Man pleads guilty in 2007 vehicular fatality A man with five drunk-driving convictions pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Tuesday, Oct. 14, after causing a fatal accident on Interstate 8 near the Mission Bay Drive exit while driving under the influence. John Joseph Taskey, 47, of La Mesa, will receive a sentence of 15 years to life in state prison, according to court records. San Diego Superior Court Judge Jeff Fraser set sentencing for Nov. 12. Rosa Degerman, 76, and her family were on their way to watch the sunset at Sunset Cliffs on Sept. 13, 2007, when their vehicle was struck by Taskey’s pickup around 6:30 p.m. Charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, drunk driving, injury to a person over 70 years of age and driving under the influence of alcohol with prior convictions were dropped after he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. The sentence in the murder charge is longer than any term with the other dismissed charges. Taskey was on parole when the incident occurred. He went to prison for the first time on his fifth drunk driving conviction in 2006, said Deputy District Attorney David Grapilon. The second-degree murder charge includes the element of “willful disregard for life,” Grapilon said, and he said it was appropriate in this case. Taskey’s blood/alcohol level in this incident was 0.10, said the prosecutor. Degerman died of her injuries the next day in a hospital. Her adult son received a concussion, and her 11-year-old granddaughter suffered a fractured shoulder. Taskey was also injured. He remains in county jail on $1 million bail. Dollars for Scholars walk gets under way Saturday The PointLoma/Ocean Beach chapter of the California Dollars for Scholars will join the 2008 5K Walk for Education on Saturday, Oct. 25 to do its part in raising money directly for scholarships for deserving Point Loma High School (PLHS) seniors. The annual walk takes place at 10 a.m. at San Diego State University (SDSU), with registration opening at 8:30 a.m. According to local chapter members, participants should gather at 8:45 a.m. at the balloon arch at SDSU’s Scripps Cottage. An official walk T-shirt will be awarded to participants bringing $25 or more in donations. In 2007, California Dollars for Scholars volunteers raised more than $2 million in scholarships. For information or to donate directly to the PLHS cause, call Laurie Hurl at (619) 223-3121, ext. 1132, or e-mail [email protected]. For more information about California Dollars for Scholars, call (800) 335-4504, or visit www.walkforeducation.org. Free marriage workshops held for returning soldiers American soldiers returning from overseas — along with their spouses — will soon be able to take advantage of Mission Strong Connections, a series of no-cost marriage workshops held at Liberty Station in Point Loma. The workshops will be facilitated by Wanda Garner, M.S., M.A., and sponsored by Lifewellness Institute and Freedom is Not Free. Mission Strong Connections is designed for American soldiers who have faced tension, disappointment, conflict and loneliness in their marriages since their return from Iraq and Afghanistan. These workshops are offered free as a way to honor and assist those families who have dedicated themselves to defending the country. Each 2½-day workshop will focus on stepping out of negative communication patterns, expressing wants and needs effectively and offering comfort and support. The workshops will use “emotionally focused couples therapy,” which research shows to be more than two times more effective than traditional marriage counseling, according to program organizers. Workshops will be held at Point Loma Oct. 23-25, although the exact location is not being released for confidentiality reasons. To register or for more information, call (858) 404-0305, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.wandagarner.com. Award-winning musical opens at PL Assembly The Point Loma Actors’ Workshop and the Point Loma Nazarene University Musical Theatre Club will kick off a run of the award-winning musical comedy “The Last Five Years” on Saturday, Oct. 25 at the Point Loma Assembly (PLA). “The Last Five Years,” written by Jason Robert Brown, is a contemporary song-cycle musical chronicling the five-year life of a marriage from meeting to breaking up and vice versa. Director Christopher Pineda has cast Alex Moore and Kendall Richardson as the leads in the production. The production opens Saturday at 8 p.m. at the PLA, 3030 Talbot St. Additional performances: • Sunday, Oct. 26, 3 and 7 p.m.; • Friday, Nov. 7 and Saturday, Nov. 8, 8 p.m.; • Sunday, Nov. 9, 3 and 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $8 for students, seniors and military and may be purchased in advance or at the door. For tickets or additional information, call (858) 232-2922. Craft fair gives gift-givers head start for holidays The ladies of Avant Garde, an auxiliary group that supports the San Diego Armed Forces YMCA, will host one of the largest craft fairs in San Diego at All Souls Episcopal Church in Point Loma on Saturday, Oct. 25. An estimated 36 vendors will be selling quality paintings, jewelry, homemade treats, children’s furniture, knitted items and other offerings. Organizers said the event should allow gift-givers an opportunity to get a jump-start on holiday shopping Parking and admission to the event are free. A portion of sales will go to benefitthe 40 free programs for military families at the San Diego Armed Services YMCA. The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at All Souls Episcopal, 1475 Catalina Blvd. For more information, visit www.militaryymca.com. Ballast Point brewery to host fundraiser Ballast Point Brewing Co. will host its 12th anniversary party and beer festival Oct. 25 at Liberty Station’s North Promenade in Point Loma as part of a fundraising event to benefit the YMCA Youth and Family Services Division and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. Ballast Point will be joined by more than 15 other local breweries in putting on the event, according to organizers. Participants will enjoy live island-style music from San Diego-based Pau Hana and receive 10 4-ounce tasters for the price of admission. Tickets are $35 if purchased online in advance or $40 the day of the event. “Our previous experiences with sponsoring nonprofit organizations have been overwhelmingly positive,” said Jack White, founder and president of Ballast Point Brewing Co. “And the outpouring of support that we have received from the San Diego community has truly been inspirational.” Ballast Point Brewing Co. distributes five of the brewer’s favorite beers commercially — Yellowtail Pale Ale, Calico Amber Ale, Big Eye I.P.A., Black Marlin Porter and Wahoo Wheat Beer. For more information about Ballast Point Brewing Co. and the anniversary party/beer festival, call (858) 695-2739, or visit www.BallastPoint.com. Nuffer elected president of Point Loma Artists Mary Nuffer has begun serving the latest term as president of the Point Loma Artists group, succeeding Mary McKinnon. The 26-member group formed nearly a decade ago, actively promoting artists’ work in the Peninsula area. The organization hosts several exhibitions locally. Nuffer has been a practicing watercolor artist for nearly 40 years.