Visiting a Local Christmas Wonderland
Plus: New Director of LV Rec Center, Youth Football Clinic, A Tale of Two Murals, News Briefs, and a Redistricting Win for Linda Vista
The air is crisp, the leaves are falling. Sweaters have come out and tank tops have been put away. Turkey ads abound in the newspaper. What does this all mean? Well, it means that Christmas is right around the corner.
We were starting to feel all Christmasy and decided to take a trip to a Christmas wonderland right here in the neighborhood. Maybe you have heard of it. City Lights Collectibles at 1212 Knoxville Street, in the Morena District.
It’s hard to describe this store in just a short space. It is a veritable wonderland of everything Christmas. A Christmas superstore! City Lights it is a very large store with more nooks and crannies than you can imagine. Just when you thought you saw it all, there is more.
This Christmas store is open all year round for those of you who are into Hallmark Christmas in July love stories, but of course, they are now starting to get into their really busy season. Even this early, the store was filled with shoppers eager to part with their money to make sure their home and tree are truly reflective of the best that Christmas has to offer.
Be it collectible ornaments of every kind – superheroes, Disney, Cartoon Characters, Hollywood, Downton Abbey, NFL teams, Christopher Radko, Harry Potter, Lenox, nutcrackers, music boxes, wreaths, decorated trees, life size santas and his reindeer, they have it all.
You cannot be in this store more than 5 minutes without thinking happy thoughts and dreaming of your favorite Christmas back when you were a child.
Steve even found a Scooby Doo ornament that he thought would be impossible to find there.
We have to warn you about some things before you go, and I don’t mean just not to forget your credit card. As tempting as it may be, you better think twice before bringing your children there. Although it is a place that every child would love, there are signs around the store to the effect that if you break it you buy it, and to keep an eye on your children as you are responsible for their actions. The store is full of breakables. When I almost knocked something over, I immediately wondered if Steve would pay or leave me there to work in the stockroom to pay off my debt. Luckily nothing broke.
The store is very beautiful and if you haven’t been there, we urge you try it. If they don’t have it, it doesn’t exist as far as Christmas decorations are concerned.
City Lights Collectibles
1212 Knoxville Street
San Diego, CA 92110
800-262-5335
New LV Recreation Center Director Takes Over
Besides our schools, there is no organization in the area that supports local kids more than the Linda Vista Recreation Center. Located at 7064 Levant Street, the Recreation Center and its tennis and basketball courts, playground equipment, skate board park, theatre program, and playing fields helps to keep our Linda Vista youth physically and mentally active.
After serving as the Recreation Center Director for 15 years, Ira Patron was recently promoted to Area Director, where he will continue to oversee a few local recreation centers (including Linda Vista’s). Fortunately for everyone who utilizes the LV Rec Center, his replacement is long-time Assistant Director Alysandra Perez. Prior to her most recent assignment at the Penn Athletic Field (in the Paradise Hills area), she served for 6 years as LV Rec Center Assistant Director under Patron.
We asked Aly to sit down with us and answer a few questions about herself and the Linda Vista Recreation Center. This is what she had to say:
—How many people utilize the LV Rec Center?
“Approximately 200,000 people a year.”
—What do you enjoy most about working at the Linda Vista Recreation Center?
“I enjoy our work team. They are all very invested in the community. We have K.J Lecense; he grew up in the area and now works with our theatre program. There is my assistant director Demetria Anderson. And there are volunteers like Dawn Essington who spend many hours helping with various programs. I also like that everyone knows everyone here at the center. We all have a huge sense of family.”
—Tell us about some of the local user groups that use the Recreation Center’s facilities.
“Some of the groups include the OB Wallabies Youth and Adult Rugby Club, Rising Star Youth Sports (sports clinics), the San Diego Surfers Women’s Adult Rugby team, Vovinam martial arts, and ANT tennis camp lessons.”
—Here’s your chance to brag about the LV Rec Center. What aspects of the Center would you like to brag about to the community?
“I’d like to brag that it’s a huge facility. Much bigger than most other San Diego rec centers. The programs we run here are all super high quality. I also like the diversity: people of all ages and backgrounds come here. I want to brag that we have a Teen Center, and of course we have the LV Skateboard Park which attracts people from all over the world. Finally, I want to brag that the staff is very creative.”
—Tell us something about the Rec Center that most people don’t know.
Back in 2008 a group of young people here designed a purple mascot for the Center (The Monstarz). As a result, the Linda Vista Recreation Center has become known as the home of the Monstarz. We use it as our logo. We have it printed on our shirts. Now other recreation centers try to come up with their own mascots.
—Are there any exciting or new activities coming up in the next few months?
We have new staff and new programming coming up, to include Cricut classes that involve an electronic cutting machine that can cut all sorts of designs from materials like paper and vinyl. We also have a program proposal that will train teens to apply for jobs in the Parks and Recreation department.
—What are your favorite sport or recreational activities?
“I played volleyball in high school so I like volleyball. I also enjoy arts and crafts. And I like cheer.”
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The Linda Vista Update wishes to thank Aly for taking the time to talk with us, and we wish her good luck in the new job.
SDPD Conducts Youth Football Clinic at Kelly Street Park
The San Diego Police Department recently teamed up with the Kearny High football team as well as the San Diego Strike Force Indoor Football League team to conduct a Youth Football Clinic for Linda Vista kids. The clinic was held at Kelly Street Neighborhood Park on November 13 for boys and girls in grades 5-8.
This Youth Football clinic was coordinated by the San Diego Police Department’s Gang Intervention Unit.
While practicing in unseasonably warm weather for a fall day, the assembled kids went through a series of tackling, passing, kicking and defensive drills. While drinking plenty of water, they took advantage of the instruction provided by Kearny High varsity football coach Jeremy Stump and several of his players, and players from the Strike Force team.
Throughout the practice, Officer Ricardo Pinon of the SDPD kept the kids motivated by voicing encouragement and reminding them of the importance of doing well in the classroom.
As explained by Sergeant Jo Makwana of the Gang Intervention Unit, “Pinon personally invited students to the clinic who have or are currently participating in the Gang Resistance Education And Training Program (G.R.E.A.T.) from Carson Elementary, Linda Vista Elementary, Empower Charter and Montgomery Middle School. Several youth from the neighborhood heard about the camp via word of mouth and showed up. That was fantastic. All neighborhood youth were welcomed and allowed to participate with a signed parent permission slip.”
A Tale of Two Murals
We welcome the addition of a new eye-catching mural on the facade of the 7-11 convenience store located at the intersection of Linda Vista Road and Napa Street. After conducting a bit of research, we found out the mural was the work of two artists associated with the organization called Ladies Who Paint—Coco and Hanna Daly. According to their web site, Ladies Who Paint “is dedicated to empowering women through art and creating a lasting impact in the lives of female artists all over the world.” Congrats to the 7-11 for bringing this artwork to the community.
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And this why some people say we can never have nice things in Linda Vista!
We recently noticed the various graffiti painted on the colorful mural located at 7033 Linda Vista Road, right next to the parking lot of the San Diego Family Care Medical Clinic. The mural was painted a few years ago by Beth Emmerich and Erin Yoshi.
It’s a shame this graffiti vandalism has to occur, and that such little respect is paid to the work of the original artists.
In a previous post of this newsletter, we proposed the idea of a new mural on the wall located next to the Linda Vista Library parking lot. In response to the post, one of our readers posted the comment, “Why bother. This is Linda Vista. The mural will just be tagged.” At the time, I thought the comment was too pessimistic, but I guess the reader had a point.
News Briefs:
Spaghetti and Meatballl Dinner
Holy Family Catholic Church (at 1957 Coolidge Street) is the site of a Friday (Nov 19) Spaghetti and Meatball Dinner sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. Price for the dinner is $9.00. A vegetarian dinner (without meatballs) is $8.00. The dinner will go from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. Take out is available.
Support Local Micro Enterprises
The Mercadito Comunitario (Community Market), a program sponsored by Access, Inc., is once again open for business on Sundays. Mercadito Comunitario helps new or emerging entrepreneurs test their concept and refine their product and marketing approaches in a supportive environment provided at Access headquarters. Readers are encouraged to come out and support these local entrepreneurs. Please read the below poster for more details. See you there on Sunday.
79th State Assembly District Turkey Giveaway
The office of Assemblywoman Dr. Akilah Weber has announced a drive-thru Turkey Giveaway will be held on November 20, 2021 at Joe and Vi Jacobs Center (404 Euclid Ave) from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. Households can register to participate in the Turkey Giveaway by clicking here. Residents who wish to donate to support this Turkey Giveaway effort can do so by clicking here.
Commentary
Redistricting Win for Linda Vista
Although the city of San Diego’s redistricting process is not quite over, the fate of Linda Vista seems much clearer. Based on the preliminary map that was approved by the San Diego Redistricting Commission on November 13, it appears the entire community of Linda Vista will be placed in one city council district (since 2011, Linda Vista has been split between districts 2 and 7). Furthermore, Linda Vista seems destined to be included in District 7, where the majority of Linda Vista already resides. The approved preliminary map also unites the community of Clairemont into one district, in this case District 2. In this newsletter’s opinion, the approval of this preliminary map—known as the Clairemont Compromise Map—is a big win for Linda Vista and though it may not be perfect the map serves as the best redistricting option for the entire San Diego community.
The Commission’s approved preliminary map, based on 2020 census figures, will serve as a foundation for a process that involves 5 subsequent public meetings (the first one was held on Nov 16) during which the preliminary boundaries will be refined based on data and public input. Approval of the final map needs to occur by the December 15 deadline (as required by City Charter).
In arriving at the approval of the preliminary map, the Commission (an independent agency made up of volunteers) examined three draft maps; the so-called Chair’s Map designed by Commission Chair Tom Hebrank, the San Diego Communities Collaborative Map, designed to ensure a student and Asian-American Pacific-Islander empowerment district (District 6), and the Clairemont Compromise Map, which among other things aimed to place Clairemont in one council district. Although the San Diego Communities Collaborative Map received the endorsement of many local organizations, the map was controversial because: (1) its intention of moving the UCSD campus from District 1 to District 6; (2) its approval would have meant moving approximately 300,000 people city-wide out of their current districts; and (3), it did not appear to recognize the progress that’s already been made to make the current City Council membership so diverse. The San Diego Communities Collaborative Map would have also moved Linda Vista entirely into District 2.
In terms of Linda Vista, the approved preliminary map should be considered a big win for Linda Vista because of the following:
· The entirety of Linda Vista is now in one district (District 7), which makes it easy for community members/organizations to make their case to just one councilmember instead of two.
· By being in District 7, the Linda Vista community retains a relationship with our current District 7 councilmember (elected in November 2020) who has displayed a genuine concern for Linda Vista. He has attended Bayside Community Center, Linda Vista Planning Group, and Linda Vista Town Council events. He also has ties to the community that go back to his high school years, having graduated from University High School in Linda Vista. Furthermore, his community representative attends community events on a regular basis.
· Although District 7 boundaries extend all the way from Linda Vista to Allied Gardens, and thus include a wide swath of different communities that may not always share common concerns, none of the other District 7 communities have concerns that are so distinct, or that so greatly overshadow those in Linda Vista, that undue attention or resources would be regularly diverted away to any particular community to the detriment of our own community.
Check the San Diego Redistricting Commission’s website for the time and date of their next meeting.
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The Linda Vista Update is a weekly digital newsletter that publishes informative, interesting and fun news about Linda Vista and its neighboring communities.