February 17
Who is this handsome man?
That’s William Wesley Whitson who in 1906 got a hell of a sweet deal on 40 acres in the heart of the neighborhood. For only $115,000 he purchased the George Hill estate thanks to inside information. His sister-in-law Laura Anderson was secretary at a law firm and heard about the property being for sale. She knew the price was a bargain (an adjoining land parcel had recently sold for $300,000). The next year she also suggested the name “Hillcrest” for the development and the name evolved to encompass the surrounding neighborhood. As well as a real estate investor WWW was SD County’s first coroner, a court reporter and a city councilmember. His 1922 census info shows he lived at 110 Laurel Street, was 53 and his occupation was listed as a “lumber merchant.” Check out his ears in this later photo (taken after moving north to develop Los Angeles). What is it about old men and their ears?!?! Whitson returned to the neighborhood in 1957 to help Hillcrest celebrate its 50th anniversary with a golden remembrance of the “good old days.
February 16
— Our president talking about the
VP’s explanation (got it?)
Who will be
replacing Toni? There’s gonna be big shoes to fill for our
next District 3 City Council representative. SD city commissioners
Bruce Abrams and Nicole Murray-Ramirez (who was just elected
chair of the Human Relations Commission yesterday) added an interesting
name to the mix of those considering a run when Toni terms out in 2008.
The dining duo at Cafe Eleven shared the skinny that former stockbroker
and GLT
publisher Michael Portantino (seen with George Biagi in right photo)
has thrown
his hat into the ring. The short list also includes SD Democratic Club
President Stephen Whitburn, political insider
Robert Gleason (CFO for Evans Hotels) and Todd Gloria
(SD Housing Commissioner and District Director for Congressmember Susan
Davis seen at left with George and AJ Davis). btw...Toni has decided
not to challenge
Supervisor Ron Roberts who’s been endorsed by DA Bonnie Dumanis. The
supervisors have no term limits, and Ron is seeking his fourth
four-year term to the all-Republican board.February 15
Babette’s Bingo Brunch
continues to pack the house at Martinis
Win or lose...B-I-N-G-O is a blast with Babette Schwartz, and nobody calls those little numbered balls one bit better. Join the fun at their next Bingo Sunday featuring free bingo cards and more giggles than a gaggle of queens in a roomful of whoopie cushions. Head on over to Martinis Above Fourth from noon-2pm on March 12th! Arrive early or you might not get a seat!
continues to pack the house at Martinis
Win or lose...B-I-N-G-O is a blast with Babette Schwartz, and nobody calls those little numbered balls one bit better. Join the fun at their next Bingo Sunday featuring free bingo cards and more giggles than a gaggle of queens in a roomful of whoopie cushions. Head on over to Martinis Above Fourth from noon-2pm on March 12th! Arrive early or you might not get a seat!
February 14
Dozens of San Diegans lined up to purchase marriage licenses at the County Administration Building this morning. The couples (more gay than straight) waited patiently before the same-sex variety were politely turned away by the county clerk’s office. “We have to keep trying even though it is disheartening at times,” said Lisa Velazco who asked in vain to be married to her partner, Abby Pratt. One lone protester met them with a sign “Don’t let them fool you, charm you or intimidate you — LGBT ‘families’ are a parasitic and polluting oxymoron.” Geez!
February 13
February 12
As part of their on-going effort the Sierra Club took on
Buchanan Canyon University Heights’ Buchanan Canyon is a famous archeological site, where George Carter started working in the 1940s and found pebble tools, evidence that people may have been on this continent longer than the 13,000 year date that most archeologists accept. The sediments of Buchanan Canyon span the time from the most recent (Holocene), through the ice age (Pleistocene), to the Eocene (42 million years ago). The Friends of Buchanan Canyon have been restoring the native habitats here for a few years, removing the invasive arundo donax and planting natives in their place. Yesterday the San Diego Sierra Club lended their volunteer efforts to this beautiful urban treasure. Sunday they’ll be working on the 32nd Street canyon in Golden Hill. If you would like to join them for today’s habitat restoration event — from C Street walk to the end of the 32nd Street dirt road, past the gate, for about three blocks, look downhill to see the restoration party. Bring gloves, shovels, trowels, hat, sunscreen, snacks, water...and a hole-digger or wheelbarrow, if you have them. Questions? Call Tershia at (619) 239-6120.
February 11
“If we give up our freedom in order to have
safety, we will end up with neither.”
His exact quote
was, “Those who would give up
essential liberty to purchase
a little temporary safety,
deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
February 10
The two-story, four-unit, approximately 2,808-square-foot commercial building on the
southwest corner of Pennsylvania and Fifth avenues recently sold for $1.01 million.
