B2 THE UNION-TRIBUNE SUNDAY • APRIL 1, 2018

MEDIATE THIS ! THE CORNER STORE, BOOZE AND CREEPY GUYS BY STEVEN P. DINKIN family still reeling from the death of its mediation principle called “separate the patriarch. You have two wiser choices for people from the problem.” Dear Mediator: resolving this standoff: your shared con- The term was coined by Harvard Uni- Our neighborhood corner grocery has nection to the late owner and your buying versity scholars William Ury and Roger been run by the same family for years. In power. Fisher in their landmark 1981 book, “Get- January, the owner, whom everyone loved, Condolences come in immediately after ting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement With- passed away. a loss, but grief lasts far longer. out Giving In.” We hoped his wife would take over, but It’s always appropriate to circle back to Applied to your situation, it would his youngest son is now behind the survivors weeks or months later with a mean you have no personal beef with the counter, and the store is on the skids. He message of renewed sympathy and an friends, but you are concerned about the has cleared out the bread and produce open-ended offer of help. And right now, public drinking, which is illegal and, much sections and stocked them with liquor. your help is needed by a young man strug- too often, a precursor to belligerence. His friends loiter in front of the store, gling to take his father’s place in his family Deliver this message in a calm and drinking beer and talking loudly, and they and his community. benevolent manner. are creeping us out. Isn’t it illegal to drink Compose a group letter to the family. Emphasize that when the problem goes in public? Share some happy memories of the late away, the people will be treated with the Jittery in City Heights proprietor as a tribute to his memory. Tell same courtesy that everyone deserves. the son that you all appreciate his willing- These young men probably sense that Dear Jittery: ness to sustain a neighborhood institution they have not been welcome in the neigh- You’re not alone in grappling with this. and that you are committed to the store’s borhood. Proliferating alcohol sales in urban areas continued success. If they switch from beer to soda, and is such a combustible issue that the San The letter should be delivered in person they keep hanging out at the store — Diego Police Department, citing public by a neighborhood leader whom the family which is their right — it will be time to safety concerns, has become more vocal in trusts. During that ice-breaking visit, your reset the clock. opposing new liquor licenses in saturated emissary should engage the son in a From that point on, when you en- communities. friendly conversation that ends with a counter them on the street, instead of Because public alcohol consumption is request: Would he consider stocking items tensing up, lighten up. Smile, say “Hi, how mostly illegal in California, you could alert that everybody wants and needs? are you?” and prepare to be surprised. police to this behavior, especially if the Mom-and-pop stores can’t compete To help solve this week’s problem, a drinkers become boisterous. with supermarket chains on pricing, but principle shared by authors William Steven P. Dinkin is a professional mediator who has For complaints about the store, the they can build loyalty by tailoring inven- Ury and Roger Fisher is cited. served as President of the San-Diego based National state Department of Alcoholic Beverage tory to local buyer preferences. Conflict Resolution Center since 2003. Do you have a Control has two online reporting forms: a If you pledge to fortify this store with As your interactions with the young conflict that needs a resolution? Please share your Complaint Against Licensee and a Citi- your business, and you follow through by man grow in warmth and frequency, you’ll story with The Mediator via email at mediatethis@ zen’s Log of Disruptive Activity. shopping there regularly, you can open a be better positioned to tell him that the ncrconline.com or as an online submission by visiting But these seem like nuclear options for new chapter in a merchant-customer beer-drinking loiterers are costing him www.ncrconline.com/MediateThis. All submissions will dealing with a local business owned by a alliance that is a neighborhood anchor. sales. That conversation should focus on a be kept anonymous.

NOTEBOOKS From Union-Tribune reporting staff

grant populations, that’s not uniform. New COURTS: DANA LITTLEFIELD York and Illinois have large unauthorized SMOLENS immigrant populations, but so do Texas FROM B1 and Florida. Videographer alleges retaliation how many citizens we have residing within California already has sued to keep the our borders.” citizenship question off the census while He’s been around San Diego County a after that agency was notified by the county Said Issa: “Asking citizenship on the New York and other states are gearing up long time, and so has his lawsuit. that Playford had filmed two sheriff’s depu- census is unquestionably the right deci- do the same. His name is James “J.C.” Playford, a free- ties outside a bar in 2008 and testified later sion. I support this Administration’s com- Meanwhile, Trump’s lawsuit against lance videographer and photojournalist in a civil trial against those deputies. mitment to a fair and accurate counting.” Democratic-backed sanctuary laws has known for his, shall we say, aggressive news- In April 2016, the U.S. District Court in In December, Issa voted against the gained support within California. Much of gathering tactics when showing up with his San Diego ruled in favor of the county, Sher- Republican tax bill, contending that it the conflict is over SB 54, which prohibits camera outside public buildings around the iff Bill Gore and Jan Caldwell, who at the would raise taxes for some of his constitu- local law enforcement from telling immi- county and at crime or accident scenes. time was the Sheriff’s Department’s public ents. He supports the citizenship question gration officials when unauthorized immi- Evidence of his tactics — some might call information officer. They contended there even though it could result in an under- grants are being released from jail if they them antics — is easily accessible on the In- was no evidence that Gore or Caldwell had count that could reduce funding for serv- haven’t been convicted of one of 800 listed ternet. Multiple videos posted on YouTube directed or provided information that “en- ices his constituents rely on. crimes. show Playford doing his thing, confronting couraged” Playford’s arrests. It may be a coincidence, but in Decem- Orange County is at the forefront of a guards outside the federal jail, demanding There was evidence, they said, of probable ber he was a candidate running for re- growing trend to buck the state’s resistance identification information from California cause for each arrest. (According to the election; now he is not. to Trump. The Board of Supervisors voted Highway Patrol officers who try to move court’s ruling, Playford either pleaded no Hunter acknowledged the tax bill could to join the administration’s suit while Yorba him back from the site of a freeway crash or contest or was found guilty in trial on each of hurt some Californians, but voted for it Linda agreed to file a brief in support of it. chastising elected officials who bar him the relevant arrests on charges including de- because he thought it was the right move Los Alamitos passed an ordinance seeking from entering news conferences. laying or obstructing an officer and disturb- for the country overall. to exempt the city from SB 54. A video posted last week shows Playford ing the peace.) Long ago the once-a-decade census In San Diego County, the Republican- berating El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells at City The District Court’s ruling was ap- asked a citizenship question but it was dominated Escondido City Council and Council meeting, and calling members of pealed, and argued in early February in the dropped in 1950. However, one is included Board of Supervisors plan to discuss joining the Police Department “thugs” and “Nazis.” 9th Circuit. in the American Community Survey, the Trump suit in the near future. Escon- “It is unconstitutional for you to decide Attorney Rachel Baird, who represented which reaches a smaller number of house- dido seems certain to join and the smart who is media and who is not,” Playford can Playford and Peruta, argued that the lower holds. money would be on the supervisors doing be heard saying in the March 23 video, refer- court got it wrong when it ruled against her Many experts say citizenship data the same. encing an occasion in 2016 (and perhaps clients on the alleged First Amendment vio- already is gleaned from the community San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore said he will there are others) when he was kept out of a lation. She noted that the county’s actions survey, so why risk getting an inaccurate recommend the supervisors not go there news conference in that city. suggest a person — like Playford — who census count? on public-safety grounds. He and many Playford says he was told that access to doesn’t have a government-issued media Democrats portrayed the adminis- other top law enforcement officials believe the news conference was allowed only for credential in San Diego County would not tration’s action as politically motivated. if their officers are viewed as immigration members of the media who had been invited. be allowed within Sheriff’s headquarters, “This cynical move clearly violates the agents, immigrants will be reluctant to And yes, that situation was captured on even if it’s for news-gathering purposes. Constitution, which requires an ‘actual report crime or agree to be witnesses. his camera, too. “What’s wrong with that?” one judge enumeration’ of our population, and is Besides, he said, the state law allows The question of whether a government asked. being done purely for political gain,” said his department to notify immigration agency can determine who is a legitimate “The government agency ... chooses Rep. Susan Davis, D-San Diego. officials on the release of many unauthor- representative of the news media and who under this scenario who carries the mes- Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego, said: ized immigrants. Keep in mind that San isn’t is a core part of a lawsuit filed in San Di- sage and that’s what wrong with it,” Baird “These numbers determine how federal Diego County deputies do not lock people ego federal court in 2012 and was recently said. “The government should not be in the funds are distributed, businesses rely on up simply because they are in the country argued in front a three-judge panel of the business of issuing media credentials and if them to determine market demands and illegally, but because they’ve been accused 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. they do, those media credentials should (they are) used to apportion congressional or convicted of committing other crimes. The suit was filed by Playford, who lives have no greater authority than media cre- districts — that’s what this move is all There’s a public selling point there. in of Ramona, and Edward Peruta, owner of dentials issued by private organizations.” about.” Requiring jailers to notify the feds about the Connecticut-based American News and In- Later, she added: “There’s no evidence Rep. Juan Vargas, D-San Diego, also release of all unauthorized immigrant crimi- formation Services Inc., against the county that they are issued on an objective basis.” called it another Trump attack on immi- nals, even petty ones, probably has more Sheriff’s Department and other local law The three-judge panel has not ruled on grants. support than Democrats would like to enforcement agencies. Playford’s appeal, opting instead to wait to “This is another blatant attempt by think. It alleges that Playford, who has been ar- see how the U.S. Supreme Court decides an- President Trump and his administration rested several times by sheriff’s deputies, other case — Lozman v. Riviera Beach, Fla. to silence the immigrant community and Tweet of the Week was taken into custody because of his news- The question before the high court in that force them to retreat into the shadows,” he Goes to Sara Libby (@SaraLibby), gathering activities. In short, the lawsuit case is: Does the existence of probable said. “... An inaccurate count will have a managing editor at the Voice of San Diego. says, Playford was targeted and retaliated cause defeat a First Amendment retaliato- detrimental effect on underserved com- “The most California quibble: Reader against for “videotaping matters of public ry-arrest claim as a matter of law? munities that require funding for essential emails to complain that Josh Butner is interest,” a violation of his First Amend- The answer will likely inform the eventu- services.” surfing in (a) campaign ad, but Califor- ment rights under the U.S. Constitution. al outcome of Playford’s case. A ruling is ex- While it appears there would be a gen- nia’s 50th District is landlocked.” As evidence, Playford noted that the city pected sometime before June. eral shift of money and political power of San Diego refused to renew his Police De- from blue to red states with smaller immi- [email protected] partment-issued media credential in 2010, [email protected]

FROM THE ARCHIVES | LOOKING BACK OVER 150 YEARS

opening game of the season. Once inside the park, players grouped near the dugouts and CITY WELCOMES PCL PADRES then marched to the flagpole in centerfield where for the first time the national emblem The San Diego Union-Tribune will mark its 150th anniversary in 2018 by presenting a sig- was raised before the start of a sea- nificant front page from the archives each day throughout the year. son, while the crowd stood at attention. Infield and batting practice followed and Wednesday, April 1, 1936 then with Dan Tobey, veteran announcer In 1936, as Richard Bruno Hauptmann, convicted in the 1932 kidnapping and murder of and long-time friend of Owner Bill Lane, tak- the 20-month-old son of Charles A. Lindbergh, awaited his fate, San Diegans celebrated a ing charge, introduction of the guests pre- happier moment: the first San Diego Padres game. sent for the afternoon followed. Members of Here are the first few paragraphs of the story: the city council, seated in a special box, were introduced, followed by Sen. Ed. Fletcher; 10,000 FANS SEE PADRES’ VICTORY IN OPENER HERE George P. Hatfield, lieutenant governor; Mayor P.J. Benbough; W.C. Tuttle, presi- HOME TEAM DEFEATS INDIANS, 6 TO 2, IN FIRST GAME OF LEAGUE AT NEW PARK dent of the ; H.W. Lane; Emil Klicka, member of the harbor commis- By Ted Steinmann duced the tallies, gave the Padres the win- sion; Joseph Brennan, port director; and San Diego broke into the Pacific Coast ning margin. They added one run in the run George P. White, local WPA director. Baseball league yesterday afternoon at column in the eighth. Seattle managed to Floral wreaths and baskets then were home and broke in a winner. The San Diego shove single tallies across the plate in the presented from fans for local as well as Seat- Padres, formerly the , fifth and sixth . tle players — Chet Smith, San Diego boy obliged more than 10,000 fans who stormed The teams will meet again this afternoon with the Indians, getting a basket of flowers. the newly constructed Lane field and turned at 2:15 at the new ball park at the foot of Mr. and Mrs. Tuttle presented an offering of in a 6-to-2 victory over the Seattle Indians. Broadway in the second game of the series. Clear skies greeted the opening game of the good luck to the San Diego team on its first Herman Pillette, veteran right-hander, Frank Shellenback, of the Padres, home season for the team which H.W. “Bill” home start in the league. Other flowers came who twirled a brilliant game and had fine will take the mound himself this afternoon Lane brought to San Diego from Hollywood from James Wood Coffroth; “Sunny Jim” of support afield to turn back the invaders and will be opposed by Howard Cragshead where it had played for 10 years. Last night’s Tijuana racetrack fame; Art Cloniger; and from the northwest, rated second choice in for Seattle. Games will be played at 2:15 daily rains slowed the field up slightly, but it was in “Dutch” O’Neil. the league in advance figures. Where Pillette against Seattle the rest of the week except fine condition for the opening game, attest- was right, the five Seattle hurlers whom the for Sunday when a double-header is sched- ing to the work done by WPA and harbor offi- CONTENDER SEEN veteran “Dutch” Reuther sent to the mound uled, starting at 1:30. cials in its construction. Tuttle, in welcoming San Diego to the were bad at finding the plate. San Diego baseball fans — and their num- league fold, spoke briefly to the fans and ber was legion yesterday — long have DOWNTOWN PARADE Lane expressed pleasure at the fine turnout FIVE-RUN RALLY awaited the coming of Pacific Coast league A parade through the downtown streets for the game, promising San Diego a base- A five-run rally in the third , in baseball here and they were back of the Pa- in which city, state and league officials took ball team which would be a contender in the which five bases and balls and two hits pro- dres to a man throughout the afternoon. part, signalized the preparations for the league.

ONLINE: View this and other anniversary front pages online at sandiegouniontribune.com/150-years.