Grassroots and Progressive views on local, national and world news

Initial Report: City Arborist Wants to Cut Down Long Branch Torrey Pine in Next 2 Weeks While Urban Forestry Board Wants a Delay

by Frank Gormlie on November 15, 2018 · 1 comment

in Ocean Beach

The OB Rag has received an initial report of what came down at yesterday’s meeting of the city’s Urban Forestry Advisory Board regarding the Torrey Pine on Long Branch Ave. in Ocean Beach. We have yet to confirm this, but believe the community needs to know the bad news ASAP. (We will post a follow-up article as soon as we can.)

Yes, it’s bad news.

A paid arborist for the City, Brian Widener, after some kind of “study” of the tree on the 4600 block, issued his report and recommended either remove the tree or do work on and then re-evaluate it.

Yet a witness at the meeting told the OB Rag it sounded like Widener wanted to cut the Torrey down, citing safety concerns.

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Midterm Voters Rejected One-Party Rule and Created Most Diverse Congress in U.S. History

by Frank Gormlie on November 14, 2018 · 0 comments

in California, Civil Rights, Politics

What happened one week ago cannot be over-stated. Yeah, those mid-term results – whose vote totals are still coming in. And despite pundit declarations there wasn’t a “blue wave”, Democrats continue to be declared winners.

Yet, we must underscore and duly acknowledge the two huge things that happened last Tuesday. A majority of American voters rejected the one-party rule we’ve had these last two years, at least on the Federal level, – and in the process created the most diverse Congress in history. Or vice-versa.

The results were devastating to Trump. That’s why – the very next day – he blasted the mid-term news off the front page and out of the news cycle with his firing of Attorney Jeff Sessions and appointment of loyalist – and apparently, co-conspirator – Matt Whitaker as “acting” AG. Many progressive activists – instead of relishing and understanding what was coming down with all the votes – were forced to mobilize to protest threats to the Mueller investigation. (Then the firing/appointment crisis was superseded by the Thousand Oaks massacre which was in turn over-run by all the California fires.)

What happened on November 6 is still unfolding. What with Tony Thurmond’s lead as State Superintendent of Education, the election of Krystan Sinema as a Senator from Arizona, and the tightening of other California House races, along with the apparent gain of 35 to 40 House seats by Democrats, the burial of the blue wave by those pundits was premature.

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OB Town Council Board Elections Approach – 8 Seats Up for Election, Candidate Statements Due Jan. 21, 2019

by Staff on November 14, 2018 · 0 comments

in Ocean Beach

The annual election for the Ocean Beach Town Council Board of Directors is coming right up. Voting will take place from Monday, January 28th to Friday, February 8th.

Anyone member considering running as a candidate for one of the 8 seats open must submit their Candidate Statement by Monday, January 21st.

A Candidate Statement is a Letter of Intent stating one’s reasons for wanting to join the OBTC Board and describing any relevant experience or skills

Here is the statement from the OBTC website:

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City’s Urban Forestry Board Meeting on Long Branch Torrey Pine – Wed., Nov. 14

by Frank Gormlie on November 14, 2018 · 1 comment

in Ocean Beach

The City’s Urban Forestry Advisory Board is meeting today, Wednesday, Nov. 14, on the Long Branch Avenue Torrey Pine. The meeting starts at 11:45am and is on the 12th floor of City Hall in downtown San Diego. The conference room off to the side of Council Chambers is usually where the meetings are held.

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Thinking of Walls That Could Be Walked Through

November 13, 2018 by Ernie McCray

By Ernie McCray

The other night I went to a Border Angels event, in celebration of their years of honoring their creed: “Love Has No Borders,” leaving water, among the things that they do, to keep people from dying trying to cross deserts where awaiting them is a sun that shows no mercy.

It was so nice just sitting there among people who believe deeply in the idea of rights for all human beings.

I was as kickbacked as I could be through all the welcomings and honoring dignitaries and congratulating people who give of themselves tirelessly towards the making of a better world – sipping on a margarita that was mixed just right

‘Why I Deleted My Facebook Account’

November 13, 2018 by Source

By Geoff Page

I was on a road trip in October and somewhere in Northern California I tuned into a public radio station interviewing a journalist who had written a long piece in the New Yorker about Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg. The piece is titled “Can Mark Zuckerberg Fix Facebook Before It Breaks Democracy?” and it was written by Evan Osnos. They began to discuss the 2016 Presidential election and I was blown away by what I heard.

Here is the part that turned me off to Facebook.

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Nuclear Shutdown News October 2018: Millstone and Oyster Creek Nukes

November 13, 2018 by Michael Steinberg

By Michael Steinberg / Black Rain Press

Nuclear Shutdown News chronicles the decline and fall of the nuclear power industry in the US and beyond, and highlights the efforts of those who are working to create a nuclear free world. Here is our October 2018 report.

Twenty Years On

This month marks the 20th year since my book Millstone and Me: Sex, Lies and Radiation first appeared in the 10th month of 1998.

This work was inspired by Dr. Ernest Sternglass, whose groundbreaking early 1980s book Secret Fallout: From Hiroshima to Three Mile Island exposed the dangers of so-called “low level” radiation to human health.

Arsonists Torch Office of Rent Control Activists in Chula Vista

November 13, 2018 by Doug Porter

A Chula Vista office for Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, a community organizing group closely involved with statewide and local recent recent control initiatives was torched early Saturday morning.

Police have confirmed the fire was a deliberate targeted attack. The fact that the arsonist(s) removed the organization’s bright yellow tee shirts from the building and torched them separately was, no doubt, a convincing clue.

OB Historical Society Presents: ‘Memories’ of the Crash of PSA Flight 182 on It’s 40th Anniversary – Thurs., Nov.15

November 13, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

“Memories that Will Never Go Away”
The 40th Anniversary of the Crash of PSA Flight 182
by Alexander D. Bevil,
Thurs., Nov. 15, 7pm
at Water’s Edge Faith Community
1984 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., O.B

Everyone’s invited to the the Ocean Beach Historical Society’s monthly program, “Memories that Will Never Go Away,” the 40th anniversary of the crash of PSA Flight 182, presented by Alexander Bevil, an award-winning local free-lance historian, writer and preservationist.

Ocean Beach Child Care Project Is Turning 40 Years

November 12, 2018 by Source

One of the Longest Running OB Grassroots Projects Is Celebrating over 40 Years

By Bonnie Elias

Many times I have driven through the intersection at Chatsworth and Nimitz and wondered about the two houses on the northeast corner – and if the childcare centers I and people I know had helped to create years ago were still operating.

To anyone else they’re just two pretty nondescript houses that are easy to ignore. But to us, the houses represent many memories and a huge success story.

Campbell Is Only Third Democrat Elected to Represent District 2 in Over 40 Years

November 12, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

There’s lot of punditry talk these days how Jen Campbell’s election over Lorie Zapf will tilt the City Council into a 6 to 3 Democrat “super-majority” and how labor will now dominate the council and set the agenda, blah blah blah. (Which isn’t true. )

So, it’s helpful to reflect and get a more historical view of the district’s representation and when you do, you understand how the balance of power on the Council, a council dominated by Republicans for decades and decades, has now shifted to the party that has been out-of-power for so long.

For Jen Campbell is only the third Democrat to be elected to represent District 2 in over 40 years. 43 years to be exact. The only other Democrats during these long years to represent Ocean Beach,

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Post Election Questions for Progressives at State, Local and National Levels

November 12, 2018 by Jim Miller

What many had called the election of our lifetimes is over, and while any moment for reflection was immediately stolen by Trump’s purge of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the subsequent fallout with regard to the Russia investigation, there are still big, important questions that progressives inside and outside of power will face in the coming months if we hope to present a vision that does more than say no to Trump while getting trapped in his diversions.

Can the Democrats in the House and elsewhere at the national level set a bold economic agenda?

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Progressive Activist Calendar Mid-November, 2018

November 12, 2018 by Doug Porter

Editordude: Here is the Progressive Activist Calendar for mid-November from San Diego Free Press. The first calendar for many months without any election campaign stuff. (Updated to reflect passage of time since originally posted.)

November 13

Dr. Jen WINS! Club Meeting & Celebration

Tuesday, November 14, 7pm
Elijah’s Restaurant
7061 Clairmont Mesa Boulevard
For More Information – COME INSIDE

OB Restaurant Walk – Tuesday, November 13

November 12, 2018 by Source

It’s the 2018 OB Restaurant Walk

The Ocean Beach Town Council and Ocean Beach Mainstreet Association welcome you to join the foodie event of the year for Ocean Beach – the annual OB Restaurant Walk!

San Diego’s Best Restaurant Walk

This year, on Tuesday, November 13, from 5:00pm-9:00pm, the OB Restaurant Walk invites culinary enthusiasts to enjoy more than 50 food samples from some of OB’s best restaurants and breweries

Colleen’s Retirement Party at the OB Green Center – Sat., Nov. 10th

November 10, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

Colleen Dietzel is retiring – and the Ocean Beach Green Center is throwing her a party. It’s all happening Saturday, November 10th, from 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

There will be Live Music, awesome refreshments, exciting raffle prizes.

It’s also the Green Center’s Fall Celebration Fundraiser.

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Body Found Floating in Pacific Ocean off Point Loma Avenue

November 10, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

An unidentified body was discovered off Point Loma Avenue in Ocean Beach Friday morning, November 9.

First responders were notified of the body seen floating off the coast near the terminus of Point Loma Ave. around 9:30 a..m. With law enforcement okay, lifeguards removed it, transporting it initially to Lifeguard Headquarters in Mission Bay. The body was then taken to the County Medical Examiner’s Office.

According to police, the body had been in the ocean “a while”.

Dumanis Was Swamped by Fletcher in County Supervisor Race

November 9, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

County Supervisor candidate and former District Attorney, Bonnie Dumanis, was simply swamped by Nathan Fletcher.

Check out this map of how all the precincts in Supervisor District 4 voted, thanks to inewsource.

As you can see plainly, Fletcher took all but 11 precincts, and one of those was a tie. District 4 includes most of the City of San Diego, including Ocean Beach, more than half of Point Loma, and all the other northern beach areas, as well as most neighborhoods north and south of I-8. All in all, a very Democratic-leaning area.

We can easily speculate that this race was probably the last one that Dumanis will run.

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Book Sale at OB Library – Saturday, Nov. 10th

November 9, 2018 by Source

Friends of the Ocean Beach Library are holding a book sale this Saturday, November 10th from 9:30 to 12:30.

OB Planners Support New Plans for Ruth Varney Held Park, Table Issue of Police Trailer

November 9, 2018 by Source

By Geoff Page

New Ruth Varney Held Park Design

There are those who look at an open space and love that it is open and that it sparks the imagination with possibilities for fun and relaxation. Then, there are those who see an open space and see chaos and feel it must be organized. For those in the first group, the revised design of the Saratoga Park was a welcome sight at the Ocean Beach Planning Board meeting on Wednesday, November 7. The frantic organization seen in the original design has given way to a much more relaxed open space.

According to board member Jane Gawronski, the change was due to complaints from the community about the first design. That plan had just about every square inch of the grassy area north of the main lifeguard station planned for all kinds of park amenities.

The new design leaves most of the grassy area wide open.

Mark Winkie Is New President of Ocean Beach Town Council – Marcus Turner Resigns Due to Out-of-Town Employment

November 9, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

The Ocean Beach Town Council has a new president – Mark Winkie, formerly the vice-president. Winkie was elected by the Board of Directors due to the unanticipated resignation of Marcus Turner as president; Turner has accepted new out-of-town employment and will no longer be able to carry out the functions of the president.

Other changes have occurred also – causing a leadership shake-up. Priscilla Turner, Marcus’ spouse, also resigned from the board and as correspondence secretary. Marcus has accepted employment in Long Beach – where he grew up (see this interview) and where his parents and several siblings still live – and Priscilla is moving back there with him.

Jill Kent was elected by the board to be vice-president. Jon Carr was elected to be the new correspondence secretary, Priscilla’s previous position.

And seemingly unrelated to the Turners’ resignations from the board, Nicole Ueno has also resigned from the board.

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More than 500 San Diegans Rally to Back the Mueller Investigation – Event One of Over 1000 Held Across Nation

November 9, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

More than 500 San Diegans rallied last night, Thursday, November 8 at the downtown Federal Court House to show support for the Mueller investigation.

The San Diego protest was one of over a thousand held across the country in response to Trump’s firing of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the appointment of a Trump crony and critic of the investigation to oversee it as the “acting” attorney general.

Hosted by a rapid-response network and called for in less than 24 hours, the rallies demonstrated a sharp rebuke to the president’s efforts to undermine the investigation into a conspiracy between the Russian government and the Trump campaign / White House into sabotaging the 2016 presidential elections.

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Just What Was ‘the Saturday Night Massacre’?

November 8, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

Almost daily and nightly we hear comparisons of the abuse of power by president Trump to those by former president Richard Nixon back in the mid-1970s. And at times like these – immediately after Trump’s firing of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his appointment of a Trump loyalist and critic of the Mueller investigation to now be the acting-attorney general – we hear comparisons to the “Saturday Night Massacre” which led eventually to Nixon’s resignation

Okay, then, just what was the “Saturday Night Massacre”?

It was Saturday, October 20, 1973, and the nation was deep in the grip of the Watergate scandal and the investigation into Nixon’s abuses of power.

Nation-Wide Protests Against Trump for Installing Crony to Oversee Mueller Investigation – Downtown San Diego 5pm, Thurs., Nov. 8

November 8, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

In response to Trump’s firing of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his appointment of loyal ally Matt Whitaker to be the “acting” Attorney General, nation-wide protests have been called for today, Thursday, Nov. 8 at 5pm.

In San Diego there will be a protest gathering at the downtown Federal Courthouse at 333 West Broadway. It’s being hosted by San Diego Indivisible and Mueller Rapid Response – San Diego

Map of How Ocean Beach and Point Loma Precincts Voted

November 8, 2018 by Source

Thanks to inewsource we have a map of how Ocean Beach and Point Loma precincts within District 2 voted Tuesday, November 6. (Click on link to see how individual precincts voted or for other council races.)

Blue represents precincts that went for Democratic victor Jen Campbell and red those who voted for incumbent Republican Lorie Zapf.

As one can see Campbell won all of Ocean Beach and good chunks of Point Loma, including what appears to be a blue wave along the Nimitz Boulevard-corridor all the way to the San Diego Bay.

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Petition Began to ‘Keep’ OB Hardware Store

November 7, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

A petition has begun to keep the OB Hardware store alive, despite its owner from stating he was closing the storefront after being in the business for 50 years.

It just went up and just a handful of people have signed it (as of this posting, 12:41pm 11/7/18). The petition states:

Attorney General Sessions Resigns at Trump’s Request

November 7, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

The Attorney General of the U.S., Jeff Sessions, has just resigned effective immediately. In his resignation letter, Sessions states he wasr being asked to do so by President Trump.

“At your request, I am submitting my resignation,” Sessions wrote in an undated letter to the president. He also wrote:

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OB Planners to Review New Plans for Saratoga Park and Respond to Request to Pay for OB Pier Police Trailer – Wed., Nov. 7

November 7, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

The Ocean Beach Planning Board meets this Wednesday, November 7 and at the top of their agenda, figuratively speaking, is a review of the new plans for the Saratoga Park, also called the Ruth Varney Held Park. (Here is a representation of those plans – handed out at the OBTC meeting on 10/24/18.)

Also on their agenda is something that would have caused an uproar 10 to 15 years ago: the Board is being asked to help pay for the police trailer in the OB Pier Parking Lot.

The Board will meet at 6pm in the Community Room at the OB Rec Center, 4726 Santa Monica Avenue.

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Jen Campbell Winning District 2 City Council Race

November 7, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

UPDATE: CAMPBELL WINS DISTRICT 2 – Latest Numbers

With 100 per cent of precincts reporting, here are the final vote totals for District 2 race:

Voting Results for City of San Diego Propositions

November 7, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

Straight from County of San Diego Registrar of Voters:

Come inside for larger images of charts