{"id":246428,"date":"2013-08-16T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2013-08-16T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdnews.com\/uptown-briefs-aug-16\/"},"modified":"2013-08-16T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2013-08-16T07:00:00","slug":"uptown-briefs-aug-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/uptown-briefs-aug-16\/","title":{"rendered":"Uptown Briefs Aug 16"},"content":{"rendered":"

Benjamin Nicholls to leave HBA<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was announced that Hillcrest Business Association (HBA) Executive Director Benjamin Nicholls will be leaving his position with the nonprofit at the organization\u2019s regular monthly board meeting, held Tuesday, Aug. 13. Nicholls has been with the HBA for 5 years, after managing the Pacific Beach Business Association for six years. The New Zealand native also served as the Program Manager for the Pioneer Square Community Association, a neighborhood business group in Seattle, Wash., for six years prior to that role. One of the most recent initiatives Nicholls announced for the HBA was the desire to create a Hillcrest Community Development Corporation in order to jointly, with the HBA, seek California Main Street Certification. Nicholls plans to remain at the helm until mid October, in order to help steward the organization through a search for his successor, facilitate the annual Hillcrest Hoedown, and oversee the HBA\u2019s annual meeting and corresponding election of new board members. Nicholls was unavailable for comment.<\/p>\n

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Goodwill begins donation collection in Hillcrest<\/strong><\/p>\n

In preparation for opening a retail store in Hillcrest, Goodwill Industries of San Diego County began collecting donations July 27 at 1219 University Ave. The retail store will open in the same location in the fall. \u201cWe are so lucky to have found space in a neighborhood that is accessible to so many people,\u201d said Mike Rowan, CEO of Goodwill Industries of San Diego County. \u201cWe know that the community will embrace our presence and welcome the ease of our donation process.\u201d Currently, residents can drive through the ally to the back of the store to drop off donations of clean, reusable clothing and household items seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. \u2013 5 p.m. Staff will provide a receipt for tax purposes. For more information visit sdgoodwill.org.<\/p>\n

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Media Arts Center to stage first summer Latino festival<\/strong><\/p>\n

Called \u201cExitos del Cine Latino,\u201d North Park\u2019s Media Arts Center San Diego will be staging their first \u201csummer celebration of Latino film, music and art\u201d from Friday, Aug. 23 \u2013 29, a press release said. The nonprofit organizes the annual Latino Film Festival, held each spring. Films for the summer celebration will screen at both the Digiplex Mission Valley Cinemas located at 7510 Hazard Center Dr. and the Media Arts Digital Gym Cinema, located at 2921 El Cajon Blvd. Thirteen films will screen in total, including \u201cViola,\u201d \u201cCiudadano Buelna\u201d and \u201cTabu.\u201d For the Aug. 27 screening of \u201cSuave Patria,\u201d actors Adri\u00e1n Uribe and Omar Chaparro, and director Francisco Padilla will attend, and for the Aug. 25 screening of \u201cSleeping with the Fishes,\u201d actor Gina Rodriguez will attend. Both screening will include a Q&A. Additionally, musicians Aro di Santi, Saul Silva, Anthony Mendez and Lilian Rey, among others will be performing for the seven-day festival. An all-access pass is $100, and individual tickets are $10.50 for general admission and $8.50 for students, seniors and Media Arts Center members. For a complete lineup and tickets, visit sdlatino.com\/exitos13\/ or call 619-230-1938.<\/p>\n

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Rev. Brent Ross selected to lead Normal Heights church<\/strong><\/p>\n

Announced July 23, Rev. Brent Ross has been appointed to lead the Normal Heights United Methodist Church, the oldest church in the neighborhood. Located at 4650 Mansfield St., the church will celebrate its 100th anniversary this fall. \u201cI am thrilled to be in Normal Heights and to keep working on ways that we as a church can be a part of this incredible neighborhood,\u201d Ross said in the announcement. A Florida native, Ross previously served as associate pastor at the San Carlos, Calif. United Methodist Church. He received his master\u2019s degree in theological studies at Vanderbilt University and is involved with the Southern California Methodist District Planning and Strategy Committee and their Episcopacy Committee. He, his wife, who is a philosophy professor at Point Loma University, and two children currently live in North Park. \u201cTogether as neighbors, residents, business owners, educators and churches, we point the way to a hopeful future,\u201d Ross said. There are events planned to honor the centennial anniversary, including a celebratory lunch on Nov. 3 and a community picnic on Nov. 9.<\/p>\n

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Contractor named for Cabrillo Bridge project<\/strong><\/p>\n

Caltrans announced Disney Construction of San Francisco as awardee of the Laurel Street Overcrossing Project, also known as the Cabrillo Bridge project. The Bridge extends over state Route 163 in Balboa Park. The $16.5 million project will see Disney Construction retrofit the bridge for seismic strength and \u201cimprove its structural integrity,\u201d the announcement said. The intention is to extend the life of the bridge for another 50 years, and construction is expected to begin in fall of this year and end in summer of 2014. Pedestrians and vehicles will have \u201cfull access\u201d to the bridge, Caltrans said, except for four months: from January to April 2014. During this time, pedestrian access will be uninterrupted, and SR 163 will be \u201cminimally impacted,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n

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SOHO seeks architectural artifacts for Santa Ysabel Store<\/strong><\/p>\n

After the successful restoration and 2012 reopening of the Santa Ysabel Store and Backcountry Visitor Center in Santa Ysabel, Calif., Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO) is expanding its reach to include antique and vintage architectural artifacts for resale in the upcoming Feed Store, on the same property as the general store. The 1,000-square-foot space is set to open Sept. 21. \u201cThe reception to our [general] store and visitor center has been so positive and supportive that SOHO is expanding with a new specialty that\u2019s a natural for us: salvaged architectural elements along with vintage, antique and reproduction home and garden furnishing, including lighting, pottery, china and more,\u201d said Alana Coons, SOHO education and communications director, in a press release. To help stock the store, Coons said SOHO was actively seeking donations from the community. Once opened, all purchases will benefit SOHO\u2019s programs, and donations are tax-deductible. \u201cWe so appreciate the generosity of people who support the work that SOHO does,\u201d she said. Donations are accepted at the Santa Ysabel general store during open hours Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. \u2013 5 p.m. The store is located at 30275 Highway 78, where state routes 78 and 79 meet. For more information on items they can accept, visit sohosandiego.org or call 760-765-1270 or 619-297-9327.<\/p>\n

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Uptown artist Ann Slater wins top awards<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hillcrest resident and artist Ann Slater won two awards at San Diego Watercolor Society\u2019s July show, \u201cCreative Independence.\u201d She was awarded First Place, Miniatures for her work \u201cFetch,\u201d and Second Place for \u201cFlight II.\u201d In a press release, juror Frank Eber said he was drawn to both paintings for their compositional unity, and liked the \u201cabstraction in \u2018Flight II,\u2019 which invites one\u2019s imagination.\u201d Slater and her husband are frequent travelers to New Zealand, the release said, and both paintings were inspired by past trips. \u201cFetch\u201d is a painting of a dog playing catch, and Slater said she \u201cblurred the edges of the dog to represent movement and attempted to show joy and excitement in his facial expressions.\u201d Alternately, \u201cFlight II\u201d was inspired by a large bird sculpture in a New Zealand fountain. \u201cThe play of light on faces of the birds gave the sculpture movement and a feeling of release,\u201d Slater said. All entries, including Slater\u2019s work, were on display at the Watercolor Society\u2019s gallery, located at 2825 Dewey Rd. at Point Loma\u2019s Liberty Station. For more information visit sdws.org.<\/p>\n

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Latino Film Festival poster contest announced<\/b><\/p>\n

North Park\u2019s Media Arts Center San Diego is now accepting submission for their fifth annual Film Festival Poster competition. Individuals, collaborative teams or firms are asked to submit their designs for next year\u2019s 21st annual San Diego Latino Film Festival, which will take place March 13 \u2013 23, 2014. The competition is open to all artists and graphic designers, with no cost to submit. Multiple submissions will be accepted through Oct. 31. \u201cWe are looking for images that depict Latin American Cinema in an interesting, relevant and visually innovative way that avoids stereotypes and clich\u00e9s,\u201d organizers said. Criteria include overall impact for eye-catching appeal, clarity in the message, appropriateness of the graphics and creativity. Entries may be in the form of photography, painting, graphic art and illustration, in color or black and white, organizers said. For the complete guidelines, including images of previous submissions, visit mediaartscenter.org or email gheath@mediaartscenter.org.<\/p>\n

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Art Walk on the Bay changes name, venue and dates<\/b><\/p>\n

Mission Federal\u2019s Art Walk on the Bay, which for the last seven years has been held in September on the grass straddling the Convention Center and the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Downtown, has found a new home. Now called ArtWalk @NTC, the popular art and music festival has moved to Liberty Station and will take place Aug. 24 and 25 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. A \u201csister\u201d event to the annual Mission Federal ArtWalk held in Little Italy each spring, ArtWalk @NTC will remain free to all ages but promises \u201can even higher caliber of artists in a more intimate setting,\u201d said a press release. Attendees can expect more than 100 local and internationally known visual artists, a dozen musicians performing more than16 hours of live music, and a variety of interactive art exhibitions all converging upon the new NTC Art & Culture district located at 2645 Historic Decatur Rd. at Liberty Station in Point Loma. KidsWalk will also return, as well as a large variety of unique cuisine and parking will also be free. For more information, visit artwalksandiego.com\/ntc.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Benjamin Nicholls to leave HBA It was announced that Hillcrest Business Association (HBA) Executive Director Benjamin Nicholls will be leaving his position with the nonprofit at the organization\u2019s regular monthly board meeting, held Tuesday, Aug. 13.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":726,"featured_media":246426,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"11555","_seopress_titles_title":"Uptown Briefs Aug 16","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[11547,11551,11593,11555],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-246428","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","category-news","category-no-images","category-uptown-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/246428","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/726"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=246428"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/246428\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/246426"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=246428"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=246428"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=246428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}