Memorial Day 2018, Penultimate Primary Push, Convention Center Deals and more: San Diego Summarized | 5-28-18
Welcome to San Diego Summarized where each week we examine headlines from around the city:
This week we begin and end by remembering our veterans who gave their lives in service to this country. Memorial Day 2018 falls on May 28th and for the 4th consecutive year, the Memorial Day Rose Ceremony will be held Monday morning at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, with nearly 50,000 red roses being laid in honor of fallen heroes as part of the annual Truman San Diego Memorial Day Sunrise Rose Ceremony.
Created from the personal tribute of one veteran paying his respects, the ceremony has since become an annual tradition.
“Three or four years before I got out of the Navy, I started bringing roses at sunrise to Fort Rosecrans, just as my personal way of remembering,” said Sean Van Diver, the founder of the Memorial Day Rose Ceremony.
“We started with a thousand roses and 20 people; the next year was 140 people and 6,000 roses; last year we had 30,000 roses, 5 wreaths and 1,000 people,” said Van Diver.
Enjoy the day off. Enjoy the beaches, the libraries, the bars and the breweries. Enjoy life in San Diego, and remember those who are no longer with us.
The Voice of San Diego put together this great primer for the upcoming June 5th primary election.
Last week was the deadline to register to vote in the San Diego primary, and candidates are into the final stretch of their primary races. Jordan Beane, a City Council contestant for San Diego’s 2nd District joined me on the Chronicles of San Diego Podcast this past week for a chat regarding the issues he sees as most pressing.
Remember that pre-election legal guidance that the San Diego City Attorney’s office sought out regarding the two citizens initiatives set for the November ballot? Turns out, other people also recognized the truth hidden in the release issued by the office. The City Attorney is attempting to have BOTH initiatives thrown off the ballot altogether.
On the latest Voice of San Diego Podcast, hosts Sarah Libby, Andy Keatts and Scott Lewis discuss exactly what the Attorney is up to.
In recent times the office of the City Attorney has become more and more political. The actions of Mara Elliott with regard to the SoccerCity and SDSU West initiatives in particular seem to support the idea that Elliott is wielding the influence of her office to derail SoccerCity. The arguments made in the lawsuits that are aimed at removing both initiatives from the ballot are valid, but one wonders why they are coming now and not in any of the previous communications and analysis that have come before.
The podcast hosts also touch on the big scoop that VoSD had this week with details of the $32 million deal that the City and Port are reportedly close to reaching with the 5th Avenue Landing folks that will enable the long-awaited expansion of the convention center. IF that ballot measure passes in November.
Take a moment to appreciate what we have in this city and in this country. It certainly isn't perfect, but it could be significantly worse. Happy Memorial Day.
