Friendship Park Turns 45
The park at the most southwestern corner of the U.S.-Mexico border was first opened by First Lady Pat Nixon in 1971 to allow people to gather at the border fence and at least see their relatives through the small openings in the metal border fence. The park was closed in 2009 when the third fence was built, but reopened in 2012 after activist fought to allow visitors again. Today, people gather on weekends when the park is open to visitors from 10a.m. to 2p.m. to greet relatives who cannot cross the border. Now activists are asking the Border Patrol to allow people to hug each other at the border fence to help connect families separated by legal status.
Navy Names Ship for Milk
The newest Navy oiler ship will be named for Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California history. Milk served as a Navy diving instructor here in San Diego from 1951 until his discharge in 1955. Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977, but he was assassinated by one of his former colleagues in 1978. Several local politicians were at the ship’s naming this week, including Mayor Kevin Faulconer, Councilman Todd Gloria, and Assembly Speaker Emeritus Toni Atkins. San Diegan Nicole Murray-Ramirez, who helped secure the ship’s naming, also attended. The ship will be built at NASSCO in Barrio Logan and launched in a few years.
Safari Park Rhino Has Bullet
A southern white rhino that came to San Diego’s Safari Park last year to be treated for an on-going illness appears to have a bullet in her side from her time in South Africa. A metal detector was used to help find what has been ailing the huge animal. It’s thought she is a survivor of poachers. There are only 163 rhinos in left in the world, and experts predict they will be extinct within 15 years.
Park View Sluggers Advance
The latest South Bay team to make the Little League World Series is another Park View team. With their win last Friday, the local team has made it to the World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Their first game of the Series is this Friday. Good luck boys!