8 San Diego Uptown News | June 25-July 8, 2010


OPINION


3737 Fifth Ave. Suite 201 San Diego, CA 92103 (619) 519-7775


PUBLISHER David Mannis


(619) 519-7775 x101 dmannis@sduptownnews.com


SENIOR EDITOR Christy Scannell


(619) 519-7775 x103 christy@sduptownnews.com


ASSISTANT EDITOR Pat Sherman


(619) 519-7775 x102 pat@sduptownnews.com


PUBLICATIONS ASSISTANT Jessica Hudgins


(619) 519-7775 x110 jessica@sduptownnews.com


REPORTERS & COLUMNISTS Charlene Baldridge Joel Berlin Jeff Britton


Patricia Morris Buckley Lauren Duffy Michael Good David Harvey “Dr. Ink”


From the Editor As you might have noticed on our


colorful overleaf page, we are celebrating our one-year birthday with this issue. But before you raise a glass to toast us, I’d like to share why surviving a year in this business is significant to us. When David Mannis launched San Diego Uptown News in June 2009, he brought along a significant background in publishing, having owned San Diego Community News Group (La Jolla Village News, Beach and Bay Press, Peninsula Beacon, Downtown News) for 23 years until selling it early last year. David saw an opportunity to provide Uptown with its own newspaper, so he assembled a staff that won several Press Club awards with just its first issue. People in Uptown, hungry for news about their neighborhoods, quickly embraced the fledgling effort. David knew he was on to something! Since then, San Diego Uptown News has become a beacon for all things Mid- City. From Balboa Park to North Park, from Little Italy to Kensington, and from Old Town to Golden Hill, we’ve prided ourselves on bringing the insight and intrigue to you about what’s happening in your neighborhoods. With the many festivals, concerts, home tours, meetings, parades, elections, openings (and closings), exhibits


and street fairs in our area, there seems to be a never-ending stream of stories we can pass on to you that hopefully increase your appreciation for and understanding of our community.


And what a community it is. Since moving to Uptown in 1998, I’ve rarely found a need to leave. While there is certainly nothing wrong with trekking to Mission Valley or down to the Gaslamp, we are fortunate to have a rich business community right at our doorsteps. Local hardware stories, farm-to-table eateries, funky boutiques, craft beer shops, stylish salons, wine bars and all manners of services populate our historic streets. Similarly, I enjoy seeing my neighbors, work associates, fellow committee members and business acquaintances as I walk around Uptown and use our public transportation. It’s not unusual in Uptown to run into one of our public officials – many of whom live in Uptown – grabbing a coffee, jogging or enjoying a cocktail. Sure we don’t have sand at our backdoors or ocean waves beckoning us from our porches. But most of us do have those ocean breezes blowing through our windows – and abundant sunshine to match. Life might be a little grittier living in this urban atmosphere, but would you really


exchange the characters you occasionally encounter for the cookie-cutter lifestyle that exists in the suburbs?


Life in a place like Uptown attracts


a certain kind of people – and you are our readers. During this last year you’ve called us, e-mailed us and stopped us on the street to give us news tips, critiques and sometimes even a pat on the back. At a time when many newspapers are failing, you supported us and helped us grow. Even though economic times haven’t been the best, you stepped up to buy advertising, supply content or simply encourage us that we were doing something that is important to you as an Uptown resident or business owner.


So as you join us to toast this first


year, please turn that glass to yourself – for without you, we don’t exist. And as our second year approaches, we hope you will continue to rally around us and our sister publication, Gay San Diego, and in turn we promise to bring you nothing but our best effort to inform, entertain and invigorate you about the finest region in America’s Finest City – Uptown.


– Christy Scannell, Senior Editor


Jennifer A. Johnson Karen Kenyon Scott Marks David Nelson Meiko S. Patton Daniel Pearson Dave Schwab Peggy Scott Ron Stern


Glenda Winders


PHOTOGRAPHERS Paul Body


Michael D. Pawlenty


DIRECTOR OF SALES MARKETING


Mike Rosensteel (619) 519-7775 x108 miker@sduptownnews.com


SENIOR ADVERTISING CONSULTANT Sean Eshelman


(619) 519-7775 x105 sean@sduptownnews.com


ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Miriam Goldberg (619) 519-7775 x104


miriam@sduptownnews.com


ART DIRECTOR Louis Guzman


(619) 519-7775 x111 louis@sduptownnews.com


PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Becah Corbin


(619) 519-7775 x111 becahuptown@gmail.com


ACCOUNTING (619) 519-7775 x112


accounting@sduptownnews.com OPINIONS/LETTERS


San Diego Uptown News encourages letters to the editor and guest editori- als. Please e-mail both to letters@ sduptownnews.com. We only accept digital files, preferably Word.doc files. Include phone number and address for verification. We reserve the right to edit letters and editorials for brevity and accuracy. Letters should be no


Letters to the Editor Dear Editor,


I read McKinley Elementary School’s salute to the businesses who helped keep their music and art programs alive this past year (June 11). It’s one thing to ask for donations and support. It’s quite another to remember to say thank you. Kudos to McKinley for this classy note of appreciation.


–Pat Taylor North Park


Dear Editor,


Carey Driscoll deals in masterpieces. The maestro of AMSD concerts in Normal Heights is never content with the routine or mundane. Carey


longer than 350 words in length unless approved by staff editors. Letters and guest editorials do not necessarily re- flect the views of the publisher or staff.


SUBMISSIONS/NEWS TIPS


likes to invoke, even incite, folks to come to his place of musical worship. It’s fitting that this special venue also serves primary duty as a church. Churches were designed for the acoustics that choirs and singing demand, and to hear the most pure vibrant ring of an acoustic guitar, piano and voice in such a setting is a pure joy to experience.


Last night the fortunate faithful assembled once again and attended musical services, and at times it was pure rapture. JD Souther is one of the great songwriters and musicians of our time. Although not blessed with a great voice he is nonetheless a great singer. Author of such sublime hits as “The Best of My Love” and “New Kid in Town” for the


Eagles, he penned innumerable classic songs like “Faithless Love” made popular by ex- girlfriend Linda Ronstadt, as well as many others for many different artists.


JD is a bit irascible. A loner. A distant and inaccessible artist would be a good description. He rarely tours or performs live. But like many other great artists he is drawn to express himself in this unique venue that encourages and allows the artist to fully express their art. He took the stage at AMSD accompanied by his talented and sympathetic piano playing cohort Chris Walters. His attentive audience was soon mesmerized with his amazingly dynamic guitar playing and some stunning interplay between guitar and piano.


Amazing songs followed. Music is often an ordinary experience performed by self-absorbed musicians. Artists making real art is not a common experience for concertgoers. Witnessing masterpieces is even more uncommon. It was not a perfect concert. Just like the artist himself there were some high and some low points. Oh, but the highs were thrilling. Even JD himself was smiling at times. We were privileged to witness some true musical magic, and while this would be an exceptional evening at most venues, it is the standard at AMSD. Carey Driscoll nurtures and maintains amazing standards at AMSD. He loves his work and it shows. And we are the beneficiaries.


–Bruce Johnson Coronado


Press releases and story ideas are welcomed. Send press releases, tips, photos or story ideas to news@sdup- townnews.com. For breaking news and investigative story ideas contact the editor by phone or e-mail.


DISTRIBUTION San Diego Uptown News


is distributed free, biweekly, every other Friday. COPYRIGHT 2010. All rights are reserved. Printed in the United States of America.


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