level, and private dining rooms for special occasions. The Cosmopolitan is recognized as one of the most historically significant buildings in California.

With a history spanning over 175 years, the building was originally constructed as the home of San Diego pioneer Juan Bandini between 1827 and 1829. The building is a rarity because of its long history as well as its place as one of the few historic buildings remaining in the state that is representative of a 19th century commercial building that combined Mexican adobe and American wood-framing techniques.

The Cosmopolitan Restaurant & Hotel is located on the corner of Calhoun and Mason streets in Old Town and there is ample free parking along Juan Street. After 5 p.m., visitors can also park for free in the CalTrans headquarters at Juan and Taylor streets.

In addition to The Cosmopolitan, Fiesta de Reyes boasts the alfresco Casa de Reyes restaurant in a lush garden setting, Barra Barra Saloon, and 19 specialty stores.

H. Harrison, editor of San Diego Jewish World, thinks the mayor needs to publicly reconcile with the city attor-ney.

In an open letter to the mayor posted at sdjewish-world.com, Harrison wrote that Filner’s feud with Gold-smith is only providing am-munition to Republicans who want to get rid of him.

“What’s happening now, in my opinion, is that Doug Manchester’s Union-Tribune and some other Republican-aligned media are trying to demonize you and possibly set up a recall election at-tempt,” Harrison wrote.

Until civility and order are restored at city hall, Har-rison said, the people’s busi-ness will be neglected.

“Please be our calm, cool and collected mayor, who in the final analysis is our lead-er,” Harrison wrote.

Filner seems to agree that political and media players are working to turn public opinion against him by focusing on personality clashes rather than on the substantive disagreements about how the city should be run.

“It’s easier that way,” Fil-ner said. “It’s easier for you guys. It’s easier for televi-sion. You like the confronta-tion.”

Civility, from page 11


love the laid back, beachy vibe of San Diego style.”

A professional in the healthcare field who works at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego by day, Moore started blogging last June as a creative outlet to express her love for fashion.

“It’s always been a passion of mine,” said Moore.

While Moore spent most of her life in Orange County and Los Angeles, Moore moved to San Diego seven years ago after graduating with a master’s degree in public health from UCLA. She touts Fashion Valley as her favorite place to shop due to its versatility and on-trend retailers.

“There’s a nice array of quality stores to choose from at Fashion Valley. I could not be more thrilled with the Style Setter recognition and to be aligned with Fashion Valley Mall,” said Moore. “There is a great appetite in the San Diego area for trend based updates, tips and retailer information and I look forward to being a reliable resource.”

For additional information, please visit stylesetter.simon.com, Moore’s blog, www.m o n a l i s a m a r i e .com and www.simon.com/mall/fashion-valley.

Simon Property Group’s Fashion Valley Mall is excited to announce today that in addition to the recently opened Madewell and Tommy Hilfiger stores, two more tenants will also open their doors this summer, offering sweet new choices for San Diego shoppers. Iconic candy maker See’s Candies is expected to open late next month, with Urban Outfitters to follow this summer.

“We’re thrilled to welcome two additions to the already diverse blend of retailers we offer at Fashion Valley, meant to please any shopper’s palate,” said Francine Miley, director of marketing and business development at Fashion Valley. “See’s Candies is sure to satisfy shoppers’ cravings, while Urban Outfitters offers a hip option for our stylish San Diego shoppers.”

See’s Company of San Francisco plans to bring its more than 100 varieties of

is also slated to open this summer in an 11,287-square foot space on the mall’s lower level, next to A|X Armani Exchange.

The funky lifestyle brand is known for its eclectic mix of merchandise, including hip men’s and women’s apparel, accessories, home products, photography books and retro gifts and gadgets, inspired by contemporary art, music and fashion. The store offers a lifestyle-specific shopping experience for educated, urban-minded shoppers in the 18-30 year-old range.

Blogger’s Style in Fashion

Simon Property Group announced a fashionable alignment between Fashion Valley Mall and San Diego style blogger, Lisa Moore of Mona Lisa Marie. Moore has been tapped as a Simon Style Setter and will provide a local opinion on all things related to fashion, beauty and style.

The announcement of the local Style Setter is part of a nationwide rollout by Simon where over 40 style bloggers were selected from a pool of more than 700 applicants to be their local Style Setters. Part of the selection process included the submission of a sample blog post, which was voted on by the mall’s Facebook fans. Shoppers can expect Moore’s Style Setter posts to be packed with relevant information about current trends, shopping tips, beauty insider information, style guidance and the word on the up-to-the minute items available at Fashion Valley. Style Setter bloggers will also occasionally participate in fashion related events at the mall, including store openings and fashion shows.

”Our approach with the Style Setter program is to hyper-localize fashion content

to make it most relevant to shoppers at Fashion Valley. We look at ourselves as having a unique opportunity to be content curators,” said Jacque Ellis, Vice President of Corporate Special Events at Simon. “You will see this content integrated across Simon’s digital assets. This program also reinforces Simon’s commitment to fashion and style.”

Moore’s blog, Mona Lisa Marie, chronicles her personal style and features categories like Friday Favorites and looks ranging from casual to dressy, and everything in between. For Moore, fashion is where high and low-priced items come to mingle.

“Fashion to me is about making it accessible to everyone,” said Moore, whose favorite retailers range from Old Navy and The Limited to Nordstrom, Zara and BCBG. She is also a fan of Sam Edelman, Pour La Victoire and Rebecca Minkoff.

“I would describe my personal style as classic like the Mona Lisa with a little rocker edge like Lisa Marie Presley,” said Moore, describing where she derived the name of her blog. “I also

candies to a 1,259-square foot shop at Fashion Valley. It is slated to open this month and will be located on the mall’s lower level, next to Gap.

One of the most tradition-rich candy makers in the country, See’s Candies opened its first shop in Southern California in 1921 and combines the freshest and finest grade raw ingredients with friendly old-fashioned service.

Founded in 1970, Urban Outfitters, a leading lifestyle specialty retail company,

Sweet Summer Additions


Best Place to Fix Your Ride

Best Bank

Best Do-Gooder Organization

Best Park

Best Trolley Stop In The Valley

Favorite Politician

Best Place to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

Best Chiropractor

Liveliest Place For Live Music

Best Golf Course

Best Place To Take The Kids

Best Place To Feed The Kids

Best Place To Get a Burger and Fries

Best Breakfast

Best Spot To Get Your Drink On

Best Dentist

Best Pizza

Best Old Town Eatery

Best Brewery

Best Sports Bar

Best Mall

Cold Stone Creamery in Old TownCheesecake FactorySee’s Candy

Casa GuadalajaraJTs Pub and GrillMcGregor’s Grill & Ale House

Dr. Bruce Blakely at Mission Village ChiropracticDr. Paul Bolton at The Joint ChiropracticROC Wellness Center

Dr. Jon Cassell, DDSDr. James Munce, DDSNew Image Dental

The GriffinJT’s PubIn Cahoots

The WorksLefty’s Chicago PizzeriaCostco

Admiral BakerRiverwalkTecolote Golf Course

Casa GuadalajaraFiesta de ReyesOld Town Mexican Cafe

Mission Federal Credit UnionUnion BankSan Diego County Credit Union

Sea WorldDave & BustersSan Diego Zoo

Oggi’sGordon BierschCoronado Brewing Co.

YMCASan Diego Humane SocietyAmvets

Casa GuadalajaraFuddruckersSouplantation

Tilted KiltMr. Peabody’sRandy Jones All American

Presidio ParkBalboa ParkMission Bay

BunzIn N OutGordon Biersch

Fashion ValleyMission ValleyHazard Center

Fenton ParkwayQualcomm StadiumHazard Center

The Waffle SpotBrother’s Family RestaurantMission Valley Cafe

Kevin FaulconerNathan FletcherMark Arapostathis

Jennings AutomotiveAdvantec Auto RepairBonds Automotive

Mail your completed ballot to :Mission Valley News,6549 Mission Gorge Road #199 San Diego, CA 92120

Marriage, from page 1

“you still had the option of walking away,” Martin said. Now the commitment feels more permanent, she said.

McKinley said she used to hesitate to tell new people about her wife, fearing the potential retort questioning the legitimacy of their relationship.

“Now there’s not this gray area that we were in,” McKinley said.

The couple is thrilled to be able to legally protect each other in times of need, but their new legal status raised new dilemmas, such as what name to take.

Molly McKinley will soon change her legal name to Molly Martin, but it took some deliberation to reach that conclusion, she said.

“I tried to convince her to change it to McMartin, but she wouldn’t go for that,” Molly joked.

“We can always change it later,” Tamara replied.

Another couple at the county building that day was Michael and Gabriel Hosler-Lancaster. After four years together and two years as registered domestic partners, the Hosler-Lancasters called for an appointment as soon as it was clear that California would begin issuing marriage

licenses to gay and lesbian couples.

“It’s nice to be recognized, finally, after so long,” Michael Hosler-Lancaster said.

The newlyweds said they are now looking forward to the next big steps in life, including buying a house and thinking about children.

Beyond individual couples, the new legal status of same-

sex marriage will likely have a significant impact on San Diego’s wedding industry.

The website PurpleUnions.com lists a handful of officiants, wedding planners,

entertainers and florists who cater who welcome gay and lesbian clients in San Diego. One of those businesses is A Little to the Left, a San Diego company that creates greeting cards aimed at gay and lesbian couples.

Sandi Timberlake, who started the greeting card company in 2008, said she has already received numerous

phone calls and emails from vendors across the state.

“There’s interest coming in from out of the blue,” Timberlake said.

Timberlake started her

company in 2008 after years of being frustrated with the lack of anniversary and holiday cards appropriate for her son, who is gay. The cards feature simple greetings along with photos of men holding hands or pairs of women in wedding dresses.

Her business boomed after the California Supreme Court struck down Proposition

22, the voter initiative that banned gay marriage in 2000, but the good times were cut short just a few months later.

“Prop 8 came along and killed all my California

business,” Timberlake said.Since 2008, Timberlake

has had more success selling her cards in stores in northwestern states, such as Massachusetts and Vermont, where same-sex marriage has been legal at the state level for several years.

Now that Proposition 8 is dead, interest from California retailers is growing. Timberlake said she is already working on a large order for a store in Palm Springs, and a Unitarian Universalist church in Fresno wants to stock her cards in their bookstore.

The Supreme Court decisions will have a political impact locally, too.

City Council President Todd Gloria has said the council will review all city policies, including partner benefits, to ensure they comply with federal regulations.

Mayor Bob Filner hailed the decision as a win for equality.

“This marks a long overdue end to federally sanctioned discrimination and the beginning of a bright, loving future for millions of Americans,” Filner said in a written statement.

MissionValleyNews.com — July 12, 2013coMMuNiTY

Photo by Maurice Ramirez

Mission Valley News - July 2013

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