News and Notices of Ocean Beach and Point Loma – Early June 2017

OB EXPOSED! WINNER- Best In Show: The Colorful Alley’s & Trolls of Ocean Beach, Scott Therkalsen

Suspected Drunk Drives Car Down OB Boardwalk

36-year-old Jacob Souchak was arrested for DUI and hit and run after driving his gold Chevy Impala down the OB Boardwalk  at the end of Newport Avenue over the Memorial Day weekend. He narrowly missed some people and video showed his car taking out a handicap sign and ice chests. People tried to stop the car by grabbing onto the door handles. One witness said the driver was crying and called out for help. CBS8

OB Lifeguards Made 66 Water Rescues in April

Sgt Lonnie Stephenson of the San Diego Lifeguards told the audience gathered at the most recent OB Town Council meeting that OB lifeguards made 66 water-rescues during the month of April. Lifeguards estimated that there were 150,000 visitors to OB during the month. Lifeguards also took 2,000 preventative actions and warnings, 1 cliff rescue and 4 calls for service south of the OB Pier.

OB EXPOSED! Winners

The MAY 19, 2017 OB EXPOSED! was a wonderful event where hundreds attendees enjoyed seeing photographs of OB and Point Loma. Winning photos are hanging at the OB Business Center, 4876 Santa Monica Ave. (Those that did not donate may pick up photos May 23-June 23 at OB Business Center.)

OB EXPOSED! Winners:

• Special Subject Prize -“25 year anniversary of the OB farmers market”:
  Having a Dog-gone Time at the Farmers Market!, Kathy Blavatt
• People’s Choice: Coastal Blooms, Ted Putnam
• Best In Show: The Colorful Alley’s & Trolls of Ocean Beach, Scott Therkalsen
• Best Black & White: Center of My Universe, Melinda Therkalsen
• Best Color: OB Love, Ed Hopkins
• Best Vintage (Historic): Hotel Newport, Vince Adame
• Best Child’s Under age 16 : Going Up, John Burrel
• Best Special Effects: OB Sci-Fi, Ryan Knowl

Short Term Rentals Adversely Affect OB Elementary

The principal at OB Elementary, Mr. Drapeau, told the OB Town Council that short-term vacation rentals definitely have an adverse effect on the school. When parents are evicted because of these vacation rentals, the loss of students can be felt.

Lifeguards to Fully Staff Santa Cruz Beach

Beginning June 9th and through Labor Day, OB lifeguards will fully staff the beach at Santa Cruz Avenue, 7 days a week.

Photo by South OB Girl

Controversial Surf Mural Hit by Graffiti

The surf mural at the entryway into Ocean Beach on the 76 gas station wall – one that has been controversial to local perfectionists – has been hit with graffiti. Some observers objected to the look of the surf boards depicted in the painting, a mural done in late August 2015 by Henry Goods. (hat tip to South OB Girl)

Little Lion Café and Wonderland Ocean Pub & OB Surf Lodge Among “Hidden Gems” on Coast

The SDU-T says, Finding an ocean-view restaurant in San Diego isn’t difficult. There are dozens of eateries lining the cliffs and beaches from Imperial Beach to Oceanside. But to really impress a date this summer, [here’s] the locals’ guide to the best (and lower-priced) hidden-gem restaurants on San Diego’s coast, from south to north.

Kilowatt in Spotlight

Kilowatt is a nanobrewery with a reputation for killer brews and a unique atmosphere. Their original location is in Clairemont Mesa and they recently opened up another tasting room in Ocean Beach … San Diego Entertainer

OB Winery Gets Shout-Out for San Diego Grape Fest

OB’s only winery, Gianni Buonomo, is participating in the annual Grape Fest. SDU-T

OB and Point Loma Chosen for New Pilot-Project Anti-Litter Program

Ocean Beach and Point Loma are both communities that have been chosen to be part of a new city effort to clean up specific areas of the city that have been struggling with excessive litter and illegal dumping. The one-year pilot project will be funded by $800,000 Mayor Kevin Faulconer included  for the program in revisions to his proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

Workers from the Urban Corps of San Diego will be utilized, instead of hiring new employees – due to the one-year term of the experimental project that will also occur in Logan Heights, San Ysidro, City Heights, Paradise Valley and three combination zones: Mission Beach/Pacific Beach, Webster/Mount Hope in southeastern San Diego and the South Bay. While the workers won’t be eradicating graffiti, they will help accelerate city efforts to do so by reporting it more quickly. Each of the areas will be visited by crews cleaning up litter and dump sites at least four days a week. Point Loma and Logan Heights will be the only two areas getting crews five days a week. San Diego Union-Tribune

Major Court Victory for Point Loma Preservationists

PL opponents to the Jessop Property subdivision won a major court battle, thanks to the group, Preserve Point Loma, and now the lots on La Crescentia Drive will be kept intact. Dorian Hargrove at the San Diego Reader reported:

A state appellate court found that San Diego city councilmembers were within their right to rescind approval of a Point Loma development due to environmental concerns. At issue is the development of Point Loma Summit, a proposal from landowner Carolyn Kutzke to subdivide two large parcels on La Crescentia Drive, formerly known as the Jessop Property, into four lots. Large single family homes would be built on each lot, ranging in size from 2600 to 3880 square feet.

In 2014, despite vehement opposition from a resident’s group calling themselves Preserve Point Loma, city planners approved the project. In June of that year San Diego’s planning commission followed suit by recommending that council give final approval.

But opposition remained steadfast. By February 2015 more than 900 residents signed a petition requesting that council not grant final approval. …. and later that month the majority of city councilmembers voted against the project, finding that the project’s environmental documents inadequate and did not analyze potential impacts to public safety and other areas. In addition, they concluded the project was inconsistent with local planning doctrine. Kutzke responded by filing an inverse condemnation suit against the city in April 2015.

Some of earlier OB Rag coverage: See our first report and earlier reporting , here, and here.

Article About Service Dog Incident at Hodads Sets Off Huge Discussion

There were dozens of comments left to OBcean Mercy Baron’s article at the San Diego Reader back in May, an article about an incident with a service dog at Hodad’s. Many of the comments are feisty and some instructive.

Veteran Broadcast Journalist Once Homeless as a Child in Ocean Beach

Peggy Pico is now a veteran broadcast journalist (and nurse before that), but she once was homeless in Ocean Beach as a child. She said: “Suddenly we didn’t have running water, heat or power, I was going to the back of supermarkets to get produce from grocers at night, and showering at [the local high school].” See this article at The Coast News Group.

Community Clean-up June 10th

At 10am, Saturday, June 10th, volunteers to meet at Raglans; then after the clean-up will return to party.

OBHS presents: O.B. Signs Remembered, Thurs., June 15 by Claudia Jack

Presenter Claudia Jack has an extensive Ocean Beach sign collection of the community’s most memorable and funny signs we laughed at over the years. She saved many signs that were on the way to being trashed or destroyed. Claudia will also talk briefly on the importance of community volunteerism. P.L. United Methodist Church, 1984 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., O.B. at 7 pm, … Don’t miss this flash of the past as words and images trigger your memories of O.B.’s unique and colorful history. By the OB Historical Society