Payday lenders: Neighborhood scourge or financial saviors?
‘We hope to regulate what is essentially an unregulated business’ — Councilman Todd Gloria By Jenna Frazier With payday loan and check cashing establishments proliferating in North Park, City Heights and other neighborhoods, many residents, business groups and elected officials fear that the industry is threatening the economic vitality of their communities. Critics of payday [...]
South Park resident spreads the word on sustainable living
By Jennifer Kester South Park resident Candace Vanderhoff has had a lot of jobs. She’s worked in construction, social work and union organizing, but it was a gig teaching in Micronesia that she realized her calling: to spread the word about sustainable living. “We consume, consume, consume. The planet cannot sustain us doing that,” the [...]
Scene 6.10
Despite a last-minute change of location, the inaugural Adams Avenue Farmers Market opened to large crowds on May 12 in the parking lot of the RITE AID pharmacy at 3650 Adams Ave. The farmers market was initially scheduled to be held at 40th Street at Adams Avenue, but the new location was chosen when Caltrans, [...]
ALBA partners with community groups to clean up park
By Cecilia Buckner On any given weekday morning, you’ll find Vernon Moore walking the streets that border North Park Community Park, but not for exercise. Moore’s motivation — monitoring the more than two dozen high school students who make their way onto the community day school campus on Oregon Street from bus stops on adjacent [...]
Kensington Concert Series brings music and celebration to the community
The Kensington Concert Series, a program held in conjunction with the community’s 2010 Centennial Celebration, will hold its next concert on June 19 at 5:30 p.m. at a residence at 4249 Ridgeway Drive. “A Mandolin Concert” will feature Gary Payne and friends, joined by the Kensington Trio. Future concerts are set for July, August, September, [...]
Rolling Readers ignites children’s love for reading in school classrooms
Improving literacy levels is the aim of the nonprofit organization By Anne Bartholomew Every Tuesday, the students in Mike Giffen’s first grade class at Adams Elementary School return from lunch to a magical part of their day. Waiting for them in the classroom is Ranessa Ashton, a read-aloud volunteer. Gathering on the carpet, full of [...]
KI Studio puts Gyrotonics on display
Irene Pulli and business partner Kurt Kikuchi introduce fitness regimen to North Park By Marie Khris Pecjo “Wow, this feels good!” Irene Pulli, a Gyrotonics instructor, exclaims as she delves into a memory. “It happened just like this,” Pulli demonstrates, swiftly extending both her arms in front of her slender body in a stretch. “I [...]
Perfect Vision
Blind Lady Ale House mixes beer, pizza and togetherness Story and photos by Laura Canter With four devoted owners, the friendly and welcoming Blind Lady Ale House stresses the meaning of fresh when it comes to pizza and beer. Don’t let its acronym (BLAH) fool you — it’s anything but. Jeff Motch, his wife Clea [...]
The basic need of shelter
By Councilman Todd Gloria For too long, addressing homelessness seemed to be off the table in San Diego. It’s now on the minds of most San Diegans, according to the recent survey on Residents’ Opinion on City Services, and I continue to work aggressively toward solutions to address this complex issue. As chair of the [...]
Playing games in Balboa Park
Museum of Man hosts ‘Counter Cultures: The Secret Lives of Games’ The Museum of Man is getting serious about playing games. Beginning June 11, the museum in Balboa Park will feature “Counter Cultures: The Secret Lives of Games,” an exhibition funded in part by the Dr. Seuss Foundation. The exhibition features board, tile and card [...]
