SAN DIEGO — Broadcaster Ted Leitner is one of the 52 “most influential sports figures” selected by the U-T, and in a profile story, writer Stefanie Loh reports that Leitner prides himself for keeping his cool while doing Padres play-by-plays. “I’m not a screamer,” he told her. “I try to have as much enthusiasm in my voice for these teams without going nuts. I hate the ones that go nuts.”
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San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and her June 3 election opponents Terri Wyatt and Bob Brewer were profiled by U-T court reporter Kristina Davis. While Dumanis was putting herself through law school, she worked as a clerk in the D.A.’s office, then went on to become a deputy D.A., municipal court judge and superior court judge. After Dumanis was sworn in as the D.A., she typed out a message to her staff of prosecutors, to remember that “the clerk helping in your division today may be your boss tomorrow.”
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Although former Mayor Bob Filner pled guilty to a felony and two misdemeanors in last year’s sexual harassment scandal, the U-T’s David Garrick reports the City Council could not have removed him from office had Filner declined to resign as part of his plea bargain. On Monday, the City Council will consider whether the City Charter should be amended—as the county Grand Jury has suggested – to provide for automatic removal of public officials found guilty of crimes involving moral turpitude.
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San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman had a sit-down with the U-T’s editorial board, telling its members that since being appointed as the city’s top cop she has told her officers to “look at the words written on the doors of our police cars. It does not say, ‘San Diego’s Finest.’ It says ‘America’s Finest.’ That’s a high standard. We are going to meet that high standard….”
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Left-handed pitcher Max Fried, recovering from a sore forearm, was clocked at 93 miles per hour the other day. The U-T’s Jeff Sanders reports that Fried is expected to formally begin his competitive career soon, either at the Padres’ Single-A Fort Wayne farm club or high Single-A Lake Elsinore farm club.
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Pianist Kirill Gerstein, appearing with the San Diego Symphony, put his own spin on Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3, according to U-T reviewer James Chute. The result was that the orchestra, under the baton of Jahja Ling, never seemed to catch up with Gerstein’s tempo. Nevertheless, Gerstein’s high energy interpretation brought the crowd to its feet.
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Jeff and Sheila Lipinsky were among the guests at a fundraiser for Mama’s Kitchen, at which some 60 restaurants set up food booths in an annual delight for gourmets at the Hyatt Regency at Aventine. Photojournalist Vincent Andrunas reported in the U-T that nearly 700 people attended, netting $190,000 for the non-profit organization that delivers meals to AIDS and cancer victims.
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In Memoriam—Sigrid Jutta (Rowelsky) Fischer, 93, (11/23/1920-05.14.2014) was an active member of the San Diego Jewish Community, according to the sponsored obituary notice in the U-T. Her philanthropy extended to Seacrest Village Retirement Communities, the Lawrence Family JCC, Jewish Family Service, Jewish Federation of San Diego County, and Congregation Beth Israel. Leaving Nazi Germany in 1938, she migrated to Northern Rhodesia (current day Zambia), married Jack Fischer, parented daughters who were to become Diane Hickman, Sylvia Geffen and Susan Morris, and was designated the first Mayoress of Lusaka, in which position she and Jack (the first Mayor) entertained the Queen Mother Elizabeth. After moving to La Jolla, she became the proprietor of “Sigrid’s” dress store.
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In Memoriam—Melvin Wilner (12/30/1924-04/26/2014), according to a sponsored obituary notice in the U-T, ran the Wilner Construction Company, was active as a Mason and Shriner; was a World War II Purple Heart veteran and Prisoner-of-War. He was predeceased by his wife of 51 years, Joyce Levinson, and by a daughter Barbara Jinkerson. Surviving children are Steve Wilner, Marcy Montag and Larry Wilner.
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The staff of San Diego Jewish World knows many—but not all—members of the Jewish community of San Diego County. If you or other community members have made the news, please message us the details at donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com. Together we can create a diary of our community that will be useful to future historians of the San Diego Jewish experience.