Month: October 2014

By Norma Damashek

Albert Einstein searched for a unified theory that would unite the forces of nature (he had his eye on relativity and electromagnetism).

I, too, have been searching for a unified theory—albeit a more modest one—to unite the forces of nature (human, in this case) that make San Diego the chronically backwater/ amorphous/ uninspired/ tunnel-visioned/ closed-shop/ quasi-corrupt/ rigidly-manipulated/shady city it is.

Come join the search. Just follow the trail of clues, click on a sampling of news links about San Diego, and you’ll discover a unifying theme that even Einstein would find surprising.

Clue #1: City governments are not bush league versions of the ones at the top. …

By Ernie McCray

I was asked to write something that rhymes for Steve, a friend of mine, who was celebrating entering his 70’s and these words came to me:

In a spirit of love,
with feather weight ease,
I say to my dear friend, Steve,
who has just turned 70,
that he
has reached an age
where you can truly
do or say pretty
much anything
you damn well please.
Cuz the world doesn’t
give a hoot
about an old-assed coot.

The victim in last weekend’s Ocean Beach hit and run is showing some signs of recovery, after suffering a severe head injury while ridding her bicycle late at night.

Katie was on her bicyclist when it was hit by a white pick-up truck around 1:20 a.m. at the intersection of West Point Loma Avenue and Sunset Cliffs Blvd. The pickup truck had a camper shell and was northbound, and didn’t stop.

Katie Connor, 23, an OBcean, is being treated at the University of California at San Diego Medical Center, where – and we quote from a website set up for her – “as of October 16, she has shown some signs of recovery …

If you want to destroy Mission Valley, what’s coming down the development pipeline will surely do it for you. There are four massive residential and commercial projects and another four minor ones in various stages of construction and blueprints – which if all were built – would permanently damage Mission Valley to the point where the Valley that we now know would no longer be there.

Some old-timers believe Mission Valley was destroyed a long time ago, when it was a long, lush valley of dairy farms and agricultural fields. Then the hotels, resorts, golf courses and freeways came and Mission Valley lost its beauty, serenity, and its soul. Yet it’s also another group of “old-timers” – a special group – a group of Mission Valley landowning families who have plans to damage the Valley even further.

By John Lawrence

It has finally dawned on the American consciousness that wealth is being concentrated among fewer and fewer people. In fact just 400 Americans own more wealth than the bottom 180 million taken together.

Thomas Piketty in his ground breaking book, Capital in the Twenty-First Century, shows the dynamic behind this dramatic rise in wealth among the upper echelon of society while everyone else, in particular the middle class, is being left in the dust.

At their annual “OBie Awards” dinner, held last night, October 14th, at Shades, the Ocean Beach Town Council recognized key community volunteers – giving out the Council’s traditional awards during an event attended by a ‘who’s-who’ of village politicos.

Congressman Scott Peters and Councilman Ed Harris also addressed the crowd, and numerous reps of other politicians were recognized. Harris gave out a special certificate of recognition to OB Planning Board chair Pete Ruscitti.

Town Council president Gretchen Newsom guided the event swimmingly through the evening,

Join the Ocean Beach Historical Society for their monthly presentation on Thursday, October 16th. This month’s program is “Reading Between the Lampposts: the Literary Giants of Loma Portal” – a book about street names.

This program will feature a unique book that is about a special neighborhood project coordinated by friends Elaine Fotinos Burrell and Karla Lapic.

The neighborhood of Loma Portal, has the curious distinction …

At the annual “OBie Awards” dinner last night hosted by the Ocean Beach Town Council, the OB Rag was presented with the yearly “Community Partner” award given out by the Council.

Frank Gormlie, editor, accepted the certificate on behalf of the OB Rag. Gormlie immediately thanked Patty Jones, his partner, “for making it all happen,” praised the new generation of the OB Town Council and the OB Planning Board, and spoke of the OB tradition of “doing it the OB way.”

In her prepared remarks, OB Town Council president Gretchen Newsom stated …

Compromise Means Barrio Logan to Host this Year But Not in 2016

By Brent E. Beltrán /

With his back against the wall, and a community within his district upset with the continued siting of the winter shelter in their neighborhood and the negative impact it brings, Councilmember David Alvarez stepped up and brokered a compromise.

Though the shelter will return this coming winter the City Council voted unanimously (with Councilmember Marti Emerald absent due to health reasons) with Mr. Alvarez’s motion to not have the location at Newton Avenue and 16^th Street in Barrio Logan considered by the Housing Commission in 2016.

2nd Demolition Slated for 4700 Block of Del Mar Ave

The Project Review Committee – a sub-committee of the OB Planning Board – has two projects to review when it meets Wednesday night at the OB Rec Center, October 15th. The Rec Center is at 4726 Santa Monica Ave, and the meeting begins at 6pm.

Both projects are applications to demolish existing housing and to then construct new condominiums or single-family residences.

The first on deck is a proposal to demolish an over one-hundred year old house at 4677 Niagara Avenue by its new owners, who just purchased it for $690,000 on September 25, 2014 . It was built in 1913.

The Nerd, the Negotiator, the Pretender and its Protégé

By Linda Perine / Democratic Woman’s Club

This week’s article is a little more complex than some of our previous looks at Who Runs San Diego?. When David (Cory Briggs) slays Goliath (Hoteliers Financing District) – that’s a good story!

When some (Sea World and certain electeds) tell us it’s OK to imprison and mistreat our sweet Shamu, LOTS of folk get mad. When our CD2/lifeguard good guy (Ed Harris) takes on tenants (Belmont Park) that seem a little moochy, you can pump your fist.

A severe head injury to a bicyclist occurred early Sunday in Ocean Beach in a hit-and-run. A woman bicyclist was hit by a white pick-up truck at the intersection of West Point Loma Avenue and Sunset Cliffs.

The pickup truck had a camper shell and was northbound. She was eastbound – they crashed around 1:20 a.m. –