Life in the Village Gives Artist a Taste of Small-Town Gossip

Art, eviction and attempted murder.

Begin here: Wind-sock artist and maintenance man Keith Hill was knifed, nearly to death, in Spanish Village at Balboa Park on the night of March 23. No suspects, no known motive.

Worried about rising crime, park officials immediately slapped a 6 p.m. curfew on the 57 artists who rent the village’s 38 small studios.

Two artists got eviction notices for keeping their studios open past curfew: potters Xian Yeagan and Linda Kadubec.

Yeagan left without fuss. But Kadubec is fighting to remain in the studio where she has sculpted and sold her pottery for a decade.

Kadubec, 40, denies that she broke curfew. She also wants an explanation of the unspecified “conduct detrimental to Spanish Village” mentioned in her eviction notice.

She feels it may spring from untrue gossip about the Hill stabbing: that she and Xian (pronounced Christian) were too busy having sex or doing drugs to call police or render aid when Hill cried out for help.

If that is the “conduct detrimental,” no one will ‘fess up to it. Not the Spanish Village manager, the artist-in-residence or the deputy city attorney on the case.

“I’m not authorized to discuss that,” said Inge Dickens, the city Park and Recreation Department manager for Spanish Village.

Police Detective Steve Scherer says he’s heard the rumors about Kadubec but has nothing to substantiate them. He’s not involved in her eviction.

He’s annoyed that, upon advice of her attorney, Kadubec won’t answer any more questions about the night Hill was stabbed nine times.

Although her lease requires only a 30-day notice, Kadubec feels she deserves a full explanation.

She has until Tuesday to take her bowls and vases and beat it. She also has gathered support from other artists, but to no avail:

“I’m not trouble for this place. I’m an asset to the village,” she said.

The Dating Game

More matter, less art.

* And you thought these things only happened at City Hall.

Kenneth Bingham, former head of corporate human relations for Chula Vista-based Rohr Industries, is suing Rohr for allegedly firing him for dating an underling.

In his lawsuit, he says he knows of 43 other relationships between supervisors and subordinates at Rohr. Also, a tryst involving an employee and a member of the board of directors.

Stand by for names and details if the case goes to trial.

* The Fair Political Practices Commission has ruled that an allegation that San Diego Councilman Wes Pratt used city staff members for political purposes is unfounded.

* Councilwoman Abbe Wolfsheimer is a multimillionaire, but she still believes in collecting what’s owed to her.

She went to Small Claims Court on Thursday seeking $73.50 from the city for mist damage done to the paint job on her new Acura Legend by a painting contractor hired to fix up the City Hall garage.

The Risk Management Department says Wolfsheimer’s beef is with the contractor, not the city. The judge will rule later.

* Down-scaling.

Having sold her home in La Jolla for $1.3 million, Supervisor Susan Golding is buying a 2,500-square-foot condominium in University City, in the $400,000 range.

Therapist Finds Her Calling

Dialing for pleasure.

Dr. Theresa Crenshaw, San Diego’s acclaimed/controversial sex therapist, has just gone telephonic: her own 900-number Sex Information Hotline.

For $1.95 a minute, the sexually curious can hear taped messages on orgasms, premature ejaculation, aphrodisiacs and much more. And ask their own questions, answered later for the enjoyment of all.

Crenshaw figures to attract men who would otherwise be too shy to seek help:

“Men are reluctant debutantes when it comes to seeing a sex therapist. Usually their wife or girlfriend drags them to therapy and says, ‘Get this thing fixed or else.’ ”