PB graffiti clean up Volunteers are needed for graffiti clean up day 9 a.m. to noon on April 28. Volunteers receive training and supplies to clean up graffiti in areas throughout Pacific Beach. Every year, volunteers remove hundreds of graffiti tags and make a positive difference in the community. Students may earn community service hours (under 18 must have waiver signed by parent). This event is made possible by contributions from local businesses and residents and the Pacific Beach Presbyterian Church, 1675 Garnet Ave. To donate or for more information, visit pbtowncouncil.org or call 858-483-6666. Kiwanis Club benefit PB Kiwanis Club is holding its fundraising dinner at Pernicano's Pizza House, at 711 Turquoise St., on Thursday, April 26 from 5 to 10 p.m. The donation is $12 per person for a spaghetti dinner!  Community cleanup in Mission Bay Join I Love A Clean San Diego as they team up with Councilmember Lorie Zapf for a community cleanup from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, May 12 at Bonita Cove in Mission Beach, at 1100 W. Mission Bay Drive. Volunteers will remove litter and debris from the area and paint over graffiti as well. There will be cleanup supplies, snacks, and water. I Love A Clean San Diego will also provide community service hours and letters of appreciation for volunteers. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own reusable items such as water bottles, work gloves, and buckets to promote zero waste practices. All volunteers are required to fill out a waiver form to participate and anyone under the age of 18 needs a waiver signed by their parent or guardian. Walk for Animals This area is noted for the enlightenment of its pet communities – and on Saturday, May 5, an annual San Diego County Humane Society fundraising dog-walk is expected to draw more than 3,000 participants and volunteers whose support helps fuel that reputation. The Walk for Animals consists of a two-mile stroll around NTC Park at Point Loma’s Liberty Station, 2455 Cushing Road (a half-mile course has been set aside for dogs and owners who prefer a shorter trail). It begins at 9 a.m., with registration, breakfast and opening ceremonies starting at 7 a.m. Families and children are welcome. Proceeds will help fund the humane society’s lifesaving programs and services, including shelter, adoptions, veterinary care, humane law enforcement, emergency rescue and behavior and training on behalf of the 30,000 animals expected to come into the humane society’s care this year. Registration fees range from $10 to $40. Further information is available at support.sdhumane.org or at 619-243-3469.  Serving San Diego County since 1880, the humane society operates campuses in San Diego, Escondido and Oceanside. It is a private nonprofit, not affiliated with any other humane society or the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. It receives no government funding and is supported solely by contributions, grants, bequests, investments, proceeds from its retail store and small service fees. Crawfish cookouts Pacific Beach Fish Shop’s Crawfish Cookout dates are Tuesday, April 24; Wednesday, May 8 and Tuesday, May 22; and Wednesday, June 5 and Tuesday, 19. The venue is at 1775 Garnet Ave. The number is 858-483-1008. Beginning at 3 p.m. and lasting until the food’s gone, traditional Louisiana crawfish will be served by the pound, with corn on the cob, red potatoes and andouille sausage and local craft beer in bottles or on draft.  Established in 2010, Pacific Beach Fish Shop features 50 microbrews and allows customers to tote their own wine inside, with no corkage fee. PB restaurant walk set for May 22 There’s only one thing more monotonous than a Tuesday, and that’s vegetables – or so the saying goes. Discover Pacific Beach, the neighborhood’s business district, has had it up to here with that kind of talk – accordingly, it will host the Coast of Pacific Beach Restaurant Walk Tuesday, May 22, from 4 to 9 p.m., featuring coastal cuisine choices from participating restaurants west of Dawes Street to the coastline. This self-guided event will be vegetarian friendly, and eateries that offer a vegetarian option will have special notice on the map. Tickets are $25 online now and $30 on the day of the event. Will-call will be set up at the PB farmer’s market, corner of Garnet Avenue and Bayard Street, starting at 3 p.m. the day of the event. For more information, see pacificbeach.org or call (858) 273-3303. Hands Across the Sand Hands Across the Sand, a coalition of organizations, activists and citizens around the world that brings the message of clean oceans to local and world leaders, will hold an event at 3105 Ocean Front Walk, Mission Beach from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 19. Founded in 2010, Hands Across the Sand grew into an international movement after the BP oil disaster in April of that year. People came together to join hands, forming symbolic barriers against spilled oil and to stand against the impacts of other forms of extreme energy. Eight years later, there’s a rising tide of grassroots activism demanding that the U.S. and the world ends the expansion of offshore oil drilling. For more information, visit handsacrossthesand.org or the local group’s Facebook page, Hands Across the Sand – Mission Bay. Launchit named finalist LaunchIt Public Relations, a Pacific Beach provider of public and industry relations services to transportation technology suppliers, has been named a finalist in the 2018 Public Relations and Marketing Excellence Award program by the Business Intelligence Group. The award identifies leading agencies that delivered quantifiable business results for their clients. The program, judged by business executives as opposed to their firms, uses a scoring system that measures performance across multiple business domains. Since 2000, LaunchIt has been representing technology companies as it seeks to increase visibility of their products and services in the North American trucking industry. In 2018, it joined the Stryker-Munley Group, a consortium of public relations and marketing professionals with more than 20 years’ experience in their respective industries. It maintains ten offices in cities from Los Angeles to New York, including San Diego. For more information, launchitpr.com. Poll workers needed for June 5 election Poll workers, especially those who are bilingual in any one of six specific languages, are needed for the June 5 Gubernatorial Primary Election. The Registrar’s office is required by federal law to provide bilingual speakers and voting materials to voters who speak Spanish, Filipino, Vietnamese and Chinese. In addition, a survey conducted by the University of California, Berkeley showed a need for speakers of Arabic and Korean at just under 90 precincts across the county so the Registrar’s office is also recruiting poll workers who are bilingual in those languages. To become a poll worker, applicants must be a U.S citizen and registered to vote in California, or lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States. Poll workers must have transportation to their assigned polling location, access to the internet to take an online training and attend a two-hour class in person. Poll workers receive a stipend ranging from $100 to $175 depending on the assignment, and those who are bilingual receive an additional $15 if they are assigned to provide language assistance to voters. Apply online at sdvote.com. For more information, call 858-565-5800 or email pollworker@sdcounty.ca.gov. CEO awards The Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine will host a Most Admired CEO awards program on Thursday, June 7 at 4 p.m. an exclusive reception to honor the winners and finalists. The event, held every year by the San Diego Business Journal, is designed to recognize local business leaders’ achievements within their companies and in the community. The nomination deadline is April 22. Nomination forms and tickets are online at sdbj.com/bizevents. Tickets include admission to a no-host bar and a n evening of hors d’oeuvres. Judges will select winners in the publicly and privately traded company categories as well as in the nonprofit, government agency, family-owned business and education areas. The Hyatt Regency is located at 3777 La Jolla Village Drive. Further information is available at 858-277-6695.

Pacific Beach AleHouse, celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, is truly both a brewery and a restaurant. “We are really 50-50,” said Pacific Beach AleHouse general manager Johnny Leal. “We do focus on food. That’s a big part of what we do. It is brewery food, burgers, tacos, and flatbreads – correlating to what a brewery is doing.” Leal said AleHouse’s menu succeeds because it takes its food seriously. “We hire chefs, we don’t hire kitchen managers,” he said. “The menu we have, changes up seasonally. We make everything here except our bread. Everything’s fresh. We get produce dropped off seven days a week.”  Eric Leitstein is founder/CEO of OMG Hospitality Group, which includes PB AleHouse and Backyard Kitchen & Tap. He previously operated now-defunct ‘Canes in Belmont Park.  Did the restaurateur ever doubt, when he purchased the restaurant site at 721 Grand Ave. from Harry Taylor a decade ago, that it would be successful? “Not at all,” Leitstein answered. “I never doubted, with our team, that we would still be here in 10 years.”   Leitstein’s optimism stems in part from his passion for the food-bar business. “I love Pacific Beach and the evolution of its restaurants and bars,” he said, adding he only invests in businesses “that fit in with the community.” Leitstein praised the PB community for “embracing the Alehouse, [once] the only brewery down at the beach.” Leal said the restaurant’s clientele is “different by the day, different by the time of day,” including everyone from the “twenty-somethings” you’d expect at a beach bar to families.  “Our mentality is we are a family restaurant all the time,” Leal said. “At 10 p.m., we’re not. That’s when it turns into the nightlife. But we’re going to cater to families.” Family is the word Leitstein uses to characterize PB AleHouse. Leal concurs, offering an example of how “family” helps one another out. He spoke of one employee uncertain about their future who expressed interest in joining the military but kept putting it off. Leal himself finally took him around to military recruiting offices and the employee chose the Army. He said that employee later returned to thank him for “changing his life.” Leitstein said the restaurant business in PB is changing for the better. “It used to be you couldn’t go out to eat at a really good restaurant or have a cocktail, but now you have lots of decent restaurants with great menus,” he said. “Now PB is not just a mecca for party revelers, but is a big part of the San Diego culinary scene.” Good service, having a quality product and being friendly to people topped the list of Leal’s keys to restaurant success.  “I think a lot of people have gotten away from that over the years,” he concluded.  Pacific Beach Alehouse What: 721 Grand Ave. Hours: Mondays to Fridays 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., Saturdays and Sundays 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. Hoppy hour: Mondays to Fridays 3 to 6 p.m. Info: pbalehouse.com.

Walking the dog around Mission Bay Park on a sunny San Diego day seems like a perfect way to enjoy life at the beach. But parading your puppy on the promenade could put a pinch in your pocketbook. Turns out, Mission Bay is the most common spot where dog owners receive tickets for walking the pooch in the park. Dogs are prohibited from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (see sidebar) and a lot of people learn that law the hard way. According to stats compiled by the City, from 2015 to 2017, of 553 citations handed out to dog walkers in San Diego, nearly half – 256 – were issued in Mission Bay Park, with its 24 shoreline miles and 27 parks. The nation’s largest man-made aquatic park, Mission Bay features an abundance of paths including a 19-mile, full-bay loop connecting several neighborhoods, perfect for long walks with your four-legged friend. Balboa Park was runner-up to Mission Bay with 145 dog-walking citations in two years. Ocean Beach was a distant third with 84. Fourth- and fifth-place went, respectively, to Kate Sessions Park, 42, and La Jolla Cove/Shores, 26. Citations were for numerous causes including dogs off-leash and walking in prohibited areas. Some Mission Bay Park areas allow dogs on-leash only. Others, like Fiesta Island, are leash-free. Some areas do not allow dogs at all. City guidelines for legal dog-walking may seem strict to some. Service animals aside, it’s illegal to walk dogs during the day at all city beaches, which extends to all of Mission Bay, including all boardwalks, grassy parks and paved paths. The only two exceptions are Ocean Beach Dog Park and Fiesta Island, designated off-leash areas. The dog-walking prohibition in most San Diego public parks and beaches is not new. It’s been in place for 30 years due to public complaints about dogs threatening safety. Prime time for people being out in the City’s beaches and parks is daytime. Hence, the diurnal dog-walking restriction. Of course, no one enjoys being ticketed for anything, dog walking included. The Beach & Bay Press solicited accounts from beachfront residents concerning how, where, and why they received canine-walking citations. “I had put my [mini schnauzer] in the front basket of my bicycle riding with my daughter,” said PB resident JD. “A ranger stopped me on foot and said I could not pass through with a dog, even in the basket. She was close to giving me a ticket, but gave me a warning. I’m mad. My daughter thinks we can’t go places with our dog in a bicycle basket.” Cori Meara bought a bike called a school bus to accommodate their old Basset Hound. “Last April, we were stopped by a park ranger who wrote us a ticket for being on the boardwalk during non-dog hours. We told her our dog was technically not on the boardwalk, but inside a bike. She said it didn’t matter. The ticket was $280!”   “I think the regulations around times you can walk your dog are crazy,” said Angela Rowe of PB Plaza. “Walking your dog by the beach is illegal until after 6 p.m. starting April 1. The city should encourage exercising. Instead, it penalizes dog owners.” From the “other” side, Devin, a trauma center employee, and PB father of two young girls, said, “Leash and dog laws exist to protect both the dog and the public.”  Citing one example, Devin said: “It is the illegal off-leash use that makes the Kate Sessions’ hill unsafe for young children. I already know the owner doesn't mind breaking the law. How likely is [the dog] to bite? Knock over my daughter? Obey? Now add another five or 30-plus illegally off-leash dogs. It makes for a stressful, miserable time.”  Devin added that PB has a lot of legal dog-walking/running spots such as Capehart and Fiesta Island (89 acres) where off-leash is legal. Karen and Eric in PB agreed. “The laws are posted and people just disregard them,” the couple emailed. “We [runners] have a child who was bitten by a dog, and we intentionally go out to the parks, beaches and walkways when dogs are not supposed to be there. Every single time we go out people are disregarding the laws.”   PB resident Steve Kovack says he sees more serious violations than dog walkers along the beach and bay – such as alcohol use, smoking, and littering – with no enforcement. “I was given a warning on a weekday afternoon for walking my dog at Paradise Point, with no one else in sight,” Kovack said. “Along with the warning, I was provided a copy of the Mission Bay Park rules and regulations, of which there are 19 mentioned. How many tickets are issued to dog owners versus citations for violating many of the other rules?” “Thankfully, I have not received a ticket for walking our well-behaved service dog, however, I do agree with those who would like to see another separate area for dogs to play in Crown Point (instead of the elementary school),” said PB resident Melissa Pratchard. “I love the suggestion about using the dirt and grass area at the opening of the bay, off Crown Point Drive and Lamont Street, as a dog area,” Pratchard said. “Our dogs, just like our children, need places to play.” What are the City rules and regs for walking the dog? Q: What are the laws governing walking dogs along the coast? A: Dogs are not allowed on the beach and in park areas between the hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Nov. 1- March 31 and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from April 1 to Oct. 31. The area includes beaches, bays, parks, cliffs, sidewalks, boardwalks, piers and adjacent parking lots. This also includes having a dog in a crate, purse and a bike carrier/basket. (Service dogs are exempt from the law. Emotional-support dogs are not covered under ADA, so they are not exempt from the law.) • All dogs must be leashed at all times unless it is a dog park like Fiesta Island in Mission Bay or Dog Beach/Dusty Rhodes in Ocean Beach. • You must pick up after your dog.   •  The leash cannot be more than eight feet long. • The leash must be attached to a person.   Q: When, where, is it legal to walk pooches along the bayfront? A: Before 9 a.m. and after 4 p.m. from Nov. 1 to March 31 and before 9 a.m. and after 6 p.m. April 1 to Oct. 31. Dogs are allowed anytime at designated dog parks including Fiesta Island, Dog Beach and Dusty Rhodes.   Q: What are the most common infractions? What are the penalties for those infractions? A: Most common infractions include dogs off leash, dogs in the park during the restricted hours, and not picking up after dogs. Regarding penalties, these laws are considered “wobblers” and can be cited as either an infraction or a misdemeanor and include a notice to appear in court. The judge ultimately decides the amount of the fine, but fines typically start at about $250 per violation.   Q: Who enforces dog-walking regulations? A: A number of agencies can enforce regulations, including San Diego Park Rangers, County Animal Control, San Diego Police Department and San Diego Lifeguards.