OB Rag

By Katie Anastas / KPBS /  May 28, 2026 

On an April morning in downtown San Diego, Elizabeth Johnson and a half-dozen other parents with children in the San Diego Unified School District gathered to protest.

Johnson stuck letters onto a piece of cardstock to spell “teachers over tech.” Other signs read “less screens, more humans” and “ed tech is the biggest grift in education.”

The group is part of the local chapter of Schools Beyond Screens.

They stood in front of the Manchester Grand Hyatt outside of a sold-out conference, where school district leaders, college presidents, tech executives and startup founders were speaking about the latest in artificial intelligence and educational technology.

Johnson and a growing number of other parents are asking the district to reevaluate the role technology plays in its classrooms. They’re concerned about kids’ learning, attention spans, eyesight, privacy and social skills.

A resolution on the issue could go before the school board as soon as next month.

Winners Part of C-SPAN’s Annual Student Cam Competition

by Dave Schwab / Peninsula Beacon – Times of San Diego / May 27, 2026

Correia Middle School students were honored for their prize-winning documentaries in C-SPAN’s annual Student Cam competition.

C-SPAN, a public affairs network created in 1979 as a nonprofit public service, and Cox Communications run the annual Student Cam competition, which presents awards and recognizes winning students, grades 6-through-12, and their teachers, who serve as the StudentCam advisers.

In recognition of the United States’ 250th anniversary, C-SPAN, in cooperation with its cable and satellite television partners, challenged middle- and high-school students across the country to examine the enduring power and relevance of the Declaration of Independence.

For the challenge, students had one of two options: They could explore the Declaration of Independence’s influence on a key moment from America’s 250-year history, or focus on the Declaration of Independence’s impact on them or their community.

Through this project-based learning experience, students competing in the StudentCam competition conduct in-depth research, critical analysis, and original storytelling to explore matters of both personal and national importance.

On May 19 at Correia Middle School, Rachel Katz of C-SPAN recognized prize-winning students for their work.

by: Sharisse Cohee / Fox5 San Diego / May 27, 2026

The San Diego Harbor Police confirmed it responded to reports Wednesday, May 27, of a collision between a San Diego Seal Tour boat and another vessel near Shelter Island.

Harbor police said the collision, which happened Wednesday afternoon in San Diego Bay, was minor and no injuries have been reported. The Coast Guard will investigate the incident, as the other vessel involved was commercial.

OB Rag Staff Report

San Diego’s 22-year experiment with a “strong mayor” has been hobbled by a string of financial crises.

Is it time to consider restoring the position of City Manager?

Jack McGrory, the last person to hold the job, will share his thoughts at a town hall forum on “Why We Need a City Manager and Other Insights” on Saturday, June 20, from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Mission Valley Library, 2123 Fenton Parkway.

Sponsored by the San Diego Community Coalition (SDCC) and Neighbors for a Better San Diego (NFABSD), the forum is the fifth in a series of question-and-answer sessions on important civic issues.

These events are free and open to the public, but seating is limited.

Sponsorships Light this Year for Free Concert Organizers

By Dave Schwab / Times of San Diego / May 25, 2026

With the start of the Point Loma Summer Concerts series just weeks away, organizers are seeking donations to help offset the rising costs of delivering five weekly concerts from July 10 to August 7.

The free concerts are held every Friday evening at Point Loma Park, 1049 Catalina Blvd., with a performance on the junior stage at 5:30 p.m. followed by the Main Stage band kicking off at 6:30 p.m.

“For 26 years, the Point Loma Summer Concerts has brought our community together for free summer concerts in the park,” said Glenn Millar, president of the nonprofit concert series for 2026. “But keeping the concerts free is not free.”

From Voice of San Diego / May 27, 2026

When Mayor Todd Gloria first proposed eliminating grants that support arts institutions and community programming in the city’s budget, many of us in the arts community were deeply concerned. The proposed $11.8 million reduction to arts funding—an 86.6% cut—would have a significant impact on organizations and programs that serve hundreds of thousands of San Diegans each year.

Arts and culture contribute so much to the economic vitality and civic life of our region, but these proposed cuts threaten the ability of arts organizations to continue to play that role into the future.

When the mayor later released his revised budget in May, however, no funding was restored for arts and culture. Indeed, as funds were found for other areas of the budget, the arts were left behind. For many in the sector this was profoundly discouraging and intensified fears about the future stability of arts programming. It raises significant concerns about the city’s priorities and our collective future.

City arts and culture funding does not bankroll lavish galas or extravagant productions. It supports community theater in neighborhoods that otherwise have little access to the arts. I

By Deacon Jim Vargas   / Times of San Diego / May 16, 2026  

Each and every day, hundreds of people come through the doors of the Neil Good Day Center in the East Village. For many, it is one of the few places they can seek refuge off of the streets. For others, it is a place where they can find the basic dignities that life on the street too often denies: medical care, laundry, showers, restrooms, haircuts and pet care.

It is a place where people who are ready to begin their transition out of homelessness can connect to vital services that will support their journeys, whether that be housing placement programs or job seeking support. In 2025 alone, we served 6,712 people.

All of this is at risk of vanishing within a matter of weeks.

Earlier this month, Mayor Todd Gloria presented his draft budget. His proposal, should it pass, would mean the loss of over $4.5 million in funding for services provided by Father Joe’s Villages that support our neighbors experiencing homelessness. And it would mean that funding for the Day Center would be cut entirely.

By Ed Harris

My experience as a former District Two Council Member and Lifeguard taught me that most of our elected officials do not represent the communities. They spend their careers pleasing special interest to ensure they get donations for their next office. When deciding who to vote for please follow the money. The other candidates in this race are already indebted to special interests. They are getting ads paid for by committees and parties who spin the truth. When you are flooded with campaign mailers take a look at the bottom to see who funded it. Then you will know who will own that candidate. Mandy is the real deal. She’s not bought and paid for by special interests.

She hasn’t sold out our neighborhoods, our coastline, or our community values for political favors or insider backing. She’s independent, she’s authentic, and she’s exactly the kind of leader we need at City Hall right now.

We do not need another rubber stamp politician.

USS F-1 Submarine Sank in 1917 After Collision During Training Exercise, 19 Crew Members Lost

By Pia Gray / Futura / May 12, 2026

A research expedition off the coast of San Diego has captured the most detailed imagery ever recorded of the USS F-1 submarine. The World War I vessel sank in 1917 following a surface collision during a training exercise, taking 19 crew members down with it. Operating 1,300 feet below the surface, researchers used advanced deep submergence technology to document the site with precision, providing a clear window into a century old naval tragedy.
Locating the relic

The USS F-1 has occupied the seafloor west of Point Loma since its sudden sinking eight days before Christmas. While a Navy submersible initially spotted the rough location of the wreckage in 1972 during an unrelated search, a close-up survey remained impossible for decades due to the extreme depth. A joint expedition by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the US Navy finally resolved the mystery by deploying deep sea submersibles directly to the site.

By Jacob Mitchell

I am a fourth generation San Diegan and the son of an Olympian. My life has been defined by the idea that if you play by the rules and put in the work, you deserve a fair shot at the podium, but if you look at San Diego today, you’ll see a city where the playing field is tilted.

We are currently governed by a system that treats residents as a revenue source and institutional developers as the only viable solution to our problems. I am not a politician, as a chemist and an MBA candidate, I don’t believe in vague talking points; I believe in data, systems, and accountability. It’s time we stopped managing San Diego through headlines and started managing it for long term results.

Housing: Bridging the Generational Divide

The most pressing issue facing our beach communities is the housing crisis. State policy mandates a certain number of new homes San Diego needs to build in 9 year cycles. Currently, the City’s response to the mandate is to drop development fees for corporate entities and hand out subsidies for hyper-dense projects that lack community oversight.

I hear two very different, yet equally valid, fears in our district.

Voice of San Diego / May 27, 2026

Tonight, Wednesday the 27th, the San Diego City Council will hold a public hearing on this year’s proposed budget, which seeks to close a $118 million deficit. Tonight’s public hearing will be held in Council Chambers starting at 6:30 p.m.

The meeting is the latest deliberation following Mayor Todd Gloria’s May revision. He restored some library and recreation center hours after Councilmembers pushed back, saying those cuts pose a threat to public safety.

But there are still some tense conversations ahead.

WE WANT MAXIMUM PARTICIPATION
Join San Diego ART Matters, Arts+Culture: San Diego, and regional arts and culture leaders for a public press conference calling attention to the proposed elimination of City funding for arts and culture grants in the FY27 budget.