Ivor Royston has more jobs right now than some people have in a lifetime.
He’s an oncologist, scientist, entrepreneur and Broadway producer. On top of all that, he co-founded the first biotech company in town.
In this week’s Q&A feature, Royston tells us about the links between science and art, San Diego’s place on the biotech map and, oh yes, his Tony award.
In Other News:
• Our office is in Liberty Station, the former Naval Training Center. We’re one of the non-profits housed here, where there are still plenty of buildings that haven’t been renovated yet for planned arts and culture uses. It turns out that there’s a long way to go: seven buildings are done, nearly full with 42 organizations and artists’ studios, and there are 19 more to go.
Elsewhere:
• In the U-T: “The Toyota Motor Corp. and relatives of the Mark Saylor family have agreed to settle a lawsuit stemming from a crash car in Santee last summer that killed four people, including a California Highway Patrol officer.”
Etc.:
• The winner of yesterday’s history trivia challenge is William A. Hall, a board member of the San Diego Fleet Week Foundation. He correctly identified Benjamin Harrison as the first president to stay at the Hotel Del Coronado while in office.
The hotel says Harrison “received a send-off at the ferry slip, serenaded by the Coronado Band, which a local newspaper reported could ‘vie with any band in the country in discoursing good music.’”
I shall now discourse the week in review.
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What We’ve Learned This Week:
An Artless Stand: Mayor Jerry Sanders wants to kill public art funding in certain city renovation and construction projects. He says public safety is a higher priority.
Ad-Free Zone: San Diego schools won’t be plastering advertising all over the place (at least in middle and high schools) to bring in extra money.
No Vacancy? Here, Not So Much: San Diego seems to have a reputation as a city with lots of vacant lots, and locals are giving us some insight into their potential (and their eyesore-ness).
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Fact Check Roundup: A council candidate lets loose with a whopper. So does the former head of editorials at the U-T.
President-a-Palooza: We can’t prove that JFK declared the segment of Route 163 (it wasn’t called that then) through Balboa Park to be the prettiest highway he’d ever seen. But he was here for a 1963 visit, and an estimated 250,000 people saw him. Our story recaps that day.
At least 14 presidents have been to San Diego while in office, but the current one hasn’t dropped by yet. Dear Mr. President: AHEM!
By the way, I’m still looking for your anecdotes about presidential visits to San Diego.
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The Coffee Collection (stories to savor of a cup of soy chai with a sprinkle of nutmeg, but just a sprinkle mind you, don’t go all crazy or anything):
Grade K Isn’t for Sissies: Things are getting tougher for kindergartners and those who teach them. We tell you how educators are trying to level the playing field while meeting new standards about what the kids should learn.
Graffiti for All (Jail Not Included): A project in southeastern San Diego allows people to paint graffiti without the pesky matter of breaking the law. Make sure to check out our audio slideshow for this story.
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The Great Debate: San Diego’s future will be on the line in November when voters will decide whether to raise their taxes if the city fixes the way it spends money.
Supporters say it’s the best way to prevent a financial Armageddon that could devastate police and fire protection among many other city services. Opponents warn of a giant boondoggle that will hurt businesses.
Which side are you on? Let us help you figure it out. We’re holding a debate on Prop. D — the financial reform/sales tax hike measure — on Sept. 30. Councilmen Todd Gloria and Kevin Faulconer will take the pro and con sides.
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Quote of the Week: “I’m not tied to any special interests.” — District 8 City Council candidate David Alvarez. We called his claim false, but some commenters say we shouldn’t have fact-checked it in the first place.
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Please contact Randy Dotinga directly at randydotinga@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter: twitter.com/rdotinga.