OB Fireworks - July 4, 2009. Photo by Jeff Stone.
OB Fireworks to begin at 9pm on July 4th
“31st Annual Ocean Beach Fireworks off the Pier” will begin at 9pm off the Ocean Beach Pier, end of Newport Avenue. For more info: (619) 226-8613 or oceanbeachsandiego.com. Fireworks will be simulcast to 103.7 FM radio.
‘Bum’ Sticker Not Popular on Newport Ave.
I wanted to know just how popular the controversial ‘bum’ sticker was in the main business district of Ocean Beach. Just how many businesses along the three blocks of Newport Avenue had placed the green and yellow sticker portraying a hobo and his dog up for others to see, up on their glass storefronts or doors.
For part of the afternoon on Tuesday (6/29/10) two of us with this blog did a visual walking survey of business fronts along the three blocks of Newport Avenue and a half block each way on the side streets. Up the south side, checking the storefronts along Abbott, Bacon, and Cable, and down the north side.
We only saw three stickers. Two were on the fronts of one business: South Coast Surf Shop – both of their Newport shops. But these two stickers were up when this entire controversy got started.
The third sticker was on Julie’s Designs.Not even The Black had a sticker up.
During last week’s hullabaloo, some mainstream media were declaring that businesses along Newport supported the sticker and what The Black was doing. Well, they certainly were not showing this sentiment. Of course, one might say, the business owners privately support the sticker but they won’t put one up out of fear of retaliation.One might also say that maybe the businesses see what a nasty thing the sticker represents and are repulsed by it.
Keep Your Dogs Inside During the Fireworks on the 4th
Fliers are being spread throughout the community warning residents to keep their dogs indoors during the fireworks on Sunday, July 4th. The timely fliers say, “Dogs panic and run when they hear fireworks,” and advise keeping your canine inside before the loud noises begin.
“Morning-After Mess” Clean-up Scheduled
Volunteers are need to clean the beach at OB the day after the July 4th celebrations. Hundreds of thousands flock to the shoreline to enjoy a day of sand, sun, and fun. Unfortunately, anyone who’s seen the aftermath also knows that in the past the holiday can produce more trash and litter of any other beach day. The past two years saw a decline in beach litter for various reasons, what will this year hold?
The Surfrider Foundation San Diego Chapter will find out on Monday July 5th. In cooperation with Sun Diego Boardshops, Surfrider invites the public out to this year’s “Morning After Mess Cleanup Day” on Monday, July 5 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m, where much needed volunteers will assist workers picking up the trash left at five San Diego County beaches from Oceanside to Ocean Beach over the Fourth of July holiday.
Volunteers can help at the OB Pier starting at 8 a.m. on July 5:
50 participants at each location will receive a free organic cotton T-shirt! All volunteers collecting trash will be eligible for gift packs and concert tickets that will be raffled off at the event. Raffle gift pack prizes will be provided by a host of companies.
Surfrider Foundation encourages volunteers to bring buckets and garden gloves if possible but they will provide all necessary equipment if you need it, including gloves, trash bags, grabbers and hand sanitizer. All volunteers need to sign a liability waiver and people under 18 years old need a parent’s or guardian’s signature to participate.
Surfrider encourages everyone to take an active role in preventing the trashing of San Diego’s beaches this July Fourth holiday weekend. A big goal for this big holiday weekend is to prevent litter at our local beaches and bays. Avoid single use items such as styrofoam coolers and plastic water bottles. Bring reusable items to the beach and be sure to recycle or bin anything you have to throw away. Surfrider is happy to team up with other local non-profit groups and city agencies to form the San Diego Clean Beach Coalition to provide more trash bins during this busy weekend and raise awareness about the importance of preventing litter.
For more Morning After Mess Cleanup Day information such as the exact cleanup locations and a link to the liability waiver please visit www.surfriderSD.org, www.SunDiego.com or call (858)792-9940. Or go here.
Community Forum On Homelessness In OB On July 6th
The local Faith Community is sponsoring a much needed community forum on homelessness in Ocean Beach for Tuesday, July 6th, to discuss issues surrounding the problems besetting the community and the homeless. It will be at 8pm and will be moderated by a local faith community activist, and held at the Parish Hall, Sacred Heart of Ocean Beach, 4776 Saratoga Avenue (Hall faces 2000 Sunset Cliffs Blvd.)
The Forum is open to all from OB to discuss concerns, and solutions surrounding the multitude of issues surrounding Homelessness in Ocean Beach. This will be the first of several forums sponsored by the Faith Community of Ocean Beach. (See our earlier post here for more info.)
(Download the pdf flier HERE. ) The Forum is sponsored by the Faith community of Ocean Beach: Sacred Heart of Ocean Beach Catholic Church, Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Bethany Lutheran Church, First Baptist Church of Ocean Beach, St. Peters by the Sea Lutheran Church, Point Loma United Methodist, All Souls Episcopal Church, and Second Chance Ministries.
OB Library Performance Programs for the Summer
The Ocean Beach branch is offering performances every Thursday, usually at 11 am. The Library, located at the corner of Sunset Cliffs Boulevard and Santa Monica, offers these programs free of charge, and welcomes children of all abilities. Here’s the schedule:
- July 1 – Extreme Rahim Comic Entertainer
- July 8 – Raggle Taggle – the Buccaneer Pirate Band
- July 15 – Magic by the Amazing Dana
- July 22 – Wild Wonders Watery World of Wild Life
- July 31 – Sat @ 10am – The Comedy and Magic of Craig Stone
- August 5 – @ 1pm – Hullabaloo sing-along concert
The Library’s on-going programs will continue – such as Baby Signing Storytime – first and third Wednesdays @ 3pm, and the Preschool Storytime – Fridays @ 10am.
A Historian’s View on Growing Up in OB
The OB Historical Society will present Vonn Marie May on Thurs., July 15th, 7 p.m. at PL United Methodist Church, 1984 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., O.B. Vonn Marie May’s memories of Ocean Beach are filled with wonderful and humorous stories about the community and its many characters.
Vonn’s mom was one of the “Hotties” during the era when the Arizona and other bars were filled with babes clad in muumuus. Vonn has extensive knowledge of OB, Point Loma and San Diego histories. Professionally, she has been on the boards of many historical organizations and has helped get some of our most important sites designated. She also helps lead historical walks around the communities of San Diego. Come learn history from a historian that loves Ocean Beach.
Join OB Historical Society on their Annual OB Historical Walk – July 17th
On Saturday, July 17th, at 10am the OBHS will lead participants on its Historic Walk. Meet at the OB Library, (Corner of Sunset Cliffs Blvd. & Santa Monica). Following the walk you are invited to join them in a tour of the Hidden Garden.
Jazz 88 OB Music & Art Festival September 11th
Jazz 88.3 and the Ocean Beach Mainstreet Association will re-launch the Jazz 88 Ocean Beach Music & Art Festival. It will be held on Saturday, September 11, 10:00am to 7:00pm on Newport Avenue, and will include 26 bands, 7 stages… and much more. Go here for more details.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
The ‘bums’ sticker controversy is not going away. I was interviewed by Tony Perry of the LA Times this morning.
You can always deny the request for an interview
Are you kidding?? I’m still searching for my 15 minutes of fame!
This just in: The OB Planning Board will be reviewing and forming a position on the conceptual plans of the new Brighton Street public restrooms on 7 July at 6pm at the OB Rec Center at their regularly scheduled meeting. This will finalize the initial plans of a committee comprised of OBPB, OBTC, OBMA and also members of the public at large and cover the basic design and artwork for the new structure.
They welcome any and all comers that are interested to attend and see the plans to upgrade our services for the community.
There will be pictures and graphics distributed and posted to the website prior to the meeting. Timelines for construction will likely be discussed as well.
they should make it look like the downtown library on a smaller scale.
This just in: From the Union-Tribune: New trash and recycling bins will be placed on San Diego beaches during the Fourth of July weekend.
The city and the San Diego Clean Beach Coalition are placing 175 of the temporary bins on Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach and Mission Beach, along with Mission Bay Park. The cans also have city of San Diego beach rules printed on them.
Independence Day has traditionally brought tons of trash to local beaches. Last year, city staff and volunteers collected more than 396,000 pounds of debris from the beaches during the July 4 weekend, according to the Beach Coalition.
thanks for the update editordude, keep up the g00d work!
OB Warzone – I have to say that you have been the only one who ever asked where the OB Flashes were. We didn’t post one for acouple of weeks and you noticed. Thank you.
The Stand Up Is Dead comedy tour is coming through San Diego on July 16 at 7:00 pm at Ocean Beach Comedy at Winston‘s Beach Club in Ocean Beach. Stand Up Is Dead is in the middle of a never-ending tour that has recently been showcased at the 2010 SXSW Festival’s inaugural year of comedy, and performed in Las Vegas, Houston, San Antonio, San Diego, Modesto, Atlanta, Baton Rouge, Austin, and is on its way to Wilmington, Athens, Lafayette, and more. The show features headliners Steven Kendrick and Danny Rios, as well as Joe Charles, Jim Panetta, and host Jesse Egan.
Steven Kendrick is a national headlining comedian who has worked with the Van’s Warped Tour, Doug Stanhope, Ron White, Nick DiPaolo, SXSW in Austin, the Altercation Punk Comedy Festival, and more.
Danny Rios performs all over the country, and is currently based out of Houston, Texas, where he has recently won the Funniest Person in Houston contest and is a driving force behind the up and coming Houston Comedy Union. He also performed on NBC’s Last Comic Standing in 2008.
Joe Charles has performed for the US troops in Kuwait and Iraq, has worked with Cheech and Chong and Bill Burr, and is currently performing all over the country.
Stand Up is Dead is not a dark show, a dirty show, an edgy show, or a punk alternative themed show of any sort. It is a movement. A renaissance of sorts, Stand Up is Dead has the salt, or if you will, the realness that seems to be lacking in most stand up performances nowadays. There are exceptions of note, but not enough. More often than not, when watching a stand up performance, some portion of the audience is left saying, “OK, I get it, that was a cute observation, an entertaining pratfall… But who are you?” And it’s that group of people this show speaks to. Stand Up is Dead is a raw, real, and at times artistically challenging performance. At the heart of it though, at the end of the night, when the curtains draw to a close… it’s just flat-out fucking funny.
Check out Stand Up Is Dead featuring Steven Kendrick, Danny Rios, and more at Ocean Beach Comedy at Winston’s Beach Club at 1922 Bacon Street in Ocean Beach on Friday, July 16 at 7:00 pm. The show will be preceded by an hour-long open mic show. Tickets are $5 general admission, and will be available at the door.