San Diego Free Press

Grassroots News & Progressive Views

Ensenada Road Trip

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From the Cheese Cave to Top Dining Destinations

W. Scott Koenig / A Gringo in Mexico

When El Gringo and family roll into the municipality of Ensenada, we’re usually headed for a weekend, tour or a great day in the Valle de Guadalupe, just northeast of Baja California’s third largest city. It’s been a while since we’ve “done Ensenada”, and we certainly haven’t done the “new” Ensenada that’s risen to culinary fame in the past decade based on it’s street food scene and boasting rights to several of Pellegrino’s Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants.

So when we were invited to enjoy a weekend and tour at the Hotel Coral and Marina, we set our itinerary to new adventure, loaded up the trusty Jeep and proceeded south across the border.   [Read more…]

Person of Interest Sought in Savage Homeless Killings

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While San Diegans celebrated the Fourth of July, local authorities called a press conference in response to two brutal murders and failed third attempt, all with victims believed to be homeless humans.

The SDPD is looking for a ‘person of interest,’ we are told. Grainy pictures from a convenience store camera show a man wearing what was described as a tan or brown jacket or sweatshirt and a green baseball cap. He was carrying a backpack.

Witnesses reported a person matching that description seen running from the area of the first known murder across northbound lanes of I-5 to the center divide. Others said he was carrying a gas can.   [Read more…]

Chargers Convadium Plan: Lipstick on a Pig

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Part 2 in a series

I previously reported on the 110 Pages of Gobbledygook that represents the Chargers’ proposal to build a combination football stadium and convention center expansion in downtown. It looks like it’s not going to happen because Mayor Kevin Faulconer and a lot of conservative businessmen are against it.

Perhaps the Chargers assumed that Faulconer would immediately climb on the bandwagon and start cheering for the so-called convadium. Faulconer, however, to his credit has been cautious, questioning the $1.15 billion in new debt the City would have to take on as its part in this endeavor. The Chargers casually gloss over this in their gobbledygook proposal. And they say nothing about the $50 million still owed on Qualcomm Stadium as if that’s not even something worth mentioning.   [Read more…]

Carlsbad Mayor Spins Results of City’s Public Opinion Survey

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Land Use Plans Don’t Match Community Vision

At the California Coastal Commission’s May 11 meeting Carlsbad Mayor Matt Hall testified that the city’s General Plan, updated last September, reflects the community’s vision for its future. But the responses to Carlsbad’s 2009 Public Opinion Visioning Survey Report paint a different picture.

Hall claimed the plan “provides a policy framework that will ensure we live up to our community vision and ensure an excellent quality of life for all who live, work, and visit our coastal city. In fact, values like small town beach community character, access to recreation and open space and multi-modal transportation are top of mind for our residents and given high priority in our General Plan.”

But when you find the General Plan’s land use changes allow mixed use commercial/residential development and high-density shopping malls to be built near the Agua Hedionda Lagoon and on property where the Encina Power Plant now stands, you begin to see the disconnect with the community’s actual vision.   [Read more…]

Progressive Patriotism—Not an Oxymoron

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Much of our patriotic culture was created by people with decidedly progressive sympathies.

By Peter Dreier and Dick Flacks / AlterNet

July 4 is an occasion for Americans to express their patriotism. But the ways we do so are as diverse as our nation.

To some, patriotism means “my country—right or wrong.” To others, it means loyalty to a set of principles, and thus requires dissent and criticism when those in power violate those standards. One version of patriotism suggests “Love it or leave it.” The other version means “Love it and fix it.   [Read more…]

Looking Back at the Week: June 26-July 2

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By Brent E. Beltrán

This week’s edition of Looking Back at the Week features articles, commentaries, columns, satire, and other work by San Diego Free Press regulars, irregulars, columnists, at-large contributors, and sourced writers on: SCOTUS striking down Texas abortion law, Benghazi benshmazi, legalizing it, Trump-O, money for everything but the homeless, Brexit, Fringe Festival, the hunger strike against private prisons, restoring local canyons and lots of other inspiring (and sometimes depressing), grassroots news & progressive views from San Diego’s friendly, neighborhood, all volunteer, slightly funky, community news site.   [Read more…]

2016 San Diego International Fringe Festival: Prepare to Be Amazed

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Sunday July 3 Final Day!

Just to make the point that everything is represented at the 2016 San Diego International Fringe Festival and that nothing is censored, along comes a work described as “Deplorable,” “Irredeemable,” and “Misogynistic bullshit.”

These are not my words but could describe The Chronic Single’s Handbook by Randy Ross quite accurately. On the other hand, this man’s “global search for love goes astray in Greece, South Africa, Cambodia, and Boston” could also be described as intelligent adult humor that is well-acted. No one said that you have to agree with everything that comes your way at the Fringe.   [Read more…]

Bang! Pow! Boom! 2016 Independence Day Fireworks

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There are 14 (15 if you count SeaWorld’s nightly show) fireworks displays on the 4th of July, plus a couple of others earlier in the weekend.

Despite the fact that fireworks of just about every kind are illegal in America’s Finest City, I can just about guarantee the knuckleheads down the street will have their own show planned.

No matter where you go, parking will be a bother as will be the traffic after the event. It’s all part of the thrill…   [Read more…]

Geo-Poetic Spaces: Brexit

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Goodbye Great Britain
you unchained the bulldog on yourself
never before in the history of Empires
has so much been owed to so few

Goodbye Great Britain
“Bottoms up,” to glories past:
armadas sunk
invasions thwarted   [Read more…]

Will the Balboa Park Make-Over Include Rockscaping for the Homeless?

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What kind of a city is it that entertains funding a new stadium, a convention center expansion, a major events arena, gondolas, and a parks make-over, but can’t figure out a short term solution to homelessness other than criminalizing it?

That would be San Diego.

Yes, I know it’s apples and oranges–different pots of money are involved, some are subject to voter approval and others will only be indirectly supported by the taxpayer…

But… where there’s a will, there’s a way.   [Read more…]

Fourth of July In the South Bay … Plus This Week’s News

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With Independence Day just around the corner, I know what you want to hear, South Bay. Where is all the fun this weekend? So first up, here’s what you really need to know.

Plus: Judge Decides On Eastlake III Homeowners Court Case, and “No Trespassing” Signs Upset Residents   [Read more…]

Conservationists Seeking More Help From City To Restore Local Canyons

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Many of the scenic trails winding through San Diego’s canyons are the unintended consequences of a San Diego infrastructure policy that made it possible to transform sewer line access paths into popular nature walks.

On a recent afternoon, Eric Bowlby, Executive Director of the non-profit organization San Diego Canyonlands, and Jason Allen, Senior Ranger with the City of San Diego Open Space Division, strolled along one such path parallel to Interstate 15 at the southern end of Juniper Canyon. They took turns identifying native and invasive plant species and praising each other’s tireless work to restore 3500 acres of open space in forty canyons throughout San Diego.   [Read more…]

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