FilmOut 2023 Line Up P3
AUGUST 4, 2023 VOLUME 4 ISSUE 19
LGBTQSD.NEWS
>>> NEWS P2
A Brunch for “Swifties”! >>> COMMUNITY P10
The new Hillcrest sign (top) which now boasts 16 million hues, and the 1984 sign, mounted inside Rich’s Nightclub, with the community’s beloved pink neon (Photos by Benny Cartwright)
A sign of celebration Community readies to honor the newest beacon of Hillcrest by Morgan M. Hurley To most who live and work in Hillcrest and its surrounding neighborhoods, CityFest is the end-ofthe-season party; the last big hoorah of the summer. Many call it “Pride Lite,” since it lasts just one day and always falls within a month of our blowout week of Pride festivities every year.
But CityFest is more than just a party. Historically, CityFest has been a celebration of the Hillcrest sign itself, and its various iterations over the many decades the sign has adorned University Avenue between Fourth and Fifth avenues. Some of the Backstory According to research, there have been four different signs to celebrate: The first sign was donated to the community in 1940, by “a group of women shopkeepers” in the business district. Despite their best intentions, the sign came with problems – the wooden posts were unsightly and had to be replaced after community
See HILLCREST BEACON page 4
Brass Rail vibes
>>> DINING P14
Ivy’s Pharmacy to open its doors Namesake owner will provide an enjoyable pharmacy experience by Benny Cartwright
New peek at an old friend >>> PHOTOS P19-20
Pride parties galore
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To most people, visiting a pharmacy to pick up medications is probably nothing more than a typical errand. Some may even think of it as a hassle, opting to order their prescriptions online and having them shipped to their doorstep. But Chula Vista resident Ivy Rooney, a new pharmacy owner who is not new to the business, wants to make sure that visiting the pharmacy is an experience that makes everyone feel valued and respected, and one that they might even enjoy or look forward to. Rooney, along with her business partner Dr. Aram Penaranda, are embarking on opening a brand new local pharmacy in the heart of Hillcrest, Ivy Pharmacy. The pharmacy will move into the space that previously housed AHF San Diego Pharmacy and Health Center on Fourth Avenue, before they moved to a new, larger location on Fifth Avenue. Ivy Pharmacy will be situated in the same building as Being Alive San Diego HIV/AIDS Services, one of the longest-running local non-profit organizations serving people living with HIV/AIDS. Starting in the pharmacy industry in 1991, shortly after graduating high school, Rooney never expected that her life’s work would be in the HIV and pharmacy fields. She got a job that year at University Pharmacy Health Center (which later became Priority Pharmacy) as a file clerk. This was only a few years after AZT drugs were approved by the FDA to treat HIV, but the crisis was still raging, so these pharmacies, especially in Hillcrest, were busy. Eventually, Rooney moved out of her clerk role and became a receptionist, then joined the customer service call center. University Pharmacy Health Center was part of a national network of pharmacies, so she would interact on the phone with customers from all over the country. This was the point where she realized this was the right field for her as she had started to develop friendships with those she would speak with. “I heard all sorts of lived experiences from the people I would assist on the phone,” said Rooney.
A new locally-owned pharmacy is moving into the old AHF San Diego Pharmacy space on Fourth Avenue. (Photo by Benny Cartwright)
“People living with HIV and AIDS were going through some really bad things, especially in places like the MidWest.” Rooney was able to use these conversations to be a friendly voice for people on the other end of the line who may not have any other support network. It was also around this time that Rooney met the late Joy Galloway, who provided services and care to people living with HIV/AIDS from the earliest days. Galloway, who co-owned pharmacies earlier in her career until 1980 and later began consulting, was known for her behind-the-scenes work to make sure anyone in San Diego who needed medication or support could get it. The obituary for Galloway, who passed in 2019, found on legacy.com stated: “It was during this phase where her life’s work as an AIDS caregiver at University/Priority Pharmacy began. The movie ‘The Dallas Buyers Club’ had nothing on her, as she helped ‘Joy’s Kids’ get on the latest meds, get on new and emerging drug trial studies, and in many instances, sat alongside them as they came out to
See IVY’S PHARMACY page 2
SD COUNTY DISTRICT 4 SPECIAL ELECTION Make sure your voice is heard among the 700,000 voters in San Diego County’s Fourth District, regarding the upcoming special election to replace the District 4 supervisor’s seat, which was vacated by Nathan Fletcher earlier this year. District Four cuts a large swath through the county, garnering voters from Clairemont, Bay Park, Hillcrest, City Heights, Encanto, College,Lemon Grove, Spring Valley, Rancho San Diego, La Mesa, etc. All registered voters across this region should have started receiving ballots in their mailbox as early as July 16. Voters can return the ballot via mail, take the ballot to any of the 27 drop-off locations throughout the county, or take it with them as a guide in order to vote in person at one of 14 voting centers on Aug. 15. Voting Centers will be open up to 10 days prior to election day. Four candidates are in the running for the position, including city councilmember Monica Montgomery Steppe, US Marine veteran Janessa Goldbeck (both Democrats), along with Amy Reichert and newcomer Paul McQuigg, both Republicans. With the current board of supervisors divided at two Republicans and two Democrats, this special election is more important than ever. If the final results do not offer a majority for any of the four candidates, a run-off between the two who received the highest number of votes will take place Nov. 7, and the winner of that election will serve the remainder of Fletcher’s term, through January 2027. If you recently moved and missed the deadline to register to vote, you can still show up at a voter center and conditionally register to vote and cast your ballot. Make sure you bring your ID. A list of ballot drop off locations and voting centers can be found here bit.ly/3OoNCI2. For more information about the election in general, visit sdvote.gov. PET ADOPTION EVENT THIS SATURDAY Come grab a delicious brunch and do a little pet shopping this weekend, when Barrio Star Mexican eatery in Bankers Hill hosts a pet adoption event in conjunction with PAWS4Thought Animal Rescue, this Saturday, Aug. 5, from 10 am to 2 pm. PAWS4Thought works to find forever homes for dogs who are abandoned, stray, abused or at-risk in shelters throughout the US and the Tijuana/Rosarito
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