Month: June 2015

By Jim Miller

Depending on how things line up, this week may be when we learn whether or not the House of Representatives delivers Obama a win on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a bipartisan effort that will more thoroughly enshrine a neoliberal structure in U.S. law in the service of bolstering corporate control of our democracy.

By Michael Steinberg / Black Rain Press

Nuclear Shutdown News chronicles the continuing decline of the US nuclear industry.

Here’s our May 2015 report:

Indian Point Nuke Plant Fire

A May 8 fire in a transformer at the Indian Point Nuclear Plant caused a fire and explosion, shutting down reactor #3 for 16 days. The Environmental News Service reported on May 9th:

Animal rights activists from throughout Southern California will gather in San Diego this weekend in a kick-off for a world-wide campaign called “Empty the Tanks” with demonstrations against SeaWorld.

The main demonstration is on Saturday, June 6th outside SeaWorld from 10am to 1pm, at the intersection of SeaWorld Drive and SeaWorld Way. The goal is to advocate for marine mammals held captive worldwide for entertainment and profit.

One of the orcas at the center of this campaign is Corky, a female who has been at SeaWorld for 25 years and another 20 years at the former Marineland of the Pacific.

OB Pier Is Also One of the Most Visited Landmarks in San Diego County

Who’s got the longest pier in Southern California?

OB does.

According to our research, at 1,971 feet, the OB Pier is the longest pier in Southern California. The closest competitor is Oceanside at 1,954. Imperial Beach is only 1,491. (The Santa Cruz Wharf is 2,745 feet but it’s not in SoCal.)

Plus, the OB Pier is host to more than a half million visitors each year. This makes it “one of the most visited landmarks in San Diego County,” according to the Los Angeles Daily News.

And, since the OB Pier was built in 1966 – guess what!? Next year is its 50th anniversary!

Californians are paying for tax cuts made years ago through outrageously high fines that make no sense.

By Jill Richardson / Other Words

In May, I arrived in San Diego following five days of driving across the country from Wisconsin. I pulled into my friend’s driveway, brought my things inside, and went back to my car to park it on the street.

Almost immediately, a cop’s siren and flashing lights went off. I’d left my license in my friend’s apartment, so I was in trouble no matter what. But I was in even more trouble because, the cop told me, my license had been suspended since September.

Once Chair John Ambert guided the OB planners to their action agenda items, the Planning Board got down to business, at last night’s monthly meeting at the OB Rec Center. And eventually, they had almost a full Board.

Here’s what they accomplished:

They overwhelmingly approved the 4900 block Del Mar project, they okayed Apple Tree Market’s permits – including their alcohol permit – ; they juggled real concerns about a delay in the Coastal Commission’s approval of the Community Plan with assurances from the city; they approved the Climate Action Plan, and tossed about the notion of changing the historic logo of the Board.

June 20th Saturday 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. International Surfing Day Veteran’s Plaza at the end of Newport Ave ( From 6 – 8 Surfrider Foundation with FM 94.9

June 26th Friday 7:00 p.m. – 11 p.m. Critical Mass Balboa Park at the Big Fountain

June 27th – Saturday – The 36th Annual Ocean Beach Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off Festival 4800 – 5000 blocks of Newport Ave; @ 10:00 am – 8:00 pm –

…. And there’s more ….

In the latest OB Rag poll of our readers on if they supported the legalization of recreational marijuana, an overwhelming 87% responded that they did.

In contrast, nearly 11 and a half percent were opposed to its legalization. One percent replied they didn’t know or had no opinion. No one responded that it was improper or immoral.

The legalization proponents in this poll were split between those who smoked it – 47.1% – and those who didn’t – 40%.

Some residents in southern Ocean Beach are incensed.

They noticed a continuing leak somewhere in the vicinity of Orchard and Froude, which forms pools in the roadway.

So, respectful of the drought and the need to fix this, they called the City’s 24 hour Leak hotline and reported it.

That was on Thursday, May 28th.

But, as of today June 4th, it has not been repaired.

What do these streets all have in common? Pescadero Drive; Adair Street; Tivoli St.; Granger St; Osprey St.; and Trieste? Need another clue? With the exception of Trieste, all are in the 4500-4600 blocks. Still need help? Let me tell you then.

Since May 1st, five homes on these blocks have been broken into and items taken.

Some have been broken into during the day; some of been broken into at night.

With the near completion of the fourth house in OB’s “Wall of Gentrification” on the 5100 block of West Point Loma Boulevard, we can readily get a sense of what that area of the community would look like if more such 3-story McMansions were allowed to be built along that street.

Try to imagine duplicating these four across the face of the parking lot at Dog Beach – so that the entire length becomes a 30-foot wall …

For the remainder of June, local beach artist Micaela Porte is displaying her recent works – Birds of Paradise – at Te Mana Cafe in Ocean Beach, over at 4956 Voltaire Street.

The show has been running since the end of April. They’re open daily until 6 pm, closed Wednesdays.

Micaela told us that acrylic paint, some old canvases and bird of paradise heads from one of her neighbor’s yard inspired a binge of colorful paintings of bird of paradise flowers – which all harmonize with the aloha theme at the Te Mana garden cafe.