City dumps plan to boost development oversight The city has scrapped its plans to consider amending the municipal code to provide more community oversight regarding minor modifications to approved development. City Council was scheduled to hear the proposed amendment on Oct. 27 but the Development Services Department (DSD), under the direction of the mayor’s office, will instead ask City Council not to make any changes to the substantial conformance review process. DSD decided not to go forward with the amendment because the Planning Commission, Land Use and Housing Commission and Chamber of Commerce’s housing committee did not support the amendment, according to project manager Mike Westlake. The amendment to the municipal code would have required any modifications to approved development to go through a Process 2 decision instead of the current Process 1 decision, which is a unilateral staff decision. A Process 2 decision requires community notification and allows the public to appeal the decision. ‘Back Room Bandit’ strikes in Point Loma Point Loma has been hit by the so-called “Back Room Bandit.” According to police, the Oct. 22 armed robbery of Pet People on 3600 Midway Drive is believed to be part of a series of eight robberies that have taken place around San Diego in the past month. The police department’s Robbery Unit is currently investigating the heists. According to police reports, the suspect entered Pet People on Oct. 22 as three employees were working. He displayed a handgun and demanded money, which one of the employees provided in a plastic bag. The suspect then fled in an unknown direction. According to police, the suspect is described as an Asian male between 30 and 40 years old, standing between 5 feet 5 inches and 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing between 150 to 165 pounds. In most of the cases, the suspect is wearing a baseball cap and black sunglasses. Detectives are asking anyone with information on the identity and/or location of the suspect to call San Diego County Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888) 580-8477, or send an anonymous e-mail or text message via www.sdcrimestoppers.com. Crime Stoppers is offering up to a $1,000 reward to anyone with information that leads to an arrest. Police seeking help from senior volunteers The San Diego Police Department is in desperate need of seniors willing to volunteer their time to patrol the streets as part of the Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol (RSVP). Candidates for RSVP must be in good health, fluent in English, possess a California driver license and pass a background check. Volunteers will attend the RSVP academy for five days of basic training and three days of specialized training in traffic direction and control. For more information call Bob Stewart at (858) 495-7827.  Cancer Society shop to boast holiday bargains The annual Holiday Extravaganza put on by the San Diego American Cancer Society Discovery Shop, 3609 “C” Midway Drive, is about to begin. The event takes place Friday Nov. 6 from  10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday Nov. 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  On sale will be a wide variety of holiday décor items and clothing.  Shoppers can join in the fun of finding that perfect item for the holiday season at bargain prices while supporting cancer education and research.  For more information call (619) 224-4336.  Point Loma rear admiral earns second star The head of one of the Navy’s largest logistics organizations was promoted to the rank of rear admiral (upper half) during a ceremony held this month at the Navy Broadway Complex in downtown San Diego. Navy Supply Corps Rear Adm. Mark F. Heinrich, a Point Loma resident, took command of Fleet and Industrial Supply Centers (COMFISCS) in June. He is the first two-star flag officer to command the Navy’s global logistics organization established in 2003 and headquartered in San Diego. Prior to assuming command of COMFISCS, Heinrich served as director of logistics operations and readiness for the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Va. He deployed to Kuwait in June 2008 as director of the U.S. Central Command Deployment and Distribution Operations Center at Camp Arifjan, and applied his deployment and distribution expertise to the planning and execution of joint and combined force military operations. Heinrich is a graduate of La Jolla High School, holds a bachelor of science degree in engineering from the Naval Academy and master’s degrees in business administration and petroleum management from the University of Kansas. He is also a graduate of the Kellogg Graduate School of Management Advanced Executive Program. For more information, visit https://www.navsup.navy.mil/navsup/ourteam/ comfiscs/news.