INSIDE Singin’ City Council THIS ISSUE the Blues Responds to B NEWS Report on Scrumptious Safety Away May Riots
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HUGE EDIBLE DEALS DELIVERY 20% OFF SV IN STORE ONLY 10% OFF ONLINE | CODE:SDRC COUPON VALID UNTIL : 03/01/2021 & MORE ... MISSION VALLEY | SORRENTO VALLEY 1299 CAMINO DEL RIO S. 10150 SORRENTO VALLEY RD. lic #: c10-0000323-lic / c10-0000634-lic SAN DIEGO, CA 92108 SAN DIEGO, CA 92121 VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1 Jan. 29 – Feb. 25, 2021 Follow us on social media Black History Month reads. Page 17 INSIDE Singin’ City Council THIS ISSUE the blues responds to B NEWS report on Scrumptious safety away May riots By KENDRA SITTON | La Mesa Courier At the La Mesa City Council meeting on Jan. 26, the firm Hillard Heintze presented their final after-action report based Girl Scouts adopt COVID measures for on the events of May 30, 2020. annual cookie sales. Page 4 The report was already made public but this was the first time the City Council had an opportunity to discuss it with B FOOD & DRINK the firm and La Mesa Police Smoke on the water Gary Burt, who performs under the moniker ‘The Frank Guy,’ has been holding regular concerts for neighbors during Department Acting Chief Matt the pandemic. (Courtesy photo) Nicholass. The report was made Local entertainer brightens neighborhood with weekly concerts based on briefings with the City Council, staff, LMPD, By JEFF CLEMETSON | La Mesa Courier over the Christmas holiday his Frank Guy.” But through all of Heartland Fire, citizens, busi- wife was sick with heart trouble that, Burt has maintained a real- ness owners and Citizen Public Gary Burt has weathered and he couldn’t visit her. Also, ly upbeat attitude by sharing his Safety Oversight Task Force a particularly difficult storm he couldn’t work his usual gig vocal talents with his neighbors members. In addition, Hillard during the pandemic. He lost a of singing Frank Sinatra songs Heintze held a community Smokey & The Brisket opens on sister to COVID in October and under his stage moniker “The SEE FRANK GUY, Page 3 listening session and viewed Lake Murray Boulevard. Page 10 video files and listened to dis- patch recordings from the night in which two banks and B EDUCATION Stay home orders an architecture firm’s building Forties Foothillers were burnt down. In addition, resident Leslie Furcron lost an disrupt local restaurants eye to a police beanbag round. The report praised the po- By ELAINE ALFARO | La Mesa Courier impacted businesses state- lice department for showing wide. They advocated for re- restraint during the protests On Dec. 3 a statewide stricted COVID-19 enforce- and riots on the night of May stay at home order was an- ment actions until scientific 30 despite little training with nounced by Gov. Newsom. data proves their business- crowd control. The citizens It went into effect Dec. 6. es’ activities pose a health in charge of dispatch also re- A look back at Grossmont High School These restrictions have risk. Anderson said this was ceived high acknowledgement during the WWII era. Page 12 drastically impacted restau- to encourage the distinction for remaining calm while the rant owners due to the clos- between “political science, windows near their desks were ing of outdoor dining. or medical science.” broken. B ALSO INSIDE On Jan. 20, San Mary England, president However, the report also Opinion 6 Diego County District 2 and CEO of the La Mesa had scathing indictments of Politics 7 Supervisor Joel Anderson Chamber of Commerce, the department’s policies, or A&E 16 met with La Mesa restau- attended the meeting and lack thereof, and the commu- Business Directory 18 rant and business owners said, “It’s easy to look at a Even restaurants with outdoor patios like Curbside nication breakdowns during in response to the Dec. 6 in the La Mesa Village were ordered closed from Classifieds 18 Dec. 6 to Jan. 25. (Photo by Jeff Clemetson) stay at home order that has SEE RESTAURANTS, Page 9 SEE POLICE REPORT, Page 16 B CONTACT US Editorial (858) 270-3103 x130 [email protected] Advertising 2/25/21 (951) 296-7794 Our on-site Dermatologist, Jamison Feramisco MD, PhD [email protected] is now accepting new patients for all of your Dermatology, www.sdnews.com San Diego Community Newspaper Group Jan. 29 – Feb. 25, 2021 2 La Mesa Courier NEWS City commemorates Fred Korematsu Day La Mesa vet turned George Takai, Korematsu’s daughter made guest presentations 101 on New Year’s Day By KENDRA SITTON | La Mesa Courier La Mesa joined other regional governments, including National City, the City of San Diego and County of San Diego in declaring Jan. 30 Fred Korematsu Day. The date would have been the 102nd birthday of Fred Korematsu who defied the executive order sending Japanese Americans to Karen Korematsu addresses City internment camps after the attack Council via internet connection. (City on Pearl Harbor. He took his case of La Mesa) to the Supreme Court to challenge the order and eventually lost, al- sent to the swamps of Arkansas. though the Supreme Court later There was no trial. There were no Fred Korematsu (korematsuinstitute.org) apologized decades later. charges. Fred Korematsu defied the At the City Council meeting that executive order and took on the full in the land ruled against him. This resulted in the commemoration, might of the United States govern- history is both a tribute to Fred and Mission Healthcare nurse Shelly Duplaga-Gardella, RN (Photo courtesy major state and national figures ment because he held dearly the Korematsu’s determination and Mission Healthcare) came to speak about the impor- core principles of our democracy: faith in the ideals of democracy tance of Korematsu’s legacy, includ- rule of law, equal justice under the as well as the ultimate resilience Throughout his 101 years, Grayson with a pinning cere- ing “Star Trek” actor and former law and due process,” Takei said. of our principles of democracy. Ollie Greyson endured life as a mony and a framed certificate internment prisoner George Takei. “Fred Korematsu took this all on Ultimately, they prevailed.” black man in Louisiana; serving thanking him for his service. “70 years ago, America was in and he challenged it all the way to Takei recently wrote a graph- in WWII (during which, he was He also celebrated with a drink chaos with fear and suspicion. the Supreme Court of the United ic novel titled “They Called Us shot in the eye and leg); and now of whisky and with his family, Panic laced with racial preju- States and in 1944 while the war Enemy” about his time in the continues to persevere through whom he says is his proudest dice swept the nation... We were was still raging, the highest court internment camps that is a part the COVID-19 pandemic. accomplishment of his long life. of the One Book, One San Diego Grayson currently lives with Grayson also shared some ad- challenge through the library. his daughter, Ashley, in La Mesa vice to those pursuing a long, When You’re Sick of it being Done Wrong, call: The City Council was enamored where he receives hospice care fulfilling life: “Be a good per- Serving La Mesa for 30 Years! by the celebrity guest. Councilman from local home health and son.” He added that his fondest Commercial/Residential Colin Parent wore a Star Trek pin hospice organization, Mission memory from his military ser- Lic. #882763 Interior/ Exterior on his lapel in Takei’s honor. Mayor Healthcare. vice was meeting and speaking Fully Insured Property Management [email protected] Mark Arapostathis interrupted For his birthday, and to hon- with General Patton in Africa. INC. Clean & Professional Done-Rite-Painting.com Winner of 2020 the proceedings to thank Takei or him for his service, Mission Staples remarked that Grayson Best of La Mesa FREE ESTIMATES Award for for being the first person ever to Healthcare's veteran coordina- is a kind, energetic, amazing GLEN GILES Professional tor, Derrik Staples, presented man and “a real hero.” OWNER (619) 977-0241 services SEE KOREMATSU DAY, Page 4 I was frustrated with my weight Now open! With snacking in the evening and feeling like it was too much work to change and I kept slipping back, focusing on the negative connotation of ‘diet’. I do not have the desire to snack at night and enjoy physical exercise! 74 lbs down! -Diane S, La Mesa Written Service Guarantee CALL NOW FOR YOUR FREE SCREENING 8900 Grossmont Blvd La Mesa (619) 916-7226 *individual results may vary Jan. 29 – Feb. 25, 2021 sdnews.com FEATURE La Mesa Courier 3 Frank Guy Why Homeowners Leave Thousands CONTINUED FROM Page 1 Behind When Selling Their Homes on most Sundays throughout the La Mesa – A new report has just been released which pandemic. reveals 7 costly mistakes that most homeowners make Before the COVID crisis, Burt when selling their home, and a 9 Step System that can padded his pension from his years help you sell your home fast and the most amount of working in a power plant in St. Lois money. by working as professional enter- tainer at retirement facilities in the This industry report shows clearly how the traditional region, singing the Sinatra catalog. ways of selling homes have become increasingly less and “There’s a pretty steady market less effective in today’s market. The fact of this matter is for that,” he said. “I wasn’t making that fully three quarters of homesellers don’t get what a lot of money — a hundred bucks they want for their homes and become disillusioned and a pop — but even so, two or three Gary Burt sporting the long hair and beard he’s been growing since the worse financially disadvantaged when they put their of those a week and you’re retired beginning of the pandemic.