Coronado Eagle, Volume 3, Number 5, 29 July 1992 — Crown News Island Lookout [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Crown News Island Lookout

by Larry Wade

A Possum named Jewel Greg Walker’s del Coronado Jewels, Inc. (at the Hotel Del) had an unexpected customer this week. Barbara Knott and her daughter were guests at the hotel. The daughter was fascinated by the life-like opossum in the jewel case in the store window. Some creative decorator had, she assumed, spread the glittering rhinestone crowns and costume jewelry around the possum as though it were making a gift selection for a friend back in the woods. Then the little girl gave a squeal. The possum moved. And moved again. Security was called. Von Haynes, of security, and the store staff, carefully lifted the possum “shopper” out of the case, and promptly named her “Jewel”. A picture shows how she looked. She has since been returned safely to her native habitat nearby. Investigation revealed evidence that the possum found its way into the store through the ceiling, probably in search of food. Greg Walker, always quick on the draw with a pun, said that Jewel obvi-

ously had the finest of taste in coming to his store in the Hotel Del, and clearly knew where to find the best “possumable” values on costume jewelry. Dean Eckenroth added that she had “ferreted out” the bargains, and probably was a possum who wanted to become a raccoon by wearing rings on her tail. Cityscape... Ned Floyd has a friend living on First Street with a magnificent view of the San Diego skyline across the bay. Viewing the innovative architecture in the new buildings recently added to the scene, his friend describes them as: “The chisel, The Phillips screwdriver (American Tower), and the wrench set.” On looking at the buildings, with that description in mind, it looks like he has it right.

On the Street... Attorney Rita Wack, has the custom license plate “NADO LAW”. Graham Davenport spotted two plates at the Naval Amphibious Base, near the Special Warfare Center. One says “FROG 2” (another frogman, too, he interprets), and “OTO FYTM” which he decodes as, “Oh, to fight’em.” Lt. Georgia Rice notice two custom license plates that give suggestions. One says, “EMERGE”. The other advises “LEAP”. Bart Singleterry spotted a red hatchback with the license plate “ON FIRE”, Kathleen Kitchenmeister noticed a silver Porsche with a plate giving credit to “FSH TKOS”. (Fish Tacos?) She reports a Corvette, driven by a physician, presumably. The license says “5 BYPASS”. And, a Mercedes convertible whose message is “GRB B 8 4U”. (Great bait for you.) She also liked “YLD CATS”, which she read as “Wild Cals”. Thanks to Devon Edwards of the Eagle staff for noticing the VW Jetta announcing the profession of the driver on the custom license plate with the cryptic wording “KDZTCHR” (Kids Teacher). Fast Obsolescence... The new restrooms at Central Beach were hardly opened when Coronado Police found two teenagers marking the carefully selected stones with spray can graffiti. Good going, Coronado Police. It would seem that justice would be served if people who are caught spraying graffiti were required to clean off graffiti.

Local items of little or no redeeming value

■Jewel* Possum on her shopping trip at del Coronado Jewels.