Bird Park Summer Concerts begin June 15

Jazz musician Lenny “Fuzzy” Rankins opens the 11th anniversary season of the Bird Park Summer Concerts series June 15, followed by indie rock band Okapi Sun June 29, Latin jazz artists Todo Mundo July 13, country rockers Kanan Road July 27 and blues band Big Papa and the TCB Aug. 10. The concerts are every-other Saturday from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Bird Park is located at the intersection of Upas and 28th streets in North Park, near Pershing Drive. The series began in 2002 as a part of the North Park Community Association (NPCA). “The NPCA’s main message for these concerts is to encourage the entire community to come together, bring along a picnic, enjoy the music, dance and mingle with friends,” NPCA representatives said on the website. Grammy Award-winning Rankins originally hails from Ohio and, after extensive time in New York and Pennsylvania, moved to California in 1990. His first blues album, “Not Gonna Work This Time” was recorded in 1993 and in 1996, he was the featured artist at a special dedication to musician T-Bone Walker. San Diego-based, he continues to record and produce with his company MoonCook Productions. His album “Take A Brotha Home” was nominated for Best Blues Album at the 2010 San Diego Music Awards. The concerts are completely community supported, and the NPCA is accepting tax-deductible donations to help cover costs for staging the series. For more information visit northparksd.org/concerts/.

Uptown Planners support IHO extension

At the Tuesday, June 4 Uptown Planners meeting, the board voted 13-1-1 to support extending the current Interim Height Ordinance (IHO), which was first established in July 2008. In 2006, the local planning group proposed an IHO to keep building heights in Mission Hills to under 50 feet and Hillcrest to under 65 feet, in part to hold potential construction until the completed revision of the Uptown Community Plan. That plan has been delayed, and while the IHO was been extended – the current extension is set to expire January 24, 2014 – there is no set end date for the Community Plan and Uptown Planners voted to keep the IHO in place until the implementation of the completed plan.

Be The Match fundraises for marrow donors

A program of the National Marrow Donor Program, the Be The Match Registry is one of the largest overseers of volunteer cell and blood unit donators in the United States. The online-based community “helps patients who need a marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant” by raising funds so more individuals can be added to the registry, increasing chances for bone marrow matches for those in need of transplants, representatives said on the website. Three events have been planned in San Diego County for one patient in need, Xavier Sutton. Sutton was diagnosed with acute liver failure in September 2012 at Rady Children’s Hospital and, after treatment, was discharged in November of that year. In March 2013, he was diagnosed with aplastic anema and has since been hospitalized for platelet and blood transfusions, the website stated. The first registration event was held Thursday, June 6 at the University of California, San Diego campus. Additional events are being held Saturday, June 8 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Mabuhay Festival at Kimball Park in National City, and June 15 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the 2900 block of Imperial Avenue. “We will be a part of the Cooper Foundation Juneteenth event, and you will have the opportunity to join the Be The Match registry in person that day,” representatives said. For more information visit bethematch.org or bethematchfoundation.org/goto/teamxavier/.

Collage artist creates first Golden Hill community mural

Golden Hill’s first community mural went up May 29 on the side of Jaroco’s Market, located at 1148 25th St. The mural is a street-sized reproduction of an original collage designed by local artist Giancarlo Pia, a press release stated. The composite mural, a layered collage, is also the first of its kind in San Diego. Representatives said the mural reflects the vibrancy and diversity of the community by incorporating representations of Golden Hill residents and symbols of the Golden Hill neighborhood and Downtown skyline. “The vision for street art is to bring beauty, a sense of pride, and a feeling of optimism and connectedness to residents in urban communities,” Pia said in the release. For more information about the artist, visit giancarlopia.com.

Race to raise funds for next stage of Hillcrest Pride Monument

Organized by the Hillcrest Business Association and Eddie Reynoso of Mo’s Universe, the third annual Amazing High Heel Race is set for June 15, with all money raised going to the second stage of work to be done at the Hillcrest Pride Monument: a permanent, four-panel historical marker highlighting the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in Hillcrest. The race began as a fundraiser for the Pride Flag Monument, which was completed July 2012 at the intersection of Normal Street and University Avenue. The historical monument will be installed at the base of the flagpole. “It is important for youth throughout San Diego and the world to continue to see our flag flying high and proud,” Reynoso said in a press release. “It serves as a welcoming beacon for all who visit Hillcrest and San Diego and has quickly become a symbol of our community.” Organizers are hoping to have the money raised for the monument’s unveiling at this year’s Pride Festival, held July 12 – 14. The Flag and Monument mark the start of the annual Pride Parade. Pre-event individual registration is $35 and $150 for teams of up to six for the race, which sees participants on teams completing tasks at numerous Hillcrest businesses, all the while wearing three-inch minimum high-heel shoes and, for some, outrageous costumes. On June 15, individual registration is $45, and the start time is 1 p.m. at Peet’s Coffee & Tea, located at 350 University Ave. Awards will be given out at the finish line at Gossip Grill. For more information and to register visit theamazinghighheelrace.com.

Old Globe’s Edelstein to explore Shakespeare’s language

The Old Globe Theatre will offer a one-time presentation of “Thinking Shakespeare Live!” on June 15 at 11 a.m. on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in The Globe’s Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Throughout the 90-minute program, Old Globe Artistic Director Barry Edelstein will lead the audience through a performer’s approach to tackling Shakespearean language, a press release stated. Based on Edelstein’s book “Thinking Shakespeare: A How-To Guide for Student Actors, Directors, and Anyone Else Who Wants to Feel More Comfortable with the Bard,” the show is an introduction to Shakespeare for all audiences. “I’ve put together this program to show that with just a few hints and tricks that are easy to learn and apply, Shakespeare’s language can be as immediate and alive as anything in today’s paper,” Edelstein said in the release. “‘Thinking Shakespeare Live!’ is a fun way to start a new relationship with my man William, or to learn new ways to spend time with him.” Edelstein has directed almost half of Shakespeare’s works throughout his career and will demonstrate the techniques and methods he uses with the help of three actors, giving the audience a unique peek behind the curtain. Assisting Edelstein will be Krystel Lucas and Christopher Salazar, who are currently appearing in The Globe’s Shakespeare Festival, and Jason Maddy, a previous Festival participant. Tickets are $10 for Old Globe subscribers and full-time students, and $15 for general admission. They can be purchased online at TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at 619-234-5623 or at the box office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.

Multiple grand jury indictments made in auto-theft sting operation

District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis announced Thursday, June 6 that 64 grand jury indictments had been made in an eight-month, multiple organization undercover operation. The Regional Auto Theft Task Force (RATT) worked in cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in the auto-theft investigation. Called Operation Perfect Storm, the mission was launched August 2012 and yielded 92 stolen vehicles worth an estimated $692,600, a press release stated. Firearms and drugs were also seized, and the groups “identified” and “infiltrated” criminal groups throughout the County. “The dedicated work of RATT and the resulting indictments mean dozens of car thieves who were also trafficking guns and drugs in the North County have been shut down,” Dumanis said in the release. As part of the investigation, law enforcement made 50 arrests during an early-morning sweep in San Diego County, including 14 current and former Marines and one sailor. Defendants in custody were arraigned in the San Diego Superior Court and face varied sentences from probation to 25 years in state prison.

Atkins bill to increase early abortion access passes

The California Assembly May 28 passed AB 154, a bill introduced by Assembly Majority Leader Toni Atkins. The bill allows nurses, physician’s assistants and nurse midwives to perform aspiration abortions after receiving proper training, increasing the number of trained professionals who are able to offer abortions. The bill would have a significant affect on several California counties who have no abortion provider, a press release stated. “Women need quality health care in their own communities and without excessive wait times,” Atkins said in the release. “This is particularly true with abortion services, which are cheaper and less complicated earlier in a pregnancy. My bill improves the lives of women and their families.” The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.

LGBT community raising funds for new Central Library

In an announcement released May 22, representatives of the new San Diego Central Library said the LGBT community is helping to raise $150,000 to support the library’s proposed Teen Center and to grow the LGBT collection for the City library system. “Many LGBT leaders have joined in the campaign to help those important programs and make our LGBT presence visible at the new library,” said Library Commissioner Susan Atkins in the release. Atkins is overseeing the campaign, which currently has $80,000, or over half the goal, raised. “The library is a very inclusive place … so it is fitting for the LGBT community to make visible its support for this egalitarian institution,” she said. Those interested can mail checks marked with “LGBT” to San Diego Public Library Foundation CEO Jay Hill at 820 E St. or by visiting give.supportmylibrary.org/LGBT/. Those donating over $2,500 will receive a brick in the new library lobby with their own personal message. The Central Library is set to open Sept. 28. “Every donation counts, large and small,” Atkins said. “We want everyone to know they are included in the library and in this LGBT initiative.”