It's only a name, but city councilman George Stevens didn't like the images Southeast San Diego brought to mind. When he ran for San Diego city council in 1992, he pledged to erase the reference to the district he represented. Harold Moore, a Skyline resident, supported the move. He said the connotation was negative. Stevens said "we have neighborhoods--Skyline, Emerald Hills, Webster, Oak Park." His goal was to bring business to the area and wanted more single family homes built and no more apartments. Lena Clark of Bayview Heights didn't think it would change anything because it was just a name. Marc L. Randolph of the Southeast Economic Development Corporation said a number of bank presidents and corporate investors were interested in investing in the community. They had no intention of changing their corporation's name. "On this 20th day of June, we have gathered to lay to rest Southeast." Reverend Robert Ard. It was a funeral unlike any other. No tears were shed and positive messages of hope were delivered. Reverend Thomas Smith said "we can have a community that's identified by quality, by integrity, by brotherly love if we dare embrace the quality of what Dr. King represented in the past, then let's start becoming good stewards over the present and the future." The congregation applauded. Southeast's casket was carried out of church and into a hearse. Before this, San Diegans may not have been familiar with the neighborhoods in this area. Now we all know the names, and we have George Stevens to thank for that. News 8's Doug McAllister reports on June 19th and June 20th 1994

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