News web site launching

San Diego Business Journal, Jan 26, 2009 by Tom York

Good news surfaces on the local media scene. There's a new "publication" on the horizon that will feature a big helping of community news, including sports and business. Web-based San Diego News Network, brainchild of the La Jolla-based husband-and-wife entrepreneurial team of Nell Senturia and Barbara Bry, is set to launch between Feb. 15 and March 1. Ron James, most recently a top editor at SignOnSanDiego.com, will manage the startup publication, while a number of ex-Union-Tribune staffers have been brought on board to produce original content. Bry participated in the very successful ProFlowers.eom IPO a few years back and was the founding editor and CEO of online community newspaper voiceofsandiego.org ... The word on the street is not so good these days for many of San Diego's performing arts groups. Most are struggling with greatly reduced corporate funding, not to mention slowing ticket sales. One well-placed source familiar with the groups said two community theater nonprofits, as well as two of three local dance companies, are trying to keep doors open for another season while they sort through the challenge. Apparently, one theater group still hasn't paid all its bills accumulated from last summer ... Jeff Skiba, who won the Paralympics gold medal in the high jump at the Beijing games, has been named Challenged Athlete of the Year by the San Diego Hall of Champions. On Feb. 18, he'll be honored at the Town and Country Resort, along with Port Commissioner Stephen E Cushman, who was instrumental in bringing the Red Bull Air Races to San Diego, and the late Junior Robles, who founded the Community Youth Athletic Association in National City. Visit www.sdhoc.com for details ... A familiar face is departing City Hall. Lynn Hijar, the popular head of the Office of Protocol under Mayor Jerry Sanders, leaves Jan. 31 to become CEO of local business Exclusive Event and to launch her own community relations agency. Hijar will continue to sit on the boards of the World Trade Center San Diego, United Through Reading, Japan Society of San Diego and Tijuana, Citizen Diplomacy Council, University of San Diego's Alumni Association, among other agencies. There's a local connection with the historic events of Jan. 20. Ryan Watanabe, an eighth-grade student at Francis Parker School, witnessed the ceremonies surrounding President Barack Obama's inauguration. Watanabe was part of a delegation of students attending a youth leadership conference ... High-profile PR and community relations man Bernie Rinersou has landed in the San Diego schools system, an announcement lost in the heat of the presidential campaign last fall. He oversees communications, government relations, community relations, translations and the race and human relations departments for the district.

Tom York pens the SDBJ Insider each week. Reach him at sdbjinsider@sdbj.com.