SOHO TO HOST RECEPTION FOR BALBOA PARK LEGAL FUND     

Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO) is hosting an evening reception at a Mission Hills home in an effort to raise money to help fund the nonprofit’s legal fees in a lawsuit against the city. The fundraiser is scheduled for Sept. 21 from 6 to 9 p.m. Filed Aug. 13, the lawsuit claims the city failed to “comply with local and state laws” in approving the Plaza de Panama Project, which sees the creation of a “Centennial Bridge and Road” to divert traffic from the center of Balboa Park into a to-be-built underground parking garage. SOHO Executive Director Bruce Coons previously said the organization will win the lawsuit. At the Sept. 21 event, a historic Mission Revival home will be open for the first time to the public in exclusive support for SOHO. The reception, which will be catered by Hillcrest’s Crest Café, is limited to 50 guests and costs $50 per person. SOHO representatives announced Sept. 13 on the organization’s Twitter account that the reception is currently sold out. For more information visit sohosandiego.org.

SUSPECT ARRESTED IN HILLCREST, DOWNTOWN ARSON SPREE

A man was arrested in connection with a series of small fires set in garbage containers in the early morning of Wednesday, Sept. 12. Of the 16 blazes set, seven were in the Hillcrest area and appeared to be set around 2 a.m. At 4 a.m., several other fires were reported in Downtown San Diego, including the Ja Java coffee cart at the Civic Center Plaza. Damage to the cart is estimated at $50,000. Approximately $1,200 in damages were reported in Hillcrest. San Diego Fire and Rescue representatives said 56-year-old David Kelley Lawson was arrested in front of the federal building, Downtown. Lawson faces 16 charges of arson.

 ‘DESIGNATED’ OPEN SPACE CONVERTED TO ‘DEDICATED’ IN SEN. KEHOE BILL

Gov. Jerry Brown signed Sen. Christine Kehoe’s bill allowing San Diego to convert up to 10,000 acres of city-owned “designated” open space to “dedicated.” The conversion is significant as dedicated space has a stronger level of protection and can be converted to other uses by public vote only. “Many San Diegans have worked for years to ensure that their neighborhood open space is not subject to development,” Kehoe said in a press release. “San Diego Canyonlands led a year-long effort to gain support for the dedication of these important urban preserves, meeting with over 40 of the affected community planning groups and citizen advisory committees.” The signed legislation means the City Council has until Dec. 31 to approve the list of specific parcels to be converted to the dedicated status. The bill was co-authored by Assemblymembers Toni Atkins and Nathan Fletcher. Of the 339 sites up for Council approval, 30 are in the current District Three.

NORTH PARK ASSESSMENT POSITION OPEN

The North Park Maintenance Assessment District (MAD) is calling for a resident homeowner to joint their committee. The MAD committee provides a venue for private citizen advice to city staff on district landscape projects, lighting and community improvements, and meets most months on the second Monday, from 6 to 7:45 p.m. at the North Park Adult Activity Center, 2719 Howard Ave. Nominations were accepted at the Sept. 10 meeting, with elections being held at the Oct. 8 meeting. For more information, contact Beth Swersie, MAD secretary, at [email protected] or visit npmad.org.

URBAN KITCHEN GROUP NAMES JACK FISHER EXECUTIVE PASTRY CHEF

Jack Fisher has been announced executive pastry chef for Urban Kitchen Group, helming the pastry programs at CUCINA urbana, Kensington Grill, Urban Kitchen Catering and CUCINA enoteca. Fisher has nearly 25 years of experience in local restaurants, beginning his pastry career in 1995 at the San Diego Sheraton. He moves to the Urban group from his most recent work at La Jolla’s NINE-TEN. “Jack is the perfect complement to our philosophy, which places a dedicated emphasis on all things local, seasonal and high-quality,” said Tracy Borkum of the Urban Kitchen Group. “He’s worked with some of the finest chefs in San Diego, and his creative offerings are nothing short of exceptional. We’re thrilled to have him as part of our team as we continue to expand our business.” In his new position, Fisher will be executing their pastry program as well as their in-house cheese program and selection of house-made breads. Fisher was awarded “Best San Diego Chocolatier” in 2010 by Riviera Magazine, and has participated in multiple chef events including Taste of the Nation, Celebrate the Craft and Chef’s Celebration.

RESTAURANT WEEK SEPT 16 – 21

The citywide Restaurant Week takes place Sunday, Sept. 16 through Friday, Sept. 21, with numerous Uptown dining locations participating with specially priced, all-inclusive menus. There are over 180 locations total, with various lunch and dinner specials offered. Reservations are highly recommended. For a complete list of participating restaurants, visit sandiegorestaurantweek.com.

ANNUAL COASTAL CLEANUP INCLUDES UPTOWN CANYONS

The nonprofit I Love a Clean San Diego is hosting the 28th annual Coastal Cleanup Day, the largest single-day volunteer event in San Diego dedicated to environmental protection. The organization – now coordinating the event alone – is anticipating over 8,000 volunteers at over 85 sites, including Juniper Canyon in Golden Hill, Marston Canyon in Hillcrest and Buchanan Canyon in University Heights. The cleanup event is from 9 a.m. – noon and participants are asked to bring work gloves, buckets and water in canteens. Last year, I Love a Clean San Diego volunteers picked up over 600 pounds of debris from two Uptown sites alone, stated a press release. For more information, including other sites and to register, visit cleanupday.org or cleansd.org.

CAST LIST RELEASED FOR SD MUSICAL THEATRE’S ‘FOOTLOOSE’

The San Diego Musical Theatre (SDMT) announced the complete cast for the Sept. 28 – Oct. 14 production of “Footloose,” the third production in their 2012 season. Based on the original screenplay by Dean Pitchford, Robert Marra will serve as both director and choreographer, and Don LeMaster as music director. The cast includes Anton Fero as Ren McCormack; Emma Degerstadt as Ariel Moore; Cris O’Bryon as Reverend Shaw Moore; Laura Dickinson as Vi Moore; Jon Eidson as Willard Hewitt; and Kaitlyn Etter as Rusty. Additional cast members are: Aleksander D’Avignon, Meagan Flint, Catie Marron, Debra Wanger, Michael Pinning, Daniel Filippi, Ricardo Cota Jr., Kevin McDonald, David Crane, Jeni Hawkes, Kasey Viani, Charles Maze, Ted Leib and Ed Hollingsworth. Included in the ensemble are Cassie Bowerman, Courtney Fero, Tiffany Loui, Danny Swaine Wells II and Matthew Williams. “Footloose” will be in production at the Birch North Park Theatre, 2891 University Ave. in North Park. Tickets range from $26 – $52. For more information and to purchase tickets visit sdmt.org or call 858-560-5740. The concluding production in the SDMT season will be “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” from Dec. 13 – 23.

‘DARE ME BANDIT’ SOUGHT IN MULTIPLE ROBBERIES

San Diego Police Department Robbery Unit detectives are investigating a series of commercial robberies that began in August, stated a press release. Of the seven open cases, one occurred Aug. 9 at the San Diego Market located at 2601 Broadway in Golden Hill. In this incident, the clerk was in an office located behind the cash register when the suspect entered the store holding a black semi-automatic handgun, demanded money from the clerk and walked out of the store with the cash. He was last seen heading west on Broadway. In another case, the suspect fired a shot from his handgun. No physical injuries were reported. The SD Police Department describes the suspect as a “Hispanic male, between 20 and 35 years of age.” In most cases, the suspect used a T-shirt or cloth to cover the lower part of his face. The Golden Hill robbery was captured on surveillance video. Those with information concerning the cases are asked to contact the SD Police Department at 619-531-2299 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

OLD GLOBE RELEASES TICKETS FOR ANNUAL DR. SEUSS HOLIDAY SHOW

Single tickets for “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” – the annual holiday show at the Old Globe Theatre – are now on sale. The show is directed by James Vasquez (who is currently helming the Diversionary Theatre’s latest production, “Pippin” in University Heights) with book and lyrics by Timothy Mason and music by Mel Marvin, and will run from Nov. 17 – Dec. 29. Opening night is Nov. 23. Steve Blanchard will reprise his role at The Grinch, after last year’s debut. In conjunction with the run, the Old Globe will offer an autism-friendly performance on Dec. 15 and will host the annual Christmas tree lighting on Nov. 18. The tree for the lighting ceremony will be designed by “Grinch” scenic designer John Lee Beatty and will remain in Balboa Park throughout the show’s run. Ticket prices for performances range from $24 – $87, and can be purchased at theoldglobe.org, by calling 619-234-5623 or by visiting the box office.

SAN DIEGO OPERA ANNOUNCES 2012-13 ‘TASTE OF OPERA’ EVENTS

Starting Friday, Sept. 14, San Diego Opera returns with their series of food-centric events designed to offer an introduction to their 2013 season. The series includes informal and casual settings for creatively themed dinners and cooking classes at Great New! Discount Cookware and Cooking School, stated a press release. Sept. 14 brings “The Daughter of the Regiment” cooking class, with French-inspired recipes including “Roquefort and mushroom gougères” and “Beef tenderloin with béarnaise sauce,” among others. Other cooking classes are scheduled monthly, to coincide with the Opera’s season: “Samson and Delilah,” “Cruzar la Cara de la Luna,” “Murder in the Cathedral” and “Aida.” Additionally, the Taste of Opera will also host speaker-led dinners at restaurants throughout San Diego, with the first occurring Oct. 30 at Solare Ristorante. For a complete list of events, including costs and location, visit sdopera.com or call 619-533-7000.

BEACH SAND PROJECT COMMENCES IN SEPTEMBER

San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) began a four-month project to enhance San Diego shorelines. The goal, as stated in a press release, is to restore eroded beaches, support local tourism and preserve recreational opportunities. The $28.5 million Regional Beach Sand Project will see 1.4 million cubic yards of sand dredged from designated offshore areas, which will then be placed along eight beaches from Imperial Beach to Carlsbad. “People from around the world come to San Diego County to enjoy our world-class surf and beaches, so it’s important that we restore eroded beaches by periodically replenishing them with additional sand,” said SANDAG Chair and Encinitas Mayor Jerome Stocks. Beaches in Del Mar and San Diego, which have previously been included in similar projects, are not part of this current effort.