Sunset Saga: News Updates

January 2004
Quote of the month:
"People demand freedom of speech to make up for freedom of thought, which they avoid.."
—Soren Aabye Kierkegaard

News
Raising the roof
Public hearings are scheduled Jan. 6 and 13 to discuss the possibility of giving the San Diego mayor and City Council members a raise in salary for fiscal years 2005 and 2006. Let's see, the mayor is less than charismatic and three of the City Council members are under federal investigation for wire fraud and extortion. Not sure if citizens will take this concept too lightly. The San Diego City Mayor and Council Salary Setting Commission will conduct these meetings at 4 p.m. both days in the Civic Center Plaza Building, 1200 Third Ave., Suite 300.

Compu-vote
Year 2004 is a big voting year across the nation and California is no different. This year many counties in the state will be utilizing electronic voting machines for the first time. Now, California will be the first state to require that electronic voting machines provide a a paper receipt. All voting machines will be required to produce a printed receipt by July 2006. Voters will have a printed receipt, but will not be able to keep them; receipts will be stored at the voting precincts and used for a recount if required. All existing voting machines in the state will have to be retrofitted with a receipt printer and all new machines purchased beginning July 1, 2005 must be able to produce a receipt.

Who is on first?
Not the Padres. The San Diego Padres may be christening their new ballpark, PETCO Park, in April, but the San Diego State Aztecs baseball team will be the first to christen the park with a baseball game. On March 11 the Aztecs play Houston in the first game of a college tournament they are hosting. Meanwhile, in what is sure to be only one in many celebrations honoring the new ballpark, the Padres announced an opening black tie gala for PETCO park, the "Base-Ball." This VIP extravaganza is set for April 2, 7 p.m.-midnight. For ticket information call (619) 233-5008 or visit www.padres.com.

New book on old stuff
The Gaslamp Quarter Association, the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Association and the San Diego Historical Society have produced a 128-page soft cover book with historic photos and a walking tour of San Diego's downtown Gaslamp Quarter. The book, aptly and creatively titled "San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter," features photos of such historic characters as Alonzo Horton, Wyatt Earp, William Heath Davis, Bum the Dog, and William "Buffalo Bill" Cody. It retails for $19.99 and is available online at www.arcadiapublishing.com.

December Review
• In December 2003 United States Army troops captured Saddam Hussein, dictator of Iraq. He was the worst war criminal since Pol Pot, on the level of Adolf Hitler. To be honest, that was probably the best thing to come out of December and all of 2003. • In San Diego the year was plagued by a tough economy, a housing shortage, killer wildfires, ash from the fires polluting this beautiful city, and a crappy pro football team that wants to leave town. It's a good idea to get on with 2004! • The City won a small victory Jan. 30 when a ruling came down granting a venue change in the case between the San Diego Chargers and the City of San Diego. The State Superior Court will hear the case in San Diego, not Los Angeles where the Chargers wanted it. The Chargers are looking to trigger their release clause so they can begin to shop the team to another city.

January Preview
• San Diego International Auto Show continues through Jan. 4, San Diego Convention Center, www.autoshow.com

• San Diego Boat Show, Jan. 8-11, San Diego Convention Center, featuring a 29 foot T'Sunami Wave Slide and Twiggy, the world famous waterskiing squirrel, and lots of boats and yachts, www.sandiegoboatshow.com

• Elvis's Birthday bash at Dick's Last Resort, witness all the impersonators, Jan. 8, 5 p.m.-midnight, 345 Fourth Ave.

• Mayor's State of the City Address, Jan. 12, San Diego Concourse, 202 C St.

• YMCA's 19th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast, Jan. 16, 7 a.m., Scottish Rite Center, 1895 Camino del Rio South, (858) 292-4034

• Whale Watch Weekend, Jan. 17-18, Cabrillo National Monument, (619) 57-5450

• America's City Half Marathon, Jan. 18, starts at Cabrillo National Monument, 7 a.m., ends at Balboa Park, (858) 792-2900, www.afchalf.com

• Museum of Man Chinese New Year program for families, Jan. 19, noon-3 p.m., 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park, www.museumofman.org

• Martin Luther King All People's Breakfast, Jan. 19, San Diego Concourse, 202 C St., (619) 521-2906

• The San Diego Convention Center Corporation will celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Convention Center with ceremonies on Jan. 22, 11 a.m., Convention Center Hall H Lobby, www.sdccc.org

• San Diego Cat Fanciers Food and Water Bowl XII, world's largest and most prestigious feline registry, Jan 31-Feb. 1, San Diego Concourse, 202 C St. , (619) 295-5422

New issue of Sunset Saga on Feb. 1
• Great dating advice for women
• Don't miss the new adventures of A Newspaper in Paradise, Tequila City and Crustacean Chronicles.

Do you know how to get to Tequila City? Just click on the Tequila City icon in the left column near the top of this page. Once the Tequila City page opens, click on the Tequila City banner, or the picture of the guy standing in the ocean, or the words Tequila City at the top left corner of the Tequila City page. Enjoy your visit!

Anybody having trouble finding the new chapters of A Newspaper in Paradise, Crustacean Chronicles, Tequila City or any of the other ongoing stories? Once you click on any page of these stories, just scroll to the top right. All the links to the past chapters are on the upper right hand column of the pages. There are lots of chapters on this site.

Sunset Saga, www.sunsetsaga.com, Tequila City, A Newspaper in Paradise, Crustacean Chronicles, Cityside Saga and San Diego Saga are copyrighted by John Gregory, 2003. All rights reserved.