November 2014

Stand with Indigenous Peoples, Stop the Pipelines

November 17, 2014 by Source

As so often happens, Native Americans are leading the fight to save the world.

Moccasins on the Ground workshop where participants are trained in the skills, tactics, and techniques of nonviolent direct action.By Will Falk / San Diego Free Press

While half of the world’s species are disappearing, while the remaining 48 hunter/gatherer societies are literally fighting for their survival, while 32 million acres of rainforest are cut down a year, and while three hundred tons of topsoil are lost a minute, we are again at war with those who would destroy the planet.

There have been many wars fought on behalf of our life-giving land in North America. The overwhelming majority of those killed in defense of the land have come from peoples like the Sioux, the Cheyenne, the Nez Perce, the Sauk, and the Apache. Native Americans have long stood in the way of this destructive culture.

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Are You Ready for the 2016 Political Shuffle in San Diego?

November 17, 2014 by Doug Porter

startinglinelogoBy Doug Porter

The results have yet to be certified for this year’s election results, but that hasn’t prevented various political players around town from lining up support for the next step in their careers. There’s already some action and plenty of rumors to share today.

City Councilman Ed Harris was first out of the gate yesterday, by way of a story in the OB Rag announcing his intention to seek termed-out Assemblywoman Toni Atkins position representing the 78th District in 2016.

Hey, there’s plenty more. …

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Wind and Solar Create More Jobs When They’re Locally Owned, Report Finds

November 17, 2014 by Source

When it comes to providing jobs and money to towns and cities, not all renewable energy is created equal.

Everybody_Solar_RTP_install

By Kayla Schultz / Yes!

At [September’s] People’s Climate March, among the most popular signs were ones supporting renewable energy like wind and solar as the best way to avoid a climate catastrophe. …

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The United Taxi Workers Victory and the Struggle for a New Labor Movement

November 17, 2014 by Jim Miller

IMG_0767By Jim Miller

Last Monday’s victory for the United Taxi Workers of San Diego provided a much-needed boost for local labor.

After a year that has included some tough losses at the polls and the effort to save the minimum wage ordinance, it was inspiring to see the taxi drivers (largely East African immigrant workers) burst into celebration and pour out of Golden Hall chanting “USA!” as they embraced each other, mounted the planter boxes, and cheered for joy.

It was the kind of genuine expression of collective exuberance that comes when workers feel, perhaps for the first time, that they have taken ownership of their lives and destinies.

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Round-About Being Considered for West Pt Loma and Bacon in Ocean Beach

November 13, 2014 by Frank Gormlie
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The OB Planning Board and City are considering the installation of a round-about or traffic circle at the busy intersection of West Pt Loma Blvd and Bacon Street in northwest Ocean Beach.

City engineers have determined that a traffic circle would work at the intersection geometrically. So, the City is okay with the concept. There is a growing positive trend towards placing round abouts in urban areas impacted by traffic. … The intersection in question gets quite busy during rush hours and when major sports events …

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Extreme Weather Watch: October 2014 – Drought in Australia and Brazil

November 13, 2014 by John Lawrence

weather5By John Lawrence

Australia experienced its second warmest October on record. A number of records were set during the month in particular for the warmest October day on record for Australia as a whole. Nationally-averaged rainfall during October was 59% below the long-term mean which made October 2014 Australia’s seventh-driest October on record.

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Protests and “Blackfish” Force SeaWorld Earnings and Attendance to Drop

November 13, 2014 by Frank Gormlie
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Protests at San Diego SeaWorld and the film “BlackFish” have had enormous impact on the earnings and attendance at SeaWorld, both here in San Diego and in Orlando, Florida.

SeaWorld’s parent company, SeaWorld Entertainment Inc., announced on November 12, that its earnings for the 3rd quarter fell nearly a third – 28 percent – from a year ago. Shares of the company fell 10 percent in morning trading.

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Ocean Beach CDC Unveils 3D Models of New Veterans Plaza

November 12, 2014 by Frank Gormlie
Thumbnail image for Ocean Beach CDC Unveils 3D Models of New Veterans Plaza

At yesterday’s fundraising event for the new OB Veterans Plaza, the lead organization behind the project, the OB Community Development Corporation, rolled out its 3-dimension models of the planned memorial.

A hundred people – including many biker veterans- joined the CDC and a color guard from Point Loma High School at the unveiling of the Plaza and the kickoff for fundraising for it on Tuesday, November 11th – Veterans Day.

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OB Town Council: Ocean Beach Community Plan Is the Grand Marshall for the Holiday Parade

November 12, 2014 by Frank Gormlie
Thumbnail image for OB Town Council: Ocean Beach Community Plan Is the Grand Marshall for the Holiday Parade

Organizers Set to Mobilize Plan Supporters for an OB Community Plan “Float”

The Ocean Beach Town Council has announced that its selection of the “Grand Marshall” for the OB Holiday Parade is the Ocean Beach Community Plan. Every year, someone or something is awarded the exalted title. Usually it goes to a deserving community member or celebrity. …
Meanwhile, organizers and supporters of the OB Community Plan are moving on plans to create a “float” in the OB Holiday Parade

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New Hours at the OB Library

November 12, 2014 by Staff
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A new schedule of hours has been posted at the front of the OB Library just recently. The new extended hours for all branch libraries are the result of additional monies in the City budget.

The Point Loma Hervey Library in addition is open for extended hours. The hours at the OB Library have been restricted over the last few years as San Diego struggled during the Great Recession to maintain public services and facilities. The library was even threatened with closure at one point.

COME INSIDE FOR A CLOSER LOOK

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Ed Harris to Run for Toni Atkins’ 78th Assembly Seat in 2016

November 12, 2014 by Frank Gormlie
Thumbnail image for Ed Harris to Run for Toni Atkins’ 78th Assembly Seat in 2016

Current District 2 Councilman Ed Harris told the OB Rag at the OB Veterans Plaza event yesterday that he intends to run for the 78th Assembly District seat, now held by Speaker of the Assembly, Toni Atkins in the year 2016. Atkins will be termed out that year.

Harris made this announcement after we queried him on his future plans. Harris steps down from the council seat on December 10th, the day that Lori Zapf is sworn in as the newly-elected rep for the district.

Since his selection as District 2 council rep 7 months ago, Harris has …

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Speeder on Rosecrans Damages Speed Warning Light

November 11, 2014 by Source
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This is what’s left of the Speed Warning Light on Rosecrans, 2 blocks south of Talbot, which was hit by a speeder Saturday night, Nov. 8th.

There is no speed warning sign on the south side of the street.

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Scott Bowles – Drowning Victim – Remembered by His Family

November 11, 2014 by Staff
Thumbnail image for Scott Bowles – Drowning Victim – Remembered by His Family

The recent drowning victim, OBcean Scott Bowles, is being remembered by his family who have just arrived from Arkansas and other areas of the country.

And a picture of the young 37 year old man is being formed for the rest of the community, shocked that the ocean could take a life so simply.

Scott is described as a strong swimmer – whose body was found floating off South Mission Beach by a kayaker …

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Veterans Day 2014

November 11, 2014 by Source
Thumbnail image for Veterans Day 2014

In observance of Veterans Day 2014, we turn to a series of posts that our online media partner, San Diego Free Press, has been running this week, “War and Peace Week”.

War and Peace Week at the San Diego Free Press by Anna Daniels

Drill Team (a paean, not to the war machine) by Jay Powell

…MORE INSIDE …

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Hold on to Freedom

November 11, 2014 by Source

War-on-TerrorSBy Bob Dorn

Freedom. A word we don’t hear lately, cheated of life by politicians who told us that’s what wars are for.

After all those wars fought in its name, did we lose the concept, freedom? What took its place? Hate? Maybe that’s what’s left. … We’ve been suffocated by war; our culture is dying from it.

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Visual Analysis of a Cross-Walk at Newport and Abbott

November 10, 2014 by Staff
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This article was originally posted on Nov. 10, 2014.

At their last meeting, the OB Planning Board held a discussion about a cross-walk at the intersection of Newport Avenue and Abbott Street.

John Ambert, Vice-chair of the board, gave a power-point presentation of an analysis having a cross-walk at that busy center of the beach.

Here, without significant comment or narration, is Ambert’s self-explanatory visual presentation:

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OB Rag Trying to Cover Point Loma – But We Need Help

November 10, 2014 by Frank Gormlie
Thumbnail image for OB Rag Trying to Cover Point Loma – But We Need Help

The OB Rag masthead declares that we cover Ocean Beach and Point Loma. And if you’ve been noticing, the OB Rag of late has been running numerous articles about Point Loma, the Peninsula and other neighborhoods of the area. … We have been reporting on the meetings and issues of the Peninsula Community Planning Board and the Midway Planning Committee.

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Flap Over “Competing Ribbon-Cuttings” for OB Entryway All a Big Misunderstanding

November 10, 2014 by Frank Gormlie

A member of Councilman Ed Harris’ office has egg on his face, is eating crow – (throw in your own fave idiomatic phrase) – and is a tad embarrassed these days.

It seems that our favorite member of Harris’ staff, Chet Barfield, mistook a two-year old press release about a ribbon-cutting for the OB Entryway Project for an event scheduled for this mid-December, after his boss leaves office.

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Post Election Notes from the Left Coast: Apocalypse Now? Just Say No

November 10, 2014 by Jim Miller

Creative Commons image by Kevin Crumbs

By Jim Miller

Last week progressives in California rightfully felt a bit relieved that their state served as a seawall against the ocean of red that washed across America. Outside of our reactionary little backwater here in San Diego where Carl DeMaio can pretend to be moderate and almost win despite multiple scandals, there were bright spots in the rest of the state …

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Meeting Called to Organize “Float” for the OB Community Plan at Holiday Parade – Monday, Nov. 10

November 8, 2014 by Frank Gormlie
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Organizing Meeting Monday, Nov. 10th at Dog Beach Dog Wash

The San Diego City Council approved the OB Community Plan Update on July 29th. And sometime during January 2015 it goes before the California Coastal Commission.

In the meantime, OB planning activists and supporters want to keep the issue of the Plan Update in front of the community, …

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Body of Missing OB Man Found Floating Off Mission Beach

November 8, 2014 by Frank Gormlie
Thumbnail image for Body of Missing OB Man Found Floating Off Mission Beach

The mystery of the missing OBcean, Scott Bowles, has been solved. His body was found floating in the ocean off South Mission Beach. Bowles has been missing since Halloween.

His body was found floating in the ocean near Oceanfront Walk on Friday afternoon, according to the Medical Examiner’s Office website, which has not listed any cause of death.

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OB Goes Big For San Diego Beer Week

November 7, 2014 by Matthew Wood
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By Matthew Wood

As San Diego Beer Week kicks off tonight, Ocean Beach is quickly becoming a central hub for some of the best events. Places like OB Noodle House – which has been a part of the event for years – save some of their best brews for the upcoming week.

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OB Time – the Old Hippie Writes

November 7, 2014 by Source
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Editor: This is the first post of a regular column that the OB Rag hopes to publish weekly, “OB Time – the Old Hippie Writes”. Let us know how you feel or what you think about it.

Hey, kids – that’s right – I am an old hippie and here we are – in “OB Time”.

Do you know what OB Time is? If you have to ask, I guess you don’t live here. It’s why the annual Holiday Parade starts at 5:05 p.m. and not 5 sharp. It’s reflective of how laid back OB is. We don’t care about time. We’ve dropped out of the ol’ rat race. That corporate rush-rush-rush life style is a downer, man. OB Time is also why …

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OB Voted for Peters, Point Loma for DeMaio

November 7, 2014 by Staff

Not surprisingly, Ocean Beach voters voted for Scott Peters the Democrat incumbent in the 52nd Congressional race this past Tuesday, Nov. 4th. Also not surprisingly, Point Loma voted for Republican Carl DeMaio that same day.

OB Election Map PetersVDeMaioNov2014

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The Politics of the OB Entry Way Project: Mayor’s Competing Ribbon-Cutting Excludes Councilman Harris

November 7, 2014 by Frank Gormlie

UPDATE: See Most Recent Post about the mistake that led to the hubbub
It’s strange the way certain public improvement projects get politicized.

The OB’s Entryway Project is scheduled to open sometime around mid-November. And a ribbon-cutting event has been planned for the opening for some time now – and was scheduled for November 20th. …

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California’s Proposition 47 Passed. Now What?

November 7, 2014 by Doug Porter

ca_prison21By Doug Porter

One of the big electoral victories for what I’d call sane people this week was the passage of Proposition 47. Simple drug possession and property crimes valued under $950 are now misdemeanors, effective immediately, punishable by up to a year in a county jail. … Law and order–or should I call them “lock ‘em and leave ‘em”– types are taking to the airwaves to fan the kind of (mostly irrational) fears responsible for California’s decades long dance with draconian detention policies.

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Parsing the Pitchmen for Plots in a Political Graveyard

November 7, 2014 by Source

max headroomBy Bob Dorn

Get ready for the message: Democrats need to move toward the center. That’s it, that’s all you need to know from the political professionals whom we pay to tell us who we are and what we think.

Picture them. You have Brian Williams, the hippest of that knot of strange guys in a hotel bar who anchor the nightly news of the three traditional used-to-be’s: ABC, CBS and NBC. …

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OB Woman’s Club 90th Anniversary Fundraiser: “Roaring 20s” – Friday, Nov. 7th

November 7, 2014 by Source
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The Roaring 20s are back!

Friday night at the OB Woman’s Club fundraiser spectacular! Nov. 7th – 6 – 10pm

2160 Bacon Street

Music by : As You Like It

Food $10 …. Prize Drawings … Entertainment … Silent Auction

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OB Planners Narrowly Approve Ford Project on Del Mar, Okay Crosswalk, Bike Corral and Round-About

November 6, 2014 by Frank Gormlie
Thumbnail image for OB Planners Narrowly Approve Ford Project on Del Mar, Okay Crosswalk, Bike Corral and Round-About

At last night’s OB Planning Board meeting, Wed., Nov. 5th, the Board – by a close vote – approved the demolition on Del Mar Avenue of an older house and garage and its replacement with a 5 bedroom single family house.

In a series of other actions involving transportation, the Board called upon the City to begin considerations for a cross-walk/ mural at Newport and Abbott, for a bike corral at Bacon and Santa Monica, and for a round-about at West Pt Loma and Bacon.

Ford Project at 4741 Del Mar

With 12 members present, the Board met at the OB Rec Center before over a dozen people in the audience. The first action item was an application to demolish an existing house and garage at 4741 Del Mar Avenue and replace them with a 2-story single-family residence with 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, and a detached garage.

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November 2014 Election Analysis and Results

November 6, 2014 by Doug Porter

sf minum wageBy Doug Porter

History repeated itself last night. Going back to Franklin D Roosevelt, where the party of Herbert Hoover picked up seven US Senate seats and eighty-one US House seats, the political party of a second term president usually gets its ass kicked in the final mid-term election of that administration. It happened to Presidents Eisenhower, Reagan, and Bush.

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