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The House Select Committee’s report on the Jan. 6 insurrection, released last week, has connections to San Diego. In other news, the San Diego Sheriff’s Department is creating a process to test more than a hundred intoxicants. Plus, a local program has given out 400 e-bikes and will soon go statewide, but the program is struggling with low participation.

Peggy Watson and David Beldock, supported by Paul Beach, and often a percussionist, perform original acoustic folk, blues, and jazz. Together, they are known for their dazzling musicianship, beautiful harmonies, and humorous stage presence. Some might say that David and Peggy are unlikely music partners. While David spent years playing in many bands, honing his rock and blues guitar playing, Peggy was rooted in contemporary folk traditions with occasional detours into jazz and pop. But when they joined forces, they discovered that writing songs together was a fun challenge that they couldn’t resist. The result has been a collection of melodic, thoughtful, funny, and emotional songs that appeal to a wide range of listeners. Their styles span everything from folk to jazz to blues to show tunes. David Beldock is a guitar player and singer/songwriter. He has played in two of San Diego’s most renowned bands, Bordertown and Wooden Angel. His songs have won various awards, most notably from the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and from Dr. Demento (which especially pleased him). His solo CDs, along with his collaborative CDs with Peggy, have received favorable reviews. Before meeting David, Peggy performed as a solo singer/songwriter. She played at coffee houses, concert series, and benefit concerts mostly in the San Diego region. Her wide vocal range and clear soprano voice have made her a standout among local singers. Peggy has used her talents to perform concerts benefiting AIDS organizations, international medical aid projects, and many events supporting environmental justice and human rights. David has joined her in this tradition. Peggy’s CDs have received excellent reviews from local publications and one of her albums was selected to be part of a KPBS Radio premium membership package. Both Peggy and David have shared stages with many of San Diego’s most revered musicians, including Robin Adler, Joe Rathburn, Deborah Liv Johnson, Jeff Berkley, Lisa Sanders, Dave Blackburn, Elizabeth Podsiadlo, Gregory Page, Barnaby Finch (keyboardist for Lee Ritenour), and many others. Together, Peggy and David continue to perform at a wide variety of venues, including house concerts, libraries, and concert series. They are regularly joined by legendary bass player Paul Beach (The Association, Mamas and the Papas, Gary Puckett).

Billy Crystal, Dionne Warwick, Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, Renée Fleming and Queen Latifah were given the star treatment as they received their Kennedy Center Honors.

There are a lot of cooks at NPR. Every time we ask our staff for recommendations for our annual, year-end books guide, we get back a veritable smorgasbord of cookbook offerings.

Olympic gold medalist Florence "Flo-Jo" Griffith Joyner died in her sleep on Sept. 21, 1998. The sprinter's world records for the 100 meter and 200 meter events remain unbroken.

Mahsa Amini's death in the custody of Iranian police sparked protests and a global movement on women's issues. Artists in the U.S. are working to keep it all from fading from view.

Dueling proposals from Democrats and Republicans in the California legislature aim to provide relief from soaring gas prices. Meanwhile, funding is on the way for mental health treatment for San Diego’s health care workers. Plus, we continue our series on how the pandemic has impacted San Diego’s arts scene.

Alkaaby’s works will be on view at Sparks Gallery from August 13th to October 2nd, 2022. Opening reception: Saturday, Aug, 13, 2022 from 6-9 p.m. RSVP here. From the gallery: Khalid Alkaaby prefaces his solo exhibition with this phrase: “Finding oneself in the darkness is unsettling. Feelings of fear, loneliness and uncertainty. However, even the smallest glimmer of light in the darkness can bring comfort and hope.” Represented through his characteristic abstract works featuring textural brushwork, muted tones, and dreamlike compositions of pure color, Alkaaby explores the spectrum of emotion, from negative feelings of isolation to positive ones of joy and hope. Creating his abstractions through an unconscious, almost automatic sense reminiscent of the Surrealists of the 1910’s and 20’s, Alkaaby gives form to these sensitivities, with a result many people resonate deeply with when viewing for the first time. Khalid Alkaaby was born and raised in Baghdad, Iraq, where he was classically trained at the Art Institute. The emphasis the school placed on watercolor studies gave Alkaaby a firm foundation for his oil paintings, and he continued on to work as an artist and ran a successful art studio for some time. However, in 2005, Baghdad underwent immense terrorist bombings and Alkaaby was forced to leave his family, friends, and studio gallery. He immigrated to the United States and began a new life in San Diego, California where he now lives and works as a professional artist. To learn more about Alkaaby or the exhibition, visit the gallery webpage. Related links: Sparks Gallery on Instagram Sparks Gallery on Facebook Hours and visiting information

After a decade of outsourcing military health care, the Pentagon now plans to do the opposite, an about-face Matt and Helen Perry hope means they'll get the care they were promised after going to war.

The San Diego World Affairs Council is proud to present a new series called "Dinner with Diplomats." The first of this special dinner and lecture series will be held March 30, 2023 and will feature Ambassador Kenneth Juster, a distinguished fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He has over forty years of experience as a senior government official, senior business executive, and senior law partner. He recently completed service as the twenty-fifth U.S. ambassador to the Republic of India (2017–2021). He previously served in the U.S. government as deputy assistant to the president for international economic affairs, on both the National Security Council and the National Economic Council (2017), undersecretary of commerce (2001–2005), counselor (acting) of the State Department (1992–1993), and deputy and senior advisor to Deputy Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger (1989–1992). In the private sector, Juster has been a partner at the global investment firm Warburg Pincus (2010–2017), a senior executive at Salesforce.com (2005–2010), and a senior partner at the law firm Arnold & Porter. Ambassador Kenneth Juster will discuss the many challenges and roles India faces and plays today from its vital strategic center in S. Asia, including the US-India partnership. As always, our Q&A session will provide our members with a first-hand opportunity to pose their questions. This Dinner with Diplomats Series is being sponsored in partnership with The San Diego Indian-American Society (SDIAS) and the event is being generously underwritten by Royal India Restaurant in San Diego. Thanks to their generous support we are able to offer this event at the rate of $20 for the lecture and dinner for SDWAC Members and $40 for dinner and lecture for non-SDWAC members. 6-6:30 p.m. mingling event and cash bar. 6:30- 7:15 p.m. dinner. 7:15- 8 p.m. lecture. Stay Connected on Social Media! Facebook | Instagram | Twitter