Good Neighbors Are Tired of These Repeat Visitors

This has been a bad winter for the METRO Good Neighbor Center in the South Bay.

Located in Nestor United Methodist Church, 2 miles from the Mexican border, the program struggles to provide food, clothing and counseling to about 300 poor families.

The average head of household among the beneficiaries is a 28-year-old unmarried woman with three or four children.

The plunging temperatures and the recession have increased the ranks of the needy. But program director Carroll Parker has worries other than just weather and economics.

In the past month, the METRO storehouse and the church itself have suffered a mysterious string of 15 break-ins. New deadbolt locks have proved futile.

Sometimes things are stolen, sometimes not. Sometimes the place is ransacked, sometimes not.

San Diego police Detective Art Shannon said police have no leads and are puzzled by the quixotic yet relentless nature of the break-ins. He has warned other Nestor churches to increase security.

“These are not normal burglaries,” Shannon said.

Parker, a Methodist minister, said he now begins each morning by taking an inventory to see if anything has been stolen during the night, a disruptive and dispiriting process.

“Our clients are very understanding, but they’re getting upset,” Parker said. “I don’t blame them.”

Food and clothing meant for the poor have been stolen. So has office equipment--an answering machine, phone, calculator and electric pencil sharpener.

There are three buildings on the 22nd Street property: the fellowship building (where METRO is located), the sanctuary and the office.

Last Saturday night, the burglar(s) broke into the church sanctuary and stole sound equipment and tape decks.

“I’ve been here 3 1/2 years,” said the church’s pastor, the Rev. Russ Locke, “and, until this, we thought this was a very safe neighborhood--no graffiti, no burglaries, hardly even a broken window.”

Nothing but the Best

More matter, less art.

* The good life.

First Thursday magazine has finished its “Best Of” survey for San Diego. The edition will be out in late February.

My favorites: Best Way to Decrease Traffic (close the Arizona-California border) and Best Candidate for Mayor (The Chicken).

* Ken Leighton, entertainment writer for North County’s Go magazine, offers new inductions to his Band Name Hall of Fame, culled from the ranks of rock ‘n’ roll.

Among the clean ones: the Slambodians, Papawheelie, Oxy Morons, Grinning Mutants, the Couch Sluts, Vulgar Boatmen, Subdudes, BB Chung King, Paisley Popes and Playdo Tornado.

* From the right.

A fundamentalist Christian group, Citizens for Equal Rights, plans an initiative drive to repeal San Diego’s homosexual rights ordinance.

* Timing.

Three days before a young Canadian died of carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty heater in a Mission Valley hotel, the city’s Building Inspection Department issued a press release urging tenants and landlords to check all such heaters.

It also warned of the “tragic” dangers when heater vents get clogged.

Just Add Oil

Yes, that is a tiny bag of Saudi Arabian sand on the desk of San Diego Police Chief Bob Burgreen.

Sent to him by a Marine officer from Camp Pendleton in response to an upbeat letter sent to the troops by Burgreen.

“I thought you might want to see a handful of what we’re defending,” wrote Marine Capt. Daniel Herbert, whose brother, Ernest, is a San Diego cop.

Herbert is commanding officer of a reconnaissance company deployed about 70 miles from Kuwait. He promised Burgreen no rowdiness when the troops come home:

“You have my word that, upon our return, despite the fact that we not have seen a beer in quite some time, we will not cause any problems for you or your officers.”