Library hours get boost among other restorations San Diego’s 35 branch libraries are now open again on Mondays, after city officials restored five hours each week to operational times because of what they called the city’s improving fiscal health. “Our libraries are a wonderful resource for our entire community,” said Mayor Jerry Sanders. “Beyond books, they provide Internet access, space for community events, film screenings and art displays. For a lot of people, the library is a window to the world. With these additional hours, more residents will have more opportunities to study, learn and expand their horizons.” Sanders announced last month as part of his May budget revision that he will add even more library hours in the new fiscal year. The expanded library hours are part of a series of service restorations made possible by better-than-expected revenues, and financial reforms like managed competition, the streamlining of nearly every city department and IT outsourcing. According to Sanders’ office, these reforms have collectively produced millions of dollars in budget savings. Sanders projected an additional $119 million in budget surplus over the next five years. Other city service restorations have included the expansion of hours at recreation centers, additional recruits to both police and fire academies, an updated city fire-alert system, increased funding for infrastructure projects and more funding for the arts. Man held in Pacific Beach sexual battery A man suspected of groping a woman on Everts Street in Pacific Beach was taken into custody in connection with the May 30 case. The incident unfolded around 11 p.m. when the 22-year-old victim was approached from behind by the suspect. The man allegedly wrapped his arms around the woman and groped her through her clothing. According to police, the man fled after the victim elbowed him. Although officers conducted a thorough search for the suspect, they were unable to locate the man, who was described as a white male in his 20s, wearing an SDSU sweatshirt. The description was distributed to employees at various nightclubs along Garnet Avenue, leading to a call around 1:15 a.m. that the suspect had been spotted in the 1000 block of Hornblend Street near Dawes Street. Officers responded and placed the man under arrest after a brief investigation. Holiday weekend a busy yet uneventful period The three-day Memorial Day holiday weekend drew an estimated 460,400 people to the area’s beaches and bays, but officials s reported few significant incidents. The holiday weekend netted 26 arrests in Pacific Beach on May 26 and 26 in the 1600 block of Garnet Avenue and the 2600 block of Ingraham Street. Yet city officials said the busy weekend was otherwise uneventful, attributing the lack of major incidents to ongoing relationships between citizen groups and city departments, as well as cooperative efforts and pre-planning between police, fire, lifeguards and park and recreation employees. City officials released the following for beaches in the Northern Division: • Misdemeanor alcohol citations — 49 • Drunk, taken to detox — 31 • Drunk, taken to jail — 25 • Felony arrests — 12 • Misdemeanor citations, non-alcohol — 115 • Minors in possession of alcohol — 49 • Traffic citations — 62 • Parking citations — 37