New Muslim center opens Aug. 8

After a year of construction — and years of fundraising and
planning — local Muslims will soon hold religious services and community
events in their new center.

Final touches are being completed on the Muslim Community Center of Greater San Diego at 14698 Via Fiesta in Santaluz.

The almost 200 member families will be celebrating its completion at
a 1:30 p.m. Aug. 8 ceremony for members and invited guests. Its theme
will revolve around openness and being American Muslims, said Anita
Tallman, MCC spokeswoman.

The majority of members live in 4S Ranch, Rancho Bernardo, Poway and
nearby Inland Corridor communities, said Tallman, a 4S Ranch resident.
She added several members recently moved to Santaluz, in part to be
closer to the center.

Rancho Bernardo RSVP leader Marie Graver dies

Rancho Bernardo Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol lost its leader Wednesday, with the death of Marie Graver.

The
Westwood resident died at home in her sleep or while reading, said
police officer Vickie Watkins, San Diego Police Department’s RSVP coordinator.

She was a 2004 Rancho Bernardo Hall of Fame inductee who was going to turn 80 on Aug. 6.

Watkins said RSVP members were shocked to learn of Graver’s passing.

RB update: Barrel Room owners opening ‘gastropub’

Starting Friday evening, a restaurant offering 131 beer varieties will be another dining option in Rancho Bernardo.

Proprietors Grant Tondro, Nate Higson and Zak Higson, the Rancho
Bernardo High graduates who opened The Barrel Room in 2007, will open
their latest endeavor a few dozen feet away at 16761 Bernardo Center
Drive, Suite M1 in The Plaza. It is the former site of a martial arts
studio and Star of Persia restaurant.

Tondro said URGE will have 51 beers on tap and another 80 varieties
available by bottle. Many are micro and craft brews from the local
region and across the world. Beer will also be an ingredient in about 75
percent of the dishes by executive chef Andrew Leonard, though the
alcohol will be cooked off in the preparation process Tondro added.

The 3,700-square-foot restaurant is “a modern interpretation of a
pub,” Tondro said. He described the menu as “traditional bar food with
gourmet-type ingredients.” The entrée price range will be $9-$22, with
most options under $15 with the exception of high-end steaks.

“Gastropub” reflects a type of dining establishment popular in
England for the last 15 years that in recent years has also become
increasingly popular on the East Coast, he said. As for URGE, that’s the
middle four letters in “burger,” another menu option.

Tondro said just like The Barrel Room was designed for wine lovers, URGE is designed for beer lovers.

It will have seating for 130 between its lounge, bar, dining room,
patio and a private room dubbed “The Snug,” another nod to its British
inspiration.

4S Ranch update: Restaurant will have new name, menu

Zócalo is closing Tuesday and will reopen Aug. 9 under a new name and with a new menu.

Miguel’s
Cocina, like Zócalo, is part of the Brigantine Family of Restaurants.
While Zócalo was designed with Latin-themed menu, featuring dishes from
Central and South America, Mexico and the Caribbean, Miguel’s specialty
is Mexican food.

President and CEO Michael Morton Jr. said the change will make the
restaurant in 4S Commons Town Center more family friendly since at
Miguel’s most entrées are in the $10-$14 range, while Zócalo’s were
mostly $18-$25.

Zócalo opened almost two years ago in 4S Ranch because the
restaurant chain, that includes another Zócalo in Old Town, The
Brigantine in Poway along with other restaurants throughout the county,
wanted to expand its “Nuevo Latin cuisine,” which was confusing for
some.

“We misread the market a bit,” Morton said. “(4S Ranch has) a lot of
families … and while Zócalo was good for parents or couples, it was
not a good fit (for families).”

He said Miguel’s will still provide “a sophisticated date option,”
but its pricing and menu will have a broader appeal to families. This
restaurant, established in 1982, is “highly successful, so it’s a
win-win” for the chain and families.

Ideas offered to ‘refresh’ Rancho Bernardo

Keep the original RB logo, but add twinkle lights and musical
entertainment to Rancho Bernardo’s “downtown” business district, said
residents when asked how they want to see the community refreshed.

More than three dozen Rancho Bernardans gathered at the Rancho
Bernardo Vons Town Center food court Saturday morning to discuss ways to
make the retail area more appealing.

City Councilman Carl DeMaio organized the meeting, which he called “a good start” to the revitalization endeavor.

“I hope more people will take the opportunity to weigh in when they
see the first designs,” DeMaio said. “Today was about the concept and
(gathering) ideas. Next will be (fine tuning) the concept.”

Some RB homes to lose free trash service

There are 177 Rancho Bernardo households that will be told early
next month that they are losing their free, city-provided trash
service.

By year’s end, they will have to hire a private hauler for weekly
trash service. Residents and their HOAs should receive notification
letters from the city as early as next week, according to Environmental
Services officials.

They said 452 households of their 304,000 customers citywide are
being eliminated from routes because they are on private streets and
they or their homeowners associations did not have hold harmless
agreements with the city as of Nov. 4, 1986.

Among the seven identified developments thus far are two in Rancho
Bernardo — 124 units in Tierra del Sol in Bernardo Heights and 53 units
in Westwood Townhouses I and II, which the city refers to as the
“Lazarou” development in the July 13 report to the City Council’s
Natural Resources and Culture Committee.

Westview High grad to compete for Miss America title

Competing to be Miss America next January will be Arianna Asfar,
a Rancho Penasquitos resident who has been in the national spotlight
before.

Asfar was crowned Miss California 2010 on July 10 in Fresno.

“I was completely shocked and not expecting anything,” Asfar said.

Her last turn in front of a national audience was early last year,
when she made the top 35 during the eighth season of American Idol. That
was the same season another contestant with Rancho Penasquitos roots —
Adam Lambert — was runner-up in the singing contest.

The 18-year-old daughter of Karin Schumacher and Muhummad Asfar has
called Rancho Penasquitos home since she was in first grade at Canyon
View. She later attended Mesa Verde Middle School and graduated from
Westview High.

San Diego North Chamber unveils new fee structure

A new membership fee structure is in place at San Diego North Chamber of
Commerce.

The new fees, implemented July 1, are based on number of employees
rather than benefits members want to receive.

The chamber has also added services and benefits, such as free
notary service for two documents per month, one free admission to each
monthly chamber mixer, and discounts for services including FedEx and
car rentals.

In addition, it now has a written “guarantee” to members about what
the chamber promises them — such as access to the organization’s CEO,
networking opportunities and business resources to help grow.

Penasquitos therapy cat wins ‘Hall of Fame’ honor

Moorea, a cat who has provided comfort to hospice patients and
elderly residents in Rancho Bernardo, Poway and Sabre Springs, is being
honored Friday.

Moorea and her owners, Rancho Penasquitos residents Nancy and Mike
Denen, received a trip to San Francisco so Moorea can receive the
California Veterinary Medical Association’s 2010 Animal Hall of Fame
Award.

The award honors “animals whose daily interaction with people best
represents the important bond between animals and humans,” according to
the award notification letter.

It is rare for a cat to win, since most pet therapy animals are
dogs, Nancy Denen said.

Moorea was nominated by Carmel Mountain Ranch-based veterinarian Kim
Dembinski.
Since November 2004, the Denens, both retired teachers,
have been taking Moorea to local retirement facilities.

Rancho Bernardo Foundation receives $500,000 gift

A $500,000 gift from the late Matt McLaughlin has put the Rancho
Bernardo Community Foundation’s endowment above $1 million.

The long-time Rancho Bernardan designated the money for the
foundation’s general endowment fund, according to RBCF board member
Kevin Martin. The foundation learned of the gift in the spring, but did
not announce it until Tuesday morning.

The gift means the foundation will be able to present more grants,
and in larger amounts, to various groups and projects that improve the
quality of life for Rancho Bernardans, Martin said. The grants come from
the endowment’s interest, which fluctuates due to market conditions.