Hillcrest Farmers Market seeks volunteers

The Hillcrest Business Association, organizers of the regular Sunday Hillcrest Farmers Market, is seeking community volunteers to assist with weekly special events and the information booth at the neighborhood market. Volunteers will answer questions, sell merchandise and will become acquainted with the workings of the market, which will be expanding in early April. The market, which started in 1997, features a wide variety of locally grown produce, arts and crafts, and prepared food venders, with more than 125 total vendors each week. A time commitment of six hours on Sundays and 10 markets per year is required, and volunteers will be compensated with merchandise and “market bucks” for their help. The market is located on Normal Street and Lincoln Avenue, near the Hillcrest Department of Motor Vehicles at 3960 Normal St. Those interested are asked to contact Volunteer Coordinator Cassandra Ramhap at 619-299-3330 or [email protected]. For more information on the market visit hillcrestfarmersmarket.com.

International Women’s Day celebrations set

Local events are scheduled to celebrate International Women’s Day, traditionally marked March 8. One event, March 9, is being held at Unity San Diego, 3770 Altadena Ave. and features an afternoon and evening of musical activities, as well as workshops and a potluck dinner. Singer-songwriter Judy Fjell and author Carolle Jean-Murat will host the festivities. Musicians Lisa Sanders, Peggy Watson and The Trouble Clefs will also perform. The Wild Jammin’ Women through Music Empowerment, Inc. event starts at 2 p.m. with the concert at 7:30 p.m. For more information call 760-310-7417. At a second event, the nonprofit Women’s Empowerment International (WE) will host a large-scale community event in celebration of International Women’s Day and to acknowledge the achievement of first-generation women entrepreneurs in San Diego. The event will be March 10 at the Joe & Vi Jacobs Center, located at 404 Euclid Ave., from 1 – 3 p.m. NBC-San Diego journalist Brandi Powell will serve as host, and recipients of several microfinance loans from WE, the International Rescue Committee, Accion San Diego, ErasePoverty and PCI Global will show how the loans have helped them reach financial self-sufficiency. Council President Todd Gloria and Mayor Bob Filner are expected to participate. Attendees for the free event are asked to register at womenempowerment.org.

Online Hillcrest parking tool to go live March 14

A project spearheaded in part by the Uptown Parking District, parkhillcrest.com will officially launch March 14 as a web- and mobile-based tool to help visitors and residents find parking in Hillcrest. For the initiative, the Uptown Parking District partnered with the Hillcrest Business Association and Hillcrest Town Council to survey the neighborhood in order to catalog every available parking location in Hillcrest, which was then loaded into a parking-finder tool online. The website and mobile application will contain an interactive map, up-to-date information and search features allowing users to find parking locations including stalls, garages and lots. Additionally, Park Hillcrest is also introducing a new shuttle program that will transport individuals on a designated route through Hillcrest. The Old Town Trolley shuttles will run from 6 – 11 p.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Over 35 restaurants and retailers in Hillcrest will be offering parking credits to participants. For more information visit parkhillcrest.com starting March 14 or call 619-233-5008.

Cinema Under the Stars opens 20th season with new amenities

A staple of Mission Hills, Cinema Under the Stars begins its 20th anniversary season on Friday, March 1. Owners said they increased the comfort level by weatherproofing the theater, adding a new heating system and re-cushioning several seats. The film line up also includes changes, offering contemporary films in addition to classic Hollywood films later in the season, which runs through November. The first film of the anniversary season is “Argo,” the Academy Award-winning film directed by Ben Affleck. “Argo” screens at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 1 and 2. Additional films in March include “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen,” March 8 – 9; “Hitchcock” March 15 – 16; “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” March 22 – 23; and “This is 40,” March 29 – 30. Cinema Under the Stars is located at 4040 Goldfinch St. For more information visit topspresents.com or call 619-295-4221.

Mission Healthcare begins hospice care in San Diego

In the wake of San Diego Hospice closing, Mission Healthcare announced they would begin hospice service in San Diego, including all areas in Uptown. Headquartered in Mission Valley, Mission Healthcare has three units – Mission Home Health, Mission Home Care and Mission Hospice – servicing San Diego, Temecula, Calif., Riverside, Calif., San Bernardino, Calif. and Palm Springs, Calif. “Mission Hospice has hired 45 staff members and is ready to start admitting patients,” said co-founder Amy Nelson in a press statement. “Mission Hospice is committed to serving anyone in need, wherever they are.” Layoffs from San Diego Hospice, which was partially purchased by Scripps Health in the Feb. 13 bankruptcy filing, continue. Mission Healthcare and Mission Hospice is accredited by the Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP), and has been ranked number one on nation-wide CHAP surveys. “Voluntarily selecting to achieve CHAP accreditation and meeting our high standards … demonstrates Mission Hospice’s commitment to quality,” CHAP President and CEO Terry Duncombe said in the same release.

Students given opportunity to study at The Old Globe

San Diego County high school students will have the opportunity to audition for The Old Globe’s 2013 Summer Shakespeare Intensive program on March 9 and 10. The four-week program will take place this summer on the first two Saturdays in July and on weekdays from July 15 through Aug. 12, which culminates with a final performance at the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre. Auditions are by appointment only and the program cost is $650. There are a limited number of need-based scholarships available. Students will refine their skills with the help of theater professionals in areas of classical theater technique, voice, movement and stage combat. They will also have access to the productions of the Shakespeare Festival, The Old Globe’s annual program that runs concurrently with the student’s Intensive program. On Monday, March 4, registration will also begin for the Middle School Summer Conservatory, a similar three-week program, taking place on weekdays from July 15 through Aug. 2. The Old Globe is located at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park. For more information, visit theoldglobe.org/SummerIntensive, email [email protected] or call 619-234-5623.

Woman practicing medicine without a license sentenced

Kathleen Ann Helms was convicted of practicing medicine without a license and committing grand theft, and sentenced to three years in jail on Feb. 25. Helms claimed to be a medical doctor and promised people she could cure them of Lyme disease. “By posing as doctor, diagnosing people and then charging thousands of dollars for what amounted to a dangerous cure, this defendant showed a callous disregard for her victims,” District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said in a release. Helms would tell patients they had Lyme disease and then charge them thousands of dollars to inject them with a non-FDA approved chemical solvent. One of Helms’ victims became seriously ill, was treated for organ failure and has not fully recovered from her injuries. “This case is a reminder that consumers need to verify the credentials of health care providers, particularly when seeking alternative medical therapies,” said Deputy District Attorney Gina Darvas in the same release. Helms was sentenced by San Diego Superior Court Judge Dwayne Moring.

GLBT Historic Task Force requests school be named after Senator Kehoe

City Commissioner Nicole Murray Ramirez, Chair of the GLBT Historic Task Force of San Diego County, sent a letter on Feb. 11 to the San Diego Unified School District board officially requesting that a school be named or renamed after former State Senator Christine Kehoe. The letter cited Kehoe as a historic figure in San Diego, being the first LGBT elected official in the City and referred to her as the “Harvey Milk of San Diego.” “As a Latino, I can proudly point to schools named after my community’s heroes and role models,” Ramirez stated in the letter. “But as a gay man [there] are no schools named after GLBT citizens of distinction that GLBT students can look up to as role models.” A decision is expected soon.

Broadway/San Diego announces 2013-14 season

Broadway/San Diego – a Nederlander Presentation launched their 2013-2014 season lineup at a hosted reception Feb. 15. The new season opens Oct. 15 with “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” and features “The Book of Mormon,” “Evita,” “Million Dollar Quartet” and “The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber.” The 2012 Tony Award-winner “Once” closes the season, beginning Aug. 12, 2014. “We are very pleased with the productions that comprise our 2013-14 season. Audiences of all types will be thrilled with this current award-winning lineup. In addition, we hope to be able to build new and emerging audiences with the broad range of programming,” said Carl Thompson, Broadway/San Diego’s marketing director, in a press release. “The Book of Mormon,” from the creators of “South Park,” will play a limited two-week engagement from May 27 to June 8, 2014 at the San Diego Civic Theatre. “Our new 2013-2014 Season includes Tony Award-winning shows, as well as timeless classics, lively 1970s disco hits and 1950s rock and roll,” said Nederlander Vice President Joe Kobryner in the release. “Plus, we are presenting one of Disney’s all-time family favorites, “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” which returns after its last sold-out engagement.” Remaining in the 2012-13 season are “Billy Elliot” playing April 30 – May 5, “American Idiot” playing May 28 – June 2 and “Sister Act” playing June 30 – Aug. 4.

San Diego LGBT Pride releases 2013 Pride theme

North Park-based San Diego LGBT Pride (SD Pride) announced the theme “Freedom to Love and Marry” for its 39th annual Pride celebration, scheduled to take place July 12 – 14 in Uptown with a large community rally, Friday evening block party, parade and two-day festival in Balboa Park. SD Pride made history and worldwide news with the first active-duty uniformed military contingent in a Pride parade with approval from the Department of Defense in 2012. The organization said it looks to continue its push forward on issues of equality with this year’s theme. “Our community, our country and our courts are all coming to the consensus that our freedom to love and marry is a basic human right. San Diego Pride stands to honor our history, celebrate the advances we’ve made and confront the issues we still face as a community,” said Public Affairs Director Fernando Lopez in a press release. “If justice prevails in the historic court cases now before the Supreme Court, San Diego Pride will be a huge victory party; if not, Pride will serve as reminder and rally cry that our work is not done.”

Jewish Federation of San Diego County appoints new CEO

Michael M. Sonduck, a local business leader from the LGBT community, was appointed as president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County on Feb. 18, effective immediately. Sonduck was selected to fill the position after serving as Interim President and CEO since March 2012. The selection process was done with consultation from the Jewish Federation of North America’s Mandel Center for Leadership Excellence. Sonduck has been associated with the Federation as a consultant, director of strategic implementation and COO since 2004. “The Jewish Federation of San Diego is honored and delighted that Michael Sonduck has accepted the position of President and CEO of our Federation. As interim CEO for the past ten months, we were fortunate to observe Michael’s skills in many areas especially in helping us forge a new purpose and strategy for our federation and building improved relationships with our partners and donors. We are so fortunate that his seven years prior experience with our Federation afforded us the added benefit of a smooth transition. Michael possesses the leadership, vision and enthusiasm that will move us to the next level in our community,” said board chair Claire Ellman in a press release. Prior to working with the Federation, Sonduck’s previous role was at a consulting practice for 25 years with a focus on the role of leadership in strategic change. The Jewish Federation of San Diego County is dedicated to building a vibrant and inclusive local Jewish community, and to enhance the wellbeing of Jewish culture in San Diego, Israel and throughout the world.