October 31,
2009
On Sunday morning, November 1st the Hillcrest Clean TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More) will be sprucing up the neighborhood. Want to help? Gather at 9am on University Avenue at Centre Street (or look for all the volunteers in orange t-shirts). Gloves, tools and water will all be provided. Free Clean TEAM t-shirts for all volunteers. Small groups will sweep the sidewalks and gutters along University Avenue from Park Boulevard to Highway 163 including the side streets to clean up all the trick or treat candy wrappers that didn’t make it into the trash.
Councilman Todd Gloria’s office has arranged for a dumpster to be located in The LGBT Center’s parking lot for clean-up and residential use. Hillcrest neighbors are welcome to dispose of items, but no electronics, oil, paint. Check out the City of San Diego’s website for restrictions.
October 30,
2009
Council Member Todd Gloria and Planning Director Bill Anderson kicked off the first community plan update stakeholders meeting at the Balboa Park Club on Thursday evening. The community representatives will share their visions for the next 20 years with consultants hired by the city to write an updated version of the Uptown Community Plan. The group will meet monthly with a completion date of November 2011. The next meeting will be held in the same location on Tuesday, November 17 at 6pm. Everyone is welcome to participate.
October 29,
2009
Don’t forget to turn your clocks back this weekend
It’s a busy Halloween weekend, but you’ll gain an extra hour of fun by remembering to turn your clocks back one hour when you go to bed Saturday night. A $5 donation will get you into The Center’s annual Nightmare on Normal Street on Halloween from 6-10pm. This 21+ event on Normal Street north of University Avenue will celebrate the community’s diversity while raising funds for The LGBT Center’s programs and services! Enter the costume contest for another five bucks — first place prize is $1,000 in cash!!October 28,
2009
“I could not, in good conscience, be a member of an
organization where gay-bashing was tolerated...The great majority
of Scientologists I know are good people who are genuinely interested
in improving conditions on this planet and helping others.”
— “Crash” director Paul Haggis who has severed his ties with the Church
of ScientologyOctober 27,
2009
First fundraiser to be held for Saldaña for Supervisor
What to do when Ron Roberts, Donna Frye, Lori Saldaña and Shelia Jackson all run for the same seat? The County Board of Supervisors 4th District seat represents a swath of central San Diego between the 5 and 15 freeways, extending from University City down through the gayborhoods and south to Paradise Hills. This race for this seat is fascinating. And important.
Roberts, the incumbent, is appreciated by many longtime activists for reaching out to the LGBT community back when many politicians were reluctant to do so. He deserves that credit. Fortunately, our community has moved beyond the days when we swooned over mere acknowledgment. Today we expect our elected officials to stand up for us. Sadly, when it comes to our community, Ron is a lover, not a fighter, and the occasional smooch isn’t satisfying anymore. The five-member Republican tribunal on which Roberts sits has shown inadequate concern for HIV/AIDS funding, it was appalled when it had to provide marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples last year, and it has gone apoplectic over medical marijuana, which benefits many in our community.
The LGBT community needs a vocal advocate on the County Board, and Frye, Saldaña and Jackson would all do a far better job of representing us. Frye, who will leave the City Council next year due to term limits, has expressed interest in this seat but hasn’t committed to running. Uniquely to Frye, months of campaigning would make little difference. Nearly every voter knows and has a strong impression of her. She has many admirers in our community who will immediately write a check or volunteer if she gets into the race. It remains to be seen, though, whether Frye will decide to run. Jackson, the president of the School Board, is also well liked in the LGBT community but is probably the least well known of the candidates. She almost certainly has a smaller fundraising and volunteer base. She has been a major ally for teachers and other workers, and if the unions choose to back her, they could strengthen her candidacy. However, labor unions are famously pragmatic and may hesitate to make a longshot bet when there are other labor-friendly candidates.
With Roberts uninspiring, Frye undecided, and Jackson unlikely to win, Saldaña’s campaign is gaining momentum in the gayborhoods. Saldaña, who leaves the State Assembly next year due to term limits, endeared herself to the LGBT community by cosponsoring a marriage equality bill in her first act as a legislator. In a few weeks, the County Democratic Party will consider a recommendation from its Central San Diego delegation to endorse Saldaña in the race. And some die-hard Frye loyalists are currently helping Saldaña, with the understanding that they will also help Frye if she enters the race. That makes sense: multiple strong challengers will reduce the odds of Roberts winning a majority outright in the June election. One of the few clear things about this race is that the LGBT community finally has a chance to get a strong advocate on the County Board. We should help to make that happen.
NOTE: Lori Saldaña's campaign-kickoff is this Thursday, October 29, from 5:30-7:30pm at the Station Tavern, 2204 Fern Street in South Park. The suggested minimum contribution is $100.
October 26,
2009
Mmmmaui....
Hillcrest residents Ann Garwood & Nancy Moors (with Ruby in the background) take a tour of the Maui Coffee Plantation.
October 25,
2009
University Avenue clean-up next Sunday morning
After turning your clocks back an hour on Halloween, join the Hillcrest Clean TEAM sweep up the neighborhood from 9am-noon. Meet up on University at Centre Steet. Free orange t-shirts for all volunteers. Help shine our community.
October 24,
2009
— Joseph Rocha who didn’t tell, but it didn’t matter
