Bob Filner, six months out

Only results will silence recall talk

Sure, Filner has had his share of victories—but they’ve come typically in the courtroom or City Council chambers, where most San Diegans dare not enter. But tangible, visible evidence of a progressive shift in a burgeoning Democratic town? Meh, not so much.

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Wednesday, May 8,2013
Spin Cycle

Nathan and the giant pitch

The blowup over Citizen Fletcher’s switch to the Democratic Party

By John R. Lamb

Fletcher also wrote that he watched former President Bill Clinton’s Democratic National Convention speech three times “trying to find something I disagreed with. I couldn’t. It was clear—at least to me—that I was a Democrat.”

Monday, April 29,2013
Spin Cycle

Plaza de Filner

Will the mayor's quicker, cheaper plan for Balboa Park's core fly?

By John R. Lamb

After Mayor Bob Filner had finished unveiling his proposal to rid Balboa Park’s Plaza de Panama of parked cars by Memorial Day, one stunned local resident queried: “Are you talking about all of this happening this Memorial Day, or 2014?” “Next month!” Filner boomed from his seat.

Wednesday, April 24,2013
Spin Cycle

A hurdle for Myrtle

District 4 runners-up hop on the Dwayne Train

By John R. Lamb

When the primary dust had settled, local labor’s sweetheart, Myrtle Cole, found herself with more than twice as many votes as her nearest competitor, San Diego Pride executive director and community activist Dwayne Crenshaw.

Wednesday, April 10,2013
Spin Cycle

Reclaiming Balboa Park

Let’s start the conversation, post-Jacobs Plan

By John R. Lamb

Over beers and the occasional shot of whiskey, urban designer Howard Blackson and Australian-born transplant Pauly De Bartolo, began brainstorming about ways to reconnect Balboa Park to its truncated past.

Sunday, March 31,2013
News

Filner wants anti-Cole mailer investigated

But not by City Attorney Goldsmith

By John R. Lamb

"Any person who uses or allows to be used any reproduction or facsimile of the seal… of a local government agency in any campaign literature or mass mailing… with intent to deceive the voters, is guilty of a misdemeanor."

Wednesday, March 27,2013
Spin Cycle

Victory for the San Diego GOP!

Granted, it comes at community-planning level

By John R. Lamb

Imagine a Republican Party victory in San Diego these days minus fanfare. No chest thumping on social media from local party chairman Tony Krvaric that the end days are approaching for “socialists” and “union stooges.”

Wednesday, March 13,2013
Spin Cycle

San Diego, the ‘blank slate’ city

Esteemed panel confronts our collective identity woes

By John R. Lamb

Before a not-quite-capacity crowd at Balboa Park’s Mingei International Museum one evening last week, an artist, architect, scholar and urban designer shared a couch and their thoughts on San Diego’s ongoing struggle with its identity.

Wednesday, February 27,2013
Spin Cycle

Five more District 4 hopefuls

The other City Council candidates you should know

By John R. Lamb

On March 26, voters in the City Council’s District 4 will choose the successor to Tony Young, who’s resigned. That decision will determine, at least on paper, the partisan slant of the supposedly nonpartisan council.

Wednesday, February 13,2013
Spin Cycle

An open letter to Irwin Jacobs

Rise above the surprise

By John R. Lamb

“Never let defeat have the last word.” —Tibetan Proverb