SECTION B MONDAY • AUGUST 14, 2017

B2 Local reports B4 Obituaries B5 Editorial & Opinion MARINES PROBE NOVEMBER AIR CRASH

the “Black Knights” of Miramar’s tor to his outer wing panel, now bent Navy helicopters from the carrier Pilot errors and lack Marine Fighter Attack Squadron straight up. The instructor watched Carl Vinson, a probe would begin to of training contributed 314, and he hadn’t flown in a long his right aileron break off, “followed find out what went so horribly time. Although he kept insisting by what appeared to be the most of wrong. FRED to Hornets’ collision over the radio that he had a visual on the outer wing.” Released to The San Diego DICKEY the instructor, the rookie really Jet fuel streamed out of multiple Union-Tribune this past weekaftera BY CARL PRINE seemed to be flying blind as he began holes and then ignited, the flames Freedom of Information Act re- The Way We Are arcing left in his turn, toward the in- running like ivy toward his cockpit. quest, the thick investigative report On Nov. 9, the Marine Corps in- structor. His flight controls failed. The air- appears to have been finished on structorpilotgazedoutsidehiscock- Overthenext24seconds,bothpi- craft pitched right before corkscrew- Jan. 17. Homeless in pit and noted nothing but clear blue lots would begin to rapidly realize ing toward the sea. Flames curled It identifies neither the instruc- skies, the sun overhead, a light wind that their jets were hurtling toward over the canopy, and then toward tor nor his rookie wingman in the San Diego, but before him and only the smoke from each other at 403 miles per hour. The the plane’s nose. crash by name but finds plenty of a large fire in Mexico skimming west instructor tried to bank up and to his He ejected about 30 miles north- fault in how they were trained and dreams keep over the Pacific Ocean 19,000 feet be- right, away from his wingman, but west of the Mexican city of Ense- led before they took to the air for low his F/A-18C Hornet strike fighter. failed. nada. what was intended to be basic flight her positive His wingman was green, new to A loud noise pointed the instruc- And within hours of his rescue by SEE CRASH • B6

Transport your mind to this imaginary high school campus. Kids are chattering and wandering about be- tween classes. There’s a pretty blonde named Abi over there cradling her books, wearing stylish T.J. Maxx, and just generally throwing off cool. Boys slow as they pass and say hi with a hopeful little wave. Girls cluster around the leader of their clique. Cheerleader power. ■ Dream on. That’s all the real Abi can do. Abi is 15 and probably could fit some of the above roles given more favorable circumstances. Alas, cir- cumstances would not be her friend because there is a mountain range of them standing in her way. The first is her address. She doesn’t have one. At present, it’s a parking lot on 28th Street that’s free to homeless people. That’s where I met her when I wrote last week’s column on her family, the Garcias. The family is parked there each night in a ’99 Ford Explorer with no place else to go, though they are trying to find one. They sometimes rent a cheap motel for a night or go to the husband’s mother’s small apartment for a shower or to cook a meal. Abi (“Abby”) shares the backseat with her sister, Hannah, a year younger. Mom Lisa and stepdad PEGGY PEATTIE Ramon sleep in the front San Diego Girl Scout Ava DeMille, 6, offers snacks to Navy veterans Stan Smith, 90, (center) and Andre Nadeau, 91, Sunday at the Veterans seat with a 2-year-old Memorial Museum in Balboa Park before the start of the “Spirit of ’45” commemoration to World War II’s final day, 72 years ago today. daughter who is nursed there by her mother. The older girls have a different last name, which the mother doesn’t want me to use. That’s her call. A SALUTE TO WWII’S END The family is homeless because it’s unable to afford ‘Spirit of ’45’ celebration in Balboa Park draws stories from veterans, others about where they were on final day even the cheapest rents in San Diego. Ramon works BY ROGER SHOWLEY al Museum were some 100 veterans This very enthusiastic lady, who song, ‘When the Lights Go on All two full-time restaurant who recalled where they were on weighed much more than I did, Over the World.’ That was the joy of jobs, but they are minimum BALBOA PARK Aug. 14, 1945, the day World War II hugged me and hugged me and my life.” wage, and that won’t get you “Rosie the Riveter” factory ended. hugged me, and I backed up and al- Nelson Robinson, 17 at war’s more than a tent in San women spoke of making B-24 “I was at home (in New York most broke a window.” end, was finishing up airplane me- Diego. bombers. The American Flyboys City) on furlough,” said Bill Ke- Steve Hedley, a Pearl Harbor chanics training at the Tuskegee The family has to leave Orchestra played swing. Actors hayias, a B-24 gunner, “and was survivor, said, “We could light up Airmen’s flight school in Alabama. the parking lot at 6 a.m. brought to life field hospitals and walking down to Western Union to the whole ship, which hadn’t been He was in the first such class offered every day. With no place else battlefield campsites. ask for a furlough from the com- done for four years. We operated by the Army Air Force to an African- to go, Lisa drives from public But the stars of the eighth annu- manding officer at Fort Dix. As I with red lights through the passage American squadron, the 99th. park to public library, to fast al “Spirit of ‘45” celebration Sunday was walking, everybody was cheer- ways. And the one thing that came “It turned out to be just a little SEE DICKEY • B2 at Balboa Park’s Veterans Memori- ing, ‘The war’s over, the war’s over!’ to my mind later was, there was a SEE SPIRIT OF ’45 • B4

ARTIST WANTS TO SET CAMPAIGN VIOLATION BIG HOMELESS TENTS COSTS GROUP $16K

rather than demand a hear- NEXT TO BROWN FIELD Fine issued for not ing to dispute the charges. Revolution in the historic disclosing unions They ran a $1 million Plan similar to one Brokers Building. “One day campaign last fall in support I was driving downtown, as major donors of Measure K, which requires by Padres’ Seidler, and I thought, ‘This is abso- November runoffs in all elec- lutely crazy. What is the city BY DAVID GARRICK tions for City Council and restaurant executive leadership doing here?’ ” mayor, and Measure L, Mulllen, who is in the in- SAN DIEGO which prohibits votes on ini- BY GARY WARTH vestment business besides San Diego’s Ethics Com- tiatives and referendums being an artist, said he reac- mission is levying $16,000 in during June primaries or SAN DIEGO hed a breaking point late fines on a voting rights group during off-year elections un- From the third-story art last year when he passed the and its campaign staff for less the City Council OKs studio where he has painted sprawling homeless en- GARY WARTH not identifying labor unions that. for 20 years, George Mullen campment around 17th George Mullen has seen downtown San Diego’s as the major donors in sup- Voters approved both has had an unobstructed Street and Imperial Avenue. homeless population grow from his art studio. port of ballot measures that measures by wide margins view of the growing home- In February, he and Bri- boosted the power of the No- last November. less population in down- an Caster, CEO of A1 Self the homeless near Brown some traction, and support- vember electorate. The campaign in favor of town San Diego. Storage, wrote an opinion Field in Otay Mesa. Origi- ers include Jerome’s Furni- San Diegans for Full Vot- the measures failed to iden- “As the years went on, it’s piece for The San Diego nally proposed as Camp ture Chairman Jerry er Participation, its cam- tify labor unions as its largest gotten dramatically worse Union-Tribune that pro- Hope, the idea now is called Navarra, Metropolitan Air- paign consultant and its donors on thousands of yard downtown,” the native San posed using large industrial Sunbreak Ranch. park CEO Charles Black, campaign treasurer have signs, mailers and door Diegan said from Studio tents to temporarily house The proposal gained SEE TENTS • B4 agreed to pay the fines SEE FINE • B6

San Diego’s Best Heart Care.

Scripps.org/BestHeart B4 THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE MONDAY • AUGUST 14, 2017

county committee, but Sei- TENTS dler and Shea do seem to be outpacing Mullen and Cast- Plans differ er in promoting the idea. Mullen has been rela- tively quiet in publicly dis- on financing cussing Sunbreak Ranch FROM B1 since his op-ed piece, and he the East Village Residents has not met with city or Group, Jacobs Center for county officials. Seidler said Innovation chairmen Norm he has met with many offi- Hapke Jr. and Val Jacobs cials, attends regular sym- Hapke, Serving Hands posiums on homelessness International and former at the University of San Di- San Diego City Attorney ego, and presented the plan Casey Gwinn. at a conference with Shea But the proposal also last month at USD. has created some confusion, Still, Mullen is confident as a similar but significantly there will be public support different idea has been sug- for Sunbreak Ranch and gested by San Diego Padres said he believes people also Managing Partner Peter would support a small tax Seidler and Paradigm In- increase to fund it — despite vestment Group partner the need for a two-thirds and chain restaurant op- majority needed for approv- erator Dan Shea. al, if it goes on the ballot. Proponents of both have “There needs to be the similar motivations and ar- will, and in the public there guments. Permanent hous- is a will to do something like ing for all is needed, they this,” he said, adding that he agree, but that solution is is disappointed that elected years away, and there is a officials have not come for- crisis that should be ad- ward to endorse it. dressed today to help the Mullen envisions Sun- 9,100 local homeless people, break Ranch as a place that including 5,600 who were is remote enough that it won’t intrude on businesses and residents but still close PEGGY PEATTIE “There to services. The city-owned Field Hospital re-enactors Stephanie Roach (center) and Nikki McDowell (left) explain how war injuries needs to be property near Brown Field were treated on World War II battlefields to girl scouts from San Ysidro on Sunday. fits the bill. It’s 13 miles from the will, the 17th Street encamp- Field Hospital under a tent ment and Father Joe’s Vil- SPIRIT OF ’45 in one corner of the Spirit of and in the lages. ’45 exhibits. The hospital public there Mullen said Sunbreak Re-enactors was set up at various battle- Ranch would not be a place fields in Europe during the is a will to to warehouse homeless peo- war, and the re-created ver- ple, but rather would pro- help set scene sion included uniforms, do some- vide a place where they can FROM B1 medical devices and sup- thing like meet with professional serv- late,” he said, but he did ship plies that were donated or ice providers who can help out to Okinawa for a post- bought on eBay. this.” them with long-term recov- war assignment and served Nearby,Asia Arbaugh,12, ery. Having government there about 18 months be- of Vista and her sister Aya, 8, George Mullen and nonprofit agencies pro- fore his unit was disbanded. were fingering period weap- unsheltered in last Jan- vide services is also part of He then sang a rendition ons after meeting a few war uary’s point-in-time count. the Seidler-Shea tent plan. of the 99th Flight Squadron vets. A disagreement comes in “Why wouldn’t we try to song, which ended, “Fight, “It was really cool to hear where the tents should be really help our homeless fight, fight, Fighting 99th.” the vets,” Asia said. situated and how they brothers and sisters, get Betty Ridenour and The generations collided should be funded. Seidler them out of this horrible Randy Tidmore recalled inside the museum, where and Shea argue the tents downtown on-the-street sit- their days as riveters in air- PEGGY PEATTIE Emylee Navarro, 8, a Brown- should be in different loca- uation or in the canyons, plane factories. Betty Ridenour worked as an airplane factory riveter ie in a San Ysidro Girl Scout tions, helping the homeless and get them in a clean, safe “I said to my grandmoth- locally during World War II before joining the Marines. Troop, handed a “thank where they already are and environment to help turn er ‘I'm going to San Diego,’ ” you” message to Jerry near services. They also be- their lives around?” he said. Ridenour recalled saying racks and we celebrated.” wife of Ike’s grandson and Creaper, 93, who served 4½ lieve the tents can be funded “Somewhere you can go when the Japanese attacked Linda Laurie, national President Richard Nixon’s years in the Army. through philanthropists, take a deep breath and not Pearl Harbor in 1941, “and events coordinator of the daughter. “You do it real well,” and they already have com- have a drug dealer or gang she said, ‘I'll help you pack.’ Spirit of ’45, said a special “My mother liked how Creaper told Emylee. mitments from supporters member or cars speeding by The next day she went out rose is being cultivated to she handled things” during “Thank you so much.” to fund two tents, which like you see on 17thStreet.” and told the bus driver, plant in Rosie the Riveter the Watergate scandal, the Creaper said he was in hold 250 people each. While Mullen said he be- ‘Take care of this girl. She’s memorial gardens all over singing Eisenhower said. Okinawa when the war Mullen, who sees funding lieves Sunbreak Ranch is going out to San Diego and the U.S. next year. Among the re-enactors ended, but his troops wer- as the responsibility of the the best approach to get win the war.’” “So every year your me- was a third-time participa- en’t notified immediately city and county, argues that homeless people off the Tidmore said she first morial comes back to life and nt, Robert Fisher, 26, of and continued to be har- placing tents in different street in the near future, worked in an airplane fac- reminds the young people Santa Barbara. Dressed in a assed by Japanese soldiers a places will be a hard sell po- he’s open to other locations tory and then joined the about what these amazing 1st Cavalryarmyuniform, he few more days. litically. and ideas. He also isn’t op- Marines. When the war Rosies did in World War II said he is headed for active The only sign that things “In theory, it makes a lot posed to Seidler’s and ended, she was stationed at and to inspire them to get an duty Sept. 5 and reporting to had changed was the officers of sense,” he said about the Shea’s proposal, and only the Marine Corps Recruit education, go out and get Fort Drum, N.Y. had unexpectedly taken multi-site approach. “Why hopes some action is taken Depot in San Diego but was good jobs and become 21st He completed officers away the men’s ammunition. don’t we share the load in all soon to help the thousands warned against going down- century Rosies.” Laurie said. candidate school engineer- “They kept telling us we the districts? But what’s go- of people on the street. town because it was going to Accompanying the ing training but plans to con- were going to Tokyo,” he ing to happen is the council “We have different ideas, be “wild.” American Flyboys in “God tinue pursuing his interest in said. person is going to get anni- and that’s all good,” he said. “So I went across what is Bless America” was the de- military history. The real truth was that hilated in the next elections. “Whatever works is perfect, now Pacific Highway and scendant of another war Nikki McDowell, 47, a reg- they were going home. I have a hard time seeing it if it works.” there was a pie shop on the hero, Gen. Dwight Eisen- istered nurse who lives with get done.” other side at the time,” she hower. Born in 1973, Julie her “history buff” husband [email protected] Neither proposal has [email protected] said. “I bought a pie and Eisenhower was named af- in San Marcos, explained the (619) 293-1286 Twitter: gone before the City Council (760) 529-4939 brought it back to the bar- ter Julie Nixon Eisenhower, recreation of the 45th Army @rogershowley or been discussed at city or Twitter: @GaryWarthUT

DICK LOCHER • 1929-2017 Everlasting memories EDITORIAL CARTOONIST Life Tributes of loved ones WORKED ON ‘’ JoAnne Hogan BY BOB GOLDSBOROUGH everything completed by Fri- Jo Ann Sperry Dearbaugh A longtime editorial car- day, no excuses.” October 29, 1929 - August 4, 2017 October 31, 1930 - June 28, 2017 toonist for the Trib- Locher left Gould’s em- une who won a Pulitzer Prize ploy in 1961 and eventually SAN MARCOS — Jo Ann and stepson Michael SAN DIEGO — JoAnne in 1983, Dick Locher also headed an art studio in Oak Dearbaugh passed away Dearbaugh (Tony). She Hogan passed away worked on the popular comic Brook called Novamark. In on August 4, 2017 in San was the grandmother of peacefully on the strip “Dick Tracy” for more 1973, despite having no expe- Marcos, CA. Steven Johnson, Stacy morning of June 28, 2017 than three decades, both rience as an editorial car- after a brief, but heroic writing and drawing the ad- toonist, Locher was hired by Born in Toledo, Ohio, Johnson, Scott Johnson, ventures of the square-jawed the Tribune. He remained on she was the daughter of Ambrosia Ekelman, battle with cancer. She championed the love and private detective. staff until his retirement in Arthur and Pauline Hunt. Wyatt Johnson, and Locher, 88, died of compli- 2013, producing more than Jo Ann was a graduate great-grandmother to warmth that bound and cations from Parkinson’s dis- 10,000 drawings on a raft of of Denison University Alex Ekelman, Isabella supported us as a family. ease Sunday at Edward Hos- topics. where she belonged to Ekelman, Avery Ekelman JoAnne was preceded in pital in Naperville, Ill., said Tribune editorial car- Alpha Phi Sorority. She and Carl Johnson. death by her husband, his son, Stephen. He had toonist Scott Stantis said attended the University of Jo Ann was a member John. She is survived by lived in Naperville for more Locher’s work “had a level of Michigan Graduate School of several art groups children Wendy Ellerman than 45 years. certitude reserved for very of Social Work. and a 40-year member (Wade), Kevin Hogan “Dick was one of the best fine artists.” Jo Ann was predeceased of the choir at First (Lynne), Kim Bullock cartoonists in the nation,” “Every line had a confi- saidTribuneEditorandPub- dence that separates the by her sister Martha Presbyterian Church. She (Don), and Beth Hogan Please ask her children for (and John Callister), details. In lieu of flowers, lisher Bruce Dold. “He was good from the great,” Stantis Fellabaum and her also belonged to PEO also one of the nicest people said. “Conceptually, you ne- brother David Hunt. Sisterhood. seven grandchildren, donations may be sent who ever walked through the ver had to guess where Dick She had many happy A memorial service will Emily (Mark), Benjamin, to: Sharp Hospice Care, Tribune newsroom. I most stood on the issues. His polit- years of marriage to be held on August 18, Max, Cosabeth (Ben), P.O. Box 158, La Mesa, CA admired the richness of de- ical outlook was as bold and Clifford E. Dearbaugh, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the Krista (Matthew), Parker, 91944, or St. Columba tail in his drawings. His work straightforward as his art- who died on September First Presbyterian Church and Sophie, and great- School Tuition Assistance was funny and incisive, and work — the perfect combina- 2, 2014. of Oceanside, CA. In lieu grandchildren Stella, Jack, Program, 3327 Glencolum his message often carried a tion that all editorial car- Jo Ann was mother of flowers, donations Ethan, Ada and Sage. Drive, San Diego, 92123. hard pop, but his artwork toonists strive for.” to five children, Trenton may be made to the First Services will be held was always incredibly ele- Locher won the 1983 Pu- Johnson (deceased), Presbyterian Church at St. Columba at 11:30 Please sign the Guest Book online gant.” litzer Prize for editorial car- obituaries.sandiegouniontribune.com Born and raised in tooning with work that Tim Johnson (Robyn), Memorial Fund or the am, August 19 with a reception to follow. Dubuque, , Locher weighed in on President Julie Seel (Rich), Michael charity of your choice. graduated from Loras Acad- Ronald Reagan — with Johnson, Matthew Please sign the Guest Book online emy in Dubuque and then whom he once dined in the obituaries.sandiegouniontribune.com Johnson (Cheryl) ••• ••• studied at Loras College, the Oval Office — home comput- University of Iowa and the ers and the Middle East. Art Center of Los Angeles be- “I’m still numb. I’m still DEATH NOTICES CEMETERY LOTS CEMETERY LOTS MISC. SERVICES fore earning a degree from waiting for someone to come the Chicago Academy of Fine in and say they made a mis- Lunger, Stephen Scott Arts. take,” Locher said upon 11/25/1950 - 08/04/2017 Greenwood Locher spent two years on learning he had won. “My Accu-Care Cremation & Funerals EL CAMINO Memorial Park MEMORIAL active duty as a test pilot in first thoughts were that CEMETERY LOTS His and Hers Side by Side the Air Force, followed by an- someone was playing a ter- Adjoining Crypts in the other 18years in the Air Force rible, cruel gag. This sounds Greenwood Cemetery PARK Reserve. hackneyed, but I’m really Bible Mausoleum Jewish burial spaces in Two single lots cost While a Chicago Academy proud the Tribune won a Pu- “Together in Life, Mt. Sinai I lawn from of Fine Arts student in 1957, litzer.” $12,190, I will sell for $5,000/space. Wall crypts $8,190. 623-825-7758 Together in Death, Locher was tapped to do Locher was pulled back Together at the Time of & niches (for cremated some inking for Chester intoDick Tracy’s orbitin1983 Cemetery Services Agcy the Resurrection” remains) at Cypress View Gould, the creator of the after the death of Rick BUY, SELL, TRADE, LIST. $6,000 / obo Mausoleum at greatly “Dick Tracy” strip. He went Fletcher, who had taken over Maybe today is a good 1-877-451-0133 reduced prices. on to work as Gould’s assist- when Gould retired in 1977. day to take care of this. Call 619-871-4160; ant for the next four years. Locher continued drawing 619-579-9456 7 days [email protected] “He had regimented the strip until 2009 and kept working requirements,” writing the storyline until in TO PLACE AN OBITUARY CALL: 866-411-4140 Metro Office Email: [email protected] Locher said of Gould in a 1981 2011. Tribune interview. “Be in at North County Office Email: [email protected] 7:30 every morning, have Goldsborough is a freelance writer.