Web Content will give you access to news stories and features that get squeezed out of the print newspaper each issue. Even if you relish the feel of paper in your hands, don’t forget to visit “Web Content” online to read stories that only premiere virtually. This week’s stories include: \u2022 Music writer lists his top five music picks \u2022 Woman accused of bilking charity may have done it again at Catamaran \u2022 City will charge higher fees for special events \u2022 Lifeguards warn crowds to obey the latest laws Bart’s top five music picks<\/b> By Bart Mendoza Few jazz bassist start out inspired by punk bands such as Sonic Youth and Bikini Kill but Evona Wascinski isn\u2019t your standard musician. Born in Poland, Wascinski, relocated to San Diego in 1986. Finding kindred spirits in the local punk scene, she began learning the electric bass to emulate her heroes, but was soon intrigued by the standup bass. Her discovery of the jazz bassist Ray Brown convinced her to switch instruments, and she eventually studied in UCSD\u2019s prestigious music program. Today, there\u2019s not a trace of her earlier punk roots in her sound, but fans of Latin Jazz will find much to appreciate. While Wascinski is a superb musician, her real strength is in her songwriting. Particularly noteworthy in her set is the plaintive ballad “Volver,” but all of her material is top notch. The Evona Wascinski Trio: Thursday, 7 p.m., April 30. Turquoise Caf\u00e9 Bar Europa, 873 Turquoise St., 21 and up. www.myspace.com\/evonawascinski<\/b> Though it\u2019s almost six year since country music icon Johnny Cash left this mortal coil, the popularity of his songs shows no sign of diminishing. While fans no longer have the opportunity to see Cash in concert, there are a number of tribute acts touring North America and one of the best, Cash\u2019d Out, is based locally. The band is adept at getting authentic country and rockabilly sounds out of their vintage instruments, particularly guitarist Kevin Manuel. But it is front man Douglas Benson\u2019s uncanny vocal resemblance to Cash that makes Cash\u2019d out the next best thing to the man in black. This show is part of the 710 Beach Club\u2019s Cinco de Mayo festivities. The pairing isn\u2019t much of a stretch when you consider that Cash\u2019s 1963 classic “Ring of Fire” was the first exposure many had to mariachi music. Cash\u2019d Out: Tuesday, May 5, 710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave. 21 and up. No Cover www.myspace.com\/cashdout<\/b> Perhaps the quintessential California sound, instrumental surf music continues to thrive. The Secret Samurai is part of a wave of new artists in the genre. The group recently released the album, Gun-Sho-Gun, and their song “L’Ultimo Basamento” was included on a recent compilation with The Continental Magazine. This band must be experienced live for full effect with virtuoso performances that can border on prog-rock. While the band acknowledges roots in surf music, the key to their success is in their expansive mix of influences. Song titles such as “Don\u2019t Fear The Reverb” and “Sink or Swim,” give a clear indication of the band\u2019s direction, which blends elements of spaghetti western soundtracks, middle eastern riffs and space age sonics. It all adds up to a modern take on a classic sound. The Secret Samurai: Saturday, May 9, 9 p.m., Brick By Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave. 21 and up. $12. www.myspace.com\/secretsamurai<\/b> While cover bands get very little respect, some of the best are ironically now as big a draw as some of the bands whose material they perform. One of the pioneering acts in the field, Tainted Love, is a case in point. Specializing in \u201980\u2019s music, the San Francisco-based group now tours the West Coast regularly, packing clubs with their renditions of favorites like the B-52\u2019s “Love Shack” and Devo\u2019s “Whip It.” The band avoids the silly period costumes and gimmicks that other bands employ and instead concentrate on getting the music right. Tainted Love is a veritable human juke box. The group has built a huge fan-base through its eclectic song list that ranges from rock (The Scorpions) to electronica (The Buggles), every one of them a dance floor filler. Tainted Love: Saturday, May 9, 9 p.m., Cane\u2019s Bar & Grill, 3105 Ocean Front Walk. 21 and up. $15. www.taintedlove.com<\/b> One of the area\u2019s best indie-pop bands, Bill, performs at the PB Bar & Grill on May 13. The group has a piano-based sound that falls somewhere between Ben Folds and Todd Rundgren with songs that are clever, melodic pop gems, seemingly custom-made for radio play. This is “pop” in the best sense of the word; incessantly catchy melodies and deft lyrical word play topped with a cheeky performing style honed from years of road work. It\u2019s no wonder the group has begun to draw attention on a national level. A serious contender for breaking out of the regional market, the quartet, none of whom are actually named Bill, were winners of the 2008 San Diego County Fair\u2019s Battle of The Bands, and were also recently cited by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the “Top 25 Bands on Myspace.” Bill: Wednesday, May 13, 6 p.m., PB Bar & Grill, 860 Garnet Ave. 21 and up. No Cover. www.myspace.com\/bill<\/b> ———————————————– Woman accused of ripping off charity skipped out at Catamaran<\/b> By ALYSSA RAMOS A woman accused last summer of throwing a benefit fashion show and silent auction in La Jolla and then allegedly skipping out with goods before paying the charity held a similar event last month at the Catamaran Hotel Resort. Vanessa Sweatte of Sweatte Productions allegedly bilked La Jollans, local merchants, fashion designers and a New York children\u2019s charity called Kids in Distressed Situations (KIDS) of funds and goods in July 2008 after producing “Fashionably Lounging” at Prospect Bar & Lounge with merchandise provided through La Jolla merchants. Sweatte allegedly left with some gifts and one-of-a-kind clothing, the show\u2019s designers said. And KIDS representatives said they never received a cent. Now, representatives from the Lupus Foundation \u2014 the charity Sweatte said was the beneficiary of a Feb. 21 event at Catamaran Resort Hotel called Fashion by the Bay \u2014 say they are waiting for Sweatte to return their calls. “There was a signed agreement between our office in California and Miss Sweatte,” said the Lupus Foundation\u2019s Maggie Maloney. Maloney said she contacted representatives from San Diego\u2019s Catamaran Resort Hotel regarding last month\u2019s charity event. Amber Kelly, catering manager for the Catamaran Resort Hotel coordinated Fashion by the Bay. “[Sweatte\u2019s] numbers were lower than she expected. She had families and friends who had donated gift baskets toward the silent auction and there were non-tangible things she was trying to auction,” Kelly said. “There was no music for the event, so finally the designers pulled out of the show because it was taking too long to get started.” According to Kelly, once the designers left the Catamaran, Sweatte asked a model to announce that the fashion show was canceled. Only the silent auction took place. Maloney said representatives from the Lupus Foundation, based in New York, began investigating the Feb. 21 event. “It does appear the event ended abruptly,” Maloney said. “Because of this, we decided to reach out to Vanessa and asked her to do three things: Cease and desist in using our logo; provide us a report on the outcome of the event; and the third was to turn in any proceeds she may have received from the event.” But Maloney said Sweatte has not returned the Lupus Foundation\u2019s calls or e-mails. “No, we have not heard from her. We are hoping that she will reach out to us and it will turn out to be positive,” Maloney said. “There\u2019s a certain amount of trust and faith you put in people when doing these fund-raising events.” Sweatte also did not return calls from the La Jolla Village News. Statewide Seating owner Amanda Daniels donated a catwalk to Sweatte for Fashion by the Bay. Daniels said her sister provided clothing for the fashion portion. Sweatte promised each company placement inside Fashion by the Bay\u2019s print program, which she never printed, according to Kelly. “In the beginning, she says she is going to create a program to give to people and she\u2019s going to hand it to people at the door,” Kelly said. “But she didn\u2019t because she said she didn\u2019t get enough sponsorship.” According to Daniels, Sweatte also promised the designers a DVD of the show. “There was supposed to be a program with all the designers\u2019 info and a CD at the end of the show or sometime after it was over,” Daniels said. “Every designer was supposed to get a professional CD with models wearing their stuff.” Both Kelly and Daniels said they began to worry about Sweatte\u2019s behavior one week before the event. Daniels, who owns the Statewide Seating staging company with her family, said she contacted Sweatte regarding the event and thought her sister would benefit by showcasing her designs, she said. “I had a very bad feeling\u2026 I\u2019ve been dealing with special events a long time \u2014 normally they don\u2019t contact you a few days before,” Daniels said. “This is not like any special event I\u2019ve ever worked on. If you\u2019re coordinating the event, you have your thumb on everything.” Daniels said she continued to provide staging for the show. “I didn\u2019t want to do the project, but everyone here thought we should do it, so we said we\u2019d do it,” Daniels said. After a string of mishaps, Daniels said she didn\u2019t feel right leaving her sister\u2019s silk clothing unattended, so she decided to pull the clothing from the show. According to Kelly, the Catamaran donated the hotel\u2019s ballroom and seating for the benefit. “The week prior, up until that point, there was nothing she was doing wrong since nobody was paying for the event,” Kelly said. Then, Kelly said she was told about Sweatte\u2019s past event history so she confronted Sweatte during the dress rehearsal. “The story written about her got forwarded to me,” Kelly said. “We had a sitting a week prior, so I asked her who her contact was at the Lupus Foundation, and that she should contact them to make sure they were on board.” Sweatte didn\u2019t seem to “waiver at all and we went on with the fitting,” Kelly said. Kelly said Sweatte was disorganized and showed up late to rehearsals but didn\u2019t falter until the event. “There was no run-through with sound or I would have known there was no sound. It\u2019s not uncommon for fashion shows to run late, but she was pushing everything back and that\u2019s what got the designers upset,” Kelly said. “Then she had a quick silent auction and took a five-minute break, one of the designers pulled out and the rest went with her.” According to Kelly, after a model announced there wouldn\u2019t be a fashion show, “the girl working registration handed everybody their money back.” How much money did Sweatte raise for the Lupus Foundation? According to Maloney, Sweatte signed a contract promising she would hand over 100 percent of the event\u2019s proceeds to the organization. “She shouldn\u2019t be making any money off this,” Maloney said. “If she were able to provide an accounting of her expenses she incurred, such as gas, then she could deduct that.” According to Sweatte\u2019s electronic invitation, she asked businesses to donate from $25 to $500 in advance. In return, donors would receive their business logo inside the event\u2019s program. Sweatte charged $25 at the door but she allegedly never printed or dispersed programs. Kelly said about 100 people attended Fashion by the Bay, including the silent auction. But February\u2019s event wasn\u2019t the first time Sweatte threw a charity bash and then allegedly disappeared. In addition to the July 19, 2008 La Jolla fashion show and silent auction Sweatte held at Prospect Bar and Lounge for KIDS, Sweatte hosted a benefit at the Fleetwood in San Diego in January 2008, said Fleetwood owner Aaron Phillips. Sweatte claimed the Fleetwood event would benefit Children\u2019s Hospital, Phillips said. “We still have a check she forged for all the models. It was supposed to be for a charity, but the charity didn\u2019t know about it,” Phillips said in a previous interview. Meanwhile, Maloney said the Lupus Foundation will investigate Sweatte\u2019s event. “We may or may not decide to reach out to these other groups [affected by Fashion by the Bay],” Maloney said. “I think at this point, we haven\u2019t made a decision on [legal action]. We need to wait and see what happens. “Nonprofits count on these events for fund-raising. It\u2019s a shame that events like these can tarnish good works that so many people are doing.” ———————————————– Nonprofits will pay more to host special events<\/b> By Sebastian Ruiz City Council has approved approximately $4 million in fee increases to help close an estimated $60 million budget shortfall the city faces in the coming year. District 2 Councilmember Kevin Faulconer joined colleagues April 20 in eliminating $1,000 in city service discounts for nonprofit groups that host special events like the Ocean Beach holiday parade. At the same time, the City Council raised the cost private companies pay for extra police officers during those special events, hiking the cost from $75 to $96 per hour. The decision to raise special-event staff fees saves the city an estimated $500,000, according to city officials. The council approved a slate of fee increases running the gamut of city services, including a $50 increase in business fees, a small increase in dump fees, late fees for library books and an added $1.06 to pay for parking tickets online, according to city documents. Most of the fee increases will become effective July 1. The council also approved a $5 fee increase to maintain a newspaper rack per year effective in January. At the moment the council was voting downtown to raise fees, Mayor Jerry Sanders presented his budget plan to about 20 residents at the Ocean Beach Recreation Center. Fee increases affect special events, like the Ocean Beach holiday parade, the Mission Bay Thunderboat Regatta, and OMBAC Over-the-line tournament, among other events that require the presence of police and public safety staff, Sanders said. Asked whether raising fees would result in fewer public safety staff at special events, Sanders said: “[W]e need to look at staffing of special events so that maybe we can use volunteers \u2026 to keep costs down.” Private security or volunteers could support police and public safety during special events, said Carolyn Wormser, director of special events for the city. Police department officials decide on a case-by-case basis how many officers may staff an event, she said. Sanders said other fee increases allow the city to recover costs of administering various programs. User fee increases to Park and Recreation Department programs, including youth sports, result in about $1.1 million in annual revenue, according to city documents. In addition, Sanders proposes tapping library improvement funds to close some of the budget gap. This puts some library improvement projects on hold until funding becomes available, he said. The Ocean Beach library has been on a list slated for improvements since 2005. The library improvement fund contains about $4.5 million, Sanders said. “[The budget proposal] takes about $3.8 million of that, so we hope to replace it,” he said. Library improvement funds come mostly from Transient occupancy taxes (TOT) on hotel rooms. But less consumer spending because of the national and local economic recession means less TOT revenue to the general fund, according to city officials. Faulconer said holding off on capital and library improvements during tough economic times will keep recreation centers and libraries open. Sanders\u2019 budget also keeps about 150 city positions vacant without the need for additional layoffs. Sanders also presented possible long-term budget solutions to close an estimated $1.3 billion in unfunded retiree healthcare costs that are to be paid over about 20 years. He said negotiations with unions over the next two years should help restructure the health benefits program. “What we\u2019ve talked about is a defined contribution system,” Sanders said. “[Employees would] put into a 401(k) account and [the city would] put into a 401 (k) account,” Sanders said. He added that employees nearing retirement be required to pay into a new program because they may not be able to afford it. Betty Peabody, a Point Loma resident, attended Sanders\u2019 budget presentation in Ocean Beach on Monday. She said Sanders\u2019 has brought the city along way from just a few years ago. “I think he\u2019s doing the best job we can ask,” Peabody said. ———————————————– Beach crowds head our way<\/b> By Sebastian Ruiz Spring break attracts thousands of sandal-clad college students and visiting families to the beach communities every spring and summer. As crowds trickle through, local authorities are issuing reminders about the beach rules. “[San Diego police] are working closely with bar managers and the community to ensure that everybody has a safe and enjoyable time,” said San Diego police Capt. Shelly Zimmerman. Police will be on patrol looking for scofflaws breaking the new beach alcohol ban and other rules, Zimmerman said. Periodic police checkpoints along main beach area thoroughfares will target intoxicated drivers, she said. Just barely into the first spring break season since the start of the city\u2019s beach alcohol ban, things are so far a little calmer and safer, according to San Diego Lifeguard Services Lt. John Greenhaulgh. “We\u2019ve had a good three weeks,” he said. “But we\u2019re still seeing a good spring break crowd.” Mike Soltan, owner of Kojack\u2019s restaurant in Mission Beach, said neither the beach alcohol ban nor the slumping economy has hurt business. “We\u2019re doing a little better than last year,” he said. As spring break hits full tilt, city officials have issued the following reminders about rules that apply to beaches and bays: \u2022 Glass containers are prohibited if used to carry liquid for drinking purposes. \u2022 Drinking alcoholic beverages is not allowed on city beaches. \u2022 Beach fires are permitted only in city-provided fire pits or in elevated, personal barbeques. Coals must be removed or deposited in hot-coal containers. \u2022 Smoking is prohibited on San Diego beaches and parks. \u2022 Dogs are permitted on beaches and in adjacent parks only from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m. and must be leashed at all times. Dogs are prohibited at other hours of the day, except at Dog Beach near Ocean Beach and on Fiesta Island at Mission Bay, where dogs are permitted 24 hours a day unleashed. At all locations you must clean up after your pet. \u2022 Observe signage for water activities. Water areas along major beaches are divided into swimming and surfing zones to separate these uses. A black and yellow checkered flag will normally be posted between zones. Check signs or ask a lifeguard if you are in doubt. \u2022 Regardless of the area of use, it is unlawful to use any water recreational device \u2014 such as a surfboard or boat \u2014 in a manner that endangers others. \u2022 Overnight camping and sleeping are prohibited on city beaches. \u2022 On the Mission Beach\/Pacific Beach boardwalk, the maximum speed limit is 8 miles per hour or 13 kilometers per hour. \u2022 Jumping into the ocean from cliffs or other heights higher than five feet is prohibited. \u2022 It is a misdemeanor to fail to follow the lawful order of a lifeguard or to provide false information to a lifeguard. \u2022 Any person who intentionally injures a lifeguard in the state of California may be convicted of felony battery.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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