HillQuest BLOG

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Saturday, May 31, 2008	“As a San Diego resident who has attended several Clean Syringe Exchange Program Facilitation Committee meetings, I found real estate broker and North Park property owner Donna Dow’s assertion that the SEP is “operating in secrecy” to be patently ridiculous.” — Hillcrester Robin Pollini in today’s letters to the U-T editor
Friday, May 30, 2008	Plan ahead for Sunday travel Travel warning: the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon will kick off at 6:30 this Sunday morning threading north on Sixth to Robinson then through Hillcrest before winding the 20,000 participants around San Diego before ending at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot near Lindbergh Field. Unless you're wearing running shoes, mind the map (and avoid the runners) if you don’t want to stuggle getting around town.
Thursday, May 29, 2008	Women’s History Museum fun-raiser How can you go wrong with wine, cheese, chocolate and Sue Palmer? Add in a fabulous patio venue at Balboa Park’s Casa del Prado on a beautiful San Diego Friday night, and you have a fundraiser fit for the Women’s History Museum and Education Center (WHMEC). Beginning at 5pm on Friday, May 30th the WHMEC presents Wine, Cheese, Chocolate Festival. Tickets are available on their website for $25 in advance or $30 at the door. Hard to go wrong supporting this great organization while tasting some of California’s best wine...nibbling on exotic chocolate and cheeses...and enjoying the sounds of San Diego Boogie Woogie Queen Sue Palmer. For more info call (619) 233-7963. The museum is tucked inside the purple Art Union building at 2323 Broadway in Golden Hill, where they focus on women’s history and education — the only facility in the nation that also encompasses a library, research archives, oral history project and a full spectrum of educational programs devoted to the history and accomplishments of women. Their mission is to educate and inspire while teaching women’s history with values and strategies that lead to positive social change in gender, racial and ethnic stereotyping while enhancing self-esteem and increasing respect for all women. In 1983 Mary B. Maschal created a living museum in her home filling virtually every room with memorabilia. Working as the Women’s History Reclamation Project, Mary and others reached out to the community. In 1996 they moved to their current location, and in 2003 changed the name to the Women’s History Museum & Educational Center, which has continued to grow into a community-based organization of volunteers and partnerships that provide a multiplicity of programs and services. More than 50% of their historical collection is stored off-site due to space limitations at the Golden Hill location. A move to a larger facility, hopefully in Balboa Park, is underway, spearheaded by a campaign to raise a million dollars, one dollar at a time from every woman in the county. Joining in tomorrow’s fun-raiser will help make a new location a reality. Hope to see you there!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008	Balboa Park West Advisory Group The second meeting for residents concerned about the west side of our big backyard will gather on Wednesday evening, June 4th from 6-7:30pm at the Redwood Bridge Club, 3111 Sixth Avenue (near Spruce Street). This month’s discussion will include the park’s special events permit process given by Susan Lowery- Mendoza from the City of San Diego Park and Recreation Department — how can the west mesa give input? Susan will cover the following issue areas: (1) Policies. A review of City policies governing special event permitting. (2) The application process. A review of the special event application form, including issues considered. (3) The review process. A review of the application review process; staff review, committee review and approval, the appeal process. (4) Conditions. A review of conditions that may be required before the event can proceed. A review of how these conditions are determined, including Noise abatement, Parking, Trash clean-up, Duration of event, Hours of operation, Safety and security, Traffic circulation, Rehabilitation of the area and Alcohol sales....as well as (5) Fees. How are fees determined? Do the fees pay for the need? Does the permit address damages and/or cost recovery issues? (6) Cumulative effects. Does the permit consider how the event will impact the park’s physical condition? How do decision makers consider the cumulative effects and full cost recovery of special events? (7) Ongoing events. Are existing events “grandfathered” into the process? Can the Balboa Park Committee place conditions on existing events? Vicki Granowitz and Susan Lowery-Mendoza will review an existing permitted event with a discussion of next steps and recommendations from BPWAG on the special event permit review process forwarded to the Balboa Park Committee, Mayor Sanders and City Councilmembers Faulconer and Atkins. The group will can select a topic for future meetings from the list generated in April...or, since the summer is upon us, an afternoon clean-up event at an agreed upon location on the west side of the park may be organized...or, we can walk the West Mesa discussing park needs and issues along the way. Please bring your ideas to the meeting! For more information call (619) 675-1978 or if you have questions, concerns and/or ideas for future agenda topics.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008	Annual Memorial Day Parade in Kensington The Holiday at Home Parade wound its way down the scenic streets of Canterbury and Marlborough in north Kensington yesterday to celebrate Memorial Day. Neighbors sat in lawn chairs, on the curb and in front yards as friends hosted small parties. Participants included neighborhood kids on bikes, dance troupes, cute doggies, politicians, a contingent of Smart Cars and classic autos. This year's theme was “Vote” with cars from Presidential era of Hoover (a Model A) through our future president — a Toyota Prius. The parade kicked off with a SD Fire Truck. Parading politicians included Mayor Jerry Sanders, Congressmember Susan Davis, Scott Peters, Todd Gloria and Stephen Whitburn. Mayoral candidate Steve Francis hosted a house party along the route. The parade was preceded by a neighborhood Pancake Breakfast at the Kensington Community Church. Whitburn’s crew had a sign painting party at the Kensington Park next to the library after the parade. Dachshunds with signs announcing Weiners for Whitburn signs were a big hit.
Monday, May 26, 2008	An Open Letter... Dear County Assessor Greg Smith: I am shocked to hear about your plan to allow city clerks to discriminate against gays and lesbians by opting-out; meaning they will refuse to take their applications when applying for a marriage certificate, nor will they officiate at their wedding. If these city employees do not fulfill their duties they should be permanently transferred to a lesser position or fired. You as San Diego Country Assessor seem to have forgotten about the separation of Church and State within our American governing system. When you pledged allegiance to our U.S. Flag, you pledged “...liberty and justice for all.” All persons holding government offices should realized that this pledge does not exclude gays and lesbians. This pledge is heart felt by all American citizens who take pride in the freedoms of this country. I strongly feel that you, our County Assessor, are one of many politicians who institutionalize hate within our governing system simply for their own political gain. George Wedemeyer, Hillcrest
Sunday, May 25, 2008	“I saw an opportunity to bring the groups together to work on the same issues that they were trying to fight in their own communities. To me, there’s strength in numbers, and when everybody is working on the same page, you get a lot done.” — Preservationist Kristin Harms SOHO’s Getting the People in the Trenches Award recipient
Saturday, May 24, 2008	“I think it’s really awkward that (Mayor Sanders’ campaign staff) would have used me as a mouthpiece for stuff they want to say.” — Candidate Eric Bidwell re: the newest brouhaha from the mayor’s camp Mayor Sanders’ campaign manager resigns after debate
Friday, May 23, 2008	“People who don’t read the paper every day might look at City Hall and say ‘It’s a mess, and there’s only one guy down there I ever hear of who’s kicking some butt and taking names, and that’s Mike Aguirre.’” — Political consultant Chris Crotty re: the City Attorney race

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