McMillin halts pursuit of Liberty Station changes For now, potential growth changes to the NTC Precise Plan have been tabled. Corky McMillin Cos. officials wrote a letter to Liberty Station homeowners Oct. 12 explaining they were not pursuing any further changes to the plan, which would have included demolition of a conference center and construction on a hotel and residential units. Representatives from Corky McMillin originally presented their changes to the NTC Precise Plan at the July Peninsula Community Planning Board (PCPB) meeting to a less-than-favorable public response. Their presentation included three building use-related amendments to the precise plan — expanding use types for the historical district buildings located at the north end of Liberty Station and demolition of the Liberty Station Conference Center (Building 623) located at 2600 Laning Road. Under the proposed change, the conference center would have been replaced by a 350-room hotel, as well as the replacement of the Liberty Station Gymnasium (Building 271) with 30 residential units. The PCPB created an NTC Precise Plan subcommittee at its July meeting and addressed the potential changes during meetings in August and September. That group also held a community meeting open to the public in August. Airport walking bridge closed, to be demolished The pedestrian bridge connecting Lindbergh Field’s Terminal 2 to parking and ground transportation was closed Oct. 17 so that it can be demolished. The demolition will give way to new pedestrian bridges built as part of Lindbergh Field’s The Green Build project. The new pedestrian bridges will be integrated into the dual-level roadway that is part of The Green Build’s expansion of Terminal 2. During the closure, pedestrians will use the crosswalk at Terminal 2 to cross the roadway, which could result in time impacts for travelers. For more information, call the airport’s construction hotline at (619) 400-2288 or e-mail [email protected]. Councilman, city reps to host town hall meeting District 2 City Councilman Kevin Faulconer and other high-profile officials will be on hand Tuesday, Oct. 26 to discuss wide-ranging issues with residents at a Point Loma Association town hall meeting. Representatives from the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, the Navy and the San Diego Police Department will be on hand to discuss their respective issues. The meeting will be held at the Portuguese Hall, 2818 Avenida de Portugal in Point Loma beginning at 6 p.m. The meeting is expected to run until about 9 p.m. For more information, e-mail Malinda Dickenson at [email protected]. City dept. heads to tackle budget cuts in PL forum Mayor Jerry Sanders and other top city officials will pay a visit to Point Loma High School on Monday, Oct. 25 as part of a series of town hall meetings to discuss proposed city budget cuts for fiscal year 2012 — and to field residents’ concerns and ideas. Eight town hall forums are planned to discuss budget impacts stemming from Sanders’ mandate to each city department to identify specific cuts that would help close a projected budget gap of $72 million for FY 2012. The event at Point Loma High, located at 2335 Chatsworth Blvd., is slated to run from 6 to 7 p.m. in the school’s auditorium. Participants in the town hall series include Chief Operating Officer Jay Goldstone; Police Chief William Lansdowne; Fire Chief Javier Mainar; library director Deborah Barrow; Park and Recreation Department director Stacey LoMedico; Dave Jarrell, Deputy Chief Operating Officer of the Public Works Department; and Chief Financial Officer Mary Lewis. For information, call the Office of the Mayor at (619) 236-6330, or visit www.sandiego.gov/mayor. Skate for the Kids event to benefit OB Elementary On Saturday, Oct. 23, locals can support Ocean Beach Elementary School by taking in some professional skateboarding, enjoying music and munching on barbecued delights. The first-ever Skate for the Kids BBQ and Skate Jam will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. in the grass area near the Robb Field Skate Park. Among the professional and amateur skateboarders scheduled to appear are Tosh Townend, Marius Syvanen, Austyn Gillette, Cano Cardenas and others yet to be confirmed. Fans of all ages can meet, get autographs and hang out with these skaters during the event. There will also be vendor booths from event sponsors, an old-fashioned barbecue, Indo Board demos and autographs and a raffle to help support Ocean Beach Elementary programs that were casualties of district budget cuts, including music and art, academic enrichment activities, family entertainment and student recognition events. For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/skateforthekids. Tickets to go on sale for OB Restaurant Walk Tickets will be available starting Oct. 26 for the highly popular Ocean Beach Restaurant Walk — the community fundraiser that lets diners sample treats, hors d’oeuvres, dinner items and other goodies in a walking circuit of more than 40 participating bars, restaurants and outlets. The Nov. 9 event is organized and coordinated by the Ocean Beach MainStreet Association (OBMA) to raise money for the OB Tree Committee’s holiday outreach to aid needy families. Organizers say the money raised goes to help about 70 families — most of whom are from Ocean Beach — during the holidays with food and toys. For a $15 ticket, participants will sample tasty delights from the many participating business in OB from 5 to 9 p.m. OBMA officials are encouraging residents to purchase tickets quickly because the event always sells out each year. Tickets will be available at the following locations: • Dog Beach Dog Wash, 4933 Voltaire St., (619) 523-1700 • Bone Appetit Pet Store, 4845 Newport Ave., (619) 226-6250 • Indulgence Hair Salon, 4956 Newport Ave., (619) 225-8854 • Lucy’s Tavern, 4906 Voltaire St., (619) 224-0834 • San Diego Bay Flower Co., 4822 Santa Monica Ave., (619) 222-5400 • Sunshine Company, 5028 Newport Ave., (619) 222-0722 • Surf n’ Sea Wetsuits, 1874 Bacon St., (619) 222-1231 • OB MainStreet Association, 1868 Bacon St., (619) 224-4906 • O.B. Farmers Market, Wednesdays, 4900 block of Newport Ave. The event will also feature music and Old Town Trolleys will run back and forth from north Ocean Beach to the heart of the event along Newport Avenue for those who may tire or are unable to walk the circuit. For more information, call the OBMA at (619) 224-4906, or visit www.oceanbeachsandiego.com. Tickets remain for PLHS 85th anniversary bash Tickets sales are under way for a major event that will celebrate the 85th anniversary of Point Loma High School (PLHS) next month. The event, “Once a Pointer, Always A Pointer” gala and auction, will take place Nov. 13 at the Liberty Station Conference Center at 6 p.m. It is being produced by the school’s Pointer Association, a unification of the former PTA, Alumni Association and Foundation. Honoring Pointer students, alumni, families and community members, proceeds from the event will help fund the “Three A’s: Academics, Arts and Athletics” to continue programs of excellence at the school in the face of state and local budget cuts. Tickets can be obtained using credit cards or checks from a secure link on the PLHS website, www.pointlomahigh.com. Single-ticket prices are $85 and $160 per couple. A table for 10 is priced at $900. Sponsorships are available from $100 to $5,000, with all funds going directly to student programs. Some levels allow donors to select specific areas or sports teams. A highlight of the 85th gala event will be the unveiling of a bronze Pointer dog sculpture. Created by Richard Arnold, PLHS class of 1959, an artist residing in Telluride, Colo., the work will be known as The Spirit of the Pointer Dog and be mounted on the school campus. A ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 14 at PLHS as the sculpture is installed in its permanent location. Campus tours will also be provided at that time. PLHS now boasts an enrollment of 2,050 in grades 9-12 and offers a mixture of Advanced Placement classes, College and Career Pathways and course-credit partnerships with Mesa College and Point Loma Nazarene University, according to PLHS Principal Bobbie Samilson. A high number of alumni from the school have become nationally known in many fields, including the arts, business, athletics and politics. Donations in the form of auction items, merchandise and services are also being sought. For more information, contact Maria Virissimo-Gibson at (619) 938-7897 or e-mail [email protected]. Because of the 85th anniversary of the school, PLHS officials also warn that the Oct. 29 Homecoming football game at 6:30 p.m. against Madison High School will be sold out because of seating capacity and advise fans to buy tickets early. Tickets are available at the PLHS Finance Office from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 3:30 p.m. on school days. Prices are $7 for adults; $5 for students with ASB cards; and $2 for children ages 5-12 and seniors 65 or older.