09.05.2023

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Today’s Forecast

✈️ Written in plane text

The secret message in Coronado’s sand dunes

If you ever find yourself flying over Coronado Island, it would be very hard to get lost. That’s because there’s a message in the sand — but you can only read it when you’re sky-high.

Coronado written in the sand dunes. — There’s no mistaking Coronado from an aerial view.
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Photo via @joshiespicturepage

The dunes along Central Beach have been arranged to spell “Coronado.”

This formation is sometimes called “Mando’s Dunes,” named for local maintenance worker Armando “Mando” Moreno. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1988, a storm washed tons of kelp ashore, and rather than dispose of it, he piled it atop the sand, forming little dunes. As Moreno collected more kelp and seaweed over the following two years, he organized his mounds to spell the city’s name and topped them with ice plants.

At first, the sand art wasn’t well known because the letters are too large to read from the ground. However, Moreno couldn’t hide the message from everyone. US Navy pilots — and maybe eagle-eyed travelers approaching San Diego International Airport — could read the sandy secret.

The message eventually got out to the masses thanks to Google satellites, and now many can see Moreno’s creation. Fun fact: Local lore surrounds the dunes, like the rumor that a whale was buried in one of the letters, but that’s never been proven.

Despite creating the sand formation, Moreno didn’t get to read it until a local pilot took him on a coastal flight in 2011 and he got a bird’s eye view of his work.

Events

Tuesday, Sept. 5

Escondido Farmers Market | Tuesday, Sept. 5 | 2:30-7 p.m. | Heritage Garden Park, Between Grand Avenue + Juniper Street, Escondido | Free | Buy small, local, and fresh at this weekly North County market.
San Diego Padres vs. Philadelphia Phillies | Tuesday, Sept. 5 | 6:40 p.m. | Petco Park, 100 Park Blvd., San Diego | $34+ | Root for the Padres and score a free Fernando Tatís Jr. bobblehead.
Alex Warren | Tuesday, Sept. 5 | 7 p.m. | House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., San Diego | $18.50 | The famous YouTuber performs his music in downtown SD.

Wednesday, Sept. 6

Cajon Classic Cruise | Wednesday, Sept. 6 | 5-7:30 p.m. | Magnolia and Main streets, El Cajon | Free | Zoom over to this East County car show for “Mustangs Madness” night.
Double Peak Brewing Co. Trivia | Wednesday, Sept. 6 | 6:30 p.m. | Double Peak Brewing Co., 1801 Diamond St., Ste. 101, San Marcos | Free | Answer questions, grab a pint, and win prizes.

Thursday, Sept. 7

Meet-Up: Bravo TV Enthusiasts | Thursday, Sept. 7 | 4-6 p.m. | The Lullabar, 7750 El Camino Real, Ste. 5145-5150, Carlsbad | Free | Watch what happens when you talk about your favorite shows.
Aly & AJ | Thursday, Sept. 7 | 7:30 p.m. | Humphreys Concerts by the bay, 2241 Shelter Island Dr., San Diego | $45-$144 | Watch the “Chemicals React” at the “With Love From Tour 2023.”

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Civic

The City of San Diego is implementing changes to address billing problems for Public Utilities Department customers. This will include leadership changes, enhanced training for staff, and automatic notifications of billing delays. Starting in 2024, the city will also introduce technology to allow customers to handle common tasks online.

Closed

After nearly 15 years in business, El Dorado Cocktail Lounge in downtown San Diego has closed. The bar’s last call came less than a year after it was acquired by the owners of Seven Grand who attempted to refresh the space with a stronger emphasis on its cocktails. (Eater San Diego)

Plan Ahead

Time to start training — the Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series has opened registration for its 2024 San Diego runs. If you plan on going the distance, the marathon (and half marathon) is on Sunday, June 2; prices may increase prior to the event.

Ranked

Two local beaches were named among the best US beaches to spot wildlife. La Jolla Cove ranked No. 1 for having 143.7 unique species per 10 acres. La Jolla Shores was No. 8 with 34.5 species per 10 acres, and was noted for having the greatest variety of marine animals. (HawaiianIslands.com)

Trending

Escondido resident Dre Gordon is ballin’. Despite his short height, the local basketball player is proving “great things come in small packages” by amassing ~5 million views on TikTok. His videos show his incredible scoring skills and have earned him props from NBA stars. (Fox 5)

Development

🚧 Dig in to Waterfront Park

Waterfront Park under construction for the Waterfront Park Active Recreation project.

Construction by the Serpant Tree sculpture at Waterfront Park. — Some things are changing, but this “Serpent Tree” will stay standing.
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Photo by Michael Beausoleil + SDtoday

Last week, city leaders broke ground on a development project that will add new amenities to Waterfront Park — though work to prepare the area had already begun. The $3 million upgrades will redesign a lesser-used portion of the rec space.

The renovation is expected to be open for public use in spring 2024. When it’s done, it will include:

A basketball court
Pickleball courts
A dog park with agility equipment and off-leash spaces
Outdoor exercise stations and a table tennis area
ADA-compliant paths, walkways, and shaded seating

More project details

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Michael

From the editor

Good morning, San Diego. I hope everyone had a wonderful long weekend. I know I did, but I’ll need strong coffee to get through my first day back.

Looking for a recommendation? I suggest HOB Coffee (aka House of Black Coffee) — because with a name like that, you know it’ll be a great spot for a caffeine fix. Check out one of its four San Diego locations.

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