Accused Midway rapist held on $3M bail Bail has been set at $3 million for a suspect accused of raping a maid in a Sports Arena Boulevard hotel room in December. A preliminary hearing has been set for Friday, Jan. 11 in San Diego Superior Court for Christopher R. Stevens, 44, who is charged in the Dec. 21 attack at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Point Loma. Stevens has pleaded not guilty to seven charges, which include three rape counts, penetration with an object, making a criminal threat, false imprisonment and felony assault. If convicted, Stevens faces several hundred years in prison because he has convictions for two robberies, auto theft, burglary and felony evasion of police, according to court records. He qualifies for the third-strike law. Stevens was arraigned Dec. 28. He was arrested by police on Dec. 24 at another hotel. He remains in custody. —Neal Putnam

Series set for parents of incoming freshmen A free, four-session college informational series geared for parents of incoming freshmen in area schools begins Feb. 23. The series will offer parents an early look at current college admission requirements and offer useful tips. College preparation and tests like PSAT/SAT and ACT will be explained and discussed. The sessions take place at San Diego City College from 9 a.m. to noon on Feb. 23, March 2, 9 and 16. Applications are available at www.sandiegosoap.com. Click on “Events.” Deadline to apply for the series is Jan. 25, with enrollment limited to available space. For more information, call Karla Whitaker at (858) 569-1866, ext. 216, or email [email protected]. — Scott Hopkins

PLHS shoe drive to aid less fortunate The Point Loma High School Dance team, also known as UMDC, is holding a shoe drive to benefit the “Shoes With Heart” program that collects shoes for recycling and sends them to developing nations. Members of the community are asked to clean their closets and drop off their unwanted shoes, from flip-flops to ballet shoes, in grocery bags and bring to the PLHS library or dance room. There are also collection boxes around the PLHS campus. On Wednesdays, from 2:15 to 3:15 p.m., members of the club will be posted in front of the Chatsworth Boulevard school to receive dropped-off donations. The drive ends Jan. 18. — Scott Hopkins

La Playa Assoc. slates lecture on Ballast Point The La Playa Trail Association is preparing to host a lecture about the early history of Ballast Point. Dr. Steve Colston of the San Diego State University Department of History will speak at the Jan. 22 event. His subject will be “The End of the Trail, Fort Guijarros on Ballast Point, 1796.” With Ballast Point now a U.S. Navy facility, local history buffs, with authorization, conduct digs to uncover story-telling artifacts from the fort site. A website (www.fortguijarros.com) has information on the location. The talk will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Point Loma Assembly building, 3035 Talbot St. A donation of $10 at the door is requested. — Scott Hopkins

PLHS sailing alums charting new courses Point Loma High School sailing team alums Jake La Dow (2011) and Jake Reynolds (2012) have already begun to earn respect at the collegiate level. Both were selected to sail for the U.S. in the first-ever Red Bull “Youth America’s Cup” to be sailed Sept. 1-4. Invitations have been sent to 12 of the best sailing teams in the world to compete in a Selection Series from Feb. 9-24 in San Francisco to qualify for the finals.  La Dow attends St. Mary’s College of Maryland while Reynolds studies at College of Charleston. — Scott Hopkins