What happens to a neighborhood’s arts and culture scene when rent nearly doubles in the span of a decade? Ask Barrio Logan.
Arts contributor Evan Apodaca checked in with three local art spaces to see how they’re adapting to a hostile real estate market without succumbing to tourist-driven trends. What he found was a culture propped up by experimentation, community collaboration and a can-do attitude.
“I come from a world that didn’t have funding to begin with,” said Bucky Montero of The Woo. “Everything was grassroots. Meaning we tapped into our own resources, we asked friends for help, we asked for donations, we took over, we occupied undesirable spaces.”
Check out the full story for a tour of Tierras Indígenas, Deixis Gallery and The Woo.
Billionaires Want to Build an Ice Rink at Kit Carson Park
Escondido residents were expecting a big debate tonight about the future of Kit Carson Park, but they’ll have to keep waiting.
City leaders are considering an offer from The Rinks Foundation, a nonprofit run by billionaire philanthropists Henry and Susan Samueli, to transform a chunk of the popular 285-acre park into a major ice sports hub.
Residents hoped city leaders would decide whether to move forward with the proposal at tonight’s City Council meeting, but the item isn’t on the agenda.
What’s on the table: The foundation wants to build a 16-acre complex with three ice rinks, up to 3,000 spectator seats, retail space, a restaurant and 430 new parking spots on the park’s south end. The site currently hosts four softball fields, which the foundation would pay to relocate to another park seven miles north.
A lot of residents hate the idea: Opposition is mounting from locals who don’t necessarily hate the idea of an ice rink in Escondido; they just don’t want it at Kit Carson Park, a free public space frequented by hundreds of visitors every day. Critics also point out that there may be an equity issue at play, as well.
Read the North County Report here.
To Catch a Sea Lion Attacker
You know you’ve messed up when you managed to piss off PETA, the feds and Todd Gloria all in one swoop.
Last week, a video of a teenager kicking a sea lion at La Jolla Cove went viral. Now, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is launching an investigation.
Sea Lions are protected mammals and harming one could lead to a more than $36,000 fine and up to one year in prison. (Yikes!)
Earlier this week, Mayor Gloria and Councilmember Joe La Cava had some words for the perp.
Also, oops: Earlier this week, we called the victim a seal. Our bad for mixing up pinnipeds!
Former Chargers legend and sports radio talk show host, Billy Ray Smith, Jr. died Wednesday. He was 64. He was the B.R. in in the long-running “Scott and BR” show on the former Mighty 1090, as 10 News reported. He was well known for his acts of charity.
Just a few days ago, his friend and former co-host, Scott Kaplan did a podcast where he explained that Smith had been suffering from the impact of football on his brain. “The thing that he loved the most, football, has stolen his memory,” Kaplan said. He said that he was not planning to talk about it until Smith and his wife, 10 News’ Kimberly Hunt, were announced as the Nice Guys of the year.
The family released a statement: “Billy Ray faced his long journey with dementia caused by CTE with unmatched bravery, dignity, and strength.” CTE, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, is a brain disease that is the result of repeated blows to the head.
Rabbitholed: Voice Edition
We love some old-school Voice content — and, boy, did we find a trove. Check out the first capture of Voice of San Diego’s website on the Wayback Machine, all the way back in Feb. 28, 2005.
The page design is delightful — especially for those of us apt to get feelings of nostalgia from newspaper-like things.
A few of the offerings that day: a column predicting Mayor Dick Murphy would resign (he did!), a story involving the pension scandal, Port Commission drama and a dating column.
In Other News
Rep. Sara Jacobs wants to make it easier for parents to access child care. The proposed solution may be the big idea Democrats are looking for to take back the House, reports Axios San Diego.
The government is processing applications for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, at an alarmingly slow pace. Rep. Scott Peters and business and labor advocates are demanding that the Trump administration speed things up, reports the Union-Tribune. Our own managing editor Andrea Sanchez-Villafaña shared how previous delays kept her from working.
A Tijuana zoo plagued by labor and facility issues is set to close and officials are scrambling to find new homes for approximately 160 animals. (NBC 7, Telemundo 20)
Move over cyclosporiasis, salmonella is having a moment in San Diego County. Health officials have identified several cases of salmonella tied to food containing mayonnaise made at Ramona Family Naturals Market. Thirteen people have been infected and four have been hospitalized. (Union-Tribune)
If you’re planning on going into the ocean this week, maybe don’t? (Union-Tribune)
The Morning Report was written by Bella Ross, Tigist Layne, Andrea Sanchez-Villafaña, Scott Lewis and Will Huntsberry. It was edited by Will Huntsberry.
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