Police seeking would-be robbery suspect
Police are looking for a gunman who took a woman hostage while attempting to rob an Express Tires vehicle service shop, 3778 Rosecrans St., on Sunday, Dec. 30, at about 1:40 p.m., according to investigators.
According to police, the man wore a “greenish colored” bandanna around his face and is described as a white male, about 6 feet tall, medium build, between 20 and 30 years of age, wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt.
“The suspect entered the customer service area, and he was armed with a black handgun. He walked up to the counter and demanded money from the employee,” said police Lt. Vincent Villalvaso. “The suspect apparently grabbed a female customer by the back of the sweater and put the gun against her back.”
The suspect reportedly forced a female customer to walk into the service area while yelling at several employees demanding money, he said.
“There were probably more employees there than he realized, and some of them had their cell phones and were apparently calling 9-1-1,” he said.
The suspect abandoned the robbery attempt and fled toward Rosecrans Street, leaving the female victim uninjured.
Residents with information are urged to call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-TIPS and may remain anonymous. Residents may also contact the San Diego Police Department’s Robbery Division at (619) 531-2299.
Port District to consider large, new development
Unified Port of San Diego officials will be hearing from Lane Field Developers of San Diego on a coastal development permit to demolish an existing parking lot and build two hotels in an area between North Harbor Drive and Pacific Highway along C Street, according to a public notice released by Port officials.
The public meeting will be held at the San Diego Convention Center on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 111 West Pacific Highway, Room 2, at 2 p.m., according to officials.
The proposed project would include an extension of C Street with a 200-foot-tall, 275-room hotel to the north of C Street.
The project also reportedly calls for a 275-foot-tall, 525-room hotel to the south of C Street between North Harbor Drive and Pacific Highway.
“The Lane Field project has been around for a while,” said John Golarte, Port of San Diego representative. “It’s all part of the North EmbarcarderoVisionary Plan.”
Developers also wish to demolish the existing parking lot and surface structures to install a two-level parking garage beneath the towers, according to a public notice.
Lane Field Developers of San Diego will ask the Board of Port Commissioners to consider adopting a resolution declaring the project is consistent with the North Embarcadero Visionary Plan Master Environmental Impact Report and suitable for construction.
The project falls under Coastal Development Permit regulations, according to the notice.
If granted, the permit can be appealed to the city.
Concert to benefit Dana school’s guitar classes
Students at Dana Middle School will have the chance to rock out on Thursday, Jan. 10 as their school holds a concert to raise funds for their beginning and intermediate guitar classes.
The concert will take place at Dana’s Jackson Theater, 1775 Chatsworth Blvd., beginning at 7 p.m. The concert will feature classical guitarists Fred Benedetti, Robert Wetzel and the famed San Diego group, The Jackstraws. Students and teachers will also participate in the event.
“We were very fortunate several years ago when Taylor Guitar Company did a donation of guitars to several schools and Dana was fortunate enough to get some of them,” said Bill Cobb, instructor for beginning guitar classes.
Beginning guitar has been offered as a class for three years at Dana. The intermediate class, taught by Grant Fleener, began last year when beginning students showed interest in continuing lessons. With both classes, the guitar program has close to 50 students. And about one-third of the student body is involved in one of Dana’s many performing arts programs, according to Cobb.
“We’re very fortunate that we’ve had strong support not only from our administrators at Dana, but we’ve also had strong support from the parents through the Dana Association, who make wonderful contributions to all of our performing arts organizations,” said Cobb.
Concert admission is $5 and the proceeds will be used to buy new guitars, strings and equipment. Tickets can be purchased by calling the school at (619) 225-3897, or by visiting www.showboxoffice.com. For further information, visit www.danamiddle.com.
Coastal Sage to host open house Sunday
Coastal Sage Gardening, a Point Loma garden design and maintenance center, is kicking off the new year with its sixth annual Open House Native Plant Sale.
The event will take place at the Coastal Sage office, 3685 Voltaire St., on Sunday, Jan. 6 from noon to 5 p.m. Ten percent of the day’s proceeds will be donated to the Point Loma Native Plant Preserve and another 10 percent will be given to the World Beat Center’s Children’s Ethnobotanical Garden.
“Once a year I’ll have a truckload of native plants (of California) shipped down from Tree of Life Nursery,” said John Noble, owner of Coastal Sage Gardening. “I do it at the beginning of the year because January is the time for planting natives and wildflower seeding.”
Coastal Sage will use its parking lot for the plant sale. Music from Middle Earth and dance from the belly-dancing Shimmy Sisters will be provided at the Point Loma Library Community Room, just across the street from Coastal Sage. A writing workshop with Jan Wellik, an author who focuses on nature writing, will also take place at the library. Food and drinks will also be available.
The open house is free, and everyone who attends will receive a complimentary white sage plant. Donations for the Point Loma Native Plant Preserve will be accepted at the event. For more information, visit www.coastalsage.com or call (619) 223-5229.
Gallagher named to Deans’s List at DePaul
Leigh Gallagher, a Point Loma resident, has been named to the Dean’s List for the 2007 autumn quarter at DePaul University.
DePaul University is the largest Catholic university in the country, with more than 23,000 students. It offers many nationally ranked programs for students in a variety of subjects.
For more information, visit www.depaul.edu.
Home Decoration Contest winners announced
Members of the Ocean Beach Christmas Tree Festival Committee have announced the winners of the Holiday Home Decoration Contest, held Dec. 14.
Winners were:
Judges Choice for Most Overall Creativity ” Phill and Cody Binggele, 4568 Newport Ave.;
Most Original Decorations ” Dyniese, 4955 Niagra Ave.;
Best Use of Lighting ” Evone Falante, 2075 Mendocino Blvd.