ANCIENT ART FORM ALIVE IN PACIFIC BEACH Your Clairemont/Bay-Ho Specialist BODY ART THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES Ronan Harvey, owner of the King’s Head Tattoo on Garnet Avenue, is a prac- titioner of the ancient art Contact your Neighborhood agent for buying or selling form of tattooing dating Vicki Dutch-Jones SFR (619) 723-7010 back to at least 6000 [email protected] www.VickiDutchJones.com CABRE # 01384539 B.C. in South America. Page 3 SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER GROUP THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 2014 BEACHANDBAYPRESS.COM Grant breathes life into PB/Clairemont transit station By DAVE SCHWAB The city has received a $787,000 state grant to begin devel- oping a specific-plan area (SPA) for the region surrounding the proposed Balboa Avenue Transit Station that would slice through Pacific Beach and Clairemont. The grant for the new station, which would be located just east of Interstate 5 and south of Balboa Avenue, seeks to increase bicycle, pedestrian and transit access to the station. Residents of Pacific Beach and Clairemont are being engaged to produce the plan and an implementation program that would address transportation demand, economic market anal- ysis, urban design concepts and multimodal improvement pro- jects. The grant award was hailed by Pacific Beach Planning Group chair Brian Curry as a major step forward for local planning. “This transportation-oriented district (TOD) is a critical piece SeaWorld launches latest installment of our long-term sustainable design plan for Pacific Beach,” said Curry. “The combination of this $787,000 grant and the city’s contribution totals around $900,000 for this planning pro- of popular ‘Summer Nights’ celebration cess.” School is nearly out and San Diegans are gearing up for Guests can purchase a SeaWorld one-year member- the 2014 installment of “Summer Nights at SeaWorld.” ship, which allows repeat admission for an entire year, Guests can enjoy all their favorite park attractions by plus free parking and discounts on food and merchandise. SEE GRANT >> PG. 4 day and then hang out for a whole new park after dark. The membership cost is $145 for all ages. The new DJ-hosted nighttime killer-whale show, During “Summer Nights at SeaWorld,” guests may “Shamu’s Celebration: Light Up the Night,” will have also enjoy the park’s new fireworks display, “Celebrate the guests dancing and cheering through the night. Silly sea Wonder,” which caps off an evening full of nighttime lions and mischievous otters will have visitors laughing animal shows, plus the park’s 320-foot Skytower Flag of Slow going, but testament with delight as the animals wreak havoc onstage at “Sea Lights, which is decked out in red, white and blue lights Lions Tonite.” from dusk to midnight through Sept. 1. Then, as the evening comes to a crescendo, SeaWorld’s Fireworks display times in the summer vary according to tortoises in love By DAVE SCHWAB new fireworks display, “Celebrate the Wonder,” will light to park hours. up the night’s sky. The marine park’s summertime extrav- For park hours, show schedules or to purchase tickets Advertising through aganza is in high gear and continues June 7-8, June 14- to skip the ticket line at the park, visit SeaWorld- social networking Aug. 17, Aug. 23-24, and Aug. 30–Sept. 1. SanDiego.com, or call (800) 257-4268. couldn’t have been more convenient for Judy Dryden of North Pacific Beach. Now, Against all odds: a triumph of spirit By DAVE SCHWAB thanks to Nextdoor.- com, Charlie and Ms. In 1986, former triathlete Malcolm have a “time Kirk Kennedy was struck by a out” pen. car while training on his bicycle Dryden, a longtime and suffered a traumatic brain Pacific Beach resident, injury that left him in a coma was in a pickle as to for more than two months. how to separate her two Twenty-eight years later, his amorous tortoises. mental toughness and person- “He (Charlie) would- al resolve has led to his being n’t leave her alone, and selected as a recipient of Sharp she’s tired,” complained SHELLING OUT SOME LOVE Judy HealthCare Foundation’s 24th Dryden of her slow- Dryden holds Ms. Malcolm with a annual “Victories of Spirit” motion pets who are mother’s love, noting it’s impossible to event that celebrates the power “still inclined” despite keep her male tortoise, Charlie, away of physical rehabilitation and being a century or more from Ms. Malcolm. Photo by Dave Schwab the strength of the human spir- old. it. Dryden’s Nextdoor ad worked unbelievably well, she noted Held May 30, the event, held recently, gesturing toward a wire-mesh pen in her backyard — WALL OF HEALING After at the Manchester Grand Hyatt a respondent to her Nextdoor ad built the enclosure to separate 28 years of rehabilitation and San Diego, honors extraordi- the two. WINNING SPIRIT Kirk Kennedy, a former triathlete, suf- finding inner strength, Kennedy fered a major head trauma after being struck on his bicy- nary individuals and commu- has found the healing power of Dryden inherited Charlie from her father and later found him cle in 1986. He has striven to rebound and now serves as creating wall hangings and an inspiration to others for his spirit and resilience. other outlets to triumph over Photo by Dave Schwab SEE TRIUMPH >> PG. 2 tragedy. Photo by Dave Schwab SEE TORTOISES >> PG. 5 THURSDAY · JUNE 12, 2014 2 BEACH & BAY PRESS News others because he had full health Planners continue fine-tuning TRIUMPH >> insurance through his job, which CONT. FROM PG. 1 “It was just baby helped immensely with finances vision for PB’s future By DAVE SCHWAB steps to see what during his recovery. “You only get a limited amount of Local visionaries tackled the lat- aimed at making the area more nity organizations for their inspira- his function was help from disability and Social Secu- est strategies on how to make the environmentally sustainable and tional achievements and contribu- and how he could rity,” she said, noting Kennedy’s hos- beach community more livable, economically viable. tions to others. pital bill was $269,000, a catas- bikable, walkable and less congest- “We’re working together on cre- “The honorees are former reha- live independent- trophic amount to someone ed during the Pacific Beach Plan- ating the framework for a declara- bilitation patients who have over- ly.” unprepared. ning Group’s (PBPG) May 28 tion of cooperation, a document come personal tragedy with courage “Thank God for insurance,” she PHYLLIS SPECHT meeting. for all community organizations and strength,” said David Brown of Mother of Kirk Kennedy said. “If not, he would not be in the The community advisory group, and stakeholders to sign their Sharp HealthCare. position he’s in now.” which makes land-use recommen- name to,” said PBPG planner Chris Interviewed at his Pacific Beach “I could walk,” he said. “But I Programs benefiting from 2014 dations to the city, is in the throes of Olson. condominium where he lives unas- couldn’t surf.” Victories of Spirit include: re-creating Pacific Beach by insti- Olson said the declaration of sisted, Kennedy talked about his long Kennedy credits “patience and a • adaptive sports programs, tuting a proposed eco-district con- cooperation would not be a legal road back to recovery, which began lot of determination” as the reasons including adaptive water sports, cept. with rehabilitation, relearning how behind his recovery and self-suffi- wheelchair tennis, quad rugby and An eco-district is a long-range to walk and talk. ciency. wheelchair lacrosse; plan that incorporates methods SEE VISION >> PG. 4 “It was a lot of rehab with a ther- These days, Kennedy’s found a • challenged women’s support ini- apist,” said Kennedy. renewed purpose in life giving back tiative, which provides volunteer and He said he was in intensive reha- to others. He accomplishes that employment opportunities, educa- bilitation for several months after through the homemade pillows and tion and peer-support services to emerging from the coma. wall hangings he makes and donates women living with physical disabil- “It was a relearning period,” said to patients at Children’s Hospital. ities in San Diego; the former bartender, who added his “I’ve given 40 of them to Chil- • traumatic brain-injury support first big goal was simply to live unas- dren’s Hospital,” Kennedy said, programs, which include services sisted. adding some take a month or more like adapted-driving assessment and “It was just baby steps to see what to make. Pointing to a wall hanging training, community integration, his function was and how he could in his home, Kirk said, “That took peer support and mentoring pro- live independently,” said his mother, two months to make.” grams and neuropsychological ser- Phyllis Specht, of the initial phase of Kirk’s mom, a retired clinical lab vices; and Kirk’s long recuperation. technician, said she’s proud of her • General Rehabilitation Fund, Kennedy said mastering simple son and his recuperative spirit and which allows Sharp Rehabilitation tasks like learning how to handle a drive. Services to fund programs and ser- fork and knife was a real challenge at “Most people with serious head vices as needs arise throughout the first. But he relearned. injuries who are hurt both mentally year Part of the process though, and physically — only about 20 per- For more information, visit Kennedy admitted, was also learn- cent of them survive,” she said. www.sharp.com/rehab. ing to live with additional limita- Specht said her son’s tragic acci- tions. dent should serve as an example to Point Loma, Pacific Beach, La Jolla Simply Put, a Better Real Estate Experience For Buyers, For Sellers & For Agents “See for yourself” 858-200-0087 or [email protected] 3455 Ingraham St., Pacific Beach, CA 92109 BRELIC #01400742 THURSDAY · JUNE 12, 2014 News BEACH & BAY PRESS 3 Ancient art form is alive in PB By DAVE SCHWAB Ronan Harvey is a printer who works on manuscripts large and small.