It’s been a pretty rosy week for SeaWorld: Last Friday, its execs revealed big profits for 2013, the San Diego City Council declared March SeaWorld San Diego Month and yesterday, the park capped it all off with a big birthday bash.
Lisa Halverstadt was there, and offers her takeaways on what the park’s celebration says about its response to “Blackfish.” Toni Atkins was there (she declined an interview), and though she didn’t talk about where she’ll land on the so-called Blackfish bill, the fact that she called it “an incredible community asset” and heaped birthday tidings on the park might be telling.
•The Atlantic’s Conor Friedersdorf has been following the Shedd family – aka SeaWorld’s co-founders – and reveals some of what he’s uncovered in a big new spread. The original vision for what became SeaWorld was incredibly ambitious: No one knew whether sharks or killer whales could survive in captivity at the time, let alone perform.
What Should the New CivicSD Prez Do, Exactly?
Civic San Diego is in major limbo, and not just because it’s got a vacancy at the very top and is facing a wider question about its role in the city moving forward.
As Murtaza Baxamusa explains in a commentary, the organization has some big questions to answer regarding how the new president will be appointed, precisely what his or her role will be and what kind of oversight the mayor will have.
Let the Sunshine (and New Reforms) In
To close out Sunshine Week, open gov advocates Donna Frye and Terry Francke of Californians Aware explain why they’re pushing for certain reforms in the City Charter.
They say recent developments like the city’s recent brush with an email purge, and the failed Balboa Park nonprofit’s refusal to make their records public underscore the need for such a move: “Those of us pushing for transparency believe that if the public doesn’t want the paper trail of public accountability to vanish in a year, or stay hidden in the private files of a city contractor or be channeled out of sight in officials’ private emails, San Diegans need charter language that says so.”
Aztecs Are Still Alive – Barely
SDSU will take on North Dakota State later today – after hanging on against No. 13 seed New Mexico State late Thursday.
John Gennaro explains in this week’s Sports Report why he’s approaching the Aztecs’ chances in the Tourney with caution: “As usual, their offense went cold in the second half … and it resulted in a 22-10 run for the Aggies that probably should have cost the Aztecs the game.”
What We Learned This Week
• Whenever it’s written, a retrofit mandate would likely cost a home seller about $2,000 to $3,000.
• The San Diego Opera is closing shop.
• San Diego PD is not in any hurry to release body camera footage.
• At the heart of disputes about SeaWorld are three big moral questions.
• We might be approaching gang intervention wrong.
• Scott Barnett really doesn’t like Kevin Beiser.
• Cory Briggs is holding up a big infrastructure bond.
Quick News Hits
• Local leaders are trying to make a “cyber security cluster” happen. (Associated Press)
• County Supervisor Dave Roberts is forming a resource group for LGBT county workers. “No county funds go the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender group,” the U-T notes. Wonder what this guy thinks.
• The Atlantic makes a strong case for strong mayors.
Quote of the Week
“The cameras on @MarsCuriosity were made in San Diego. You’re welcome, humanity. #mindsmeet #GoSanDiego”
— Jed Sundwall (@jedsundwall), from our Meeting of the Minds event Wednesday. Catch the presentation he’s referring to, and others, here.