Slimmer mayor credits walks, workouts, diet
Oct. 11 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
We have the Oprah diet, the Pritikin diet, the Jenny Craig diet. Now, enters the Jerry Sanders diet . . .
Along with the city's budget, San Diego's mayor has become noticeably slimmer since the first of the year. In fact, he has lost more than six inches in his waist and between 40 and 50 pounds (he's not exactly sure because he doesn't weigh himself) in the past 10 months. He didn't have his stomach stapled or cinched. Nor did he switch to NutriSystem prefab food.
More Diane Bell Columns
Oct. 9 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Couple's landfill search turns up precious metal: Let's talk trash. Debbie Roth and her husband, Jim, saw plenty of it the other day when they sifted through garbage at the Miramar Landfill for Debbie's lost wedding ring.
Oct. 7 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Hotel, travel company help lesbian couples get hitched: Friday was a marathon wedding day for about 200 brides – with nary a bridegroom in sight.
Oct. 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Boater smacked by fish was in hospital a week: Lalo Rojas, 59, laughs painfully: “I caught a fish with my face.” He was the boater mentioned in my Tuesday column who was smacked in the face by a mullet that literally jumped into his jet boat as he rode near De Anza Cove last month.
Oct. 2 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Reader's Digest lauds local hero who rescued 3: Jim Grant never expected to be a hero. Last Dec. 11, however, he unexpectedly became one.
Sept. 30 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Mission Bay produces tall but true fish tales: You need only consult The Log newspaper for evidence that truth is stranger than fiction this month – at least in local boating and fishing circles.
Sept. 27 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
2 brothers from S.D. in hit shows: Tomorrow will be a banner evening for Hillary and Jason Cotton. The Spring Valley couple's two sons, Maxwell, 8, and Mason, 6, have roles in back-to-back hit series on ABC.
Sept. 25 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Did police read him his rights?: In a scene reminiscent of the movie “Annie Hall,” Shawna Standoff screamed when she saw a cockroach in her North Park condo.
Sept. 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Historic inn forced to close is selling its antique wares: Lights out. The historic Heritage Park Inn in Old Town has lost its lease and closed its doors. The final overnight guests checked out last Tuesday.
Sept. 20 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Trio of surfboard savers did it without a script: Ocean Beach plays a starring role in a new Friday night TV series, “The Ex List,” which debuts on CBS Oct. 3.
Sept. 18 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Jamul dad and kids share a 'Wild Kingdom' moment: Tom Studebaker was driving his two young daughters to their home in Jamul when he spotted something moving slowly onto Lyons Valley Road in front of them.
Sept. 16 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Fire station provides safe delivery for laboring mom: Since May, county fire stations have been designated as “Safely Surrendered Baby” sites, where a person can surrender a newborn baby without repercussions.
Sept. 13 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
VP nominee recalled as spunky sportscaster: It wasn't until a couple of months ago that Escondido resident John Hernandez realized he knew Sarah Palin.
Sept. 11 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Family to read Sept. 11 names: I pray to God in Heaven That heroes never die. Someone brave must lead the way so others may survive.
Sept. 9 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Monarch School gives up cafe to help more students: The good news is that Monarch School, which serves about 400 homeless students each year, opened its downtown San Diego doors to its first class of second-graders last week.
Sept. 6 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Port offers naming rights to terminal - for a price: While the city of San Diego is backing away from the concept of selling naming rights to its new City Hall complex as undignified, the Port District is happy to put a name on its proposed cruise ship terminal, thank you.
Sept. 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Carpenter helps rebuild on 'working vacations': For the past five years, union carpenter Richard Lindsey has dedicated his annual vacation to building projects for others.
Aug. 30 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Al Gore to visit to stump for Bilbray's opponent: The Democratic Party is bringing out the big artillery to push the candidacy of Nick Leibham. He's the 34-year-old North County attorney who they hope will beat incumbent Republican Rep. Brian Bilbray in District 50, a traditional Republican stronghold.
Aug. 28 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Care-giving clan adopts young sailor's grave site: Every Saturday since his wife's funeral 18 months ago, Archie Liston, with his daughter and granddaughter, visits Greenwood Memorial Park to tend to her grave, along with the graves of other family members.
Aug. 26 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Proposal in the cards; a friend is remembered: It was a gamble that San Diegan Anthony Wen decided was worth taking. He proposed to his girlfriend, Sylvia Sedano, at Valley View Casino while playing a game of chance.
Aug. 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Former S.D. lawmaker has role at convention: From her seat on the Democratic Party's credentials committee, former San Diego Congresswoman Lynn Schenk will help end the debate over whether delegates from Florida and Michigan will get a full vote during next week's Democratic National Convention in Denver.
Aug. 21 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
'Official' tax letter isn't really: A Los Angeles firm contacted the wrong person when it sent an official-looking property tax reassessment letter to Jim Madaffer.
Aug. 19 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
ABC show reveals 'Mole' as local graphic designer: Craig Slike is officially a mole. Slike was planted among a group of TV reality show contestants to quietly sabotage their efforts to win the show. Slike's secret role was revealed last week in ABC's final episode of this season's “The Mole.”
Aug. 16 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Water, water not where it was supposed to be: Was a museum ghost at work? When San Diego Natural History Museum curators arrived at the exhibit “Water: A California Story” on Thursday morning, they found water – one to two inches deep – that wasn't supposed to be there.
Aug. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Democrats, colleagues lend councilman support: Tuesday was a great day for Steve Castañeda. Castañeda is the Chula Vista councilman who was acquitted in April of perjury charges related to accusations that he used his position to seek free rent or a reduced price on a condominium.
